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volume 105 issue 10 • may 1, 2013 • santa monica college
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volume 105 issue • may 1, 2013 • santa monica college
E D I T O R I A L S TA F F Amber Antonopoulos···· Editor-in-Chief c o rs a i r. e d i t o r i n c h i e f @ g m a i l . c o m Muna Cosic··············Managing Editor c o rs a i r. m a n a g i n g @ g m a i l . c o m Elizabeth Moss··············· News Editor c o rs a i r. n e w s p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m Molly Philbin··············Opinion Editor c o rs a i r. o p i n i o n p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m Merissa Weiland······· Health & Lifestyle c o rs a i r. l i f e s t y l e p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m Alex Vejar·········· Arts & Entertainment c o rs a i r. c a l e n d a r p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m David Yapkowitz············ Sports Editor c o rs a i r. s p o r t s p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m Daniella Palm·········Multimedia Editor c o rs a i r. m u l t i m e d i a @ g m a i l . c o m Paul Alvarez Jr.···············Photo Editor Mark Popovich···············Photo Editor c o rs a i r p h o t o e d i t o r @ g m a i l . c o m Jhosef Hern······················ Illustrator c o rs a i r. c a r t o o n @ g m a i l . c o m Allie Silvas····················· Web Editor c o rs a i r. w e b e d i t o r @ g m a i l . c o m Henry Crumblish··········· Design Team Mikaela Osterlund·········· Design Team Cocoa Dixon················ Design Team Gimlet Rivera··············· Design Team c o rs a i r. d e s i g n t e a m @ g m a i l . c o m c o r s a i r s ta f f Ray Alvarado, Trevor Angone, Luis Arias, Fernando Baltazar, Vanessa Barajas, Lorentious Barry, Scott Bixler, Raul Cervantes, Sara Cheshm Mishi, James Coster, Jeff Cote, Jenna Crowley, Erika Cruz, Tina Eady, Skya Eiland, Djon Ellams, Rachael Garcia, Amy Gaskin, Marine Gaste, Manon Genevier, Felipe Gouveia, Linda Harrell, David J. Hawkins, Sam Herron, Jasmin Huynh, Simon Luca Manili, Daniel McCarty, Asha McClendon, Christophor McGovern, Rona Navales, Sarah Neyhart, Andrew Nguyen, Jimmy Rodriguez, Kandace Santillana, Chanell Scott, HaJung Shin, Ryan Sindon, Niklas Thim, Eva Underwood, Heran Yirgu
Alex Vejar Corsair Mike Jensen wears his three-dimensional design product around campus on Tuesday afternoon.
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news 3
volume 105 issue 10 • May 1, 2013 • santa monica college
Santa Monica College evaluates emergency response
Rachel Porter Corsair Sgt. Jere Romano of the Santa Monica College Police Department calmly warns college recruiters about the potential bomb threat last Tuesday in the main campus quad.
Elizabeth Moss News Editor As hundreds of students filed out of the quad, police directed them away from the potential blast area, the radius in which a bomb could explode. Santa Monica College police responded to last Tuesday’s bomb threat in an hour and 20 minutes, said Albert Vasquez, dean of campus security and chief of police for the Santa Monica College Police Department. The threat started in the women’s restroom on the first floor of the library, where two females found a note that indicated a bomb would detonate in an hour. “I would say that that was pretty quick, but we knew that we had a cushion of time,” Vasquez said. As soon as the SMCPD was aware of the threat, they began to clear out the quad, which contained more than a thousand
people for the College Fair. Total evacuation was completed within 12 to 15 minutes, Vasquez said. SMCPD also contacted the Santa Monica Police Department to see if their bomb-sniffing K9 was on duty. The Fire Department was requested to stand by. “We’re dependent on larger departments to provide [a bomb squad],” said SMCPD Sgt. Jere Romano, who directed foot traffic away from the quad along with his cadets. The dogs brought in by SMPD sniffed through trash cans and black sandbags used to hold down some of the tarps during the College Fair. “Our little, small department got big help,” Romano said. The department was impressed with the help they received from cadets, some of
whom showed up while off duty to help. The bomb scare came after a thread of threats all over Southern California, from California State University, Los Angeles, to City Hall, to a Del Taco in Fullerton. Vasquez said that suspicious packages involving a bomb-sniffing dog are called in one to two times a year. “This [bomb threat] was a little more specific, and because of the situation in Boston, we had already been kind of talking about what our response was going to be; we had already been talking to the city,” said Vasquez. While the SMCPD was largely commended for their fast work clearing students out of the quad, Vasquez expressed some concerns about the way information reached students. “Many of the emergency calls went to home phones, as opposed to cell phones,” Vasquez said about the mass notification system, Blackboard Connect, which was used to alert students of the evacuation. “Certainly that’s an issue we’re going to be looking at,” he said. The police department is also currently working on a “short emergency procedures” sheet to replace the flip charts in classrooms on campus. There will be a section for “suspicious objects and persons.” Santa Monica Police Department declined comment on SMCPD’s response. Vasquez recommended that students keep their belongings to themselves and not leave personal items alone. Oftentimes, suspicious packages or bags end up being a student’s project, he said. A few years ago, the library was evacuated when someone spotted a suitcase chained to a desk, which turned out to be harmless. “You never anticipate it happening, and certainly you hope that it doesn’t happen, but you have to plan for the worst, hope for the best,” Vasquez said.
