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Vol. XCV, Issue 12
1949
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ON THE COVER NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner Long Beach State women's volleyball graduate defensive specialist Nicole Hoff dives to make a dig in the match against CSU Bakersfield inside the Walter Pyramid. The Beach recorded 31 digs compared to the Roadrunners' 22 digs in the 3-0 sweep.
NEWS
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Editors News Editor Juan Calvillo news@daily49er.com Arts & Life Editor Natasha Castanedo arts@daily49er.com Opinions Editor Georgie Smith opinions@daily49er.com Sports Editor Davis Ramage sports@daily49er.com Design Editor Mary Catipay design@daily49er.com Copy Editor Jazmin Arellano Gallardo copy@daily49er.com Photo Editor Naoki Gima photo@daily49er.com Social Media Editor Maureen Linzaga socials@daily49er.com Video Editor Alina Ti video@daily49er.com Podcast Editor Aidan Swanepoel podcast@daily49er.com
Assistants News Assistants
Arts & Life Assistants
Elizabeth Basile Acsah Lemma Anthony Orrico Linsey Towles Samantha Cortes Renzo Pocasangre
Cheyenne Elizarraras Maya-Claire Glenn Sports Assistants Matthew Coleman Alyssa De La Cruz Matthew Gomez Design Assistants Luis Castilla Nuelle Obaseki Copy Editor Assistants Stacey Chen Jaylyn Preslicka Nick Broadhead Photo Assistants Mark Siquig Marlon Villa Social Media Assistants Maher Basharahil Jahir Olvera Video Assistant Steven Matthews Opinions Assistants
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Business Advertising Manager Izzy Ahmed advertising@gobeach.media Creative Director Jennix Bien creative@gobeach.media Web & Technology Manager Leila Nuñez web@gobeach.media PR & Promotions Manager Nicollette Combre beach.pr@gobeach.media Distribution Manager Sofia Ingegno distribution@gobeach.media
Advisers Design Adviser Gary Metzker Content Adviser Barbara Kinglsey-Wilson Advertising & Business Adviser Jennifer Newton
Letters Policy: All letters and emails must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Daily Forty-Niner reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space. 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 Forty-Niner 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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JAHIR OLVERA / Daily Forty-Niner Over the upcoming years, CSULB will undergo major renovations and changes around campus. Many of the buildings, which have been around since as late as the 1950s and '60s are showing their age and need an upgrade.
CSULB Master Plan and Future U plan to bring significant changes around campus BY JAHIR OLVERA Social Media Assistant
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ajor changes are slated to come to Long Beach State. The 2035 Campus Master Plan and Associated Students Inc.'s Future U Plan aim to bring renovations and improvements across CSULB to update the campus to modern standards. Some of the changes include updates to the Parkside Dorms, the University Student Union, the Bookstore and more. Many of the aging facilities and buildings around campus are in need of improvement. According to the Master Plan, over half of the buildings around campus were rated as being in a below-average or in poor state. The university plans to demolish, replace and/ or expand many of the facilities around campus, some of which date back to the 1950s and '60s. These changes aim to provide more on-campus
housing, accessibility and social spaces for students. The changes set by the Master Plan are designed to fit with the six major themes the university deems reflect the conversations had with the campus community. The themes include the Campus Experience, Equity + Accessibility, Sustainability and Resistance, Densify + Right Size Growth and Campus Identity. The sixth and final theme is the most important and the center of all the themes – a Student Ready Campus. Certain departments will be moved and combined with others, such as the School of Design, which will join the School of Art within the Fine Arts 3 building. Fine Arts 3 will be completely replaced with a three to four-story building. Over the past academic year, ASI took input from students, faculty and staff regarding what they would want included in the renovation and expansion of the University Student Union. Many of the new additions will include increased food services, an expansion to the Beach Pantry and more. Construction is planned to begin in 2026 and will increase student fees by $255 starting in 2025.
Land Acknowledgment Here at the 49er we acknowledge that the school we report on is located on the sacred site of Puvungna, “the gathering place”. We are on the land of the Tongva/Gabrieleño and the Acjachemen/Juaneño Nations who have lived and continue to live here. We also acknowledge the Gabrieleño/Tongva (pronounced: GABRIEL-EN-YO/TONG – VAH) and Acjachamen/Juaneño (pronounced: AH-HACH-AH-MEN/JUAN-EN-YO) as the traditional custodians of the Los Angeles region along with the Chumash (pronounced: CHOO-MOSH) to the north and west, and the Tataviam (pronounced: TAH-TAH-VEE-YUM) and Cahuilla (pronounced: KAH-WEE-YAH) Nations to the east. We respect and value the many ways the Tongva/Acjachemen cultural heritage and beliefs continue to have significance to the living people and remind us about the sacred and spiritual relationship that has always existed here at what we now call California State University Long Beach.
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ARTS NEWS
Campus cart tips, crashes into two student cars BY MAYA-CLAIRE GLENN Opinions Assistant
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Long Beach State campus cart tipped over and crashed into two student vehicles while swerving to avoid a collision with an oncoming vehicle on lower campus. The incident occurred at approximately 9:20 a.m. Tuesday in the G8 parking lot and is one of two incidents involving a campus cart that morning. Emma Hughes, a fourth-year painting and drawing major, had the back window of her Honda Fit broken after the cart tipped. She was in class when she found out what happened. “I got a call and I was going to ignore it, but I got another call. It was campus police,” Hughes said. “I don’t think I’ll park in a corner spot in the parking lot again.” A Honda Civic, driven by student
MARY CATIPAY/ Daily Forty-Niner A Cal State Long Beach maintenance cart tipped over in parking lot G8 near the Walter Pyramid on Tuesday morning, hitting two students' cars. Alyssa LeDonne, was also hit during the accident. “I just got to class and I got a text saying that I needed to call campus police,” said LeDonne, a fourth-year liberal studies major. Cpl. Maligie was one of three Uni-
versity Police Department officers present to help talk to Hughes and LeDonne about what happened. Along with the incident in G8, another incident involving a campus cart occurred in the Pyramid Parking Structure earlier this morning.
“There was another non-injury collision this morning as well involving another state-owned vehicle,” Maligie said. No injuries were sustained in both incidents and the accidents remain under investigation by UPD.
