The Corsair Vol. D Issue 12

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2011 VOLUME D ISSUE 12 FIRST COPY OF THE CORSAIR IS FREE, EACH COPY AFTER IS 25C

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2|CONTENTS

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

EDITORIAL STAFF Jonathan Bue············· 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 Nathan Gawronsky·····Managing Editor c o rs a i r. m a n a g i n g @ g m a i l . c o m Cathy Arias········· Life & Health Editor 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 Muna Cosic··················· News Editor c o rs a i r. n e w s p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m Juan Lopez··················· A & E Editor 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 Regan Dyl··················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 William Courtney··········· 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 Hector Mejia··········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 Anisa El-Khouri··············Photo Editor Amanda Bojorquez··········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 Jenya Romanovsky··········· Copy Editor Chris Aquino··················· Copy Staff c o rs a i r. c o p y e d i t s @ g m a i l . c o m Roger Morante················ Web Editor David J. Hawkins····· Web Administrator c o rs a i r. w e b e d i t o r @ g m a i l . c o m Nathalyd Meza··············Design Editor Genesis Baltazar············· Design Staff Alfredo Avila·················· Design Staff c o rs a i r. d e s i g n t e a m @ g m a i l . c o m W R I T E R S Amber Antonopoulos, Vanessa Barajas, Eva Boguslawski, Jay Be Brookman, Aubryanna DiStefano, Maria Dimera, Morgan Doyle, Alyson Feldman, Janae Franklin, Jonathan Ghattas, Tabetha Harris, Myles Johnson, Luana Kasahara, Samanta Kubon, Jahnny Lee, Keijo Liimatainen, Zoie Matthew, Michael Mejia, Ashley Metcalf, Wayne Neal, Tatianna Paredes, Michelle Ponder, Melanie Rudkiewicz, Katherine Ruiz, Fatou Samb, Valerie Serrano, Mia Shilpi, Mai Sims, Ryan Sinko, Christina Sziatinsky PHOTOGRAPHERS Paul Alvarez, Chris Alves, Marisa Bojiuc, Jojo Cheung, Jeannie Cole, Ryan Cook, Reynal Guillen, Tiahna Hale, Cristina Maxwell, Marie Perez, Scott Smith, Silvia Spross, Lisa Weingarten, Michael Yanow, Sequoia Ziff FAC U LT Y A DV I S O R S S a u l Ru b i n Gerard Burkhart A d I n q uiries : corsair.adconsultant@gmail.com

Paul Alvarez Jr. Corsair Coach Sheldon Philip-Guide and Tony Todd stand with Charlie Sheen at the Moose Lodge in Santa Monica, Calif. on Nov. 19.

Sheen as well as other celebrities, like James Loney of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Hall-of-Fame baseball player Kenny Loftin, participated in a Celebrity poker event benefitting the Santa Monica High School baseball team.

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NEWS|3

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

New parking zone to affect SMC students by amber antonopoulos . staff writter Santa Monica College students may face even greater parking difficulties next semester when the City of Santa Monica establishes Preferential Parking Zone CC on nearby streets.

The new regulations will allow only permit-holding residents to park for more than two hours on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Ashland Ave., between 23rd and 25th St.'s, according to a Santa Monica City Council report.

The city council has also approved Oak and Hill St., between 23rd and 25th St.'s, as well as Pier Ave., between 23rd and Clover St.'s, for inclusion in the Zone CC regulation.

However, residents on these adjacent streets have yet to voice sufficient support to put the regulations into effect.

“It will be implemented on Ashland Avenue sometime in the next two months, and the other blocks are free to petition,” said Jason Kligier, transportation planning associate for the City of Santa Monica.

According to Kligier, in order for a preferential parking zone to be established in Santa Monica, the City Council must authorize it, and residents from at least

two-thirds of the street’s households must petition to support it, “The neighborhood has had a problem for quite some time,” said Ashland Avenue resident Debra Thorne Ouzounian, who helped organize the petition signing. “The process took three years.”

In September 2008, 76 percent of residents in the affected Ashland Avenue area petitioned to create the zone.

When the City resurveyed the residents in June 2011, most respondents remained in favor, according to the City’s report.

“Unregulated non-resident parking is impacting their ability to find parking near their homes,” according to the City Council report.

Students from SMC and the Art Institute, employees from nearby businesses on Ocean Park Blvd., and those frequenting Clover Park, have reportedly been parking for extended hours on the neighborhood’s streets, according to reports from a community meeting.

“People from the college – they’re parking here for five to six hours,” said another Ashland Avenue resident who signed the petition, but wished to remain anonymous.

“I’ve got my family coming to visit, and they can’t find parking on the streets.”

The intersection of Oak and 23rd St. is a half-mile from the Pearl St. entrance to the SMC main campus, and the corner of Ashland Ave. and 25th St. is almost a mile away.

However, some SMC students would rather contend with the distance than search for a parking Michael Yanow Corsair space on campus.

Santa Monica resident Debra Thorne “Groups of students will park here, Ouzounian poses on her porch on the 2400 of Ashland Avenue on Monday, Nov. 21 take their skateboards out, and head block in Santa Monica. Ouzounian put forward the off to SMC,” Ouzounian said. petition to establish preferential parking in the “I’ve seen students park here with a four blocks west of Clover Park to help the of the neighborhood in finding parking bicycle on the back of the car and residents near their homes. The city council adopts the do the same thing.” recommendation on Nov. 8 and have establish According to Kligier, most of the Zone CC. surrounding neighborhood streets especially for students who commute currently enforce preferential parking restrictions, including those from long distances,” said SMC student bordering SMC. Students must then rely Isabel Spiegel, who drives only to satellite on the already heavily congested metered campuses, and reaches the main campus parking on Pearl, and on-campus parking by bus.

“In L.A., public transportation is difficult, garages which are often at full capacity.

“I think it’s going to make it even harder and a lot of people depend on their cars to for people to find parking at SMC, get around.”

SMC’s DresCher Planetarium looking to fill black hole by roger morante & fatou samb . staff writters The passing of John Hodge, a former director of the John Drescher Planetarium in 2005, left the Santa Monica College Astronomy Department short not only a director, but also a qualified technician.

Hodge ran the uniquely domed planetarium, but now the task falls on faculty and outside contributors.“When John Hodge passed, we applied for a replacement but were denied due to budget cuts, cutting costs, and administration on campus,” said Vikki Drake, chair of the Earth Sciences. “They made the decision to eliminate the position and [since then] bits and pieces were picked up by other people.”

This had the remaining professors scrambling to understand the inner workings of the planetarium. Simon Balm, SMC professor of astronomy and chemistry, and Jim Mahon, a former Rocketdyne employee, picked up where Hodge had left off but many of Hodge’s tasks, including the planetarium website, have been neglected. The Drescher Planetarium was rebuilt five years ago and uses an upgraded Evans and Sutherland Digistar II projection system to show audiences where stars would be on the night sky. The planetarium offers Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning shows at the price of four dollars per person, Friday evening shows for five dollars, and Friday double features for nine dollars. For every show, children’s tickets cost a dollar less.