Tsang to hire new faculty EVA Underwood Staff Writer A plan to add 20 new full-time faculty members to the Santa Monica College staff over the next two years was recently approved by President and Superintendent Chui L. Tsang. Tsang’s plan is to hire five full-time faculty members by fall of this year, and 15 fulltime faculty members by the next academic year, no later than fall 2014. Tsang said it is important for SMC to have more full-time faculty, even though the hiring process is rigorous and takes time. Tsang emphasized the importance of hiring qualified faculty who spend their entire career at SMC as full members of the community, taking part in SMC’s values and devoting their time to the students. Janet Harclerode, Academic Senate president and SMC professor, agreed with and pushed for the hiring of full-time faculty. “Even though part-time faculty is
good, full-time faculty can take on more responsibilities besides just teaching classes,” said Harclerode. Some of these responsibilities include serving on committees and working as club advisers, she said. “Research shows full-time faculty members are more successful,” Harclerode said. "They develop relationships with students and can mentor the students. Fulltime faculty can also help develop new curriculum and programs.” Tsang said that because of the economic downturn and decreased funding for education this past year, SMC was not able to hire as many full-time faculty members as they would have liked. As part of the hiring process, Harclerode said that Human Resources has to send out job announcements, gather resources and resumes, coordinate with an interview committee and find time and a space to interview the candidates. The final interview process goes to Tsang who has to interview one potential candidate after another, making it virtually impossible to hire 20 new faculty members
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by the end of 2013, said Harclerode. The college departments will also make a presentation to the Academic Senate about why their program should be chosen for full-time faculty members, said Tsang. After that, it is a detailed process of analysis that goes through the Academic Senate to Tsang, who then discusses it further with the dean and vice president. Most of the funds for the new faculty will come from funding expenses used to pay teachers and the school's budget. However, a few additional funds will be needed, but as Tsang described them, “they are a worthwhile investment.” Harclerode said she could see the advantage of hiring part-time professors in that they can divide their time between specific industry work and campus work. An example would be hiring a professor who works part-time in the film industry and also teaches in the film department. With the new full-time faculty will come a “continued supply of fresh ideas, fresh blood, and new energy that is important for not just the students, but the faculty colleagues,” Tsang said.
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Bomb threat recap, hit-andruns Santa Monica College crime and theft The recent cr that have be reported ha involved b students a Last wee crimes include theft a prope dam oth acc at
crim e log
Vanessa Barajas Staff Writer Last Tuesday’s false bomb threat at Santa Monica College proved to be a whirlwind of confusion for many students as it unfolded with partially correct misinformation between students, faculty and police. A note was found by two female students last Tuesday at noon in the library’s lower level women’s restroom, which stated that there was a bomb in the quad that was set to go off in one hour, Santa Monica College Police Department Sgt. Jere Romano said. “There is no entirely specific bomb threat response,” Romano said of the evacuation. “It is a very fluid situation based on the known information and a number of different variables. Police and Fire have to respond appropriately to the circumstances at hand.” Earlier that morning, at 9:20 a.m., an intoxicated male transient was arrested and booked at Santa Monica City Jail for disorderly conduct at the southwest corner of Pico Boulevard and 17th Street after disturbing the peace by trying to challenge a non-student male walking home. A backpack was reported stolen by a male student Thursday at 2 p.m. He left it unattended inside the classroom during a period of dance instruction. The suspect seen taking the backpack was the victim’s ex-girlfriend. The victim is not pressing charges. A hit-and-run occurred at the Bundy Campus when the driver of another vehicle damaged a parked car with scratches measuring a foot in length. The victim discovered the damage when she returned to her car after class. There were no witnesses, and no one was hurt. A second hit-and-run occurred Thursday in Parking Structure Three of the main campus at 10:38 p.m. The victim saw moderate damage to his rear bumper upon returning to his vehicle. A witness saw the incident and was able to report it. The witness did not have a description of the driver or the vehicle’s license plate number. There were no injuries.
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4 Opinion
Staff Editorial
Gay in the NBA John Amaechi made headlines six years ago when he publicly announced he was gay. Jason Collins caused a similar reaction on Monday when he did the same thing. These two athletes are the only National Basketball Association players to ever go public like this. But a major difference precedes them. Amaechi had been retired four years when he made his announcement. Collins is the first active professional athlete to come out. Collins’ disclosure, through a firstperson “Sports Illustrated” story, was instantly met by a large number of current and former NBA players taking to social media outlets, offering words of support and admiration. In addition to his athlete brethren, Collins received statements of support from many high-profile individuals including NBA Commissioner David Stern, President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and former President Bill Clinton. Not all reception was positive, however. Chris Broussard, a prominent sports analyst on ESPN, took to the airwaves denouncing Collins’ sexuality and characterizing gays and lesbians as being “in open rebellion to God and Jesus Christ.” It is unfortunate that we still live in a society where groups of people, particularly the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and transgender community are still discriminated against. Despite the numerous advances to make our society more tolerant and accepting, there are still people out there who want to deny individuals basic human rights such as loving and being able to marry whomever you choose. Broussard’s hate-filled rant is reminiscent of former NBA player Tim Hardaway’s tirade in response to Amaechi back in 2007 when he famously stated, “I hate gay people.” The logic and arguments used by those promoting such bigotry bear resemblance to similar arguments made many years ago advocating racial segregation. Hardaway, now a strong supporter of gay and lesbian rights, and having since apologized for his remarks about Amaechi, released a statement in support of Collins. What individuals do in their personal lives and who they choose as romantic partners is nobody’s business except for the people involved. Instead of trying to tear him down, people should embrace Collins and salute him for taking such a courageous step in a field such as sports, which has long been homophobic and promoted masculinity and machismo. Hopefully Collins’ leap of faith will inspire other athletes from not only the NBA, but all professional and amateur sports to be able to feel comfortable with their sexuality in their field.
