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WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2011
VOLUME D ISSUE 5
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violinist tim fain:
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2|CONTENTS
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
robery , violence , and justice near smc
Amanda Bojorquez Corsair Officer Burciaga of Santa Monica Police Department collects a statement from 18-year-old SMC student Danny Martinez, a robbery victim held at knife-poin in a back alley near 20th and Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica on Oct. 4. “This guy just came out of nowhere and told us to give him everything we had, I thought he was joking but then I saw the knife, I even pulled out my pockets to show him I had nothing to give.”
Anisa El-Khouri············Photo Editor EDITORIAL STAFF Amanda Bojorquez········Photo Editor Jonathan Bue·········· Editor-in-Chief 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 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 Jenya Romanovsky········· Copy Editor Nathan Gawronsky·· Managing Editor Chris Aquino················· Copy Staff c o rs a i r. m a n a g i n g @ g m a i l . c o m c o rs a i r. c o p y e d i t s @ g m a i l . c o m Cathy Arias······· Life & Health Editor Roger Morante·············· Web 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 David J. Hawkins··· Web Administrator Juan Lopez················· A & E Editor c o rs a i r. w e b e d i t o r @ g m a i l . c o m 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 Nathalyd Meza··········· Design Editor Muna Cosic············· Opinion Editor Genesis Baltazar··········· Design Staff 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 Alfredo Avila················ Design Staff William Courtney········· Sports Editor 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 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 FAC U LT Y A DV I S O R S c o rs a i r. m u l t i m e d i a @ g m a i l .Saul c o m Rubin Gerard Burkhart
W R I T E R S Betsaida Agustin Tarrin Andrews Amber Antonopoulos Vanessa Barajas Eva Boguslawski Jared Bonnici Jay Be Brookman Aubryanna DiStefano Maria Dimera Morgan Doyle Regan Dyl Alyson Feldman Janae Franklin
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Jonathan Ghattas Melissa Gold 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 PHOTOGRAPHERS Paul Alvarez Chris Alves Daniela Berzuini Marisa Bojiuc Jojo Cheung Jeannie Cole Ryan Cook Marguerite Courtney Reynal Guillen
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Mia Shilpi Mai Sims Ryan Sinko Christina Sziatinsky Tiahna Hale Cristina Maxwell Felicia Norgren Marie Perez Scott Smith Silvia Spross Christina Sziatinszky Lisa Weingarten Michael Yanow Sequoia Ziff
NEWS|3
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
LOS ANGELES P R O T E S T S
THE ONE PERCENT By Zoie Matthew & Mia Shilpi Staff Writers
Reported by Jonathan Bue Editor-in-chief Over the past few weeks, hundreds of events sprung up in solidarity with New York’s Occupy Wall Street movement. The gatherings took place in metropolitan areas across the U.S., and even internationally. This week, the movement emerged on the West Coast. “California is ripe for this kind of movement,” says Heidi Fulzdorf, one of the organizers of the recent Occupy Los Angeles group. “This is not a Wall Street, one-place kind of movement, this is a national movement. We can get that many people and more in L.A.” Starting Saturday Oct. 1, the Occupy L.A. group joined the movement in a protest that started at downtown’s Pershing Square and ended at City Hall where they made their camp on the north lawn. Nearly a thousand people attended the protest with the numbers expected to double on the weekend. The small group of about 15 organizers who fostered Occupy L.A., said it started, like many movements, on the Internet. “We got together in a little tiny chat room,” says Fulzdorf. “We organized online first, then our first meeting was Friday in Pershing Square, and that’s the seed of this whole thing.” In what has become the movement’s trademark style, the organizers reached out through social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, and organized a general assembly meeting on Sept. 25, where 40 to 50 attendees voted to march from Pershing Square to City Hall on Oct. 1. Mario Brito, an out-of-work construction worker who helped organize the movement, explains what the movement means. “It’s about the wealth inequalities. The 99 percent owning only one percent of
the wealth while the top 1 percent has 99 percent,” says Brito. “The reality is that the banks got bailed out, and Main Street got sold out, and that’s what this whole thing is about--economic justice, and creating a better society.” The mother protests in New York, though originally intended to be peaceful in nature, have spawned some heated incidents, including a protest that moved to the Brooklyn Bridge and ended in the arrest of 700 protesters. Zach Addair, one of the 700 arrested, says, “We were detained for like 11 hours, and then we were let go,” adding that protesters usually just “went back out there” after being released. The arrests did little to stifle the momentum of the movement. Since
then, it has only been getting “bigger and bigger,” Addair said. Dozens of unions across the nation have joined in support of this growing movement. While the exact numbers change from hour to hour, almost every protest has managed to consistently keep a few hundred people at the events at all times. Many protests are planned to start later this week, and the hacktivist group Anonymous, a collective hacking force, has issued a threat to shut down the New York Stock Exchange. The Los Angeles protests have thus far succeeded in avoiding major conflict. Fulzdorf says that the group has made attempts to acquire all required permits and permission, and that the LAPD has actually been highly supportive.