“The money goes into the event’s program,” said Drake, clarifying how the shows proceeds are used. “Any money that comes in from the school shows [during the week] and the Friday night shows goes into that pot.”

According to Drake, there is an allocation of money that has been set aside to handle emergencies like the one this summer, when the planetarium stopped working altogether. “$80,000 was set aside to do some serious repairs to the planetarium,” said Drake. “It came to a very ugly head last

year when the dome started collapsing.”

On top of that, a complete overhaul of the Digistar II projector was necessary.

“Spare parts are getting increasingly difficult to obtain for a system that has been out of production for almost a decade,” said Mahon. “Going through it and replacing the main projection tube were crucial steps to maximize lifetime of the system.” Senior administrators were not available for comment.

In Hodge’s absence, Mahon has recently been contracted to provide more stability to the planetarium and possible problems.

Why assistants have not been provided for the Earth Sciences department remains a subject of confusion.

“In chemistry, I have lab technicians helping us with our labs,” said Professor Simon Balm who teaches astronomy and chemistry at SMC. “What we’ve been trying to get for years is a lab technician to try and help us set up our labs [for astronomy].”

The complexity of the Digistar II projector limits the pool of professors to take over the role of planetarium technician.

“I can’t get things to work the way they are supposed to,” said William Selby, a physical geography professor at Santa Monica College.

“Once I couldn’t even get it to the point that I was confident to get my class in.

Another time, I got the class in there and it shut down while I was using it. That never happened when John [Hodge] was with us.”

“The college has kept the planetarium running but I just think they could do more,” according to Balm. “But we can’t do that unless we have someone who can work on it full-time.”

“It’s a great community asset because people come every week to see these shows,” Balm said. “And if you wanted to go to another planetarium you would have to go to Griffith Park or El Camino in the South Bay.”

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4|NEWS

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Updated California Community College Assessment Test to Take Effect hundreds of thousands of dollars in the costs of producing and administrating the assessments tests by cutting down on paper use and paper waste, and by cutting assessment test administrators’ work hours significantly, which comes on top of a $400 million decrease in CCC investments enacted this year in accordance with the state budget.

“A tough question to answer,” says Georgia Lorenz, dean of academic affairs, when asked about the benefits of the new assessment test taking into account the over half million dollar cost of it all.

“How well the new test will place students in our school is yet to be seen,” says Lorenz, “I mean we already have a pretty good assessment system here right now.”

Cecelia Frohrib, the Assessment Technician at Lassen Community College in Susanville, a small community in Northern California, disagreed.

“It’s a good thing,” she says. “Counselors here at Lassen are very pleased. The new test will be very helpful with streamlining students to other community colleges

by sam ribakoff . contributor On October 8, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 743, which creates a new uniform community college assessment test that will be administrated to every incoming California Community College (CCC) freshman throughout the state.

The bill, authored by Assemblymen Marty Block of San Diego, is designed to simplify and consolidate the CCC assessment tests that are designed to place students in appropriate math and English courses based on their scores. Currently, the 112 community college systems around the state use different assessment tests, making transferring from one CCC to another a bureaucratic nightmare, because one math assessment test taken at SMC which places a student in at a calculus level proficiency doesn't necessarily entitle the student to the same course level class at Antelope Valley Community College in Lancaster or Bakersfield College in Bakersfield.

“It would be voluntary, basically,” says

Esau Tovar, the faculty leader for the assessment center here at SMC. “Yes, colleges are under no obligation to use the new test when it is created,” says Tovar.

“SMC spends $250,000 every two years on assessment tests; this new test is designed to be cheaper and more efficient, that’s all.”

The bill grants the creators of the new test a half million dollars in state grants, plus a $325,000 grant from the Hewlett and Gates foundation, to prepare the test and set up a website called “eTranscript,” (which is mandated by Assembly bill 1046) which will be an online database where students can take the assessment test and check there scores from the comfort of their own homes. This provision will reportedly save the CCC system $4-10 per individual transcript, according to Paige Marlatt Dorr, writing for the California Community Colleges Teachedge website on the new assessment tests. The eTranscript site is set to save the California tax payer

around the state, out of the state, and to four year institutions.”

“The lack of info on the new test does make us a bit nervous,” says Frohrib. “We haven’t gotten anymore explanation about what the test will look like other than a brief statement put out by Jack Scott, (chancellor of the California Community College system), a little while ago.”

Georgia Lorenz echoed the same sentiment, “We don’t know whether the test will be bought from a private company or whether some sort of committee will come up with the new test or what. Each faculty in each different community college should come to a consensus on what they think the standards of the new test should be. As of right now, I’m not aware of any sort of consensus or any sort of plan.”

When asked whether or not the bill was a good idea, Tovar says, “the aim of the bill is good, but it fails to recognize the fact that colleges meet unique needs of their surrounding communities. Its hard to say whether or not this test will work.”

New electric vehicle chargers proposed for SaMo . by zoie matthew staff writter

The City of Santa Monica is currently preparing plans for a major update and expansion of its electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Dean Kubani, director of the Office of Sustainability and the Environment, led a “study session” at the latest city council meeting in which the council and public discussed the suggested plans to update the electric grid in order to ready it for new charger models.

Kubani told the Corsair in a phone interview that, while the 20 currently available public chargers seem to have been adequate up to this point, the city is preparing itself for an expected future increase in alternative-vehicle usage.

“We do expect to see a lot more residents and visitors to Santa Monica driving electric vehicles in the coming years,” said Kubani. “We want to make sure we can provide adequate charge points for them wherever they go.”

Since newer, quicker charger models require more electricity, Kubani said that focusing on the update of the grid will make the chargers easier to install if they are needed, and prevent the city from wasteful installations.

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“I was talking to a gentleman from Southern California Edison after the city council meeting the other night, and he said to me, ‘You know, it’s really kind of the Wild West with electric vehicles right now,’” Kubani said. “Nobody knows what’s going to happen or how many vehicles are going to be sold, and the one thing that everybody is a little leery about is installing a whole bunch of chargers that people aren’t using.”

Presently, the city’s public chargers are mainly utilized by Santa Monica’s own city vehicles, but Kubani expects this to change soon.

“Santa Monica is one of the few groundzero spots where everybody is focusing, because in the populace here you’ve got a lot of early adopters,” Kubani said.

Installing enough chargers to satisfy this likely increase in demand will not be an inexpensive undertaking, however.

“They’re not free,” said Kubani. “Most of the chargers we’ve been installing to date have been with outside grant funding, so the number that we do ultimately end up installing is going to depend on how they get paid for, too.”

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have to pay to use the chargers.

“Right now the city is coving all the electricity cost for these chargers,” Kubani said. “But if we start deploying these in larger numbers around the city, I think it would make sense for the people using them to cover the electricity cost.”