volume 105 issue • may 1, 2013 • santa monica college
Dying to be thin
America, as a first world Western country, glorifies external physical feature, classifying tall, thin figures and gaunt cheekbones as true beauty. Since the majority Rona Navales of Americans are Staff Writer overweight, one would not assume people are necessarily eager to harm their bodies in order to be thin. Going about weight loss incorrectly can be even more detrimental to health than packing on the extra pounds naturally. From years of neglecting healthy eating and daily exercise, which later leads to morbid obesity for some, or the skinnymini with body dysmorphia who is malnourished, both are eager to find ways for rapid weight loss. Many turn to the quick fix that is surgery. Gastric banding surgery, also known as Lap-Band surgery, and other fat-reducing surgical procedures carry risks of side effects. Paula Rojeski died shortly after surgery to implant a Lap-Band at Valley Surgical Center in West Hills — she was the fifth person since 2009 to die from the procedure. No one should die trying to be thin. For some heavily-overweight patients, the surgical option is the only option. These procedures can increase life span quicker than any weight-loss diet and relieve pressure on internal organs, preventing damage.
Yours to discover Twitter really does not want me to feel left out. Twitter wants to make sure I am safe, and that I have a job. Twitter wants to make me laugh. Twitter just wants the best for Molly Philbin me. The opportunities Opinion Editor that Twitter has given all its participants are astounding, especially when it comes to live-tweeting, which is to engage on Twitter for a continuous period of time with a sequence of focused Tweets, according to Twitter developers. Live-tweeting can be viewed on a variety of topics, many benefitting the reader in some way. Unlike most social media, Twitter is not in a world of its own, but instead adapted to an individual's specific world. When I am not living my life, I can read real-time tweets from people living theirs. CraveOnline Music Channel editor Johnny Firecloud provided full coverage of the second weekend of Coachella. Guests at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday night, live-tweeted the event and posted pictures and videos online. Much of the focus seemed to be on documenting the night rather than being there — so much so that speaker Conan O’Brien asked everyone who was live-tweeting the event to use the hashtag “incapable of living in the moment.” Tidbits from events paint a picture for
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Yvonne Ortega, Santa Monica College nutrition professor and registered dietitian, said that Lap-Bands “create a smaller pouch using a band so the band only allows the stomach to hold a small amount of food like two tablespoons of food at one time.” Ortega said although procedures like the Lap-Band may help morbidly obese patients, they are not ideal and are considered aggressive treatments. Regardless of the technology available, it is unacceptable for people to get to this point of heavy physical and psychological distress. Overweight people need to get up and move, not sit on their asses waiting for a surgery that they think will fix all their problems. While there are people that need the surgery to survive, there are others putting the image of thinness on a pedestal rather than healthy fitness. Ortega mentions that when it comes to eating disorders, it is usually women in their 20s who feel pressured from friends, society and media. “Eighty percent of women all judge themselves after celebrities and feel worse about themselves after reading a celebrity gossip magazine,” said Crystal Bonilla, member of Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance at SMC. “The media perpetuates a fabricated image and people react to it; they internalize it.” Media influence on beauty puts pressure on society to look a certain way, rather than educating people on how to be healthy, people find the fastest way to look like a Victoria’s Secret model. For example, Rojeski's family's lawyer said that the surgical procedures at clinics were affiliated with the 1-800-GETTHIN advertising campaign, which featured thin models and promoted that an individual would have a better life after
the envious individual not present, but tweets do not have to be on current events — Twitter has evolved to holding its own events. Comedy Central is currently holding its first #ComedyFest, a comedy festival that will take place entirely on Twitter. More than 50 comedians have been participating in live-tweeting events, panels and more, and it has been the best thing that has happened to me this week. Twitter is likely the good target for newspaper websites to focus in on and harness. Breaking news stories are usually huge traffic generators for any site, many of which are linked up to a correlating Twitter feed. People go to Twitter to share what they know, and learn in return. Twitter users are hungry for new ideas, opportunities, information, services and products. Businesses of all sizes use Twitter for a variety of reasons, from marketing to customer service. A Twitter feed may even become the new resume. The network-infrastructure firm Enterasys, for example, filled a position in social media marketing using Twitter only. Candidates had to have 1,000 active Twitter followers. Twitter is now used as a preventive measure to warn the public in times of distress and natural disaster. From his third-floor window, Andrew Kitzenberg live-tweeted the Watertown shootout between police and the suspected Boston Marathon bombers. Some time after midnight he tweeted, "crashed cop car with all windows shot out in our driveway." An hour later, he wrote, "a dozen officers going into our yard at 62 laurel street." Then he updated his status with, "bullet hole through our wall and the chair." @t h e _ c o r s a i r •
the procedure. Particularly in Los Angeles, where billboards highlight slim, photo-enhanced models and celebrities, cosmetic surgeries and eating disorders are commonplace. “Your bad mental health will affect your physical image and your physical will affect your mental; it’s kind of like a cycle of self-hatred,” said Chandler Le Francis, vice-president of Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance. Society turns to the media to sort out feelings, but people are constantly told through advertisements that everyone has to look perfect. Many forget the “beautiful” people in advertisements are paid to look good. They train hours a day, and have teams of professionals like makeup artists, trainers and stylists who create a facade of perfection. If it were not for the number of people assigned to polish the look of a model or entertainer, the standards would not be stress-provoking in terms of looking a certain way to fit in. With the exception of morbidly obese people who need rapid results in order to live, the rest of society is abusing their bodies in the process of losing weight. From diet pills to master cleanses, people spend hundreds of dollars relying on pills and other fat-burning products to lose the weight quickly without having to step foot in the gym. People automatically think you have to pay for a gym membership and eat expensive vegan food in order to healthy, when in reality you can find reasonable alternatives, go for a run or find exercises to do at home. Quick fixes to be thin are temporary, just like the rebound who mended your broken heart. People need to stop dying to be thin, and start fighting to be fit.
