Growing in Two Worlds by Union Weekly

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Intro

Issue 76.8

Molly Shannon, Editor-in-Chief editorinchief@lbunion.com

By Molly Shannon

Alfred Pallarca, Managing Editor alfredp.union@gmail.com

Holy schnikes, y’all. Last week’s issue of the Long Beach Union Weekly marked the halfway point of our current volume. That’s

Connor O’Brien, Art Director connor.union@gmail.com Trevor Desrosiers, Advertising Executive advertising@lbunion.com

practically living with one another in this

Eduardo Vargas, Distribution Manager distribution@lbunion.com

IHOP pancakes. Readers, I want to ask you from the bottom of my icy heart to continue putting up with our sexual innuendos and

ART & DESIGN

dwindling days (stay strong). Needless to say, the Union huge blowout bonanza in celebration of this

John Calhoun, Illustration Editor johnc.union@gmail.com Michael Tewasart, Assistant to Art Director tewasartm@live.com Truc Nguyen, Web Manager web@lbunion.com

EDITORIAL Jacky Linares, Opinions Editor opinions@lbunion.com Veronica Craft, Community Editor community@lbunion.com

the backs of decorated elephants, and we feasted on toasty loaves of pumpernickel and I say “atop the backs of decorated elephants?” I meant to say we arrived via sedan, skateboard, and public bus. Oh, did I say “pumpernickel” and “wine?” It was actually instant macand-cheese and half-empty bottles of diet mystery. And did I really say “huge blowout bonanza?” More like, issue production day, ya dig (magazine)?! We spent the entire day, just

Illustration by Rose Feduk I know for us, it’s especially important to and chiseling away at the publication until it gleamed like a set of chrome rims. And what did all the blood, sweat, and tears yield? Yet another beautiful, high-quality product, if I do say so myself. That’s what we do here at the Union Weekly and then we go home. We’ve been at it since August of 2014, and with only seven more issues left, this is surely the beginning of the end, which is weird as hell to think about right now. Personally, the Union lifestyle is all I have known for the past few years, so I have no idea how easy

constant

work to make sure the baby gets proper care, as well as bottled milk at room temperature. Most people who aren’t familiar with us don’t always realize just how dedicated we are to this thing. I wish that I could reward our “babysitters” more often for all those long much I appreciate them. I hope they do.

the “real world” is going to be, but I imagine it’s going to take time. I’ll probably eat nothing

Molls

1. the future, it’s equally important to focus on the present. We don’t have much time left in

Union Weekly

2. I made a Union Weekly sorry. Add us if you dare. (@unionweekly)

you punks!

Joel Martinez, Athletics Editor athletics@lbunion.com Renee Schmiedeberg, Arts Editor arts@lbunion.com Katie Cortez, Entertainment Editor entertainment@lbunion.com Sam Winchester, Music Editor music@lbunion.com Zach Phelps, Lifestyle Editor lifestyle@lbunion.com Elizabeth Nguyen, Literature Editor literature@lbunion.com Alfred Pallarca, Travel Editor alfredp.union@gmail.com Beatriz Villa, Food Editor food@lbunion.com Gumby, Grunion Editor grunion@lbunion.com

COPY & ASSISTANT EDITORS Elliott Gatica, Eric Reid Hamilton, Kaila-Marie Hardaway, Christopher Orozco ADVERTISING INTERNS Joel Kuehn, Jacqueline Simon STAFFERS & CONTRIBUTORS Alex Ramos, Miguel-Angel Garcia, Karrie Comfort, Heather Sandburg, Samantha Neou, Karla Juarez, Matt McNeese, John Smith, Sahar Kachroo, Miya Parry, Christian Bourdeau, Camille Hove

Above: “Why Have We Been Turned Into Fruits?” CONTACT US Long Beach, CA 90815 E-mail: info@lbunion.com

Disclaimer and Publication Information: The Union Weekly is published using ad money and partial funding provided by the Associated Students, Inc. All Editorials are the opinions of their individual authors, not the Union Weekly, ASI nor CSULB. All students are welcome and encouraged to be a part of the Union Weekly staff. All letters to the editor will be considered for publication. However, CSULB students will have precedence. Please include name and major for all submissions. They are subject to editing and will not be returned. Letters may or may not be edited for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and length. The Union Weekly will publish anonymous letters, articles, editorials, and illustration, but must have your name and information attached for our records. Letters to the editor should be no longer than 500 words. The Union Weekly assumes no responsibility, nor is it liable, for

Opinions

State of the Union I am feelin’ some type of way about our student newspaper By Chris Orozco

What do I think of the Union? I do not know how to generalize an organization without addressing its individual pieces that make it the “Union.” Is there a competition amongst other presses? Do they set a goal each day, each week, or each year to be the greatest? Do their editors, writers, illustrators, and photographers work effortlessly? What about the readers? Are students, staff, or strangers reading their weekly articles? How motivated are people to pick up their papers? The front cover illustration? Their editors? The writers? Their satirical back page? I pick up the Union for a simple pleasure, to explore the minds of other human beings. Their voices, their thoughts, their eyes, and their emotions are brought into print. It gives a glimpse of an individual’s condensed complex life other than our objective one-sided observation of a person. Maybe someone is dealing with a loved one’s death? Maybe an organization is in dire need of financial assistant? Maybe

there are lost foreign exchange students who are looking for friends? Is there a quick-recipe for cooking oatmeal pancakes? Maybe a theatre professor on campus is an expert in entomology? Or maybe there is the occasional juicy sex story, the enlightening spiritual student’s tale, the religious student’s saga, an undocumented student’s account, an underdog art student’s coming of age, or the occasional stupid story on our human lives that is an answer to our daily challenges of life. What are you trying to get at, Chris? A point. I am saying that the Union and its foundation is not something that can be absolutely judged as a whole. Each week is always different. Each semester, there might be new editors, new writers, new photographers, or new illustrators. So one might never know if the Union will get a shitty year of poor writers and illustrators, but beautiful photography and awesome editors. Or the Union is power housing with amazing writers and creative illustrations,

but burned out editors and boring pictures. I suppose the only time that will make the Union dead is not publishing anything at all. Some drastic event could pull the plug. If such an event was to occur, it makes our university voiceless. The day that student’s thoughts died with their freedom of expression. Imagine the horrors of DIG Magazine and the Daily 49er filled with absurd articles of meaningless content because they make anything interesting! *GASP* I’m kidding! All these organizations are bitchin’ and as informative as each other. Insert cliché phrase, “They are all special in their own way.” But what makes Union the “Union?” The people within and the people outside. But in my personal opinion, the Union sucks because they do not have a built-in pool. Overall, it’s a pretty legit organization with a stable and chill foundation. They do suck though, not having a pool means not being cool. No pool, no cool.

