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CORSAIRvolume 108 issue 1 • September 10, 2014 • santa monica college FiRST COPY OF THE CORSAIR IS FREE, EACH COPY AFTER IS 25C

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CorsairNews

M e e t y o u r n e w s t u d e n t g o v e r n m e n t

The fresh faces of the Associated Students' new

frontier

Remembering The Conductor, Randal Lawson - pg 4

Learn about Fred in our new Fiction Section - pg 11

Corsairs kick off the new

football season t- pg 12

A.S. PRESIDENT

KHAN. The

corsair interview

- pg 5

for extended coverage visit us at thecorsaironline.com • @the_c orsair • /thecorsairnews • /thecorsaironline

volume 108 issue 1 • September 10, 2014 • santa monica college 2

On the cover: The new Associated Students board poses for our first cover of the semester. From left to right: Diana Gutierrez, Jessica Mashkani, Cinthia Magana, Robert Espinoza, Ali Kahn, Daniel Kolko, Maya Kaitel, Jeffrey Lewis Jr., Courtney King, Andrew Koo, Rizwan “Riz” Rashid, Andrea Gonzalez

Photo by: Liz Phillips

contents

c o r s a i r s t a f fBrandon Barsugli, Scott Bixler, Carlos Espinosa, Adrien Piteux, James Powel, Luis Salvador, Raven Newaly, Brenda Cruz, Matthew Toss, Stacy Ellen, Jeffrey Chacon, Stella Ngigi, Carlos Espinosa, Alfredo Gutierrez, Zoila Campos, Jacqueline Rodriguez, Jillisa Jenkins, Yasha Hawkins, Branisolv Jovanovio, Jose Gutierrez, Catherine Drabicki, Julianne Oseberg, Nour Kabbani, Farhanah Ali, Devin Page, Jason Biney, Jose Lopez, Sherrie Dickinson, Patricia Stallone, Ava Gandy, Nicholas Cardona, Nick Carrion, Veronika Kacha, Hans Saudestroem, Tony Peterson, Adriane Hale, Tiffany Hernandez, Mary Leipziger, Claudius West, Deni Rodriguez, Richard Lewis, Brandon Wong, Dominique Maddox,

Maddy Weber, Lorena G.

F A C U L T Y A D V I S O R SS a u l R u b i n &

G e r a r d B u r k h a r tA D I N Q U I R I E S :

co rsa i r.admanage r@gmai l . c om(310) 434 - 4033

E D I T O R I A L S T A F FAlci Rengifo ··········· Editor-in-Chiefc o rs a i r. e d i t o r i n ch i e f@gma i l . c omJonathan Ramos ·····Managing Editorc o rs a i r.mana g i n g@gma i l . c omRachel Gianuario ·········News Editorc o rs a i r. n e w spa g e@gma i l . c omPaulian Eriksson·····Health & LifestyleE l in Edkha l ·····Health & Lifestyle c o rs a i r. l i f e s t y l e p a g e@gma i l . c omc o rs a i r. c a l e n da r pa g e@gma i l . c omc o rs a i r. o p i n i o n pa g e@gma i l . c omTrev Angone ············· Sports Editorc o rs a i r. s p o r t s p a g e@gma i l . c omRonja Jansz ........ Multimedia Directorc o rs a i r.mu l t im e d i a d e p t@gma i l . c omMia Duncans ············ Photo EditorLiz Phillips ··············· Photo Editorc o rs a i r p h o t o e d i t o r@gma i l . c omJuan Lopez . . . . . . .D ig i t a l Ed i to rc o rs a i r.w e b e d i t o r@gma i l . c omDavid Veta ···············Design Editorc o rs a i r. d e s i g n t e am@gma i l . c omJhosef Hern ···················Illustratorc o rs a i r c a r t o o n@gma i l . c om

Fall semester has now begun. For some of us, summer was not so much a time of vacation as it was a summer of war, unrest, and social conflict. War broke out once more in the Middle East between Israel and Gaza, while here at home the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguyson, MO ignited protests and discussions about race and security in the United States.

These were issues that reached here into our own city. Those who followed The Corsair online through our Twitter, Facebook, and official website viewed our reports, opinion pieces, videos, and photographs capturing the protests sparked by the Gaza conflict on the streets of Wilshire in front of the Federal Building.

Our video and print interviews captured the views of passionate Arab students and citizens demanding an end to the war, and the aggressive voices of nationalist Israelis defending the attack on Gaza. So melded to our personal lives as staff did these

issues become that I myself was deleted from several Facebook friends lists over my opinions on the conflict.

We also honored the memories of iconic figures who passed away during the summer like actor Robin WIlliams and Dogtown surfer Jay Adams. Summer’s key film releases were reviewed and critiqued.

For this fall semester, when many SMC students will be experiencing their first taste of college life, we plan to offer an even more diverse, rich set of content. College is the period when many students begin to truly learn about the world and the various ideas that shape and form it. In this spirit we will offer stories and media content that will range from the global to the local, from the social to the personal spheres of daily life. Our editorial staff features a new team of editors in our News and Health & Lifestyle sections and we are proud to announce a new Fiction & Poetry section. Our new Multimedia department will also offer weekly video and audio reports on our official website and Facebook page.

In this first issue we are presenting stories

introducing you to the new Associated Students government and its president, Ali Kahn. We also render tribute to former Executive Vice-President Randal Lawson, who suddenly passed away recently and has left a palpable void among the campus staff. We also tackle issues such as the ongoing drought in California and the viral sensation of the “ice bucket challenge.” Our writers dig for the facts and ask important questions regarding these topics and more. In our fiction section we feature eloquent poetry dealing with topics such as being a Muslim in contemporary America and a fantastical imagining of the origins of Frederick, our refined campus duck.

We invite you to read us every week and visit us online daily. One of the greatest forms of communication is the written word. News, whether on paper or online, has the power to ignite great changes and reshape societies, simply spark curiosity in a reader and produce better informed, more aware individuals. The Corsair’s mission is to bring you the news, and hopefully, words that will stay with you, if you allow them.

New beginnings for a new semesterAlci RengifoEditor-in-ChiEf

Los Angeles City Fire Department with Santa Monica Police Department responded to a car versus person accident at Lincoln Blvd and Broadway St at the crosswalk last Thursday.

Brandon Barsugli

Corsair


volume 108 issue X • September 10, 2014 • santa monica college 3news

With the new semester and shift in seasons, arrives a new student government at Santa Monica College. On the first Friday of the fall term, the new board of the SMC Associated Students filed into the campus Theater Arts building to pose in a photo shoot and discuss their new agenda.Gone is the administration of former

AS president Ty Moura, as the era of Ali Kahn begins with new promises for the student body and new programs to impulse student initiatives, such as campus clubs. The chores of politics have already started as the board’s first public meeting last Wednesday featured a heated debate on the budget.With only a few days into the new

administration, the board members are still discovering each other and building working relationships. While agendas are still being written and ideas crafted, the board members are marching into their new, imposing responsibilities with real stride. “Everything’s pretty solid,” said Kahn

while walking around and speaking with every member of the board as they waited for individual portraits. “We’re just having fun, getting work done. The vibe is good.”“It’s important to know the personalities

of everyone on the board,” said Jessica Meshkani, the new AS Director of Publicity “There’s a saying that you should treat others the way you want to be treated. I completely believe in that.”For Meshkani, a major goal this semester

is to engage the interest of students who simply use SMC as a gateway to other universities. Another priority for Meshkani

is getting this particular group more involved in campus politics and activities.Inter Club Counsel Vice Chair Courtney