Illustrated by Jhosef Hern Corsair
As Kitzenberg tweeted photo after photo, he picked up nearly 30,000 Twitter followers. In medical and psychological fields livetweeting could revolutionize the way people perceive pain and understand cognitive behavior during procedures and before death. Kate Granger, a doctor with terminal cancer, plans to tweet from her deathbed so people can understand what the experience is like. Last week, Granger asked her 3,200 followers if they had any suggestions for an appropriate hashtag to use when she is "actively popping my clogs" and livetweeting the experience. From watching superstar athletes critique their teams in real time — Kobe Bryant live-tweeted the Lakers-Spurs game on April 21 that went to halftime with the Spurs leading 45-37 — to being able to view minute-by-minute game updates, sports has been one of the most popular events for live-tweeting. No matter the topic, anyone can follow various events all at once by just checking Twitter feeds. Although nothing is less intimate than 140 characters worth of half-collected thoughts, live-tweeting has increasingly comforted my need to know. For everything I am missing out on, Twitter has it covered.
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Sports 5
volume 105 issue 10 • May 1, 2013 • santa monica college
Victoria Mamatova: Sports in her blood Vanessa barajas Staff Writer
Mark Popovich Corsair Victoria Mamatova plays her match against Alyssa Penner of Mt. San Antonio College on March 8 in Santa Monica.
She began playing tennis at the age of 9 when she was living in Indonesia. Now, 18, Victoria Mamatova has been ranked fourth on the Santa Monica College women’s tennis team in singles and second in doubles, after nine years of dedication. As the granddaughter of Viktor Mamatov, former four-time biathlon Olympic gold medalist, she knew sports was in her future. “I had to pick a sport to play because being athletic is kind of our culture. It’s in our blood,” said Mamatova. She played varsity tennis throughout high school. When she was 14, she would play tennis for five to seven hours every day until she suffered a knee injury. “Bouncing on the court for five hours per day takes a toll on your knees,” said Mamatova. “At one point I was unable to walk for a whole week. I took a break for six months, but I wanted to return because I loved it.” When she first came to SMC, Mamatova said she set her education as her priority. She is a member of the scholars program and the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honors Society. She regularly participates in clubs and activities on campus. “Tennis was especially exciting because I really felt like I was representing the Corsairs through my leadership qualities and sportsmanship,” she said. Playing tennis has always given joy to Mamatova. She said she tries to maintain a balance between tennis, school, and an internship she has with Unicom Systems Inc., a global company that provides information technology services to Fortune 500 and Global 2000 companies, as well as volunteer service in extracurricular activities. “I really wanted to practice my leadership skills being on a team,” she said. “I thought to myself that I can do this.” Mamatova said that another added value from tennis that she believes is important is that, as an international sport, she feels it could help her break any language barriers since she enjoys new languages and travel. Although she is not exactly sure yet, Mamatova said she is considering the University of Southern California, the University of California Los Angeles, Stanford and Pepperdine as possibilities for transferring.
