VOLUME 103 ISSUE 14 MAY 30, 2012 FIRST COPY OF THE CORSAIR IS FREE. EACH COPY AFTER IS 25¢
STUDENTS SEARCH FOR UNITY AT STUDENT UNION
Activist Ankur Patel speaks before the union meeting May 19. Patel was met with hostility for suggesting that getting pepper-sprayed was an effective tactic for bringing about change.
Mikhail Pronilover, SOC activist, speaks to media at a press conference in April. Pronilover is one of the more vocal members of the SOC and facilitated the May 19 meeting.
Outgoing AS Vice President Jasmine Delgado expressed concerns about the emerging union's opposition to the AS. Delgado was met with remarks of "white priveledge" at the meeting.
Incoming Student Trustee Michelle Olivarez was originally a member of the SOC but said she quit because she didn't like the methods the group was using to gather support.
Questionable representation, reverse racism, and heckling distract from meeting agenda. Nathan Gawronsky, Andy Riesmeyer, & Henry Crumblish Editor-in-Chief, News Editor, Staff Writer The Student Unity Project and Student Organizing Committee, two campus groups largely responsible for the April protests that postponed Santa Monica College’s Contract Ed program, continue to meet in attempt to grow their movement. A statewide meeting organized by the Student Unity Project on May 19 was intended to link the concerns of local student activists to California education struggles by creating a “Student Union,” but faltered on a number of issues, including attempts to limit a news photographer, heckling, and complaints of racist remarks. Approximately 70 people, including students, faculty and union organizers, attended the meeting with the intent of doing a “better job at representing students.” Organizers feel that their group could take the place and fill in the gaps where they say the Associated Students fails. Hampered by Procedure At one point, facilitators attempted to limit a news photographer at the meeting by initiating a vote on whether or not they would allow the press to report on a meeting in a public space. Voters could choose to either completely restrict, partially restrict, or completely allow photography at the meeting. The vote determined that limited photography would be allowed. Mikhail Pronilover—who also goes by Michael on his Facebook page—is a facilitator and one of the most vocal members of the SOC who cited safety concerns for student activists in attendance as the reason for the vote to limit photography and videography. “We need to vote on this. If even ten people are uncomfortable, we have to respect that,” said Pronilover. Members in attendance mentioned concerns about police surveillance as a reason for not being photographed. Pronilover has emerged as an unofficial leader of the SOC. He frequently chairs meetings, leads discussions, and gives speeches on behalf of the group. Incoming Student Trustee Michelle Olivarez was
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Young Republicans: The baby elephant in the room
originally a member of the SOC, before quitting after becoming disenchanted by their organizing tactics. “Pronilover says that they’re trying to push the poor people out of the system, which is BS,” she said. “The college is so diverse, the city is so liberal. Do you really think they’re going to push away diversity?” “He would suggest that the trustees are here for themselves, and not for the students’ best interests, and that the school is trying to make revenue on us,” she said. Olivarez says that she does not support the demonization of the Contract Ed program. “It means cutting opportunity,” she said. “It’s selfish because it means if everybody can’t get access then nobody should get access. We want to provide opportunity, not take it away.” Pronilover and the SOC have denied repeated requests by The Corsair for comment. Discontent & “White Privilege” At one fiery point in the meeting, members in attendance began heckling Caucasian speakers, dismissing them and yelling, “White privilege!” “No one spoke up during that comment,” said a Caucasian audience member who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal. “It was all about rockthrowing. It was absolutely ridiculous, and all I could think of saying was ‘I’m sitting right here!’” The heckling seemed to be in conflict with the agenda’s guidelines to, “Address political division in the group in a constructive manner that is conducive toward establishing meaningful solidarity,” and “Respect each person’s humanity and their individual experiences.” The heckling continued as Ankur Patel, an activist who identifies with the group, addressed the conference, shouting in an attempt to impassion the crowd. However, his statements were less than embraced. “Getting pepper-sprayed is a tactic! Destruction of property is a tactic!” said Patel. On a widely circulated video of the pepper-spraying that occurred at the April 3 Board of Trustees meeting, Patel can be heard on video yelling, “They pepper-sprayed us! We won!” Petitioning the AS for funding How the meeting was organized, however, is
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Minority births outpace whites for the first time.
surrounded by questions of legitimacy. According to several AS directors, the Student Unity Project, which is an official club on campus that is thereby able to petition for funding and publicity for events, requested publicity and funding for food for their event at a May 14 AS Board meeting. According to the minutes from that May 14 AS Board meeting, the funding, which would be for provided for lunch, would amount to $640.90. While they were not able to secure funding, they were able to get an endorsement for publicity from the AS, and for the space in which to hold their meeting. According to Jasmine Jafari, Inter Club Council vicechair at SMC, the Student Unity Project presented their proposal, and the AS directors approved of the student union meeting with the understanding that the Student Unity Project would support the AS at the event. “What we found out was that AS directors were not welcome at the event,” said Jafari, citing that AS Directors who attended felt betrayed by the negative rhetoric surrounding student governments. To add to the irritation that AS directors felt at the event, none of the literature provided at the student union conference mentioned anything about the Student Unity Project, raising ethical concerns that the Student Organizing Committee attempted to use the Student Unity Project to possibly gain funding and publicity. Students discussed proposals for their models of student unions and allowed students and faculty to vote and provide feedback. Two of the four proposals included instituting a $5 membership fee for all students wishing to join the union. Growing Animosity Sensing the disunity in the conference, SOC member Samaria Gomez stressed the importance of respecting free speech. “The men in the audience need to realize how hard it is for the women, especially women of color, to be able to speak freely and feel safe,” said Gomez. The proposals for the student union were raw and unfinished. There were a total of four proposals for the [SEE STUDENT UNION ON PG.3]
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“Oceans in Peril,” but hope floats
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SMC fashionistas take over Downtown L.A.