Kubani’s report to the council also presented Veronica Aviles Corsair ideas that would encourage To meet the high demand in sustaining electrically businesses to install chargers, powered motor vehicles, the city of Santa Monica is and tackle complicated issues ready to establish adequate electric vehicle charging stations across the city. the city is facing regarding the installation of chargers in some policies for the public chargers. multi-family rental residencies.

Installing chargers in older apartment Looking at number one, where are we buildings is difficult as it is hard to monitor going to put them? Number two, how are electricity consumption in common-use we going to pay for them? And number areas like garages, and because owners of three, how many of these things do we older buildings may not want to put the ultimately think we’ll need?” Kubani said.

“And we’re also going to be spending money into updating electrical systems.

“Which could cost, our building official probably a lot of out time looking at this estimates, up to $10,000 dollars,” Kubani question of rental housing, and how can we help multi family renters who want to said. So what’s the next step?

“Probably the main areas that we’re buy electric vehicles meet their needs for going to be working on are coming upwith charging?”

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OPINION|5

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Is it graffiti, advertising, or art?

By Mel Rudkiewicz . Staff Writer

Silvia Spross Corsair

Roger Feldkreis passing a mural of a Mayan girl created by the Belgian graffiti artist Chase. Nov. 13 in Santa Monica.

A blaze of color could soon adorn more walls in the Los Angeles area, as the city gathers momentum in making amendments to the mural ordinance, which for many, would be a welcome shift toward the artistic beauty of old Los Angeles.

Los Angeles was once considered ‘The City of Murals,’ but these iconic art pieces that provide a voice for the community and sense of public memory were banned in 2002. “I believe the muralist community’s moral and artistic rights have been violated by the citywide mural ban,” said Carlos Rogel of SPARC, California’s Social And Public Resource Center.

The blanket ban on city murals caused the demise of many art pieces and left the remaining urban art a target for vandalism. Murals vulnerable to unsanctioned graffiti fell into disrepair with no avenue for residents to preform upkeep, resulting in the only remaining option - complete removal.

Public memories had been created on these city walls for future generations to understand and enjoy. Artists went to great lengths to capture the essence of the people and depict the diverse culture and social reforms. These rich visuals, speaking about the city of Los Angeles, created a sense of who the migrants were and how far they had come. Yet, within the last ten years, the city was paying people to remove them; a move that made no sense to the community.

Since the 1970’s the City of Los Angeles commissioned artists to produce murals on city buildings and employed parties to maintain them. An example of such a project

Placing bets at the elephant races

By Wayne Neal . Staff Writer Who has the best chance? That’s the great debate reigning in the Republican Party. The presidential election is fast approaching, and President Barack Obama is concluding his first term in office. The Republicans are trying to sort through their mess of candidates, but seem to have hit a snag. If you haven’t heard by now, their party has been a magnet for the media, and not in the good way.

Between Michele Bachmann’s extreme comments, Rick Perry’s comical forgetfulness, and Herman Cain’s sexual harassment allegations, the Republicans’ chances of reaching the White House are in good hands (from a Democrat’s perspective).

Mitt Romney has been periodically leading, but steady in the polls since his campaign started. Regardless, he’s been unable to capture the hearts and minds of the truly conservative Republican voters.

is, "The Great Wall" measuring 2,754 feet along the Tujunga Wash, a space that still houses these murals today. Commissioned in 1970, Chicano artist Judith Baca, founder and executive director of California’s SPARC, employed hundreds of emerging artists to capture the social history of 1950’s Los Angeles, including migration, land rights and assimilation into the American culture. It still stands as a proud public memory of Angeleno history Is it art, graffiti, or commercial advertising? This uncertain distinction is what caused the ban on murals in the city of Los Angeles back in 2002. Tanner Blackman, Los Angeles city planner, said the city has been “trying to address the issue in defining art.”

Blackman enlisted support from artists and recommendations from SPARC, which he says will incorporate a “time, place and manner” ordinance. The hope is that they can provide guidelines covering size, duration and maintenance of murals without regulating the content. Also, that the ordinance will deter commercial advertisers who prefer constant rotation of content.

Rogel, said that SPARC’s input will help “define murals within the new proposed sign ordinance,” in a way that both the “Artist Rights and cultural production will be protected.”

Blackman suggested a clause in the ordinance to prevent private property owners from making a profit by renting out their wall space. Long-time artist, Ajax Garcia of West Hollywood accepted this as a step in the right direction.

“We are not in it for a profit but the expression of freedom,” he said.

Maybe that’s due to his flip-flopping on many of their core issues. He has a tendency of trying to please everybody at once, the same tactic that won him the position of Massachusetts Governor.

Then you have Newt Gingrich, who has been creeping up in the polls but has been haunted by controversies surrounding his private life and finances. Most recently, he’s been in the spotlight for his role as a consultant earning a $1.6 million paycheck from Freddy Mac during their fundraising scandal in early 2000, in which Freddy Mac ultimately paid $3.8 million in fines for illegal contributions. Interesting considering Gingrich himself paid a hefty fine back in 1997 for lying to the House Ethics Committee. This was the first time in the House’s 208-year history that a Speaker had to be disciplined for ethical wrongdoing. At the time, this appeared to be a career ender, but look at him now, in the race for president—how quickly we forget! Gingrich’s complex personal life leaves him the least attractive to the more traditional voter, and his financial choices paired with his colored political past paint him as a liability. But he is the intellectual one of the bunch, having a firmer grasp of the core issues.

Newcomer Michele Bachmann has shown her inexperience shamelessly, lack of, (or apathy towards), historical knowledge, and extreme opinions during the race thus far. From saying how she would build a “double fence” along Southern California’s border to protect us from illegal immigrants and then appearing on ABC’s Good Morning America, in which

Rogel said artists have been battling authorities since the late 1980s, when the wording in the ordinance changed from ‘murals’ to ‘mural signs.’ The portion with the word ‘signs’ contained stipulation of a minimal text allowance.

Blackman said you have to “create a legal and implementable definition of what a mural is,” that this will make murals different from “the concept of the signage.”

Many private property owners have been using Twitter to talk about the pressure they feel from private graffitiremoval groups. As a result, they are are taking it upon themselves to whitewash walls. Tony Lapas of West Hollywood said he could not understand why so many murals had been removed, as “they provided an insight into the diverse culture in Los Angeles” and gave a muchneeded face-lift to old buildings.

Miguel Rodriguez, a long-time West Los Angeles resident, was saddened that some of the murals had been removed and said that, “our homages [sic] to Chicanos will be lost; they were part of our community and made us feel proud”.

Chicano artists provide a “voice for our community and future generations can see how far we have come.” Now, much of that is lost he said.

