CORSAIR
SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 | VOLUME 110 ISSUE 03 | SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
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THE GREAT DEBATE
SMC BATTLES BRITISH NATIONAL TEAM (PG. 3)
AD-HOC MEETING COVERS HOMELESS STUDENT PROBLEM (PG. 4)
BLOOD MOON WOWS CROWD (PG. 6)
SOCIAL MEDIA: ONE BIG POPULARITY CONTEST (PG. 11)
NEW ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: FULL OF NEW PROMISE (PG. 12)
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CONTENT
VOLUME 110 ISSUE 03 • SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
EDITORIAL STAFF Devin Page ....................................Editor-in-Chief corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com Yasha Hawkins...........................Managing Editor corsair.managing@gmail.com Alissa Nardo ......................................News Editor corsair.news@gmail.com Bailey Peraita ..........................Health & Lifestyle corsair.lifestylepage@gmail.com Oskar Zinneman ........................... Opinion Editor corsair.opinionpage@gmail.com Josh Shure .........................................Sports Editor corsair.sportspage@gmail.com Nik Lucaj ..............Arts & Entertainment Editor corsair.calendarpage@gmail.com Claudius West .................. Multimedia Director corsair.multimediadept@gmail.com Jose Lopez ...........................................Photo Editor corsairphotoeditor@gmail.com Alexandra Perry ...................................Illustrator corsaircartoon@gmail.com
A lowrider competitor tries to get the front end of his Chevy Monte Carlo to bounce high enough to win the hop height contest at the Torres Empire Lowrider Supershow held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on August 23, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. Torres Empire has the claim to fame for throwing the largest lowrider show in the world with over 1200 indoor show cars and 65 outdoor hoppers.(Jose Lopez/ Corsair)
William Miguel ..............................Design Editor corsair.designteam@gmail.com
CORSAIR STAFF Miriam Ferrer, Lorenz Fraser, Tua Brooks, Tiffany Morgan, Chase Maser, Daniela Barhanna, Carolyn Alfaro, Jeremy Sanders, Christian G. Martin, Ciara Buchanan, Kevin Colindres, Alexandra Obiekea, Adam Robert Thomas, Jake Hirsohn, Wynn Taylor, Hannah, Kovar, Semaj Harbin, Andrew Olender, Frederick Riggs, Gina Abakians, Tarah Kelly, Madeline Sheppard, Roxana Esquivias, Yesenia Sandoval, Samantha Ruvalcaba, Samuel Huntington, Ariana Kidd, Melina Guelli, Stephanie Irineo, Stefan Maduro, Ryanne Mena, Josue Martinez, Carlos Espinosa, Ramses Lemus, Scott Bixler, Daniel J. Bowyer, Dotan Saguy
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR DEVIN PAGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
FRONT COVER Matthew Willmore, British National Debate Team, discussing about the Gender Equity at the main stage in Santa Monica College. (Carlos Espinosa/Corsair)
Alas, the crew is back from the ONA Conference in Los Angeles where we networked with professionals in the Journalism industry from all over the world. Over the course of three days there were various workshops, career fairs, mixers, all in order to help fellow journalists hone their craft. For some this meant moving into other ventures. What I gathered from talking to representatives from the LA Times, Gannett, as well as others is that social media is key. I guess it's time to get purge the old tweets from high school and start using social media like Twitter and Instagram as a way to connect and gather news. I also learned from a colleague that journalists like their coffee, free food, and booze. It was an informative conference to say the least. In this issue, we keep with the theme of social media by taking a closer look at the benefits of maintaining an active social media presence. While keeping your head in the sand about social media might seem
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like an easy way out, it is not quite logical. In fact, what I learned from my time at the conference is that job recruiters will research your social media footprint to gather your web skills and ability to properly utilize an online platform to promote or inform. In other news, writer Jacob Hirsohn reviews the albums you've probably been obsessing over (for better or worse) as of recent. While Drake's name undoubtedly elicits gasps and bowing motions, Jacob takes a less popular stance and explains why Drake's music has become overrated in recent years. Equally anticipated album's include Fetty Wap's debut album, "1989" by Ryan Adams, and "Slim Season" by Young Thug. This is a popular time for hip hop music which seems to be dominating the mainstream. Lastly, Health & Lifestyle Editor Bailey Peraita recounts the countless struggles in her life dealing with harassment from men. This is a persistent issue in society that women deal with and Bailey really drives it home with the message that men aren't entitled to sex and getting what they want. No example rings louder in my head then @THE_CORSAIR •
than the Isla Vista shootings last year in Santa Barbara. While there may have been a mental illness in the case of Elliot Rogers, there is still the underlying issue of entitlement that certain men have that cause them to think that women belong to them or owe them something, as if they are property. In Bailey's case, potentially dangerous situations didn't go much further than a general feeling of disgust or annoyance, but it only takes one tragedy to reevaluate society's problems.
