Daily Forty-Niner, Feb. 17, 2020

weekly print edition

DAILY FORTY-NINER EST p 1949

Vol. LXXI, Issue 21

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Monday, February 17, 2020

SCHOOL OF SURFERS PAGES 6 & 7

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | STAFF@DAILY49ER.COM ON THE COVER

Long Beach State Surf Club member Mike Hemp rides the lip of a wave in Huntington Beach. The club teaches newcomers how to surf and competes in sactioned events.

Photo by BENJAMIN DUBOW

Weekly Calendar

1250 Bellflower Blvd., LA4-203 Long Beach, CA, 90840

February Monday 2/17 ASI Agents of Change @ USU Ballroom 6-8 p.m.

Sports WGOLF v. Rebel Beach Invitational @ Las Vegas

Tuesday 2/18 ASI Take a SEC with the EXECS @ Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Patio 12 p.m.

Sports WGOLF v. Rebel Beach Invitational @ Las Vegas

Daily Forty-Niner

Wednesday 2/19

Thursday 2/20

ASI Noon Time Concert Series @ USU SW Terrace 12 p.m.

ASI Poet’s Lounge @ USU Sunset Lounge 8 p.m.

Sports MBB v. UC Irvine @ Irvine 7 p.m.

Sports WBB v. UC Irvine @ Walter Pyramid 7 p.m.

Sports MGOLF v. John A. Burns @ Hawaii

Sports BB v.

Washington @ Blair Field 6 p.m.

Sports WTEN at San Diego @ 1:30 p.m.

Friday 2/21 Sports MGOLF v. John A. Burns @ Hawaii Sports WTEN at UCR @ 1:30 p.m.

Sports SB v. Utah @ Palm Springs 3 p.m.

Sports WWPOLO at UCI 4:15 p.m.

Sports BB v. Wake Forest @ Blair Field 6 p.m.

Sports MVB v.

Westcliff @ Walter Pyramid 7 p.m.

Theatre Arts In the Blood by Suzan Lori Parks Feb. 13 through Mar. 1 Players Theater

Sports SB v. Idaho State @ Palm Springs 8 p.m.

Shark Bites

By Paula Kiley Shark Bites is a CSULB inspired crossword puzzle that contains clues from the recent news stories published by the Daily Forty-Niner. Tag us @daily49er with a picture of your completed crossword for a chance to win a prize!

Saturday 2/22 Sports WWPOLO at UCI 4:15 p.m.

Sports WGOLF v. Rebel Beach Invitational @ Las Vegas

Sunday 2/23 Sports WWPOLO at UCI 4:15 p.m.

Sports SB v. Seattle University

@ Palm Springs 11:30 a.m.

Sports BB v. Wake Sports Forest @ Blair SB v.

Field Northwestern 1 p.m. @ Palm Springs Noon Sports SB v.

Oregon State @ Palm Springs 2:30 p.m.

Sports BB v. Wake Forest @ Blair Field 3 p.m.

Sports MBB v.

Hawai’i @ Walter Pyramid 4 p.m.

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News Editor Madalyn Amato news@daily49er.com Arts & Life Editor Paula Kiley arts@daily49er.com Opinions Editor Perry Continente opinions@daily49er.com Sports Editor Mark Lindahl sports@daily49er.com Design Editor Alejandro Vazquez design@daily49er.com Advertising Manager Steven Zuniga advertising@daily49er.com Business Manager Hannah Getahun business@daily49er.com Special Projects Editor Hannah Getahun Photo Editor Ryan Guitare Social Media Editor Brenna Enos Podcast Editor Manuel Valladares Podcast Editor Julia Terbeche Webmaster Samantha Hangsan Arts and Life Assistant Paris Barraza Assistant Sports Editor Assistant Social Media Editor

Ralston Dacanay Cristal Gomez

Distribution Manager Rachel Barnes Distribution Assistant Alejandro Vazquez Design Adviser Gary Metzker Content Adviser Barbara Kinglsey-Wilson

Down 1. _______ Roller Derby practices at Cherry Park Thursday nights.

2. This week’s Spill the Tea is about students’ most _________ teacher.

3. In this week’s Crime Blotter, two calls were made to UDP last week after reports of finding an injured ________.

4. The Long Beach State women’s basketball team was picked to finish ______ in the coaches poll.

Across 5. The Long Beach State Surf Club meets every Friday at this beach.

