Works from seven female artists aim to challenge stigmas

By Estela Fuentes
The Guardsman

City College students Marissa Juvera and Armand Beltran adminre artwork at the "Pap Art" exhibit at the City Arts Gallery in the Visual Arts Building. JOSEPH PHILLIPS / THE GUARDSMAN

“Pap Art: An Atypical Exhibit” opened at the City College Arts Gallery in the Visual Arts Building on Feb. 22. The traveling show, which runs until March 18, displays works by seven female artists focusing on women’s reproductive health issues.

Curator Nancy Mizuno Elliot feels society has always attached a negative stigma to women’s health issues.

“As an elder, I realize that knowing, let alone acknowledging my body, especially my menstruating parts, was about loving me,” she said.

Atlanta-based artist Lisa Alembik is showing pencil sketches on small scraps of paper which relate to her fear of motherhood and how unprepared she and her husband were to take care of a child.

Katy Krantz, an artist from New York, has created a series of collages from prints, take-out menus, kids’ finger paintings, and dismantled pieces of her own paintings. Her full-color collection is inspired by medical text books and new age philosophy. “Self Exam (Cure for Hysteria)” is composed of magazine cut-outs and acrylic paint on white paper.

Fellow New Yorker Stephanie Liner displays prints depicting how women are viewed in society. In each picture, a model wears fabric stitched together to make it look like she is a piece of furniture.

“I hope viewers might evaluate the way they view women socially and sexually through TV, pornography and just the way we think people should behave in relation to their gender,” she said.

Oakland artist Laurel Nathanson illustrates clinical-style illustrations based on retro anatomy illustrations. “I am exploring a subject matter aesthetically lush and endlessly fertile in content: my vagina,” Nathanson wrote in her artist’s statement.

Another Bay Area artist, Bianca Kolonusz-Partee from San Francisco, has created an autobiographical mixed-medium collage. Each piece is a depiction of the view of her feet as she goes through her annual pap smear. The collage is made from magazine cut-outs, cardboard boxes and paper scraps accented with pencil drawings.

“I explore the terror around this procedure and evoke a faux experience for the viewer to have a fresh look at sexual abuse,” Kolonusz-Partee explained in her artist’s statement.

Elliot hopes the show will create a comfort level for women and men to discuss women’s health issues openly.

“Maybe that’s a lot to ask for. But, it’s not a lot to hope for,” she wrote in her curator’s statement.

By Jessica Luthi
The Guardsman

Mike Madrid, author of ‘The Supergirls,’ discusses the history of the comic book heroine at Conlan Hall on Feb. 19. JESSICA LUTHI / THE GUARDSMAN

San Francisco author Mike Madrid explored the evolution of female comic book heroes in “The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy and the History of Comic Book Heroines,” a free lecture given Feb. 19. at Conlan Hall on Ocean campus.

Madrid, who authored a book with the same title of the lecture, discussed the impact comic books have on the way women are seen and the expectations of women over the past century.

“A lot of people ask me how I got interested in the subject,” he said. “And for me it started really at an early age with Supergirl. She was really captivating.”

“The Supergirls” touched on each era of comics, starting in the 30s and moving towards more modern heroines. Each decade reflected the social expectations of women during the time, using Wonder Woman as an example.

During the 30s, 40s and 50s, the female super heroes were portrayed as weak compared to their male colleagues, Madrid said.

“Even though Wonder Woman was very powerful, she still met certain resistance in her day,” he said. “In the 1940s, the Justice Society was the first team of superheroes and Wonder Woman was the female member of the team. In a lot of cases, she was a lot stronger than most of the men but was only the team’s secretary.”

The 50s were a more conservative time and comic book heroines were modeled in the same fashion. Wonder Woman was more concerned about her romantic life than fighting crime. Batwoman was called incompetent by Batman even though she was trying to help, and Lois Lane was busy showing Superman how super a wife she could be, said Madrid.

The lecture focused on pivotal moments in comic book history for super heroines and contrasted them with their predecessors as more modern comics developed.

“Storm, who was in the X-Men, was the first major black super heroine, and when she was introduced in the 70s she was sort of a disco earth goddess with weather powers,” said Madrid. “By the early 80s, she was wearing leather. She was wearing a spike collar and she had a Mohawk.”