The current laws restricting artists from freely expressing themselves do not simply police art, but censor scenes of social and cultural change and expressions of our communities’ heritage. It is this vibrant and diverse heritage that Los Angeles is known for and it needs to be retained. No artistic works should be obliterated, and the City of Los Angeles should encourage emerging artists to restore the public murals and create more which will evoke the diversity of culture in this city.

she referred to John Quincy Adams as one of America’s Founding Fathers (which is incorrect Michele, but thanks for playing).

Her historical gaffes are basically endless.

When she addressed a local group of New Hampshire Republicans, she said to them, “You’re the state where the shot was heard around the world in Lexington and Concord,” though the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired in Massachusetts.

Cain, who was the darling of October, has been in the spotlight recently with troubling sexual harassment allegations, his comments on Libya, and wearing his “pimp hat” strong. When Cain was asked how he felt about the tactics used in Libya, he managed little more than reiterating the question, and disagreeing with Obama’s response. But with his everyman outbursts, his business-like attitude and right-wing approach, he has picked up a lot of support along the campaign trail.

Then you have the infamous Perry, who seems to be lacking in memorization skills and a grasp of his own platform.

In a recent Republican debate he forgot the third agency of government that he expressed a desire to be rid of. The first two were commerce, education, and—oops!

Whatever that third one was, I didn’t find this very funny. I did find it funny that he chose to get rid of those two in particular.

He wants to cut education? (So we can all struggle with recall like you Rick? No thanks, I’m ok.) He also planned on cutting the department of commerce, which deals with economic growth and job creation, because we obviously don’t need that right

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now.

Over the past few months, I have learned that most of, if not all of the Republican Party candidates have hugely apparent flaws, be it incompetence, lack of knowledge or struggling with simple logical thought. They have dressed themselves up as contenders, imposters trying to become the next President of the United States.

Even though the Republican Party has put their best people on the job, I’m not so sure these shadow representatives will have the mental capacity to handle the job. They all might want to take classes in English comprehension, American history, and politics before running again.

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Illustation by Jhosef Hern

6|PHOTOSTORY

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

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PHOTOSTORY|7

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

“The important thing today is don’t sit and vegetate.”

-William Kagan

Dr. Bill surveying the work to come.

"I like to have fun, joke and kid around," says Dr. Bill.

Left: Working seven years in the military during World War II, Dr. Bill was stationed in the Phillipines and was sitting front row during General Douglas Macarthur's speech to the Filipino people granting them full independence.

Right: Dr. Bill fully engaged in his work.

"This job allows me to travel overseas. I have been to 25 or 30 countries."

-William Kagan.

At 93-years-old William Kagan is Santa Monica College’s oldest employee,

even though he will tell you, “there is a 3 and a 9 in my age somewhere, but I’m not sure in which order.”

Mr. Kagan was born in 1918 in the state of New York. He served his country for seven years during World War II as a US Army soldier, stationed mostly in the Phillipines.

Dr. Bill currently holds a B.A. of Science and a Doctorate in Dental Surgery. However after 31 years of dentistry, he retired in 1980 and chose to enroll in classes at Santa Monica College. Deciding not to sit still for long, he promptly went back to work again and took the job that he currently holds and has held for the past 31 years, stating, “retirement is a death sentence, unless you have something to do.”

Next year will most likely be Dr. Bill’s last year of work at SMC, so if you see him, or if he stops traffic so you can safely cross the street, don’t think twice about saying, “Thank You.”

Having lost his wife to cancer 15 years ago, after 47 years of marriage, Mr. Kagan keeps a positive perspective on his life considering himself, “lucky.”

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8|HEALTH + LIFE

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Keep calm with mindful meditating

By Christina Sziatinszky . Staff Writer As college students know, stressful assignments and long hours of study can really take their toll on the body and mind. But there is a way to help relieve stress and get anyone back on track, and all it takes is a relatively simple process of meditation.

Stephanie Nash, who professionally teaches meditation, describes it as a practice that helps people achieve inner balance mentally, physically and even emotionally.

She has been practicing meditation since 1998 and is the founder of Mindfulness Arts, a program specifically designed to help people find their inner peace.

There are many benefits that come with meditating, both physically and psychologically. According to Nash, proper meditation can lead to sensory clarity, improved concentration, re-duced stress and muscle tension.

A 2008 study published in the American Journal of Hypertension, has proven that forms of meditation can also reduce blood pressure and other possible heart complications. Since it is proven to calm nerves, meditation has also been known to help with stage fright, anxiety disorders and certain phobias.

“The increased ability to cope with stress is probably one of the main reasons that people choose to learn meditation.” says Nash. She has become especially interested in helping people who are dealing with stress, acute and chronic pain, and eating disorders.

There are many forms of meditation used today like walking meditation and mindfulness meditation, most commonly practiced by Buddhists. There are also other active forms, such as tai chi and yoga. Creating certain types of artwork are also considered a form as well, because it helps relax the body and calm the mind.

“When a person meditates there is a decrease in restless thinking and a decrease in the tendency to worry,” says Jennifer Pastiloff, a private yoga instructor, and the creator of Manifes-tation Yoga.

Because meditation helps to decrease stress, it in turn help students sleep better at night. A report by Medical News Today showed that 68 percent of students are kept awake at night by the stresses of school and life, and 20 percent of them at least once a week.

“When I was in college I think I hardly ever slept and it created anxiety,” Pastiloff says. “[Meditation] aids in sleep, which is so important.”

For those who are just starting out, there are three simple steps that will get anyone right on track.

Step 1: Find a quiet, peaceful environment to meditate. This can be any place like a bedroom, living room, backyard, or even a park. Create a calm and comfortable atmosphere by turning off all electronic devices and putting aside anything that might be distracting. If indoors, put on any music that brings serenity to help set the mood for reflection.

Step 2: Prepare props and find a comfortable position. Using cushions, pillows or yoga mats can be very helpful. Once you are ready, sit up straight and close your eyes to begin.

Step 3: Breathe and listen. This is the most important step. Breathe slowly, focusing on the sound. Listening to peaceful music may also be helpful. If you find that your mind wanders, slowly refocus back on your breath and start again. Do this for a minimum of five minutes.

By meditating a few times a week, students will notice improved focus and reduced stress.“I’m imagining that having more concentration, like the ability to put you focus where you want, when you want, and for as long as you want, would be helpful [to students],” says Nash.

Silvia Spross Corsair 22-year-old Matthew McGreary sits in "peaceful place" position in the living room of his Westwood apartment on Nov. 16.

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HEALTH + LIFE|9

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

. the Urban adventurer

A Practical Guide for

By Zoie Matthew Photos By Claire apana

Also, if you have incredible upper body strength, there’s a high rock ledge near the front of the mine that you can climb up onto. Claire and I do not happen to have incredible upper body strength. However, we came across two other young gentlemen who were exploring the mine that helped hoist us up and it was great fun to scramble around up there.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that exploring the mine itself is only half of the adventure.

