The Best of 2015-2016

Issue 78.15

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Intro

GRAD-TALK When I was asked to do a graduation issue, I didn’t think I would be sitting in the Union Weekly office at 10 p.m. on another Saturday. But here I am, listening to “I Will Always Love You”—the Whitney Houston cover—with Art Director Sam Orihuela. This is clearly not going to be a standard edition of “Tez Says,” so I’ll get straight to the point. Three members of our valuable staff are graduating this semster, and we wanted to make our peace with CSULB. But we don’t want to focus on just us, so we want to dedicate this “Best Of 2015-2016” issue to all of CSULB’s 2016 graduates and their families.

Congratulations CSULB class of 2016!

Katheryne Adela Cortez Editor-in-Chief Unemployed The day has finally arrived. I honestly never thought it would get here. Throughout all these years and the ups and downs I get to put on my cap and gown. I finally get my diploma.

I finally get to move that tassel from one side of my head to the other.

I, Lauren Hunter, am going to be a college graduate. But it doesn’t quite feel real yet.

Over the past week I have gotten less sleep than a vampire. I couldn’t tell you last time I had a well balanced meal, and yet, here I am it’s finally over.

I have put my last highlighter down, I have submitted my final paper, and yet I still don’t feel like it’s really over. And the real question is where do I go from here? I have been so busy trying to make sure I finished my to-do list and turn everything in I haven’t had time to sit down and do my resume and think about life after college. But that stress will have to wait because I am basking in this day.

I could not have gotten where I am today with my parents. You guys have allowed me to follow my dreams no matter what the cost.

You have allowed me to only focus on school and for that I am eternally grateful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you guys more than words could ever explain.

Thank you to the wonderful man in my life. The one that pushed me to keep going and to never give up. The one who let me cry when I was too stressed to function. And to the guy that would pull all nighters with me to make sure I got my paper done. Thank you for everything Joe. I truly could not be here without you by my side.

To Katie, you stressed me out more than school ever could, but we finally did it. I am glad that school made us friends and that you were my “boss” here at the Union Weekly. I don’t think I have laughed more than I did these past two years. Elevator Etiquette, Bananagrams, mac and cheese bites, beers at

the Nugget, “Gilmore Girls”, online quizzes and so many other things. Thank you for a great two years and cheers to many more to come.

And lastly to my peeps over here at the Union Weekly, you guys are the best. This past year was so dramatic, chaotic and absolutely perfect. Andrew, I will miss quoting “Gilmore Girls” with you whenever it was humanly possible to add them into conversations. Bea, I just love you. Sam, please get some sleep and eat an apple. Alex and Alexis, my favorite couple, I will miss you and I wish you nothing but happiness. Bailey good luck dealing with Alex next year. And to the rest of you I wish you success and happiness in wherever life takes you.

Thanks CSULB, but I gotta get the hell out of here. Peace out.

How do you feel about it? That’s the question everyone seems to ask me these days in regards to graduating college. I know people ask because they genuinely care, but it’s a question I don’t like answering because I don’t know how I feel. Maybe I still need time to process or understand it, but this idea of being done with a routine that I’ve been accustomed to since childhood is surreal.

When I think about it, I realize school was always something I made everything else fit conveniently aroundwork schedules, events, and other plans. Considering my time spent as an undergrad is longer than most, I saw a lot of my friends graduate before me and go through a reflection period where they faced many dilemmas concerning life after college.

For a lot of us, college is the first of

many living on our own, learning to be selfmotivated(professors aren’t going to check on you to make sure you pass), balancing a worklife schedule with an internship or extracurricullar thrown in, and discovering a field, major, or passion that we want build upon in order to translate it more seamlessly into life after college.

There’s a lot I will remember about college besides the all nighters, copious amounts of caffeine, seeking free food, and searching for my car in parking lot mazes. A big part of of it was trying to make it a meaningful experience, which meant doing more than showing up for class and heading home. Some become part of the Greek system, student government, recreation clubs, or professional societies in order to enrich networks and grow alongside similar minded

individuals.

I chose to test the waters with different clubs based on my varied interests, but often not staying for long. Even my initial involvement with Union Weekly was short lived as I only contributed a few articles. A few years later, with a graduation date staring me in the face, I finally took the plunge and became actively involved with the UW and got to meet and work with a lot of the good people that make that place more than just a student run newspaper. To be around individuals such as the UW peeps that have the drive, talent, and dedication that they do is infectious. I am grateful for being part of a group that was always welcoming and one that I learned so much from.

After too many years of going to school, I finally get to wear an expensive rented gown, shake President Conoley’s hand, and wait for an email saying the piece of paper I was fortunate enough to have my dad pay for is ready to be picked up. But hey, I have adegree, so that’s cool, right?

I’m kidding. Sort of.

But I am happy that I can finally enter the real world, hopefully get to quit working at a place I hate and write or design (or both) for a living. I didn’t realize how much I hate school until this year. Props to those who plan on going to grad school. I don’t have the patience for it.

I said a lot of my thank you’s in my last intro, but here it goes again.

Lauren, you are the only reason I am

graduating. You know it, I know it, the UW staff, my friends, our English Lit. friends, and our professors all know it. I don’t know if I’ve said this, but thank you. We’ve known each other since the 7th grade, but I’m glad we were able to become friends 10 years later here at CSULB. Never stop having opinions about things.

Andrew, you’re a good friend and you’ve consistantly had my back this year. I dont care what Alex says, you’re the cool dad.

Alex, make sure Sam and Bailey eat full meals. You’ll need them to keep their strength up. You are the true dad.

Samantha and Richard, I’m proud of both of you. You guys helped me stay sane this year, and I love you both. I’m going to miss our group chats. Especially about Sam’s

knees. My heart will go on. And on.

Bailey, don’t stress out. You’re so ridiculously talented and I can’t stress enough how perfect you are for this industry.

You can always call me if you need help dealing with Alex.

My parental units, I love and appreciate both of you. I know I’ve been a little shit for the last few years, but I’m your little shit.

Thanks for supporting me no matter what. I couldn’t have done this without you.

CSULB, I’ve kept this inside for the last two years: Why is our mascot a beach?

A beach is just sand and water. It’s not an actual thing that can represent a college. #ProspectorPeteForever

Lauren Hunter

Abraham Alapisco

Ktez

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 claims of its advertisers. Grievance procedures are available in the Associated Students business office.