Leaks at Walter Pyramid pose potential impact on winter season Games may be relocated to the Gold Mine due to the leaks in the Pyramid. BY DAVIS RAMAGE Sports Editor
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ith the upcoming winter sports season approaching, school officials are preparing for the possibility of game relocations due to leaks in the Walter Pyramid. Last year and earlier this year, heavy rain and leaks in the roof of the 30-yearold Walter Pyramid forced games to be held at the Gold Mine, LBSU’s multipurpose arena on campus. During last winter season, Gold Mine’s restricted arc was three feet instead of four, which caused a delay in the game scheduled to be there. Newly appointed Athletic Director Bobby Smitheran said that he is preparing for possible impacts to games in the winter season. “We’re looking at all aspects of the facility from the rims, to the sound, to the lighting, to the stands, to how do we prepare for where [the students] are going to sit,” Smitheran said. Smitheran aims to notify Beach fans and ticket holders at least six hours ahead of time if a game is going to be
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NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner Indoor games this upcoming winter for Beach athletics could possibly be moved to the Gold Mine due to leakage issues that were made prevalent dating back to last winter. relocated by using social media and the LBSU athletics website. He also hopes that a second study of issues with the infrastructure of the Pyramid will provide a roadmap toward a reasonable repair price. “I think the results of that study will
really guide a conversation around what is the appropriate approach,” Smitheran said. The first study found that a repair would cost $55 million. “From a feasibility standpoint, that doesn’t make a lot of sense for us as an
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institution and for the facility,” Smitheran said. This fall, the Instructionally Related Activities Fee, which aims to support essential educational experiences and activities, was raised from $24 to $65 and will increase to $89 next spring semester. None of this money has yet been put towards repairs due to continued efforts to pinpoint the exact challenges and issues, according to Smitheran. “I know the Pyramid is a priority for everyone on this campus, but at some point, there becomes a reality of what we can or can’t do in regards to a problem that can be as large as $55 million,” Smitheran said. Despite feelings of uncertainty with the Pyramid, participation in the school’s sports programs has grown over the past year. According to Smitheran, this year’s average attendance at women’s volleyball games has almost doubled, growing from 187 to 352. With attendance growing, safety at the games has become a priority for school officials. “Obviously we want to play all of our games at the Pyramid if we can, but student athlete’s safety is first and foremost in my mind,” Smitheran said.
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ARTS NEWS
New drop-off zones implemented on campus BY MARLON VILLA Photo Assistant
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ltercations, vehicle congestion and a desire for improved traffic flow patterns are the main reasons why Long Beach State implemented four new drop-off zones over the summer. The new zones are located outside of the Family and Consumer Sciences building, the Liberal Arts buildings, the library and the University Theater and near Walter Pyramid. Previous issues with drop-offs in unauthorized areas mainly stemmed from extreme traffic on upper campus. People in cars were blocking traffic lanes by throwing their hazards on and waiting for their passengers. A decrease in traffic in normally congested areas, such as West Campus Drive, shows that the new zones are working. According to Parking and Operations Director Chad Keller, there was a 71.4% decrease in complaints this fall semester. Decisions were made based on observations from enforcement officers and reports through emails, as those are the only forms they keep track of. Third-year fashion merchandising major Cassandra Urufno, believes the drop-off zones are pretty effective and beneficial for students.
“I feel like a lot of people don’t have their license and I think it’d be convenient if they would expand, or at least, have other drop-off locations that are more reliable for students,” Urufno said. Urufno explained that traffic can get bad on West Campus Drive, the street that the Go Beach sign sits on. “Sometimes it really gets congested here, especially on the main street and it just causes traffic,” Urufno said. A large part of why these new zones were added was to ease backups by the Go Beach sign. The Go Beach sign is a popular unauthorized drop-off location where drivers tend to idle and wait for passengers. It has a red curb, which is intended to be a limited-time parking zone for buses, shuttles and emergency vehicles. The motivation behind establishing the new zones was not only to alleviate congestion, but also to enhance student safety. “It probably makes more sense than dropping the person off just anywhere,” Uber driver Lillian Vincent said. Vincent had an issue with the zones as she got honked at for being on the wrong side of the road. In a one-hour observation of the drop-off zone, situated adjacent to the liberal arts buildings, it was calculated that 40 vehicles accessed the drop-off zone, either picking up or dropping off a student.
Sustain U Trash Talkers event teaches students about sustainable practices The bimonthly event at the University Student Union West Patio had students play games and answer questions to win prizes.
SYDNEY HOOPER / Daily Forty-Niner Parth Balchandani (left) and Mack Andersen (right) are members of ASI who ran the event on Oct. 31, with additional events scheduled throughout November.
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MARLON VILLA / Daily Forty-Niner Located in front of Liberal Arts Building 3 on West Campus Drive, this is drop-off zone D1, which sees the most traffic from noon - 2 p.m. During this observation, there was constant traffic as well as multiple altercations with faculty trucks, asking drivers to relocate after they had been lingering in the zone for more than a few minutes. If a car needs to linger, they are expected to wait in the cell phone waiting lot. The new free 15-minute cell phone waiting area consists of seven parking spots. Located on upper campus in the
South Turnaround by the library. Third-year student Madeline Spangler said her boyfriend utilizes the waiting area when he picks her up from school. “It’s honestly pretty small, but it works. He used to not know where to go when he was early but now he can just wait there and it’s usually pretty empty,” Spangler said.
BY SYDNEY HOOPER Staff Writer
how to properly dispose of food waste,” Balchandani said. “Students can easily use a small composting bin in their apartment or dorm.” Balchandani said that during the 2022-2023 school year, 15,000 pounds of food waste were disposed of from the Long Beach State dining halls alone. Therefore, ASI is looking into ways to limit food waste and educate students on its impact. Balchandani will coordinate another ASI Sustain U event, From Ashes to Action, on Nov. 16. The event will educate students on the importance of controlled forest fires and how they benefit the environment. Another Sustain U event coming up on Nov. 6 is Plant Parenthood, which will teach students how to properly pot pre-established plants and learn about which plants are best planted during each season. Students can attend additional Trash Talkers events on Nov. 5, 14 and 28 on the USU West Patio. For updates on other sustainability events happening on campus, students can visit the Sustain U website. In July 2017, Sustain U helped pass a policy for sustainability in ASI hyperlink to this, creating operations to utilize resources in a way that generates less waste within the program. Since then, the program has grown to host monthly outreach meetings, educational workshops, sustainable cooking demonstrations, and composting programs. They also collaborate with Long Beach State’s Zero Waste Plan to work toward those goals.
