As thunder rolled in and lightning lit up the sky, Moorpark College would not be denied the rare opportunity to host a Los Angeles area track meet in the pouring rain. The Western State Conference track and field meet, on Friday at Los Angeles Valley College would be held come rain or shine. Moorpark hosted the meet at LA Valley...

For some, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a man on a page, a face on a black history poster, or the answer to a question on a history exam. However, for the people who filled the Main Stage at Santa Monica College for the east coast premiere of "Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Personal Portrait" on Thursday evening, King...

Film critics still matter. What has been lost is a genuine sense of cultural criticism and writing. The genuine appreciation and study of a film, any film, has been lost in our current circus of gossip and tabloid fodder. "We need thoughtful and insightful film critics more than ever in this age of sound bites, uninformed and superficial opinions and...

Court documents at the Santa Monica District Courthouse and accounts by former workers have revealed further details in the case of the Bread Factory's closure. What emerges is a tale of alleged mismanagement and court proceedings that left Soo Jeong Pak, owner of the Bread Factory, owing Santa Monica College $74,758.21. According to the official file on the case, The...

With powerful emotional expressions and rhythms from the musically rich culture of Mali, Fatoumata Diawara and her band members gave The Broad Stage’s crowded concert hall a unique musical experience on Friday night, that would have the audience on its feet dancing. The Malian singer Diawara, born on the Ivory Coast but now based in Paris, has claimed fans worldwide...

After joining the Brooklyn Dodgers In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the barriers of racism and discrimination as he stepped onto Ebbets Field, becoming the first African American athlete to play for a professional North American sports franchise. Before then, it was unheard of for an African American player to join an all-white league. After breaking those boundaries, Robinson went on...

When Evelyn Alfaro was 19-years-old she never expected to face the responsibilities and stresses of motherhood so early in life. Among the many students dealing with the daily trials and hassles of college life, single parents face an especially difficult challenge. They must juggle their daily schedule between classes, homework, jobs, and taking care of their children. This requires a...

Santa Monica College's Black Collegians held a celebration of Black History Month during the student activity hour last Thursday. The event was organized in honor of club member Tijera Rencher's grandmother, Mary Shy, who was a strong advocate for social issues. Rencher felt that her grandmother was a strong leader who deserved to be recognized. "She fought for rights in...

The classic pick-up line asking for a martini shaken not stirred, seemed to work just fine for James Bond. However, a new era of technology clearly demands for more. A pint of vodka mixed with dishwashing soap, raw eggs, and topped with a goldfish has become the new standard. An online drinking game referred to as Nek Nominations is spreading...

With a wealth of sunny music flooding the market this year, Beck's new album "Morning Phase" brings a warming melancholy he left nearly a decade ago. "Morning Phase" serves as a companion piece to Beck's 2002 album, "Sea Change," shifting back to more alternative rock and country music elements than the myriad of genres he dived into prior to this....