Katie Cortez, Editor-in-Chief editorinchief@lbunion.com Richard Mejia, Managing Editor manager@lbunion.com Ashley Rodriguez, Advertising Executive ashley.lbunion@gmail.com Nathan Zankich, Web Manager web@lbunion.com Amanda Del Cid, Social Media Manager Chris Orozco, Distribution Manager ART & DESIGN Sam Orihuela, Art Director artdirector@lbunion.com John Mueller, Graphics Illustrator illustration@lbunion.com EDITORIAL Amanda Del Cid, News Content Editor news@lbunion.com Peter R. Clark, News Design Editor travel@lbunion.com Elizabeth Nguyen, Opinions Editor opinions@lbunion.com Bailey Mount, Community Editor community@lbunion.com Alejandro Ramos, Athletics Editor athletics@lbunion.com Kaila-Marie Hardaway, Food Editor food@lbunion.com Amanda Dominguez-Chio, Culture Editor amanda@lbunion.com Madison Gallegos, Culture Editor madison@lbunion.com Elliott Gatica, Music Editor music@lbunion.com Andrew Linde, Entertainment Editor entertainment@lbunion.com Peter R. Clark, Travel Editor travel@lbunion.com Grim Fandango, Grunion Editor stalkyard@gmail.com STAFF WRITERS Lauren Hunter, lauren@lbunion.com Sylvana Uribe, sylvana@lbunion.com Jordan Daniels, jordan@lbunion.com Elizabeth Campos, liz@lbunion.com Matthew Gozzip, matt@lbunion.com Abraham Alapisco, abraham@lbunion.com COPY & ASSISTANT EDITORS Carissa Pope, Karen Ruiz, Sheila Sadr, Abril Burstein COVER DESIGN BY: Sam Orihuela FEATURE DESIGN BY: Sam Orihuela

CONGRATS 2016 GRADUATES <3 UW CONTACT US Snail Mail: 1212 Bellflower Blvd. Suite 116 Long Beach, CA 90815 Phone: 562.985.4867 E-mail: lbunion.info@gmail.com Classifieds: classifieds.lbunion@gmail.com

@UnionWeekly

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Opinions From the April 25 issue “Somnium”

Dear Barbara Kingsley-Wilson, The Union Weekly deserves to be acknowledged My name is Richard Mejia and I am the Managing Editor at the Union Weekly. In only my second semester at California State University, Long Beach, I am proud to be a part of a school that values their students and provides a plethora of resources to those students in order for them to reach their full potential. Coming from Long Beach City College, I was excited to join the journalism program at CSULB, given that notable journalists in Southern California have cut their teeth here. Throughout the school year, myself and my Editor-in-Chief Katie Cortez have exhausted all of our efforts and have been endlessly determined to make the Union Weekly a credible and respected publication. With 28 issues completed, I felt we achieved that task and none of this would have been possible without the student staff as well as student contributors.

However, as I sat throughout the roughly five-hour Journalism Day event, I was completely dumbstruck.

The Union Weekly was not acknowledged.

Not a single mention of our existence nor an invitation to myself or Katie was extended to honor our staff. Are we not aspiring journalists? Are we not developing students? Does the journalism department not give a damn about the Union Weekly? I

don’t care about awards, scholarships or any other type of back-scratching that goes on at these events, but it was JOURNALISM DAY. A day to recognize journalists on campus and encourage their chosen path. Sure, our professors told us to go and in most cases, made us go—but that doesn’t excuse the fact that the journalism department failed to acknowledge a campus publication made up of over 20 students that produce the best content on campus.

For nine months, our unpaid editors sacrificed their Saturdays to layout their pages and edit their content. For nine months, our unpaid staff writers would produce more than two articles per week while working part-time jobs and attending class full time. We’re not a mandatory class.

We don’t have professors and Pulitzer Prize winners telling us how to layout our pages.

We’re a collection of students with diverse backgrounds who love what we do and put all our efforts into that work.

Are we lazy because we use words like fuck, shit and goddamn? Hell no. We follow AP Style and ensure that anyone writing for us understands at least the most basic guidelines of AP. We’re not just another college publication who writes about whatever they want; we have broken big

stories, kept the campus up-to-date with events that have occurred in and around the community and most importantly—we have given the students a voice.

We accept all students to sit down in our meetings and pitch stories. We sit down with aspiring journalists and explain to them why their stories are good and what needs to be worked on. We go out of our way to reinforce what we have been taught by our professors in hopes that the program on campus becomes one of the premier programs in all of California.

We’re journalists. We’re engineers.

We’re artists. We’re mathematicians. We’re scientists. We’re students.

If the department’s mission is to help journalists and students alike develop, then I implore you, recognize the Union Weekly.

We don’t need awards; we don’t need a plaque; we don’t need a blurb in the Daily 49er. All we ask is that you acknowledge we exist. We’re not a throwaway publication— we’re journalists from all walks of life and we’re here to stay.

Best Regards, Richard Mejia Managing Editor.

A Generational Misconception Redefining what separates the millenials from other generations

By Katie Cortez Editor-in-Chief Living in a post-9/11 world is something that I talk and think about a lot. A few weeks ago, I mentioned it in the Intro page of our issue, “Collision Averted,” but never fully explained myself.

At the ripe ol’ age of 25, I am technically classified as a millennial, but I don’t accept this particular term. When I think of millennials, I think of anyone under the age of 23. I think of a generation of young adults who don’t quite understand what the real world is like and use weak and flawed arguments to try and get their points across. I think of kids who weren’t old enough to be able to sneak into movie theaters to see “American Pie” in all its sexual-innuendo glory and are not old enough to really remember 9/11. I think of kids who probably didn’t even learn about 9/11 until high school and can’t tell you where they were when it happened.

Being classified as a millennial means the older generation just assumes that I’m a democrat and I hate FOX News because “they make plenty of sense and you don’t know because you’re just a kid.”

With this label, a certain stigma is held over my head like a rain cloud I can never get rid of.

It is assumed that I am lazy, narcissistic, and

that I don’t think before I speak. It is assumed that I think I deserve a trophy whenever I accomplish something, I’m entitled, and I would rather hang out with friends and go to Coachella than have a 9-5 career.

“Adults” seem to think that I blame the world for my misfortunes and faults. They think that I blame my upbringing (which

before I became fully committed to adulthood.

Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) said it best in the pilot of “The OC”: “Modern medicine is advancing to the point where the average human lifespan will be 100. But I read this article which said Social Security is supposed to run out by the year 2025, which means people are going to have to stay at their jobs

“The common classification for millenials is inaccurate not just about me, but also...people who were born late ‘80s-early ‘90s.” was not bad in the slightest) and the friends I had and lost and society and the ceramics teacher I hated my freshman year of high school and my ex-boyfriend...literally anyone else but myself for taking eight years to get a bachelor’s degree. I blame none of those people or situations or whatever.