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NEWS
VOLUME 110 ISSUE 03 • SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
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STUDENTS LEAVE ELATED AS GENDERS DEBATED
Santa Monica College Debate Team Co-Captain Stephen Sands (left) talks to fellow Co-Captain Filipp Krasovsky (right) during the debate versus the British National Debate Team inside the Theatre Arts Complex at Santa Monica College on Tuesday. (Ramses Lemus/Corsair)
ALISSA NARDO NEWS EDITOR “Look, we are fallible. We cannot give you the Rolls Royce of Gender equity. We can give you the Honda Civic” said Filip Krasovsky as he went into a counter argument supporting the belief that gender equity is possible, “My problem particularly, is that our friends our painting it as a Chevy Nova. A bad car! But not our Honda Civic.” A packed audience of Santa Monica College students laughs at Krasovsky’s metaphor. It’s one of the more entertaining moments during the debate between the SMC Debate Team and the visiting British National Debate team held at the main stage of the theater arts building on Tuesday, September 29th. The event – which was sponsored by the Associated Students of SMC, SMC Associates, the Committee for International Discussion and Debate, the National Communication Association and the Communication and Media Studies Department of SMC – featured the team of Krasovsky and fellow student Stephen Sands representing SMC. They faced off against visiting opponents Chessy Whalen and Matthew Wilmore, two champion debaters from the UK, to discuss the topic of whether or not gender equity was a possibility in the modern world. “Even when we do use laws though, often the most vulnerable women are not protected,” passionately countered Whalen early on in the debate. “The equal pay act may have been enacted, but decades later we are still so far away from [equity]." Tasked with the opposing position, Whalen and Wilmore argued that gender equity was effectively impossible unless a radical attitudinal shift occurred in society
than the more commonly seen argument that gender equity doesn’t exist based on statistical evidence. This strategy ended up framing the majority of the debate, which primarily centered on whether gender equity should be achieved through slow and steady legislative action or mass populist upheaval. “Statistics are very easy to disprove with another statistical survey,” said Whalen later about her team’s debate strategy. “The other option is to suggest that gender equity
The home team held their own though, especially when Sands countered Whalen’s closing statements with some powerful words, “I think there’s been a fundamental misunderstanding here today. That the legislative change that’s occurred so far is the only legislative change that is going to happen. We never claimed that there isn’t inequity. We’ve claimed that there was more (in the past), it is solved, and through even more legislation ever more progress will be made. We started with the Nova, we have
“The discussion, the information... what’s inside the content is much more important than deciding who is a winner, who is a loser.” is not something we should be striving for, which is just not something that I could say in public, or even in private.” Whalen and Wilmore may only have needed to use rhetoric to convince the audience, as both are seasoned debaters with years of experience under their belts; Wilmore himself being the 2014 European Debate Champion. The pair is successful enough that they’re now touring the US in a debate circuit as a sort of victory lap before starting their professional careers. Going against a team with such accolades, the odds were definitely stacked against Krasovsky and Sands.
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the Civic, and we’ll move to the Rolls Royce!” The fact that the SMC team was able to compete against such heavyweights at all is an impressive comeback story. It took a coordinated effort by Professor Nate Brown and the many associations sponsoring yesterday’s event to raise funds for the SMC debate team, which was non-existent two years ago, a student run club last year, and is now a class that Brown teaches. With further fundraising Professor Brown hopes that the now official SMC debate team will be able to compete and gain national notice,” I hope that over the next several years Santa Monica College has a
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nationally award winning speech and debate team. We should be able to brag like other colleges do that we are national debate champions.” After an hour, the battle of speeches, interjections, and rhetoric ended with the question of who won put to the audience. Though technical difficulties with voting software caused only a limited number of votes to come in before shutting down, the final tally was a direct 50-50 split. “We’ll just keep it at that. I like that,” said Krasovsky. Though the audience may have been split officially, the debate sparked immense interest in many of the attendees, who asked a number of questions and presented their own points of view on the topic during the Q&A session that followed the vote. “It’s really more than just an argument,” said psychology major John Hann during the Q&A,” this has gotten us to think, but we have been thinking for so long. So long. What we need is to tap into emotions and feelings. We as men have been ignoring that for so long.” From the other questions asked by the audience, an appreciation of the debate being presented seemed very apparent. “It was awesome!” said Caitlyn Hunter, an Anthropology major, “I think the SMC side won due to logical reasons, that legislation is the way to start, but the spirit behind the British team was definitely in the right place.” Though there was no official winner both due to the split vote and the polling issues, it didn’t seem to matter to most of the attending audience, who appreciated the mere fact that the issue was brought to a public forum at all. Hann said afterward, “The discussion, the information... what’s inside the content is much more important than deciding who is a winner, who is a loser.”