To get to and from the mine, you’ll take a beautiful five-to-six mile trek alongside a babbling brook, complete with gorgeous mountain views and multiple waterfalls.

It’s shady, serene and extra beautiful at this time of year with all of the trees changing colors. There’s just one catch: there’s no trail.

The trail that used to lead to the mine was abandoned long ago, and years of rockslides have essentially obliterated its remnants. The only thing to guide you nowadays is the stream, and you will have to cross the brook many times and climb over numerous stretches of large boulders to reach your destination.

It’s certainly not a journey for the faint of heart, but I promise it’s worth it. I’ll give you fair warning, though: if you’re in the kind of shape that I am, your thighs will not be pleased with you the next day.

EXPLORATION #4: Dawn Mine

Readers, before I tell you about this week’s exploration, let me just take a moment to preach to you about the wonders of jungle boots.

Jungle boots, which are typically utilized by soldiers in humid, wet, jungle warfare situations, are a half-canvas, half-rubber, half-magic breed of combat boot that can be found for cheap in any self-respecting Army surplus store. They’re durable, lightweight, water-resistant, ventilated, and not to mention ridiculously comfortable. In a word, they’re perfect.

I hold the opinion that jungle boots are the greatest thing to happen to the urban explorer since the multi-tool. And if you decide to go on this week’s exploration, I highly recommend that you acquire yourself a pair. Because on this wet, rusty-metaland-boulder-ridden journey to Millard Canyon’s Dawn Mine, jungle boots saved my poor little feet from sure destruction more times then I can count.

The Dawn Mine, nestled deep in Altadena’s San Gabriel Mountains, was a gold mine that opened in the late 1800s, and was closed and reopened periodically until it was finally abandoned for good in the 1950s. In a 1988 Los Angeles Times article, John McKinney reported that the mine shut down, because it produced “more stories than gold.”

“Enough gold was mined to keep ever-optimistic prospectors certain that they would soon strike a rich ore-bearing vein, but the big bonanza was never found,” McKinney wrote.

Nowadays, it’s dark and spooky and cold and everything you would expect an abandoned mine to be. It’s not the safest place in the world either. Its floor is covered by at least two inches of water in most places, and there’s at least one gaping, waterfilled pit in the ground.

But, if you’re careful (and if you’ve got yourself a pair of jungle boots!) it’s a super cool spot to explore.

Some highlights to check out: if you go down the tunnel to the left, you’ll find a trickling waterfall coming down from an enormous shaft in the ceiling. There are also some really pretty sparkly mineral buildups on the walls that made my photographer Claire and I think we had struck gold for a minute.

Directions

To trailhead: From I-210 in Pasadena, exit on Lake Ave. and continue about 3.5 until the road ends. Turn left on Loma Alta Drive. Continue until you see a blinking yellow light. Turn right here, onto Cheney Trail.

Drive until you reach Sunset ridge, turn right, and park.

To mine: Walk east past the vehicle gate along the paved road until you find the Sunset Ridge Trail sign. Take this dirt path down into the canyon. You will follow it past a bridge and a cabin, and finally the trail will eventually disintegrate down by the stream. At this point, follow the stream by scrambling over the rocks until you reach the fork in the stream. Continue down the stream to the right. The river will cease flowing at some points, but continue down its streambed. You may begin seeing black, spray painted arrows on the rocks. Follow these; they will help guide you to the mine. Once you near the mine, you will see some old mining equipment and two thick metal bars jutting out of the rocks. The entrance mine is to the left of this.

I suggest going online and googling “Dan’s Hiking Pages: Dawn Mine.” This is a more comprehensive trail guide and will be immensely helpful. Keep in mind that the hike took a total of six hours.

Suggested Supllies

Suggested Exploring Supplies: -A friend (this one is dangerous to do alone) -Plenty of water -Lunch -A snack -A multi-tool -A head lamp/flashlight -Protective gloves -Jungle boots (of course!)

-A National Forest Adventure Pass, required for parking at the trailhead. These can be found at almost any sporting goods store.

Detoxing to unveil beauty from within

By Vanessa Barajas . Staff Writer The practice of detoxification has been around for many years in different forms with different approaches to ridding the human body of harmful chemicals. With industrialization, humans are exposed to more toxins than ever before.

Now the challenge is to help the body release harmful elements that can put it at risk for illness. According to Dr. Hans Gruenn, the solution is “Total Body Cleanse.”

During his recent lecture at the Santa Monica Public Library, Gruenn shared his knowledge about removing toxins that hamper the body’s ability to fight disease.

“We are exposed to 80,000 chemicals and many of them are still unidentified. Many go undiscovered until humans show signs of sickness as a result of them,” Gruenn says.

What exactly do toxins do to the body? According to Gruenn, they block enzymes, create free radicals, acidify the body, affect circulation, create an oxygen deficiency and produce inflammatory reactions.

“Detoxification is attained in spas throughout Europe, which approach the spa concept in a detox-oriented manner, whereas American spas approach the spa concept in a beauty-oriented manner,” Gruenn says.

The phrase “beauty comes from within” takes on its most literal meaning when toxins take over the average adult’s body and ultimately cause disease.

The different ways of exposure to chemicals and toxins that affect a person’s body are ingestion, inhalation and physical contact.

One example of physical contact is personal care products. Women were found to have a higher exposure to chemicals than men. The culprit: cosmetics.

Gruenn points out that, “You are surrounded by a sea of chemicals, especially the chemicals that you have under your sink.”

Household cleaners and sterilizing agents are filled with harmful chemicals that, with enough exposure, can affect the body negatively. These are items that even children can inhale simply by being in the same space with them.

Acting on its own, the body naturally flushes out chemicals and toxins, primarily, this is accomplished by liver, colon and kidneys. The secondary way of toxin release is through the skin, throat, stomach and sinuses.

This secondary way of release is how toxins can cause rashes or eczema, vaginal infections, or sinus infections.

Gruenn stresses to never suppress any form of excretion such as vomiting, diarrhea, or sweating. These are good things that show toxins escaping the body.

“If the body doesn’t find easy ways to excrete toxins, [they] will go deeper into the body and potentially produce cancers,” Gruenn warns.

“Being healthy is having low exposure to chemicals, getting lots of nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and proteins as well as having a good detoxification capacity,” Gruenn says.

Whatever the effect of toxins, some do handle toxins better than others. These people are not as sensitive to the chemicals, but Gruenn reminds that, “The exposure will catch up with the person once they begin to reach their forties and fifties.”

Toxins attack an older adult’s body in its Achilles’ heel.

Gruenn says, most often leading to joint pain.

“Most people who have toxins in their bodies don’t even

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know it until they start showing symptoms, by which time it is too late,” Gruenn says.

Gruenn recommends that Santa Monica College students get as much sleep as they can, especially since nighttime is when the parasympathetic system renders the body dormant enough to excrete toxins, as opposed to the during the day when it is actively processing and absorbing nutrients.

