Volume 105 Issue 04

volume 105 issue 4 • march 13, 2013 • santa monica college

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volume 105 issue 4 • march 13, 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·········· Desgin 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, Jana Ferreira Soares, Rachael Garcia, Amy Gaskin, Marine Gaste, Manon Genevier, Felipe Gouveia, Linda Harrell, David Hawkins, Sam Herron, Jasmin Huynh, Simon Luca Manili, Daniel McCarty, Asha McClendon, Rona Navales, Jerome Newton, Sarah Neyhart, Andrew Nguyen, Jimmy Rodriguez, Myriam Santiago, Kandace Santillana, Chanell Scott, Hajung Shin, Ryan Sindon, Niklas Thim, Eva Underwood, Heran Yirgu

Mark Popovich Corsair A lone duck rests on the fountain on the Santa Monica College quad on Tuesday.

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volume 105 issue 4 • March 13, 2013 • santa monica college

AS vacancies appointed

Marine Gaste Staff Writer

elizabeth moss News Editor Three recently vacant positions within the Associated Students at Santa Monica College were filled Wednesday during the AS weekly board meeting.

The three positions — vice president, director of student services, and director of student support and shared governance — opened up only two weeks ago, after the students heading those positions resigned due to personal reasons.

Jemal Hussein was appointed as vice president, Chioma Ojini as director of student services, and Jon Kent Ethridge III as director of student support and shared governance.

“It’s a sense of relief,” said Parker Jean, AS president. “Now we have more people fulfilling our goals.”

The process to apply included submitting an application reviewed by a committee, followed by an interview. In the case of the vice president, three candidates were nominated until the final one was chosen.

Final decisions took approximately two weeks.

The new directors and vice president have three months in their new positions to work on the goals they have set for their term.

“I want to make a difference,” said Hussein.

“I’m trying to get people to know what AS is — that AS is here for them.”

Hussein worked as the vice president

SMC Harlem Shake

and then the president of the Inter-Club Council. This will be his last semester at SMC, as he will be transferring in the fall.

Ojini attended Pennsylvania State University for two years, where she was a senator of information technology. She said she has three goals for her term which include sustainability, making food more affordable, and enhancing the transfer process.

“I wanted to enhance my leadership skills,” she said. “At the same time, I wanted to give back what was given to me at Penn State.”

Ojini also said she realizes that students travel from long distances to attend school, so she wants to create more events for out of state and international students.

Hussein said he hopes to implement a textbook rental program at the student bookstore.

While this is his first year at SMC, Ethridge III said he would like to “bring the student body closer.” He previously worked on student government in high school, and part of his plans include “pushing SMC to its highest potential.”

Ethridge III also said he seeks to improve critical thinking at school, which has largely left the classroom, according to him.

“I think these people are equipped with the tools necessary to fulfill their goals,” Jean said.

The Harlem Shake is officially coming to Santa Monica College during club awareness day on Thursday. The event will begin with a gathering in front of the library at 11:45 a.m. where students are invited to dance for half an hour, starting at noon.

The Harlem Shake phenomenon started when YouTube user TheSunnyCoastSkate, composed by five teenagers from Queensland, Australia, uploaded their video last month. Soon after, thousands of videos have been uploaded to YouTube, replicating the original version.

The first part of the 30-second video starts with one person dancing alone, often wearing a helmet or a mask, while surrounded by other people not paying attention. Once the song’s bass drops, the video cuts to a large group of individuals dancing convulsively, often wearing funny outfits, crazy costumes or dressed minimally.

The video ends with a roar of a lion.

Alejandro Días de la Torre, SMC student and creator of the Facebook event page for SMC’s Harlem Shake, allowed students to plan and organize the event. But the event caught the attention of Alex Abramoff, future AS alumni club president, when it was shared on SMC’s official Facebook page.

SMC’s Harlem Shake was supposed to take place on March 5, but Días de la Torre postponed the event because it would have

been shut down if he did not get an official approval from the AS office, he said.

“I chose a time when there were no classes.

A time that would not disturb the normal functioning of school, but then I went to the Associated Students office, following a friend’s [Abramoff ’s] advice, and I was told that anything we do on campus should be made official, or we get in trouble,” Días de la Torre said.

Angie Vo, AS director of student activities, heard about the event from Abramoff, liked the idea, and decided to sponsor the event.