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NEWS
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VOLUME 110 ISSUE 03 • SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
WITHOUT A HOME
ALISSA NARDO NEWS EDITOR
AS makes plans to address needs of homeless students
The Associated Students' Homeless Committee began their term with an ad-hoc meeting on Tuesday, where they discussed their ideas with homeless workers from the Santa Monica and SMC counselors. Led by Jonathan Hughes, recentlyelected director of Student Assistance, the Homeless Committee plans to kickstart more hands-on initiatives within AS, aiding homeless students in remaining in school. “It should be our number one priority that whatever assistance is needed is ensured,” Hughes said, “and that any person who is homeless now walks across the stage to receive their degree or certificate in the near future.” The committee's first plan of action is to identify the homeless population on campus. Homelessness comes in many forms, stresses the Homeless Committee. Many students couch-surf or live out of their cars, unaware they are technically homeless and entitled to help from various federal, state, local and college assistance programs. After identifying the different states of homelessness, the committee can focus their efforts in the most productive manner. There are five major needs identified by the Homeless Committee in keeping students in school: housing, food, jobs, education and healthcare. Housing is a large task for the committee to take on, but nonetheless they are currently looking into ways in which they can connect homeless students to affordable living spaces. Food is the first immediate plan of action on the committee’s list. In the past, SMC made attempts to partner with the cafeteria to put a food voucher program in place, but nobody followed through. The Homeless Committee seeks to realize this project. The Sustainability Department is cur-
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Heather Haro, AS member Director of Sustainability, particpates in a meeting to discuss the issue of homeless students who attend Santa Monica College along with possible ways to help those students. (Jose Lopez/ Corsair)
rently planning their biannual student farmer’s market, where they provide fresh produce leftover from local farmers to SMC students. The committee also plans on meeting with local markets to discuss further food gleaning partnerships to provide for students in need. In aiding financially-troubled students, the committee points to campus programs such as Extended Opportunity Program & Services (EOPS). EOPS provides book vouchers for students who qualify, in addition to various educational and personal counseling services. There are also talks of beginning an AS
sponsorship to cover AS fees for homeless students. Though nothing is confirmed yet, the Homeless Committee recognizes this need, as students registered with AS are provided free transportation via the Big Blue Bus company. Concerning jobs, the committee points to Student Help and Federal Work Study, both student employment opportunities under the Financial Aid Department. Students are eligible for Federal Work Study through FAFSA. Details on Federal Work Study and Student Help opportunities are listed on SMC’s website. Since mental health is a major cause in
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homelessness, the committee stresses getting at-risk students into the psychological health services on campus. While most of these initiatives are only in the beginning stages, the Homeless Committee hopes to have several campus programs in place before the end of the academic year. The committee also plans on assisting homeless students in connecting with outside resources in the community. The Homeless Committee's next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. in the Cayton Center. For those in need of any related assistance, contact Hughes through the AS office in the Cayton Center.
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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE
VOLUME 110 ISSUE 03 • SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
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SMALL LIGHTERS, BIG IMPACT
The environmental risk of a pocket-sized plastic isn't as innocuous as it appears.
Illustration by AJ Perry
ANDREW STINSON STAFF WRITER Smoker or nonsmoker, disposable cigarette lighters are as much a part of daily life as using a toothbrush. Smokers use them for the obvious reason and nonsmokers will keep them on hand if, for no other reason, than to light candles. Disposable lighters come in all colors and sport an endless variety of themes encouraging self expression from representing our zodiac symbol, a favorite rock band, a favorite automobile brand, and so on. These pocket lighters are found to be handy for all sorts of uses and by all sorts of people from a restaurant worker to a boy scout. On first examination, disposable lighters seem quite innocuous; however, there is a global, ecological cost to this colorful convenience that has woven itself so deeply into our social environment. Founded in France in 1945, the Bic Company is the largest manufacturer of disposable lighters in the world. Its classic shape has not changed since 1972 and it is on permanent display at the Museum of Modern Art’s Department of Architecture and Design. Bic manufactures upwards of 2 billion lighters annually, counts for 50% of world sales of disposable lighters and dominates over 73% of the US market in. Its closest competitor here in the US is Calico Brands (Scripto Tokai) of Ontario, CA with 6.5% of the US market. According to Convenience Store and Fuel News, of the 371,172,032 disposable
lighters sold in convenience stores and fuel stations across America during 2014, 315,283,141 were manufactured by Bic and 3,360,627 by Calico. The number of disposable lighters manufactured by just these two companies is staggering from an ecological impact point of view. Bic says that its lighters are good for 3,000 lights; however, there seems to be a general public consensus that this number of lights has decreased significantly over the years. This practice would guarantee increased production during the decline of smoking. Disposable lighters contain a number of chemicals that are dangerous to the environment when discarded. Some of these chemicals are the raw materials used to make the various parts of the lighter including petroleum products, formaldehyde, sulfuric acid, flint (ferrocerium) and butane gas to name a few. Much of the world’s trash is burned; especially in third world areas. Disposable lighters produce toxic gasses when burned in trash. When the thermoplastic polyoxymetnylene (POM) that is used to form the stiff casing of a disposable lighter is exposed to chemicals such as chlorine, strong acids, and alkaline it can degrade POM and release formaldehyde. Many of these chemicals known to degrade POM are readily available in landfills.