I admit that I did this to myself. I wanted to be sure of what direction I wanted my life to go and the kind of person I wanted to grow into

until they’re 80. So I don’t want to commit to anything too soon.” That is exactly why I took so long to finish college.

Starting a career is not as easy as it was 20 years ago. College is not as easy as it was 20 years ago. I refuse to get stuck in a career that I’m going to hate in five years. I want to do something that I’m passionate about, something that will make me feel good and accomplished and get paid for all at the same time.

The common classification for millennials is inaccurate not just about me, but also a large amount of people who were born in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Out of 50 or so people within this age range who I’ve met in the last two years, I can count at least 20 of them (and one surprising anomaly of a 20-year-old) who do not fit this definition of millennial, but don’t quite fit the definition of Generation-X either.

We are the one’s who remember 9/11. In a pre-9/11 world, you could walk your mother/ father/brother/sister/cousin/friend/lover etc. past security, keep your shoes on, and wait at the gate with them minutes before the plane took off. In a pre-9/11 world, Republicans didn’t fear the Muslim population nearly as much as they do now. Instead, that part of the American population, among other religions and races, were accepted among the American public.

We are the unfortunate group of people who have learned that finding a decent guy who will like you back happens more often on dating apps than it does in real life and books are read on LCD screens instead of on paper.

We are not millennials.

We are Generation-Y.

Culture

Date Night at the Museum You and your special someone can spend Valentine’s Day exploring the L.A. art scene

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Photos by Sylvana Uribe and Jordan Daniels Staff Writers

From the Feb. 8 issue “Is It Deep Enough?”

Museum of Contemporary Art In descending the stairs leading into the Museum of Contemporary Art, one’s spirits are high with anticipation of what awaits inside. Mounted on the wall are lists of donors’ names with large dollar amounts placed next to them. How can you go wrong with a museum so many have paid to keep alive?

If considering the MOCA as a date spot for you and your valentine, the exhibits intend to ignite a conversation and tap into one’s feelings.

Or at the very least, it will turn heads and raise eyebrows. Why else would neon signs that spell “America” be placed face-down on the floor? Or what about a piece of Cy Twombly’s Blackboards series, where whirling loops are painted on canvases as if plucked out of a classroom?

In other rooms, a huge canvas is covered in hues of red. The canvas next to it is covered in different shades of green. A few paces over and a canvas is painted entirely in black. These canvases don’t depict faces, nature, war, or life of centuries ago. No, inside of MOCA you won’t run into much of that.

These pieces allude to issues transpiring outside of the museum walls, or at least that’s what my contemporary art enthusiast friends have told me. Here’s hoping the lovebirds visiting MOCA this Valentine’s day walk away feeling some sort of spark.

Museum of Latin American Art

By Jordan Daniels Staff Writer

There is something transcendent about stepping foot onto the concrete walkways of Little Tokyo.

Between the buildings, suspended on thin strings are red and white lanterns that sway gently in the breeze. Restaurants boast sushi and ramen; bakeries display windows of fresh bread and pastries, and novelty stores line the street.

This cultural and historic fusion dates back to the 1880s and is the ideal date night location for a couple who thrives on the ambiance of such a quaint community.

Serving as a hub for Japanese Americans, it is one of only three remaining Japan towns in California.

Couples can eat mocchi ice cream as they stroll slowly across First Street to visit the Japanese American National Museum. The exhibits featured would surely spark deep conversations about the struggles these groups went through during internment, and their trials with discrimination, and prejudice.

This night of culture and adventure is for those who aren’t afraid to step outside of their comfort zone to appreciate the rich history hidden in the city streets.

By Sylvana Uribe Staff Writer

The Museum of Latin American Art is an easy spot to pick for a date, especially if you go on Sundays (which happens to be Valentine’s Day) because it’s free. Entering from Alamitos Avenue, the retro vibes already make it easy to feel that you’re about to experience something cool. At the very least you’ll be ready to be given something to think about it.

For you and a date, the MOLAA will give you something talk about and then some.

The current main exhibit titled “Who Are You,” an exhibit that challenges the stereotypes of cultural identities whether it’s in terms of ethnicity, socioeconomic background or sexuality. It’s thought provoking, but not overwhelming for the brain; it’s a great way for you and your date to figure out where each other stands on understanding the idea of identities. The rest of the exhibits that follow are paintings and installations from some talented local artist. The room right next to the “Who Are You” exhibit features Victor Hugo Zayas whose paintings should make even the uncultured crowd feel some type of way. His series titled “The River Paintings” will evoke feelings out of you and your date that haven’t been tapped before, making you spill all your secrets while staring at the colorful acrylics that Zayas paints with.

The following rooms are filled head to toe with beautiful and colorful displays by other artists that make you and your date both laugh and cry almost at the same time. It truly is a lovers paradise...or a lovers hell if you find out that you have opposite opinions about knowing yourselves.

Japanese American National Museum

By Emily Ayers Staff Writer

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Community

Coming Home From the Feb. 15 issue “Leaders of Tomorrow”

The CSULB Dream Success Center offers students a different experience abroad.

By Elizabeth Campos Staff Writer The topic of immigration brings controversy as well as supporters. With it also comes the lives of many people who look for better opportunities that are often limited due to their legal status.

Included with those who stand beneath the curtain of the American Dream are undocumented students.

They are stuck in between what they can and what they want to do. They are called the Dreamers.

While this term might come from the general requirements of the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, Dreamers is actually a rather fitting name for these individuals.

Being brought to the United States as

as well: the chance to visit home.

Enter the Dreamer’s Study Abroad California-Mexico program.

A study abroad program created with the purpose of allowing Dreamers to visit their home country, the process lets them temporarily return to where they came from.

This was an opportunity that Norberto Lopez, a 21-year-old sociology major and Dreamer, was unable to pass up.

Lopez recently was able to visit his home country and get immersed in the Mexican culture.

He and 29 other Dreamer students were approved for the journey. Upon completion of the program’s application and approval, Lopez took to the task of raising money for his airfare and other expenses.

T h r o u g h Facebook he organized a fundraiser in his home where he sold tacos, aguas frescas and more with the help of his mother and family members to raise money.

The day of the students’ departure from Los Angeles to Mexico City, an important question was clouding both they and their family’s minds.