“I had to pick a sport to play because being athletic is kind of our culture. It’s in our blood.” “I would only want to transfer local because I believe that California holds many opportunities for me, and also has great weather,” said Mamatova. After this tennis season, Mamatova said she wants to take a month off. She plans on playing in a few women’s open tournaments to improve her skills and prepare for next
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season. “This will also improve my chances of being scouted or maybe walking on,” said Mamatova. Trying to remain focused, Mamatova, who majors in business administration, said she wants to concentrate on her studies, keeping tennis at the forefront. “If being a professional would be possible I would definitely take the chance,” said Mamatova. Being on the SMC team for the first time, Mamatova said there was an instant connection when she learned that one of her former tennis coaches also coached the Lady Corsairs head coach Richard
“At one point, I was unable to walk for a whole week. I took a break for six months, but I wanted to return because I loved it.” Goldenson. Goldenson was formerly tutored by Robert Landsdorp, who has also coached tennis stars such as Maria Sharapova. “Coach [Goldenson] was very knowledgeable with the tennis technique and tactics of the game,” said Mamatova. “He is a very smart coach who is dedicated to improving his athletes game.” Though Goldenson has helped her with her technique in her games, Mamatova said she believes that the most important thing she learned was mental toughness. “It is very important to be not only physically tough, but also mentally when you play tennis. It is like playing chess with a lot of movement and [Goldenson] really understands and cares to improve everyone’s game just as equally,” said Mamatova. Mamatova played in the State Championships in Ojai, Calif. last weekend, along with several of her teammates, who she said did well. The biggest highlight, she said, was when she and doubles teammate Carmel Peterson took to the court and played one of the longest matches they have ever been in. The three-and-a-half-hour match lasted from 5 to 9 p.m. The team ultimately came up short. “Next year I believe my team will be even stronger,” said Mamatova. “We had a lot of people who were first-year tennis students.”
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6 photostory
volume 105 issue 10 • may 1, 2013 • santa monica college
Earth Week keeps it green and
D Roxana Villa of Backwards Beekeepers shows Dominic Vaughan how bees build honeycombs at the Honeybee Festival on Earth Day last Monday. The Honeybee Festival showcase organizations and honey samples for students to taste, and emphasized the ecological importance of bees. Paul Alvarez Jr. Corsair Jerry Rubin honors Mother Earth while celebrating the 30th anniversary of the planting of the Children’s Tree of Life in Palisades Park last Monday.
Stephen Ro, Rita Chakrian and JP Mendoza (left to right) clean up the Santa Monica Beach around To over 100 cigarette butts were found.
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photostory 7
volume 105 issue 10 • may 1, 2013 • santa monica college
clean
Paul Alvarez Jr. Corsair A group of Santa Monica residents hug a tree that stands as a symbol of peace last Monday.
David J. Hawkins Corsair ed several beekeeping
Fernando Baltazar Corsair Ron Finley, cofounder of Los Angeles Green Grounds and healthy food activist, helps Carolina Berrios during his demonstration on seed-planting in SMC’s Organic Learning Garden last Wednesday, after giving the Earth Week keynote address titled “Food Injustice.”
Marco Soriago Corsair
Sam Herron Corsair ower 18 on Friday, where
Mark Popovich Corsair The SMC Free Store is an exchange of items, including clothing, electronics and small furniture, hosted by the EcoAction Club.
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A banner filled with plastic bottles is hung during Earth Week.
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+ Lifestyle 8 health
volume 105 issue • may 1, 2013 • santa monica college
Waste not, want not
Inside the mind of a ‘hybrid’ novelist Sara ChesHm Mishi Staff Writer
Jenna Crowley Staff Writer When Josephine Miller looked out of her Santa Monica pier-front office, onto the plastic-littered beach, she was reminded exactly what she came to do. Save the planet. Miller, the director of sustainable packaging at the City of Santa Monica’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment, and her colleague Karl Bruskotter, an OSE environmental analyst, came to Santa Monica College last Tuesday to present an Earth Day special lecture entitled, “Saving the Planet, One Purchase at a Time.” The room was packed with a variety of people, from SMC students to Santa Monica community members, and even a television camera crew covering the event for the local station. Bruskotter began with a slideshow presentation explaining the basics of what it means to consume. The supply and distribution chain, he explained, is the basic idea of consumerism. People take from the planet such things as oil, minerals, animals and trees, and exploit them and send them to a factory, make something, distribute it, consumers buy it, use it, and eventually discard it, he said. In this cycle, it is inevitable that we, to some degree, use energy, omit toxins, use water, use material, generate waste in water and the environment, and generate air pollution. Depending on the product, they all have varying effects on the environment, he said. “We must be conscious of our own consumption,” Bruskotter said. “There are too many people dependent on Mother Earth, and not enough environment to support the needs of the populations.” Bruskotter went on to explain the ways we can change our everyday habits to be more environmentally conscious. Although the ultimate goal is to consume less altogether, Bruskotter recommended starting with practices such as recycling. “There used to be a lot of contaminated waste that would go to China,” Bruskotter said. “They are refusing our trash and sending it back. Now, we are starting to realize that we really don’t have anywhere to put this waste, and that we have to deal with the problem instead of shipping it away.” In addition to recycling, he said that another step is to learn how to shop green. From food and clothing, to technology
and cleaning supplies, everything has a certain impact on the environment, and everything can be bought in a certain “shade of green,” Bruskotter said. To determine what may be considered a green product, he said, there are a few areas to consider. A product’s toxicity level, which determines whether it is biodegradable, organic, or a pollutant, was one factor he mentioned. Another factor he noted was a product’s manufacturing location, and how far it had to travel to get to the store. Bruskotter also said that the idea that labels deceive the consumer into thinking products are green is called greenwashing. Just because a product shows a green leaf on the label does not mean it is eco-friendly, he said. In order to avoid greenwashing, he recommended researching products, looking at the ingredients, and considering how trustworthy the labels are. Some products that can typically be trusted, Bruskotter said, are Energy Star products, as well as those labeled with the United States Department of Agriculture organic seal. He said that the last step to smart consumerism is simply consuming less. “We are a disposable society,” he said. “We must concentrate on buying things that will last us a long time, with good quality things that can be repaired and reused.” When Miller took her turn at the podium, she spoke about her project, which includes the ban of plastic bags and styrofoam in Santa Monica. Miller displayed a picture of beaches of Santa Monica that were destroyed by styrofoam and plastic bags after rainfall, which portrayed the negative impact that these one-time use products have on the ocean. “Everything comes to our beach when it rains in LA,” said Miller. “The drains lead right to us, and with it, the trash.” With the successful ban of one-time use plastic bags in Santa Monica last year, Miller has successfully made reusable bags a staple in the city. Open year-round, the OSE is located next to the Santa Monica Pier and always accepts applications for volunteers and interns. For questions regarding the environment and what you can do to help, call the OSE at 310-458-2213.