The Students Have Spoken And I am a little disappointed I stood outside the doors of the senate chambers on Friday, a few minutes before noon, along with other students and ASI employees, anxiously awaiting for the outcome of the referendum. 7,000 ‘NO’s to 3,000 ‘YES’s—the referendum did not pass. Now, I will say I was quite pleased and impressed about our high voter turn out rate; however, my immediate reaction was disappointment because I know how crucial the referendum was. As an employee in ASI, I think I have an advantage, in that I probably was more aware of the various nuances of the referendum because I work with people who know them inside-and-out. Being a part of ASI, I was one of the people wearing the blue “It Starts With You” t-shirts. I would often get questions about the referendum, so I quickly learned as much as I could about it, out of duty to my fellow students that may see me as an authority on the subject. In short, the USU referendum, promoted

by the “It Starts With You” campaign, would increase student fees to rebuild the aging Student Union. “The USU is over 40 years old and has failing plumbing, electrical, internet, escalator, and drainage systems,” said Dr. Dave Edwards, ASI Associate Executive Director. “These repairs are estimated to cost the USU has available.” Unfortunately, I feel as though a lot of my friends and fellow students weren’t aware of the urgent and immediate nature of these repairs. I understand that as students, we’re all broke. That Top Ramen is not buying itself, and those bills aren’t paying themselves either. However, I think the added 165 dollars were worth the investment in rebuilding of the Student Union. “This referendum was not about the fee increase,” said David Pantoja, Facilities Coordinator. “It was about a facility that was built for the students and for their use, in dire need of repairs and upgrades that would make

By Karrie Comfort the experience they, and future generations will have in the USU that much better.” In the interest of fairness, I did sympathize on some level with those students that voted against the referendum. Some people would pay anymore, and that they can barely make ends `meet, which, of course, is fair enough. However, Dr. Edwards compared the fee to a cup of Starbucks each week for a semester. I

have covered this fee. “In order to provide the best services that we can for them, the money has to come from somewhere,” said Pantoja. “We are funded by the students and provide services for the students.” Various building maintenance projects continue to mount as the maintenance projects become more intensive and likely to disrupt whole sections of the building. “The HVAC in the building need to be upgraded and redone,” said Pantoja. “The

restrooms really need attention; but it is all infrastructure attention that would require As these repairs become more and more pressing, they will inevitably take away funding from some place else. “This will force the USU Board of Trustees (USUBOT) to the prioritization of facilities, services, and programs to students,” said Edwards. “In lieu of some other funding source, the USUBOT would have to dramatically realign its budget in order to pay for the most urgent, but not all, of these improvements. How these issues are addressed in the future will be determined by the elected student leaders of the USUBOT and ASI, as well as the university.” So, to say the least, I’m disappointed. I wish that we as a student body had been able to set in motion this new project that hopefully would have opened doors for students in the future. However, as we look forward, I can only hope that everything will work out in the best interests of the students.

Opinions

If I Had a Penn(y) for Everytime I Heard That Sean Penn’s ‘green card’ joke wasn’t offensive By Samantha Neou “Who gave this son of a bitch his green card?” Sean Penn remarked before announcing Birdman as the winner for Best Picture at the 2015 Oscars a couple weeks ago. Many audience members were outraged over this for days on end, arguing how Penn ruined comment towards Mexican-born Alejandro González Iñárritu, the director of the on right now about immigration and the lack of diversity at the Oscars, of course you are going to get a disaster. it may have done to the immigrant community. Those who are furious about it, I get it. This joke can inhibit immigrants from being seen as actual people and leave them feeling like they more thought on how it would impact others

best friends with him either. If Penn was at

Illustration by Claire DeWilde

have a valid opinion, as some may put it, be taken too seriously or think his intention was to be racist. If anything, his joke brought to the audiences attention how a Mexican was able to succeed and surpass everyone else for the coveted award for Best Picture, Director, and Original Screenplay. This shows that the immigrant community has talent and can excel just as well as everyone else in America. “Knowing that Penn and Iñárritu have a friendship and history of working with joke,” said Alana Aronson, a third year who is majoring in English Literature. “While the comment was probably best told to just Iñárritu, especially considering the state of immigration policy in our country, Penn is nonetheless not one to ever hold back.” comment,” said Fran Portillo, another

was on a televised public event. While I fully understand and agree with why this comment

address the topic of immigration.” When Iñárritu went up to give his speech, he gave a smart-ass remark back to Penn, followed by some very inspiring words to his “fellow Mexicans.” The Birdman director himself in a backstage interview has even

okay to joke about immigration or it should that context matters, and Penn made a poorly timed and misplaced joke. That is it.

it actually gave Iñárritu an introduction to

Let’s Not Ad(dress) This Any Longer Our society needs to pay attention to more important issues

By Heather Sandburg

“Is the dress white and gold, or blue and black?” Yes, I am talking about the Internet-famed dress that had the world in an uproar. What

Admittedly, at least for myself, it is hard to fully get behind an issue when it feels so hopeless. If it is possible through to rally

one of the biggest topics in a little less than a few hours. The dress became a sensation stars as a joke. It went from the classic social channels,including Time magazine. The optical illusion behind the dress bewitched burned out in the day it spawned. what the color is, and the matter is closed. However, the motion behind the dress is

fascinating. Something so trivial, in theory, should not have transcended every social media and became so important to everyone for one moment. I understand the dress celebrity-crazed people we are, we tend to eat up what the stars give us. This dress was our distraction. It was one lighthearted mundane thing we latched onto and showed our friends. The dress story involved no police brutality, no killings (aside from the brain cells we put into thinking-over the craze), and no political standpoint. The dress craze says a lot about our society. We are so done with other news that we made a piece of clothing a media-wide craze under a

day and a half. We would rather debate over spreading lighthearted amusement, than launch into another argument about the next police shooting. The energy behind the craze is powerful. It shows people can rally behind something

and amusing, then it is possible to rally for justice, and change the negatives of society into a better future. Start small and build up the passion behind the issue. Do what the

it collapses under its own power. We need to our society is unable to rally under more intellectual debates on more serious matters. I am aware there are social movements that call for action through media. We just need to put this same positive energy into more important issues.

share it through the media, blowing it to epic proportions and make it stick at the back of our minds. It may seem hopeless now, but if anything has been proven, we have the energy better than a fashion choice.