“The police are helping us really organize a very big crowd,” she says. “I mean, they are the 99 percent, they have issues with their pensions and their benefits. A lot of them support us on a personal level. They’re being super-generous and kind and amenable to anyone who is willing to give them a smile.” The protesters are currently camped out at City Hall with no plans to go anywhere. Numerous upcoming events and workshops are planned for the next several days, and Fulzdorf hopes the atmosphere of peace will remain. “I can’t see the future,” she says. “And no one can. But there’s a lot of people here and I think there is good faith on both sides.”
Paul Alvarez Jr. Corsair Mario Brito, an organizer for Occupy L.A. talks to police officers who are trying to get protestors behind the yellow tape on the steps infront of City Hall in Los Angeles on Oct.1. Protesters were eventually moved to the north lawn of City Hall.
Community college fee hike deferred By Amber Antonopoulos & Muna Cosic. Staff Writer & Opinion Editor
California community college students won’t face another tuition increase anytime soon, due to Gov. Jerry Brown’s Sept. 21 approval of Assembly Bill No. 32, which postponed a fee increase from $36 to $46 per unit until summer 2012, initially proposed for spring 2012. “I congratulate the Legislature for passing this bill that defers until summer a $10 per unit fee increase in the event that midyear budget cuts are deemed necessary,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott in a statement. According to a report from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) Office of Communications, enrollment fees will increase if the state of California is faced with a budget shortfall of at least $1 billion by Dec. 15, 2011. If the state sustains a $2 billion deficit, funding to community colleges would likely be cut an additional $102 million. Either scenario would yield the projected fee hikes in the summer of 2012, unless a budget deficit is deterred. “Without this change, colleges likely would have to implement the fee increase with only a couple of weeks’ notice,” Scott continued in his statement. “This bill gives
colleges and students adequate time to prepare for increased fees if they become necessary.” California community colleges have already increased enrollment fees from $26 to $36 per unit this fall semester. If the anticipated subsequent increase occurs in the summer of 2012, then enrollment costs will have risen by 77 percent over a oneyear period. Still, California community college fees remain “significantly below the national average,” according to the 2011-12 budget report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO). “Even at $60 per unit [California Community College] fees would remain among the very lowest in the country.” “Most community colleges of this stature are double that price per unit,” said Sam Rosenberg, a second-year business major at Santa Monica College. “I moved out here from Chicago, and the unit price was $92 a unit and would increase every year.” The Community College Times reports that student enrollment has slightly declined at many community colleges across the country, due in part to the fee increases this fall term. But Santa Monica College has maintained
high enrollment this semester, with 33,372 students currently enrolled as of Sept. 29, according to Daniel Berumen, research analyst for SMC’s Office of Institutional Research. This enrollment number is marginally higher than that of spring 2011, when 33,004 registered students attended SMC. Teresita Rodriguez, vice president and senior administrator of the SMC Enrollment Development Department, said that enrollment at SMC won’t likely be affected by fee increases. “It’s difficult to tell. There’s more of a demand [at SMC] than capacity, regardless of the fees.” Students who qualify for financial aid will receive it, no matter how much tuition increases, said Rodriguez. Due to recent budget cuts, course sections offered across California’s community college campuses have already been reduced by 5 percent this fall semester, according to a report from the CCCCO Office of Communications. Further budget cuts could mean additional class cuts and diminished availability to students, along with higher fees. In 20092010, when California community colleges underwent a $520 million budget cut, an
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estimated 140,000 students were denied enrollment due to class cuts. That number is predicted to reach 670,000 in 2011-2012, because of the ramifications of budget cuts and high enrollment demand, with more than 2.5 million students already enrolled in the California community college system. “The $10 per unit fee increase is anticipated to generate approximately $110 million for the colleges to support an additional 50,000 students,” according to the CCCCO. However, enrollment at SMC has decreased by more than 2,000 students since fall 2009, when per-unit fees increased from $20 to $26. Prior to fee hikes, fall enrollment has been increasing steadily since 2006, according to the student demographic data from the CCCCO. “I would be glad to pay $46 a unit, or more, given that [SMC has] more classes open, and [that the fees] do something to help better the school,” Rosenberg said. “I believe that is more than affordable, even if you work part-time.” “The reality is that this is a great deal when it comes to education,” said Rodriguez.