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Writing was a part of her life from an early age. But as a teenager, California State University, Northridge English professor Katharine Haake began to think she did not have what it took to become a writer. She stopped writing for five years and decided to become an English professor. While attending college, Haake was suddenly inspired to take a class in creative writing. Two of her classmates had told her that they also thought they were not good enough to become writers, which she was able to relate to at the time. “Art happens in the process of mistakes we make when doing what we don’t know how to do,” said Haake last Tuesday at the Santa Monica College Literary Series lecture titled, “Habits of Dreaming: Writing Into the Future.” According to the SMC Literary Series events page, Haake is now a novelist and short story writer who once chaired the creative writing program at CSUN and received an Individual Artist’s Grant from the Cultural Affairs Department of the City of Los Angeles. During the lecture, Haake read two of her unpublished short stories, “Word Protest” and “Some Time After,” both of which she referred to as parables of meditation in the
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form of hybrid novels. “Hybrid novels braid together fiction, nonfiction, natural history, family history, California water history and mediation fun writing,” she said. The intersection of fact and fiction, which Haake said is writing a narrative without being able to distinguish between fact and fiction, was more interesting for her. However, Haake said she is never happy with the result of her writing. She explained that she tells her students that they know if they have succeeded when they read a text after a long while and are happily surprised by their work. Haake said that in order for fiction to maintain a vital writing art form in the 21st century, the writer ought to apply historical moments in a narrative. After years of experimenting with different styles of writing, Haake said she does not only stick to one style of writing, but instead plays with and combines styles depending on her state of mind, which she defined as a meditative style of writing. “The Time of Quarantine” is Haake’s latest book, an eco-fable about a boy who was raised by computers in the woods at the end of the world.
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volume 105 issue 10 • May 1, 2013 • santa monica college
arts + Entertainment 9
Civic Auditorium hosts its last Fashion Expo henry crumblish & Allie Silvas Design Editor & Web Editor
HaJung Shin Corsair First-time attendee Linda Zupan looks through clothes at the Vintage Fashion Expo on Sunday at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.
Goodbyes can be bittersweet. This weekend, The Vintage Fashion Expo said farewell to the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium as the auditorium said farewell to Santa Monica. The expo brings collectors and dealers of vintage clothing ranging from the 1890s to the 1980s to trade and sell their specialty garments. Saturday and Sunday marked the end of the expo’s visit to Santa Monica. Starting in October, the expo will be held at the Los Angeles Convention center indefinitely. For the last 22 years, vintage fashion enthusiasts Fred and Elisabeth Normoyle have been involved with the expo, first as sellers and then as part-owners. The Normoyles were less than thrilled about the relocation. “We’re very disappointed,” Fred Normoyle said. “What’s frightening is that the public doesn’t know,” said Elisabeth Normoyle. “They’ve gotten the word out there, but [the public] doesn’t know this building is shut down.” Kristi Alvarez, a part-owner and dealer, said she looks forward to the inevitable move. Alvarez said she believes
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the high-profile venue will attract more designers and attendees to the event. “This show has been going on for a little over 25 years and people don’t always know about it,” Alvarez said. “As it moves to the convention center, I think it’s going to put us on the map.” Collectors and organizers are not the only ones who have been unsure of what to think about the relocation. Event attendees were also polarized on the subject. Bryan Duckworth, who has been coming to the expo for the last four years with his girlfriend, was unfazed by the relocation. “We’ll definitely go; we like coming,” Duckworth said. “It’s been a tradition for us.” Old traditions die hard — something that Andi Holcomb was all too familiar with. Holcomb, who was decked in allperiod attire, is a vintage fashion enthusiast. “1920s art deco is my passion,” she said. “The finger waves, the clothes, the curls — I’ve always been attracted to that era.” Holcomb was unsatisfied with the decision to relocate the
expo. “It bothers me because of the tradition,” Holcomb said. “It’s the tradition of being in this building.” Fred Normoyle shared Holcomb’s sentiment. “I’m going to really miss this building; lots of good memories,” Fred Normoyle said. However, Holcomb said that once the expo moves to its new home later this year, she will make a single visit just to “check it out.” Enthusiasts, collectors and sellers all shopped, searched and haggled in pursuit of the best outfit at the expo this past weekend. “I call it spontaneous show and tell,” said Elisabeth Normoyle. Amid the eclectic vintage fashions, she described patrons at the last Santa Monica expo as enthusiastic. “Somebody I’ve never seen before comes in with a bag and I ask ‘did you get something great?’ And they whip it out and all the women are looking,” Elisabeth Normoyle said. “That’s what we want, a real pleasant experience.”