Athletics

The Battle of Los Angeles LA football franchise lineup shows healthy variety By Miguel-Angel Garcia We’re back, readers! And what that means is we can talk about my favorite and arguably the 12th-most corrupt sporting organization in the world. 12th is pretty good/bad when you consider that FIFA and the Olympics take up nine spots, leaving Rugby, MLB, the When considering that the Raiders, Chargers, and Rams may possibly call Los Angeles their home in the future, I have come to talk about the more important things. “The Bad Ex You Can Never Get Over” The St. Louis Rams Backstory: In 1946, the Rams moved here from that God-forsaken place called Cleveland. Up until 1979 they called LA home. In 1980, that all changed when the Rams moved to Anaheim. Yeah, the Coliseum is awful for an NFL team. Yeah, the fact that attendance was so inconsistent almost led to constant TV blackouts. Yeah, the fact that the stadium was located in South Central which led to safety concerns. Yeah, sharing a stadium with two college teams is…well, I actually don’t know what that is like. But you left us for our less-hot but classier sister that gave you what you wanted called the city of Anaheim. It’s just an awful feeling to be on the receiving end of and “it ain’t easy to get over them feelings.” Why it makes sense: No matter what the

Rams did to the city of LA, there are a lot of Rams fans. Also, they have a team loaded with talent that can be one of the best for very many years to come. Even without a solid quarterback they are a threat to contend quarterback they will get to that next level. Why it doesn’t make sense: People may not wait around until that solid quarterback comes around. In LA, you have to compete with the Dodgers, Kings, Clippers, and even the Lakers in their current state. There is a lot of competition, and the Rams may not get the amount of people they want at games. You know, a reason they left in the first place. “The Not-Exactly-Favored Favorites” The Oakland Raiders Backstory: If you did not know this, back in 1982 a man by the name of Al Davis moved the Raiders to LA from Oakland. The man was the sole inspiration for the Big Sean song, which we will abbreviate as IDFWY. Okay, that’s not exactly true, but it should be. Al Davis moved the Raiders from Oakland without the consent of fellow NFL owners or even the Commissioner at the time Pete Rozell. He did it because he wanted more money and taking his dominant team to LA was a move that would let his dream come true…or so he thought. The city of LA promised Davis lucrative amenities, but he never got them.

This gave Al Davis every reason to go back to Oakland and take his Raiders with him at the end of the 1994 season. Why it makes sense: People in Los Angeles love the Raiders. The 13 years the Raiders had here created textbooks full of history. There is a deep connection with the Raiders here in LA. Why it doesn’t make sense: There is too much history here with the Raiders in LA. The Raider image and reputation is often linked to street crime. It’s so bad that several people get scared when they hear about Raiders fans. “The Best Team in the Short-Run” The San Diego Chargers Backstory: The only current NFL team which got its start in LA back in 1960. They left to San Diego a year after in 1961. There is really not much more to it than that. Why it makes sense: There are a lot of NFL fans in LA that call the Chargers their team. If the Chargers were to move to LA, they would secure their revenue gained from Los Angeles/Orange County. If any other team moved to LA, the Chargers would have to compete with said team. Said team would have home-field advantage, and 25 to 30 percent of the Chargers’ business would be in jeopardy. Plus, the Chargers have the best chance to bring a team that would win in the immediate

future. Phillip Rivers has a few years left in him. In terms of winning their first Super Bowl in the later years of one’s career, he is the closest thing in the league we have to John Elway. Why it doesn’t make sense: What the hell are we gonna do with the Chargers theme song?! If you didn’t know this, the San Diego Super Chargers have arguably the greatest If you don’t believe me, look it up. If the Chargers come to LA, what would we do with it? It explicitly says “San Diego Super Chargers.” I might be okay with a “Los Angeles Super Chargers” cover, but it needs the exact same disco feel. Personally, I have no preference. I just want Los Angeles to have a football team! However, readers should take this info and come up with their own conclusions on what they feel would be the best option, taking into account team loyalty, economics, locale, and personal preference. And even though it looks pretty solid that the Rams will be moving in, there’s still room for discussion. Editor’s Note: Inquiries and commentary for follow-up discussion can be submitted to Miguel’s email, miguelsmailbag@gmail.com

Athletics

Breaking and Taking Names A snapshot of life for members of CSULB Breakers Feet shuffle and hit the floor together in rhythm as Ryan Alminarez leads his dance class through a new combination of moves. He breaks it down step-by-step and does it with his students in order to give them a better picture. First, they have to do a few steps while standing, and then they move to the floor to do a six-step and a threestep before ending up balancing on their heads in a freeze. This is no ordinary dance class; it’s a break-dancing class given by the CSULB Breakers. CSULB Breakers is Cal State Long Beach’s resident break-dancing club. It provides experienced b-boys and b-girls an open space to come together and do what they love. It also gives people that are interested in the dance a chance to learn a few moves and make new friends. “I love it,” said Cindy Cruz. “It’s the best thing in the world. It’s very stress free, and I get to relax and have fun.” The club was founded in 2005 by CSULB alumni Brian J. Wright. Brian has since passed on the torch and moved on to open his own studio in the area. But his legacy lives on at CSULB, and the torch is now in Ryan’s hands. Teaching others how to break was not something Ryan planned on doing, though. He didn’t feel like he would be and former instructor Longka M-Pact Lor thought otherwise. Despite his reluctance, Ryan knew the club was in need and stepped up to the challenge. “To teach somebody something … I feel like that’s so dope, especially if it’s something you like doing,” said Ryan. He makes it work and he’s leaving a positive impact on his students. He also said it’s a challenge to

teaching and his commitment to improve on his craft. “He’s a very patient person and he takes a lot of time for us,” said AJ Amposta. “Even when he’s sessioning by himself, he’s willing to give up some of his time to help us learn.” Breaking is more than just the classes though. It provides an open space for b-boys to practice, and for b-boys, an open gym is like a second home. Breaking itself is like a part time job. For example, the club’s president Denzel Delleza said he practices

about 12 to 15 hours a week, even with all the schoolwork he has to take care of. “It’s definitely helped me learn a lot of time management skills cause I had to balance out my studies and practice,” said Denzel. He has a reason for practicing so much: he and a select few from the club will be competing at “Schools for Fools.” It is a breaking competition between colleges from all over California and Nevada. CSULB made it to the semi-finals last year but lost to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. According to other members of the

