Of Cults and Culture
The word “cult” is like the word “love”; both have been overused to the point of senselessness. Everyday, people say they “love” things that they certainly wouldn’t marry or die for. Pop culture elements that tout a dedicated group of fans are quickly dubbed as a “cult” following, though the fans likely wouldn’t drink poisoned Flavor-Aid to show their devotion to, say, Rocky Horror Picture Show. To be fair, with Rocky Horror fans, you never know.
We Need to Celebrate Veterans Day Every Day
We need to celebrate Veterans Day, not only on one day, but every day. I’m writing this paper because a survey came out that says 22 veterans commit suicide every day. I am a veteran of the United States Marine Corp. and on Aug. 4, 2019 I had surgery on my knee. On Aug. 26, the first day of school, all hell broke loose.
Death by Counterfeit THC Cartridges
On Oct. 4, the Food and Drug Administration [FDA] released a statement advising the public to stop consuming all Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) vaping products, due to an ongoing investigation regarding medical cases related to lung illnesses.
As of Oct. 22, 34 people have died from the mysterious, ongoing epidemic. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] has had over 1,600 cases related to severe respiratory problems reported to the nation’s health protection agency.
A Report on SMC's Campus Safety
Campus safety speaks to more than campus-wide emergency situations or petty crimes like theft. It also includes issues like stalking, assault, and sexual battery. Among undergraduate students, 23.1 percent of females and 5.4 percent of males experience rape or sexual assault, according to the report by the American Association for Universities (AAU) “Report on Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct”, published in 2015. “Campus Sexual Violence Statistics”, a study done by the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network in 2016 shows that students are at the highest risk of sexual assault in the first few months of their first and second semesters in college.
Wildfires Worsen Air Quality in California
According to the American Lung Association's (ALA) 2019 State of the Air report, seven of the 10 most ozone-polluted cities are in California, with Los Angeles being the worst. However, while poor air quality has long been a staple of life in California, frequent wildfires have further degraded the air quality.
Greta Teams up with Youth Climate Strike in Los Angeles
Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish global activist, took to the streets together with the Youth Climate Strike on Friday in Los Angeles City Hall. She is the prominent figure of the international movement known as Fridays For the Future, which organizes the Climate Strikes.
SMC's Dance Department Presents Synapse Dance Theater
On November 2 and 3, the Santa Monica College (SMC) Contemporary Dance Ensemble portrayed nearly two hours of moving artistry at the Fall 2019 showcase.
Sustainability Against All Odds
Despite setbacks due to the Getty Fire, SMC clubs collaborated during Sustainability Week to educate students and promote sustainable living.
"We Summon the Darkness" Review
Writer of "We Summon the Darkness" shares what inspired the writing of this film.
Adult Swim Festival Turns Two
Adult Swim Festival returns to downtown Los Angeles for another year of live music, comedy, games, and rides.
The Tech Giant (Maybe) Monopoly
By legal definition, Facebook and Alphabet are not monopolies. Facebook doesn't have a stranglehold on online communication, as there are other ways of connecting to others through sites or apps like Discord, Twitter, or even Snapchat. Google is the most dominant search engine in the world but there are others like Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Yahoo. Facebook and Google aren't the only options in their respective industries, but while they aren't technically monopolies, this doesn't stop them from engaging in monopolistic behavior.
Walk, Don’t Drive
We live in one of the most accessible cities in the United States. Across all of Los Angeles, there are numerous commute options to get to school, work, or just to try a new coffee space. But with the celebrity name, L.A., comes the celebrity rumor, L.A. traffic. With so many options to choose for transportation, much of our community still decides to drive everywhere.
Congressional Democrats Open Impeachment Inquiry
House Democrats have officially opened an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump over the potential withholding of congressionally approved U.S. tax dollars for military aid to the Ukrainian government in exchange for their investigating his U.S. political opponent.
Sustainability Week 2019 Coming to SMC
SMC students have the opportunity to learn about their environmental impact at the 2019 Sustainability Week, taking place during activity hour from Oct. 28 to Oct. 30.
Howie Hawkins's Green Plans
Green Party candidate and ecosocialist — ecologist and socialist — Howie Hawkins visited Santa Monica College (SMC) on Thursday, Oct. 10. He spoke to an avid audience about what his plans for the country would be if he were elected president. The facts and figures he presented substantiated his plans.
Students Find Sanctuary in Student Services Center
This semester, Santa Monica College (SMC) opened its brand new Student Services Center (SSC) on main campus. Modern in architecture and covered in pristine blue glass, hundreds of students walk through its sliding glass doors every day to take advantage of its multiple services. The new building is host to multiple on-campus programs, including Black Collegians, Financial Aid, and Admissions.
SMC Celebrates New Student Services Center With Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
To end Homecoming weekend and to commemorate the 90th anniversary of Santa Monica College (SMC) being established, SMC held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Student Service Center (SSC) on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
False Start for SMC Students Due to Getty Fire
Motes of ash from the nearby Getty fire peppered Santa Monica College (SMC) students flooding towards main campus exits on the morning of Oct. 28. Shouts of “California snow day!” circulated through the crowd, while the surrounding air grew hazy. Traffic backed up inside campus parking structures as students, faculty, and staff heeded evacuation announcements from the college.
Spider-Man is back in the Marvel Universe
After Walt Disney Studios’ and Sony Pictures’ brief split, the two studios have since found a way to get back into the Spider-Man business together. In late September, Disney and Sony renegotiated how they would share the Spider-Man intellectual property and reached a new agreement allowing Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to return again as co-producer for the third Marvel Spider-Man film. Tom Holland will also be returning as the iconic web-slinger.
LA Comic Con Finds it’s Footing in First Year without Founding Father: Stan Lee
2019's LA Comic Con marked the first year without its founder Stan Lee, who passed away at the age of 95 in November of 2018. Lee created many famous Marvel Universe characters, like Iron Man, Thor, Cyclops, Daredevil, The Fantastic Four, and Spider-Man.