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The flint, or ferrocerium (a blend of 5 metals that produces an excellent spark), in disposable lighters degrades into a volatile powder which is extremely flammable. In marine areas such as the Midway Atoll, disposable lighters are responsible for the death of birds and fish that mistake them for food. According to Rachel Pierce and Coral Cruey in their “Life Cycle Assessment of a Bic Lighter," Laysan Albatross mistake these items as food, then feed them to their chicks. In either adult or chick, the object can choke, cut, poison, cause dehydration, and death from malnutrition because their internal systems are suppressed.” During the White House announcement for the Marine Debris Initiative in 2007, Former first Lady Laura Bush noted that, “We became very fond of these little albatross, but we also saw the carcasses of a lot of infants who had ingested cigarette lighters. This could be a cigarette lighter somebody dropped on a street somewhere in the United States and it slowly washed through the drains out into the oceans and then finally ended up at the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.” Currently, there is little effort out there for the recycling of disposable lighters. Bic is also one of the largest producers of writing pens in the world. According to Bicworld.com, in 2011, Bic teamed up with an organization called Terracycle and launched, “The first program for collecting and recycling writing instruments in France.” This recycling effort involves civic
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organizations collecting used writing instruments, Bic or any other brand. Bic pays, “2 Euro cents per writing instrument collected” with the proceeds, “donated to a charity or not for profit chosen by the organization responsible for the collection or, in the case of schools, the money will be donated directly to the school in order to finance a future educational project.” It is a small beginning for a much larger ecological problem created by a company that is primarily responsible for manufacturing products on a global scale that are, by design, intended to be discarded. Some of the Eco-responsibility lies with those who purchase disposable lighters and with governments that do not recognize the ecological problem disposable lighters pose. Many states have recognized a similar problem with disposable cans and bottles and have instituted programs where consumers can return them for cash. Responsible manufacturers and retail organizations could come together and create a sustainability program for disposable lighters that would encourage consumers to recycle them instead sending them to landfills or tossing them out the window of their car. Disposable lighters could be phased out of existence through legislation forcing companies such as Bic and Calico to produce only reusable lighters. This could be a boon for retailers as customers would return to purchase butane and flints.
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PHOTOSTORY
VOLUME 110 ISSUE 03 • SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
A visitor uses a viewer to look around the Griffith Observatory as he waits to watch the Blood Moon on Sunday.
The Blood Moon hides in the cloudy sky above Los Angeles o
(Carlos Espinosa/ Corsair)
Visitors gather all around the Griffith Observatory to watch the Blood Moon on Sunday. (Carlos Espinosa/Corsair)
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VOLUME 110 ISSUE 03 • SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
on Sunday. (Carlos Espinosa/Corsair)
PHOTOSTORY
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Visitors use telescopes at the Griffith Observatory to watch the Blood Moon on Sunday. (Carlos Espinosa/Corsair)
A family visits the Griffith Observatory to watch the Blood Moon on Sunday. (Carlos Espinosa/Corsair)
CARLOS ESPINOSA STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER On Sunday, Griffith Observatory hosted their monthly "Star Party" in order to celebrate the supermoon. Sunday's supermoon occurs when the moon is in the closest part of its orbit to Earth, meaning it appears larger in the sky. In addition, there was also a lunar eclipse that caused the moon to appear red. This phenomenon was last observed in 1982 and will not happen again until 2033. Griffith observatory partnered with the LA philharmonic and Steinway and Sons piano company to set the moon's peak visible time to Beethoven Sonatas as part of the LA Philharmonic's Immortal Beethoven Program. Visitors arrived early in the afternoon to reserve FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •
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their spot on the observatory's lawn and passed the time exploring the observatory, having picnics, and playing games. The diverse crowd included families, tourists, young adults, and amateur photographers. The weather was beautiful in the afternoon but became cloudy as the evening progressed. The moon began to appear around 6:30 and reached its peak visibility at 7:45. Although the sky wasn't entirely clear, the moon's large size and it's red color impressed the crowd. Over 10,000 people were in Griffith park between this event and a concert at the Greek Theater which made parking and leaving the park a challenge, but most people felt it was worth it to see this extremely rare natural phenomena. /THECORSAIRNEWS •
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
VOLUME 110 ISSUE 03 • SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Reviews of the most talked about albums of the week JACOB HIRSOHN STAFF WRITER
DRAKE & FUTURE – WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE
Illustration by AJ Perry
With the release of their collaborative mixtape, Drake and Future find themselves in an enviable but equally unfortunate position. They didn’t drop a single, they didn’t promote the record, they merely leaked the fact that the tape existed, and it immediately became the most anticipated release in months. The positives are obvious: the album is going to sell great, and any rapper would kill to be at the center of culture the way these two are. Unfortunately, the negatives become just as obvious once you listen to the record. If "What A Time To Be Alive" were some anonymous Soundcloud page you stumbled across, it would be a pleasant surprise to say the least. Considering what we know these guys are capable of though, I can’t help but feel underwhelmed. Drake has become infamous over the last few years for his Midas touch. He remixes a hot track, and it instantly becomes the hottest track. Many people have accused this record of sounding like a series of Drake remixes of Future tracks, but frankly, that sounds much more interesting than what "What A Time To Be Alive" really is. Drake doing his best to fit into a bunch of fully formed Future tracks would likely lead to a pretty high rate of success. Instead, we have a record full of Drake and Future avoiding their strengths and playing to their weaknesses. Drake’s vulnerability, his creative flows, his dynamic song structures; they’re all missing. Future’s bombast, his hooks, and his surprising emotion are all cut down. The record opens with “Digital Dash,” where Future sounds like he is doing a cold read of lyrics he just wrote. He raps as if he is talking to himself, trying to memorize his bars. “Live From the Gutter” is essentially forgettable, besides a small burst of energy from Drake. “Plastic Bag” is an embarrassingly corny