The City College concert and lecture series committee sponsored the event and nearly 40 students attended, including City College instructor Louis Shubert’s American studies class — Comics, Society and Power which uses Madrid’s book as a required text.

“The class is an introduction to social science using comic books as our text and what we look at,” said Shubert. “After reading Mike’s book, I was like, ‘This is going to fit in perfectly. It’s about history; it’s about culture; it’s about gender.’”

The talk was approximately 50 minutes and followed by a question and answer session and book signing.

“‘The Supergirls’ was great. It’s a quick read,” sociology major Guthrie Allen said. “But I was
really sad there wasn’t an entire chapter dedicated to Wonder Woman.”
For more information on “The Supergirls” visit Madrid’s Web site www.heaven4heroes.com.

By Tania Cervantes
The Guardsman

Third semester Culinary Arts major Victor Vargus prepares a dish at the new Noodle Room as fellow major Kyle Meadows looks on, Feb 26. CHLOE ASHCRAFT / THE GUARDSMAN

The new No Name Noodle Bar, next to Ocean campus’ main cafeteria, offers a fast and casual dining style, student involvement and a low-priced menu that attracts a variety of people including neighborhood visitors.

The restaurant is part of the Culinary Arts Program at City College and recently replaced Taste Buds, also a student-run program, which served sandwiches and burritos in addition to food similar to that offered at the main cafeteria.

The noodle bar serves as lab time for culinary students who prepare and cook the food, serve, cashier and even manage. Students rotate duties each week so they all experience and learn the different positions.

Culinary student and manager of the week Patty Reilly was happy to work in the field. While she has previous managerial experience, she said for other students this is their first time in this position.

“It is definitely a huge confidence builder. We get feedback from customers as to how we are doing our job and how we can give good service and good food,” she said.

The No Name Noodle Bar, however, won’t be nameless for long. Instructors are hoping to hold a contest in the near future to determine a permanent name.

“We want student involvement. The No Name name was just for fun and we hope to get suggestions from students,” restaurant management instructor Vincent Paratore said.

The prices alone have gotten students involved. For $6.50, the Thai Style Seafood Curry just may save the day. Not only is it fulfilling in flavor but the large portion is more than enough for one person.

The spring rolls, at $3.50, are on the most-wanted list and are often the first items to sell out.

The appetizer, made of red leaf lettuce, rice noodles, carrots, cilantro and mint, is wrapped in rice paper and accompanied by a sweet, nutty sauce that truly resembles the freshness associated with the spring season.

City College student Nako Tatematsu enjoyed the spicy chicken satay, but thought the rice was too soft. This was no reason not to come back though – for the price, she said, it was actually really good and the food measured up well to its Asian style.

The menu includes a mix of meat entrees and vegetarian options, and tofu may be substituted at no additional charge. The crunchy and salty portabello fries are the perfect, guilt-free choice when craving junk food and the ponzu dipping sauce is an ideal match for them.

ESL instructor Anne Marie Fleming had the vegetable noodle soup, which she said is always comforting – raining or not.

“The food is excellent and very affordable. They give you a big portion for a very low price,” Fleming said. “Give ‘em my thumbs up.”

The Noodle Bar is open from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and proudly uses compostable tableware.

By Greg Zeman
The Guardsman

Reporter Greg Zeman takes a moment to enjoy the scenery inside the lobby of the Embassy Suites Hotel San Francisco Airport. RAMSEY EL-QARE / THE GUARDSMAN

(Un)natural splendor

In the quest to get your kicks, sometimes you’ve got to wander off the beaten path, or a least find a new one to wander on. I know of such a path that leads to a tranquil oasis, splashed by waterfalls that feed crystal pools filled with colorful fish, shaded by tall trees and gently swept by a cool breeze of air conditioning.

The Tropical Atrium at the Embassy Suites Hotel San Francisco Airport is just the sort of gem I set out to share when I first took the helm of Suite 415. Sure, at $10 a head the all-you-can-eat breakfast is fairly priced and a fairly excellent way to start your day, but the real draw for me is the setting.