King, in radiant blue hair, stepped over from the camera’s eye to share her own thoughts on the new age.“I’m looking forward to working with the

Board to get a lot of awesome activities happening and to get a lot of events that have multiple clubs working together so they can recruit members,” she said.King feels the new board works well

together but acknowledged that the first meetings have been focused on picking up where the last board left off.“It’s been a little tenuous because of some

of the past issues of the former board but we hope to embark on a new year with more teamwork.”Photo shoots can become a tedious process

and as board members filled the hall with cheerful banter, Diana Gutierrez, the new Student Advocacy Director, moved away from the chatter to talk about her own position in the government monolith.“I am most worried about not getting the

minority voice heard,” she said.When it comes to the new head of

government, Gutierrez said of Kahn that “I think he’s pretty hilarious and also very orderly and responsible. We’re lucky to have a guy who wants to have everybody heard.”Jeffrey Lewis Jr., Director of Instructional

and Tech Support, sporting a bow tie and seeming particularly enthused said, “The first few days have been nothing short of fun. We have very unique individuals on this board.”Lewis says he’s most nervous about

not meeting students’ expectations and demands, specifically noting lingering demands from students such as wider WiFi

access on campus.“We have individuals on this board who

are capable of learning from the mistakes of the previous board,” said Lewis. “We’re confident, but not over-confident.”In a combo dress of punk rock insurgency

and proper business jacket, complete with a button of Mexican comedic screen icon Cantinflas, Andrea Gonzalez, the new Director of Sustainability, revealed that one of her project proposals will be focused on practicing sustainability, such as banning plastic water bottles on campus. Gonzalez explained, “A lot of people don’t tend to be informed about sustainability,” adding that, “because Santa Monica is a city that is sustainable, I feel that we should also practice it within our own campus.”When everyone’s portrait was taken the

board made its way out, back to the Cayton Center’s AS offices. Others stayed around to share their comments.Daniel Kolko, the Student Trustee, shared

his own thoughts while walking through the quad following the shoot. “I’m looking forward to learning how government works,” he said. “I wouldn’t say I’m nervous.”Inside the newsroom Maya Kaitel,

the ICC Chair, was glowing with sheer enthusiasm of being apart of this particular board, pointing out the need for making students aware of the benefits of being members of the AS.“I’m always hoping to improve club life,

more club events. It’s about making student life as fun as possible,” she mentioned, with an emphasis on making the hassle of filling out paperwork less worrisome for campus clubs.Cinthia Magana, the AS Secretary and

former President’s Ambassador, said, “As the secretary, what I’m looking forward to

the most is to sit in the board meetings and really learn about what is needed at our school.”The brainstorming of activities will fall

heavily on Andrew Koo, who is taking over from the highly controversial tenure of Matthew Nicholson.Emerging from the ashes of the Pizzagate

scandals, Koo said “I am coming in with a new mindset and was telling some of the directors that I want to have full student input. I want to push for quality over quantity events.”Among Koo’s plans is to invest time in

events based on monthly cultural themes and issues like animal rights.With full eagerness, Rizwan “Riz”

Rahshid, the new ICC Communications Officer, explained how he was not expecting to be so enthralled by the world of student government.“You know, I was looking forward to the

ICC stuff but now I changed my mind, I love the AS board and all the things that they do,” he revealed. “I love the complexity of the AS itself.”For Director of Student Outreach Robert

Espinoza, being on the AS board is an adrenaline kick he says will drive him to carry out motivational workshops on campus and hopefully inspire others.“Santa Monica has the highest transfer

rate yet only three out of ten transfer, it’s ridiculous,” he said. “I’m the only Latino male on the board. I feel at times like I carry the world on my shoulders. I like the pressure, I look forward to it. I love it when people tell me I can’t do it.”With the semester now in full bloom, the

new AS board is on the move towards a future only its members can write and set in stone.

A board for all seasons: meet the new A.S.Alci RengifoEditor-in-ChiEf


volume 108 issue 1 • September 10, 2014 • santa monica college 4

Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez sat silently for a moment at her post on the board of trustees, with her mouth poised at the microphone. She took a breath and began to tell a story. She recalled a time when she confessed to a colleague that she longed to be a young and carefree student, when she and her friends would bounce into a van and ride to local taquerias.The colleague she confessed this to

immediately jumped up, and said, “So let’s go!” Though he donned a business suit and tie, and a personality perhaps older than someone in their twenties, he had the youthful excitement of a teenager as he climbed into a van, inviting Dr. Quiñones-Perez to join him for some tacos.The Santa Monica College Board of

Trustees member recalled this moment with a certain fondness and a twinkle in her eyes, thinking about a man who was always youthful in heart and mind, as well as a warm-hearted professional .The professor, mentor, compatriot she

recalled was former Santa Monica College Executive Vice President and Chief Instructional Officer Randal “Randy” Lawson.After dedicating 35 years of his heart

and services to SMC, students, faculty and administration alike, were stunned and saddened to hear of his sudden death on August 19th, 2014. He was 66.Before he became Executive Vice

President on January 1, 2005, he was first an avid lover of music. After receiving his bachelors in music from Oklahoma City University, he earned a Masters in music at USC. Piano being his love and forte, he became a piano soloist and performed in music recitals throughout Southern California.In 1979, Lawson joined the SMC

community as the Music Department Chair and began a journey towards furthering students not only in music, but also in academic life at SMC as a whole. He served on numerous academic boards including the Administrative Dean of Academic Personnel, V.P. of Academic Affairs, and President of Academic Senate to name a few.Aside from being highly committed

to SMC administration and the inner workings of the college, Lawson made a concentrated effort in advancing the school’s education and instruction

standards.Serving as the Chief Instructional

Officer, Lawson lead the way in developing curriculum for SMC’s Academy of Entertainment and Technology, helping create SMC’s High School Dual Enrollment Program, and coordinating the Arts Mentor Program. His heavy involvement at SMC over the years earned him numerous awards applauding his leadership skills and administrative excellence.Commendations for his level of merit and

endless lists of involvement with the school over his 35-year-long employment have been noted. Though this list may sound like a thorough and extraordinarily impressive resume, it calls to mind how many people have come to know Lawson and have been touched by his friendship and admirable professionalism.It is Lawson’s absence on these numerous

boards (past and present) and on campus that is missed, as well as his knowledgeable presence that so many of his colleagues valued and admired.

At the first board of trustees meeting of the fall semester, on Tuesday September 2, the board members conducted a moment of silence for the passing of their treasured friend and colleague. Behind his name placard sat a blooming bouquet of flowers with a floral aroma that comforted the board members who were deeply affected by the empty chair at the end of the panel.Members of the board, with the exception

of SMC President Dr. Chui Tsang, each made a few statements to express what losing Lawson personally meant to them.Student Daniel Kolko said, “His presence

and dedication to students’ rights...will forever be missed, but will forever stay present at this college.”In recalling Lawson’s level of

professionalism and his endless knowledge about the college, being a part of the community for so long, board member Dr. Louise Jaffe said, “I feel like I’ve lost my own personal community college wikipedia.”Board member Dr. Nancy Greenstein

mentioned that Lawson was so important

to so many people, and that though he is no longer with us, “they still feel the spirit of Randy here.”He is described by board member Vice

Chair Rob Rader as the “behind the scenes” man, and the school’s spirit of excellence, professionalism and efficiency that still remains. Rader goes further to describe Lawson as a character of humility and humbleness, as he did so much and called so little attention to his efforts.In an official state made to the SMC public

relations department, Dr. Tsang said, “Randy was a mentor and adviser to so many members of the college community. He was an excellent listener who always expressed care for others and the concerns that were brought to him.”A school memorial service will be held

on Wednesday, September 17, 4pm at the Broad Stage. Current Vice President of Academic Affairs, Jeff Shimizu will be serving as interim Executive Vice President of Santa Monica College.Lawson is survived by his sister Regina

Yates, brother-in-law Howard and nephew Tyler. In lieu of flowers, Lawson’s family asks the public to donate to a scholarship established in his name and memory. The family will also be contributing to the scholarship and plans to donate Lawson’s grand piano to the SMC Music Department.The Board of Trustees each smiled at Dr.