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misfire; the type of track I thought was far in Drake’s past. While "What A Time To Be Alive" stumbles regularly, it is far from a disaster. “Diamonds Dancing” is so damn good it nearly justifies the entire existence of the project. Future croons, “Sipping on Dom Perignon for no reason,” then transitions perfectly into whatever his version of a falsetto is. When Drake joins him on the hook, their styles finally become cohesive for a moment. Metro Boomin, executive producer and the true breakout star of this record, comes in with the perfect drums for the moment. It all comes together for one of the better tracks either of these guys has made. Drake has his most energetic and unique flow of the album on “I’m the Plug,” coming in like a firecracker in the middle of an already high-energy track. Both rappers bring their A-game on “Jumpman” as well as “Big Rings.” There are plenty of enjoyable tracks here, but a lack of consistency and cohesiveness damages the overall strength of the record. The saddest thing of all about this record is Drake’s continued artistic decline in the full-length medium. While he continues to dominate the entire musical scene, this is his third consecutive release that is worse than the one before it. While "If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late" and 2013’s "Nothing Was The Same" struggle through tracks of filler, Drake drops tracks like “Hotline Bling” and “0 to 100/The Catch Up," some of the best tracks he’s ever recorded, on his Soundcloud. It’s a confusing development in the career of one of the most fascinating and successful rappers in history. If the promised "Views From The 6" doesn’t live up to the high standards of the classic "Take Care," his throne may be in jeopardy.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
VOLUME 110 ISSUE 03 • SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
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FETTY WAP – FETTY WAP
Illustration by AJ Perry
New Jersey rapper Fetty Wap has already transcended any risk of being a one-hit wonder, considering every song he has dropped all summer has been a hit by some definition or another. His only worry at this point is peaking too soon. Listening to his debut album, released September 25th, it’s clearly not a concern on his mind, and by the time the album is done, it’s unlikely to be a worry of yours either. The album opens with the reason the album exists in the first place. “Trap Queen” is the song of the year, and one of the boldest and most unique debuts in recent pop music history. Need proof of what an impressive accomplishment this song is? First, go listen to three covers of the co-song of the summer, The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face.” Given that they are acoustic guitar covers of a great pop song, they are inherently bad (more on this later); but they’re pretty listenable. They aren’t completely unjustified. Fetty is the only one who can do Fetty, and no one else’s interpretation is worthwhile. Ed Sheeran did a relatively high profile cover of “Trap Queen” which did great business with the blogs. I attempted to listen to it for the sake of this review, and ended up with a relatively pleasant nap instead. Fetty Wap’s distinct voice and incredible knack for pop songs does not wane when “Trap Queen” ends. The 10 best pop songs of the year very well may be found on this album.
"Fetty Wap" is a culmination of all the things that have been happening to pop music over the last half-decade. While EDM seized the throne of “official party music” from hip-hop, and rock began to disappear from the public consciousness completely, rap as a genre realized it had the chance to do more. Drake decided to try and make you text your ex, Kendrick Lamar decided his albums should really be movies; Fetty Wap decided to make you fall in love. His debut is the most romantic rap record I’ve experienced. People in Facebook comment sections and forums dedicated to complaining about Pitchfork may think Fetty’s use of auto-tune tarnishes his application into the world of “real music;" but in reality, it’s an ambitious entry in his musical universe. Saying he would be nothing without it is like saying The Rolling Stones would be nothing without guitar. It’s one of those things you can’t disagree with because it’s literally true, but what does it actually mean? Fetty proves his chops as a songwriter time and time again throughout this album. From the dynamic structure of “679,” to the constant hook that is “Time,” to the pop onslaught of “Jugg,” to the banging trap excellence of “Boomin.” Sure, the album is about 3 songs too long, and Fetty throws his friend Monty at least two too many features; but the highs here are so high that no low could bring it down. Drake & Future could learn a thing or two from Fetty Wap about satisfying expectations.
RYAN ADAMS – 1989 So back to the whole “guitar covers of great pop music are inherently bad” idea. When Ryan Adams announced he was doing a song-for-song cover of Taylor Swift’s "1989," it seemed like one of those really interesting things that gets announced, but never actually happens. Unfortunately, as of September 20th, it has happened. Despite what I know about this type of project, I allowed myself to be excited. Swift’s "1989" is a pop opus, and one of my favorite albums of all time. I figured Adams’ rendition would be fascinating, and reopen the conversation about how wonderful the original is. Neither of these hopes were satisfied. First of all, Adams’ covers never comes into the ballpark of fascinating. Instead, they range from embarrassingly terrible “Blank Space," to pleasant and listenable “I Know Places." Adams makes a series of fatal mistakes
on this album. Opener “Welcome to New York” is immediately striking and worrying, given that Adams is leaning into Bruce Springsteen vocal affectations so hard it sounds more like Jimmy Fallon doing an impression. Adams also makes the number one mistake of every kid with an acoustic guitar in a dorm room; he changes pronouns so he doesn’t end up saying things like, “He’s so tall, and handsome as hell.” No one is going to get confused about your sexuality, Ryan. Just sing the songs. Adams also has a knack for choosing the wrong direction with most songs on this record. He changes melodies when he should stick to them, and doesn’t vary enough when the song needs a shakeup. Part of the problem should have been obvious from the beginning: most of these songs are too good to require a cover. Of course the cover of “Blank Space” is a disaster, how could you possibly make “Blank Space” any better? Taking the
energy out of “Out Of The Woods” isn’t going to make it more heart aching, because it can’t be. You can’t make “Shake It Off” into a bummer ballad, and who was asking you to? Unsurprisingly, the few places where Adams succeeds are where Swift did not. Adams manages to make improvements on the album version of Katy Perry diss track “Bad Blood.” Unfortunately, Swift already took care of the re-imagination of the worst song on her album. Simply by adding a couple Kendrick Lamar verses and some trap drums to the chorus, she transformed it into a number one hit. Adams doesn’t necessarily improve “This Love” or album closer “Clean,” but he at least does them justice. Adams also does justice to the songs closer to his wheelhouse. His takes on “I Know Places,” “I Wish You Would,” and “Wildest Dreams” are all decent. On the other hand, you can’t help but miss the original production
on glitzy, high-energy tracks like “How You Get The Girl,” “Shake It Off,” and “All You Had To Do Was Stay.” Above all else, the most frustrating part of the Ryan Adams "1989" experience has been the conversation surrounding it. Glowing reviews from The Telegraph, The New Yorker, and The A.V. Club have met this album with as much validation as Swift’s original masterpiece received. It may seem meaningless, but it contributes to a tradition of prejudice against non-rock music that is growing more irrelevant by the day. Adams himself said on Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 radio show that Swift is the glue that is holding rock music together. While my favorite analysts of culture seem to understand that, the culture as a whole doesn’t. Adams’ boring, unnecessary cover of this century’s best pop album didn’t help.