If you get tired of simulated =nature, the hotel’s back door opens to Peninsula Beach on the west shore of the bay. There is a paved path that traces the water’s edge, providing unique views of planes coming and going from SFO with the San Mateo Bridge as a backdrop. Like any path, it could lead to adventure. No promises though.

And now, a promise

If you saw the silver lining in my lukewarm Tonga Room review and chanced a visit, you’ve seen first-hand what a failed attempt at an indoor, tropical grotto looks like — a stinky pool with a jazz band floating in it. This is not like that, I promise.

Take that, nature

The ceiling is clear glass and reaches up as high as the top floor, creating an open atmosphere with lots of natural light and air circulation. The soothing gurgle of the waterfall is untainted by unnatural sound. That’s right — no Muzak. It’s basically all the good things about eating outside without any of the less desirable elements like nasty weather, flying insects, crawling insects and insects that crawl and fly — mostly into your food and face.

If you don’t feel like having breakfast, or it isn’t being served when you visit, you can always sit at a waterside table or stand on one of the three wooden bridges spanning the ponds and watch the brilliant spectrum of koi teeming beneath the water’s surface.
Those fish must be incredibly lonely, or just really hungry, because they flocked to wherever I was standing and followed me around like Pac-Man ghosts.

Playing koi

I mentioned in my last article that I’m actually a five-year-old, so for me, the appeal of playing freeze-tag with schools of carp was irresistible. The smell of dense foliage and sizzling eggs and sausage mingled in my nostrils and the babbling waters seemed to giggle with me as I gleefully scampered from bridge to bridge with hordes of colorful fish chasing me. Or was I chasing them?

Either way, management was very understanding about the whole affair.

Verdict 5/5

The Tropical Atrium offers a relaxing atmosphere and a B-plus breakfast buffet at a C-minus price. It boasts fresh waffles and pancakes, eggs cooked-to-order and all the little things, like strong coffee, that make life worth living again after a long night.

There is a small fishing pier a few yards from the hotel, but after playing with the little guys in the pond I didn’t have the heart to do anything but stand on it.

By William Chamberlim
The Guardsman

Ray William Johnson, creator of the popular YouTube channel Equals Three, recently launched a new channel called Breaking NYC.

On his other channel, Equals Three, Johnson adds clever, “Mystery Science Theater 3000” style commentary to current YouTube videos. Equals Three has gained a following of one to two million viewers.

The new video blog about his personal life, launched in January, seems to have been created to punish his viewers with an intimate look into his rigorously average life in New York City.

Consisting of nothing more than brief shots of Johnson’s daily life, Breaking NYC has a mundane dullness that is almost completely absent of interest.

If you want a daily glimpse of someone who plays video games, goes to college, and ponders deep mysteries of the universe like: how gay his roommate is, how hot everyone’s mom is and how the food in his neighborhood tastes, then this might be what you’ve been searching for.

Johnson is very comfortable behind the camera and is able to keep his show, for the most part, to a PG-13 rating with the exception of the staple reference to having sex with “your mother.”

While no profound events occur on camera, the viewer does get to see frequent shots of Manhattan and Brooklyn, which are pleasing to the eye thanks to his roommate and video editor, WillofDC.

In a January episode, “Puppy” Johnson and WillofDC visit their friend who got a new puppy. The best part of the episode was WillofDC’s editing of the guys walking the streets of New York City.
He slowed down the footage and dropped a nice beat into the background.

The popularity and staying-power of the show is going to depend on how long it takes someone to copy the format and have more interesting experiences in front of the camera.

Johnson’s business sense does comes across strongly, however. Essentially, he created one popular show and simply transferred his viewers into his personal life. Perhaps he should try charging each viewer 15 cents per day to check in on him.

With 100,000 – 600,000 views daily, it’s apparent that people enjoy tuning in for a 7-minute shot of Johnson’s normal college life. However, I think I saw just enough episodes to review it and keep it away from my browser.

Entertainment, when I do have time for it, has to come across with more substance.
Breaking NYC may be an accomplished vlog, but it will be easy to avoid this YouTube channel if, in fact, you too have a social life.