Vo said she wants to show SMC students’ pride for their school, and will have a banner that reads “Proud to be SMC,” while inviting cheerleaders, athletes and the mascot to participate in the event.

“Students have to understand and follow the college’s rules and regulations to keep things in order and to inform everyone on what is going on,” said Deyna Hearn, SMC’s dean of student life and judicial affairs.

“My role is to support students in what they want to do as long as it is positive, that it is not going to interrupt the learning environment, and that we’re following policies,” said Hearn.

Días de la Torre said he hopes that the Harlem Shake event will encourage student unity, and break students of the habit of leaving class without talking to each other.

“It sounds like a good outlet to get some energy out,” Hearn said.

Campus construction continues kandace Santillana Staff Writer Around various Santa Monica College campuses, large areas are guarded by long gates, and matching tarps hide construction sites left unfinished, not started or incomplete.

These unfulfilled projects are part of a college redevelopment plan dating back to 1998, called the Master Plan. In it, college officials outline reconstruction slated to occur on and around campus.

In 2008, SMC was granted a $245 million bond for the building of infrastructure. The bond, Measure AA, also called the Santa Monica-Malibu bond, has been responsible for much of the construction at the college and its satellites.

According to a 2009 Board of Trustees agenda, the bond was given in 2008, but no projects were planned until the following year.

Most of the renovations happening under this bond are part of the Master Plan, which was updated and revised in 2010, according to a draft of the plan.

Completion was estimated eight to 10 years after

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the planned construction in 2009, which makes 2013 approximately the halfway point.

Robert Isomoto, vice president of business administration, said plan implementation will take place for five years.

He said the plans include relocating the changes to the pipes, adding an east wing to the Performing Arts Center, and the ongoing renovation of the Academy of Entertainment and Technology campus.

But many projects have been sitting idle for months, even years, without anything happening.

The gated-off area on Pico Boulevard, next to the Admissions Office, is slated to become the Student Services Building. According to Isomoto, construction will begin in about two months, and will take approximately two years to finish.

And for months, the space where the bicycle racks now stand was nothing but a dirt patch. Isomoto explained how part of the bond went into the project, which cost $600,000.

Other projects included in the plan are modernizing Drescher Hall, building a new gymnasium, the creation of a new amphitheater that has been under construction on Pico Boulevard and 20th Street since 2009, and renovating the Math Complex.

“The rebuilding of the Math Complex is a project that is planned to be down the road,” Isomoto said. “But eventually we will add to the Science Building, making it the Math and Science Building.”

According to an interview conducted in 2009 with Greg Brown, director of facilities planning, part of the money from the bond will go to the AET satellite campus, costing about $36 million to pay for all the necessary fees.

AET will be closing over spring break for its complete reconstruction. The campus will be more technologyoriented and have a larger parking structure.

Isomoto mentioned that the AET campus will be gaining a building especially for the KCRW radio station.

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+ Lifestyle 4 Health

volume 105 issue 4 • March 13, 2013 • santa monica college

Food Fare brings attention to women’s health rachael garcia Staff Writer The orange carpet welcomed attendees to the 34th Annual Food Fare, held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on Thursday. Guests experienced an exquisite array of the area’s best cuisines, up-andcoming chefs, distillers, and music. People arrived from all over Los Angeles, including local Santa Monica foodies and Planned Parenthood supporters.

The Planned Parenthood Los Angeles Guild, who has organized this event since its inception in 1979, is made up of 200 women dedicated to providing financial and volunteer support to Planned Parenthood, according to the PPLA Food Fare website.

Tickets to the fundraising event cost $150 for the daytime session and $225 for the evening session.

PPLA’s director of public affairs Serena Josel said that the money raised from the event is disbursed throughout Planned Parenthood’s 19 health centers in the Los Angeles area, plus the additional education programs provided for teens and parents throughout the county. Since the first Food Fare that featured chef Julia Child, the Guild has raised a little over $9 million.

The plates in the orange-lit auditorium ranged from fresh pine nut salads and brie-filled paninis, to mini-Korean steak tacos, spicy tuna rolls, red wine glazed fried chicken with pickled chilies, pork ribs, crab legs, and even Pink’s hot dogs. Dessert was also present as tables were lined with mini cupcakes, raspberry-topped vanilla bean soufflé, and a red-and-white-striped sundae stand, complete with endless toppings, provided by Dandy Don’s ice cream parlor.