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he Trash Talkers workshop hosted by Associated Students Inc.’s Sustain U program involved interactive games for students to become aware of their environmental impact and discover ways to combat it. The Oct. 31 event featured cup pong, with the winning students answering a sustainability question to receive prizes such as reusable straws, pens and sling bags. The games change with each bimonthly event, some of the others including cup stacking and mini bowling. Tessa Smith, a studio art major, worked at Trash Talkers as part of her volunteer hours for a geography class on climate action and sustainability. “We have to complete 45 volunteer hours throughout the semester,” Smith said. “I mostly volunteer with ASI events like this or the Grow Beach garden.” However, Smith said that students do not have to be part of a class in order to volunteer through Sustain U. Louise Ramos, a geography major, was another volunteer working the event to receive volunteer hours. Ramos also volunteers for off-campus organizations, such as the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, where she helps restore wildlife habitats. I would delete this since there is no quote from them ASI member Parth Balchandani helped coordinate this educational event. “We want to educate students on
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ARTS ARTS & LIFE
Eye of the Cat brings magic to Long Beach BY SAMANTHA CORTES Arts & Life Assistant
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ye of the Cat has been a spiritual safe haven in Long Beach for nearly 50 years, providing a plethora of spell-casting herbs, magical oils and tarot card readings for the community. When the store was first opened in 1974 by Judith DeFrain, it was the first metaphysical spot in Southern California. DeFrain’s daughter and current owner, Kelly Hernandez, attended classes there growing up, where she learned how to polish her craft as a young witch. “Judith DeFrain opened the store because people needed it,” Hernandez said. “It became not just a resource for people to go when they needed to cast a spell… but also a place for connection and a community of like-minded people to have a place to learn.” Located at 3314 E. Broadway, the shop is filled with colorful stones, tarot card decks, Wiccan books, fragrant incense and spell kits. Most of the recipes were created by the family. They also descend from ancient formulas. “We use the colors, herbs, oils, salts and combinations of things to create a particular energy or vibration,” Hernandez said. “We also go an extra step and make
sure that it's made properly because there's timing issues and certain days of the week or month have power.” Kelly Hernandez worked her way through the ranks of the business and became the official owner in 2005, running it alongside her family. Her daughter, Emma Hernandez, has been surrounded by spirituality her entire life. Emma now handles most of the customer service operations at the shop. “My mom raised me and my siblings to learn every religion, get information from everywhere, never stop learning about it and then choose for ourselves,” Emma Hernandez said. “I chose more of the Pagan path.” Although spirituality and Paganism have become more widely accepted in recent years, the family has encountered plenty of backlash due to their practices. “As a kid, I would get bullied and made fun of for it,” Emma Hernandez said. “It didn’t matter too much to me, because I knew the truth of what it really was about.” Skeptics often flood into the store, where the Hernandez family is always eager to introduce them to their world. Social media has been a driving force in the interest of witchcraft, with the “witchtok” hashtag amassing over 48 billion views on TikTok. Despite the growing interest for spirituality on the internet, the family has noticed it has become a hub for danger-
SAMANTHA CORTES / Daily Forty-Niner Eye of the Cat is Southern California’s oldest metaphysical store, with a vast selection of colorful candles, herbs and spices, aura-cleansing washes and spell-casting wands. ous misinformation. Some customers are interested in attempting advanced spells without doing prior research. “There are so many negatives to doing magic,” Emma Hernandez said. “If your intention isn't exactly what you need it to be, it can go sideways. Not enough people have that connected and that terrifies me.” The family has continued their efforts to connect with the local community by educating them on safe spell-casting practices and providing spiritual guidance. In addition to selling occult items, the shop offers psychic readings, astrology chart reports, beginner witchcraft lessons and witch and stitch craft events. Through the support of their community, the business has continued to thrive. Kelly Hernandez prioritizes building strong connections and collaborating with other metaphysical shops in
the area. “This is a time when we really need community,” Kelly Hernandez said. “There are still a lot of people out there who have very strong opinions against us and we have to have numbers for our own protection.” Kelly Hernandez doesn’t anticipate expanding the store or opening another one soon, but she continues to develop new recipes and products. She recently created candle schmear for her customers, a natural mess-free pigment used to inscribe candles. As Eye of the Cat approaches their 50th anniversary in January, the shop hopes to continue the tradition of providing a safe space for believers and skeptics alike. “It's a place where people who don't feel accepted by their religion can find peace and acceptance, even if this isn't it for them either,” Kelly Hernandez said.
Students celebrate Día de los Muertos BY SOFIA CUEVAS Staff Writer
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ong Beach State's Día de los Muertos event allowed students to celebrate Mexican culture and honor their deceased loved ones by decorating an altar, enjoying traditional Mexican foods and participating in themed arts & crafts activities. CSULB's Día de los Muertos event took place on Tuesday, Oct. 31 at the University Student Union from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. It was a free Beach Pride event, hosted by Associated Students Inc., and was open to all students who wished to join the festivities. Día de los Muertos is typically celebrated in Mexico on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, although celebrations often begin in the last days of October. Nov. 1 is reserved to honor children who have died and Nov. 2 is to remember adults. It is Mexican tradition to believe that the souls of the dead return to the living on Nov 2. for Día de los Muertos, allowing people to reunite with their loved ones who have passed. Día de los Muertos festivities and traditions vary among households, as every family celebrates the holiday in their own way. The activity most commonly associated with the holiday is the decorating of an altar, or ofrenda, to remember those
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SOFIA CUEVAS / Daily Forty-Niner The altar, or ofrenda, was located at the University Student Union South Terrace. It was decorated with photos of people who have passed away. who have died and welcome them when their souls return home for the holiday. "I'm here honoring my grandma, who died a long time ago," said psychology major Sarah Valencia. "Something that my family always does is set up an altar for her in the living room." Ofrendas are decorated with the intent of celebrating the deceased person they are honoring and offering them anything they may need on their journey among the worlds of the living and the dead. The altars often include photos of
the person and items that hold significance to them as an individual, including those that represent their personality, interests, hobbies and even their favorite foods. Estefania Aranda, a CSULB student who attended the Día de los Muertos celebration, says her family hosts a get-together with her neighbors every year. Aranda says that the ofrendas they decorate always include photos of their family and pets that have died. CSULB's event was heavily focused
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on the altar set up by ASI, which was adorned with photos of the deceased and other elements of Mexican culture, such as serapes, sugar skulls, papel picado, traditional pan de muerto and Marigold flowers. Marigolds, or Cempasuchil, have a special significance to Día de los Muertos, representing the flower of death in Aztec culture due to the flower's extremely short life span once it is cut. They have become a staple in altar decorations because of their connection to the dead. Students who attended CSULB's Día de los Muertos event were given Marigold flowers and were instructed to place them at the altar if they wished. Attendees also had the opportunity to visit the crafts tables at the event, which offered them the materials and instructions needed to make festive art pieces. The choices included sugar skull wind chimes, alebrijes, or Mexican folk art sculptures, tissue paper marigolds and other crafts connected to Día de los Muertos. "We get together as a family and set up a little party at someone's house," said Melanie Villalpando, a student who celebrates Día de los Muertos every year and was working on a craft at the event. "We honor family members we've lost with an ofrenda." A full calendar of future Beach Pride events and other events hosted on CSULB's campus can be found on the ASI website.
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ARTS ARTS & LIFE
Frankie and the Witch Fingers take over the Troubadour for a punk rock Halloweekend spectacle
MARK SIQUIG / Daily Forty-Niner The Los Angeles-based punk-rock band Frankie and the Witch Fingers performs a sold-out show at the Troubadour on Oct. 28. Many of the band's fans attended the concert in their costumes to celebrate Halloween. BY NATASHA CASTANEDO Arts & Life Editor
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ombining punk, neo-psychedelic rock and garageband greatness, Frankie and the Witch Fingers is a beacon of light in the saturated world of today’s popular music. They are a band that reminds listeners that rock n roll is not dead, in fact, it is alive and well, thriving in the musical crevices of peripheral culture. The band first began in Bloomington, Indiana from the collaborative efforts of guitarist and lead singer Dylan Sizemore with lead guitarist and vocalist Josh Menashe. They have since moved to Los Angeles and they picked up a few new faces along the way, including bassist Nikki ‘Pickle’ Smith and drummer Nick Aguilar, a San Pedro local. Their unique sound is that of a polished group with many years underneath their belt, and their latest album, “Data Doom,” is a conceptual work that was carefully crafted from start to finish. "Data Doom" tells a story of existential feelings about the impending technological takeover that humanity faces. Everything from the lyrics and the melodies, to the album artwork, all convey this scary reality in an epically unforgettable way. “Data Doom” is a project that tells this story from start to finish an artform that seems to have been lost in today’s album making. This cohesiveness can also be felt amongst the band. The four musicians have a tangible comradery that holds them together and they shared that they only squabble about the important stuff, like Mario Party and Catan. They cite their collaborative efforts and similar interests as a major positive driving force behind their music. “I’m always influenced by something new, if that makes sense, and I think that kind of goes for all of us… Our interests and tastes are always evolving which is always going to make the music evolve too,” Aguilar said.