Words and Photos by Alex Ramos

club, this year’s crew is ready to make a name for itself at the competition. For Ryan, however, breaking has become more than just about being “the dopest” and winning battles. He said he realizes that he can’t master breaking, but that he’s okay with that and is willing to train however he can. That’s why he’s decided not to join the competition this year. Instead, he’s going to focus on himself and his craft as an art form. “What I’ve learned this year about breaking is pretty much self-acceptance,” said Ryan. “Y’know, accept yourself.” CSULB Breakers meet in room PE93 every Monday from 7pm to 10pm, Wednesday from 8pm to 10pm, and Friday from 7pm to 10pm. Anyone and everyone is welcome to check out a meeting and to join this awesome community.

Club President Denzel Delleza executes a to battle at the “Schools for Fools” competition (far left); Club member Cindy fellow breakdancer (left)

Community

Siberian Express Words and Photos by Joel Martinez On Thursday, March 5, the Russian Club held Siberia, a region commonly understood to be the land from the Ural Mountains to Yamskikh and her colleagues from Siberian

second of a four-part series titled “Currents in Contemporary European Cinema,” hosted

“Our Siberian guests are academic professionals, visiting geography and culture scholars from The Federal University of

presented in the US!” There was indeed a exposing a multifaceted culture within

representative in a bid to host the 2019 ranging back to the times of Cossacks, the city was vibrant and colorful in a way that brought to mind such cities as Sarlat or Vancouver, in that there seemed a healthy mix of tourism As the Russian Club put it, Siberia is “the most remote region of the world,” but these

the visiting scholars are set to give an introduction on the region, its cities, and its “The Contemporary European Cinema showings started last week [March 2] with big gathering of students at Monday [March

tundra and mountains like is so commonly that, for the most part, is misunderstood or looking university, picturesque mountains, endless taiga, mighty rivers, Arctic nomadic lifestyles, and challenges and hopes of cities

dance style from one of the indigenous Arctic nomadic tribes, performed with the same mystique intrinsic to traditions of the Native

The event upcoming this Monday is sure to be a great way for anyone who is curious about Siberian lifestyles to learn about Siberian culture and to have a wider understanding of Anyone interested in getting more information about the Russian Club can

on future screenings for the Contemporary

Different presenters and attendees line up for a photo op at the Russian Club’s

FEATURE

GROWING IN TWO WORLDS A celebration of cultural visibility at the 45th annual Pow Wow By Jacky Linares

The 45th Annual Pow Wow, happening on March 14 and 15, is a celebration of a people who are

They can join together in dance and song, reunite and preserve the rich history of those who are

Beatroute Magazine

FEATURE

The theme of the Pow Wow this year is titled Growing in Two Worlds. The two as a person with Native American ancestry and what being American might entail. Professor Craig Stone of the American Indian Studies program at CSULB noted the graduation rate for high school Native American students in the Long Beach

way to remember the ancestors who fought for this country, as well as a symbol which represents what the Native American song, honoring the women and men who have fought in American wars like the First and Second World Wars. It comes from a family from Pine Ridge, a reservation in

the national average. According to the in 2011, 85 percent of the Long Beach students walked on stage to “Pomp and Circumstance” to receive their diplomas. Yet on a national scale, only around 51 percent had the opportunity to do the same that year. Professor Stone suggests this is due to a lack of self-knowledge that students receive in K-12 education. “What contributions are never spoken of, you tend to do less well,” said Stone. One particular song that is performed and is about student encouragement. “The words to that song say that sometimes, explained Stone. “Sometimes you want

Ridge also founded and mentored the Cal State Long Beach AIS program. “It acknowledges these people,” said Images courtesy of Prof. Craig Stone

song was created in 1995 by a singing group from Regina, Saskatchewan in Canada. because its singers are all seated around a drum, while singing and playing the drum. Another prominent part of the Pow Wow

service of those who fought for their land and for their people, both American and for their tribal people. It is the concept of dual citizenship, which is where the theme Worlds” comes into play. The first song sung in the Pow Wow references the United States flag and is sung in Kiowa. Written by veteran Leonard Cozad, who fought in the Battle II, it is a warrior song sung for alumni. It references the American flag, because as the battle progressed and as the soldiers trekked on, they knew if they saw the US flag waving in the air ahead of them, they were going to be okay. The song is referred to as “Stars and Stripes,” and it concerns peace and freedom. Around this time, many American

FEATURE

Indians attended universities via the GI

Arts

Modeled On Unknown aspects of being in front of the lens Interview by Renee Schmiedeberg Photos courtesy of Camille Hove The modeling industry is known for their very particular physical requirements, but that doesn’t stop many young people determined to make art of their bodies. I interviewed Camille Hove, a CSULB English graduate who models for many of her friends.

Union Weekly: How did you get started modeling?

friends to build their portfolios. That was a lot of fun. We would just go all over the city

Camille Hove: I started modeling when I was 13. I was scouted by an agent and had an interview, signed a contract and had a photo shoot the very next day. It was very nervewracking.

we went all the way out to Glamis, which is by Coachella, to shoot in the full moon with the sand dunes. That was really pretty.

UW: How were you scouted?

CH:

CH: I was at Knott’s Berry Farm with my aunt, and all of a sudden this lady comes up to me and says, “I’m with a modeling agency and I’m very interested in your look. Can I take a few pictures of you? Here’s my card, please come

for magazines, runway is for fashion shows,

UW: What kind of modeling was that?