SLIME SEASON – YOUNG THUG While we’re on the topic of prejudice against great music, let’s talk some Young Thug. Thugger is one of the most prolific, consistent, and acclaimed rappers working in 2015. Yet there’s no artist with a bigger gap between the critical conversation about him, and the conversations I seem to have about him. Most fellow hip-hop fans I meet seem to be ignorant of his existence (this changed slightly with this summer’s smash, “I Know There’s Gonna Be [Good Times]”), or they consider him a complete joke. Well, if it is possible for that to change through sheer force of will, Thugger is going to pull it off. Already under his belt in 2015 is his excellent commercial debut, "Barter 6," a massive beef with Lil Wayne (apparently settled judging from Wayne’s great feature on this album), and a series of excellent singles. "Barter 6" is minimalist
and restrained in a way that is surprising, while ultimately successful. "Slime Season" leaves those tendencies in the dust, for better or for worse. At 18 songs, the mixtape is unruly and overly long, but rarely boring. "Slime Season" is not Young Thug’s strongest release, and not as consistent as "Barter 6." It does contain some of his best songs, and serves as an excellent showcase of what he is capable of. We get the full range of Thugger’s personas on "Slime Season:" Villain Thug, Monster Thug, Friendly Thug, and, the most successful in my book, Lover Thug. Album standout “Rarri” finds Thug exploring a new part of his register, screaming from the bottom of his soul on the hook. “That’s All” is romantic, funny, and a piece of pop bliss. With all due respect to classic “Lifestyle” and
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"Barter 6" standout “Can’t Tell,” “Calling Your Name” may be the best song Thugger has ever produced. It’s some sort of funky new-age ballad where Thugger turns in a one of a kind performance. The mixtape is exhausting to listen to from front to back, in good ways as well as bad. Much like "Fetty Wap," it is a purely singular piece of music, with slightly less highs than Fetty's debut. The only lows to be found are a few filler tracks that come across as repetitive and unnecessary. On "Slime Season," Thug consistently shows more range, finesse, and ideas than so many of his peers; not to mention a unique and strong collection of instrumentals. If he keeps producing quality content at this rate, it’s only a matter of time until the general public starts to notice. /THECORSAIRNEWS •
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10 OPINION
VOLUME 110 ISSUE 03 • SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Sexual harassment from entitled men are as common as a headline with "Kardashian" in it. Illustration by William Miguel
BAILEY PERAITA HEALTH & LIFESTYLE EDITOR “I know you said you didn’t want a drink but this is Black Label. It’s the best whiskey ever and a women like you deserves only the best.” This stranger in a bar proceeded to wink at me and rub my arm in front of my boyfriend while I did everything in my power to not roll my eyes all the way back in my skull. Just a few minutes prior I rejected his advances while a Maker’s Mark swished in my glass and my usual entourage of male friends surrounded me like bodyguards. Yet, this man has the audacity and feels entitled enough to bypass the four of them me just to make a pathetic and farfetched advanced with me. This pathetic attempt at wooing me is just one of the many advances I receive. Almost every day, I encounter a man who invades my privacy, personal space, and preference for him to piss off. The harssassment I face on a daily basis has become a norm and these are the perils of being a woman. Given the history of overrepresented heterosexual culture's gender roles: males have been assigned to have the job as the intiator. Which can be respectful in a case but with that power dynamic there is easily a misguided shift to a sense of entitlement. Basically, the harassment toward women is a scary norm and these preceding factors have caused them to be trained to be sexually aggressive, sometimes to a fault. This isn’t an excuse, it’s a sad truth. The main issue with street harassment is that these men feel they are so entitled
to women’s time, women’s space and women’s bodies that they think it’s oppression if you refuse to give them access to your time, your space and your body. When I say men, I don't have the intent that every man has this form of pursuit, I'm using men in a general sense of whoever this behavior applies to. I'm not a misandrist, just a realist with personal experience that has discovered among a multitude of women this behavior is frighteningly common. And when it's common enough to have men ages 18-58 pursue with the assumption that I am already theirs comes in the form of text messages, songs, poetry and any form of communication that allows them
by women beside me. Look, these entitled men aren't entirely at fault, they've just abided by the gender roles taught and media that portrays aggressive pressure toward a woman as domineering and arousing. Hence "50 Shades of Grey" has become increasingly popular among millions but what the viewers have trouble realizing is they are watching a man, albeit he is rich and powerful, burden himself on a women and portray it as sexy. Sexual harassment isn’t a risk-taking, devil-may-care, lust-for-life behavior. Sexual harassment is a burden to who you are pursuing and that happens far too
Given the history of overrepresented heterosexual culture's gender roles: males have been assigned to have the job as the initiator. to linguistically convey their desires. What happened to a respectful pursuit? Instead I have Danny texting me after only a single cup of coffee "I found you a pair of shorts" with an attached image of shorts reading "Danny's ass," then there's your protypical whiner who changes from "I want to spend more time with you" to a few weeks later "I want to be a priority in your life." These are laughable, 100% accurate and undeniably experienced in various forms
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often and is usually derived from a false sense of entitlement. Walking down the street on my usual commute home I'd pass many different types of people as I walked. Strangely enough men are the only group that feel entitled enough to make a comment on my body. "Sweet tits," "With an ass like that I'd marry you," "Make those big lips smile for me, baby" are just a few of the vulgar comments I've been told. However I can't fail @THE_CORSAIR •