By Ramsey El-Qare and Alex Emslie
The Guardsman

Nilton Goncalves preparesa half beef pepperoni, half barbecue chicken pizza at the San Franciso Seniore's Pizza restaurant. RAMSEY EL-QARE / THE GUARDSMAN

Seniore’s Pizza, the place to get a pork-free meal on the corner of 19th Avenue and Taraval Street since 1996, packs in droves of hungry customers long after the bars and clubs close down.

“The pepperoni is beef. The salami is beef. The sausage is beef. The Canadian bacon is turkey,” employee Nidal “Ricky” Jaser said.

“It’s not halal. It’s not blessed, but people do appreciate it. It helps that it’s beef.”

The barbecue chicken pizza offers a unique combination of flavors — sweet, tangy and savory — which work well with the crispy, hand-made crust. The pepperoni tastes spicy and nostalgic, complementing Seniore’s signature homemade sauce.

Jaser said most people don’t notice they’re eating beef when they order typically pork items at Seniore’s.

There is more than just pizza at Seniore’s. They have subs, garlic bread served three different ways, jalapeno poppers, mozzarella sticks, buffalo wings, pasta, salads and desserts.

“Weekends are when it’s really busy,” Jaser said. “That’s the essence of Seniore’s.”

The dining area is a modest size, with granite counter tops that seat a total of seven. On any given day, a customer can relax and enjoy a slice while watching an old movie on the wall-mounted TV. But at night, be prepared for crowds of 50 or more spilling onto the sidewalk outside.

Seniore’s is open, officially, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. on weekdays and to 5 a.m. on weekends. However, these pizza purveyors serve pies as long as there are customers waiting.

“We don’t really have a closing time,” employee Federico Cândido said. “If people still want to eat, we keep taking orders.”

Seniore’s pork-free fare is also easy on the wallet. A two-topping extra large pizza is $17.45. Specials — like the Greek with feta cheese, black olives, fresh tomatoes, pesto and fresh garlic — are $20.95. Subs are $4.99 to $5.75, and so are most appetizers and salads. Ten buffalo wings cost $6.22 and pasta for four is $12.99.

Cândido summed up Seniore’s charm as, “It’s the best pizza in town, served late.”

By Carlos Silva
The Guardsman

(L-R) Igor Ovchinnikov as Sir Robert Brakenbury, speaks to Dewane Spalding, as Richard III, who is standing with Brian Martin, as the Duke of Clarence, at a Feb. 15 rehearsal for the upcoming City College theater department production of Shakespeare's Richard III. PHOTO COURTESY OF JESSE BLANCA

William Shakespeare’s Richard III, a brilliant mix of violence and humor, will be opening at the Diego Rivera Theatre next month.

The tragedy, designed and directed by John Wilk, instructor and director in the City College Theatre Department, will be performed on the first and second weekends of March.
Wilk is a fan of the language of Shakespeare as well as the dynamic personalities of his characters.

“His characters are both extreme and beautiful at the same time,” Wilk said.

The two-hour play covers the rise and fall of the Duke of Gloucester, who through deception and political manipulation tries to become King Richard III of England. In the first scene, Richard describes his physical appearance and malevolent ambition.

“Deformed, unfinish’d, sent before my time … And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover, to entertain these fair well-spoken days, I am determined to prove a villain.”

City College student Maria Leigh plays Lady Anne. “Richard is clearly a rotten person but it’s nearly impossible not to like him,” she said.

Richard’s opening monologue is very intense and grabs everyone’s attention. What follows is a tale of murder and betrayal that slowly decays Richard’s mind. In one particularly gripping scene, Richard is visited by the ghosts of all the people he has murdered who curse him and foretell his death.

“The play shows the worst aspects of blind ambition and unchecked greed, a deadly combination that is still with us today,” said City College student Peter Camarda, who plays Lord Stanley. “We learn, from watching, how Richard’s evil overwhelms everyone and everything around him.”

It’s obvious how much passion the actors put into the performance.

“I think the audience can expect to see Richard III performed in a way that fits today’s concerns. The dark and desperate world was created, and now should provoke deep conversation among viewers,” said City College student Merry Gordon, who plays the Duke of York.

I really liked the performance of all the actors and their effort to accomplish their best in every scene.