6. CSULB alumnus Gregory Irwin was the first assistant cameraman on this Academy Award-nominated film.

7. The department of physics and astronomy hosts Nights at the Observatory on the roof of The Hall of __________.

8. Redshirt junior jumper Jason Smith wraps ____ around his wrists to honor people that inspire him.

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Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinons of the Daily FortyNiner are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily Forty-Niner.

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A night among the cosmos On top of the Hall of Science, students and community members take a look into the universe with the department of physics and astronomy.

Photo by MADALYN AMATO

NEWS 3

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM

By Madalyn Amato News Editor

A

fter climbing 12 flights of stairs, attendees walk out onto the roof of the Hall of Science.

Volunteers guide them with their phone flashlights to the viewing area. Two 11-inch telescopes are being calibrated to view planets and constellations.

Every Tuesday night, weather permitting, the department of physics and astronomy hosts its Nights at the Observatory, where students and community members are welcomed to see the night sky from a whole new perspective.

Jessica Asbell, a lecturer in the department of physics and astronomy, has been helping organize the observatory night since she was a student at Long Beach State studying for her masters in astrophysics.

Asbell now runs the observatory nights, along with assistance from graduate students, not much unlike herself years ago.

“When I was here as a student, there was another faculty member who ran observing nights occasionally and he needed help with that,” Asbell said.

“I got accustomed to the telescopes, accustomed to seeing the crowds and talking about astronomy, and when I got hired here, I wanted to make it a regular program.”

As viewers line up to view the wonders the telescope is trained on, Asbell recites facts about each planet, star or constellation being viewed.

She then leads the constellation tour where she and her assistants, including Sylvia Chow, who is pursuing a masters in physics, point out the visible constellations.

Andreas Bill, chair of the physics department, said that the event is meant to show the community that science can be enjoyable.

“I think most people underestimate the ability to understand science and reason to enjoy science,” Bill said.

“It’s a way to approach science that is a little bit different than just sitting in the classroom.”

The program began years before Bill became the department chair, but he said its contributions to the public’s education has inspired them to continue it.

“We decided as the department that we have something very regular,” Bill said. “This is a good way to introduce people to science to get fascinated about what they see.”

The department has a total of six telescopes, two of which are brand new, 11-inch scopes, which refers to the diameter of the glass inside which allows the viewers to see planets millions of miles away.

Four of the night-time scopes are motorized, which means the user can put in coordinates of certain planets or constellations and the telescope will position itself for optimal viewing. The other two are manual viewing telescopes that allow viewers to point anywhere in the sky and see what they find.

The department also has several solar thermal telescopes that have specialized glass to filter out UV rays so viewers can look at the surface of the sun safely.

According to Bill, each telescope costs approximately $3,000. A mixture of state funds and private donations allow the department to buy the required tools to keep the event going.

The telescopes are stored in a temperature-controlled room and are taken upstairs by faculty for people to use. Bill said that the department is now hoping to invest in a protective roof that will house observation nights and the telescopes to help reduce the physical changes of the equipment due to the temperature change.

Most who attend the observatory nights are students currently studying physics or astronomy or those who are taking a course for a general education requirement.

“Astronomy labs are a rare opportunity for you to see the stars in the sky rather than in class,” Chow said.

The event provides a wide range of experiences. For some, it gives them a first-time look at things they’d only dreamed of seeing. Bill said that in all his years in the field, he’d never seen the rings of Saturn until he was on top of the HSCI.

For others, like Chow, the social aspect is more fulfilling than the actual stargazing.

“I can go see the stars myself anywhere,” Chow said. “But finding people that are excited to see the planets and stars like me, that’s what I like about it.”

Asbell said that as science literacy and interest in science decreases, events like this one become even more important.

“I think everyone almost universally is curious about where you come from and where you sit within the cosmos and what’s going to happen to the cosmos as they evolve,” Asbell said. “There’s a human need to answer those questions and astronomy is a method of doing that or a pathway to doing that.”

Students can use the telescopes every Tuesday from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Hall of Science.

4 NEWS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM

Rowdy bicyclists and a squirrel at large

By Reina Esparza Staff Writer Group disturbance The University Police Department was notified of a large group of about 25 to 30 bicycle riders who were riding through campus causing a verbal disturbance near the Hall of Science at approximately 2:52 p.m. on Feb 10. Their ages ranged from juvenile to adult, according to the report. One of the bicycle riders, a male juvenile, took a pair of sunglasses off a staff member’s head and threw them on the ground. The person was detained by UPD and was later picked up by his mother.