Some of the vendors, such as Elixir G and The Sweet and Sour Chronicles, said that they were drawn to the event because of their support for Planned Parenthood.

Hadley Tomicki and Tatiana Arbogast, writers for food blog “Grub Street,” were also in attendance.

“I’ve been coming to this for four years,” said

Ray Alvarado Corsair Attendees walk through the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on Thursday at Food Fare to benefit Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.

Ray Alvarado Corsair Tapas appetizers are served at Food Fare.

Arbogasd. “We support Planned Parenthood, and we’re foodies, so it’s perfect.”

“I’m here for both work and pleasure,” said Tomicki, who said she attends many similar events, but likes the charity aspect of Food Fare.

Josel, who has been with Planned Parenthood for eight years, said that the vendors are mostly chosen by the Guild members based off of their favorite restaurants.

“Our supporters are here, and since our supporters are usually more progressive, it goes hand-in-hand that they’re part of this new Cali wave of organic cooking,” said Josel.

As Josel passed out informational pamphlets to guests who walked in, protesters stood on the other side of the walkway holding up large, graphic signs of mutilated fetuses. The Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust stood outside the convention for both the day and evening sessions.

“We get them at every event,” said Josel.

“We have been to a lot of red states for events; this is nothing.”

Josel said that when she was in high school and college, she appreciated the services Planned Parenthood provided her with, such as giving information about how to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.

“Planned Parenthood helps you control things about yourself that you think you have control over, but you really don’t,” she said. “Patients get the information and care they need to live their best life.”

Planned Parenthood’s preventive care “empowers people and provides them with the information to help them make the right choice,” according to Josel.

“There’s a health center in Santa Monica [that] college students can rely on,” said Josel, referring to the Planned Parenthood located on the Third Street Promenade.

The services are free and confidential.

“Students should be aware that its doors are always open for them,” she said.

Grim global outlook?

In the year 2050, we can expect to live in a world greatly influenced and scarred by the forces of growing population demographics, the scarcity of natural resources, the ever-webbing network of globalization, and climate change.

This is a compelling and frightening portrait that Laurence C. Smith, author and professor at University of California, Los Angeles, visually described during his lecture.

This semester’s Santa Monica College Global Connections Lecture Series kicked off last Tuesday, with Smith discussing the increasingly relevant topics addressed in his book “The World in 2050: Four Forces Shaping Civilization’s Northern Future.”

“We are barreling toward a world with nearly 40 percent more people and a doubled food requirement by 2050,” Smith wrote in his book. “We are transforming from a poor rural to wealthier urban species.”

James Coster Staff Writer This shift occurred in 2008, as the percentage of urban-dwelling citizens outweighed those living in rural conditions for the first time in human history, Smith said during his lecture.

“Material demands for an urban society greatly outweigh those of an agrarian culture,” Smith said at the lecture. “Coal usage and natural gas usage will be three times greater by 2050.”

Smith addresses many of the popular misconceptions that are currently clouding views of global warming and its effects during his lecture.

“Global warming is neither truly global, nor always warming,” said Smith.

The topic of climate change and its effects — both immediate and future — made up the majority of Smith’s lecture, a facet that

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SMC student Kristi Lauren found most powerful.

“The evidence for global warming is overwhelming, yet I still always hear people claiming it’s fabricated or a political tool,” Lauren said. “I really admired how bluntly he discussed the reality of it.”

The Global Connections Lecture Series is made possible by the efforts of the Global Citizenship Council, the Office of Public Programs, and the SMC Associates, a private organization devoted to “promoting, fostering, and encouraging scientific, literary, educational, and artistic endeavors at Santa Monica College,” as stated in the group’s mission statement.

Judy Neveau, director of community relations for SMC Associates, credited the far-reaching community of faculty and

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friends of the school for bringing together the diverse group of speakers the series offers.

“It’s a community of faculty members and friends devoted to the enrichment of the school who’s responsible for putting this together and funding it,” Neveau said.

“Many come from outside communities, yet are still dedicated to the spreading of knowledge.”

The Global Connections Lecture Series aims to provide students with the opportunity to expand their perceptions and discover new and interesting fields of study.