“This is a rousing and intriguing performance of one of the most famous villains in theatrical literature,” said Wilk.

By Atticus Morris
The Guardsman

The explosion in digital distribution services, including hybrid social networking sites like Last.fm, self-publishing platforms like Bandcamp and media stores like iTunes, gives the independent musician more options than ever for getting their product out.

The problem is, without an established following, it’s unlikely artists will make any money selling MP3s.

Alonetone offers a different and, what its creator Sudara Williams believes to be, more effective approach for artists: getting the music to as many people as possible instead of going directly after a profit.

“Giving away your music is the new version of play out as much as you can,” Williams said.
Alonetone bills itself as “a place for small label, do-it-yourself, and everyday musicians and bands.” Its sleek and intuitive interface, having evolved from user-made suggestions, is streamlined to make things as easy as possible for the independent musician. Users simply sign up for an account, click upload and voila; the Web site automatically creates a podcast, searchable in iTunes.

“This site is like a breath of fresh air,” said St. Louis based user, Alykai. “There are so many sites on the internet that are so overwhelming. This is simple, elegant and most of all functional.”

Alonetone offers its users unlimited audio hosting, but unlike other similar sites, there is no advertising or investor backing and all content is free to download. Because nobody’s profiting, concerns about behind-the-scenes influence over content are alleviated.

The concept is a radical departure from the traditional promotion-and-sales model of the music business; in fact, Alonetone is not a business at all. It’s an online community where like-minded musicians can share music, network, collaborate and seek technical advice about recording and production.

Williams, who is a musician himself, said “If you are the kind of person who chases fans, you might find some success, but it’s a lot of hard — and non-musical — work. Better to connect to people, find communities, give music out to whomever will listen, find an audience and find individual opportunities.”

Established artists wanting to make money from MP3s can also benefit from what the platform offers. Composer and pianist Joshua Wentz uses Alonetone in addition to selling his music from Sidedown Audio.

“As far as profit is concerned the benefit is negligible,” Wentz said of Alonetone. He uses it as a promotional tool and provides links to Sidedown Audio for those interested in hearing more.

“I put all of the work I do into two columns — that which will be given away and that which will be sold. And certainly more people have heard my music due to the fact that some of it is online for free.”

The ultimate success of this type of model — whether or not independent musicians adopt it — remains to be seen.

Williams said that compared to similar Web sites, or those with corporate backing, Alonetone’s roster of more than 1,000 artists is only a blip on the musical radar, but for now, as its home page will attest, Alonetone is a “damn fine home for musicians.”

By Angela Penny
The Guardsman

Christopher Heuer leads a discussion about social media and higher education during Social Media Camp on Feb. 1. COURTESY OF KENNETH YEUNG

A sophomore computer science student at Harvard University named Mark Zuckerberg launched thefacebook.com out of his dorm room six years ago.

Originally designed as a way for the students at Harvard to communicate with each other and share photos of themselves, Facebook has grown into the largest social network with over 350 million users and over 1,000 employees. Forbes magazine estimates Facebook’s minimum worth at $7.9 billion.

Like Zuckerberg, people in social media often create their own jobs by recognizing a need and filling it.

College students often don’t realize that they already have marketable skills such as texting and creating Facebook profiles, which, with a little polish, can be applied to the business world.

The Social Media Club, founded by Chris Heuer and Kristie Wells in March 2006 in San Francisco, unites people interested in making careers out of their social media use. There are now more than 72 chapters in nine countries.

Heuer and Wells recently hosted Social Media Camp at the Presidio Officer’s Club where 150 online networking professionals met to discuss, among other topics, how and why to use social media tools in industries like public relations, customer service and product development.

Christopher Allen, co-author of “iPhone in Action” and associate faculty at The Bainbridge Graduate Institute, led a discussion about social media and higher education.

“Students feel two ways about social media,” he said. “Half of them love it and half of them think it’s a big commercial waste of time. The first thing I do is teach them the importance of personalizing their experience and ensuring that they reflect what they are passionate about. They come around and see the positive opportunities that social media can bring.”

Social media democratizes the process of marketing by creating a conversation between marketers and consumers, instead of commercial products being broadcast through one-way communication. Non-profit endeavors benefit greatly from this since they often do not have large budgets for traditional marketing.