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2|CONTENTS
WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
EDITORIAL STAFF
Nathan Gawronsky ··············Editor-in-Chief corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com Amber Antonopoulos ········ Managing Editor corsair.managing@gmail.com Andy Riesmeyer ······················· News Editor corsair.newspage@gmail.com Amber Antonopoulos ··Health + Life Editor corsair.lifestylepage@gmail.com Samantha Perez ······················· A & E Editor corsair.calendarpage@gmail.com Muna Cosic ··························· Opinion Editor corsair.opinionpage@gmail.com Marisa Bojiuc ···························Sports Editor corsair.sportspage@gmail.com Ian Kagihara ···················· Multimedia Editor corsair.multimedia@gmail.com Paul Alvarez ····························· Photo Editor Marine Gaste ··························· Photo Editor corsairphotoeditor@gmail.com David J. Hawkins ························Web Editor corsair.webeditor@gmail.com Nathalyd Meza ······················· Design Editor Alfredo Avila ····························· Design Staff Elham Sagharchi ·······················Design Staff corsair.designteam@gmail.com Jhosef Hern ·································Illustration corsaircartoon@gmail.com S T A F F W R I T E R S Yair Avila, Vanessa Barajas, Christian Carrillo, Peter Cheng, Chelsea Cobbs, Faye Crosswhite, Henry Crumblish, Sarkis Ekmekian, Melina Flores, Dylan Futrell, Chavi Gourarie, Erica Gunn, Robert Gutierrez, Justin Hinton, Tea Jovanovic, Luana Kasahara, Brigette Martinez, Zoryana Melesh, Samantha Perez, Mai Sims, Susanna Svensson, Christinia Sziatinszsky, Cinthia Vera, Israel Villacota, Sophia Villegas, Nadine Weiland PHOTOGRAPHERS Jose Balderas, Daniela Berzuini, Jeff Cote, Sydney Forneret, Marine Gaste, Adrian Galicia, Carrie Jesenovec, Ian-Thomas Kagihara, Asta Karalis, Linda Konde, Guy Mokia, Michael Price FACULTY ADVISORS Saul Rubin Gerard Burkhart AD INQUIRIES (310)434-4033 corsair.adconsultant@gmail.com
Linda Konde Corsair Jamaican born reggae artist Shaggy performs his greatest hits at the annual reggae festival at UCLA in Westwood, California on May 28.
SMC COMMUNITY! IF YOU HAVE PHOTOS, FEELINGS OR OPINIONS ON WHAT WE PUBLISH, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! E-MAIL, TWEET, OR FACEBOOK US. WE'RE LISTENING! CORSAIR.SUBMIT@GMAIL.COM @THE_CORSAIR CORRECTIONS: Last week, The Corsair mispelled the names of two incoming Associated Students officers. London Tran and Jacob Zuriaw have been elected Director of Academic Support and Director of Financial Support, respectively.
A Passenger No Longer Nathan Gawronsky E DITOR - IN -C HIEF
As mentioned last week, the past couple of months at Santa Monica College have at times seemed positively electric. For me, the memory that stands out most clearly was the morning of April 3, the day of the Board of Trustees meeting that resulted in a widely reported pepper spraying of 30 students and a three-year-old girl. That morning, I arrived to class and felt irritated that the New York Times was reporting on Contract Ed at SMC, while we seemed to let it take a back seat in our coverage. As a matter of conscience, I just could not reconcile this massive oversight. I stood before the newspaper staff and proposed (read: begged) that we make this story our top priority. “This is our backyard—we should be the vanguard of this story,” I said. I may not have known it at that exact moment, but my wish was just a matter of hours away from becoming actualized. Since then we’ve endured the many slings and arrows of reporting on an issue riven with contention. It seems that ever since we’ve taken a more proactive and enterprising approach to what we report, we seem to meet more and more people who disagree with what we publish. The attitudes and concerns we encounter are earnest and sincere, and do not deserve to be mocked, though I admit, in private moments, I have expressed exasperation. I want to address some of the issues that have been brought up to us, and try to set the record straight. As a student-run newspaper, I’ve heard too many times that we should be reporting for the school or for the students.
Not for in the sense that students are our main audience, and the community we should be primarily interested in informing—which is right and true—but for students in the sense that we align ourselves on the “side” of anyone, and report in a manner that supports whatever “cause” they champion. While partisan journalism exists and is alive and well today (think Fox News, MSNBC), as students and journalists for The Corsair, we make a constant and concerted effort to espouse the highest journalistic values: honesty, fairness, integrity, accuracy. A student newspaper is not a newspaper for students in a partisan sense—it is a newspaper run by students, to be read by a community of students. Some say that what we report is “bad” for the students. Joshua Scuteri, the outgoing student trustee, visited the newsroom a couple of weeks ago and told us what he thought of our “Disassociated Students” article. “You shake our hand one day, and piss on us another. It says something about your character,” Scuteri said to Andy Riesmeyer, The Corsair’s news editor. Scuteri was clearly heated. “It’s not good for the students, and it’s not a good way to welcome the new president,” he said, referring to the newly elected AS president, Parker Jean, who stood at his side. Without making a huge issue out of how ethically questionable it is for a trustee to speak to a student reporter in such a way, what could only be said is that we’re not here to make anybody “look good.” Our purpose is to execute good reporting—excellent reporting. We are not here to tear anyone down or prop anyone up. We are not a propaganda machine. It is with this philosophy that we intend to return next semester and have The Corsair stay the course. Contract Ed is not, strictly speaking, dead—it is only postponed. The same issues we witnessed this past semester will return to SMC, like an inevitable season.
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NEWS|3
WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE [FROM STUDENTS ON PG.1]
Student union model of the union, one of which was outlined in what was called a “manifesto.” The speakers and facilitators constantly reminded attendees that the union would be separate and different from AS, despite bearing some resemblances. Although nothing is finalized, all power positions are set to be rotated every two months. This varies greatly from the current AS model, whereby those elected hold power for a year. “This is a group for everyone, not a small group of people,” said Gomez. AS Vice-President Jasmine Delgado attended the conference but disagrees with Gomez. “None of the proposals included student government, which I think disenfranchises a lot of people,” said Delgado. “I agree with the fact that student government is having trouble communicating with the students on this campus,” said Delgado, who is unhappy with the student union for using their services and then criticizing the AS. “They don’t want to work with us because they say that we’re the administration’s puppets, that we’re a structural problem,” said Delgado. “They got the permit [for the meeting] through student government using the Student Unity Project.” Delgado would like to see the effort into the formation of the student union refocused into improving the AS. “I have never been approached by a student holding me accountable—let’s reverse that,” said Delgado. Carl Gettelman, a former SMC employee and resident of Santa Monica for 20 years, attended the student union meeting. Gettelman was a student activist in the 1960’s, and decided to attend the conference after receiving an invitation from AS President Harrison Wills. Michael Price Corsair “It was reminiscent of the ‘60s movement; a lot of hashing-out Mikhail Pronilover from SMC and Stephan Georgiou of CCSF, head the California Student Union Conference at Santa Monica and grand-standing,” said Gettelman. “I have to say, overall, College on May 19. The goal of the conference is to create a union for students to make legislative decisions. Here they are voting I’m impressed with this generation and their knowledge of the whether to allow full media coverage, partial media coverage, or no media coverage at the public meeting. issues,” he said, but added that he did not think the student union would succeed with identity politics based on race.