“These lectures are a smaller and more localized way of providing the same type of educational experience,” said Neveau.

The lecture series is free of charge, and takes place in Room 165 of the Humanities and Social Sciences Building. To see a list of upcoming lectures, visit campus events on the SMC homepage.

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volume 105 issue 4 • march 13, 2013 • santa monica college

photostory 5

Paul Alvarez Jr. Corsair A rarely empty campus is shown on a Tuesday afternoon as Flex Day is in full effect. Flex Day gives faculty members an opportunity to attend workshops that can help improve their teaching skills.

Mark Popovich Corsair Linda Sinclair, faculty leader for veterans’ resourcing, hosts a workshop titled “In Their Boots,” teaching participants about challenges veterans face as they transition from military to civilian and student life.

Paul Alvarez Jr. Corsair Various members of the faculty sit and enjoy a warm complimentary meal of macaroni and cheese and kale salad on Flex Day in the cafeteria.

Flex Day: Teachers stretch their abilities Flex Day is a day of role reversal for Santa Monica College faculty and students. Professors can be found in workshops all day, while students are absent from the normally bustling campus.

Administrators and educators make use of the empty campus in an effort to improve their teaching methods and ability to connect with the student body. Workshops are held all day, and discuss a variety of topics pertinent to professors, ranging from providing support to veterans to integrating eCompanion more efficiently.

Students see Flex Day as an excuse to stay home, but for faculty it is a day to flex their teaching muscles.

Story by Henry Crumblish

Paul Alvarez Jr. Corsair SMC alumni Trisha Mazunder and Miriam Albizures (left to right) meet with chemistry teacher Muriel Walker Waugh who shakes hands with SMC alumnus Andrew Lu (right).

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6 Opinion

Letter to the Editor I'd like to thank “The Corsair” and reporter Tina Eady for publishing her well-crafted and substantive article on Dr. Benjamin Bowser's insightful presentation on the problematic impacts of gangster rap. If I may, I'd like to add several observations which, it is hoped, will enhance the portrait presented by the story and its intriguing illustration.

To begin, the piece indicates that Dr. Bowser spoke to “a room full of students.” To be sure, students comprised the majority of the audience. However, as one who has been involved in organizing events of this nature for many years, let me suggest that it's worthwhile to note the fascinating cross-section of people who attended this program. For example, in the front row, attendees included SMC trustee Susan Aminoff, English department chairperson Susan Sterr, director of community relations Judy Neveau, and counselor Maria Martinez. In the upper deck there was an individual who is the executive producer of a rap CD and an African American woman who, during the Q&A, thanked Dr. Bowser for helping her determine the most effective way to explain the negative aspects of “gangsta rap” to her two grandsons.

Also, in the middle of the “Standing Room Only” audience of about 150, there was a significant number of counselors and English department faculty members, as well as a 68-year-old woman whose nephew is the publicist whom Kanye West thanked when receiving his recent Grammy. My point in citing these factors is to suggest that Dr. Bowser's audience represented a mosaic of significant dimensions, comprised of a fascinating cross-section of individuals. This mixture contributed to a vortex with a high level of energy, and this provided a catalyst to the, at times emotive lecture by Dr. Bowser.

In a related vein, the engagement levels of the audience were also quite impressive. Let me quote Sherri Bradford, adviser to the Black Collegians Club and a prime mover in making this program a high-quality educational affair, as well as a popular success.

“You can tell if an event has a significant impact on the students when they continue to discuss things the speaker said for days after the program took place,” Bradford said.

Finally, while J. Hern's illustration was a fascinating work of art, Dr. Bowser's message was (and is) that, while rap is an integral part of hip-hop, the gangster rap variations and their corporate sponsors have usurped and subverted the peace-making intentions of hip-hop's originators, to the detriment of all concerned parties.

Sincerely, David Burak Assoc. Faculty English Dept.

volume 105 issue 4 • march 13, 2013 • santa monica college

Green with consumerism STAFF EDITORIAL St. Patrick’s Day is an excuse to drink, pinch people who are not wearing green, and dye the Chicago River the color of Nickelodeon slime.

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, spread the gospel to a country that had not heard about Jesus before, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia. The national holiday is celebrated in Ireland and America.

Originally, the holiday was about religion. Now it has become a day when people in the United States wears green.