UW: CH: Figure modeling is really creative, because you have control over the poses. You get to interact with the artists and everyone is really nice and encouraging. It’s daunting mental control in staying still and choosing how the artists will see my body. UW: How does modeling make you feel?

them, but never found any paid work. I did promotional shoots for Fashion Week which was very interesting. UW: What happened after that? CH: When I was turning 16, my contract expired and Photogenics, the modeling agency I was with, didn’t call me back. They didn’t like my shape and said my hips were too big. They told me I needed to get a little thinner. I was a size 2…

models must have a strong walk and a really never got it down. This whole thing is so disheartening for your ego when you’re a young child. I was okay at print modeling but I got better at it as I got older and more sexually aware of myself. Because at 15 you’re staring at the camera like, “Alright, what do you want me to do? I can’t give you a sexy face. I don’t

UW: types of modeling? CH: There’s a constant movement in print modeling. Every time the camera clicks, waiting for them to take the shot, and they might move you to get it absolutely perfect. you have to stand still for 20 minutes at a time in uncomfortable positions.

modeling and wouldn’t have gone to college. I’m glad it didn’t work out because I want to focus on my writing. UW: How did you start getting into it again? CH: In the past few years. I did it with my

UW: Are there any modeling plans you have for the future?

I didn’t understand the concept of it.

UW: How did you deal with the rejection? CH: Looking back now that I’m older, I’m glad it didn’t work out because my life would have

CH: It makes me feel very creative. It’s a time to make art with my body. I can do whatever I want: use props or any pose anywhere we like. It’s kind of like creating a painting with movement, which is great since I’m a creative person. Instead of writing, I get to actually see what I’ve done. Being a writer, you don’t always get exact images of your work.

UW: CH: I started recently. A friend of mine does it regularly, and she asked if I could cover her shift for the night. So I just got thrown into and it’s been great.

CH: I’m currently putting my portfolio together, so I can go to agency open calls and

UW: Any advice for aspiring models? CH: Modeling is actual work. It’s not as easy or stupid as people think it is. You will have to work hard for results. You have to have a great attitude, work well with many people, have long days, and get used to being uncomfortable. Many models went to college and it’s more than just posing in front of a camera. It’s not being vain. It’s an art form. The only thing I would change about the industry is for all kinds of women to be represented so young girls can accept their bodies in a positive way.

Entertainment

Not That Kind of Movie Kingsman: The Secret Service is artfully action-packed The night I went to see Kingsman: The Secret Service, I had just eaten delicious ramen noodles in West LA, but I drove to Long Beach Town Center to the Edwards Stadium. Being in a celebratory mood, my boyfriend and I had a bottle of expensive red wine we were saving for later that evening when things calmed down. Instead, we decided to drink it while watching the movie. When it comes to movies, I am not easy to please. For me, I like my movies to have heavy plots, great action scenes, realistic graphics, and talented actors. Recently, I haven’t visited the theater because, to be quite honest, all I see are previews of sequel after sequel, with no original ideas; most movies today aren’t made for art but revenue. And to put it bluntly, I can’t be bothered watching Horrible Bosses 2 or Hot Tub Time Machine 2. So, I was pretty surprised when I walked Kingsman: The Secret Service from a spy comic book series, The Secret Service, written by Mark Miller and Dave Gibbons. In a nutshell, its main plot consists

By Beatriz Villa

of the use of biological warfare to solve global warming due to overpopulation issues. Embedded within the main theme are others that make the movie positively electrifying—

mother, and making friends in unexpected places. I’m sure there are more, but these are of my head. My favorite parts of the movie were the a tad bit bloodier. I won’t give anything away, guess the ending or have any idea what was going to happen to particular characters. I My boyfriend said it reminded him of an Austin Powers movie because it was the perfect amount of nonsense at times, and problems that are resolved and a good amount of humor, action, and drama. Overall, recommend it to friends.

“...most movies today aren’t made for art but revenue.”

Music

The crowd dances along Flight Facilities amidst the smoke and LED lights (top); Touch Sensitive warms up the stage with some bass tunes (middle); The audience goes wild as the duo energizes the stage (bottom right) with the help of Owl Eye’s vocals (bottom left)

A Musical Wonderland Santa Ana receives electrifying performance from Australian duo By Miya Parry Booty-shaking dance fever swept the crowd on Friday, February 27, 2015 when the electronic duo known as Flight Facilities took the stage at Santa Ana’s Observatory with their electrifying, get-on-your-feet dance music. Flight Facilities is a duo from Australia that has undeniably grabbed the attention of the EDM scene. Hugo Gruzman and James mixing songs by other artists in 2009. As their reknown grew, they began creating “Crave You” featuring Giselle Roselli, was released 2010 and quickly became very popular on the Australian radio station, Triple J. Soon after in July of 2010, Flight Voyage. They played at various Australian nightclubs and eventually made their way to

Photos by Christian Bourdeau Japan performing at Onzieme in Osaka and Le Baron in Tokyo. Later that year, “Crave You” ranked No. 19 on the Triple J Hottest 100, and the band continued making new music. The C90s track, “Shine A Light” was remixed by Flight Facilities and appeared in the popular video game Grand Theft Auto V, 2013. Not long after, KCRW invited Flight Facilities to SXSW and headlined Australia’s Falls Festival and Southbound festivals, which included artists such as The Roots, MGMT, Bonobo, and Grizzly Bear. In 2014 they played at Coachella Festival in Palm Springs where they played to over 8000 people a day. Opening the show at the Observatory was Touch Sensitive, a one man producer who warmed up the crowd by playing live bass over electronic beats and running around onstage while the crowd jumped to his beat.

Flight Facilities then took over, starting their set walking on stage with pilot helmets

“Apollo,” while an image of a rocket taking

the stage. “Three… two… one… ignition… take and the crowd went crazy. As the night continued, various talented guest singers such as Owl Eyes, Tayyib Ali, and Surahn stepped onto the stage while behind them; a variety of visuals—for example: mandala art, video displays, and lasers— created a multifaceted experience. from Daft Punk and old school funk/disco; the music is electronic, but very real, almost

sounding like it could be a live funk band. The crowd never stopped dancing. As an all ages show, there was a highly diverse audience, which made the environment very eclectic. At one point, the singer Owl Eyes spotted an elderly woman dancing to the songs, and the crowd began chanting “GRANDMA! GRANDMA! GRANDMA!” The singer reached out to the woman and danced with her. As the night came to an end, the duo left the stage to an audience that wasn’t ready to say goodbye. The room echoed with the words “ONE MORE SONG, ONE MORE SONG”, and the duo came back to do one last song, “Foreign Language,” while the audience savored one last opportunity to soak in the musical wonderland.