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4|NEWS
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
the once and future rail Phase 2 of the Expo Line broke ground in Santa Monica on Monday, Sept. 12. Elected officials and project developers were on hand at the future site of the 4th Street and Colorado station. The finished Expo Line will connect Santa Monica to the 7th Street Metro station in Downtown Los Angeles via Culver City. Both phases of the Expo Line have been through lengthy planning stages. To serve the highly congested area, Metro chose an ostensibly elegant and costeffective solution: run the trains on the right-of-way, a strip of land with railroad tracks that it already owns. Many residents of the areas, in which the construction would be taking place, were opposed to the Expo Line running through their community. “This was a project where residents required very timely and accurate information,” said Gabriela Collins, Community Relations Manager for Exposition Construction Authority. “We’ve had over 9,000 comments submitted on the draft environmental impact report. The file is over 15,000 pages long; that in itself shows the extent of our outreach and how much people are involved in the planning process.” A lot of the residents’ concerns had to do with noise pollution, although it should be noted that the Expo Line will be more akin to the Gold Line in Pasadena than the Blue Line or the Green Line. The Gold Line is currently one of the quietest and safest rail lines in the world. The hotly contested right-of-way already lies in a trench, where six feet of soil that bank the tracks absorb the noise. The environmental impact report showed that the noise will be primarily generated by the alarms on railroad crossings and alarms put in place to protect residents. After a string of lawsuits, Metro made at least $5.3 million worth of corrections to the project. As a result, there will be no car parking at Westwood and Exposition. However, the station will still house bicycle lockers. Phase 1 of the Expo Line has been facing numerous delays since it began construction in the fall of 2006. Originally projected to open this year, it has been pushed back to fall of this year, then winter, and now to spring of 2012. The Culver City Bus agency plans to increase service on lines 2 and 4 to a 30-minute headway, in order to better cover the new La Cienega station. Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus is likewise considering service changes, but the agency has yet to announce anything specific. Projected to complete construction in 2015, Phase 2 of the Expo Line will continue further west along the Exposition Corridor, former path of the Pacific Electric line, an old Los Angeles train line that ran from 1901 to 1961. This section of the Expo Line would finally provide a direct route from Downtown L.A. to the Pacific Ocean.
By Jenya Romanovsky Copy Editor
Michael Yanow Corsair The intersection of Venice and Robertson in Culver City marks the Phase 2 of the Expo Line connecting downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Phase 2 of the Expo Line will be completed in 2015.
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HEALTH + LIFE|5
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Understanding grub grades for LA County By Valerie Serrano . Staff Writer A few Santa Monica College students noticed the hanging “B” grade nestled between the wall and a refrigerator at Eat Street, an eatery within the cafeteria. Concerns were raised regarding the safety of their products, but the procedure of the letter grades themselves remains a mystery to most. The Corsair’s investigation of the “B” grade prompted the Health Department inspector to come in to re-inspect Eat Street a week ahead of schedule. After the twohour evaluation, the inspector awarded Eat Street with an “A.” The new sign was hung on the back wall, clearly visible to patrons walking into the restaurant. According to Victor Cardet, the general manager of Eat Street who has been working at the eatery since it first opened in August 2010, it had received the “B” because an empty cooler that was on site needed repair. Though it was not plugged in, the Health Department looks at all equipment as being the owners responsibility, so if the machine is on that particular property and belongs to the establishment, it needs to be fully functioning. This caused a six-point deduction, resulting in a total score of 88, after receiving an A on their previous two inspections.
“We were given a certain time period to fix the equipment for a re-inspection, in this case 10 days. We did in fact get the equipment fixed within the allotted 10 days. However, once you elect to accept a rating, you must wait until the next cycle to be re-evaluated,” said Cardet. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health requires that all food service establishments,located within the unincorporated portions of L.A. County be inspected by the Environmental Health program and awarded grade placards to be displayed prominently, notifying the public of the restaurant’s current safety record. A grade is issued to each facility at the end of a routine inspection, which automatically begins at 100 points, or an “A.” To determine a facility’s grade, the health inspector must add the accumulated point-deductions of the marked violation categories and subcategories, and then subtract the total from 100 points. Angelo J. Bellomo, Director of Environmental Health for Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, said, “If someone is storing food in a refrigerator that is not operating at the right temperature, or if we find the facility has a cockroach or mouse infestation,
Jahnny Lee Corsair
Eat St.’s grade just last week was a “B.”
which is a major deduction, then points are deducted. Infestations or food temperature problems are considered major violations and require six-point deductions. Minor violations result in one-point deductions. So if a restaurant is found to have two major violations, or one major and five minor violations, the score would go below 90 points, and they will receive a grade of ‘B.’” Grades “A” through “C” are given to facilities with generally superior, good, or accept-able food handling practices and overall food facility maintenance. If the point deductions lead to a grade lower than a “C,” the facility will instead receive a scorecard, which will indicate the total points allotted. The grading methodology is the same throughout the Los Angeles area, and inspectors are trained to ensure consistency in grading. Several of the 58 counties in California perform restaurant grading, but many do not. If one were to go to other parts of California, a letter grade at the entrance of a restaurant may very well not be displayed; but in such cases, you could simply ask for a copy of the most recent inspection report.
Though conditions were not necessarily unsanitary at Eat Street’s inspection that led to the “B,” customers who had noticed the sign became skeptical. Cardet said, “When someone looks at a letter grade of B, they assume that something is wrong with the food or its delivery. In our case, our grade was a 94, an A Grade. Then we had a six-point deduction. This six-point deduction placed us in a B category with a final score of 88.” Eat Street assures its customers of safe products and serving certified produce. Regarding the recent outbreak of Listeria, a bacteria found present in cantaloupes, Eat Street will be serving melons grown and certified in California, since the danger stems from those that have originated in Colorado. “I would not be overly concerned about a ‘B’ in a restaurant window,” said Bellomo. “But if you see a restaurant that over time consistently receives a grade of ‘A,’ it’s probably an indication that the owner or operator, and food handlers pay greater attention to compliance with food safety standards than do those restaurants receiving ‘Bs’ and ‘Cs’.’”