“It is important for college students to understand the importance of being healthy and detoxification now, for the insurance of their own health in the future, and the potential of having a good life,” Gruenn says.

Gruenn advises to detoxify at least twice a year during spring or fall to avoid the weather extremes of summer and winter.

Movement is always needed to facilitate detoxification.

Sweating, a result of continuous movement, is a good sign, since everything that the liver cannot handle leaves the body with sweat.

Gruenn also believes that is important to “shower as soon as possible after sweating to wash off the toxins on the surface of the skin. If the sweat is not cleaned, it will naturally be absorbed back into the body.”

This can cause the skin to develop a negative reaction, such as breakouts.

Gruenn leaves us with three points to be aware of our health. After eating, a person should never feel bloated, gassy, tired or sleepy.

Also, a meal should not interfere with a good night’s sleep. Post-meal discomfort and sleep disruption are symptomatic of gut toxicity.

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10|A + E

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

The local effect of Dubstep

By Nayla Paschoa . Contributor

The low wobbly bass of the genre known as dubstep has been crossing over from raves, to clubs, to radio playlists and the mainstream. Popular artists such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, Britney Spears, and Korn have begun turning to this genre for a new take on their sounds.

While dubstep has been making strides in popularity with the masses, making overnight stars out of acts like Skrillex, it has also been changing the way local disc jockeys approach their craft.

Ernest Gordon, 20, is a Santa Monica College political science and kinesiology major as well as a dubstep producer who performs at Circus nightclub and other venues around town. “The most noticeable thing about dubstep is that it’s very artsy and edgy, and it’s very loud,” said Gordon.

Gordon understands why, at first glance, the uninitiated can classify it as “spasmic” music, but he says there is a lifestyle to it.

“At first, no offense, I thought dubstep was just kind of generic,” said Gordon.

After paying close attention to the small intricacies of each song, he realized dubstep uses the same elements, such as one-four loops, as another electronic style that he has always been a fan of, trance. He has now been producing dubstep for two and a half years. “It’s electro, house, drum ‘n’ bass, trance and psy-trance all put together with a slower BPM,” said Gordon.

“There’s just something more to the music. It gives you a certain feeling. It’s very gradient and dirty, you know? When following the music, your body moves in ways you never thought it could,” he said.

“It’s very in-your-face, it’s very nasty.”

Gordon plays the cello, as well as two instruments that he said help him produce dubstep - drums and piano. He starts out with a piano melody, adds a drum fill, and then looks to add unique effects to give the song an edge.

“Dubstep is just something beyond the psychology of the human being,” Gordon said. He said it is not a predictable catchy beat, but rather, it tells a story. “It’s mostly euphoric, and it’s something that happens within, you know?”

Matthew Speiser, 20, a Communications major at SMC, is a DJ who uses dubstep tracks in his musical repertoire. “We’re in the electronic phase of the world right now,” Speiser said, mentioning that dubstep is gaining a market share, like metal and punk rock did in the “rock phase” a few years ago.

“There’s nothing more satisfying to me than being, literally, on stage, and just dropping a crazy beat, and just going crazy,” Speiser said. He said the vibration of the bass is what makes dubstep so attractive.

“Dubstep is very hard to get right, cause you’ve got to get the bass, it’s got to have a good drop, it’s got to be surprising, but not too surprising to where people are like, ‘what is this?’ So it’s very tricky,” Speiser said. To him dubstep artists can be distinguished by their differing styles, and that their challenge is to create one that is all their own.

“It’s very hard to find good dubstep,” Speiser said. “There are so many terrible dubstep artists out there.” He blamed that on every person thinking that he or she can be a producer, and admitted to not being a very good one himself yet.

To find good dubstep events in town, Speiser advises following specific DJs, as he said not many clubs have yet realized the popularity of the genre and go dubstepspecific. Speiser mostly plays at private parties, and will be playing for Playboy’s official “Naughty or Nice” playmate Christmas party at 333 Live, in Los Angeles, Dec. 3.

s huff l i n g

Claire Apana Contributor Chris Happy Dorowsky DJs at the Strong & Tough Audio event at the Airliner in Los Angeles on Aug. 13.

in

its

By Maria Dimera and Tabetha Harris . Staff Writers

For anyone walking around Santa Monica College on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons, seeing a group of students dancing in a circle near the clock tower is common. The group of dancers, who call themselves the Melbourne Supremacy, can often be seen shuffling.

The Melbourne Shuffle, commonly known as “the shuffle” in the United States, is a dance style that originated in the Australian rave scene, hence the name, and was introduced to the California dance scene a few years ago, according to dancers of the Melbourne Supremacy.

So what is “the shuffle”? Many people who are not dancers describe the style as “weird,” “all-over-the-place,” and “different.” Shuffling involves a lot of footwork while repeating basic moves, such as sliding, kicking and sudden arm movements.

SMC dance professor Angela Jordan says, “It seems like an altered version of the running man from the 1990s, which started in the United States and could’ve traveled through media, music videos, movies, television shows and artists touring.”

In early 2011, electro pop duo LMFAO released “Party Rock Anthem,” a music video that features themselves and dancers doing the shuffle while singing “everyday I’m shuffling.” The group is now associated with shuffling, which seems to be a common element of their music videos.

Los Angeles-based NSK Dance Krew member, Ron Myles, describes shuffling as “a style that’s based off of running in place.” “It’s more towards the younger crowd and the way LMFAO brought it out made it seem cool and hip,” Myles said.

Melbourne Supremacy member Anand Baasansuren says, “The two basic moves for shuffling are the running man and two-step, and then you can add other moves.

My dance style is called hardstyle and is usually danced to trance or electro-fusion music,” Baasansuren said while

for m

demonstrating the basic steps and making sudden dance moves as he was being interviewed. ”Hardstyle shuffling involves harder styles of music. It is faster and the ground is kicked with hard, fast kicks. It was meant to be edgy,” says Baasansuren. “The group began earlier this semester to serve as an outlet to relieve stress from school for some friends and me. Most of the people into the club are very much engaged in music and most of us love hardstyle, which is how we decided on the name. It all seemed to fit naturally.”

Melbourne Supremacy consists of over 23 members, four of whom are female. “Everyone in the group has their own style. So, besides shuffling, the crew has hip-hop, jump-stop, ticktock, popping and break-dance elements,” says Baasansuren.

Baasansuren says the Melbourne Shuffle is “an underground dance and will probably be around for another five to ten years culture-wise, and we’re probably still going to do it even if it’s not popular.”

Recruit Lily Kuno incidentally learned about Melbourne Supremacy by eagerly walking up to Baasansuren during one of the clubs weekly meetings. Kuno says, “Although I have been taking Paul Alvarez Jr. Corsair hip-hop dance classes for years, since I have started Composite photo of Anand Baasansuren a SMC student at SMC, I have been looking into new things.”

“I thought shuffling was unique and by exploring shuffles in the quad on Nov. 22. it, I have expanded my world of dance,” Kuno says.