Music

Reinventing Views The Agonist returns with a new vocalist and a substantial new album By Karla Juarez Cortez Vicky Psarakis is probably a name not many heavy metal fans have on their tongues. But, after The Agonist’s new album Eye of Providence, that is about to change. Psarakis is the new lead vocalist for the band, since their original vocalist, Alissa White-Gluz, left to join the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy in March 2014. Before stating anything about the album itself, I want to give props to Psarakis because she does have a dual range to her. Not only can she sing clearly, but she can also growl. She also seems to have great chemistry with the band, on and to perform on this album and on tour without Overall, Eye of Providence is a solid album.

My favorite aspect of the record is how the other members got a chance to stand out instrumentally without being overshadowed by the vocals. A great example of this concept is the song “Faceless Messenger,” where the guitar work is phenomenal and both vocals and instrumentations are intertwined with each other. This song is arguably the strongest track on this album, since there are other musical layers that have never been explored in previous releases. This track as well as “The Perfect Embodiment” have plenty of diversity between the screaming and operatic cleans and even a bit of thrashy yelling, which adds more layers to the tracks. The concept of the album is also appealing since it discusses the short and long term

not their strongest work, but it still contains the passionate rhetoric that made them a In Granted, there were some weaknesses. Although this band is synonymous with the wear this idea to death to some extent. Rather than attempting to push the boundaries of what they have accomplished in previous years, they in some tracks such as: “Gates of Horn and Ivory” and “Danse Macabre” have played it safe. These tracks aren’t bad, but they are nothing special either. In the track, “Danse Macabre,” the vocalist sounded like she was struggling a bit with the clean vocals, her transition between the clean and guttural

vocals are a bit sloppy. However, it does demonstrate that she is willing to try. As stated earlier, this is a concrete album; it is heavy enough to headbang to and not too dull either. Granted, this is nowhere near their best album, however it is a great start for the band. Eye of Providence is basically a get-to-know-each-other album for all the members since Psarakis is a new vocalist and the band is learning to adjust to her vocals and the songwriting. Even though White-Gluz was a great vocalist for The Agonist, Psarakis did demonstrate potential that she is a nice replacement. For fans of this band, be optimistic and listen to this album before making any assumptions about the new vocalist.

Lifestyle

“You simply need to be willing to get in touch with your spiritual self, or your divine light.” “Everyone is important.”

As Long As There Is God, There Is Hope Prayer can turn a life around In light of the recent events of the three American Muslim college students killed, along with ISIS and Al-Qaeda becoming more violent and growing in numbers, dare I say, as long as there is God, there is hope. There are some humans on this planet who are lost because they are not in touch with their soul, their spiritual self, their true

are hard-wired to do good deeds, and if every human decided to pray sincerely from their jihad as a holy war, which spreads the belief that Muslims kill innocent people in the name of God. I mean the true meaning of is in fact mentioned in the Quran. Jihad is a peaceful ideological struggle for jihad refers to resisting evil in an attempt to

lost faith in God, in the world, and have devastatingly lost hope in themselves. They have lost touch with who they really are. They have lost touch with their divine light and even realize it. A lot of people live in denial about their issues and their pain.

shoots and kills three innocent human beings. These acts of violence are unacceptable. In Islam, one of the concepts mentioned

By Sahar Kachroo

experience it. You simply need to be willing to get in touch with your spiritual self, or your divine light. Every human has it. We just need to be reminded that it is possible because we

souls. Instead, these souls would choose to do good deeds rather than commit violence. Life is not controlled simply through matters of circumstance, but through the choices we make that lead us to our destination. We get to decide how we want to live our life. What we have to remember is that all lives matter, including our own. Every single human life on this planet matters. Everyone is important. No single innocent life should to be taken. Everyone is human and every human in life battles with the spiritual concept of jihad, striving for the greater good within oneself, regardless if they are spiritual

make mistakes. We get so caught up in this life that we forget who we really are.

breathes their last breath and their soul is

prayer. Prayer is what brings us in touch with our divine light, prevents us from committing acts of wrongdoing, and brings us in touch with the greater good within our self. Humans

taken away. I am sorry that the media distorts the truth of Islam and focuses on the lost souls in the world that are committing violence. I am sorry that the media informs the world

Illustration by Sam Winchester about Islam through falsities. I am sorry that Muslims, including myself, are not spreading enough awareness of the truth of Islam to prevent acts of hate and terror like this, and most of all, preventing ignorance from spreading. To the families that have lost their loved ones in the recent acts of violence, I am sorry. I am sorry that your loved ones were killed by lost souls. I am sorry that these lost souls chose not to pray sincerely from their heart and instead chose to act violently. I am sorry that you have to endure that loss and go through unimaginable pain. I am very, truly, deeply sorry. I hope that God removes pain from your hearts and heals you with time. I hope that we all come to a point in life where we realize that all lives matter, that humans can choose whether they want to have their soul lost or guided by prayer, and that as long as there is God, there is hope.

Literature

Poetry Corner Students express themselves in haikus and poems Illustrations by John Calhoun

Won’t Stop

Wisps

Familiar Face

Pure Observer

By Michelle Arenas

By Karrie Comfort

By Christopher Orozco

By Matt McNeese

Addicted to you You are my very own drug I can’t stop taking

hair-blown thoughts trailing behind ever stormy clouds

I walk but it still follows me, And there’s no way that it’s a man. Maybe a new anomaly That I’ve never quite seen before, But I just ran.