Amanda Bojorquez Corsair 25 year old, Angelica Sanchez explained, “ Getting an A as a grade here gives me confidence and reassurance that I’m doing my job right.” Sanchez was photographed in the campus cafeteria, in Santa Monica, California Tuesday October 4, 2011.
Amanda Bojorquez Corsair Eat street has a change in Health Department grading from B to A on, on Santa Monica College Campus in Santa Monica, California. October 4, 2011 Amanda Bojorquez Corsair Luiza Eschiletti grabs a bag of chips at SMC’s Eat Street cafeteria in Santa Monica, California. October 4, 2011. Eat street has a change in Health Department grading from B to A.
Got something on your mind?
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Each week we will be answering you rhealth and lifestyle questions in our column. You can send your questions to the Corsair at:
corsair.lifestylepage@gmail.com
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6|PHOTOSTORY
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
(LTR) Isiah Hogg, Roland Indo and Clifford Tasner dress up as billionares infront of city hall in Los Angeles for Occupy L.A on Oct.1.
Occupy
Los Angeles
Eddie Espinoza and his son Adam wait at Pershing Square for Occupy L.A. at city hall in Los Angeles on Oct. 1. We are the 99% represents the working class american, everyone who is suffering from the economy and how there is no longer a middle class.
Protesters gather in front of the steps of city hall in Los Angeles on Oct. 1. for Occupy L.A. Those gathered were eventually moved to the north lawn due to over crowding on the sidewalk.
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PHOTOSTORY|7
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Jeannie Cole Corsair
A man who goes by the name Shani (which means “peace” in Hindi) at The World Festival of Sacred Music.
Jeannie Cole Corsair Hula dancers from the group Halau Keali’i I Nalani enjoy the opening ceremony of The World Festival Of Sacred Music on Oct. 1.
Jeannie Cole Corsair Choir Dir. Tim McAfee Lewis leads the Agape International choir in singing.
Jeannie Cole Corsair
A woman takes a moment to honor the ocean at The World Festival of Sacred Music in Santa Monica.
WORLD FESTIVAL OF SACRED MUSIC
Chris Alves Corsair
Sunset at The World Festival of Music in Santa Monica State Beach.
By Maria Dimera . Staff Writer Loud drums and vocal performances had the crowd going as Agape International Choir and the Sacred Rhythm Drum Ensemble shared their talents, creating a large circle for all performers and visitors to engage in. The World Festival of Sacred Music was intended as a one-off event in 1999, by request of His Holiness Dalai Lama. The success of the festival has continued over the past decade, every three years. On Oct.1, Santa Monica Beach held an opening event titled “Honoring the Sea.” Based on the belief that sacred music has the ability to bring forth our shared human values of peace, hundreds of people from different cultural backgrounds, religions and ethnicities, joined together in the opening ceremony, with performances by
over 400 performers divided into groups. Around 4:30 p.m., an offering to the ocean was made. The mass made their way to the water’s edge and threw rose pedals and flowers into the ocean. The native Tongva choir sang and chanted in honor of the sea as the procession moved towards the ocean. Wrapping up the event, another offering to the sea was made just in time for sunset, and another batch of rose petals and flowers were thrown in to the ocean. WFSM is hoping to carry on this event until next time in 2014. With 32 events and 832 artists, WFSM will be held at different locations all over Marine Gaste Corsair Los Angeles, closing Oct. 16. A homeless woman wakes up in a flowerpot on the corner of Highland Ave. and Santa For more information, visit www. Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. festivalofsacredmusic.org
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8|A + E
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Communicating through Portals By Zoie Matthew . Staff Writer One thing that violinist Tim Fain has come to accept is the large role that technology plays in the modern world. “It’s not going anywhere, it’s here to stay,” says Fain. “It’s the way I reach out to my friends. It’s such a part of my life.” In his new work, “Portals,” Fain engages in an exploration of the ways that we connect in the modern digital landscape, and their effect not only on our personal interactions, but how we create and perceive art. Fain, who grew up in Santa Monica before receiving degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Julliard School in New York, is chiefly known for his numerous solo and symphonic performances, as more recently for his work in the 2010 film “Black Swan.” In “Portals,” he fulfills not only the role of performer, but of creative mastermind. “It’s all about how we connect in the digital age,” says Fain. “The ways we reach out to each other, and how we can really embrace them. Not only to text friends, but to use them to create something beautiful.” The multi-media production consists of Fain, pianist Nicholas Britell, and spoken-word performer Fred Child (host of Performance Today) performing live alongside pre-recorded pieces of film directed by Kate Hackett and dance pieces choreographed by Benjamin Millepied. One project that Fain is hoping to
do is an exploration of the juxtaposition of real-life and on-screen performances. “These days, it’s so easy to dial up Youtube and watch a video that even I forget that in a live performance, there is something really magical that can happen that you can’t get on Youtube,” says Fain. “But I also think Youtube is really great and defines who we are and the world we live in. So I wanted to bring in the best of both.” Fain says that the title of the piece is derived from the way that he thinks of our modern communication devices. “We communicate through these portals, whether it’s a computer screen, a phone, Skype, even when you’re watching a film, you’re looking at a screen,” says Fain. “Your computer is essentially a portal to another place.” Visually, Fain seeks to replicate this sense of constant collision between the world of the Internet and the real world. While Fain, Child, and Britell perform onstage, the audience will see other artists on the various screens, “signing on” as if on Skype, as well as footage of the artists warming up and preparing for performance. “What I wanted to do was to create two different worlds,” says Fain. “One is sort of an imagined performance space, sort of a mixture of a sound stage meets performance space.