STEM Scholars Program launching this Fall Chavi Gourarie Staff Writer In November, Santa Monica College and UCLA received a $5.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The five-year grant is intended to promote the study of Science, Technology, Math and Engineering, collectively known as the STEM fields, among underrepresented minority students. According to Laurie Penninger, grant writer at SMC, the grant money is being used to launch a Stem Scholars program called the SMC/UCLA Research & Science Initiative. The program will provide better resources and more research opportunities for students interested in the STEM areas of study. STEM careers are in high demand right now, and according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, STEM employment is projected to keep growing by nearly double the amount of non-STEM employment, between 2008 and 2018. President Obama addressed the need for STEM education in the State of the Union in January. “Growing industries in science and technology have twice as many openings as we have workers who can do the job," he said. "At a time when millions of Americans are looking for work, it’s inexcusable.” Applications for enrollment in the Research & Science Initiative opened earlier in May and will accept up to 100 students for the fall semester. The program will offer career planning classes, supplemental instruction, and more preparation and opportunities in scientific research. Penninger, who is currently serving as the interim director of the Science & Research Initiative says, “We asked UCLA, ‘how can we get more students into your labs?’” and found that UCLA felt that SMC students could use more training. To better prepare students for the rigors of scientific research, SMC will now provide
two new classes; Introduction to Research, and Research Techniques in the three science departments, Earth Science, Life Science and Computer Science. Life Sciences Chair, Dr. Garen Baghdasarian, says SMC will provide more opportunities for research at the junior college level. “We aren’t waiting for students to complete undergraduate or graduate programs,” he says. According to Baghdasarian, there have been some research opportunities to SMC students in the past, and occasionally, students are involved in faculty research. Baghdasarian is taking two students with him to Taiwan this summer to study the effects of global warming and ocean acidification on corals and coral reefs off the Island. According to Penninger, the money will also be used for outreach, to encourage and educate students who may not have considered a future in science or math. “A lot of people look at STEM as completely unapproachable,” she said, adding that the complexity of studies turns away some prospects. With better lab equipment and more applied learning, that could change, says Penninger, and Dr. Baghdasarian agrees. He takes his biology students out of the classroom and into nature as often as possible. “Having the students see the animals up close is the first step.” “Students see that there is math but they’re having fun. We’re saving the world, working with starfish, finding the cure for the next cancer,”Penninger says. These are very practical activities with practical outcomes. The idea, says Baghdasarian, is to “provide people with tools and the skill sets to take their interests in whatever direction they want.” Students can apply for the STEM Scholars program though the Counseling department, though June 29, 2012.
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4|NEWS
WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Young Republicans: The baby elephant in the room
ILLUSTRATION BY ANDY RIESMEYER
Justin Hinton Staff Writer Santa Monica College is a diverse community with a broad range of political philosophies to match. However, if one combines California’s “blue”-state leanings with colleges’ and universities’ tendency to slant to the left, then it should be no surprise to know that while Democrats’ and liberals’ views abound on the SMC campus, Republicans are a small presence here. But being a part of the political minority on campus doesn’t bother Michael Farr, President of the SMC Republicans, a new campus group officially started this past April. Farr says that his group is standing up for those that may not exactly share the views of SMC’s liberal masses. According to Farr, a 20-year-old political science major, his group has roughly 20 members, ages 18-21, with males making up 75 percent of the group. As a group, they meet weekly in an effort to “create a forum to discuss politics fairly,” said Farr. This was an issue he noticed while taking several political science classes at SMC. “The classes were overwhelmingly Democrat.” Farr, who calls himself “a fiscally responsible Republican at the most basic level,” also knew that he wasn’t alone in his beliefs. “I saw people cringing in their seats,” he said. “They were wanting to say something, but the conservative kids keep their mouths shut.” So Farr and his fellow Republicans are giving students an avenue to express their political views, which may not be so popular with the rest of the students and faculty on campus. And just as SMC is a uniquely diverse campus, this group is diverse in its own right, too. Farr says the members’ views
run the gamut from the very far right to the socially liberal but fiscally conservative. He also states they are not a far right-leaning extremist group, and that they take a more moderate approach when it comes to social issues. In other words, he says they are not the Tea Party. One thing Farr doesn’t appreciate, though, is what many conservative students have
“They were wanting to
say something, but the conservative kids keep their mouths shut.” -MICHAEL FARR LEADER OF THE YOUNG REPUBLICANS
taken as mocking of the Republican Party by some of SMC’s professors. According to him, the professors are leading students in a specific political direction. “It’s unfortunate,” he said, “but we understand it.” And while there have been rumors of the more liberal students giving Farr’s Republican group a hard time and harassing them for their political affiliation, Farr hasn’t experienced any of it personally, although he acknowledges that some of the others members may not have been so lucky. With an election on the way, this group of SMC’s political outliers will certainly step up their efforts to become more of a voice on campus. They hope to kick-start some educated, politically driven discussion among the students. Just don’t be shocked when you see them on Club Row. According to Farr, “we used to get the craziest looks from people when we were out there.”
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OPINION|5
WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Minority births outpace whites for the first time. Don’t expect to notice a change anytime soon. Peter S. Cheng Staff Writer In 2011, the census recorded more minority infants born than white infants for the first time in U.S. history, and everyone is speculating on what this means for our nation. Will the traditional racial roles be reversed? When white Americans become a minority, will they lose their iron grip on wealth and power in this country? The answer to both those questions is ‘probably not.’ White people – those of European descent – were the minority when they showed up in the New World, and they wasted no time establishing dominance of the native population. Dividing and conquering others has been the modus operandi of those in power for centuries. White Afrikaners were never the majority population in apartheid South Africa, but they used their control of the government, media, and commerce to maintain their power over the country. Minorities of different races and religions have often controlled larger population groups throughout history. Current U.S. financial and census data show that white Americans control a disproportionate share of financial resources and political power in this country, even considering their population majority. Although 50.4 percent of the births in 2011 were of non-white infants, white people still make up almost three quarters of the American population. The Alliance For Board Diversity’s 2010 census found that 87.4 percent of Fortune 100 CEO’s were white, up from 85.1 in 2004. Even as white people make up less of the country, their control of the economy increases. White families consistently and dramatically out earn all minorities except for Asians, who make up only four percent of the population. The current 112th U.S. Congress is 83 percent white, still marginally higher than the total population. Santa Monica College Political Science Department
ILLUSTRATION BY JHOSEF HERN