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Their constant inspired evolution is part of what makes Frankie and the Witch Fingers a band to watch out for. They are not afraid to blend styles to achieve a sound that is familiar yet, completely new. This genre morphing sound can be heard on “Data Doom,” an album that only took four months to create. “I think the process of doing it on our own speed, in our own space was really freeing and it never really felt like work,” Menashe said. “It never really felt like we were clocking in or anything. It just felt like we were hanging out and experimenting.” The band's organic chemistry was on full display Saturday, Oct. 28 during their sold-out performance at the Troubadour, an iconic LA venue.
The Halloween weekend show was a part of the bands U.S. tour and eager fans, decked out in their spookiest costumes, lined the outside, hours before they took the stage. For many attendees like Jenny Sparks, 25, this was their second, or even third time, seeing Frankie and the Witch Fingers. “They amaze me every time, they’re so good. They are just so talented, and they bring the crowd together,” Sparks said. Concertgoer Sarah Fergadiotti, 28, was most excited to see Nikki ‘Pickle,’ recounting what it means to her to see a woman bass player on stage. “The punk, the fusion, the bass player being a woman. We just love Nikki ‘Pickle’,” Fergadiotti said.
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[There is] a lot of kinetic energy and that’s always fun to experience. It kind of takes you out of your day to day. Dylan Sizemore Lead vocalist When you walk into the dimly lit nightclub, you are immediately greeted by seemingly never-ending photographs of musicians like Guns N’ Roses, Neil Young, Elton John, Gwen Stefani and Metallica, all of whom once began their legendary journeys at the Troubadour. History seems to ooze from the grain of the wood paneled walls that are embedded with decades worth of stories and performances, adding Frankie and the Witch Fingers as its newest addition. “It’s crazy to think about all the bands and acts that have played here and its cool that it’s still going in a world where venues shut down all the time. This one has stood the test of time and we're happy to be a part of it,” Menashe said.
For Pickle, performing at the Troubadour was a full circle moment. “Seeing Warpaint here back in the day is one of the things that made me want to be a bass player. Seeing Jenny Lee Lindberg up there was like, hey, I could do that,” she said. The bands performance at the Troubadour was an all-out, heart pounding, sweaty affair complete with crowd surfing and constant moshing. They began their set with “Empire,” the opening track off of “Data Doom” and Pickles’ favorite song to perform. "Empire" is a seven-and-a-half-minute guitar heavy song that is frenzied and absolutely epic, which immediately conveyed the bands infectiously power-
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ful stage presence. They played nonstop for over an hour to a crowd that was completely enthralled with their performance. Fans danced ‘till the very end and rarely took out their phones, a testament to the energy of the show. For the band, that relationship with audiences is part of what makes live performances so special. “Seeing a smile on somebody’s face, just from like music is the best feeling ever, especially when you’re playing your own,” Aguilar said. Lead vocalist Dylan Sizemore, a calm and seemingly quiet guy, expressed that shows are a way for him to unleash his energy. His vocals led the band throughout their performance and showcased his natural abilities to command the stage. “[There is] A lot of kinetic energy and that’s always fun to experience. It kind of takes you out of your day to day,” Sizemore said. Following the opening song, the band moved into a few other notable tracks from “Data Doom,” including “Electricide” and “Burn Me Down.” They also played fan favorite “Syster System,” a groovy song that follows the theme of technological doom and has an almost blues-like sound to the vocals. Older songs from the bands discography also made an appearance on the setlist like “Tea,” “Realization” and “Dracula Drug.” By the end of the concert, several band members were crowd surfing shirtless, giving it their all on the stage while fans went wild. Frankie and the Witch Fingers closed out their set by paying homage to arguably one of the first punk bands of all time, The Stooges, with a cover of their song, “I Wanna Be Your Dog.” While it is unclear what the future holds for rock ‘n’ roll, it is clear that Frankie and the Witch Fingers have claimed their stake in its ongoing history. The band has a lot planned for the future and their music can be found on all major streaming platforms.
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ARTS ARTS & LIFE
NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner Long Beach State's student section cheers on the women's volleyball team during Saturday night's matchup against Notre Dame inside the Walter Pyramid on Sept. 3, 2022. Sporting events offer students the opportunity to get involved with the university community, and show off school spirit.
We’ve got it too! School spirit at LBSU BY ZACH DURHAM Staff Writer
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niversities across the nation rely on school spirit to create a unique community amongst students, faculty and alumni. A 2023 article from Honor Society identified key benefits to having a sense of school spirit that included creating a sense of belonging and positive campus culture, building lifelong connections and promoting emotional well being. While some schools take it more seriously than others, where does Long Beach State fit into the school spirit spectrum? The Daily Forty-Niner has an extensive history of documenting school spirit. A 1954 publication included former A.S. Prexy Willie Suzuki’s definition of school spirit. Suzuki said that school spirit consisted of “small acts of being friendly and courteous, bettering the school socially, taking care of school facilities or suggesting to the council better ways of planning campus activities.” In 1994, A.S. Sports and Spirit commissioner Ernie Solis encouraged promotional events that brought the student body closer together. These events included weeklong festivities during Homecoming Week, such as the Friendship Walk and a pregame party at The Nugget for the men’s basketball game against Memphis State. 2020 marked a shift in Long Beach State’s campus culture, as it changed its mascot from Prospector Pete to Elbee the Shark. The student committee responsible for voting on the matter said the former mascot represented a genocidal era against indigenous people during the California Gold Rush.
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ZACH DURHAM / Daily Forty-Niner The Anna W. Ngai Alumni Center on 1250 N Bellflower Blvd. provides a gathering space for the campus community and alumni. Former Daily Forty Niner staff writer Sahara Barba said the departure of Prospector Pete would not result in the loss of pride and spirit for Long Beach State in a 2019 article, and current students agree with that statement. “I think that school spirit is super important and prevalent on campus,” said junior Aubree Davie about Long Beach State’s levels of spirit. There is a misconception that LBSU lacks school spirit for reasons that include a high percentage of students living off-campus and not having a football team. Although LBSU lacks a football program, and it’s true that the majority of students live elsewhere, the campus and community are not lacking school spirit. Long Beach is a multicultural community, and the community’s marriage with college culture has created a unique atmosphere on campus. Students, faculty and alumni are proud to represent Long Beach State as an identity. School spirit can be defined as the epitome of one’s experience at a given
school. It’s what separates each school from others by conjuring a sense of belonging in the community and guiding the direction of its culture. “Many students show their spirit by wearing CSULB gear on campus and around town, and I see a lot of cars with CSULB license plates and stickers,” Davie said about other student’s showing their spirit. A school’s spirit and culture are synonymous, and there are many ways to engulf ourselves in the culture that Long Beach State invites us to join. The Anna W. Ngai Alumni Center is a way to connect and build relationships with students and alumni. The center provides networking forums, seminars and more to encourage students to immerse themselves into our extensive community. According to their website, the center serves as a “one-of-a-kind gathering space for both alumni and the campus community” for connections to be “garnered, cultivated and celebrated.” Alumni benefits include access to
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campus facilities, discounts on local entertainment and more, encouraging longevity and inclusion amongst the community. We may not have a football team to root for on Saturday afternoons, but the 49er faithful show their support for LBSU athletics year in and year out. LBSU has led the state in attendance for women’s volleyball during the 2023 season, as a crowded Sandpit will always keep it rocking inside of Walter Pyramid. With men’s and women’s basketball season on the horizon, students and fans will bring the same energy. More than 1,500 fans filled the bleachers at George Allen Field as Long Beach State women’s soccer took on UC Irvine in the Black and Blue Rivalry game on Sept. 14. The largest home crowd of the season helped create a loud atmosphere and provided a sense of belonging to The Beach and the community. Baseball is inextricably tied to the culture of Long Beach State. The Dirtbags receive a great amount of attention from the community during the spring semester, as the program’s extensive history invites students, fans and alumni to interact amongst each other. “I would say my senior year is when I had the most amount of school spirit; that’s when I joined club baseball,” said former student Brendan Hartjoy when asked about how he got himself involved on campus. Brendan Hartjoy graduated in 2018 and still possesses a sense of belonging and connection with his alma mater. “When I look back now I would definitely say that I’m proud to have graduated from Long Beach State,” he added. Students’ affiliation to Long Beach State is part of their identity, and they should be proud of their membership to the community by maintaining high amounts of spirit.