Parking dispute Two female students reportedly argued over a parking space in parking Lot G5 at around 3:26 p.m. on Feb 10.

The student that had already parked in the space called UPD about the incident, claiming she was afraid to leave her car because of what the other woman might do. UPD responded and deescalated the situation.

BY MIGUEL MARTINEZ

CSU audit finds money discrepancies in DSS program

Animal control call Two calls were made to UPD this week after reports of finding an injured squirrel in faculty offices. A call

was made to UPD at 8:57 a.m. on Feb. 11 to report that a squirrel with an injured leg was in one of the offices in the Faculty Office-2 building. Animal control was contacted but it could not find the squirrel.

Two days later, on Feb 13. at 10:42 a.m., UPD was contacted again that a squirrel, also with an injured leg, was inside the FO-3 building. Animal control was brought to campus, but the squirrel was gone. UPD suspects that it could be the same squirrel but could not confirm.

Reckless driving The UPD was contacted about a report of a golf cart on campus recklessly driving on Feb. 12 at 8:21 p.m.

The white golf cart was described as driving “erratically” down the Physical Education access road. UPD responded, but it could not locate the golf cart.

Medical response Student Health Services contacted the UPD to report a 23-year-old male was allegedly having a panic attack at approximately 2:27 p.m. on Feb 13. The UPD and the Long Beach Fire Department responded to the call.

The male said that he did not need any medical assistance and was later picked up by his father.

Audit Summary

After the Office of the President was alerted of possible issues, an investigation confirmed suspicions.

By Hannah Getahun Special Projects Editor

A

California State University internal special investigations audit revealed employees at Disabled Student Services who worked for the Workability IV program, had inaccurately given figures to DSS, including payroll hours and the number of students that they served for the program.

WAIV is an on-campus program that helps students with disabilities find jobs and financial opportunities.

Jeff Cook, associate vice president of strategic communications, said via email that concerns about time reporting in the program reached the Office of the President, which prompted it to request an audit.

According to the document, infractions included recording students advised who were not in the WAIV pro-

gram as WAIV students and erroneously filling out hours worked.

Although the auditing committee said it did not find any purposeful infractions, it did find that there was a mishandling of payroll for employees.

The report, released Jan. 16, 2020, stated the program had a “lack of standardized record keeping and adequate documentation” of what students they were serving and how many hours they had worked.

“Although the errors we found did not significantly change the values for the certified time match and did not impact money paid to the campus by [The Department of Rehabilitation], the number and nature of the errors was concerning,” the document stated.

There was also the issue of incorrect payroll information being used, which cost some employers portions of their salary and benefits. There was a net decrease of $344 in payroll benefits to staff working in the program.

The report noted that staff who prepared payroll doc-

uments managed to not take note of major discrepancies in payroll, even though one employee in the program lost more than $3,000 in monthly payroll while another employee received more than an $8,000 increase in one month.

“A number of recommendations were made by ... the audit report,” Cook said. “The university concurred with those recommendations ... and is in the process of implementing them, including offering additional training.”

The campus response included that staff in the program receive training on how to time match and log personal activity reports and a new standardization in tracking students being advised in WAIV, among other changes.

Cook did not specify as to whether or not this is an issue that has risen in other departments.

“With the implementation of these recommendations, we have confidence in the process of reporting hours in this and other programs,” he said.

Another Middle Class Flim Flam What Your Teachers Will Not Tell You Dr. George A. Kuck (galbertk@aol.com)

Another California flim flam is going on. I just received my election primary ballot this week. Voters are being asked, in a primary election where the voter turnout is low, to pass another bond issue (ironically called Proposition 13). This will cause you to be another $15 billion in debt to “repair, construct and modernize” K-16 school facilities. Bonds create bondage for your generation because they must be paid back. They are not “free” money.

History shows that ballot initiative money is not spent on for which it is appropriated. Prop 30 in 2012 raised taxes to improve education. The increase was to expire in 2018. In 2016 California extended those taxes to 2030. Where has this money gone? Who knows? To add insult to injury, millionaires fled California after the tax hike, reducing tax revenue base.

In 2018 we approved a 12 cent per gallon gasoline tax increase. Since we use 15.1 billion gallons of gas each year, this means the gas tax receipts increased more than $1.8 billion. According to the CA Road and Repair Accountability Act of 2017, this funding was supposed to go to transportation infrastructure. The difference between the 2019-2020 budget proposals and the 2018-2019 budget for the transportation items was $1.0B. Where did the other $800M go that was supposed to repair CA roads? It is paying retired CA government officials.