Malibu International Film Festival an irresistible attraction By Melanie Rudkiewicz & Silvia Spross . Staff Writers
Silvia Spross Corsair (L to R) David Katz Founder / Director of the Malibu Film Festival “This year we are offering all Santa Monica Students a Twenty Dollar VIP all access pass at no cost “ and Lucas Belkind Programmer / Producer of the festival “We hope to see you there” standing in front of one of the movie theater that will screen many of the selected films. David Katz “The festival is a volunteer venture and I founded the organization in 1997” on Sept. 30. at 3822 Cross Creek Road in Malibu Calif.
The other is a world of webcams, computers, where you see the performers setting up for this performance.” To go along with the theme of modernism, the music in the show will consist solely of contemporary pieces. “I’ll be playing some really wonderful music by living American composers,” says Fain. “Among them, Philip Glass, who just wrote a really intense and beautiful piece for me called ‘Partita.’” Fain and Glass met while on tour with Glass’s “Book of Longing”, a song cycle based on a collection of Leonard Cohen poems of the same name. The piece and the poems inspired Fain so much that he asked Glass to write a similar solo violin piece. The Cohen poems will also be utilized as spoken word pieces within the show. According to Kate Hackett, director of many of the films in the show, the poems will allow for the investigation of the darker side of the digital age. “The poetic spoken words have a lot to do with isolation and alienation, so it’s definitely speaking to some of the ways the Internet does divide us,” says Hackett. “But I think the overall message is hopeful, because it is speaking to the way people use Internet to collaborate and make art.” Hackett thinks that the exploration of these
From the free entry to the first and last nights of the event, Santa Monica College students have something to look forward to from this year’s Malibu International Film Festival, David Katz, founder of the Malibu Film Festival, is giving all SMC students a VIP All Access Pass at no charge. Katz is extending the offer as a former SMC student from many years ago, and is trying to give back to the school. The first festival took place in 1999 in the picturesque surroundings of the Malibu Castle, which was destroyed by a fire in 2007 The 12th annual Malibu International Film Festival kicks off on Thursday Oct. 6, and concludes on Saturday, Oct. 8 at the Hollywood Malibu Cinemas, located at 3822 Cross Creek. The opening and closing receptions are to be held at the Malibu Lumber Yard across the street. The festival starts off with the environmental documentary “Miss South Pacific: Beauty and the Sea” by Mary Lambert. Interest is mounting on viewing this recounting of the 2009-2010 Miss South Pacific beauty pageant, featuring exotic island beauties and world-renowned coastlines, and detailing climate change’s effects on their homes. Katz is making his own festival debut afterward with “Kissing Strangers,” a romantic comedy involving the ups and downs of dating and peer pressure. The selection process is year round and submissions are accepted online through their website. “We watch films throughout
courtesy of Briana Blasko Tim Fain is a violinist and composer of portals.
topics will be especially engaging for a college aged students. “I think it’s a really familiar landscape,” says Hackett. “It’s appealing to the way all of our brains work now, being wired to the Internet.” As for Fain, he is excited to demonstrate all the hard work of him and his cast back in his hometown. “Portals is definitely a very collaborative piece, and I’m looking forward to performing it in my hometown of Santa Monica,” says Fain. “Portals” will premiere at the Broad Stage Oct. 9, at 4p.m. Student tickets are available for $20 and a small service charge of $5 by phone or $3 at the window.
the year and compile our notes six weeks prior to the event and choose quality films that stand out,” says Katz. “It’s a great starting point for new filmmakers that are not established yet but have a calling card.” Films showed throughout the festival will run from 12 minutes, to that of full feature films and covering all genres. The festival receives approximately 2,000 film submissions from up and coming directors, all vying for recognition. Other film screenings include “Tranny Trainer,” an unusual story of an athlete turned personal trainer, who has come to the end of his line, and finds his niche by training transvestites. The film, “Sold,” delves into human trafficking as an undercover journalist’s story goes amiss whilst covering the hiring of undocumented workers. For viewers interested in in-depth studies on pop culture’s objectifying of women’s bodies, “Dame Factory” is a stylized, short, experimental film on post-feminism lustful discussions and the enjoyment people perceive through pole dancing and sex tapes. “The Malibu Film Festival is a volunteer venture, a place of network and creating relationships,” says Katz. He’s a strong believer that networking and creating relationships are the way to go.To redeem a pass, show up to the Malibu International Film Festival on Oct. 6 or Oct. 8, show your student ID at the box office, and receive a pass for an entrance to the events.