St. Patrick’s Day has become a mainstream marketing tool, like other holidays, and has lost its point. Nobody even knows the real meaning of the holiday because everyone just thinks of green merchandise.

Comparable holidays, like Valentine’s Day, are equally commercialized and are subject to excess buying by consumers.

Americans often get so attracted to holidays where we can let loose and drink that we lose sight of the purpose of the holiday.

Party City, located on Sepulveda

As part of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebration, Chicago dyes its river green. Forty pounds of powdered vegetable dye are used to color the river for the celebration.

McDonald’s released a limited time Shamrock Shake available until St. Patrick’s Day. Lucky Charms cereal features a leprechaun mascot. The brand also releases limited edition cereals during the week of St. Patrick’s Day. Since the mid-1970s, Ireland has followed suit of their American cousins. Bars are open wide, everyone wears silly green hats, and there are parades and carnivals all over the country.

This year, during the St. Patrick’s festival in Dublin, Ireland is going green, literally. Dublin’s most iconic buildings and most of the city will be illuminated green, according to the festival’s website.

In this sea of green, it is hard not to love St. Patrick’s Day. Even if Illustration by Jhosef Hern Corsair it is a holiday where American consumerism is seen in the worst way.

On Sunday there will be no Boulevard, boasts an impressive selection leprechauns standing guard, but there of St. Patrick’s-themed supplies, from will be plenty of green — shamrocks, hats and sunglasses to shot glasses and greeting cards and beer. green Solo cups.

Unit cap limits educational freedom Henry Crumblish Design Editor

Life as a cynic can be crummy at times.

You often feel compelled to speak out against seemingly perfect solutions for no other reason than the sake of arguing.

Gov. Jerry Brown’s budget proposal set to take effect later this year has been causing quite a conundrum.

The part that has attracted my attention is the governor’s proposed changes to higher education, specifically community colleges.

Brown has big plans for California’s community college system, which, made up of 112 campuses, is the largest system of higher education in the world.

The proposed budget will increase funding to California community colleges,

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which will receive a five percent increase in funding this year. In addition, the budget provides $16 million to community colleges to be used for greater online class offerings.

So far, so good, right? Wrong. More state funding for schools under Brown’s budget means threatened opportunities for longterm students.

According to the governor’s budget summary, less than 30 percent of degreeseeking students at community colleges complete a degree, earn a certificate or transfer within six years, which seems to say that 70 percent of us are not doing our “job.”

In an effort to put students back on the road to transferring and degree completion, the state is threatening to deny financial aid to all students who exceed 90 completed units.

“This policy will encourage students to identify an educational goal and reach it in a timely and efficient way, focusing on the courses necessary to complete their educational goals, while still allowing for some exploration of other subject areas,” said Brown in the budget.

The 90-unit cap is crap. College is a time of personal growth and soul searching for the youth. There is no reason why the community college experience should be any different.

The budget itself states that under the proposed model, students will be able to explore some, but not all, subject areas they desire to study. This limitation of discovery at a learning institution is stifling. @t h e _ c o r s a i r •

I am appalled that the government would so carelessly forsake all students who pass the 90-unit cap just because they do not fit into cookie-cutter education projections.

What is worse is that funding to 112 community college campuses will be dependent upon completion rates instead of attendance. Also, the budget proposal will restrict students from retaking courses just to improve their GPA. These measures have been put in place with the hope of making community colleges more efficient, but I believe they will have the opposite effect.

Students are now faced with increased class offerings, but decreased ability to explore and benefit from them.

Students will now have to exercise caution when planning their schedule for fear of exceeding the 90-unit cap and losing financial aid.

We already have the course repeat rule; there should be no unnecessary tampering with it. The added pressure of not being able to retake a class may interfere with students’ performance, especially students new to higher education.

In addition, the completion-based funding model puts pressure on instructors to pass failing students for fear of losing funding.

The budget is a foolish, short-sighted paradigm that will do nothing but create an atmosphere of fear and stress in one of America’s pivotal education systems.

I am all for increased funding, but not with the current stipulations. If enforced, the California Community college system as we know it will crumble to ruin.

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volume 105 issue 4 • March 13, 2013 • santa monica college

Arts + Entertainment 7

Co-op 7 says ‘What’s Up?’ Sara ChesHm Mishi Staff Writer Co-op 7, a group of almost fifty artists who support artistic and spiritual growth, presented artwork from five of their members in the latest exhibition “What’s up?” at the Schomburg Gallery Saturday evening.