Norberto Lopez in front of the Teotihuacan Pyramids Would they be able to come back children, most Dreamers are eligible for into the United States? the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals The advanced parole authorization does (DACA) program. not guarantee re-entry to the United States, The program allows children who and the possibility of immigration reforms came to the United States before their 16th changing is present. birthday and are currently or have graduated When asked if he was scared, Lopez calmly school to apply for a deferring period of up to explained that while the situation posed risk, two years. it wasn’t likely for U.S. immigration to send Being a part of the program does get some back a group of 30 students with permission pressure off of the Dreamers’ shoulders. to leave the country.

They are able to refocus on their education “We’re a small group of people, we can without fear of deportation. organize ourselves,” he said.

The DACA program offers another, once“Send one back, you send all of us back.” in-a-lifetime-opportunityfor these students Mexico City was the first stop upon

Photos taken from Noberto Lopez’s Facebook arrival to Lopez’s 24 day stay in Mexico.

Following that was Guadalajara, Ja l i s c o — h i s hometown— and finally C u e r n av a c a , Morelos.

T h e students spent time in their hometowns with family.

Lopez was much smaller The streets of Mexico City make students feel at home when he lived “What you see in the media isn’t how it here. Now, a great deal of time had passed. really is over there,” said Lopez.

“Instead of looking up, I was looking down,” For many of the Dreamers who once lived he explained. there, it is home.

The little boy who had lived here was a lot Dreamers all have a story to tell and taller now, and so many things looked different. there are no amount of words or legal “[That was] the thing that impacted me documents that can explain what this the most.” program did for them.

When in Cuernavaca, Lopez attended a The organizers of the program are progressive Spanish speaking school named planning a Summer 2016 study abroad CETLALIC where he learned of social opportunity for more qualifying students. movements and justice in Mexico.

Information on the upcoming program There, he also got to listen to activists of can he found here: the area as well as speak and write Spanish. http://california-mexicocenter.org/ A moment that resonated with him the most dreamers-summer2016/ was seeing the Mexican flag in his home country .

In the U.S., he had always only seen it on a screen.

“When you finally see it, actually standing in front of it, it’s amazing,” Lopez said.

When the opportunity of studying abroad arises, Mexico isn’t the first place a lot of people think of.

An activist speaks at CETLALIC speaks of important issues

FEATURE

INTRO What up, young people. A lot of you don’t know me and that’s okay. This is going to be my first time doing this so please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Alex and I’m going to be next Editor in Chief of the Union Weekly. I’ll be taking over starting in the fall and to prove that I’m worthy I’m sitting in the office by myself on a Saturday night.

Honestly, I didn’t think I was going to be here the day I first walked into the office. I mean, I remember being very nervous and very fidgety that day, both of which are not good traits for a leader. I was applying for a position as a staff writer; I figured it would be the kind of job that would help me ease into writing for a paper at a four-year school. But for some reason I thought I wouldn’t be good enough to get a job as a staff writer, even though I was coming in with writing and editing experience from my time in community college.

Turns out I was selling myself short the whole time. I came in and did my thing as a staff writer for a few weeks before an opportunity to be an editor came up. I could’ve passed it up but I took a chance and stepped up. From there I got into a groove and that’s when I finally said, “You know what. Maybe I am good enough to be editor in chief.” I applied when the time came and the rest is history.

Everyone on the staff will tell you that it was a forgone conclusion that I would be editor in chief, but I didn’t let myself think that way. I knew I couldn’t cruise my way into this position. I worked my ass off to prove to myself that I could do it.

I know I must sound like a serious, professional man, but I’m not like that at all. I’m a simple man, really. I’ve been in college for way too long. I eat, sleep, and breathe hip-hop and basketball. Oh and these pictures? They’re all accurate. I take naps whenever I can, enjoy strong cups of coffee, and got a bad haircut not too long ago. It hurts to say, but I did look like Beaker.

But enough about myself. I want to say some nice things about the people that helped me get here.

To my girlfriend; thank you for supporting me through everything and being understanding when I wasn’t able to be there because I was busy covering and writing stories. You are the best and everyone in the office approves of us.

To Katie; I’m gonna miss you the most. No one else understands my love of Drake and Kanye like you do.

I learned a lot from watching you work and listening to your stories. Thank you for believing in me and pushing me to get better at all this. I promise we’ll make it back to

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Brooklyn one day.

To Richard; you are a professional, in every sense of the word. I will never stop looking up to you man. Your work ethic and faith in others are insane. Best believe I’m going to ask myself What Would Richard Do in difficult situations. Good luck and take care of that limp, man.

To Bailey; you’re so young and yet so talented. You’ve got a level head on your shoulders which is good because I don’t and I’m going to need you to talk me down from I can’t wait to come back and run this paper with you.

To everyone else; I had a lot of fun meeting all of you and I hope to keep working and hanging out and having fun times with you while putting out good stuff for our audience to enjoy.

And with that, I want to point out the fact that this is our Best Of 2015-2016 issue. We came together with our editorial board, asked each editor to pick what they though was the best content from their sections, and put in a little elbow grease to put this together.

For the feature, we had to think a little harder. There were so many good stories on such a variety of topics that it didn’t feel fair to pick just one. So we compromised and decided to highlight bits and pieces of four of our favorite ones. Some are lighthearted yet compelling reads while others were heavier and a bit harder to get through. Regardless, these are stories that we felt represent who we are and what the Union Weekly is about.

And that’s really all I want to say about that. I think it would be better if I give you, the reader, a chance to explore what we have to offer yourself. Whether you’re a longtime reader or someone who’s just now picked up an issue, I want you to go through and get lost in these stories. Until next semester.

One love, Kid Alecks

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FEATURE FEATURE

Is it Deep Enough?

By Emily Ayers

I’m not sure when the moment happens, but somewhere in the hazy transition from teenager to young-adult, there sprouts an expectation that everyone has had sex. Our culture has shifted away from very traditional ideas about sex, and now we have the freedom to express ourselves as sexual beings.

But for some college students, the new sex-filled culture can be hard for those who are still a virgin.

Many young people still believe in waiting until they find the right person before they have sex, but often times is met with judgement, labels, and false social stigmas.

For Art major John , those pressures are all too real.

John is a 22-year-old who has a clear understanding of what he wants in place before making the decision to have sex, but it can still become a daunting task to have to explain his lifestyle choice “The pressure to lose my virginity gets annoying,” said John. “I feel like it devalues me because it is more important to find someone who cares about me than a quick hook up, and I wouldn’t even know how to go about doing that.”