On-campus Events Calendar 7 “MESSENGER at Mercury” Planetarium show | 8pm | Drescher 223
8 Jean Hester: “Communication, Interaction, & Language” | 2pm | Art 214
9 Portals, featuring Violinist Tim Fain | 4pm | The Broad
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Stage
11 “Air Pollution and Energy” | 6:30pm | HSS 263 Screening of “Hero”| 7pm | HSS 165
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OPINION|9
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” By Christina Sziatinszky . Staff Writer Sept. 20 was a day of celebration for many homosexual soldiers whose sexual orientation has been repressed by the government’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. President Obama’s repeal of the policy officially went into effect, and finally eliminated persecution in the military based on the sexual orientation of its servicemen, as they can now be open about their sexual identity. This repeal has been long overdue, and it’s about time the government got rid of this absurd policy. The Washington Post-ABC news polls indicated that 78 percent of Americans were in favor of the repeal, which proves that Obama made the right decision. Since 2001, Americans have been voting in favor of servicemen publicly disclosing their sexual orientation, so I can’t help but wonder why it took so long for this change to occur. Everyone has the right to join the military, therefore I am very glad to see this discriminatory policy no longer in effect. The “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy has been around for 17 years, and has never served a reasonable purpose. What the DADT policy really did was protect soldiers and military officials from their unjustified fears of being sexually harassed by a homosexual, as if a gay soldier’s sole purpose in joining the military was to ogle other men and women. This biased notion of fear is what led to the discharge of thousands of valuable soldiers who could have been of great use to the military. According to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the discrimination of military personnel affected by DADT, over 14,000 servicemen have been discharged under the law since
its establishment in 1993. Servicemen who were formally discharged under the DADT policy are now eligible for readmission into the military, which is one of the positive effects of the repeal. It is only fair that they be given these privileges after having been unjustly dismissed from their civic duty. Sexual orientation should never be a factor in determining who is worthy of serving their country. Americans should really be thankful to anyone willing to protect, serve and possibly die for their country, regardless of their sexual orientation, race or gender. Anyone who is too worried about “being fondled” in the showers shouldn’t be serving in the military in the first place. The repeal brought much needed relief to soldiers who were greatly affected by the policy. Now, gay people can feel more comfortable joining the military without
Illustration by Benjamin Vivas
the fear of being ridiculed or discharged. This new change will surely raise the rate of recruitment for all sectors of the military. Lance Corporal Michelle Fuller, 22, has served in the Marine Corps for over two years, and has been hiding her sexuality from her commanding officer. “It’s a great change because now there is no more pressure on homosexuals to hide who they are,” said Fuller. She expressed that sexual orientation really doesn’t matter because while they’re in uniform, all soldiers and officers are the same and deserve an equal amount of respect. Though Fuller was pleased to hear about the policy repeal, she said that other than providing relief for homosexuals, it did not make much of a difference because there was never discriminatory behavior in her platoon, nor had she heard of such behavior elsewhere. Though the policy repeal did not have a huge effect in the military, it’s a great start to the end of sexual discrimination everywhere. The push for gay rights has become a force, and Obama’s repeal is of great importance to the ongoing movement currently circulating in the U.S. Hopefully, the president’s actions will facilitate more affirmative public policy changes on the matter, and increase public support of gay rights. The repeal truly is a great change, and I am proud to hear that soldiers no longer have to hide who they are in order to serve their country. “If there is respect in your job, in the military and to other people, then you will not flaunt your sexuality, regardless of you being gay, straight or bisexual,” said Fuller.
A college degree is still a worthy achievement By Maria Dimera . Staff Writer The decision of whether or not to enroll in college comes down to its financial aspect With the nation’s current financial difficulties, college students have already suffered fee hikes and can only hope for a let-off. How many increases do students need to endure until it becomes too difficult to attend a community college? For fall 2011, Santa Monica College’s tuition fee increased from $26 to $36, and will allegedly increase another $10 in the summer of 2012. Although a 10-dollar increase isn’t the end of the world, California community colleges should only be considering $46-perunit fees as the last resort. For international student Anna Jonsson, paying $36 per unit would be ideal. “As an international student, I pay approximately $250 per unit. It’s like seven times more than an average American student, so they should be glad they don’t have to pay what I pay,” said Jonsson. Despite the high tuition fee, Jonsson embraces the opportunity to get a college degree abroad. “It’s worth every penny.” As an international student, I completely agree with Jonsson. Although
most students can make ends meet and pay for college, the increase is not joyful news for anyone. The recent increase will not affect students who qualify for a fee waiver, which is great for them, since they can still apply and get one. In today’s world, many ponder the importance and benefits of a college degree. Bobby Simmons, a communications professor at SMC, believes that “a college education is more important than ever before, both in terms of economic opportunity, and in terms of developing oneself as an engaged member of a community.” Of course, learning is available in many different forms, college may not be for everyone, and some students will give up on earning a degree. These students either blame debt, lack of a guaranteed job, or they may simply consider it a waste of time. College students shouldn’t let these issues pull them back from earning a degree, but rather push them ahead to succeed. Plenty of colleges and other institutions offer grants and scholarships for students who could use the extra cash. Many SMC students have won thou-
sands of dollars in scholarships. More people should take advantage of these awards and find other possible ways to pay for college, especially when facing financial strain. “Not every institution is a smart investment, and students have to make good decisions about how to spend scarce resources. Part of the process is recognizing that what you are seeking is not a degree as much as an education,” said Simmons, who has earned two bachelor’s degrees, two master’s degrees, and is closing in on a doctorate. A college degree can leave behind a burden of discouragingly juicy debt that will take an eternity to repay, but a degree has a lot more to offer. The fact is, a college degree is an entirely different level to a high school diploma, since it’s the ticket to one’s desired field and higher pay. SMC journalism professor Lyndon Stambler said, “In today’s economy, students are finding that college degrees pay off, providing that they don’t incur excessive debt.” Choices made while in college and afterwards play an important role
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in decision-making. While some may discontinue educational pursuits past an associate degree, others will go on to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s, which can help them to a better job. Some jobs may only require a basic education, and an associate degree is enough to launch or advance a career. “Even with the fee increases, which place additional financial stress on students, SMC is still affordable compared to most four-year universities. Students can spend a couple of years at SMC trying to figure out if they want to make the much bigger investment of attending a four-year university,” said Stambler. Many think that a college degree has less value today than it did a few decades ago, but a college degree is more than just a piece of paper. It is an experience and an accomplishment that no one can take away, no matter what comes after college. The phrase, “It’s not what you know, but who you know,” is familiar among many, but it seems that “who you know,” reflects a temporary situation, while “what you know” has no expiration date.