In addition to her experience in other dance styles such as ballet, ballroom, and contemporary dance, stop by the clock tower and show off their skills. Newcomers shuffling is another capability that Kuno will incorporate judged to be qualified may become part of the crew. into to her own style.

For video clips and more info about the Melbourne The crew is planning on setting up a flash-mob but is still working Supremacy, check out their website: out all of the details. Anyone interested in joining the group should http://melbournesupremacy.tk

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A + E|11

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

NaNoWriMo memoir:

By Mia Shilpi . Staff Writer

50,000

#4: SWAMP

words,

30

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY ®

days

There were a half-dozen of us sitting in the corner makes one more accountable for any procrastination of UCLA‘s Northern Lights café. Shrouded in the we may attempt, as opposed to sitting in our homes smell of chips and muffins, we chattered excitedly and staring blankly at our screens. There are many about odd topics like Victorian travel, vampires, such events in bookstores, restaurants, and cafes all aliens, and soap operas, all in one conversation. across a big city like Los Angeles, making it fairly This off-kilter chatter was punctuated by timed easy for misery to find company. bouts of silence as we all stared at our laptop screens The majority of interaction is the Internet, or notebook pages, focusing intently on our ‘word which is based on our native craft of writing. The wars.’ Short sprints of furious writing, as we each NaNoWriMo website has an extensive forum system try to write the most words by the end of the fifteen- with multiple sections for things like research and minute battle. advice, each with hundreds The third time this of threads and thousands happened, the event host of posts. Topics range from called out, “Time!” only for research, to advice on writing, me to look up in despair and to crying out for help for cry out, “I just murdered a anything from dying plots, 9-year-old!” flat characters, or just falling There were a few odd behind on your word count. looks from a nearby table as The digital furor surrounding we all called out our word NaNoWriMo spills over into counts, and I got some other writing websites, into consolation in knowing that proverbial watering holes, I was not the only one who but blogging websites may be killed a character in that the most prominent of these illustration by david j. hawkins bout – the writer next to outlets. me killed off a teenager in her novel. Apparently WordPress bloggers regularly post live that death was much slower than my adorable child considerations of their plots and characters, Twitter getting a bullet to the head. is crawling with writing tips and word counts, and Writing is a very solitary art, but NaNoWriMo is LiveJournal communities are teeming with people far from being a solitary challenge. There is a certain looking to procrastinate on their novels, and at the amount of camaraderie as you are collectively same time desperate to just get some writing done. kidnapped by your imagination with thousands of For every ‘word war’ taking place at a physical other writers across the globe – camaraderie or event across the nation, there are nearly a dozen to Stockholm syndrome. match online. As friends and writers across the city While, in terms of productivity, meeting with other and the world gather together, they desperately eke writers may seem counterintuitive, coming together out enough words to make the 50,000 mark by the and writing in such small, but focused challenges end of the month.

NOW OPEN AT NORTHRIDGE FASHION CENTER

ON CAMPUS EVENTS

National Geographic Live! Underwater Photographer Brian Skerry: "Ocean Soul" 7:30 p.m. @ The Broad Stage Friday, Dec. 2 National Children's Chorus: "Winter Dream" 7 p.m. @ The Broad Stage "A Christmas Carol" Opening Night 8 p.m. @ Theatre Arts Main Stage "A Winter's Solstice" Planetarium Show 8 p.m. @ Drescher 223 Saturday, Dec. 3 "Jane Austen Unscripted" Opening Night 2 & 4:30 p.m. @ The Edye Second Space Karita Mattila, Soprano 7:30 p.m. @ The Broad Stage Sunday, Dec. 4 SMC Wind Ensemble 4 p.m. @ The Broad Stage Tuesday, Dec. 6 Piano Ensemble Recital 11:15 a.m. @ The Edye Second Space Literary Series | Aimee Bender: "A Reading and Discussion About Fiction" 11:15 a.m. @ HSS 165 Thursday, Dec. 8 SMC Percussion Ensemble Recital 11:15 a.m. @ The Edye Second Space Friday, Dec. 9 SMC Jazz Vocal Ensemble 7:30 p.m. @ The Broad Stage

t"A Winter's Solstice" Planetarium Show 8 p.m. @ Drescher 223 - A nonprofit, WASC-accredited university

Saturday, Dec. 10 Saturday Morning Mash-Up: Handel's Messiah 10 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. @ The Broad Stage

- Online and on-campus associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs

SMC Opera Workshop Highlights 7:30 p.m. @ The Broad Stage

- Talk with an advisor and create the right education plan to meet your goals

Sunday, Dec. 11 SMC Jazz Band 3 p.m. @ The Broad Stage

- Experience the flexibility of taking an online class

Tuesday, Dec. 13 Holiday Art Sale 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. @ Barrett Art Gallery Wednesday, Dec. 14 Holiday Art Sale 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. @ Barrett Art Gallery

- Learn about financial aid options and transfer scholarships

SMC Concert Chorale 7:30 p.m. @ The Broad Stage Friday, Dec. 16 Judith Owen & Harry Shearer: "Holiday Sing-A-Long" 7:30 p.m. @ The Broad Stage

Learn more at the National University Online Information Center in Northridge Northridge Fashion Center on level one 9301 Tampa Avenue 818.718.3140

SMC Musical Theatre Workshop 8 p.m. @ Theatre Arts Studio Stage

www.nu.edu

Saturday, Dec. 17 SMC Musical Theatre Workshop 2 & 8 p.m. @ Theatre Arts Studio Stage The Manhattan Transfer—The Holiday Party!

7:30 p.m. @ The Broad Stage Sunday, Dec. 18 SMC Musical Theatre Workshop 2 p.m. @ Theatre Arts Studio Stage The Manhattan Transfer—The Holiday Party!

4 p.m. @ The Broad Stage

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© 2011 National University 10228

Thursday, Dec. 1 Michael Brewster: "Sound as Sculptural Sensation" 11:15 a.m. @ HSS 165

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12|SPORTS

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

bowl game ends in disappointment Game ends in fight, after SMC loses to East L.A. by wayne neal . staff writter The East Los Angeles Huskies Corsair players were named First-Team plays later, the Huskies scored on a 95-yard touchdown pass, tying the game at 14. prevailed 42-28 at Saturday’s American All-Conference.

SMC quarterback Alfonso Medina, who Medina would throw his third touchdown Championship Bowl game at Santa Monica College. The defeat was further was 20 for 42 with 248 passing yards, four pass, in the second quarter, on a 16-yard soured by a post-game fight that led the touchdowns, but also four interceptions, strike to wide receiver Frank Murray, but the Huskies responded police to escort both again, this time off a teams to their locker 16-yard run late in the rooms. second quarter.