For John, one of the foundational elements he wants in place before having sex is trust. Trust is not

something that is easily found in one-night stands or quick hookups with people who are simply searching for physical pleasure. John believes there is more to it than that.

“I think it is important to find someone you can be friends with that way you have more in common with them than just sexual attraction,” said John.

It can be difficult to be a virgin in today’s society, especially if your friends discuss their sexual encounters with you, or practice lifestyle choices that differ from your own. John noticed that for many people, hooking up is a way to pass time until the potential for a real relationship comes along.

“From what I understand, people still want to be able to take care of their needs with casual sex because they haven’t found a relationship they want to be in,” said John.

One of the ways to combat this hookup culture and avoid social stigmas is to still believe in the power of commitment. John said there tends to be a tie between people who hook up a lot, but that just being someone’s throw away isn’t reason enough to stick around.

For millennials who refuse to settle and give into the idea of a quick hook up as a way to lose their

virginity, it may be difficult, but it is possible to hold tight to standards and not give in. For John, it is the assumptions made by people who learn he is still a virgin that frustrates him -most.

“I feel like there is pressure to be pushed into certain lifestyle categories,” said John. “People assume that if I say that I am a virgin and don’t want to date someone, than I am super Christian, or that I am really uppity, and that’s not me.”

For John, the stamp of being a virgin has been one that has segwayed people into stamping others labels onto him about his identity and supposed lifestyle choices; things that as John claims, are not true.

“Sometimes I do feel pushed away from friends or peers because they treat me like I am innocent, and I’m not really,” said John.

Society’s labels are often times unrepresentative of a whole person, and serve more to categorize them than to allow their individuality to shine through. We are all complex people with multiple facets. If there is one thing John represents it is that sex isn’t about settling for societal praise, it is about staying true to your own feelings and beliefs regardless of anyone else’s.

Collision Averted

By Alejandro Ramos Months of negotiating and deliberation came to a head on April 6, when Chancellor Timothy White reached out directly to Jennifer Eagan, the president of the California Faculty Association (CFA). The CFA and its supporters were poised to strike for five days just a week later, and this was a last ditch effort to come to an agreement.

According to Doug Domingo Foraste, the Long Beach CFA chapter head, it was the first time Chancellor White had involved himself in the negotiations. It was serious, as the strike had the potential to be the largest in the history of public education in California.

It would’ve included CFA members from all 23 CSU campuses. Foraste estimated that 2,000 of 2,300 faculty members from CSULB were going to strike.

“When we fight for a salary increase, we’re not just fighting for ourselves. We’re fighting for our students as well,” Foraste said.

Over the span of two days, both parties worked to reach an agreement that has postponed the strike. It

involves a 10.5 percent general salary increase spread out over the next 15 months and a 2.65 percent step increase for eligible faculty members for the 20172018 year. In addition, the minimum increase for promotions was raised from 7.5 percent to 9 percent starting July 1, 2016. These changes will remain in effect through June 30, 2018 when the contract will end and a new one will be ratified.

“I didn’t get the 50 percent increase in my salary that I dreamt about but it’s pretty good,” Foraste said.

“I’m voting for it. That should tell you something.”

The agreement is deemed tentative for the time being, as it still has to be approved by the members of the union. They will have a week to vote on it, starting April 22. From there, the Board of Trustees will ratify it in late May, and then it will go into effect.

“Presumably, it will get ratified. I think most people are happy with it,” Foraste said.

The road to this outcome was not a short one—it goes all the way back to when the current contract was ratified in November 2014. That contract came with the promise of a 3 percent salary increase for 2014-2015 followed by an additional 2 percent over the following 2 years. It also came with a small side note: the CFA would be able to reopen the issue of salary starting in May 1, 2015.

It goes without saying that they jumped on the opportunity, but quickly met a wall. According to Foraste, the CFA and the CSU reached impasse after two sessions in July 2015, went into mediation in August 2015, then went to impasse again. It was at this time that they turned to a neutral fact finder, per the guidelines of the Higher Education EmployerEmployee Relations Act. Both sides presented their evidence to the fact finder in January 2016. The fact finding report was presented to both parties in midMarch and was followed by a 10-day blackout period, giving them time to review it and negotiate before it became public.

“The fact finder report was a big issue,” Foraste said. “It validated everything we had said at the CFA. The CSU is hard pressed to justify their position because the neutral fact finder had said the CFA is right.”

The fact finding report recommended that the CSU pay the salary increases the CFA asked for as doing so was “in the best interest of students.” The CSU had remained adamant in its claim that it didn’t have the

money to do so, even after the report came out. Their reasoning was that it is too late into the fiscal year to make any changes to the budget. According to their official dissent of the fact finding report, moving money that had already been allocated for other projects would create a deficit.

According to Foraste, the CSU did not show interest in reaching an agreement, as communication between the parties had been scarce. He believes the threat of a strike and the bad press that would come with it forced their hand. He also thinks there may have been pressure from the state and the board of trustees, although this is his own personal speculation.

“They’re more afraid of a strike than we are,” Foraste said. “It would make them look rather incompetent if they have management that doesn’t treat their faculty well.”

Though the negotiations were between the faculty and the administration, it was the students who stood to suffer the most during the strike. It would’ve been disruptive to their class time and their schoolwork, Foraste stated.

“There’s not a single faculty member on this campus that wanted to strike,” Foraste said.

Despite the imminent threat of a strike, many students were confused and lacked information on the issue, even the week before it was scheduled to happen. Those who were up to date on the matter supported the faculty.

“I wouldn’t say I’m being dragged into the conflict because I support the faculty,” CSULB student Gladys Morales said. “I think it’s better to say that I’m showing solidarity because this conflict also affects me as a student.”

According to Foraste, students receive better instruction when their teachers are able to make themselves available for office hours and give them proper feedback and critiques on their work. The salary increase being granted will allow some professors and lecturers to expand and provide this level of attention moving forward.

“I got the impression that students were kind of looking forward to the strike much more than the faculty,” Foraste said. “Maybe as a few days off.

This article has contributions from Dominguez-Chio and Abraham Alapisco.

Amanda

FEATURE

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10

FEATURE

Remembering Nohemi

By Richard Mejia

An international tragedy has unfortunately hit close to home. On Friday, Nov. 13, 2015, the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, France was the center of terrorist attacks that quickly spread throughout the city. Initially reported as the Islamic terrorist group ISIS, the attackers terrified the capital city as they opened fire on hundreds of innocent civilians. As of the publishing of this issue, an estimated 129 individuals have been killed. Of this total, it comes with great dismay to state that CSULB industrial design student Nohemi Gonzalez was among one of the victims.