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ARTS ARTS & LIFE
Photos by MARLON VILLA & MARK SIQUIG / Daily Forty-Niner Clockwise from top left: Just days away from Halloween, people came dressed in costumes to the Patchwork Show; Families brought their kids and pets to the biannual event supporting artists and small businesses from Los Angeles and Orange County; Antique lenses displaying a map of major cities were sold at the Maptonometry booth by Laura Kaslow. These antique lenses featured in many major cities around the world, like Frankfurt, Germany; Dolce Monachelli’s, a family-owned bakery by Chris and Kaye Monachelli, sell bundt cakes. Although they are based in Fullerton, the Monachelli’s also sell their products all around LA County; Heather Baker talks to a customer looking at her baby clothing at the Two Flowers One Bear pop-up shop. She focuses specifically on animal patterns when makes clothing for both babies and toddlers.
A trip to the Long Beach Patchwork show BY MARLON VILLA & MARK SIQUIG Photo Assistants
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he Patchwork show, which occurs twice a year in Long Beach, gave vendors the ability to sell food, clothes and artisan products. Over 250 vendors with all types of personal stories were present at the Patchwork Show on Sunday in Long Beach. Families brought their kids and pets to witness performances from the band ‘The Fallen Stars’ and vendors sold handmade products like mugs, dolls and maps, to name a few. Food trucks selling
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coffee, vegan food, burgers and Mexican dishes were also present for attendees to enjoy. Heather Baker, one of the venders, creates baby and toddler clothes with animal print styles such as cheetahs and tigers. A visual effects artist, Baker has worked on projects like “Thor: Love and Thunder” and the Sphere in Las Vegas. Years ago when things in the industry got slow, she started making hats for her kids, who were babies at the time. Baker found success and was able to sell her animal print hats and boots in stores around the country. As the years went by and her kids got older, she decided to go back to her visual effects job, but continued doing cloth-
ing as a side business. The wide variety of local and nonlocal artists is what Baker said draws people’s attention. “It brings everyone in the community out and gets together so I like it because it’s fun, everybody’s happy and then it just shows that there’s much talent out there,” Baker said. Heavy creative thinking is what makes this festival special to Sarah Serbin, who had a booth selling freeze dried candy called The Moxie Freeze. “All this creative energy, people spend so much time creating and it’s just, the energy is just contagious,” Serbin said. Various artists began their craft for reasons such as needing a side job to support their family or others because
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of a divorce, but for some it started unexpectedly. The unexpected can even occur in the middle of creating art, which is how artists like Aleysha Anthony started their journey in making black light paintings. “I’m attracted to very bright colors and somebody who bought my art actually pointed out to me what my art can do with a black light flashlight,” Anthony said. Anthony, along with her boyfriend Mark, also make sculptures and rolling trays. The Patchwork show occurs twice a year at Marine Stadium in Long Beach but has shows at various cities in Southern California throughout the year.
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ARTS OPINION
KATHLEEN SHIROMA / Daily Forty-Niner CSULB students participated in a walkout on Oct. 25, in protest of the conflicts going on in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine.
Letter to the Editor: Response to "Free Speech at The Beach" BY AMBER BENYOUCEF Guest Writer
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n a letter addressed to Long Beach State President Jane Close Conoley, a graduate student addresses Conoley’s emails regarding Israel and Palestine that were forwarded to university emails: Jane Conoley, Today, when I woke up, the first thing I noticed was a text from my dear Palestinian friend, a young and hopeful girl getting her bachelor’s degree at a nearby university. Although she is younger than me, I, a graduate student, look up to her for her encouraging spirit and ability to see the best in people, even when they display bad behavior. I can already imagine what she would say about you. She would say that I should be kind and gentle with my words because you probably don’t know what is going on in Palestine. She would say you are likely misled and, while that is not good, it is understandable because of your upbringing. She would say you also likely have to be careful with your words because of your position. She would give you a hundred excuses. Unfortunately for you, her text said that she lost half of her family in the bombing. Unfortunately for you, she is grieving and terrified about losing the other half of her family. The Zionist military occupation cut the internet to Gaza and is currently bombing them non-stop. Non-stop. You, Dr. Conoley, cannot even imagine the horror. Unfortunately for you, I am sitting here wondering how I can possibly exist in safety and security, with food in my stomach and a glass of water next to me. Unfortunately for you, I am desperately trying to find a way to exist in my own skin. My own white, American skin. Safe in my living room. Unfortunately for you, I am bawling for my dear, sweet friend, her family and all the others in Gaza. Unfortunately for you, she is too busy grieving to stop me from writing this let-
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ter. If she knew, she would insist I try to see the best in you. Unfortunately for you, I see nothing good in you. First, your emails. I tried writing a response as to just how problematic they were, but my writing was too angry to publicize. We will move past those emails. As you said, “I fear that as a nation we have started to glorify opinion (the lowest form of knowledge) over empathy and understanding which, according to Plato, is the highest form of knowledge.” I completely agree with you. I fear you glorify your own opinion (the lowest form of knowledge, as you stated) over empathy and understanding. Some things are just too embarrassing to di-
some of your students feeling attacked by the Students for Justice in Palestine and their rallies at Cal State Long Beach. We feel attacked as well. Have you any concern for the well-being of your Palestinian students, or just the Zionists on campus? You say you have to deal with the university’s reputation being damaged. This is true. As we speak, Israeli and Zionist donors are threatening to pull their donations from CSULB. As we speak, CSULB continues to be a large contributor to weapon manufacturers like Boeing and Northrop Grumman, funneling its students into contributing to the genocide in Gaza. In a shocking and disgusting display of disregard for a
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As CSULB president, you have actively made decisions that underserve your students and faculty here at our university, as well as all those in the Global South that continue to be bombarded by American and Israeli weaponry. rect attention to. Let us move forward, shall we? Get right into your article. Just as embarrassing, you wrote this one for the world while your emails were a private love letter to your students and faculty. It is so kind of you to bring up the anti-war protests from Vietnam, the Civil Rights Movement and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. It is so nice that you have heard of these events and brought up the Kent State Massacre, where they happened to be protesting western imperialism, military occupation and the mass murder of innocent civilian. Sounds a bit familiar… You, Conoley, are concerned about
genocide and military occupation of an Indigenous people, you have gladly aided in spreading the Zionist propaganda and encouraged the ethnic cleansing of well over 7,000 Palestinians, including over 3,000 children. As CSULB president, you have actively made decisions that underserve your students and faculty here at our university, as well as all those in the Global South that continue to be bombarded by American and Israeli weaponry. With regards to the propaganda you continue to spread, conflating antisemitism and anti-Zionism has to end. You hold a doctorate degree. This is not a difficult concept to grasp. Palestinians are