Faith

Just a Glance

By Karrie Comfort

By Elliott Gatica

Like a Bond cocktail The vesper, I believe, it Is shaken not stirred

Just a glance at you Fills me with pure happiness. Never leave my sight

Through the Tears

Water Color Memories

No matter where I go I see a familiar face Sunlit curtains and drapes The shadows of their lines with the brightness within As the phrase goes, reading between the lines has never felt so great The sound of the airplanes The sound of the wind No matter where I go I see a familiar face Distant voices of strangers, neighbors, and friends Laughter and murmurs and miles sound, I hear them on my couch, on my bed, on my chair The plane’s engine, the trees’ leaves rustle, the winds’ whispers They echo in my ear and in my house, I have forgotten the sounds of humanity and nature Through the curtains and drapes, I imagine their faces A sense of isolation in the coldness in the wind Only to be touched by the warmth of the sun on my soft skin I could see the dust and lint through the sun’s light, my eyes adjust to the little beings in the dust I am alone with them, I imagine little worlds or little beings dancing in the air Yet, I watch as a movie of silence plays a pretty picture through the rays The furniture is with me as I imagine a face I had forgotten its face, the curtains’ and drapes’ shadows moving its face through

By Karla Juarez Cortez The rain can drown your tears, but it can’t hide your pain. Confess now or die...

By Karrie Comfort the tree sways over sidewalk cracked and uncared for caressed by light rain

I see a familiar face I apologize to myself for I have forgotten you, my dear childhood friend I bid you a hopeful remembrance, once more You, familiar face

Three years ago, two were desirable. Even though I was bound to one, I didn’t see her as reliable To depend on for unity and pleasure.

She’s now an unpleasable vector. She’s gone now and so was the other. An angry broken specter Sided with her hatred of me— Her ex-lover. It enveloped the bridge I hid under While its laughter echoed around me. It’s so strange, it makes me wonder How it knows where I am; It bore a recognized smile of glee. Big chunks of stone fell from above And landed on a worn-out bed. That thing gave me a shove, And it reached for my hand. I dared it to try when I pointed the gun at my head.

Travel

Living Angelino A perspective of Los Angeles from a native of the city By Elliott Gatica

Growing up as a Los Angeles County resident, I have put in my fair share of time traveling to many well-known places within LA. Too bad you have to spend money to basically do almost anything around here, especially in Downtown Los Angeles. I have asked several of my friends, who have lived in Los Angeles County for their whole lives, what they like about Downtown LA or what they do around there. They always tell me the same things when it

Illustration by John Calhoun

comes to the subject. It’s always referred to as a place where most of our homeless reside. I will admit that what is usually said about the homeless is slightly true, but that is not the case and should not be the best way to refer to Downtown LA. You only really experience this as you get closer to the Fashion District and Skid Row. There’s so much sightseeing to do in the area, along with just going about or shopping. There’s the Grand Park that neighbors

iconic places such as the Los Angeles Times and Disney Concert Hall. I mean, how often would a Long Beach regular be around in the 323 area? If the beauty of downtown hasn’t convinced you yet, then what will? Little Tokyo? I really hope so. The night setting makes everything much more lively, especially when you start heading toward the Staples Center in the LA Live region including the Grammy Museum, Club Nokia, and other places. They’re nice

for friendly outings or perhaps dates where you really want to impress someone with the sightseeing and the neat things you can do. All you really have to do is familiarize yourself with the main streets and be aware of the suits and nice people. The suits and nice people are basically the signs telling you that you are in the right areas of downtown, experiencing few homeless.

Food

“...standing in line on a cold night anxiously awaiting your delicious heart-attack on a bun...”

Delicious Cantonese pork buns in Los Angeles

During my trip to New York, I tried some delicious pork buns—a Cantonese delicacy— from BaoHaus. Traditionally, pork buns are considered street food, but many places in the U.S. are adopting the recipe and creating delicious, ornamental cuisine.

By Beatriz Villa

place I have ever tried the steamed bun, but I will be quite frank: I do not remember much of the experience, only that the pork bun was hot and amazing. Having been walking around Manhattan in the dead cold and drinking to stay warm, I was a little inebriated, which is why I don’t recall the is an understatement because BaoHaus’ pork buns are the one of the best in New York. Since the Bun Shop is all over the media—LA Weekly, Zagat, Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed—it caught my attention. Once day when I was feeling a little nostalgic, I hijacked my boyfriend Cody from work and

All hot dogs go to heaven By Katie Cortez

I hate hot dogs. Just thinking about the crap that goes into those rubbery casings makes me want to throw up. When I’m at a baseball game or summer barbeque, I always go for a burger instead of a hot dog. But for whatever reason, I have no issue with going to Pink’s for a specialty hot dog, some chili fries, and a Yahoo chocolate beverage. A few years ago, a friend and I developed a weird habit of driving to Pink’s in Hollywood every Tuesday night for two or three months for chili fries and hot dogs. I’ve never been able to eat at any other Pink’s stand—in my mind, the Knott’s Berry Farm and Universal City locations fall extremely short in comparison to the original stand on La Brea avenue in Hollywood. Whenever I go to Pink’s, I like to test

we visited The Bun Shop, a hip bun house located on the corner of Western Ave in the outskirts of Korea Town, Los Angeles. Stepping into the restaurant I noticed an array of booths and high top tables scattered around, garlic filling the air. Since the restaurant is placed on the corner, the walls of the dinning area are windows, allowing guests the choice to look out onto Korea Town. Dimly lighted by antique light bulbs hung on rustic pipes, The Bun House offers its guests a metropolitan yet calm, casual atmosphere. Cody and I arrived at the right time: Happy Hour. Pork buns are $2.50; I got three for a little under nine dollars, and my boyfriend ordered the same thing, plus a side of rosemary garlic fries and a 20-ounce IPA for about 20 bucks. I liked my meal more than Cody liked his, who did remember the exquisiteness of BaoHous. I ordered the Pork Belly, topped

with pickled veggies, scallions, and Asian BBQ sauce; Spicy Pig, seasoned with pickled veggies, scallions, sriracha, and tzatiziki sauce; and Kalbi, garnished with sweet garlic soy, tempura onion, and spicy aioli sauce. In my opinion, the Pork Belly was the best; the sausage was tender inside but had a nice crunchy outer layer, and the pickled veggies