Chair Christine Schultz feels that the demographic shift will greatly advantage the Democratic Party, as minorities tend to be politically liberal. Schultz believes the younger generations of all ethnicities think much less in terms of race. “Race doesn’t register. Young people don’t think in these terms, it’s the old people that are hanging on.” Of course painting white Americans as a single, unified force holding all of the chips and hell bent on dominance over others is ridiculous. It is still only a very small, very rich minority amongst whites that hold any real power. It may be hard to believe, but whites still maintain a slight majority here in Los Angeles County, making up 50.3 percent of the population. Even with this loose grip on the majority, the unfair distribution of wealth is obvious. In the short journey from my home in Inglewood, less than a quarter white, to Santa Monica, which is over 77 percent white, it becomes very apparent where the wealth and power lies. Every day, I travel between two different worlds – I wake up in the gritty, working class world of minorities, and travel to the wonderful white world of sunshine and leisure. I am of Catholic and Jewish descent; while both of these groups may now be lumped in with the majority, at one time they were the outlying minorities, as well. The only hope we have for any monumental shift in racial dynamics and achieving equality in the United States is for the growing minority population, along with those of us in the majority who are dissatisfied with the status quo, to use our collective financial and democratic influence to force those in control to accept the inevitable and share their power with the masses. For now, it seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Letter to the Editor: Unity For a Common Cause The plans for the implementation of Contract Ed were in place long before the protests and pepper-spraying of April 3, but the violence of that night’s events awoke the consciousness of a lot of SMC students to the debate surrounding the form of the future of public higher education in California. Which is exactly what everyone wants, right? If there’s one thing a college education is supposed to provide (besides plenty of partying and drinking adult beverages opportunities), it’s motivation by fellow students and professors to get involved with not only campus politics and issues but national and international politics and issues, especially ones involving students and young people. In all five classes I'm currently taking, the professors have taken time out of class to talk about contract education which all evolved into student lead discussions that have taken at the very least 30 minutes out of at least one day. Now I must profess that I’m a humanities student, and everybody knows that people who teach humanities courses are
all lefty commie pinkos, but I know that same discussion was going on all across the campus in all departments between students and professors whether they be liberal, conservative, or a-political. This great awakening of student consciousness manifested itself into the protests and demand for the public Board of Trustees meeting, which demonstrated to the Board and the administration that students were now united and committed to further action and participation in the school’s governance. Then cracks started to form. At the Board of Trustees meeting, many students and professors spoke out against the Contract Ed plan, but many others voiced their support for it. Some students even questioned the events and intentions of the Student Organizing Committee on the night of the protests of April 3. Towards the end of meeting, a small shouting match erupted between student supporters and protesters of Contract Ed over what took place at the April 3 protests.
Since the meeting, and the following schisms and new elections of the Associated Students, the student body unity has almost all but dissipated, and that’s a shame. Multiple letters to the editor and opinion pieces have been published in The Corsair voicing opposition to the Student Organizing Committee and calling for students to take a clear-eyed look at the benefits of Contract Ed and ignore the supposed misinformation coming from protesters and the Student Organizing Committee. One story urged students to just work and strive harder to achieve their educational goals and accept that Contract Ed is here to say. None of these articles seem to say what I think was the most important lessons learned from the protests: the power of a united student body. Whether you agree or disagree with the Student Organizing Committee or Contract Ed, you can’t say that the protests didn’t show the Board of Trustees that before they implemented a drastic change at SMC
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they’d have to get the students approval. What I’m saying is simply that the student body needs to be organized to democratically discuss what the student body wants the future of SMC to look like, with the professors on our side to make the administration and Board of Trustees sit up and take notice of the wants and demands of the students they oversee. This in no way means we should all rally around the Student Organizing Committee or The Associated Students, or that we should all rally around antior pro-Contract Ed organizations; it simply means that we, as students, should take the future of public education into our own hands, with help from our professors and hopefully our administrators in a united effort to preserve public education in California for not just our generation, but future generations as well. Sam Ribakoff is an SMC student.
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6|PHOTOSTORY
WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Memorial Day 2012 Text and Photos by Jeff Cote
US Navy Lieutenant Shannon attended the Remembrance ceremony on May 28.
Santa Monica’s 74th Annual Cemetery Remembrance Residents of Santa Monica gathered in Woodlawn Cemetery for the 74th time on Memorial Day, to remember and salute the soldiers who lost their lives protecting our freedom. Families and visitors gathered in the heart of the cemetery, where a dais was erected. The Santa Monica Police Department stood to the left of the dais, the Fire Department to the right, and uniformed veterans sat behind, with their families. There was a celebratory atmosphere in the air as families lounged on picnic blankets and children played in the grass. The ceremony began with a speech from Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom, followed by The National Anthem, sung by a Santa Monica Police officer, who served in the U.S.
A family honors the nation's holiday by paying respect to their lost loved ones.
Marines. The Oceanaires, a Santa Monica a capella group, decked out in festive red vests, preformed patriotic music for the crowd. Shaun Dove, an officer in the Santa Monica Police Department, stood to speak about the history of the Douglass DC-3, an airliner that was used during World War II, and manufactured in Santa Monica. Just as he finished speaking, a DC-3 aircraft flew overhead at just 700 feet, going 120 miles per hour. The crowd looked up to watch as it looped back for a second time. After the ceremony, families dispersed to visit the gravestones of their loves ones, leaving flowers or mementos.
A young girl pays tribute with her family at the Santa Monica Meorial Day Rememberance.
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HEALTH + LIFESTYLE|7
WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Inside the Santa Monica College Letters and Science building, you will find a fairly typical classroom scene, with students in rows of desks, a teacher standing toward the front, and a blackboard covered in diagrams. Greek letters and foreign symbols are interspersed throughout, but to the students in classroom 104, the diagrams are not inscrutable; they are multivariable calculus. In the back row, Stephanie Faulkinberg, with a blond ponytail and dark glasses, would shift her attention between the teacher and her notebook. Faulkinberg plans to pursue a career in math, obtain a master’s in mathematics, and then either teach math or go into research. “I always liked math, and I was always good at it,” Faulkinberg said. Faulkinberg was taking both multivariable calculus and linear algebra in the fall of 2011. In her linear algebra class, she was one of only two female students, and as a female mathematician, she has become used to being in the minority. One of the more robust gender differences, and one that has been reported by hundreds of studies, is male superiority in spatial abilities. Spatial ability refers to thinking of threedimensional spaces abstractly, such as judging
Dr. Moya Mazorow, a math professor at SMC, was not surprised by the results of Hoffman’s study. She received a doctorate in mathematics from Caltech in 1991. “It’s a very sexist field,” Mazorow said. “You have to be very strong to get through the program.” Many of the women who began the program with Mazorow dropped out along the way, especially when family and children began to take priority. Mazorow was one of the first women in the math program at Caltech to stay after a pregnancy. “They really wanted a woman to finish,” Mazorow said, referring to the female secretaries who worked at the school, who would sometimes watch her child while she studied or worked. “They wanted a role model.” Mazorow had very strong female role models, and she attributes much of her success to them. The women in her life told her that she was smart enough to succeed in math. But many girls receive the exact opposite message, and from a young age accept the idea that math is too hard for them. That message, more than anything, holds women back, according to Mazorow. “Anyone can do algebra,” Mazorow said.