Quiñonez-Perez calling Randal Lawson “The Conductor”, and this perhaps, is a rather perfect nick-name for him.A conductor is the key piece of an

orchestra that unifies the performers in perfect ways to create beautiful music. His position in the front of the orchestra can sometimes be overlooked in contrast to the dozens of violins, trumpets, french horns and oboes. And though it does not seem that this single character does more than wave a thin baton, he is, in fact what makes the entire process work. This is who Randal Lawson was to the SMC community.Perhaps this is a cliche or even trite

reference, but what truly comes to mind when thinking about a man like Randal Lawson are simple words of wisdom from “The Wizard of Oz”: “A heart is not measured by how much you love, but how much you are loved by others.”Donations can be sent to the Yates Family,

c/o Santa Monica College Foundation, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405.

news

amy gaskin Corsair

Randal Lawson at the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, September 6, 2012 on the campus of Santa Monica College.

Remembering Randal Lawson: The ConductorRachel GianuarionEws Editor

The fighting between Israel and Hamas has ravaged the Gaza strip in recent months, with over two-thousand Palestinian casualties, and 67 Israeli deaths, according to a graph in the New York Times.Currently, both sides are in an agreed

ceasefire, though it is feared that one side or the other will make an aggressive action and the ceasefire will end.Though a ceasefire has been reached,

the conflict between Israel and Palestine is ongoing, historically known, and has been referred to as one of the world’s “most intractable conflicts”. The remaining key struggles between the two concern mutual recognition, borders, security, water rights, control of Jerusalem, Palestinian freedom movements, and the right of return for Palestinian refugees.This summer’s violent rage of warfare

triggered anger and vehement blame from both sides of the border.Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin

Netanyahu accuses Hamas of being a terrorist

group that uses Palestinian civilians to protect their missiles. Palestinians denounce Israel’s recent military offensive Operation Deadly Edge, holding it responsible for killing almost 2,000 Palestinian civilians.The geopolitical debates being sparked

between Israeli and Palestinian leaders has triggered much debate in the United States. Pro-Israeli and pro-Palestine groups lined the streets outside of the Federal Building on Wilshire and Veteran blvd multiple times this summer, protesting for their respective sides.With accusations being thrown all around,

stirring up debates internationally and locally, we decided to ask Santa Monica College students their opinions, and who they feel the is in the wrong.Responses were all over the place. Some

were unconcerned with the situation, others were uncomfortable providing their opinions, while others provided hard stances on who was to blame.Some people thought the blame should

certainly be put on Hamas.Former SMC student Erin Kaitel shares this

opinion, saying, “Hamas is certainly a terrorist organization, as their actions show”.She continued, “If they were for the

people as they say they are, they wouldn’t be spending ninety-six million dollars on terror holes used to kidnap and attack Israelis and would instead use that to build new things such as mosques or schools.”“Hamas was pushing and pushing and when

Israel decided to step up and fight back they were surprised, doesn’t work that way,” said a student who wished to remain anonymous.Many students believed Hamas to be a

terrorist organization and one even said that they are “cowards hiding behind innocent civilians”.But not all students are on Israel’s side.

Students who felt strongly for Palestine’s situation all seemed to agree that Israelis have been mistreating the Palestinians, showing no regard for their lives, so they had to fight back.“Its like if someone constantly pushed you

around and messed with you, would you just sit there and take it?” said SMC student Dodi Joudi. “I don’t think so, and that’s

exactly how Palestinians feel, cornered.”“Its just wrong” said SMC student

Trent Wright about Israelis treatment of Palestinians.Others blame the US media for not giving

people the right information and being extremely biased towards Israel.One student, who also wished to remain

anonymous, brought up a point that both sides are to blame but, “Israel is the one that has the power and should step up and use that power to bring peace.”This is a conflict where both sides could bring

arguments to justify they’re actions, as it was noted by various students on campus.Of course, some may say both sides are to

blame. Whether its Israel’s land grabbing tactics or missiles sent by Hamas, it can be hard for anyone to decide who is innocent.Perhaps both sides can come to a

compromise that will allow for the ceasefire to turn into general sustained peace. Innocent civilians are losing the most in this situation and the quicker a resolve is found, the faster the casualty number will not rise above zero at the end of every day.

SMC Students choose pro-Israel or pro-PalestineBranislav Jovanovicstaff writEr


volume 108 issue X • September 10, 2014 • santa monica college 5News

At first glance, Associated Students President Ali Khan seems like the most busy human being on the planet as he walks through the already busy AS office, approached by anyone who needs his help with something or another.This first impression of him is not

deceitful. Even as he sits down at his desk, he promises to help his fellow AS teammates as they walk up to his office door. You’d be hard pressed to believe that he was not originally elected for the position of President, as he seemed plenty ready for it.When elected AS President Pablo

Garcia resigned rather suddenly from his position this summer, the election had long concluded. It wasn’t a question of choosing the runner-up or holding another election, because the upcoming fall semester was just around the corner. Khan, who had just been elected Vice President of the AS unopposed, needed to fill Garcia’s role.Khan said his new role was one of

“bittersweet ambivalence”.“I was preparing for being the Vice

President, so when the surprise came I had

to switch my mindset and a lot of my plans for this year, in terms of how to handle the Associated Students and what my role would be; It was a large jump to become President.”Khan was not the only one to be surprised

of his new role as AS President.Though Daniel Kolko, AS Student

Trustee, had been been expecting Pablo Garcia to assume the seat Khan now holds, he has complete faith in his abilities. “My first impression of Ali was that he

is an assertive, motivated, driven, and dedicated person and now that I’ve known him for a good amount of time, all of those have been validated,” Kolko said. “After seeing Ali in action, I can strongly say that I am confident he is going to do an amazing job this year.”Despite his presidency coming as a

surprise, Khan was ready to take on the responsibility. Dean of Associated Students, Sonali Bridges recalls Khan putting himself to work immediately after being asked to step up to the role as president, soaking up as much knowledge as possible. Bridges believes “Khan, without a doubt, will be an extraordinary president.”“Ali seeks knowledge with the intention

to serve all SMC students. He is currently

striving to learn about his role...college policy and protocol, as well as legal governing documents in the correct context,” says Bridges.The largest issue he’s tackling is ensuring

that all students at Santa Monica College are represented in the manner that they deem fit. Beyond that, he emphasizes the Associated Students’ mission statement is to increase educational advancement.Khan said that one way of accomplishing

that is by “making sure that the students’ money that was invested in Associated Students is being dispersed in a fair manner.”He accentuated bringing about change

when it comes to student tuition, noting that international student tuition has increased and books gets more expensive every year. “Part of our mission statements and part of the Associated Students’ hope for change is to make education less expensive and more accessible.”At the end of a perfect year, Khan hopes