Do you really expect this multi-billion dollar 2020 Prop 13 to do as the voter guide says? I do not. If this funding is so critical, why were these items not funded in the record breaking $220B state budget that had a “surplus”? The spirit of the 1978 Prop 13 which allowed your grandparents to stay in their homes says VOTE NO on this 2020 Prop 13.

Don’t allow another bait and switch flim flam.

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6 SPORTS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020 | DAILY49ER.CO

BRINGING WAVES TO THE BEACH The Long Beach State Surf Club spends its Fridays at Huntington Beach teaching future surfers and practicing for competitions.

I

Story by CHANCE SINERIUS Photos by BENJAMIN DUBOW

t’s another chilly Friday morning when the Long Beach State Surf Club arrives at the Ninth Street stretch of Huntington Beach.

The beach is calm. Members wax their boards, zip up their wetsuits and push off into the 57-degree water. There’s a winter swell rolling through. It’s time to surf.

“Being a kid from Northern California, I wanted to surf every day,” said Dylan Milne, a fourth-year cellular and molecular biology major and club president. “I wanted to have a friend group that surfed. That’s kinda what the Long Beach Surf Team is all about.”

The club is made up of about 30 members, with 18 available to compete in a contest, along with alternates when fill-ins are needed. The club competes in matches against other universities along the California coast such as Cal Poly SLO, San Diego State and UC San Diego.

Members welcome skill levels that range from beginner to expert but require a tryout to join. Some surfers are learning how to consistently stand up and ride, while others are perfecting new tricks in the barrel.

The 18 surfers entered into competitions are separated into two rosters, an “A team” and a “B team.” Each roster has six male short-boarders, two female short-boarders, and one long-boarder of the teams’ choosing. Both rosters compete in matches that take place statewide, ranging from San Diego to Santa Cruz.

“Definitely just traveling and being with the team … that’s the best part,” Milne said. “They’re all a super good group of guys and girls. We’re always having fun at the contests.”

The matches are overseen and judged by the National Scholastic Surfing Association, a nonprofit organization whose objective is to provide high-quality competitions and events, according to its mission statement.

Each heat consists of six surfers pulled randomly from rosters of the competing schools, meaning two Long Beach surfers may end up shredding next to each other while showing out. The surfers are allowed 10 to 15 minutes to catch waves alongside one another while performing their best moves.

The two best waves of the heat are scored for each individual surfer on a scale from one to 10. Three judges from the NSSA judge the surfers based on categories such as speed, power, flow and progressive maneuvers.

“Surfing is actually a lot of technique,” said Ayden Auer, a fourth-year communications major and club coordinator. “You have to be conscious of it; it’s not just cruising.”

CSULB provides grants for many club sports on campus, including the surf club. Much of the grant goes towards membership dues for the NSSA, as well as travel expenses for the matches. No scholarships given to the club are awarded to any of its club members. Whatever additional funding the club needs, it has to fundraise.

Over the past few semesters, the club has offered lessons to beginner surfers as its main source of revenue. For a fee of $10, a participant is loaned a wetsuit and a soft-top foam board for the lesson and receives instruction from the club members.

“Everyone wants to learn how to surf,” Auer said, “and even if they come out one day, that’s solid. They might get hooked on it.”

The lessons are held at Bolsa Chica State Beach on select Saturday mornings of the semester but only when the waves are breaking in beginner-friendly conditions of one to two feet high. Each “beach day,” as the club calls them, has a turn out of between 20 to 30 excited learners.

The beach day lessons are advertised through the club’s Instagram account, @lbsurfteam, and have become not only a fundraiser, but a way for the club to reach out to potential new club members.

“I think our biggest success this year was the club [teaching lessons],” Milne said. “I feel like we reached a lot of people who really wanted to surf. I just feel like that was huge this year, to get those people out there and make that connection.”

Since the club doesn’t have a coach, the roster for tournaments is decided by the club board that consists of the president, vice president, club coordinator and treasurer, along with other longtime members of the team.

The club overall has placed in the middle of the pack so far this semester. Two club members have shined individually this season, with Dorian Blanchard ranked 29th and Grayson Amthor ranked 33rd among 248 male surfers in the NSSA’s Southwest Conference.