Gender Shares of Total and STEM Jobs, 2009 ALL JOBS
Chavi Gourarie Staff Writer
tribes are similar in everything except for culture. To test the spatial aptitude of members of both tribes, Hoffman tracked the time it took them to complete a four-piece puzzle. They each received four squares that, when placed together, formed the face of a horse. This task was novel for the villagers, as they had never seen a puzzle. The volunteers were 18 and older, and the study considered education level, a factor that turned out to be relevant. The results indicated that in the Karbi, the traditional patriarchal society, men completed the puzzle 1.5 times faster than women, while in the Khasi, where there is gender equality, women performed as well as men. Hoffman described this result as “suprising, even shocking.” He had not expected the gender gap to disappear so dramatically, indicating that culture plays a considerable role in determining spatial intelligence. One young Karbi woman told Hoffman that the highest education she received was the equivalent of sixth grade. She was in her early 20s, and married with children. Hoffman asked her why, and she replied that she would not understand what was taught, and wondered what use she would have for higher education.
STEM JOBS
Are men better at math?
distances or mentally rotating Tetris pieces. These abilities are important for what are known as the STEM fields, which include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Women are characteristically underrepresented in these disciplines in higher education and in the workforce, accounting for only 24 percent in science and math careers, according to the Economics and Statistics Administration. For Faulkinberg, being in the minority did not affect her career choice, but it did lead her to question why there are not more women in math. “It makes me wonder if I can do it as well as [men] can,” Faulkinberg said. “I mean, why aren’t there more people like me?” The disparity has been documented, but the question of why remains. Is it biology that differentiates men from women in math and science? Or is it attitudes and socialization that designate where men and women will excel? Dr. Moshe Hoffman, a postdoctoral student at University of California, San Diego, traveled to the villages of two tribes in northeast India to find out. In between rice fields and hills covered in banana trees live two Indian tribes, the Khasi and the Karbi. Both are rice farmers, and almost 90 percent of their caloric intake consists of rice. They share the same geography and are of almost identical ethnic origin, but their cultures could not be more different. The Khasi are one of only two societies that anthropologists categorize as matrilineal. Only women can own land, and inheritance passes to the youngest daughter. Women and men are equally educated, and women are treated with respect. Their Karbi neighbors are a typical patrilineal society characterized by male dominance. Inheritance passes to the eldest son, and all positions of power are held by men. Women receive less education and marry young. The Khasi and Karbi are what scientists call a natural experiment, where nature provides an almost perfect control group. The two
SOURCE: Economics and Statistics Administration calculations from American Community Survey publice-use microdata.
Slow weight loss more lasting than drastic dieting Christina Sziatinszky Staff Writer For many Santa Monica College students, summer consists of surfing, sailing, swimming, travelling, and sunbathing. With these activities on the horizon, some may forgo that ice cream cone on a hot summer day, or sacrifice that juicy hamburger at a barbeque, while adopting extreme diets in attempt to perfect their beach bodies. For 18-year-old SMC student Geraldine Guzman Hernandez, however, hamburgers and tacos are typical meals. As a dancer, she stays in shape, and finds that she does not need to stress about attaining an ideal “bikini body.” “I am the type of person that eats a lot, but never gets fat, so I never have to worry about changing my workout plans for summer,” says Guzman. Though health experts recommend slow weight loss for optimal results, many summer dieters adopt fad diets and cleanses that promise drastic weight loss in short amounts of time. The Master Cleanse entails drinking only water with lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper for 10 straight days. The Cabbage Soup Diet requires eating only cabbage soup for seven days, and the Cookie Diet consists of cookies that contain a “special amino acid formula to assist with weight loss,” says Ortega. Though these diets may yield quick weight loss, Ortega does not recommend relying on them to lose weight in the long run. Most fad diets are not meant to keep weight off, so a person will likely gain back the pounds they lost once they resume their previous eating habits. “The key to success is maintaining the weight loss,” says Ortega. “If you maintain the weight loss for one year, there is a high chance you will not gain it back.” According to Ortega, weight loss consists of both decreasing caloric and fat intake, especially saturated fats. Dieters are often advised to avoid empty calories such as candy, french fries, potato chips, and other fried foods, and resist the urge to drink soda and alcoholic beverages, which are all packed with hundreds of calories that provide little
to no nutritional value. “It is recommended that a person strive for a one-totwo-pound weight loss per week, or 10 percent of their body weight in six months,” she says, explaining that this approach is the healthy, long-term alternative to fad diets. In order to maintain weight loss, Ortega says that dieting alone is not enough, as fat must be burned and muscles strengthened. Typically, a person must burn more calories than they consume per day. There are 3,500 calories in a pound, so a deficit of 3,500 calories must be created to lose a pound. “Exercise is critical to [weight loss] success and overall health,” says Ortega. Exercising for 60 to 90 minutes a day is recommended for weight loss, but most people are not even reaching 30 minutes a day, she says. “My favorite workouts are dancing and running,” says Guzman. “I do not exercise often, but when I dance, I can dance for hours. I believe dancing is a good workout.” Leslie Porter, a yoga and Pilates instructor at SMC, suggests a balance of both diet and several forms of exercise for effective weight loss. She recommends following an exercise program four to six times per week, starting with a short amount of time, and working up to the recommendation. “It’s important to include all aspects of fitness into your program like stretching, resistance training, as well as cardio,” Ortega says. “Muscles will burn more energy than fat, so exercise will definitely help with weight loss.” “Cardio” includes running, jogging, dancing, swimming, and any form of exercise that keeps the heart rate above 70 beats per minute. “Listen to your body, and take days off to rest if you’re exhausted,” suggests Porter, who emphasizes that stress, hormones, and lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain. “Summer is almost here, so getting fit in two weeks is more like a New Year’s Eve resolution that a healthy fitness goal,” says Porter. “It’s better to think long-term than short-term. Be gentle with the process.”
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Marine Gaste Corsair Santa Monica College student Valerie Carrillo, 21, runs on a Santa Monica beach on May 27. Carrillo motivates herself to exercise by thinking about the fitness goals she wants to achieve, and works out under the guidance of her personal Fit Club health coach, Andre Rodrigues.