to have set the bar for a new Associated Students team- that their new board would be set up in a position that was fair, and that they’d be ready to promote the mission of the Associate Students to year’s students.Khan, a second year English major on

his way to transferring, was proud of more than just his presidency at AS. Before being recruited to Associated Students, he was on the now-defunct debate team, and was good at it too. He, along with his brother, took first place in two different debate tournaments. But what he was proudest of was not necessarily an accomplishment of his own.“I’m proud of the cohesiveness of my

board and how, it may be partially because of me, but it’s mostly because of how their personalities fit,” he said. “I’m a hard worker and I believe in cooperation and that confidence comes from my team. I believe I have one of the best leadership teams that I have ever seen, and that’s on any level.”Bridges notes that, though this board

has three vacant seats, the current team is resourceful, adaptable and work together with an unparalleled level of synergy.Currently, the board remains incomplete

with vacancies in the Vice President, Dir. of Budget Management, Dir. of Community Relations and Dir. of Student Assistance chairs empty. Students are encouraged to apply for one or more positions, applications can be found online and are due by 5pm on September 18.

The Reign of KhanJose Gutierrezstaff writEr

Dunkin’ Donuts, the East Coast’s perennial donuts and coffee chain, has made its West Coast debut in Santa Monica. On Tuesday, September 2, the chain’s first California store opened on Wilshire and 12th street at five in the morning. Already a massive line had formed around the block and would remain so for the rest of the day.The great majority of customers

debuting the shop were from the east coast; they were transfers from areas as diverse as Rhode Island and Chicago. Joy filled their eyes at seeing a beloved staple of many American cities finally arrive to the California shoreline.“It’s a great brand, a strong brand in the

rest of the country and it was time to roll it this way,” said Richard Silverstein, the main representative of the Dunkin’ Donuts corporation present at the new store.“It’s a great opportunity, we love Los

Angeles even though we’re East Coast people,” he added, while observing the endless stream of customers filing in for sweets and caffeine.Of course Dunkin’ Donuts cannot

escape the fact that it has opened in pure Starbucks territory, with the iconic coffee brand on 11th, another up the street in Vons and more than six in the surrounding area. “It’s a different product in a different category,” explained Silverstein, “the game plan for us is to find great real estate and great opportunities. It’s also a different kind of coffee.”Silverstein shared how the reception

from Santa Monica’s city government had been warm, with Mayor Pam O’Connor showing up early on opening day and expressing gratitude at the jobs the business will bring locally. Silverstein pointed out that Dunkin’ Donuts is currently looking for other properties all over Los Angeles in order to expand.Inside among the hectic atmosphere of

the store kitchen, Director of Operations Leslie DeVictor said “it’s been really great, we saw the line building already yesterday. They’re really excited, a lot

of them are east coasters and have been waiting for a Dunkins.”Behind the counter, workers at the

front were busily filling cups with their highly coveted brew and delivering fresh steaming donuts to eager customers who had all been waiting for at least an hour. Those in the back of the restaurant were working like the Santa’s elves they were, releasing pastries from their baking beds weaving through the small spaces to the front. Silverstein noted that employment for the location in Southern Californian had increased from very few to about sixty employees in two weeks.

Among them is Santa Monica College student Adrian Manuel, who just clocked in for his 4:00 P.M. shift after getting out of class during the first week of school. The 20-year-old kinesiology major says he has been with the company for three weeks and so far the best part is seeing all of the loyal guests delighted to receive the donuts he hands over.Outside, local resident Alex Decicco was

already waiting in line for an hour and stated “I came here because of my wife. We’re from New England and grew up

with Dunkin’ Donuts, it was a morning tradition.”Most, if not all, of the visitors waiting

in line during the early afternoon hours were from the east coast of the country.Brayulio Gomez said “we are from the

east coast, this is like a trademark for us. These are the best donuts and coffee, it’s like having a little bit of home here. I’m from Rhode Island.”Dallen Stanford, another customer in

waiting, is a native of South Africa but he too came to wait for a chance to taste Dunkin’ Donuts’ coffee and pastries because of his wife. While waiting for her

to come back from their car he said, “We came at 4:45 in the morning but the line was 300 people long and we decided to come back because we have to be here on day one.”Stanford revealed that he never drank

much coffee in South Africa until he moved to the States. He shared that even Starbucks isn’t as big over there as it is in the U.S., or the Arab countries he has ventured into.“Whenever I go to the east coast the

first thing I do is find a Dunkin’ Donuts

and get myself a coffee, and now they’re finally here. The coffee is a lot smoother; it’s kind of a darker flavor,” said Stanford.Even those at the end of the line

remained steadfast and persevering, determined to wait however long it takes to get a taste of their favorite east coast breakfast spot. Two girls near the end of the line, eager as ever, knowing it would take more than an hour, were determined to wait. Santa Monica resident Daniel Miranda, of New Jersey said she’d been waiting for Dunkin’ Donuts to come to this coast for years.“Every time you go home (to the east

coast), Dunkin’ Donuts is the best part,” she said. Miranda recalled a time when she had just landed at an airport in New Jersey and saw the Dunkin’ Donuts sign just outside of the customs area. She got so excited to have her coffee and manager’s special, that she bolted around the line to get outside, creating a security threat, and almost getting arrested. It’s all for the DD coffee.Also waiting with Miranda, was Santa

Monica resident Kristine McHugh, who had painted her nails alternating bright orange and pink in honor of the opening. The two gushed over the anticipation of the iced french vanilla latte, ham and cheese croissants and chicken biscuits not sold at all of their locations.They both agreed that Dunkin’ Donuts

brings people together, just as it brought them together, two complete strangers who made a pact to hold each others’ spots in line in case one had to leave. Lines outside of Dunkin’ Donuts still

stretch around the block almost a week after its opening, east coasters still eager to get their DD coffee fix, and west coasters curious to see what it is that makes this seemingly simple doughnut shop such a draw.According to the Dunkin’ Donuts

official website, there will be restaurant locations opening in Whittier, Modesto, Long Beach and Downey, as part of a plan to open more than 200 restaurants in California. Over time, the company plans to expand their company throughout The Golden State to more than 1,000 locations.

Dunkin’ Donuts West Coast debutAlci Rengifo &Rachel GianuarioEditor-in-ChiEf & nEws Editor

Customers lined up around the block and endured waiting up to two hours to try out the first Dunkin’ Donuts donuts and coffee on the West Coast last Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif.

ronja jansz Corsair


volume 108 issue 1 • September 10, 2014 • santa monica college 6 photostory

Summer break began, but the news kept going.

While you were away....

Scott Bixler - Corsair

Carlos Espinosa - Corsair

Originally elected as AS Vice President, Ali Khan was promoted to the Presidental seat in July after the sudden resignation of previously elected Pablo Garcia.

Relay for Life hosted a 24 hour walking relay in July at the Corsair Stadium sponsored by the American Cancer Society, in order to raise money and awareness for the disease.

The 32nd Annual Celebrate America Festival was hosted on the Corsair Stadium field on Saturday, June 28, with music, dancing, and fireworks.

A young boy asks the LAPD, “Will you shoot me too?” as he stands in front of the Central Community Police station on Jefferson Blvd. and Central Ave. in

South Central Los Angeles, California on August 15, 2014.

Liz Phillips - Corsair


volume 108 issue 1 • september 10, 2014 • santa monica college 7photostory

Summer break began, but the news kept going.