The Red Cross raised over $10 million for survivors of the Haiti Earthquake through a text message campaign, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Wells shared some insight on how college students might transition into a communications career using social media tools.

“A critical piece in social media education is teaching students the difference between texting your friend and texting a business professional,” she said.

City College student David McFarlane created a job for himself after hearing Chancellor Don Griffin speak a City College Inter Club Council meeting.

“I was very impressed by his speech,”  McFarlane said, “and realized that hardly any students would hear or even know about what he said. I thought social media could help him communicate directly with the students.”

Griffin hired McFarlane to help him with his outreach using online networking tools.

“I will help him and the Board of Governors send texts and video messages directly to the students’ phones. I’m going to set them up on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, for example,” McFarlane said

President Barack Obama is currently seeking a Social Networks Manager. The position requires knowledge of social networking Web sites. Applicants must also be able to “craft messages that move people to act, and know what actions will achieve the right impact at the right time,” according to a job posting on the president’s Web site.

“In this ever changing world of communications, tools come and go daily, so a key trait in any role will require someone who can respond quickly to change,” Wells said.

The City College Continuing Education department offers a computer course called “MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn: Get Connected” focused on creating and maintaining profiles, setting up a blog and integrating social networks.

For more information about the Social Media Club please visit their Web site at http://www.socialmediaclub.org/.

By Greg Zeman
The Guardsman

CHLOE ASHCRAFT / THE GUARDSMAN

“Colts, 34-20”
Since recently making, and subsequently losing, an ill-advised Super Bowl bet, I’ve developed an interest in free entertainment. And since my bookie recently shattered both of my kneecaps, riding an elevator is pretty much the most physical activity I can handle. Thanks a million Bontã Hill.

Why an elevator?
In the words of famous abolitionist and adulterer Henry Ward Beecher, “It’s easier to go down a hill than up it, but the view is much better at the top.” And pushing a button in an elevator is easier than walking up a hill. If Beecher had known about the view I found, he might have just left out the hill part all together.

Go to Union Square and ask for Francis …
You will be visiting the Westin St. Francis for this decidedly cheap thrill – a sky-high ride in a 32-story, clear-glass elevator.

If you’re excited by the idea of “sneaking” into a crowded hotel with an open front door and “convincing” the uninterested staff that you are a guest, by all means, feel free to do so.
That being said, nobody cares. You can just walk in and follow the signs to the Tower Elevators.

“Going up sir”
I originally ventured to the elevators for the view, but you know, I’m not gonna’ lie − and maybe it’s because I’m a five-year-old boy − I was struck much more by the “whee-I’m-riding-in-an-elevator” part of it than the view.

Remember the scene in the movie “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” with Droopy the dog as the elevator man? The elevator shot up in the air so fast that it flattened Eddie Valiant to the floor like a pancake. If you’ve ever wanted to experience that for yourself, this is as close as you’re likely to get.

Step one: Press the up button
Step two: press the button for the  32nd floor. If you want to get all ticky-tack about it then, technically, step two is “get on the elevator” and step three is “press the button for the 32nd floor,” but whatever, I didn’t want a lot of steps, OK?

What happens next?
My recommendation is that you hold on to the railing and stand facing the glass to maximize what biophysicists refer to as the “oh snap” factor when the elevator launches your body skyward.

When you reach the top floor you will be treated to one of the better vantage points in San Francisco. Nothing makes a city look prettier than getting really far away from the smelly, noisy reality of it and squinting down through the soft fog that acts like Vaseline on the lens of a panoramic glamour shot.

Enough with the cheap and back to the thrills. On the way down, you rush past a spiked fence and then drop into darkness. With your face pressed against the glass it’s pretty exhilarating.
Riding up might be fun for about ten trips, but going down — more like 20.

Verdict
The ride is undeniably fun, but the good times only last for 32 floors. For an added thrill, look down the crack between the elevator and the 32nd floor – whoa.

Brass tacks:
•Where: The Westin St. Francis Hotel, 335 Powell St./Tower Elevators
•When: Anytime you like
•Cost: $0, FREE!