Gonzalez was a 23-year-old senior who was studying abroad at the Strate College of Design in Paris with hopes of attaining an internship in her highly competitive field. Through firsthand accounts provided in cooperation by CSULB and Strate College, it is known that Gonzalez was out that Friday evening with fellow CSULB students as they made their way to have dinner at a restaurant. It was then that chaos broke and an armed terrorist shot and

fatally wounded Gonzalez. The students who accompanied Gonzalez aided her immediately and last saw her as she was being taken for medical care on a stretcher. With limited information available, it is not known where Gonzalez passed away or if she received any full medical attention prior to her death.

Union Weekly Art Director and industrial design student Samantha Orihuela was very familiar with Gonzalez. Throughout her time in the design program, Orihuela knew Gonzalez as a teacher’s assistant would who go out of her way to help in whatever way she could. “She always knew how to get things down and she was really good at her designs,” Orihuela said. “She was very nice and kind, but was always honest when it came to feedback.”

Gonzalez had a bright future in her field and had worked as teacher’s assistant the prior two semesters before attending her study abroad program.

“You could just tell her excitement when she heard she was going to study

abroad,” fellow design student Derick Moreno said. “Her body language was different and her enthusiasm always showed when she talked about going to Paris.”

Throughout this terrible time, the one shining light has been that of Gonzalez’s legacy. She has been described as lively, fun, caring and sweet; this has been the silver lining in the otherwise dark and thunderous storm. A vigil was held in memoriam of Nohemi Gonzalez Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015 at both Friendship Walk and the fountains in front of Brotman Hall.

Now is not the time for heated debate over foreign policy or violent religious acts. Now is the time for healing.

Gonzalez’s death was an untimely tragedy, but that shouldn’t call for anger and the spread of more pain. To honor her legacy, the community must unite and support those who are suffering to ease their pain. Peace and unity is required right now for us as a society to plan for a clear future.

Now You See Me, Now You Don’t

By Abraham Alapisco

Cover by Wesley Iheuze

In “Masters of None,” starring Aziz Ansari, the episode, “Hot Ticket,” has Ansari venting his frustrations when attempting to see a woman he was interested in.

“I asked this girl out a few weeks ago.

She said nothing. They give you silence.

Why? Make some shit up! You know?”

While the show is creating comedy at the expense of Ansari’s sanity, lack of communication is prevalent even though tech has made us more accessible than ever.

Handwritten letters and phone calls were some of the ways people used to stay in touch with one another. Nowadays, everyone is a few swipes and taps on a screen away from receiving a notification saying “I’m reaching out to you and I hope you will too.” When a response is never sent, the term “Ghosting” has just been added to your lexicon. Ghosting has a literal meaning since that person has essentially disappeared from your life without an explanation or understood reason. The person being ghosted (ghostee) is left to decipher a silence and decide how to respond.

The term is often used in reference to dating, but it can be used for friendships as well, considering that the result produces similar feelings and reactions.

Whether or not it is due to “selfie culture” or immaturity, it may have become a social norm to avoid communication when there is potential conflict looming. For students like Chelsey, a photography major, ghosting is a noticeable issue when dating.

“It’s happened to me a few times,” Chelsey said . “Usually it happened to me over text so I would wait a week to hear from someone. If I didn’t hear from them in a week, I considered whatever was going on to be over.”

While some seem to prefer to implement a slow death through ghosting, others prefer closure in order to save time and confusion for parties involved. For Chelsey, an upfront approach helps prevent an issue such as ghosting, saying she prefers communicating her feelings directly towards dating prospects. Being blunt about her disinterest may cause an awkward situation, but for her being on the same page due to having provided information is better than scrambling through the book looking for an answer.

On the other hand, some see ghosting as something we have no real control over. It’s just something that happens and it may be too complicated to try to understand at times.

“No one is good, No one is bad,”

Andrew,, a junior biology major, said.

“The pain and ambiguity caused by ghosting could probably be easily avoided through communication, but who has the energy to always pour out your emotions.”

Sometimes, ghosting can be a time for reflection. Andrew sees it as an opportunity to reevaluate a situation.

For him, taking a step back provides an alternative view of a dilemma.

“I ghost girls when I get really fed up in a relationship,” Andrew said. “Ghosting gives you the distance you need while in the relationship to decide weather you miss them, or are indifferent toward them.”

Whatever the case or reasons may be, ultimately how you react to ghosting can say a lot about you. If you it didn’t bother you that a person faded away from your life, were you as invested as you thought you were? If you react emotionally, irrationally to a lack of communication, are you too dependent on another person’s perceived value of you? As more and more forms of communication develop and strengthen, it’s possible that it will be very difficult to ignore someone without them knowing that it is being done purposefully. There are already read receipts for many types of messengers that hold people accountable as a result. However, those receipts could also serve as a hint for the ghostee that disappearing act has commenced.

FEATURE

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12

Food

Lazy Maple Rolls The perfect rainy day recipe to keep you warm and cozy From the Jan.19 issue “Realistic Resolutions”

Recipe and photos by Sylvana Uribe Staff Writer

Steps: As the days remain chilly and rain clouds taunt us above, I lapse into small moments of nostalgia of the rainy days from my childhood. I mostly remember spending rainy days imitating my mom by grabbing a hot chocolate and dipping bread into it, while she did the same with a piping hot cup of coffee. My mom grew up in Guatemala where coffee was paired with freshly made bread at any hour of the day and in any type of climate. My mother never developed a knack for baking, but I fortunately did as a result of watching hours of Food Network programs.

These lazy maple rolls were inspired after one too many shows and whatever was available in our pantry. I hope they brighten your rainy days as much as they do with mine.

2.

3.

Ingredients: 1. 1/4 cup butter 2. 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 3. 2 tablespoons maple syrup 4. 1/4 cup sliced almonds (or chopped pecans) 5. 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls 6. 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 7. 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 8. 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

4.

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Place butter, brown sugar and syrup in an 8-inch ungreased round cake pan. Place in the oven until the butter melts, or approximately two to four minutes.

Mix well and then sprinkle in the almonds.

In a small bowl, mix granulated sugar, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.

Remove dough from the can but do not unroll it. Cut the roll into six slices.

Dip both sides of each slice in your sugar mixture and then arrange slices over the butter mixture in pan. If any of the sugar mixture is left, sprinkle it over the slices.