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volume 105 issue • may 1, 2013 • santa monica college
Spring dance to lead with Global Motion
rona navales Staff Writer A rush of artful adrenaline runs through the veins of Santa Monica College dancers as they prepare for their annual world dance concert, Global Motion. New additions to this spring semester’s Global Motion performance will incorporate two ethnic dances, Filipino and Moldavian. SMC student Toni Pasion, who has a background in Polynesian dancing, is in her fourth semester with Global Motion. Pasion is choreographing a Filipino contemporary piece out of a traditional song where she will incorporate modern dance moves. “We really went with the theme of poverty and wealth, and we really emphasized on princess and a slave; that is something super obvious of poverty and wealth,” Pasion says. “It’s really a mix of our own input and creativity and what it represents to us as Filipino-Americans here at SMC.” SMC student Katie McCulla is in three numbers, and describes the ballet piece as a representation of abundance, grandiosity and adornment, ornate and whimsical to transport the audience. Global Motion put McCulla out of her comfort zone since the production has different modes of dance she was not accustomed to, such as hip-hop. Attendees will be introduced to colorful
David J. Hawkins Corsair The Santa Monica College dance department rehearses for Global Motion World Dance Company “Poverty and Wealth” last Monday in the dance studio at Santa Monica College. Performances will take place on Friday and Saturday.
cultures, with each dance representing a part of a country’s tradition and history. SMC student Geraldo Morales is performing with Global Motion for the first time, dancing and choreographing with his co-choreographer Glenn Rodriguez. Together, they helped create the dance fusion piece of hip-hop, ballet, modern, and house. SMC Yessenia Munoz started dancing
in fall 2010 and has been a part of Global Motion ever since. She focuses on Latin ballroom and has a solo in a piece of that style with her partner Zweli Barton. Munoz says the dancers are continuing to train and take outside classes, leading to a more advanced skill set. “The quality of the show keeps going up,” Munoz says. SMC professor Raquel Ramirez has been
directing Global Motion since 2000 and has been dancing for over 25 years. Ramirez says that the challenge for most students is that they are not used to most of the dance styles for this particular show. “They’re willing to take risks on styles of dancing they don’t know, they perform with a lot of passion, they learn to understand the culture, and they learn to love the dance,” Ramirez says. “Once you see them on stage, you see that passion that you need to transform those steps into a live dance.” Global Motion used to be called Folklorico de Santa Monica, being mainly a Mexican Folklorico-style dance, Ramirez says. But as time went on, other styles like Flamenco, Brazilian, Salsa and African were added, giving the program the global name. “Little by little, we've evolved to a global world-dance company,” Ramirez says. Robust lights, instruments, and costumes will be additional art in an effort to authenticate the historical aspects of Global Motion. Dance professors at SMC train the dancers to perform proper technique, and shape them to practice expressing their own creativity by giving them an opportunity to choreograph their own original pieces. Global Motion premiers on Friday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the SMC Performing Arts Center. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit smc.edu/dance.
Modern music crescendos at SMC henry crumblish Design Editor It seems as if there are as many music genres now as there are social media websites. From dubstep to horrorcore, and even Korean pop, music genres are constantly evolving as musicians are learning new methods of expression. “It’s weird,” said Shannon Barteau, outreach manager of Musicians Institute, a music vocational school in Hollywood. “We’re starting to see a real odd merge of country and rap, and people DJing over heavy metal.” In order to be effective, music educators seem to be creating a relevant curriculum for the modern-day musician. The music department at Santa Monica College has taken steps in order to nurture artists of all musical interests, not singularly focusing on traditional methods of classical instruction. Earlier this year, the photography department at SMC received an overhaul to its curriculum in an effort to better prepare students future careers in the field. SMC music department chair James Martin said similar changes may be in store for his department. “We will probably follow [the photography department] down that road because we have to prepare people for
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the jobs out there,” Martin said. “That’s certainly a consideration.” Additionally, there may be future plans to build a recording studio for the music department at the Academy of Entertainment and Technology satellite campus. The faculty members in the department take into consideration the wide variety of interests in the approximately 650 music majors on campus. “We teach both classical and popular,” Martin said. “About half of our students are classical, and half are popular. The emphasis that we use is to assume everyone has to have some classical training and classical language.” But what if a student wants to go into sound production or become a rapper? “We don’t have a class in rap, but we do have a class in improvisation.” Martin said “Even a rapper would benefit from finding his way through our classes.” In addition to SMC, James Bergman also teaches at Pierce College and California Lutheran and is able to track trends in music education. “By the time a style or trend gets to where they are teaching it in college, there is already something new,” Bergman
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said. At the beginning of each semester, Bergman asks his students if they can play an instrument. In the last few years, “not a whole lot raised their hands,” he said. Bergman then asked his class how many had ever played an instrument. “A few more raised their hands,” he said. “The nature of it has evolved.” The SMC music department transfers students to the University of California Los Angeles, University of California Berkeley, University of Southern California, and The Juilliard School. However, Bergman said even a degree from Juilliard will not guarantee instant employment after graduation. “They’re trying to teach entrepreneurship to musicians,” Bergman said. “The best music school in the country is telling you you’re going to have to find your job.” “The classical jobs are out there, but not nearly enough to take care of everybody,” Martin said. “Where the basics are concerned, people need to have good ears and they need basic skills.”