While you were away....

Scott Bixler - Corsair

Mia Duncans - Corsair

Jose Lopez - Corsair

Jose Lopez - Corsair

A water main running underneath Sunset Blvd. burst on July 29th spilling 8-10 million gallons of water

onto UCLA’s recenly renevated Drake Stadium.

Los Angeles saw multiple protests during the recent Gaza conflict.

Supporters for both sides often rallied on Wilshire Blvd in June and July to voice

their heated stances.

A young boy asks the LAPD, “Will you shoot me too?” as he stands in front of the Central Community Police station on Jefferson Blvd. and Central Ave. in

South Central Los Angeles, California on August 15, 2014.


volume 108 issue 1 • September 10, 2014 • santa monica college 8 Arts & Entertainment

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15992-14

explore. experience. expand.®

15992.indd 1 9/4/14 8:14 AM

All the noise, dust, banging and commotion at The Broad Stage is to expand the facility and experience for SMC students, educators and the community. This expansion will add yet another amazing element to the already unique Italian horseshoe design of the original facility built in 2008.When all the dust clears, “The Performing

Art Center, East Wing will house a 150 seat multipurpose room for music rehearsals and performances, one music vocal classroom, one music piano classroom and new restrooms,” Dr. Tsang said.The expansion has been underway

since August 2014 and is expected to be completed by December 2015.The construction has not interrupted any

of the performances because the space that is being built, is a totally separate building. Although, students taking dance and music classes have said the noise has been a distraction while in class.Alisa De Los Santos, the Education

and Community Programs Manager at The Broad Stage said, “The new space brings the possibility of hosting events for select education programs instead of our office.” Which will give the education and community outreach department more resources for their workshops.More events for educators, students and

the community will be possible with this expansion complete, according to De Los Santos. She goes on, “Giving them resources to teach the specific material that their students are then seeing on stage.”SMC students have the chance to

participate in The Broad master class program which pairs world-class artists at the height of their careers with students to teach them their craft. The program focuses mainly on the dance, theatre, and

music departments.Master classes that are offered to SMC

students this year include BODYTRAFFIC for dance students; actors can participate in the Box Tale Soup production and The Calder Quartet is offered for musicians.The student matinee program was the

first education program developed at The Broad Stage and not only services K-12 grades but also any professor at SMC can request free tickets for their class to attend a performance as a group. De Los Santos said, “The student matinee is one of the most robust programs with the education department, and the buses are something we find is one of the most important thing we can fund.”The new east wing that is currently under

construction will be used for the professional development workshops that support the K-12 education and community program. Educators can apply for this program by visiting www.thebroadstage.com/educationIndividual student tickets can be obtained

by calling the box office for a discounted student price of $20; regular price tickets are $45-$135. The tickets are limited, but students can request tickets at the discounted price any time while supplies last.Subscriptions are now available although

there is not a student subscription yet, the regular subscription secures your seat with a 10% discount.The Broad Stage hosts performances such

as theater shows, musicals, films, dance, opera, symphony and chamber orchestras. It currently offers two different stages, the main stage with 499 seats while the Black Box is a more intimate space used for up-in-coming performers.So go check out a performance and

get inspired in the arts to add to your educational experience.

Broad stage expansionStacy Ellenstaff writEr

The ocean air rose through the planks of the pier as OK Go singer Damian Kulash made his way off of the stage and into the middle of a crowd of fans. “I want you guys to imagine I’m really hot,” Kulash told the audience as he strapped on his acoustic guitar. “I mean, not like sweaty and sticky hot,” he said drenched in sweat, “but actually beautiful.”OK Go played the penultimate concert of

Santa Monica’s Twilight Concerts Series, bringing their brand of humor and poppy alternative rock to the pier, which earlier in the series hosted such acts as Cults, Yuna, Jagwar Ma, and The Zombies. The Twilight Concert Series has been bringing varied acts to play free shows for the public on the pier for 30 years, drawing crowds who even find their place on the beach below.Most casual fans familiar with OK Go,

myself included, know them for their outlandish, creative, and memorable videos, their most popular one being the one for their closing song “Here It Goes Again,” which includes an elaborate, unedited, lip synched dance number staged on eight running treadmills.The band has had a long career, that’s

included creating a Superbowl ad music video in 2012, but the band never let themselves get disconnected from their fans, bantering with those nearby, even performing a song from “Les Miserables” as an encore near the end of the night by request. The back and forth between the band and the fans even led to Kulash and bassist Tim Nordwind revealing that the band name’s origins date back to when

they met 28 years before in summer camp, as a joke about a counselor who was not so secretly smoking cannabis.Those who attended expecting a visual

spectacle as per OK Go’s videos were treated instead to straight up performances of much of their new album and their string of forgotten but still golden hits. Most of their songs proved to be an ideal dance soundtrack for the audience, barring a solo acoustic performance of “Last Leaf ” by Kulash in the middle of the audience, where he fist bumped a fan.The closest thing the band came to its videos

was when they led the audience in handclaps and stomps, sampling their sound in order to make a beat for the song “There’s a Fire.” OK Go’s real surprise was in the danceable and catchy quality of their songs to those who had only paid attention to the visuals in their videos, overlooking their music.The Twilight Concert Series has served

as an unofficial launchpad or showcase for many emerging bands since it’s recent partnership with the founder of the Echo, including Best Coast, Dawes, and HAIM. The openers for OK Go were The Allah-Lahs, who seem as if they too are being prepped for wider audience.The Allah-Lahs have a psychedelic garage

rock sound that would have made them an ideal pairing for The Zombies a few weeks prior. However, with the following they have already gathered, that showed their support while grooving out (seriously, at least a few seemed incapable of wittingly controlling their bodies as they swayed and twisted to the music), it was clear that The Allah-Lahs were in need of a boost from a more well-known, established band such as OK Go, who was announced to the official concert series line-up late.

As the crowds gathered with lawn chairs to scope out their desired bands on the pier, larger crowds amassed beneath the pier to hear the bands as they lay in the sand. As the night wound down and the music grew louder, it seemed apparent that many beach bound revelers were inebriated, surely many Ubers and Lyfts were called to the pier that

night.The last concert of the series is this

Thursday, September 11, featuring old school R&B New Orleans band King James and the Special Men opening for soul singer Charles Bradley. After this series the pier will make way for big screen offerings outdoors, with “Frozen” and “Gravity” in October.