Bake the maple rolls for 17 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let them cool for one minute. Place serving plate upside down over the pan, and then turn the plate and pan over. The maple rolls taste best if served warm.

Travel

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Traveling Without Cars A trip to downtown Los Angeles by train From the April. 25 issue “Somnium”

By Sylvana Uribe Staff Writer Photos by Ryan Shepard Contributor In planning a museum trip to Los Angeles with new friends, the following discussion occurred: Friends: So how are we getting there? Do you want to carpool?

Me: Nothing about driving in L.A. or parking in overpriced lots sounds appealing.

I’ll take the Metro and meet up with you.

What ensued was a mixture of highpitched sounds as my friends asked why I would willingly choose public transportation. They equated it to entering the lion’s den where the lions were pretty much a stereotype of the people that make passengers clutch their belongings and have a phone nearby ready to dial the police at any given moment. Still, I insisted on taking the train mainly because I’m desensitized to these fears.

I first set foot on the Metro as a second

spent those train rides reading. Instead, the headaches and nausea encouraged me to people watch as a time-filler. I’d peer out the window to see walls covered in weird shapes and dull colors. Once, a group of boys stood in front of a tagged wall and pulled their pants down, but the train’s speed spared us by blurring that sight.

Sitting a few rows ahead of my family were often people in tattered clothing emitting an odor that made us want to bury our noses in our jackets. But in looking at these presumably homeless folks, I noticed they avoided making eye contact. Many of them fixed their gaze on the floor and only moved when shifted by the train teetering on the tracks. Their stare remained low, ashamed, as if they knew all did not welcome their presence.

Riding the Metro became a liberating act

grader when my parents traveled to L.A. to sort out the paperwork in applying for their citizenship. As their cases advanced, trips on the Metro Blue Line became weekly outings. If I was immune to motion sickness, there perhaps might be a chance I would’ve

as I got older. I’d plan day trips with friends not afraid of sitting alongside strangers. We’d find our way to the Metro Gold Line for an afternoon in Chinatown browsing through cheap items we didn’t need. When that bored us, we were one train stop away from Little

Tokyo where we’d stock up on cheap pastries from Yamazaki Bakery. Before heading home, it became a tradition of sorts to stuff ourselves with mochi ice cream.

The train rides home were spent overhearing phone fights and chatter probably not meant for our ears. I’d find comfort in listening to older Latina women delve into the latest chismes, as it’d remind me of the daily discourses led by my mom and her comadres in our kitchen.

Sometimes, the best way to combat the unknown is by venturing into it. When the day of the museum trip finally came, my friends took the plunge and stepped into the train too. Their discomfort appeared in small glimpses as they kept their voices low and carved out a space of their own in the crowded train.

We clung to the overhead railing and laughed whenever we lost our footing as the train came to an abrupt stop.

Had we carpooled, we would’ve been spared the long walks, odd rants, and struggling to decipher train route maps.

Our feet wouldn’t have ached nor would they had served as reminders of the day my friends survived the lion’s den.

14

Athletics

Beach Heartbroken in Big West Finals

From the March 14 issue “Now You See Me, Now You Don’t” With the game winding down, tensions began to mount for Beach’s #24 Travis Hammonds. Hawai’i maintained their slender lead despite the 49er’s outscoring their opponent 35 to 33 in the second half. (Jesus Hernandez/ Contributor)

Men’s basketball remained plagued by season-long mistakes in 64-60 loss to Hawaii

By Richard Mejia Managing Editor

Amidst a thundering Honda Center crowd, the Beach was finally engulfed by the same mistakes that have plagued them all season in their 64-60 loss to Hawaii in the Big West Tournament finals, Saturday March 13.

Shooting a combined 22.7 percent from behind the arc, the Beach struggled all game long the find a rhythm on offense and were consistently forced to take bad shots for the majority of the game.

Up by six early in the first half, senior guard Nick Faust was the spark the team needed as his two steals and one block within the first couple of minutes seemed to have set the tone for the game.

However, after a Hawaii threepointer to take a 9-7 lead with 16:13 in the first, LBSU would never see the lead again as a combination of poor shooting and struggles on defense sealed their fate.

The Beach’s defense was tenacious and aggressive, but the much longer Rainbow Warriors was able to us their size to their advantage.

With 6’11” twin towers junior forward Stefan Jankovic and center Stefan Jovanovic, Hawaii was able to slow down the game and create double teams in the paint that either led to open shots on the perimeter or fouls in the paint.

In addition to Faust’s 17-point performance, junior forward Travis

referees that went their way.

As the game winded down, the Hawaii defense thwarted any attempt by the Beach to take the lead as the final two minutes saw Hawaii’s lead frequently bounce from four points to a tie.

Ill-advised shot after ill-advised shot caught up to the Beach, and a contested

“Biggest problem is they care too much and they couldn’t settle down.”

Hammonds was the catalyst for the team’s offense in the second half.

Finishing the game with 12 points on 5-8 shooting, Hammonds’ aggression on offense allowed him to create his own shot and allowed LBSU to keep the game close.

The Beach weathered a 12-point deficit early in the second half with a few three-pointers from Hammonds and Faust, as well as a few 50-50 calls from the

three-point from sophomore guard Justin Bibbins was the last one the Beach would miss this season.

“I have no regrets on that final play,” said LBSU head coach Dan Monson.

“Justin [Bibbins] is our best three-point shooter.”

With the season over for the Beach, looking ahead to next season seems to be a tall task, but as Monson said, “The program is back.”

49er’s coach Dan Monson has lead the team to the 20-win mark for the 3rd time. The last time this happened, the 49er’s went to the NCAA Tournament in 2011. (Jesus Hernandez/ Contributor)

Athletics

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Bring Back Long Beach Football The first of three-part series exploring how CSULB football may make a comeback.

By Matthew Gozzip Staff Writer This year marks the 25th straight year that the Long Beach State football team has had an undefeated record. That’s only because the football team has not been in existence for the past quarter century.

In recent years, however, the direction of college football has shifted. Several small schools across the nation have established respectable programs that have risen to national prominence from the bottom.

Juggernauts are paying colleges exorbitant amounts of money to get pummeled down by them. The game is expanding and allowing new colleges to step forth and compete. This begs the question: is it time for The Beach to have a football program once more?

Many of the original reasons why Long Beach State football folded in the 90’s centered around financial constraints. A statewide budget crisis minimized subsidies for most athletic programs and football unfortunately was too expensive to fund.

