You see them on the street getting pulled over by the police. You assume that they're doing something wrong, or that they're a criminal. You assume they're not doing anything with their lives, not trying to get a job, and most likely doing drugs. The criminalization of the mentally ill, homeless, and substance abusers is a societal issue that is...

"Nightcrawler" doesn't crawl; it runs. Lead by Jake Gyllenhaal's strong, blunt and unnerving performance as Louis Bloom, an ambitious and resourceful freelance reporter, the movie delivers a mix of suspense, social and moral conflict, and a character you will love, or love to hate. The movie opens with a picturesque gallery of perfect wide shots of Los Angeles. Dark, midnight...

I was nervously sweating, taking slow deep breaths, as I stepped onto my mat and waited for further instruction. "Spread your legs out and get a wide stance, svanasana position, come down into downward dog, come up and namaste," yoga teacher Herb Sandoval said, while teaching his advanced yoga class at SMC. I came to the class expecting to observe,...

Most college students have multiple limitations and preferences when it comes to shopping, and if buying new clothes is on the to-do list, thrift stores serve as a remedy to cure any shopping crises. From budget limitations to costume needs, thrift stores could provide exactly what you need and more. For some, designer clothes are a must, but are largely...

Drum beats bounce off the walls of the Santa Monica College parking structure and the Foster’s Freeze across from it, and move directly through the ground while the sound of a conch shell fills the air. Maracas and beads around danzantes’ feet compliment the sound, and danzantes act out how warriors cross over into the spirit world. Children focus on...

Halloween is once again upon us. While it's essentially a date for going out, dressing up and consuming vast amounts of candy (and other substances for some), Halloween is also a brief moment to reflect on what scares us. What makes us afraid? I was having this discussion the other night with our staff, debating over what constitutes as "horror"...

As this part of the world approaches the fall season, temperatures will finally be dropping and the flu season is soon to officially begin. The usual flu is always expected, but there is a new twin virus on the block. The viral infection disguised as its doppleganger is the non-polio enterovirus D68, (EV-D68) having symptoms similar to the flu and...

This past Saturday morning, ZJ Boarding House held its seventh annual Haunted Heats Halloween Surf Contest at Santa Monica beach, where many ghouls, witches, and other Halloween creatures were prepared to surf their best. Proceeds from competition went to Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting a healthy and active lifestyle for the prevention of breast...

It’s a quiet night. You’re walking to your car from work and you’re all alone. As you round a corner, a clown jumps out at you from out of nowhere, wielding an ax and laughing to himself like a maniac. It sounds like something out of a Stephen King novel or a B-movie you’d find on Instant Netflix, but it’s...

For Wendy Piatek, the sky above Santa Monica is alive in ways we can scarcely begin to imagine. For about three years now, she has been convinced that a presence from beyond our world has chosen her and others for a purpose. What that purpose is remains undefined and uncertain, but for Piatek there is little doubt in her mind,...