Twilight Concerts reach season high with OK GoJuan Lopezdigital Editor

Damian Kulash, lead singer of alternative rock band OK Go, performing the song “Last Leaf,” in the middle of a crowd of fans during their free Twilight Concert Series performance on the Santa Monica Pier on Thursday, September 4, 2014 in Santa Monica, Calif.

jose lopez Corsair


volume 108 issue X • September 10, 2014 • santa monica college 9Opinion

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is not a novelty. Reaching about 1.2 million hits through Facebook videos and 2.2 million hits on Twitter between July and August, the phenomenon of so many charitable donors and volunteers willingly pouring ice cold water over their heads in support of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients (ALS), became “the thing” of this year’s summer.But why did so many citizens of

America— not to mention celebrities and even former presidents (George W. Bush, not that he deserves applause), decide to come out for a cause—when the general public and social media have never been as concerned for previous causes?The reality is, as sad as it may be, the

typical American narcissist would love a little more attention.While ALS estimates about 5,600

diagnoses a year—Heart disease (596,577), Cancer (576,691), Alzheimer’s disease (84,974) and Diabetes (73,831), all range as the leading causes of death for Americans for the year 2013, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Personally, I do not believe in supporting

one cause over another. In an article on the website Faithit, Bo Stern wrote about being with a husband diagnosed with ALS and shared that some people against the challenge may not “realize what it’s like to face this insidious disease and then realize that it’s nearly invisible to the rest of the world.”Their success in raising national awareness

should continue to be congratulated. But the reality is so many more lives of people battling hazardous conditions in underdeveloped nations could be saved with that amount of money. Of course, I am not saying that the ALS Association did not rightfully receive those donations;

I am saying that if we had a little more altruism and conscientiousness towards similar causes, the world would be a better place. Furthermore, we cannot deny the insinuations that participation is not coming out of an altruistic society.As for charities and organizations

watching the ALS Association with envy, Doug White insists that they do not waste their efforts and rely on such a gimmick. As the director of the Master of Science in Fundraising Management program at Columbia University, he claims that “40 to 50 percent of new donors don’t come back,” according to Forbes. As Americans we seem to tire of new exciting things quickly.The ALS Association raised about $1.35

million in just two weeks, in contrast to the $22,000 raised in the same period last year (ALS Association confirmed on FOX News) before the ice bucket challenge.And contrary to what some may believe,

the ice bucket challenge does not make you feel as ALS patients do. “Freezing” and “paralyzing” is not the same condition. By any matter, participants could have simply made a direct money donation and avoided throwing gallons of water down on their heads.So while Americans fumble around to buy

pounds of ice and filling our newsfeed with videos of themselves looking “very cute” while dumping our limited water supply, they should consider that California has been declared to be in “the driest year in recorded history.”Governor Brown asked all Californians

to increase their efforts to conserve water, instructed agencies to send water to farmers at a faster pace, and demanded further protection to vulnerable wildlife and preparation for an extreme fire season, according to the California Department of Water Resources. Improvements for 2014 are nowhere to be seen and Californians cannot afford to be wasteful.

Although the ALS Association suggested to “repurpose the water used” after noting public concern, this advice is no longer useful for the estimation of more than 60 million of gallons already used. According to Jason Ruiz of the Long Beach Post, “The average American household uses 320 gallons per day, which means that based on this estimation, nearly 19,000 homes’ daily water usage has been wasted.” Not to mention the additional gallons of water used in group videos.To think that only 2.2% of the world’s

water is available for human use and many of us already throw gallons of water

away down our shower drains, sinks, and toilets—another millions of gallons going down to the sewers, does not put our country in a better condition. Food prices are going up on account of crops drying out. Fracking is certainly not helping our situation by wasting thousands of gallons for a single well.So my message to SMC students and the

citizens of America—please stop throwing our water away. We throw plenty of it already. Be conscientious. And next time you consider a cause, leave your inner narcissist behind.

jhoseph hern Corsair

Doing the wrong thing for the right reasonDeni Rodriguezstaff writEr

Every September 11 we gather collectively to remember the terrorist attack which brought down the Twin Towers in New York on that dreadful day in 2001. Gore Vidal once famously termed us a country “the United States of Amnesia.” Vidal was referring to our habit of forgetting our own history, but our amnesia is nowhere as bad as when it comes to remembering the history of our neighbors down south. Long before those planes cast the predatory shadows over Manhattan, Latin America already

knew the date of September 11 as a deep, unforgettable scar.In 1971 Chile made history when it

became the first country to elect a Marxist president, Salvador Allende, in free and democratic elections. The victory created shockwaves in the region where the image of socialism was immediately associated with the radical example of Cuba, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. Allende began a social reform process which was a far cry from the radicalism of the Cubans or Chinese, it was a gradual process and yet for the United States, it was a dangerous example. The Richard Nixon White House became

convinced that the Chilean road to socialism would set a dangerous precedent in a region mired by poverty and extreme inequality. These were the days of the Cold War when ideological battles outweighed common sense or rationality.The first major danger signs came when

Allende nationalized Chile’s copper, taking it away from the major private industries with big links in the United States. Capitalism freely brushes away borders and shudders when socialism does the same. Then Secretary of State Henry Kissinger famous and cynically said that “we should not let a country go Communist, simply because of the irresponsibility of its own people.”As documented in “Story Of A Death

Foretold: The Coup Against Salvador Allende, September 11, 1973,” by Oscar Guardiola-Rivera, the Nixon administration ordered a series of economic sabotages and began funding fascist groups to destabilize Chilean society through terrorism and riots, provoking shortages and other calamities. Nixon said the U.S. should “make the Chilean economy scream.”Eventually the situation spiraled into

a major tragedy when Chilean military officers, trained by the United States and led by General Augusto Pinochet, led a fascist coup on September 11, 1973 when the air force bombed the presidential palace and smashed the government. Allende fought to the end in the palace itself and took his own life rather than surrendering. The result was a brutal dictatorship which killed over 30,000 people and even increased inequality in Chile.Why is this important for us to know in the

United States? Apart from the fact that our country had a role in Chile’s plight, history is a universal reality and it cannot be brushed aside. Our actions in other countries have direct consequences that affect our own national interests, many times negatively. Consider the situation today in Iraq. Once again our imperial president is justifying airstrikes and the deployment of troops in another country. But the rise of the Islamic State is a direct result of our 2003 invasion and destruction of Iraq. We shattered that country through a violent occupation, driven by mad visions of remaking an entire region. The corrupt government we installed and helped support there only laid the groundwork for a radical, extremist, terrifying group like ISIS to emerge out of the blood-soaked earth and proclaim the end of the old order, backed the U.S., and the birth of a horrible new age. In the Arab world, where the terrorists of 9/11 came from, we continue to support brutal regimes in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen and elsewhere where the restless seek solace in toxic doctrines and unforgiving, intense visions. The crimes of September 11, 2001 have no excuse, but the roots we must not look away from.Even in Latin America figures like Hugo

Chavez and Evo Morales took power in elections in the 2000s as a reaction to U.S. policies in the region. And they were at least socialists without arms, whereas in the Middle East we have not learned the lessons of our actions and with more bombs and interventions will only help breed new nightmares.

Remembering The Other 9/11Alci RengifoEditor-in-ChiEf

rachel gianuario Corsair


volume 108 issue 1 • September 10, 2014 • santa monica college 10 Health & Lifestyle

August 19th may have been just another day for everyday students but for our Earth it was probably be the most important day of the year.Earth Overshoot day, also known

as ecological debt day, is a marker to commemorate the day that we have used up all of the natural resources our Earth can produce in one year.This includes water, food, energy, and also

means that we have exceeded the planet’s annual capacity to absorb waste products such as carbon dioxide.According to Global Footprint Network,

the planet arrived at the marker one day earlier than last year.While we may be living on resources

borrowed from future generations, not many students seems to know about it.Santa Monica College student Andrea

Wasawas was devastated and angry when she heard that the global community had used an entire year’s supply of resources within eight months.“We don’t need to use the amount that we

do,” Wasawas said.SMC student Kevin Kim was also

unaware of Earth overshoot day. “I didn’t know we even had a budget for resources,” Kim said.What seems to be the biggest problem

about this day is the lack of publicity.Jason Hwang, an international student

from Singapore, believes that this news is worrying.“I’m curious to see what implications

there are and if there is an easy way to digest the statistics. Awareness has to start from somewhere, and the school should promote this day,” Hwang said.Michelle Pei, a second year student at

SMC also thinks that the school should raise more awareness for Earth Overshoot Day and believes that it can be difficult for students to know what they can do.“SMC does inform students on the

TV, and they promote the water bottles, but there should be more posters, more activities, students need to be engaged,” Pei said.Many students felt that they didn’t know

where to begin when hearing about this problem.Fred Herrate a second year student at

SMC questioned, “Where did the resources

go? How does the budgeting work?”Herrate also believes that population and

culture are major problems with resource consumption.“We have a problem with over eating,

especially in America. There are also too many people and we can’t feed everyone. We need to wake up and take responsibility.”Many students felt that the sheer diversity

within our campus promotes a more sustainable lifestyle and allows students to grow and conserve.According to Global Footprint Network,

we would need almost five planets if everyone in the world lived and consumed resources like an average U.S. Citizen.If the world is headed towards ecological

bankruptcy, it might be necessary to change the way we live and consume.