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also Semites. We want to end a genocide. This is not a religion against another religion. I have yet to meet a student working to end the genocide who has any ill feelings towards the Jewish community. I have, however, met Jewish students who feel erased and threatened by what is actually antisemitic propaganda. To put it bluntly, we can see your antisemitism, racism and Islamophobia. Now, let us address your assertion that this genocide is simply a “conflict,” or as you so generously put it, a “75-yearold impasse.” Palestine was invaded in 1948. Unarmed men, women and children were brutally murdered and forced out of their land by a military force. Attempts at agreements were struck, but the Zionist military occupation never kept their end of the bargain, gradually took more and more land and finally put a wall around Gaza. The only way to leave is by the Zionist checkpoints, where women are frequently sexually harassed and assaulted. If you are lucky, you are able to get through in several hours. The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) currently hold more than 10,000 political prisoners, which include hundreds of children. Once taken into custody, each prisoner is held in a filthy, dark cell with no food or water and taken in for torture. These tactics include rape, physical assault, withholding of menstrual and hygiene products and psychological abuse. These prisoners are held without fair trial, with the most common charge being stone throwing. Christians and Muslims are prevented from accessing their religious buildings, especially during holiday periods. Movement is strictly regulated. There are large portions of Palestine under IOF control where Christians and Muslims are not allowed access. This has been happening for 75 years and you want to call this an “impasse” and a “conflict?” This is a western-sponsored, imperialist occupation and genocide of the Palestinian people. I ask myself every day if I have done enough to help, and the answer is no. What do you ask yourself every day, Conoley?
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ARTS OPINION
LEI MADRIGAL / Daily Forty -Niner Fresh produce, nuts, bread, dips, kombucha and other ingredients make up my most recent grocery haul from Trader Joe's. These ingredients can all be used while creating vegetarian dishes.
A decade of vegetarianism
BY LEI MADRIGAL
Podcast Assistant
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hen I was 10 years old, I spent the entire car ride to my grandparents’ house for Thanksgiving dinner thinking of ways to break it to them gently that the idea of eating turkey and ham was revolting to me. Maybe I could tell them that my taste buds stopped working, or that I’m allergic to meat or that all of my teeth had fallen out of my mouth, I thought. After some serious contemplation, I had figured it out. I would lie and tell my grandparents that my parents were forcing me to be vegetarian, so I couldn’t eat meat ever again. I broke the news to them when I arrived and played the childish victim for the rest of the night. My lie raised a few eyebrows, but that didn’t matter to me. I was 10 years old and got to eat the meatless Thanksgiving dinner that I wanted. That was 10 years ago, and I was at that point in my childhood where I thought really intensely about everything in life. I’d look at a door and ask my mom why it was called that. I would be eating chicken, and while chewing, I would sit there and think about how I was eating something that was once living. I would often then spit out the chewed-up meat blob and try really hard to forget about the fact that I almost swallowed it. It destroyed my brain to think of that every time I ate. I could not fathom the idea that I once consumed cooked corpses. From that Thanksgiving onward, I never ate meat again. The lie served as good motivation to actually commit to vegetarianism. I grew up on a small ranch in Calaveras County. I was always surrounded
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by farm animals and wildlife. As a result, I feel a strong connection to nature, plants, animals and landscapes. My impulsive decision to go vegetarian at such a young age was fueled by the compassion that I have for all life on Earth. Ethically, operating on a vegetarian lifestyle is a privilege. Research from the Economic and Social Research Institute shows that there are about 1.5 billion vegetarians on the planet, but only 5% of them exclude meat from their diets by choice. Access to meat around the world is limited and expensive, so most people are forced to find essential proteins
water and one pound of chicken eggs uses 477 gallons of water. It takes 2,500 gallons of water, 12 pounds of grain, 35 pounds of topsoil and the energy equivalent of one gallon of gasoline to produce one pound of beef. Animal agriculture contributes 11% to 17% of global greenhouse gas emissions, as reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The Vegan Society, a vegan organization founded in 1944, says that livestock is the No. 1 contributor to water pollution. Animal waste often pollutes groundwater, streams and rivers.
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I went vegetarian at 10 years old and never looked back. Here’s how I did it, why I did it and how it’s treating me now. through plant-based foods like beans and vegetables. Ninety-five percent of vegetarians worldwide say that they would eat meat if they could afford it. Until my sophomore year of high school, I told people that I “do it for the animals.” Then, I took my high school’s AP environmental science course and learned about how carnivorous diets negatively impact our environment. The demand for concentrated livestock and fish stock requires excessive use of environmental resources. This leads to exhausted land, pollution and other lasting effects on Earth. In the United States, water used to support livestock accounts for 40% of the country’s water consumption, according to the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. According to EarthSave.org, one pound of cheese uses 900 gallons of
When livestock overgraze, they erode the soil at an accelerated rate. The animal agriculture industry causes more environmental degradation than anything else. Destructive fishing methods like bottom trawling and drift netting destroy marine environments. Overfishing creates an imbalance in the ocean by decreasing underwater biodiversity. Vegetarians may also opt for a meatless diet due to health benefits, religious reasons and other factors. For example, eliminating meat from your diet reduces chances of cardiovascular complications, cancer and diabetes. Religions like Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism embrace plant-based eating. This Thanksgiving will mark my 11th year as a vegetarian. In recent years, since moving out of my parents’ house, I’ve learned a lot of recipes and other
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ways to care for myself in line with vegetarianism. My base ingredients are often either tofu or any variety of beans. Tofu may seem questionable and off-putting to some meat-eaters due to its unique texture, but it’s actually a hugely versatile cooking ingredient. It is important to keep in mind that a vegetarian diet is not an excuse to constantly eat junk food. My nutrition professor last year, Mary Lyons, highlighted this fact. She said that while foods like pizza, chips and cookies are technically vegetarian, going plant-based is not a green light to indulging in unhealthy foods. Essential nutrients like proteins, carbs and vitamins can be found in a plant-based diet with a focus on nutrient-dense whole foods. Vegetarianism is a great way to play your part in the preservation of the world. People often think of recycling or turning off lights when thinking of their environmental impact. While these efforts are great, we shouldn’t forget to consider the most impactful part of our personal ecological footprints - the foods we eat. My next goal is to go vegan, which would eliminate all animal products from my diet in the name of environmentalism. It is a very difficult thing for me to do, mostly because animal products are ingredients in most premade, store-bought and restaurant foods. Also, I would have to pass on homecooked meals with my family because they often contain animal products. Although veganism comes with challenges, it is something I want to challenge myself to do because I know that I can. Even if you can’t make the full commitment to eliminate meat from your diet, there are other ways to contribute to sustainability on Earth. You can lower your carbon footprint by living car-free, using renewable energy and helping in many other ways.