The five exhibiting artists were Adria Becker, Abira Breskal, Selina Cheng, Susan Gesundheit, and Eileen Hecht, whose art was made with watercolors, oil and picture collages.

Half of the paintings were expressions of nature, painted with bright and strong watercolors, capturing how nature’s colors flow together.

The other half were paintings of women, with the artist’s focal point being to capture the essence of the person they painted.

Hecht has been painting for over 50 years and exhibited three paintings of women.

“With people, there is an essence of emotion that I try to capture,” said Hecht.

“This essence is more interesting for me to capture at the time than doing paintings of nature.”

The founding members of Co-op 7 were students of the late Alexander Vilumsons, a professor and artist who passed away in 1985.

Jeanne Hahn, artistic director of Co-op

7 and one of the founding members, took over the group after Vilumsons’ passing.

She described the group as a legacy of Vilumsons’ work and philosophy about the artistic methods of self-discovery.

According to Hahn, Co-op stands for collaboration, a high idea that helps everyone involved. The philosophy behind Co-op is that new members give the other members new energy and pass their artistic and theoretic knowledge back to the new members.

“This philosophy is the foundation of our group and probably why we have been a group for so long and continue to grow,” Hahn said.

Hahn has studied painting and drawing for 11 years and is now a teacher at the American Jewish University, which offers art classes.

Together with other members from Coop 7, Hahn teaches watercolor painting and right brain figure drawing, as well as other painting and drawing classes.

“We have been a group for a long time and have a good group dynamic,” Hahn said. “Some of these members are more like family members.”

Exhibition visitor Lily Milash was appreciative of both the art and the artists.

“There are some pieces that I love and could see in my home,” she said. “I especially love that the artists are so open

HaJung Shin Corsair Adria Becker, one of the Co-op 7 artists, explains her works to guests at the opening reception of the Co-op 7 exhibition on Saturday at Schomburg Gallery in Santa Monica.

and easy talk to, and walk you through their artworks.”

“I was actually just stopping by, and got curious when I saw the spiral staircase,” said Tracy Swartz, a first-time visitor. “I haven’t been in the gallery before, but I am really enjoying the art that is exhibited and the ambiance in the room.”

According to Cheng, the exhibition is named “What’s Up?” because the gallery is located above a shop, after climbing a spiral staircase, and visitors who stumbled upon the staircase while walking through

the shop would ask, “what’s up?”

Susan Schomburg, director of the gallery, opened the doors to this small, somewhat hidden space in 2001. The site previously belonged to Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, who used the space to write, according to Schomburg.

The Schomburg gallery is located on the second floor of Building E of the Bergamot Station Arts Center in Santa Monica. The exhibition is free to the public and will be open for viewing through April 6.

What is St. Patrick’s day, anyway?

Jasmin Huynh Staff Writer

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Green glitter garlands, leprechauns and shamrocks can only mean one thing: It is St. Patrick’s Day. But the origins and true meaning of the holiday can be fuzzy, at best.

“Isn’t it Irish?” asked Santa Monica College student Tamara Alessa. “I think it’s about leprechauns, clovers, pot of gold, rainbows, and good luck.”

While St. Patrick’s Day was originally only an Irish holiday, it did not seem to be linked to mythical creatures, gold or good luck when it was first celebrated.

According to the History Channel’s website, St. Patrick’s Day was initially observed in honor of St. Patrick — born Maewyn Succat — who died on March 17, 461.

“The legend is that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland,” said returning SMC student Megan Johnson.

But according to the History Channel’s website, there had never been snakes in Ireland. The snakes in the legend were a symbol for St. Patrick’s elimination of paganism and the emergence of Christianity.

However, St. Patrick was not Irish himself, but British. He was kidnapped and taken to Ireland at the age of 16 to work as a slave.

After six years of captivity, St. Patrick returned to Ireland to introduce and convert the Irish to Christianity. He worked as a Christian missionary for the rest of his life.

St. Patrick was not remembered as the patron saint of Ireland until centuries after his death when the mythologies and legends about him were spread.