Regardless of where the club places, its goal is to ensure that it continues to remain competitive while enjoying the sport of surfing.

“It’s only as good as you make it,” Auer said. “If you’re like the engine [to motivate] the workers for [the club], then it’ll be successful.”

The Long Beach State Surf Club meets every Friday at Ninth Street in Huntington Beach. Its next competition will be Feb. 2223 at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point.

Students can get involved by contacting the club president through the @lbsurfteam Instagram page.

OM | @DAILY49ER | SPORTS@DAILY49ER.COM

SPORTS 7

Clockwise from top, John Hoyt rides a rightbreaking wave at Ninth Street, Huntington Beach. Sienna Browne paddles out to the line up where surfers wait for a breaking wave to ride. Conrad Glider sits in the line up waiting for a wave.

8 ARTS & LIFE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

Photos by PARIS BARRAZA | Daily Forty-Niner

Jennifer “Pee-Chee the FoldHer” Garcia (left) and Ryan “Electroshock Therapy” Woolf practice as blockers and attempt to keep the jammer behind them from scoring a point Thursday, Feb. 13.

‘Bad Fishes’ roller derby From personal life trials to losing its former roller rink, the Badfish Roller Derby league always skates to the challenge.

By Paris Barraza Arts & Life Assistant

B

eads of sweat line the forehead of Emily Cladinos, her face flushed as her gaze locks on the tight huddle of roller skaters in her path.

Cladinos pushes off, jamming her body through gaps of interlocked arms to move past the huddle of blockers. It is a fight between sets of arms, hips and roller skates as Cladinos and the blockers push against each other until she darts around them, claiming momentary victory before she takes a hard fall and lands on her stomach and forearms.

But it doesn’t take long for Cladinos to get back on her wheels.

This scene occurs over and over again at Cherry Park, where Long Beach-based roller derby league Badfish Roller Derby practices Thursday nights.

Although Badfish is a smorgasbord of pros and “guppies,” the challenges these members overcome on the track and in their lives make roller derby all the more important.

Krystie Ritchey, or Midwest Threat, joined a roller derby league in January 2018 when she lived in Indiana. The first day of boot camp was the week she was cleared by her doctor to ex-

Practice ends with a group huddle that reunites newer recruits, who are separated during practice, with the rest of the members. ercise, as Ritchey gave birth six weeks prior. Roller derby offered Ritchey family, community and an opportunity to have much needed time for herself.

“It’s really helped me with knowing that I can do hard things,” Ritchey said. “With my first son I had postpartum depression, and I didn’t have a lot of support, but with my second son, being a part of derby really helped offset that because I had

that time to myself. It helped me keep postpartum depression away.”

Throughout the evening, skaters trade compliments about their workout leggings before crouching low to block a jammer trying to skate past them. During their drills, they shout “You got this!” to each other and cheer at impressive footwork.

When Cladinos researched the roller derby community, she al-

ready knew what she was missing in her life. She needed to be around a group of girls.

For Jennifer Garcia, or PeeChee the FoldHer, roller derby was a haven after an incident with law enforcement left her disillusioned about the justice system. When Garcia saw an ad for roller derby on Groupon, she decided that she could benefit from a new experience.

“They’ve seen the change,”

Garcia said as she recalled some of her friends’ remarks since joining roller derby. “They’ve seen the change and how far I’ve come.”

Although roller derby helped the lives of skaters like Ritchey and Garcia, newer Badfish member Jennifer Woolf explained the beast she called roller derby.

Woolf, who experienced a torn shoulder and a thumb injury at her former league, sat out at practice to relax an agitated arm.

“The hardest part is how do I deal with the fear of sticking my skates back on?” Woolf said.

Badfish, whose name was inspired by a song by Sublime, recently took a blow after it was informed in December 2019 that its shared roller rink with RebelTown Rollers at Arnold Park in Cypress was to be repurposed into a pickleball court. Suddenly, the team was displaced while the new season quickly approached.

Members and supporters of Badfish and RebelTown Rollers took to Cypress’s City Council meeting on Jan. 13 to express their disappointment over the city’s decision and lack of communication. In the meantime, Badfish is using three parks to hold practices.

Like Cladinos, Badfish Roller Derby stood back up and kept skating.

“There’s this saying, ‘Roller derby saved my soul,’” Garcia said. “It’s very empowering. It’s just a great outlet.”