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OPINION
Don’t trip: Psychedelics are not legal just yet BY NATE MARTINEZ Staff Writer
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f you are wondering whether California lawmakers are trying to bring back the psychedelic-filled era of the 1960s, the answer is no. What lawmakers and researchers are looking towards is the therapeutic benefits of those same experimental drugs. That will be on hold for now as California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently vetoed a bill that would have decriminalized the possession of various psychedelic drugs. Many fear this bill would only enable drug users but I think that is a misconception and it’s time we start understanding that psychedelics are not only for recreational use. Many people are hung up on the fact that it’s a drug but forget there are beneficial drugs as well. So why can’t so many get past the negative connotation when it comes to psychedelics, despite research showing there are therapeutic benefits when used in small doses? The psychedelic revolution in the ‘60s is solely to blame. The counterculture pioneered by flower-donning hippies was defined by their excessive misuse of psychedelics and love for the drug’s mind expanding properties. On the other hand, many outside the hippie sphere saw the drugs as dangerously mind altering.
Photo by NICHOLAS DARINZO via Wikimedia Commons This image depicts what many people associate with psychedelic drugs: strange visions that are difficult to comprehend. However, recent research has shown that in small doses hallucinogens can help in the treatment of various mental health conditions. The government shared this sentiment and soon banned the sale and possession of any kind of psychedelic drug. With this came the end of all research on the drug as well; until recently. Over the past few years, research on psychedelics and their effects on the brain produced a positive outlook in the field of psychology. Various kinds of hallucinogens such as LSD, psilocybin (found in “magic mushrooms”) and DMT have been used
to treat anxiety, depression, addiction and PTSD. “Different neurotransmitters are involved depending on the drug. For example, serotonin is involved in psilocybin, LSD, mescaline and peyote,” said Dr. Joan Fisher, a cognitive science professor at CSULB who teaches about addiction. “The ones that are used for treatment generally influence the serotonin system.” Synthetically produced antidepres-
sants work the same way, but are notorious for their inconsistent results and probable side effects. “I’ve experienced weight gain, weight loss, memory loss, loss of motor control, nausea, brain zaps, did I say memory loss?” said Gillian Rochon, a 20-year-old architecture major who is currently prescribed antidepressants. While it would be convenient to claim there are no side effects with psychedelic therapy, the truth is there hasn’t been enough research done to definitively say. “It is nearly impossible to get grants to study them,” Dr. Fisher said because psychedelics are a Schedule I drug. The proposed bill would have solved this issue as it would require the California Health and Human Services Agency to conduct more research and report on hallucinogens’ therapeutic use. In the limited research that has been done, results have been promising. One trial prescribed psilocybin to a group of patients suffering from severe depression while another group was prescribed a placebo. After only two weeks, patients who were administered psilocybin reported significantly less severe symptoms than the patients with the placebo. I’ve seen firsthand how depression can slowly break a person, sapping their energy and will to live bit by bit. If that trial is any indication of the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, then I believe it is necessary for further exploration.
Say goodbye to the dye BY SALYSSA DURAN Staff Writer
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he United States may have a lot of faults, but one thing it does not take lightly is sweets. Brightly-colored, cavity-inducing and highly addictive arrays of sweet goodies line the shelves of convenience stores. However, most Americans choose to ignore the bad additives in these sweets. How can we resist though? They’re colorful and alluring! Studies have shown that humans are easily influenced and attracted to food that has a more appealing color. We would rather eat a bright red apple than a dull-looking beige apple. Red Dye No. 3 is a synthetic dye derived from petroleum. It is linked to certain behaviors like hyperactivity and behavioral issues. It was also banned from being included in cosmetic products because it was causing cancer in lab animals. Red Dye No. 3 is only used in foods to add artificial coloring. It doesn’t affect nutritional value or taste. So why do companies even care if it ends up being
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Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Red Dye No. 3, which has been associated with hyperactive behaviors in children, creates the cherry-looking color that you see in most hard candies. banned? Is it because their food won’t be pretty anymore? If anything, food that is the same color as a primary color is more off-putting than the saturated version that they’d be otherwise. I’m in favor of the ban because companies need to be held accountable for what they add to our food. Is it not alarming that our food is banned in other countries due to the prominence of other food dyes like Yellow 5, Red 40 and
Blue No. 1? When you read the back of a bag of chips, you can always see dyes listed in the ingredients. Shouldn’t that be a sign that the U.S. has gone too far for the aesthetics of food? According to a FDA analysis, Red Dye No. 3 is often found in decorative chips for baking, ice cream cones, frosting and icing and soft candies. In terms of banning dyes, I only feel disappointed that my future birthday
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cakes will look dull unless a baker decides to go the extra mile to make the bright colors. I can live with that. I don’t think the color shift will affect popular candy brands. Most famous candies are the same age as our great-great-grandparents. We are familiar with the taste of these brands. Peeps are still going to taste like sugary marshmallows, with or without the dye. It is time we say goodbye to the dye.
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SPORTS
Anticipation grows as The Beach’s basketball season nears BY CARLOS YAKIMOWICH Staff Writer
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ong Beach State men’s basketball is projected to finish second in the Big West Conference coming into the season and head coach Dan Monson is determined to keep his players focused. Monday’s practice was cut a few minutes short because Monson felt the players were out of sync three days away from their first exhibition game. “We’ve got a lot of guys back, but we have some new guys that were trying to get incorporated into the system,” Monson said. “As a player, you lose focus because you get excited about playing. We’re just trying to find a middle ground right now.” Last season, The Beach finished one game over .500 with an overall record of 17-16 and a conference record of 119. The Beach lost in the opening round of the Big West tournament in an 88-66 second-half loss to Cal Poly Pomona. Long Beach State’s junior forwards Aboubacar Traore and Lassina Traore were nominated to the Big West preseason coaches’ team. The dynamic frontcourt duo earned notable honors for The Beach last season, with Lassina notching an all-Big West first team nod and newcomer of the year award, while Aboubacar earned the Big West Best Hustle Player. Lassina and Aboubacar said they didn’t place much importance on the preseason coaches’ team nominations and past awards; instead, they remained focused on their team’s bigger goals following a disappointing end to last year’s season. “Honestly, I don’t really care about this stuff,” Lassina said. “I’m really focused on the team and how we can get better as a team and not make the same mistake as last year.” Lassina was a double-double machine last season, ranking 10th in the nation with 17 double-doubles in 33 games. He averaged 12.9 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 53.4% from the field on 9.7 attempts. “We’re really hungry and kind of mad because we played bad last season, not only in the tournament but in the conference,” Aboubacar said. “We’re just hungry and can’t wait for the season to start.” In 33 games started last season, Aboubacar averaged 10.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game. The Beach brought back senior guard Marcus Tsohonis, sophomore guard A.J. George and junior guard Jadon Jones. Tsohonis notched a single-game Long Beach State scoring record in last season’s triple overtime win at UC San Diego with a 46-point performance. In 28 games last season, he averaged 14.1 points on 26.4% shooting from deep and 39% overall. George averaged 8.6 points and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 41.6% from behind the arc and 56.2% overall in 33 games last season. Jones averaged 8.3 points, 3.0 re-
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NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner Long Beach State men’s basketball senior guard Marcus Tsohonis goes up for a floater during a drill in a practice inside the Walter Pyramid. Tsohonis will be entering his final year at the Beach, last year he averaged 14.1 points per game and recorded a 46-point game. bounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals. He shot 31.6% from three on 5.0 shot attempts and 34.8% overall in 27 games. The Beach welcomes four additions to their roster — two transfers and two freshmen. Isa Silva, 6-foot, 4-inch junior point guard from Stanford; Messiah Thompson, 5-foot, 8-inch senior guard from Texas A&M; Eli Djordjevic, 6-foot, 8-inch freshman guard from White Rock, British Columbia, Canada and Varick Lewis, 6-foot, 2-inch freshman
guard from Elk Grove, Calif. Silva and Thompson are still adjusting to Monson’s system, with The Beach head coach speaking on their addition to the roster as key to their point guard depth. “Last year, when Joel Murray went down, we never really figured out the point guard situation,” Monson said. “So between those two and Aboubacar, we also have playing some at the point.” Coming out of high school, Silva was
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ranked 11th in the nation in his class. In two seasons at Stanford, he played 64 games with an average of 13.4 minutes played. He averaged 3.3 points and 1.4 assists while shooting 40.3% from three and 42.7% overall. At Alabama A&M, Thompson was a consistent three-point shooter for the Bulldogs, shooting 40.8% on 4.8 attempts while averaging 10.8 points, 3.2 assists and 1.6 steals.