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8| HEALTH + LIFESTYLE
WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Alcohol takes a toll beyond the hangover Vanessa Barajas Staff Writer With summer approaching, many college students are looking forward to relaxing, enjoying the warm weather, and partying their stress away. While some may be nursing hangovers and trying the latest antidotes for headaches and fuzzy mornings, not as many will be considering the damaging effects of alcohol, a widely used and socially accepted substance. “Alcohol has direct toxic effects on the gastrointestinal tract and liver, leading to impaired digestion, reduced absorption of nutrients into the blood, and impaired utilization of those nutrients,” states a study performed by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. “These effects are referred to as secondary malnutrition and can contribute to the progression of liver damage.” The liver works to excrete all toxins from the body, according to registered dietitian and Santa Monica College nutrition professor Yvonne Ortega. However, it will stop everything to focus on removing harmful substances such as alcohol and drugs. “The liver must metabolize alcohol,” says Ortega. “If the liver doesn’t have time, [alcohol] accumulates, and the timeline for the liver to process other nutrients becomes longer.” The liver is responsible for producing bile to help digest fats and proteins for blood plasma, according to the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford’s online health information. The essential organ also converts excess glucose into energy, regulates amino acid levels and blood
clotting, and removes bacteria from the bloodstream. These important processes are all inhibited when the liver must first process alcohol. “The more a person drinks, the longer the other tasks of the liver will take to be completed,” Ortega says. According to “Nutrition Now,” a nutrition textbook used at SMC, alcohol is an “energy-dense” and “empty-calorie” substance, because its calories do not provide essential nutrients. “Alcohol consumption, particularly at heavy drinking levels, not only influences the drinker’s diet but also affects the metabolism of those nutrients that are consumed,” according to the NIAAA’s study. While some studies suggest that a glass of red wine per day may help prevent disease, Ortega emphasizes the details of the study. “The research done only helped people over 35 years of age with a family history of heart disease,” says Ortega. “There’s no reason for 21-year-olds to be drinking daily.” “Nutrition Now” states that frequent alcohol intake increases the risk of developing high blood pressure, stroke, dementia, central nervous system disorders, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and cancers of the throat, stomach and bladder,. “It’s upsetting to see the connection people have with it, and not understanding the internal effects,” says Ortega. Liver damage can be indicated by blood tests that check liver enzymes, as a healthy liver should not secrete enzymes into the blood.
“Some people may misdiagnose damage to their liver with anemia,” says Ortega, pointing out that liver damage can be noted by fatigue. “The liver is very resilient,” says Ortega. “Once you stop drinking, it can help, but it has to be a personal decision, if [you] value health.” “Nutrition Now” defines alcoholism as “an illness characterized by a dependence on alcohol, and by a level of alcohol intake that interferes with health, family and social relations, and job performance.” Harvey, an Alcoholics Anonymous member who declined to provide his last name, is an ex-Marine and Vietnam War veteran who says that alcoholism is a mental obsession. “I knew that I had a drinking problem,” says Harvey. “You have to admit it to yourself first. It does something for me that it wouldn’t do for you.” Harvey began drinking at the age of 17, and joined AA at 34 before reaching sobriety at 38. “I was in the Marine Corps, and it was a social situation,” Harvey says. “There was pizza and beer, and that’s what we had. It’s not the taste of it that I loved; beer tastes
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awful. I liked the feeling of being drunk.” The use of alcohol among adolescents has increased, while the average age that teenagers begin to drink has decreased to 14, according to “Nutrition Now.” “The younger individuals are when they begin to drink, the greater likelihood that they will develop a drinking problem at some point in life,” according to the textbook. The text also states that a person’s lifestyle, defined by what they consume, accounts for 51 percent of what contributes to death among adults 75 years or older. “There’s a lot of denial,” says Harvey. “A lot of people go as long as they can without admitting it. It can be killing you and you won’t admit it.”
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HEALTH + LIFESTYLE|9
WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
“Oceans in Peril,” but hope floats Susanna Svensson Staff Writer Miles of pristine, clear blue water stretch alongside a clean white beach. This image is often conjured when imagining the ocean—cleanliness, openness, serenity. But what if that weren’t the case? What if, instead, the waters were littered with sewage and trash? What if the shoreline were pockmarked with plastic bags, hypodermic needles and cigarette butts? What if all the fish were dead from mercury poisoning? Closing this semester’s Distinguished Scientists Lecture Series last Tuesday was Dr. Garen Baghdasarian, who discussed his research on the ecological repercussions of trash in oceans at his lecture entitled “Oceans in Peril: A Sailing Voyage Across the South Pacific.” “Imagine a bucket of water, and you put various chunks of stuff into the water, and then stuck your finger in there and started swirling that water,” Baghdasarian said at the lecture. “Everything would go toward the center, right? That’s what happens in the ocean, and we end up with these gyres within the major oceans where various
said Baghdasarian. He explained his discovery that a floating mass of trash in the middle of the ocean is not actually always the case in the South Pacific. “When you go out there, what you really see is this perfectly blue clear water,” said Baghdasarian. “Occasionally, you’d see some sort of a floating chunk of plastic, but what’s really the problem was something else.” By trawling, which is a technique usually used to collect plankton, Baghdasarian and his team collected trash from the water. “This is a big problem because [the trash] is mixed with the plankton,” said Baghdasarian. “So if you tried to clean this, you’d essentially take away all the plankton, and that’s not reasonable. And there is no way to attract just the plastics.” Inside a rainbow runner fish, Baghdasarian and his group found 17 fragments of plastic. “The plastics are pulling all the chemicals to them, and concentrating them within a small piece, so that when fish eat
Jeff Cote Corsair Dr. Garen Baghdasarian, biology instructor and chair of the life sciences department at Santa Monica College, speaks about "Oceans in Peril" at the final event of this semester's Distinguished Scientists Lecture Series on May 22.
ADRIEN
BRODY
SEAN
MARQUETTE
MATT
BUSH
COLIN
HANKS
ADHIR
KALYAN
AND
MICHAEL
CHIKLIS
“YOU CAN STILL MAKE A CHANGE BECAUSE IT'S NOT OVER THE EDGE YET.” -DR.GAREN BAGHDASARIAN
pollutants, trash, and pieces of plastic are gathered and collected.” Baghdasarian, former director of the Center for Environmental and Urban Studies, is a biology instructor and chair of the life sciences department at Santa Monica College. “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is in the North Pacific, and there is a lot of work that has been done about that,” said Baghdasarian, referring to a massive aggregate of trash in the Pacific, a vortex of oceanic pollution. “What we decided to do—my wife and I, and a group of other people—was to investigate the South Pacific Gyre. The idea was to sail from the Maldives all the way across this gyre, and see what we were able to find.” According to Baghdasarian, 71 percent of the world’s surface is covered by water, and over 95 percent of the living area on earth is within water. “What we were looking for is what a lot of people have in mind as these trash islands that are found in the middle of the ocean,”
it, it gets into the food system and goes up the food chain,” said Baghdasarian. Trash in the water and on beaches is not only found in the South Pacific. Sara Bayles, Baghdasarian’s wife, runs the blog “The Daily Ocean,” where she posts pictures of litter found on a beach in Santa Monica. “I collect trash from the same beach for 20 minutes at a time,” Bayles stated on her blog. “My goal is to do this for 365 non-consecutive days. My average is one beach cleanup every three days.” “The solution is not to clean up; the solution is to prevent this from happening in the first place,” said Baghdasarian. At the lecture, Baghdasarian illustrated some simple things people can do to help nature recover, including purchasing local food, recycling, and using public transportation. “The point is that it is time to make the change,” said Baghdasarian. “You can still make a change because it’s not over the edge yet.”