Living on borrowed natural resourcesFarhanah Alistaff writEr

When Peter Frates was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) he was forced to give up his baseball career and live the remainder of his life in a wheelchair while speaking through a computer keyboard. Rather than letting the disease defeat him, Frates instead fought to develop a fundraising tool for the ALS Association that has become a worldwide phenomenon, The Ice Bucket Challenge.The challenge entails taking a bucket of

ice water and pouring it over your head, simulating, only for seconds, how it feels to not be able to move your whole body. The challenge also asks for people to donate

money to the ALS Foundation. The challenge has spread like wildfire

across social media outlets and has caught the attention of celebrities and common people alike. Frate’s plan to spear head the challenge through social media worked better than he had expected. Soon numerous people were participating and challenging their friends to follow their lead through social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.Many SMC students have participated in

the challenge. SMC student Marcus Osti was inspired by his friend’s challenge for him to participate. “I thought it was a very creative and unique way to raise awareness for something that’s relatively unknown,” he said.

Marcus also posted the video to Facebook and challenged several friends to do the same thing. “It’s contagious and it’s something other people are going to want to do.”Marcus is right, the challenge has gone

viral over the past month. Many people who were challenged, may or may not have known about ALS disease until they were called out via social media.SMC student Elena Vucetic said, “I didn’t

really know much about what it was until I saw the ice bucket challenges online.”The challenge is so popular that it has

been seen in many different, fun, and creative ways.“I saw one where the whole football team

poured buckets of ice on each other,” said

Vucetic referring to the New England Patriots’ answer to the challenge.As of September 5, the challenge has

raised 109.1 million dollars, according to the ALS Association website. They also report that there have been donations from more than 3 million people.Whether it is just for fun, or out of a

genuine interest in donating to the ALS cause, the ice bucket challenge seems to have done a lot of good in funding research for a cure. The challenge is indeed a trend, and many people have participated because their friends have done it. Only time will tell if it will fade or continue to grow. It may just inspire other organizations to come up with more creative ways to fundraise and spread their cause to the world.

Ice buckets: inspiration, or waste of time?Devin Pagestaff writEr

carlos espinosa Corsair

The Chevron Refinery in El Segundo, is the largest producer of oil on the west coast, processing more than 274.000 barrels of fuel a day.


volume 108 issue X • September 10, 2014 • santa monica college 11poetry & fiction

Frederick ruffled his feathers. The Santa Monica sun warmed his beak as he paddled around the Art Pond. He watches book-laden students pass by, too hurried to talk to one another. Smiling, he turns to his companion without meeting the eyes of anyone else around but his fellow duck, “There will be a great deal of tomorrows between us this year, my love. This season is certain to be marvelous.” Petunia looked at her mallard companion and paddled around the pond gracefully. The petite duck swims in circles whenever she is happy, “Yes indeed dear Frederick. I cannot wait to hear more of their stories”Frederick had not always been a duck.

Before his arrival to the college- to this earth even, he had been a powerful wizard. Parallel to our world there are two others: the shadow world called Sipio and the dream realm known as Elsemere.Frederick had traveled into the dark realm

to rescue his darling, Petunia the Brave- who had ventured into the shadows of Sipio in search of knowledge and wisdom. However she had become entangled with her own fear and self doubt. King Linger, the ruler of Sipio, took advantage of this, and put her to work doing menial tasks- ill suited to dreamsome nature. When Frederick found out an epic battle ensued, resulting in the victory of the dark king. The result was that the Sipian King banished them to the Real World, where they would live among the humans, but transformed them into small birds- so they would not be able to communicate. Initially when they had appeared in this

world, it had been on the beach. Neither of them had ever seen such a vast pond. Petunia had been surprised to discover her once beautiful violet skin had been covered with feathers, she no longer had any horns- now her feet were webbed, and she was considerably smaller. Frederick was

not at all upset about his new found proud dressage, but did miss his long trailing bead- and sparkling wizards hat.The two of them paddled around the

pond happily. In their minds, it was a sunny day in Elsemere- as well as in Santa Monica. Frederick still retained some of his magical abilities and every few days he would use them to body swap with one of the students. It was never for very long, at least not in duckhours. Frederick was able to take on a whole new perspective for a time. His appearance in this new world filled him with curiosity, and this was his only way of understanding those around him. Humans existed in Elsemere as well, but

behaved quite differently than those in this world. They came in many other colors, had a great deal of features which did not seem common to those of this race- they had been allowed to evolve without war and the primary concern of the realm was one’s curiosity- and what made one create and become. In Elsemere each person was their soul’s masterpiece. Creation in the dream realm carried on undaunted by reality. Some residents grew fanciful coral gardens, others would become wing surgeons- grafting on the ability to soar above the cloud painters, some would be in charge of inventing new colors.What Petunia missed most about her

homeland was the Grand Elsemerian Library.Luckily, she found solace in the students

who took over Frederick’s body when he swapped. They would at first be very confused and afraid, still worried about classes, exams and work- but she would teach them how to accept being a duck for a moment, and often leaving them a better human afterwards. The way the duck wizard went about

his body swapping began with a gaze, He would match his black eyes with a student and peer into them into he found their soul. Which usually worked, everyone has one-

they just occasionally forget about it and leave it somewhere, like misplacing one’s keys. The more complacent, or distracted the person was- the easier time Frederick had swapping bodies. Body switching is as easy as changing caps if you know how it’s done. For two hours last Wednesday, he was a cute Japanese girl learning about cell division in her biology class. As a wizard always does, he made sure to take very good notes- and always made sure to wait until the second or third week of school so he would have a pool of sample handwriting to mimic. The typically quiet girl giggled and drew pictures in the margins of her page. Frederick was more than partially

responsible for the proliferation of the ‘duck face’ trend on Facebook. It takes an Elsemerian wizard to organize such silliness. Later she stopped by the Art Pond. The

girl smiled at the duck and suddenly she

was looking back at the pond. While she had been a duck- she had paddled happily and stretched her wings- getting a rare chance to fly. The rest of her day went swimmingly, but she never mentioned it to anyone. No one ever asked, nor did she expect anyone would believe it. The two ducks make up the secret life

blood of the school- when you’re stressed and needing a break from being human, go to find them. Petunia will ask you about your dreams and tell you about the fanciful realm from which she hails and Frederick will help you get by- hoping to understand your world and context. You see, body switching is easy- the hardest part is changing minds and hearts when they’re filled with fear and anxiety. Frederick believes the key to sanity and happiness is your pursuit of knowledge and Petunia reminds you not to neglect your soul. So next time you see our school duck- meet his gaze, and enjoy your day.

scott Bixler Corsair

Santa Monica College duck Frederick looks for dinner in the grass on the evening of Tuesday 3 June 2014 in front of the Langauge Arts building on campus.