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SPORTS
The Beach kicks off a new season with a big win over Cal Lutheran
MARK SIQUIG / Daily Forty-Niner Junior forward Lassina Traore fades away from the defender for a score. Traore finished with a game-high 18 points and only missing one out of ten shots.
BY CARLOS YAKIMOWICH Staff Writer
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ong Beach State’s men's basketball dominated in their first exhibition game of the season, beating Cal Lutheran 107–63 in front of an enthusiastic home crowd at the Walter Pyramid on Thursday. “I thought we did a lot of good things and a lot of things we got to do a lot better by Monday,” head coach Dan Monson said. The Beach had six players score in double-figures in Thursday’s win, three players from the starting unit and three from the second unit. Junior forward Lassina Traore led all scorers with a game-high 18 points, shooting 90% from the field on 9-of-10 shot attempts, adding seven rebounds as well. Monson’s starting lineup included junior guard Isa Silva, senior guard Marcus Tsohonis, junior guard Jadon Jones, junior forward Aboubacar Traore and Lassina Traore. According to Monson, the starting lineup is not set in stone, and the starting rotation is mostly on a game-to-game basis. “At the end of the day, once they get into flow, every game is going to be different,” Monson said. “As far as who finishes, we haven't got those five alpha dogs that we know for sure are going to break the press and make free throws and get all that done. Tsohonis was a major contributor as a scorer with 14 points on 50% (2–4)
shooting from three and 60% (6–10) overall. He also added three rebounds, two assists and two steals in his 17 minutes of action. The Beach was locked in on the defensive side of the ball, forcing 19 Cal Lutheran turnovers and totaling 17 steals, with Jones accounting for five of those steals. Jones finished second on the team in scoring with 17 points on 5-for-6 shooting from behind the arc. “We shoot a lot after practice, so it’s been really good for getting my confidence up,” Jones said. The newcomers, Silva and senior guard Messiah Thompson served as The Beach’s primary ball handlers, showcasing their versatility as facilitators in the offense with a combined 14 assists. Silva finished with six points and six assists, while Thompson contributed 11 points and eight assists. “In the second half, some things were open for me, so I was able to get downhill and see other people,” Silva said. “It’s a process day by day trying to learn how to get back to playing up-tempo like I enjoy.” Senior forward Amari Stroud and freshman guard Varick Lewis were the other two bench players who scored in double figures. Stroud contributed 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor, while Lewis provided momentum boosts for The Beach with several and-one sequences, finishing with 10 points. The Beach’s next game is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m. on the road against the University of Portland.
The Beach's string of sweeps opens postseason doors for women's volleyball BY MATTHEW GOMEZ Sports Assistant
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enior night at The Beach for LBSU women’s volleyball proved to be just another day at the office as the team cruised to its 21st consecutive set win inside of The Walter Pyramid after a 3-0 win against CSU Bakersfield Sunday evening. Dating back to this year on Sept. 28 match against UC San Diego, The Beach has not lost a set of volleyball inside of the 'Mid' and played to an overall record of 10-4 at home, dropping just one Big West match inside The Walter Pyramid all season. Earlier this year, it became obvious that something special was happening at The Beach after home victories against No. 1 at the time Texas, the Big Ten's Indiana and the shocking sweep of Hawaii that was 25 years in the making. For the four seniors honored this memorable season will be their last. The group includes three members of the team that have been around since 2019 in setter Tia Chavira, libero Nicole Hoff and opposite hitter Katie Kennedy. The trio was joined by one newcomer
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to the program who brought an impact during her graduate season in outside hitter Hanna Lesiak. "We are guaranteed another tournament here in the pyramid for the Big West tournament. So we're excited about that," Kennedy said. "I feel like that's going to be a little bit more of a realization that [this is it]." Kennedy has been one of the team's best players this season as the graduate student leads not just The Beach but the conference altogether with a .489 attacking percentage in conference play before the game against CSUN Friday night. She ranked third on The Beach averaging 2.47 kills per set heading into the weekend. Another three set victory meant another great display in regards to attacking play with LBSU boasting a .395 attacking percentage. Junior outside hitter Elise Agi led the way with 11 kills followed by Lesiak and freshman outside hitter Livi Narancich who both finished the contest with eight kills. "I've been battling a little bit with not feeling like myself and so I think Zayna set me up with some perfect opportunities to feel like myself again and bang some balls," Lesiak said. Narancich made her collegiate debut just a night ago, impressing in her cam-
NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner Long Beach State women's volleyball sophomore setter Zayna Meyer (black #1) and graduate outside hitter Katie Kennedy (black #18) leap up to block a kill attempt during a match against CSU Bakersfield inside the Walter Pyramid. The Beach would sweep the Roadrunners 3-0 in the final home game of the regular season. eo as she compiled nine kills on a .389 attacking percentage alongside six digs against CSUN before putting on an attack focused display against the Roadrunners hitting an impressive .615 on 13 total attempts. The program looks set to continue to build upon what was done in head coach Tyler Hildebrand's first season last year where they went 14-6 in conference play and improved after a down year during the COVID-shortened 2021 campaign. "Both coaches did a great job of allowing us to play how we play volleyball with joy," Hoff said about playing under coaches Joy McKienzie-Fuerbringer and Hildebrand. "I think then, when the [coaching]
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switch happened, we're able to like build off of that with Tyler and didn't just take a whole new level with our volleyball but as leaders." With a now improved 12-2 record in conference play, The Beach sits second in The Big West as an important and challenging four game road stretch to close the season. They'll start with a match against the conference's firstplace UC Santa Barbara before finishing the season against Hawaii which is right behind them. This final stretch will see LBSU play only teams currently situated in the top five of The Big West with their next game being on Nov. 10 at UC Santa Barbara.
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