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

ARTS & LIFE 9

Filming a supervillain: Q&A with first assistant cameraman on ‘Joker’ CSULB alumnus Gregory Irwin reflects on his work in the Academy Award-nominated film.

be a cinematographer back then. I changed my mind after I started doing it professionally, and I elected to be on the technical side and again, logistical side, rather than the creative side. That’s the biggest difference, and that was 40 years ago. So, 40 years and counting as a first AC.

By Rajvinder Singh Staff Writer

M

any may be familiar with Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of DC Comics supervillain, Joker, in the 2019 titular film, but many don’t know the crew behind the camera.

Was “Joker” a challenge or a new experience for you?

Joker was a unique experience for all of us because it was an untested topic, and the way we shot the movie was very risky. It was risky because all of it was improvisational. We never knew what Joaquin [Phoenix] was going to do. We shot it in a very challenging, cinematic way. We were improvising the whole time, and we’re not allowed to make mistakes. If you watch the movie cinematically, there are no mistakes. It was just the unknown. Again, the way we shot it, we didn’t know if Joaquin was going to stand up, sit down, walk left, back up. He was doing whatever was coming to his mind at the moment, and we were simply reacting to it. It was challenging, but it was also fresh.

Nothing was exactly staged. We would talk about it in broad terms, and then we didn’t know what the shot was going to be until we shot it.

Long Beach State alumnus Gregory Irwin was the first assistant cameraman for “Joker,” having helped the film earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography at the 92nd Academy Awards Feb. 9.

Irwin has been a professional first assistant cameraman for over 40 years, but he was presented with the unique challenge of photographing “Joker” when principal photography for the film began in 2018. His journey to the Dolby Theatre began at CSULB when he graduated in 1983 with a degree in cinematography, film production and business. Irwin went on to shoot films such as “Interstellar,” “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” and “American Hustle.”

The Daily Forty-Niner spoke with Irwin to discuss his role on the Academy Award-nominated film and his life’s work.

With the lessons you learned at CSULB, what did you take with you onto this movie?

What does your job as a first assistant cameraman entail?

I am the head of the camera department with all the technology as well as all the personnel. I am responsible to the studio, to the producers and to the director of photography.

He is my immediate boss, and he’s usually the one who hires me to do these movies. I’ve been with the same cinematographers for many years. Other than that, I am one of the few hands-on people who are performing the photography, hands-on-the-camera, doing the actual shooting. My primary job with that is to keep all the shots in focus.

As the camera moves, as the actors move, the focus changes and it’s my job to maintain sharpness all the time. But the overall job is managerial as well as logistical.

Cinematography can be all-encompassing with the composition and lighting, but why did cinematography resonate with you the most?

I had a love for photography, a love for cameras. I thought I wanted to

Gregory Irwin, above, on the set of “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” in 2005. Irwin is a 1983 CSULB alumnus, having earned a degree in cinematography, film production and business. Irwin later went on to work as the “A” camera first assistant for the Academy Award-nominated film, “Joker.”

I don’t know if I can pin it to any one thing. Steve Hubbert was the head of the film department at Long Beach State, just recently retired, and he is still a very dear, close friend of mine this many years later. We talk all the time. What Steve taught, I think, was responsibility, in particular, self-responsibility. You could make this industry anything you want it to be if you take charge of yourself. And that’s the thing I took away from film school. We could learn [about] the academics of cinema. We could learn the academics of the technology and the equipment. If we’re going to be in the industry, you have to learn that. You don’t have a choice.

You have to have a command of all that. But what they don’t teach you in film school all the time is self-responsibility and taking charge of your own career, your own life, thus your own career. And that’s what I took out of that. I think that’s why I became very successful over the last 40 years in this industry, doing many great films because I put it all into it. I laid it on the line, and I went for it. And that was because of Steve Hubbert.

10 OPINIONS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | OPINIONS@DAILY49ER.COM

Our overreliance on plastics is decimating marine life and flooding beaches. The California State University’s recent plastic ban policy should help, but is it enough?

We need to be drastic to stop single-use plastic The CSU’s ban is a step in the right direction, but to really make a difference it needs to go further.

By Perry Continente Opinions Editor

P

lastic waste is choking the world.

Eight million tons of the stuff is dumped into the world’s oceans every year, which has resulted in a “garbage patch” twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean.

Single-use plastics have no place at Long Beach State, so why do I get a plastic fork redundantly wrapped in plastic every time I order a rice bowl?

As a coastal community, hell as people, we cannot continue to contribute to a problem that has such a profound negative impact on the world around us.