Frederick, the body-swapping duckCourtney KingContributor

You’re Muslim right? That’s pretty exotic it’s messed up how they show your people as so chaotic

My people? Who’s that? The people on the screen?My people come in all colors, races and creeds.

I’m Muslim, I’m American, I play lacrosse for fun.What? They have lacrosse in the country where you’re from?

Yeah we got it all, it’s the land of opportunity!wow, that sounds a whole lot like a democracy!

Well I give up, can you just tell me where you’re from?No not Inglewood, where are you really really from

I’m really really from my mom, and we’re Yemeni and Ethiopian.Oh that’s a cool mix! But your accent is so American!

And that’s a nice turban you got on, but I really wanna see your hair.Why do you have to wear a scarf, dont you get hot under there?

Oh my hijab? It’s alright I got used to itand you wanna see my hair? sorry babe, gotta put a ring on it

So if you are Muslim AND American, what kind of food do you eat?Cereal, noodles, chipotle, but I can’t get any of their meat.

Oh ya I forgot, that’s against your religionNo, it just has to be halal, I tried but im not vegetarian.

That’s cool, we should get falafel some time, or go to a hookah caféI know this place where all the moslems go, and serve hummus all day.

Well let me tell you one more thing, Islam’s not only an Arab thingOh yeah, it’s Pakistani too, right? Well Islam has no nationality.

It’s as personal as a crush or someone’s sexualityand I was always taught tolerance over brutality

and if these sound like familiar patriotic customs,then you see it’s not such a paradox to be a proud American Muslim.

Paradox

by: Sarah Yosef

CONTRIBUTEYOUR ART,

POEMS, AND FICTION!

Your work could be here! Please send us your

poems, stories, comics, and art to publish.

Submit your work to

[email protected]


volume 108 issue 1 • September 10, 2014 • santa monica college 12 sports

Santa Monica College’s offense was at their best when playing from behind – and that alone may be a sign of good things to come.Down 10-0 early, it took a while for the

Corsairs offense to get going, but once they got started, they would not be stopped.Fresh off his transfer from College of the

Canyons, quarterback Jake Dashnaw made quite a first impression, completing 13-26 passes for 334 yards, and four touchdowns. He also added a one-yard touchdown run, totaling 5 touchdowns on the day.Dashnaw completely dominated the

second half with the help of wide receiver Kaelin Jones who finished the day with three catches for 74 yards and two touchdowns. But the reason the offense was still in the game to start the second half was the prolific SMC defense.Down 10-7 in the first quarter, the SMC

defense did exactly what they’re known for, as they forced a College of the Desert fumble at Desert’s own goal line, and recovered it for a touchdown. Recovering the ball in the end zone was freshman Jameal Baker.Usually one defensive touchdown is all a

team can ask for. But with five minutes left in the first half, the defense did it again as

freshman Tony Gutiernez came up with an interception, and took it 34 yards for a touchdown.“Both guys are good football players,

and quality guys. They’re young, and they made some plays, and then they didn’t make plays, but luckily the plays they made were highlight type plays," said defensive coordinator Steve Garcia. “That’s our goal, to create turnovers, to get the ball back to the offense, or score on defense. We helped ourselves out, but there’s still a lot of work to be done to be a really good, quality defense in this conference.”As the second half got started, so too

did the SMC offense. Over the final two quarters SMC outscored Desert 26-9, thanks to three of Dashnaw’s four passing touchdowns, as well as a career high 61-yard touchdown run from running back

Melvin Davis.“It’s a blessing. Everyone was doing their

job; I couldn’t do it without my linemen, and all my receivers downfield. It was my longest touchdown run so far, but hopefully I’ll have many more," said Davis.In past seasons, it was either the defense or

the offense that could be praised for saving the day. But In the end, it was the defense that kept the Corsairs close, and the offense that finished the job. This partnership between the offense, and the defense that was all too rare last season, might just be what the fans of SMC have been waiting for since the start of the current dynasty. But only time will tell.The Corsairs will travel to San Diego

next Saturday, as they gear up for a highly anticipated matchup against Southwestern College. Kickoff @ 6pm.

Trev Angonesports Editor

Dashnaw leads Corsairs to first win of season

Janay Rice, a messenger of domestic abuseJanay Rice has given people against

domestic violence another reason to drop their jaws. It has been a few months since footage surfaced of National Football League running back Ray Rice dragging his unconscious girlfriend out of an elevator, and the incident has sparked heavy outrage both from the situation itself and how the media has handled it.ESPN reporter Stephen A. Smith

received a large chunk of criticism for his comments regarding the topic when he implied that women are to blame as they should know better than to provoke an unstable individual. Of course, Smith since cleared up his comments and garnered some forgiveness from fans of the sports news program.More recently, NFL commissioner Roger

Goodell as well as the rest of the league were criticized for the punishment given to Rice. While people expected a heavy sentence, Rice was merely given a two

game suspension.And just as the season got underway and

the waters started to calm, arose additional footage of the scene inside of the elevator showing Rice viscously punch his girlfriend, knocking her against a railing, rendering her unconscious.Since then, Rice was released by his team

the Baltimore Ravens, and was suspended from playing in the NFL indefinitely.While changing the minds of the legions

of people who had initially disapproved of the punishment, Janay Rice, the victim of the assault, decided not only to defend her boyfriend, but to berate anyone who had taken the side of the NFL and its consequences.In an instagram post created on Tuesday,

Janay Rice defended her husband, proclaiming that the love they share is strong and that they are moving forward with their lives.But perhaps the more disheartening part

of the post would be when she accuses the media of simply wanting to gain ratings off

the scandal.“To take something away from the man

I love that he has worked his a** off for all his life just to gain ratings is a horrific [sic]. THIS IS OUR LIFE!,” wrote Rice in her post.Far be it for anyone to judge the love this

couple shares, but perhaps Rice shouldn’t attempt to ward off the only outlet that can bring light to such a sad epidemic.Domestic violence is continuously

overlooked in today’s world due to fear or insecurity, causing many people to only wish for someone to stand up agains it. In a society that hates when celebrities do not get the punishments they may deserve (Bieber fever comes to mind), this post is discouraging to those who fight for the cause.Because of the “ratings”, Rice received

the punishment that people continuously ask for, increasing the hope for equal treatment between celebrities and the “average pedestrian.”Of course, this is hardly the harshest

punishment Rice could or should have received, and many people still cry for more, but it’s a start. It just doesn’t help when people like Janay Rice continue to hide from the brutality of domestic violence.Wherever Janay Rice may be at the

moment, she needs to understand that while she may not like people shining a spotlight on her “love” life, there are plenty of women without the luxury of being a celebrity, who have gotten more than punched, that would beg for someone to take notice as to what they’re going through.So before Janay Rice flips her next lid,

maybe she should wake up, and take into consideration how other women may feel about domestic violence. This is hardly the last time anyone will talk about this topic, and next week we’ll discuss just how students, athletes, and coaches may feel about the events. Until then, let the spotlight shine.

Jonathan Ramos Managing Editor

Brandon Barsugli Corsair

SMC’s player Melvin Davis (#5) runs the ball down field during a game against College of the Desert, on Saturday. SMC won 53-39.

Brandon Barsugli Corsair

SMC’s Jake Dashnaw (#12) stiff-arms College of the Desert‘s DeAndre Lampley (#55) during Saturday’s home game.

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