As both teams came The Corsairs had the over to shake hands chance to take a sixafter the game, words point lead on a pair of were exchanged field goals, but were between opposing unable to capitalize. players, and this led to By the half the score a full-team brawl. remained tied at The fight lasted for 21. around five minutes The Huskies were the and led to the more dominant team intervention of police in the second half, officers, coaches, and scoring on their first football related staff in two possessions to take order to keep the peace a 35-21 advantage. amongst the football The lead widened after players. Nobody was the Huskies scored off a seriously injured during Medina fumble to end the commotion. the third quarter.

“We are investigating However, the Corsairs the incident using video looked poised for a footage and reviewing comeback in the fourth it with police and when Medina threw his school officials. We feel final touchdown pass a rush to judgment to wide receiver Ralph would be foolish, Gordon. The six-yard without gathering all pass would bring SMC the information of within two touchdowns, evidence, accepting at 42-28. only one person for a On the Huskies’ story is not prudent Michael Yanow Corsair next possession, SMC does not benefit no Santa Monica College quarterback Alfonso Medina (right) is sacked by recovered a blocked one, rest assured those East L.A. College's defensive lineman Christopher Floyd and fumbles the ball on Saturday, Nov. 19 at Corsair Field in Santa Monica, Calif. punt, only to give the responsible will face ELAC recovers the fumble and sprints into the end zone for a ball right back after a consequences,” said touchdown increasing their lead to 42-21 late in the third quarter of turnover on downs. The Joe Cascio, project the American Championship Bowl.

Corsairs had two more manager of athletics at chances to score in the SMC. The brawl undermined an otherwise connected with tight end Aaron Boesch final four minutes, but came up short both successful season and exciting match early in the first quarter for a 10-yard times, sealing the result for the Huskies.

“We are usually a second-half team,” up between two respective conference score, to put SMC on the board first. The champions. On the season, the Corsairs Huskies would respond with a 12-yard run Lindheim said after the game. “It wasn’t how I wanted my sophomores to go out.” finished with an 8-3 overall record and a to even the score at 7.

The scheduled awards ceremony Midway through the first quarter, Medina 6-0-conference record. SMC Head Coach Gifford Lindheim was named Pacific threw his second touchdown pass to wide was scrapped due to the brawl that broke Conference Coach of the Year, while seven receiver Kris Comass for 19-yards. Two out after the game.

Anna Collier leaves lasting impression by janae franklin . staff writter

“I was first hired part-time at SMC in 1977 as the head women’s cross-country, track and field coach,” said Collier, who has been at SMC for 34 years.

“In 1980, I was hired as a full-time PE instructor for cross-country [and] track and field coach,” Collier, a Trojan alumna and enthusiast, will be helping to build the new sand volleyball program at the university.

The program will add to USC’s emerging sports, which also include women’s lacrosse.

“I have often thought about returning to USC and becoming a member of the coaching staff,” Collier said. “When USC added sand volleyball, I wanted to be a part of the first program at USC, much like I was a part of the first track and field program at USC.” “USC is very fortunate to get someone with such experience,” said Joe Cascio, project manager of athletics at SMC. Coach Collier has coached several professional beach volleyball players such as Misty May-Treanor, Kerri Walsh and Nicole Branagh. She has also coached the USA beach volleyball team at the Olympics - Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000.

Collier began her sports career at the age of nine. “I started track and field during a

rodeo field day and I won first place for the sack races, the softball toss and the 50 yard dash,” said Collier.

After showing great ability, a track coach approached her, and she continued to compete throughout middle school and high school. Collier attended USC on a track and field scholarship, and started playing volleyball in her junior year.

Anna Collier started playing professional beach volleyball after graduating, but stopped participating in competitive sports when she joined the SMC staff, first as women’s cross country coach and later as women’s athletic director.

During her time as chair of kinesiology department, Collier has helped update the program curriculum, incorporate an academic aspect and improve the department as a whole.

Coach Collier has also created a sand volleyball class at SMC, set to start in Spring 2012. “The course will be taught

by Coach Elizabeth Chavez,” Collier said.

This course will meet at the beach and teach the skills to any level of experience.

Spring 2012 will be Collier’s last official semester as the kinesiology department chair, but to many at SMC, she will always be a Corsair.

ATHLETE

OF THE

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By morgan doyle

Lee Lark

corsair basketbal l point guard Photo by Jeannie Cole

Year: Sophomore Hometown: Los Angeles Major: Kinesiology GREATEST SPORTS MEMORY: “When I was ten years old, I hit a buzzer-beater to win our team’s championship game. It was such a good feeling and a great moment.”

WHO INFLUENCES YOU? “My dad definitely influences me. He is a very positive role model in every way. He is such a dedicated and determined person and that’s what he has shown me the most.”

IF YOU COULD HAVE LUNCH WITH ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD IT BE? “I would have lunch with Obama. He is my overall leader and is a very bright man.”

LAST MOVIE YOU SAW: “The Great Debaters” FAVORITE HOBBY OUTSIDE SPORTS: “Video games, obviously. My favorites I play the most are Call of Duty and NBA 2K12.”

IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY SUPERPOWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “I want the ability to be invisible wherever, and whenever I want.”

FAVORITE FAMILY TRADITION: “I would say how every 4th of July my entire family goes and meets at a park. We have a huge barbeque and hang out all day.”

PLANS AFTER SMC: “Basically to transfer to some four-year college.

Whatever comes after that, we’ll see.”

IF YOU COULD PLAY ANY ANOTHER SPORT WHAT WOULD IT BE? “Football. I played it when I was younger too and I was good at it.”

FAVORITE GENRE OF MUSIC: “Hip-hop and R&B. My favorite artists are Lil Wayne and Beyonce.”

FAVORITE TEACHER AT SMC: “Mr. Park. He’s an English teacher. I had a couple other teachers here and didn’t do that well in the class. But with Mr. Park he goes out of his way to help me and I am able to learn a lot by listening to him.”

COACH’S FAMOUS PHRASE: “’Drink the Kool-Aid.’ This means for the team to play hard every practice and every game, in order to get something more out of our hard work, besides winning that particular game or doing something great in the particular practice. It means the give-your-all for the final product, which after the season would be to get a scholarship, for example.”

FAVORITE BASKETBALL MOMENT SO FAR THIS SEASON: “In our first game one of my teammates hit a buzzer beater shot to win our first game. It was great and such an awesome way to start the season.”

On Nov. 12, Lee Lark and the Corsairs beat Cerritos on a buzzerbeater shot to start off the season.

As a freshman last year, Lee won Honorable Mention All-Conference.

He was second on the team in

Chris Alves Corsair Anne Collier the Department Chair of Kineosiology at Santa Monica College will be taking her talents to the University of Southern California. After 34 years of serving SMC, Collier will be the head coach of USC's first sand volleyball team.

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scoring and was the sixth leading scorer in the entire Western State Conference. On Friday the 25th, the Corsairs will play in the Pasadena Tournament. Currently, Lark and the Corsairs are placed 12th in the state.

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