It is believed that St. Patrick explained the @t h e _ c o r s a i r •

holy trinity by means of the three-leaved shamrock, which became the emblem for Irish Christianity. Later, it translated into wearing the color green, which is today sometimes the only symbol associated with St. Patrick’s Day, according to the History Channel’s website.

“We just wore green,” said Hannah Halpern, a first-semester student at SMC. “That was our St. Patrick’s Day,” Christians who were observing Lent, the period of time in which vices were not indulged, were given a pass in order to enjoy a few glasses of alcohol in celebration of the holiday.

Today, drinking on St. Patrick’s Day is still a prominent custom.

“We just celebrate it as an excuse to get drunk,” said Sam Ross-Smith, a secondyear SMC student. After turning 21 this year, he will “probably end up in a bar drinking a green beer.”

If you want to celebrate Irish Christianity, the Irish culture, or if you just want to drink green beer, several restaurants and pubs in Santa Monica celebrate this holiday and host special events by playing traditional Irish music and food and drinks throughout the day.

Irish pubs like O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Restaurant on Main Street and Wilshire Boulevard open their doors early in the morning. At Sonny McLean’s Irish Pub, Guinness will be served in their beer garden starting at 10 a.m. Irish bands will also perform live at Finn McCool’s Irish Pub. Those over age 21 who want to celebrate in more than one pub can join the World Famous St. Patty’s Day Pub Crawl on March 17, which begins at the 31 Ten Lounge in Santa Monica.

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8 Sports

volume 105 issue 4 • March 13, 2013 • santa monica college

Early hole too much for Corsairs to overcome

Winning streak over for Lady Corsairs

Trevor Angone Staff Writer The Santa Monica College men’s volleyball team suffered a late fifth-set loss Wednesday night at the hands of the Long Beach City College Vikings, dropping the Corsairs’ record to 3-6.

The Vikings, who are at the top of the conference standings with a record of 8-1, needed all the strength they could gather to narrowly edge the Corsairs 15-13 in the final set and win the match 3-2.

The Corsairs were off to a promising start, winning the first set 25-23, behind hard-nosed play-by-opposite hitter Charlie Schmittdiel.

“I’m willing to do anything for my team,” said Schmittdiel.

“Those are my brothers out there.”

Although the Corsairs started off strongly, it was the Vikings who would win the second set behind a block party from middle blocker Eron Liddie, and the third with a late rally after trailing.

With all the momentum on Long Beach’s side, it took everything SMC could muster to force a fifth set. Behind Schmittdiel’s defense and captain Zach Brown’s three spikes over a six-point span, the Corsairs gave it all they could.

The Vikings, however, scored the last two points of the shortened fifth set, edging the Corsairs and pulling out the hotly contested victory.

Although the loss was the fifth in a row for the Corsairs, they tried to keep a positive attitude, taking solace in the fact that they were able to push the top team to the brink.

“I’m so happy with how everyone played tonight,” said Schmittdiel. “No matter what adversity my team goes through, I’m going to be there for them.”

Schmittdiel, who won the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section championship his senior year at Santa Monica High School, could be heard rallying teammates throughout the match.

A standout on the court, the energetic sophomore is looking at possibly transferring to a Division I college in the near future.

“I’m feeling Hawaii,” said Schmittdiel. “My whole life, I’ve always had Hawaii in the back of my mind.”

After starting the season well at 3-1, the Corsairs have hit a tough patch. But with the top three teams in the conference advancing to the playoffs, all the Corsairs need is a little hot streak to finish the season.

The Corsairs will try to snap their losing skid at home against Santa Barbara City College on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Mark Popovich Corsair Victoria Mamatova of Santa Monica College plays her match against Mount San Antonio College on Friday.

Niklas Thim Staff Writer The tight schedule continued for the Santa Monica College women's tennis team when they defeated Santa Barbara City College on Thursday, and dropped their first team match of the season against Mount San Antonio on Friday.

The Lady Corsairs came to the game against Santa Barbara with six straight wins, while their opponent was struggling with one lone victory.

The 2001 champions Santa Barbara only managed to bring four players to the game and lost three of the matches by forfeit.

The win not only resulted in SMC's seventh in a row, but also earned them the top ranking out of all the Southern California community college women's tennis teams.

On Friday, the Corsairs faced the Mount San Antonio College Mounties, who are ranked second, and also sporting an undefeated record.