to mention the token experience on 3rd Street Promenade while I walked with a friend Clint, a fellow passerby had the audacity to whisper "Sexy" to me. He did this, while I was with another man. Clint, one who's never endured my norms, had to take a few minutes to comprehend and realize how stupid his own gender can be. Harassment isn't a compliment. (Do I really need to say this? This should be common knowledge.) I refuse to take street harassment as a compliment regardless of what you say positive or negative. Men shouldn't feel they are entitled enough to analyze, discuss, appraise, and comment on my appearance. The purpose for my existence isn't to please anyone visually. I believe critical thinking is essential to problem-solving and once harassers and entitled finance bros, fuckboys, and your seemingly regular Johns are able to leave their selfish domain of thoughts, they'll be able to realize their actions are unwanted women are not there for them. In my personal experience, men get incredibly offended when you tell them to leave you alone. They take the word “No” as a personal offense. Maybe we should send those back to grade school and teach them that "No" is just indicating the opposite of what they've displayed. Let's put it this way, if my 5lb Bichon FrisePoodle with a brain the size of an apricot can understand the concepts of personal space and "no" then men should be able to as well.
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OPINION
VOLUME 110 ISSUE 03 • SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
11
Illustration by AJ Perry
LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF MORE FOLLOWERS GABRIEL SAGE STAFF WRITER Undoubtedly, with the tech generation comes new ways of interacting with each other, our devices and the level of involvement with online social media. The core platforms we use for our online network grow in user base every year. What began as a way of staying connected has evolved into a major part of our lives. Whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or a blog, there is an ability to create a profile for ourselves that become an intensely curated version of how we want to be perceived. This establishes a psuedosocial paradox we engage in between who we are and who we want to be. It makes sense when self-aggrandizement is overly encouraged and can lead to more attention for anyone, at any age, anywhere in the world than it ever possibly could have. What once was reserved for an interesting segment of celebrities – the Hiltons or Kardashians – is now not only available but also completely attainable for anyone with a smartphone. Somewhere along the line of a facade, the number of followers became hallowed. The objective: get as many as possible. They can be strangers, robots, or loved ones but
in all honestly, we prefer when they are in large numbers. There is a thrill in being the center of a screen, although it may not be silver, we explore it with every picture we post, playing with the voyeuristic nature of the game. But that is the idea; it’s the network, making connections and expanding to new social circles. In fact, there is a delicate art in getting more followers without seeming like you’re trying to hard to do so. Today, being thirsty has nothing to do with your state of hydration. It’s the desire for others and attention whether that be genuine or a couple of double taps on an Instagram post until the numbers arise to boost your ego. Yet at the same time, opportunities that could have never existed to young entrepreneurial minds are encouraging a surge of self-starting and DIY ideas than ever before. Anyone can explore the beautiful experience of being a photographer on Instagram or a writer on Twitter and actually reaching a potentially worldwide demographic with one wisely chosen #hashtag or lucky celebrity repost. This is a monu-
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mental possibility that should be appreciated and seized. We have a mostly free platform that can launch, promote, and potentially turn any idea into a lucrative business or widespread exchange of information. It may be cliché, but this is the L.A. Dream at the very least; the possibility to slip from being anyone to someone overnight. Who doesn’t want that? The line between staying in touch with friends or posting fun pictures from your weekend and something much more has progressively blurred. We have entered a time were exes are cropped from profile
Whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or a blog, there is an ability to create a profile for ourselves that become an intensely curated version of how we want to be perceived. @THE_CORSAIR •
pictures and employers include Facebook in background checks. With the inception of the word catfish into the 2014 MeriamWebster dictionary a new world of deceit was unveiled. A transformation between documenting and creating has begun. Most people have engaged in some sort of online relationship using social media and without undermining the truly wonderful experiences selectively made possible there and the excitement that the new technology of staying connected constantly brings; we are unfortunately sacrificing real life experiences for a digital portfolio of expertly filtered selfies. The expectation to have a developed online presence is huge and maintaining activity is important. The irony in it didn’t happen unless you posted it is no longer satirical. So in our spare moments we occupy our idle minds and look down at our devices for a quick check on new updates or friend requests. Truthfully, most of us are stuck in a stalemate between gaining and loosing attention, never quite making the elusive status of trending. Still persistent we will continue to try because our white picket fence is digital and has its own geotag. It’s easier to just mindlessly scroll than engage in an awkward conversation with a stranger so human interaction is hampered by an online presence. The result is a very precarious social climate for a generation that is fully engaged in the online milieu and the possibility of feeling more confident in your online role than your day-to-day person is very real.