dog. With well over 20 types of hot dogs to choose from, Pink’s is a hot dog stand unlike any other. It’s one of the few places that I will not order the same thing every time I go there. I’ve had the Martha Stewart dog—a nine-inch dog topped with relish, onions, bacon, chopped tomatoes, sauerkraut, and sour cream—which wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t really good either. My favorite hot dog so far is probably The Brando Dog. Named after the award-winning actor, Marlon Brando, The Brando Dog is a nine-inch stretch dog with mustard, onions, their famously delicious chili, and shredded cheddar cheese. I cannot express how good their homemade chili is, but know that every chili-topped dog is always going to be delicious. One of the dogs I’ve yet to try is The Ryan Lochte Dog. Although mustard, chili, French fries, and

nacho cheese sound like gifts from the gods when I think about it, The Ryan Lochte Dog also has two wieners on one bun in order to hold all of those toppings, and that seems like too much wiener for one bun. But it’s creations like The Lochte that make Pink’s the most unique hot dog stand of them all. If you were born and raised in LA or one of its many suburban counterparts standing in line on a cold night anxiously awaiting your delicious heart-attack on a bun is a right of passage. If you are from Long Beach, tell people that you’re from LA and you haven’t been to Pink’s, then you should get out of my city immediately. Or drive down to Los Angeles and grab yourself a hot dog. Either one will do.

the pork bun. I do have to be honest though and say that I wasn’t too impressed with the buns; they

this is why Cody didn’t enjoy is at much as and warm. But don’t skip out because of that.

Volume 76 Issue 8

Monday, March 9, 2015

LBUNION.COM

DISCLAIMER: DROP IT LIKE IT’S POT Uh! I’m a nice dude, with some nice dreams. See these ice cubes, see these Ice Creams? Eligible bachelor, million dollar boat. That’s whiter than what’s spilling down your HEY NOW, HEY NOW! This is what dreams are made of. This page is satire/ parody and does not represent ASI nor the CSULB campus. Submit articlez to grunion@lbunion.com.

Hot Dog Water Now I know what you’re thinking—anything that has to do with hot dogs, the over-processed animal carnage that we poison our bodies By North West with, has to be bad for you. Before I tried this daily meat tea, so to speak, I was a naysayer as you are now. However, a unbiased men and women at Hebrew National, has emerged proclaiming Now what does the hot dog water actually do? Hot dog water is a naturally

Play Dough Milk Up until a few hours ago, I had been juicing, running, and pooping to lose weight for my wedding next June. This crazy exercise routine By Cara has done nothing to help me get rid of the excess weight I gained from my last marriage. I even tried the trending “hot dog water” plan, but nothing helped. Going crazy and feeling hopeless, I found comfort in my dietician, Dr. Chocolate Johnson (docCOCO). Having been married only a handful of times and having to lose a massive amount of weight in just a few days notice, docCOCO was the only one I could trust with my issue. She recommended I drink white Play Dough milk before and after taking a shower. I know it sounds strange, but it is hardens the fat before the shower. “It is best to drink it naked,” docCOCO says.

hydrating substance that cleanses your body of toxins, replenishes essential nutrients, and smells great. Some might say, but aren’t those And I say to them: Phooey! I’m pretty sure the hot dog adds something. I dare you to suggest a more energizing morning routine: Emerging from your satin sheets, feeling the gentle morning breeze sweeping across your face, and plopping a rubbery, raw hot dog in a vat of scalding water. It’s an image so evocative of the modern woman on the go. And If you’re feelin’ a little indulgent, you can take a bite of that dog when the hubby’s not looking. Lord knows I’ll never tell.

“The colder your body temperature is, the harder the fat will become.” At this point, the fat collects on one area, and is easier to extract via Play Dough milk. After that, she recommends a mediumhot to hot-medium shower, but to avoid hot shower all together. This will cut the collected fat like a hot knife cuts butter. After the shower, the second cup helps keep fat from sticking to the inside of the skin. It also provides nutrition electrolytes that keep you hydrated all day. To see results, do this every other day for a week, then every week for four weeks. Do not shower on days you are not drinking the milk. It will reverse the effects. Play Dough milk is easily accessible and conveniently located at all Toys “R” Us. To make the milk, allow a two-inch circumference of white Play Dough to soak in a 12 ounce for four hours—this makes two servings, for before and after the shower. Play Dough milk is not FDA approved. Please drink responsibly*.

Barista

Alien Baby Maker

Local coffee shop is looking to suck the soul out of one young college student from 5:00 am2:00 pm, Monday-Sunday. Your duties include kissing the General Manager’s ass, and getting cussed at by ungrateful customers who don’t understand that hot coffee will burn your tongue while little kids ask you for more whipped cream. Must be willing to spill 140 degree temperature tea on yourself at least three times during your shift. No experience necessary.

Out-of-this-world space cadet seeking spaceman with big rocket to make a humanalien hybrid baby with. Requirements: Must be from Tattooine, must love “Spaceman” by The Killers. James Earl Jones need not apply. Contact Bella Goth at (818) 562-7143 for more details.

Avril Lavigne and Adam Levine. Yeah, you thought they were already married to other people. They still are. Shit happens. You can’t

Harrison Ford’s plane, dedicated aircraft, aviary machine, died in a plane crash on Thursday, March 7, in Los Angeles, California. Father of three, Harrison Ford’s deceased plane was known for small roles in Con Air and the lost plane in LOST.

a private, intimate ceremony at Degrassi High School in Toronto, Canada.

FOR SALE

Degrassi High School Selling limited-edition pop-singer, Taylor Swift, once, twice, and thrice used, but in fair condition. Will bake you cookies at night and feed all of the local cats. Great with kids, and comes with teardrops on her guitar. $500 or better offer. Call (562) 867-5309. Ask for Demi.

Degrassi High School of Toronto, Canada is dedicated to making your event a unique and extraordinary experience. We offer our clients exciting amenities, such as: unstable relationships, angsty teens, Manny’s exposed thong, and Drake’s old wheelchair.

*Not to be consumed by ovulating women.

INSIDE

LOCAL MAN WONDERS WHEN TOO MUCH TOFU IS TOO MUCH, AND WHEN TOO MUCH TOFU IS NOT ENOUGH.

TOM HANKS STARS IN NEW CARLY RAE JEPSEN MUSIC VIDEO, STATES AS BEST CAREER MOVE YET

LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT PLANS ON TASTING THE RAINBOW AFTER SPRING FLING

STRANGE TURN OF EVENTS IN ORLANDO BLOOM AND JUSTIN BIEBER FEUD: NOBODY CARES.