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10| SPORTS
WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Alexandru Ceachir named SMC Football Athlete of the Year Sarkis Ekmekian
Staff Writer When Alexandru “Cheech” Ceachir stayed up until 2 a.m. with his teammates and football coach back in Moldova to watch a Pittsburgh Steelers game, playing American football on an actual football field was merely a dream. He never imagined that he would be living that dream a few years later by playing in UCLA’s spring scrimmage game in front of 13,000 cheering fans. “It blew my mind. It was more than I could ever imagine. I am really living my dream,” Ceachir said. The Moldovan native has come a long way from playing football on a soccer field with a local competitive club called the Kishinev Barbarians. He has since moved to Los Angeles, played football at Santa Monica College, received a NCAA Division I football scholarship to play for the UCLA Bruins, and most recently was named SMC’s Football Student Athlete of the Year. “Being named [Football Student Athlete of the Year] was great; it was a great feeling and more than I expected. I’m thankful for everyone— Coach Gifford Lindheim, Coach David Banuelos, Coach Steven Garcia—and Santa Monica College as a whole,” Ceachir said. His six-foot-five figure helped him first get noticed at SMC. He joined the Corsairs in 2010 and started most games as their left tackle. His last season at SMC culminated with the Corsairs winning the 2011 Pacific Conference
Championship, an achievement that had last been accomplished in 2003. Ceachir was also voted Most Improved Player by his teammates in 2010. “We chose Cheech as our Student Athlete of the Year because of the fact that he had to go through so much to get to where he is—all the ESL requirements, classes and state requirements—and he excelled. UCLA
University of Utah, Southern Methodist University and University of Hawaii among others. Ceachir had initially committed to the University of Utah, but after learning that his recruiter Norm Chow was leaving the Utes, he decided that UCLA was the place for him. UCLA offensive line Coach Adrian Klemm recruited Ceachir and switched
Michael Yanow Corsair Santa Monica College offensive lineman Alexandru Ceachir in action against East LA College on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at Corsair Field in Santa Monica. East L.A. won the game 42-28 over SMC in the American Championship Bowl. doesn’t just take anyone. You need to be good academically as well,” said the SMC football Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Steven Garcia. Many football scholarship offers soon started coming his way from Florida International University, Fresno State, University of Colorado Boulder,
his Santa Monica left tackle position to left guard. “ Coach Klemm is a nice guy, friendly off the field but aggressive and explosive on the field. He’s a monster, in a good way,” said Ceachir. According to Ceachir, the team is like a “big family” and “everyone tries to help and support each other.”
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He mentioned that his teammates Seali’i Epenesa, Xavier Su’a-Filo, Brett Downey and Greg Capella supported him through his transition. Being from a country that is not accustomed to football and its roughness, Ceachir had to convince his family to follow his passion, mainly his mother, Irina Ceachir, who is a pharmacist. Although he is concerned about his own safety as well, Ceachir feels that football is worth the risk. “Whatever you do, there is a risk. When you walk down the street, you can get into a car crash. Just living in this world is a risk,” he explained. His family fully supports him, now realizing that football is Ceachir’s passion, and that he excels at it. As a matter of fact, his mother and 12-yearold sister, Anastasia Ceachir, are coming to Los Angeles to spend this summer with him. “My dad has told me that he is proud, and that that he will cheer for me from Moldova,“ said Ceachir. When asked about his pre-game rituals, Ceachir said that he tries to call his parents before every game, and if possible, go to church and relax before game day. “For the upcoming year, he does have the option to redshirt for a year if they want him to learn and prepare more, if needed, but he can also start. He can do anything he wants. It’s up to him what he gets out of this opportunity. The sky’s the limit for him,” said Garcia.
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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT|11
WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
RENT but don’t buy.
Andy Riesmeyer News Editor Santa Monica College’s spring musical RENT premiered to a sold out crowd at last Thursday’s preview. Through the performance, the audience was treated to coming-of-age songs and carefully choreographed dances from the awardwinning musical about the trials and tribulations of the Bohemian lifestyle of New York City in the late 1980s. There is no doubting the original musical’s cultural significance. It was creator Johnathan Larson’s darling that reached popularity of epic proportions with a Tony Award, a Pulitzer Prize and a film adaptation. For 12 years, the show ran on Broadway and brought alternative lifestyles and the AIDS epidemic to mainstream audiences. And that should be enough to make SMC’s production a guaranteed hit. Unfortunately, it missed the mark. It felt unprepared. It felt rushed and insincere. It was like a caricature of its original self, and it made me sad. Former sensuality was now raunchy, raw and unpolished—singers fell flat frequently and the additions and subtractions made by director Dr. Adrianne Harrop left some in the audience confused. Issues with the audio of the backing band distracted from the performance on more than one occasion. In some places the singers’ vocals were too quiet to be heard over the bombast of the band’s drummer. The highly melodic libretto of the show is based in joy in the face of adversity. The
characters’ lives are rough. Though they struggle with AIDS, alienation, and social poverty, they are vibrant, exuberant and cunning. With the exception of Felix Omar who portrayed Angel, there were moments when the cast seemed tired. Perhaps this can be attributed to the fact that RENT, with highly active Asta Karalis Corsair numbers and non-stop action, SMC students Carlos Padilla(left) and Janiqua Nettles(right) perform RENT at a dress rehearsal on Wednesday is a physically demanding May 23, 2012 at Santa Monica College’s Main Stage. musical to perform. Omar, however, absolutely stunned the audience. I was the musical backing here may have lent to It wasn’t a great way to start the show. Her blown away by his embodiment of the their clarity and enjoyment. behavior was rude and unprofessional, and character. Angel is complex – Omar must However, something that happened off left me with a feeling of helplessness and play his vivaciousness in dance, charisma stage at the performance became the most anguish—we had been condescended to in falling in love and fearlessness in death. memorable part of the evening, though it like rambunctious toddlers when we had He danced like a madman and easily stole shouldn’t have. Our humble group of two really done nothing wrong or unusual. the show during "Today 4 U" and "La Vie had saved an additional two seats next to The others in the audience in our area Boehme." ours for friends who were running late. looked at her, shocked. All of our moods SMC musical veteran Carlos Padilla Close to the beginning of the show, a had changed. As the face of her production, portrayed Roger, and had the strongest woman approached from the back of the she did a great disservice to the show, her voice of the whole cast. It was clear, theater and took issue with the jackets we cast, and the theater department. powerful, and emotive. The full house It should go without saying that corporate had placed over the adjacent seats. “You jumped at the opportunity to participate in Diana Guzman’s stunningly esoteric can’t do this! You can’t save seats!” she protesting, debates about non-traditional love, and the AIDS epidemic were as rendition of Maureen’s "Over the Moon bellowed meanly, “I am the director!” She was. More words were exchanged topical twenty years ago as they are today. "protest moo-along. The highlights of the night were the as we explained we were waiting for our RENT is a powerful musical even under ensemble’s rendition of "Seasons of Love" friends who had been caught up outside. the direction of Dr. Harrop, and I have and "La Vie Boehme." Cast members While she was irate, she acquiesced—albeit high hopes for the cast members. Just make sure you stay seated the entire shined in these numbers that felt cohesive, begrudgingly—when we pointed out more honest, and deliberate. The minimalism of open seats directly behind us. time.