The Corsairs were down 4-2 after the singles, and had to win all three of the doubles to grab the victory.

However, the Mounties did not give SMC much of a chance, and won the doubles 8-3, 8-3 and 8-2.

SMC sophomore Juliana Nelkin was very disappointed after the game.

"I hate losing; dealing with a loss is tough, but that means we as a team have to get better and stronger," she said.

The match was played in heavy winds, something that

caused trouble for the players.

"The wind is a huge factor when you play tennis outside," said Nelkin. "The ball is flying everywhere and it can easily get away from you. You just have to adjust and move your feet more."

The Mounties' head coach Sophie Salvador also mentioned the wind as a problem, but did not think that was the reason her team won.

"We won today because our bottom three players were better," said Salvador. "The top two were close, but overall we were better today."

SMC's head coach Richard Goldenson agreed with Salvador, and said that this is something that needs to be improved.

"Players four through six haven't been tested much, and the strength of these opponents took them by surprise," Goldenson said.

The girls were not used to losing, and Goldenson gave credit for how his team handled the defeat.

"I was proud of their sportsmanship, and how they fought and gave it all they had right up to the last point," he said. "It's nice to see how supportive everyone is of one another. They have really come together as a team."

Following their loss, the Lady Corsairs regrouped with a 5-4 win over Santa Barbara on Tuesday.

Up next for the Lady Corsairs is a road game against Glendale. The next home game will be on Tuesday against Bakersfield.

Shining bright amid tough year David Yapkowitz Sports Editor

Paul Alvarez Jr. Corsair Aniese Palmore led the Santa Monica College women’s basketball team in scoring and assists. Palmore was named to the Western State South Division’s allconference team for the 2012-13 season.

The clock hits zero and your teammates embrace you while your opponent sulks off the court, dejected.

Every kid who grows up playing basketball reenacts making a gamewinning shot. Be it in their backyard, the park or the gym, they hope to make it a reality one day.

Aniese Palmore experienced that moment during the Lady Corsairs' final game of the season, nailing a late second three to upset the higher-ranked Citrus College Owls.

"They expected the win; I wanted to hit that shot and make it count," Palmore said.

The victory was one of the few bright spots for the Santa Monica College women's basketball team, and it is only their second win for 2013.

"We tried not to let it [the season] affect us," said Palmore. "We tried to keep a positive mindset at all times."

Amid the grueling year, Palmore excelled as a shining star among the dark. She was named to the Western State South Division's all-conference first team last month.

Palmore said that it is a privilege to be

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named to the all-conference team.

"It makes me want to continue to work harder; sometimes I can be a bit lazy," she said jokingly.

Finishing up her freshman year at SMC, Palmore's love for basketball began at a young age.

"It all started in elementary school," Palmore said. "I used to play every day at recess with my friends."

Friendly competition turned serious, and Palmore became a standout at Santa Monica High School.

In college, Palmore can now note several differences that indicate that she is playing at a higher level.

"I had to get better conditioned," Palmore said. "Going to 20-minute halves and a bigger court, I played more than I expected."

However, the adjustment to the next level came naturally to Palmore.

She led the Lady Corsairs in points, scoring 12 per game, and assists, dishing out 5.2 per contest.

She also led the team in minutes played at 11.8, and was third in rebounding, snatching up 6.9 per game.

Not only was she stellar statistically, but she carved out a role as team leader, a role she has embraced.

Following her game win against Citrus, @t h e _ c o r s a i r •

head coach Lydia Strong said Palmore had been their leader all season long, the key that holds the team together.

"I like to keep a good image for my teammates," said Palmore. "I don't like to appear down or frustrated. It's important for me to take advantage of this [opportunity]."

As a returning leader for next season, there are certain changes she wants to see occur.

"We need to be able to play two halves like the Citrus game," said Palmore.

"We had a good bond between us. The chemistry is there. I want a better season and to go further."

There is no question the talent is there, but it remains to be seen how the team will mesh next year with the additions of incoming players.

"We're really talented; we just were not using it together," said Palmore. "Only one or two of us were coming to play each game."

Whatever the future may hold, Palmore said she wants to continue to hone her talent and reach new heights.

"Hopefully I can get a scholarship to a good basketball school, preferably not too far from here," said Palmore. "In the future, I just want to do anything with basketball."

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