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volume 105 issue 10 • May 1, 2013 • santa monica college
arts + entertainment 11
Hollywood director screens film for Earth Week sara cheshm mishi Staff Writer Tom Shadyac, the Hollywood director of “Liar, Liar,” “Bruce Almighty,” “The Nutty Professor” and “Ace Ventura,” was living a successful life by traditional standards. But after buying his first mansion, he did not find himself any happier. Shadyac started to ask questions like, “what’s wrong with our world?” and “what can we do about it?” He began his journey by filming the documentary titled “I AM,” which was screened at Santa Monica College Friday afternoon, followed by a discussion of the film led by Shadyac. “I invited him here because it is an amazing film; this is the fourth time I’ve seen it,” said Sheila Laffey, adjunct film professor at SMC. “I specifically asked Tom to come this week because it is Earth Week. This film has implications for the planet.” The film showed Shadyac visiting authors, poets, teachers, scientists and religious leaders to ask his existential questions. While doing so, a shift in Shadyac occurred, which led him to sell his mansion and start living a more simple life centered around community. He said that the pressure of making the documentary was not as heavy as when making a “showbiz” movie because they were able to take their time. But he said he felt more of a personal pressure for the film to be right. Shadyac said that people do not take responsibility for the love and happiness in their lives, but instead chase an illusion that being rich means being happy. “We don’t focus on the greed in our own hearts,” Shadyac said. “There is all this violence out there, yet we don’t focus on the violence in our own hearts. I believe that out there is a reflection of what goes on in [people's hearts].” SMC student Brandon Yoke attended the screening and was able to take something positive from it. “I didn’t know what to expect from the film,” Yoke said. “Once he started pointing out how one individual can change a community is what really moved me. He was really
HaJung Shin Corsair Tom Shadyac, director of “Ace Ventura,” “Liar, Liar,” and “Bruce Almighty,” answers questions after a screening of his film “I AM” on Friday, in room 165 of the Humanities and Social Sciences Building at Santa Monica College.
funny. He kept me entertained the whole time.” Shadyac said he does not believe in competition and the Darwinian ideologies, such as the survival of the fittest. “Everything that is thriving over the long haul is in a state of cooperation,” Shadyac said. Laffey said that the first Earth Day in 1970 was an example of what Shadyac referred to after the screening of the
documentary. She said that people came together to such a extent that President Nixon then signed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, and founded the Environmental Protection Agency. “There is a paradigm shift that is happening,” Laffey said. “The darkest hour is always before the dawn. I hope this film lights a fire in the students so they can make a difference.”
Elite vocalists sing their hearts out asha mcClendon Staff Writer On the morning of his big performance, vocal student Jonathan Hernandez' day was much like any other. He sang at his church in the morning and even ate Wendy's for lunch. Even though he only had a week and a half of practice with his band, he was ready to put on a memorable performance later that night. Singers from Santa Monica College's applied music program and advanced vocal class showcased their talents at the annual Vocal Department Showcase last Sunday at the SMC Performing Arts Center. Janelle DeStefano, director of the showcase, picked 17 advanced vocalists to perform with an accompanist that played eclectic styles of music. "It's not always about the most beautiful voice," DeStefano said. "There are plenty of beautiful voices that I say whoa to a lot of potential, but there has to be a certain level of independence." DeStefano said she was not focused on beautiful voices as much as the full package of a vocalist. The 17 vocalists were chosen based on their knowledge from previous technical vocal courses and their ability to comfortably practice songs independently. SMC vocal student Ashley Crawford has been singing since elementary school and at SMC for three years. She performed "Hell on Heels" by country band Pistol Annies. "I get into little kicks," Crawford said, "Last year was about Adele. This semester, I was like, I'll change it up and do a country song." Crawford practiced numerous times with an accompanist to master her song. Not only did she sing, but she also engaged the audience with a few snaps and dance moves to really make the crowd a part of her performance. Vocal student Jessica Lopez decided to kick it up a notch by singing a full Italian song "Lascia Ch'io Pianga" from George Frideric Handel's opera, "Rinaldo." "I speak Spanish, so singing Italian wasn't that bad," Lopez said.
Ceasar Nadales Contributor Students prepare for the Vocal Department Showcase at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center last Sunday.
Lopez was originally majoring in nursing, but switched to music. She said she has always loved music, but was pursuing nursing to follow what her parents thought was a good path for her. This showcase also allowed SMC vocal student Christopher Chappell to sing something that was once foreign to him. He performed "Il Mio Bel Foco," attributed to Benedetto Marcello. "I started singing in choirs in middle school, but I didn't do
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my solo stuff until I came to SMC," Chappell said. "Let us just say it was an interesting process." Hernandez decided to go out with a bang by performing Otis Redding's "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" and Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy" with a live band. In addition to the vocal showcase, SMC's music department hosts several concerts throughout the semester. The next performance will be by the jazz vocal ensemble on Friday, May 31 at the SMC Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. /thecorsairnews •
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