Our overreliance on plastics, specifically single-use plastics, is decimating marine life and flooding beaches. The California State University system’s reliance on plastics has made it a major contributor to this issue, but that’s set to change.

Policy 5236 will dramatically curb the use of plastics and ban single-use plastics in entirety. This is absolutely the right call.

Additionally, the City of Long Beach is considering a similar ban.

But these bans don’t go far enough.

The CSU policy states a “preference shall be given” to reusable products, but that compostable and biodegradable plastics are still permitted.

This is a step in the right direction for the CSU system, even if it is overdue.

Although single-use plastics are recyclable, the methods for recycling them are far from perfect, and a good number of them will end up in the trash anyway.

Some estimates say that of all plastic bottles produced, only 9% are recycled, and the actual processing of plastics is complicated and deeply flawed. Just because you put something in the recycling bin doesn’t mean it gets recycled.

Biodegradable, or compostable, single-use “plastics” have been a thing for years, but their efficacy is debatable.

Hopefully, Long Beach State will error on the side of reusable rather than compostable, because its use is a half-measure.

Although there are compostable materials at the restaurants, the take-out containers at the Nugget Grill & Pub are a great example, there are even more examples of waste.

When almost every restaurant on campus serves its food with a plastic fork or spoon, there is a major problem. This won’t be an entirely comfortable transition, if they do dramatically minimize even compostable plastics, as they should, to-go orders might come without utensils.

This might be annoying for some, but it’s not that big of a deal, and sometimes we just need to suck it up and do what’s best for the environment.

Reversing the damage we have done to the planet will be a team effort, and it won’t be easy. Although the majority of the problem is fueled by big business, many of the changes necessary will affect your average person in annoying ways.

Come talk to us!

The Daily Forty-Niner is an open newsroom. For any questions, concerns or complaints please do not hesitate to visit the editorial staff in Liberal Arts 4-203 or call 562-985-8000.

All editors are willing to have a discussion about the content published in the Daily Forty-Niner print and on Daily49er.com

OPINIONS 11

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | OPINIONS@DAILY49ER.COM

Spill the Tea is a weekly section for students to share their opinions and make their voices heard. Long Beach State students answer a question that can range from the silly to the political. We at the Daily Forty-Niner value the diverse opinions of the CSULB student body and look forward to you sharing them with us.

Who was the most memorable teacher you’ve had, and what made them special?

Did they shape you or your education in any way?

By Kelly Nuñez

Deja Gladden First-year theater arts major

Timothy Chang First-year pre-nursing major

Shane Monahan Third-year recreation major

Eighth-grade history teacher Mr. Aminifu, Horseman Middle School, Los Angeles

Seventh-grade geometry teacher Mr. Plunkett, Travis Ranch Middle School, Yorba Linda

Professor Tarantine, Long Beach City College

“He opened my eyes [to] a lot of topics and issues that are happening in society. He went over stuff that happened to Black people that I didn’t know about and other races. In his classroom, he had another room, but it was kind of like a dance room, and he would take us there to express ourselves. He made me feel more open, and now I’m able to talk to people about certain things. It makes me more open to understanding social issues such as abortion or discrimination.”

“He was literally everyone’s favorite teacher because he was really chill.

He would play his ukelele and would play the Spongebob theme, and everyone loves Spongebob.

We would also play Jeopardy, and it was Star Wars themed. He’s a teacher that really personally connected with students on another level. It was one of the classroom environments where no one was afraid to speak up. It was a small class. It was not like a not a big lecture hall so everyone was comfortable. He addressed everyone as they walked in the door every single day.”

“One professor that really stood out to me was at Long Beach City College. I took one of her classes and told her about myself because I was struggling with an assignment. And so, I went to office hours and we talked and she helped me out. I was trying to transfer to [CSULB] and she was there the whole step with me. It was really cool because she followed up with emails and she was just really awesome. I thought that was really amazing.”

Alejandro Padilla First-year political science major Mr. Miller, West Middle School (now Stauffer Middle School), Downey “The teacher that just immediately comes to mind is my middle school band director. He just kind of instilled this beautiful sense of discipline and appreciation for music and what it can do and the sort of experiences one can have and the sort of connections one can build through playing music and through meeting people. Music is innately a human process so it’s putting you in touch with your own humanity, your emotions and with other people. I feel like it makes you a more whole person, and Mr. Miller showed me that. I love him with all my heart.”