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12
SPORTS
VOLUME 110 ISSUE 03 • SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
NEW ATHLETIC DIRECTOR REGGIE ELLIS SEES BRIGHT FUTURE FOR SMC SPORTS
Santa Monica College Athletic Director Reggie Ellis poses for a photo in the Skybox on Tuesday Sept. 29, 2015 at Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, Calif. Reggie Ellis is the new Athletic Director at SMC after the former police Chief Vasquez stepped down as the Athletic Director torwards the end of the spring and beginning of summer semester at SMC. (Scott Bixler/Corsair)
KEVIN COLINDRES STAFF WRITER As the scoreboard clock ticked down, the men's soccer team scored the game winning goal. A delighted Reggie Ellis smiles wide, proud of yet another Santa Monica College team win. He casually walked up to the victorious team to congratulate them. No matter the sport, Reggie Ellis could be found at nearly every Santa Monica College sports event. As the 2015 Fall semester begins, SMC has recently appointed a new Athletic Director this year, Reggie Ellis. The former Athletic Director/Title IX Coordinator at Barstow College and the Interim Athletic Director at El Camino College, Ellis was born and raised in Los Angeles. He has always been surrounded by a big fan base of sports. Growing up, Ellis was a huge fan of basketball because of its growing popularity and has helped pave the path for where he is today. “I like every California team but my favorite team would have to be the Los Angeles Lakers,” Ellis said. “I grew up watching the Lakers prior to and during the Showtime era, when the game was fun.” Not only did Ellis enjoy watching basketball, but he equally enjoyed playing ball himself. Playing both recreationally and competitively, Ellis understood how to have fun but also how to work together to win.
As he grew older and started to face bigger challenges the principles of teamwork helped him moving forward.. His love of Basketball made him love sports in general. It made it easy for him to choose to pursue a career involving sports. Ellis started his career in coaching and athletics while in the Air Force. He coached the men's and women's basketball team for one year. That one year of experience gave him insight on how make a team play together efficiently as well as focusing on improving over time. Not only would did Ellis use his knowledge of sports at work, but he learned how to apply it in his daily life. “You have to be understanding of the differences in the way people learn and comprehend what you are communicating,” said Ellis. Ellis’ coaching career did not end after his stint with the Air Force, from there he found several other opportunities to coach. “Coaching seemed like it was the right thing for me to be doing”, Ellis said. “I have coached basketball at the community college level for twelve years and I was an assistant basketball coach at Claremont College for one year while I also coached high school basketball for three years.” As his coaching experience matured, Ellis saw the opportunity for himself to be
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able to create a bigger impact. Coaching different levels of basketball helped him understand the different age groups and how to work with a range of people. Coaching was something that Ellis was good at; however, he knew that he wanted to be involved in athletic administration. He wanted to have the power to make positive changes toward the program as a whole not just as a coach. When the opportunity came he was quick to move forward. With all this coaching experience it seemed right for Ellis to be chosen as the Athletic Director. “I wanted an opportunity to continue my work in athletic administration at a college that was known for academic success as well as athletic success,” Ellis said. "It was very easy for me to join SMC and I am glad I did.” As Athletic Director, Ellis has many duties that he must complete on a daily basis. Most of his daily activities, deal with student athlete eligibility, compliance and providing support to the student-athletes and coaches. It is very important to him to keep up with his duties in order to keep everything running smoothly. Ellis understands that student-athletes must excel in their education prior to being able to focus on excelling in their sport. Going to most athletic events, Ellis is always checking up on each of the teams ensuring that issues could be addressed immediately. @THE_CORSAIR •
With being anointed the title of Athletic Director, Ellis many goals he intended of setting for the program. From just building more programs, to having more and better training programs, Ellis wanted to turn the athletic program around. He want to get more students involved in supporting our athletic programs. The increased support would help create a more lively, spirited community at Santa Monica College and will offer a confidence boost for the players that put on the Corsair uniform. “My goals coming in was to establish SMC athletics as the top athletic program in the state and to expand our sports offering. We are looking at adding a sand volleyball program in the spring of 2017,” Ellis said. Ellis definitely wants to leave his mark at SMC. His love for the school and love for sports in general is evident in the way his positive presence on the sidelines of a soccer or football game or behind the dugout at a softball game. Adding a sand volleyball program is definitely something he is looking forward to and he is excited to start bring change and leave a mark at SMC. A year from now, Ellis believes that the athletic department will only get better and a new era of SMC athletics will begin. An honored Ellis gleefully remarks, “I envision myself continuing to work with the coaches and administration to build SMC athletics as the top academic and athletic program in the state."
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