California Chicken Café Text & Photo by Karolin Axelsson Staff Writer For some time, I have wanted to try the food at California Chicken Café, a restaurant that has seven locations in California, but every time I went around lunchtime it has always been packed. Finally this Tuesday, I went to the location at 2401 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica. The restaurant was not as crowded as usual, and since most items on the menu for one person are under $10, I decided to have my $10 Tuesday lunch there. The café is a bright, unoriginal, open space. The restaurant offers abundant seating, and the dark wooden tables serve as a nice contrast to the bright yellow walls. A counter is located at the opposite end of the entrance, displaying all the side dish options in canteens. Overall the restaurant looks very clean and neat, but a little dull. I stood in line by the counter and placed my order. California Chicken Café has a large variety of items from which to choose, but as the name implies, most of the dishes include chicken. The restaurant offers wraps, salads, and various combinations of chicken served with up to three sides. Their side menu is extensive, including soups, mashed potatoes, pasta salads, steamed vegetables, and rice. Unlike the interior, the food is anything but dull. The three-piece chicken with two sides meal costs $9.25, and is a rather large lunch. My chicken was tasty, with slightly crispy skin and moist meat. It was perfectly paired with the broccoli pasta salad, which consisted of pasta and broccoli mixed with ranch and Italian dressings. Surprisingly, the popular “Hot Potatoes” were not that
savory. Red potatoes sautéed with onions, garlic, and seasoning sounded delicious, but the potatoes were dry, and I wonder if they forgot the seasoning and garlic on my order. It was a good thing that there was salsa, BBQ sauce, and ketchup at the condiment bar to save the potatoes for me. California Chicken Café offers whitemeat-only on dishes, which makes it a smart alternative for the health-conscious. The restaurant also offers low-calorie sides,
low-fat dressings, and non-fat mayonnaise. Even though chicken is the heart of this restaurant, it does offer several vegetarian dishes. The “Veggie Wrap,” with avocado, jack cheese, carrots, sprouts, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and Italian dressing, wrapped in either white or whole-wheat pita bread, costs $6.50. The wraps are substantial and generously filled. California Chicken Café is an ideal place for a healthy, inexpensive lunch. During
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the lunch rush, it gets crowded, but after 2 p.m. it is not as busy. There is a park a few blocks away from the Wilshire Boulevard location. I recommend ordering the food to go, walking over to the park, and having your meal there. California Chicken Café also caters to larger groups. YAY! $1.50 YOU GETS YOU UNLIMITED FOUNTAIN DRINKS OR ICED TEA. NAY! THEY CHARGE EXTRA FOR ALL WHITE MEAT.
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12|ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
SMC fashionistas take over Downtown L.A.
Photos by Marine Gaste Corsair A model poses in SMC fashion student Yuliya Korobenyuk's gray dress, with cowl neck and side pleats, during the L.A. Mode 2012 fashion show on Thursday evening. The show was held at the California Market Center in downtown Los Angeles. Korobenyuk''s office wear dress won first prize in its category.
Emilia Reyes Staff Writer The Santa Monica College fashion department and its aspiring designers arrived at the California Market Center Thursday night to unravel their latest creations. The music was heard instantly as you stepped out of the elevator. As you followed the marble floor toward a large ballroom, you couldn’t help but notice the fashionably dressed mannequins and assortment of jewelry in locked glass display cases. The lighting was dim in the ballroom, and the catwalk was lit with large ceiling lights. People mingled and bobbed their heads to songs such as Pitbull’s “Back in Time,” as they found their seats along the catwalk and prepared to watch the “L.A. Mode 2012” fashion show. “It started with the idea in their mind,” said Fereshteh Mobasheri, director of SMC’s fashion design and merchandising program. “They sketched it out, they started with the application, they made the pattern, they started constructing it, and then they had to start thinking of the fashion show.” There were four design categories showcased, including Contemporary Sportswear, Resort Wear, Evening Wear, and Office Wear. Seven judges from the fashion industry selected 17 winners prior to the show, and there were cash prizes for all four themes. First place received $200, second place $100, and third place $50. A cash prize for “Best in Show” went to Inken Brough and Samantha Safir, who received $300 each. Different silhouettes came strutting down the runway, showing off the swimwear designs. Each piece expressed a unique look,particularly a white bathing suit with a one-tier ruffle that wrapped around the waist paired with a hand-dyed yellow halter top, designed by Steven Martinez. “I designed everything myself, and I hand-dyed the bathing suit in yellow for a
different look,” Martinez said. Inken Brough, whose designs inspired an architectural, romantic, and sophisticated look, tied for first place in the Swimwear category with Natalja Sinyankovic. Janet Garcia, who won first place in Contemporary Sportswear, said that she worked diligently and persistently all year to ensure that her gowns were “unique, adventurous and made for a fashionista.” She added that it was not easy to accomplish such a task and have it ready in time for the fashion show, especially because she knew nothing about designing outfits prior to signing up for SMC’s fashion program. She accredits her newfound knowledge to Mobasheri, her adviser. Martinez, a third-year fashion student, was the only designer to showcase a white wedding dress. Though his dress was an attention grabber, he was not awarded a prize this year. He said that he will not give up, and that he will continue to design “inventive, sexy and unique” pieces. “I aspire to, one day, be a well-known designer—as well-known as Chanel and Christian Dior,” said Martinez. Since Mobasheri had high expectations for the designers, hard work and long hours went into every garment. Many times she was put into situations where she had to tell a designer that their designs were less than perfect, and that they had to start all over. “The fashion students worked on their designs throughout the entire year,” said Mobasheri. “They have worked so hard, and all I did was try to push them. You have no idea how many times I made them rip it out and redo it, and they did it with dignity. I anticipate this show will go on for as long as I can do it, and if I can’t, I hope that there will be someone else to continue it. I can see that students love to blossom, and that is the only way I can see it happening.”
A model shows off SMC fashion student Steven Martinez's wedding dress during the the L.A. Mode 2012 fashion show. While the dress was well received, it did not win a prize.
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