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10|OPINION
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
PETA looks to sell sex to bring animal cruelty awareness By Katherine Ruiz . Staff Writer PETA announced last week that they plan to launch a porn website, called PETA. xxx. If approved in November by the ICM registry, it will launch in December with the purpose to educate the public on animal rights, veganism and vegetarianism. As one of the nation’s top animal rights organizations, they are known for taking their messages to extremes to get through to the public; but a porn site? This maneuver to launch an “awareness� porn site is just crossing the line. As a fellow animal lover and vegetarian, I’ve always appreciated PETA, but why would they stoop to this level of launching a porn site? In the past, PETA has made campaigns against fur by having celebrities like Pamela Anderson, Eva Mendes, Steve-O, and Elisabetta Canalis bare their bodies in hope of bringing awareness to animal cruelty with the message, “I’d rather be naked than wear fur.� A porn site would be going beyond the simple teasing of bare skin. PETA’s porn site would involve uncensored photos and videos involving famous animal activist porn stars. While watching the tedious videos, they will cut off to clips of animal
cruelty and will promote links to vegan and vegetarian starter kits. Technically, PETAxxx is will lead people into thinking they are watching a porno and then shove animal cruelty clips down their throats. There are so many wrong reasons for PETA to launch this porn site. PETA already has an alleged bad reputation for their extreme animal activism—lighting cars on fire and throwing red paint at fur designers. This new website will surely worsen PETA’s reputation. The public will see PETA as an organization that uses sex to save animals, which goes against their awareness purpose. Additionally, a PETA porn site will attract people to the cause for the wrong reasons. Lindsay Rajt, PETA’s associate director of campaign, told Reuters, “We’re hoping to reach a whole new audience of people, some of whom will be shocked by graphic images that maybe they didn’t anticipate seeing when they went to the PETA triple-X site.� PETA will only annoy porn fans by leading them to believe they are watching full-on porn, but end up getting “graphic images� of animal cruelty. Most of the time, forcing beliefs on others is met with
a lot of resistance, even if it’s for a good cause. It’s understandable why PETA has taken on this new idea; they know that sex sells! Bring in pretty vegetarian women with amazing bodies and vegetarian men with killer abs, and people might consider the same lifestyle, aiming to look as fit as they do. As a point of fact, PETA to this day hosts a contest called “Sexiest Vegetarians Alive.� Steve Erlsten, Mercy For Animals Los Angeles campaign coordinator, emailed the following statement to the Corsair. “Mercy For Animals applauds creative, non-violent efforts to raise awareness about the needless suffering animals are forced to endure–particularly at the hands of the meat, dairy and egg industries which confine, mutilate and mercilessly slaughter billions of cows, chickens and pigs in ways that would warrant felony-level cruelty charges in most states if even one dog or cat were the victim instead. Regardless of how the issue is raised, consumers have a right to know where their food comes from, and that the easiest and most effective way to help animals is to simply stop eating them.� It’s true that public animal cruelty awareness is extremely important through non-violent and creative ways, but a pornographic website isn’t the best way to rake in attention for a cause. PETA is an important factor for animal cruelty awareness, and their efforts are constantly judged by the public, so a porn website might either be looked upon as a positive spin to bring awareness, or as I see it, a
N A T I O N A L
negative concept of selling sex to attract public attention to their cause.
Illustration by Benjamin Vivas
U N I V E R S I T YÂŽ
Transferring? To the Editor
Finish School YOUR Way!