Lalo’s Roommate Troubles

By Enacio Diaz

SPORTS 12

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | SPORTS@DAILY49ER.COM

MARK LINDAHL | Daily Forty-Niner

Redshirt junior jumper Jason Smith points at his 2018 All-American designation in the long jump. Smith tied Long Beach State’s long jump record of 25-07.25 on Feb. 1 at the UW Invitational.

JUMPING INTO HISTORY After battling through injuries last season, redshirt junior jumper Jason Smith is leaping up the Long Beach State leaderboards.

By Cain Hernandez & Mark Lindahl Staff Writers

T

rack and field is one of the few sports that uniquely combines individual and team performance.

Redshirt junior jumper Jason Smith has been leaping up the Long Beach State leaderboard with marks of his own, but he doesn’t do it for himself.

“My motivation every day is my family,” Smith said. “I’ve always wanted to give back for everything that they’ve given to me. Just having them come out and see who they raised, how well [I’m] doing...something that [I love].”

Smith will be sporting white tape on his arms at each meet this year to honor the individuals who inspire him.

“On the tape, he wrote names of women that lift him,” his mother Lynn said, “and men that give him strength.”

Two of those names on the tape, Lynn

and his grandmother Elsie, travel to every meet possible.

“Every time [my mom] gets the chance, she’s going to be coming out to watch her baby,” Smith said, “so I’m just trying to make her proud.”

And he has made her proud.

Smith tied Long Beach State’s long jump record of 25-07.25 on Feb. 1 at the UW Invitational, held by former teammate and two-time Big West Men’s Field Athlete of the Year Kemonie Briggs.

But Smith said he’s still not satisfied.

“I definitely am gonna break the record for myself,” he said. “It’s all love, but he knows I’m gonna get it.”

Smith wasn’t always a star jumper, he grew up on the diamond playing baseball.

But during his junior year of high school, his passion for baseball grounded out.

“I told him he had to do something,” Lynn said. “The other thing that was within the baseball season was track. I said ‘OK then, track it is.’ I told him no excuses.”

Smith always had natural speed, and he thought it would translate to baseball or basketball.

After beginning his journey on the track, Smith’s coaches told him no one is going to

Long Beach State Men’s Long Jump Top-6 Record Holders

look at him unless he jumps to a mark of 23 feet or higher.

In his first track meet, he jumped a 23.

“He was like ‘Mom I did it I did it!’” Lynn recalled. “They told me what to do, and I did it!”

Track and field head coach Andy Sythe saw the potential in Smith, so when Smith reached out to CSULB he knew he had to have him on his squad.

“Jason had that ‘It’ attitude, the ‘I can,’” Sythe said. “That was his driving force to make him better. He was not the best athlete. He was by far not the best athlete, but he really focused on the process and had the attitude that he could [be].”

With a prominent team in place when Smith arrived in Long Beach, it was going to be a battle to be the best. Smith welcomed the competitive culture curated by Sythe and thrived in it.

“I was like the little brother coming into the program,” Smith said. “I came here because of the marks I saw them putting up, and I wanted that competition for myself.”

Smith was crowned Big West Freshman of the Year in 2017 and placed second in the high jump and long jump at the conference championships his sophomore year.

A foot injury sidelined Smith his junior year, but he has kept a growth mindset going into his “comeback year.”

“I like his attitude, he’s a positive person,” Smith’s grandmother Elsie said. “He has come so far. When he started at Long Beach, he was just a scraggly, scrawny kid.”

With all eyes on Smith during his bounce-back season, he knew he had to remain calm and try his best.

“I think he does have the internal push to be the best in the nation,” Sythe said. “The question will always come down to, keeping our health, keeping forward progress and believing in what he’s doing.”

Although Smith didn’t get to the Beach as a five-star recruit, he’s used his “business-like approach” towards his preparation and leadership to guarantee his face will be on the wall at Jack Rose Track with the other immortalized athletes.

“I’ve always, since I’ve stepped out on this campus, wanted my face on there,” Smith said. “I just want people to remember that I’ve always gotten better every year.”

Long Beach State track and field’s next meet will be the MPSF Championships Feb. 28-29 at the University of Washington.

Kemonie Briggs (2019) & Jason Smith (2020)

Willie Alexander (2013)

Detric Cofield (1996)

Saladin Nasser (2018)

Chris Richardson (2007)

T-1

3

4

5

6

25-07.25

25-00.00

24-05.50

24-00.25

23-11.50