On Sept. 21, The Corsair ran a story on the California DREAM Act, specifically on the AB131 component of the legislation. The undocumented student community and our allies on campus applaud the Corsair for choosing to highlight the controversial issue of financial aid for undocumented students in an unbiased manner. That being said, many of us were disappointed with parts of the article, including the lack of elaboration of the bill and no input from students who would benefit from AB 131. Without this information, the undocumented community and our allies do not feel that the SMC Corsair readers get the information they need to see the legislation from the perspective of students who would be directly affected by this legislation. At
AB131 would benefit only a small percentage of undocumented students who make up less than 1% of students in each of California’s higher education systems (Community Colleges, CSUs, and UCs). It would allow undocumented students who meet the in-state tuition requirements (AB540) to be eligible for Federal Aid. These eligible undocumented students would only be given this type of aid only after they are awarded to eligible documented students, waiting at the end of the line for whatever money has not been claimed. By excluding the input of students in the article, it silences the thoughts of a community at SMC.In the future, we hope the Corsair will be more willing to reach out to students whose stories are the very stories you are printing in your paper. Written by IDEAS of SMC Full version can be found at thecorsaironline.com
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SPORTS|11
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Corsairs
win in fourth
set By Wayne Neal Staff Writer
Chris Alves Corsair Lily Jacobo #10 of the Santa Monica Corsairs spikes the ball straight down against Los Angeles Mission college at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. The lady Corsairs won 3-1.
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Santa Monica College women’s Corsair volleyball team team defeated the L.A. Mission College Eagles in Wednesday’s match, taking three of four games. The Corsairs started out strong, taking the first two games. L.A. Mission then rallied to win the third set, 25-20, forcing another game. Head Coach Nicole Ryan saw on her teams’ faces that they were a little down after letting the Eagles back into the game. “We have to create our own momentum and sustain it,� she told her team. Although the Eagles looked like they had momentum going into game four, the Corsairs were able to knock them off with a 25-13 victory to take the match, 3-1. The Corsairs victory did come at a cost as freshman Danielle Estrada limped off the court, aggravating her knee again. The initial injury came when the team played East L.A. “I had to push through and make sure everybody on the team would have a fair chance,� Estrada said. “Play hard, cry later,� she joked. She has been cleared to play today as the team faces off against Glendale at 7 p.m in the pavilion. Leading the way for the Corsairs was freshman Katie Roberts, who had 18 kills in the match and also had three aces. Coach Nicole Ryan was pleased with her team. “Overall it was a solid performance,� said Ryan. “I feel like tonight was a more balanced offense.�
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12|SPORTS
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2011 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Strong defense leads to 0-0 tie By Michael Mejia Staff Writer The first conference match for the SMC women’s soccer team ended in a 0-0 draw against the Bakersfield College Renegades last Friday. The Corsairs played well on offense with seven shots on goal. “Offensively we had 15 opportunities to score. In a soccer game, that’s pretty damn good,” said Corsair Head Coach Eric Benditson. With 11 minutes left in the first half, Captain Olivia Patterson hit teammate Meg Pierce with a down-field pass, setting up a header on goal, but it was saved by the Renegade goalkeeper. Eight penalties were called against the Corsairs, as well as a yellow card given to Desire Kober with 21 minutes remaining in the second half. Both squads had a combined total of 11 penalities in the match. “The refereeing was awful. He lost complete control of the game,” said Benditson. “He missed a lot of calls.” Captain Samantha Li, Vianca Barajas, and Yaya Godinez stood out defensively for the Corsairs. “I feel great on the defensive side of things. We got our first shutout,” said Benditson. With four minutes reaming in the match, the Corsair’s Brianna Mackey had one last scoring opportunity, but was saved again by the Renegade goalkeeper, her seventh save of the game. “We were strong defensively we had our opportunities to score goals.” Said Benditson. “That’s all we could ask for. We just didn’t execute in front of the goal.” Corsairs goal keeper Katherine Alvarenga made her third straight start since her season debut against Moorpark College. She had 13 saves this match and has given up just two goals in those three starts since the departure of former goalkeeper Alisa Sheldon. “We had a couple of girls that left the team for personal reasons, but I think it’s been good. Not good in the sense we lost players,” said Benditson, “but good in a sense that we have a committed group here that wants to take the team forward positively.” “Last three results have been positive,” said Benditson. “To be fair of the game, we were the better team, we had better opportunities to score goals, but we didn’t take our opportunities.” The Corsairs are 1-5-2 this season, and look to add another win to their record Oct. 5 at L.A.Valley College.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK By Morgan Doyle
NICK ALVAREZ
Scott Smith Corsair Sam Li of SMC and #17 Mitzi Ibarra of BC battle for a ball Friday afternoon at Corsair Stadium in Santa Monica, Calif.
Year: Sophomore Sport: Cross Country Hometown: Culver City, CA Major: Kinesiology
What is your favorite hobby outside of sports? “I like going bowling and to movies with friends, but not much besides running.”
What is your greatest sports memory? “In 2007, my high school team won league.” If you could have lunch with anybody, who would it be? “Usain Bolt, because he’s the fastest runner alive.” What was the last movie you saw? “Moneyball.”
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? “That’s easy. Super-speed, because I’m a runner and would win every race.”
If you did not run cross-country, what sport would you play instead? “I would play baseball, because I played it when I was younger and enjoyed it.”
What is your favorite family tradition? “Thanksgiving dinner, because you hang out with your whole family.” What are your plans after attending SMC? “I am currently applying to California State Northridge and Long Beach.”
In the Southern California Preview meet last Friday, Alvarez finished the four-mile race in 22:46, a good time for such a hot day. This coming Friday, both cross country teams will compete in the Western States Conference Preview at Santa Barbara.
Photo by Reynal Guillen
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