Waning fan interest did not help the cause either.

Fast-forward to the present and the landscape of college football has completely changed. College football is the second most popular sport in the nation behind professional football. The immense popularity has led to a significant spike of potential funding possibilities, even for schools with less than prestigious backgrounds. Boise State, a school with 10,000 less students than LBSU in the agrarian state of Idaho, has become a national juggernaut in less than 10 years since it’s move to major college football. In terms of financial success, the Broncos from Boise State have been doing exceptionally well too.

In a Forbes report from 2013, it was noted that BSU was able to procure $7 million in profit from the football team after the 2012 season.

Several years later, Point After statistical website reported that the program generated $11 million from the 2015 season.

At the moment, Long Beach State has been strapped for athletic funding. Believe it or not though, many other schools with football teams have less student resources.

The aforementioned universities of Georgia State and UT San Antonio have less students and similar tuition fees than LBSU based on research compiled on the College Data database. UTSA and GSU have around 28,000 students and 32,000 students respectively while LBSU has around 36,000

students. UTSA’s in state and out of state attendance costs are lower that LBSU’s and Georgia State has only slightly higher costs.

Increasing tuition is not as a high a priority to stabilize a football team as other possible means of funding are concerned.

Since it is part of the Cal State system, LBSU does not receive extensive subsidies for athletics that other schools around the country do. A new football program would be unproven and many students would be reluctant to raise tuition to financially support the team. Still, there is an alternative way to fund a football team: national exposure. Playing against top tier competition not only draws attention for potential fans and players but also rakes in good amount of revenue. Well known programs literally pay lesser skilled teams to play them in the hopes of ensuring a victory on a softer schedule. Sporting New reported that the payouts for these expected losses reach high into six figures. Sub division I doormat, Maine University, was paid to play Boston College, a strong division I team. The Maine Black Bears lost by 30 points but were paid $600,000. Earlier in the year, nearly $13 million dollars in payouts were made in one weekend by powerful college programs that scheduled intended wins. One team alone, Appalachian State University, was paid $1 million dollars in a loss to powerhouse Michigan. That also doesn’t put into account coverage revenue from mainstream media outlets that broadcast games.

The system may not seem sustainable but can be an effective temporary crunch until enough booster interest is garnered.

The Long Beach State basketball program implements this system of “buy” games already and utilized these payouts to create a competitive program that has had continual success. It may not be a final solution but it is a start.

From the April 14 issue “Colliegiate Culture Shock”

(Above, top) Players and onlookers jump with joy as the football team nabs a last-minute win for the PCAA Championship in 1981. (CSULB)

(Above, bottom) The very first 49er football team played its first season in 1956-1957. (CSULB)

(Right) A 49er football player attempts to pick an enemy pass during a game in 1961. (CSULB)

“A new football program would be unproven and many students would be reluctant to raise tuition to financially support the team.”

Back to the Future ‘88 A stellar night of metal at the Whisky Words and photos by Mary Cruz Contributor

From the Oct. 19 issue “Laughing and Crying” When you say “Hollywood,” the first few things to pop into people’s heads are celebrities, money, and plastic surgery.

But for me, when I hear Hollywood, all I can think of is the Sunset Strip, the Whisky, and good ol’ Rock ‘n’ roll. I felt like I traveled back in time to 1988: right at the peak of the glam metal scene with Pretty Boy Floyd at the Whisky a Go Go. The first band that started off a bit after 7 p.m. was Crystal Shades. I have to mention that the people from the Whisky misspelled this band’s name, which I thought was very funny. It reminded me of The Rocker in which they misspelled the band’s name at their first show and then just added a naked drummer to the end. I thought it was pretty cool because it shows that the band didn’t think of themselves as highand-mighty rock legends just because they got a gig at the Whisky, but rather as

cool, down-

to-earth people who enjoy making music regardless if they’re known or not.

When this band kicked off the show, there weren’t many people there to listen to their opening acts. However, a small crowd did form around them. As soon as they started to play, you could feel energy radiating from their loud and melodic guitars. The drums, as weird as this sounds, seemed to have been playing to the rhythm of my heart. Every single time my heart would beat, I could hear the drums being hit with so much power and technicality.

Unfortunately, once the crowd was all fired up with this band, the Whisky said their time was over. The crowd yelled and pleaded that they play one more song, but the next band, Molly Vamp, had to set up. This band was very good too. They played very melodic and dark music, which I love. The singer had such a great, high vibrato and was able to hit high notes, which went along very well with the melodies on the guitar. Also, the drummer is female and was really amazing. She brought her daughter with her and she was on stage right next to her throughout the whole set. As a woman, I thought that was pretty awesome.

Women empowerment all the way! No one can tell you to give up on your dreams when you’re a mom; if anything, it gives you more reasons to just go for it! I thought that was pretty awesome and others thought so too.

The band after Molly Vamp was Skye Delaney. I did not like this band for one simple reason, and her name is Skye Delaney. She was the lead singer, and as soon as she took the stage, you could tell she was full of herself.

There are bands that have lead singers who are cocky as hell, but they make it work for them.

I tried to make myself like her and get into the music, but I just couldn’t. She didn’t have that great of a voice and it didn’t work for her. I felt bad for the other band members because the guitars, bass, and drums sounded pretty good.

The next band though: holy crap! They were out of this world! The Gary Brandon

Band. These guys all looked like they were around their late 40s—around my dad’s age.

Oh my goodness, they rocked the hell out of the Whisky. They had the whole place dancing along to their music! They were old, but they could still rock. The melodies were so sweet and flavorful, you just couldn’t stand still even if you tried. The energy made my body feel warm and ecstatic. The singer’s voice was so incredible it was as if Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson had a baby.

I was actually all the way in the front when they were playing, but I got pushed all the way to the back by a group of old people! When they played, a crowd of older people probably around the same age as the band members appeared. I think they were fans of Gary Brandon’s old band.

The fifth band was Angeles Band—more women empowerment! Damn, the front woman could sing. You could feel her vocal cords with your ears! This band was also on the older side, but they went all out. At one point, the guitarist did this epic, long guitar solo that made the crowd go wild! They did a magnificent cover of “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin, which can help you imagine the magnitude of this woman’s voice.

Last but definitely not least, Pretty Boy Floyd played around midnight. They really made me go back in time. If you’re into Poison, Mötley Crüe, Kiss, LA Guns, or Cinderella, then you’d definitely love this band. They didn’t have a very long career when they began, because when they started, the grunge scene arose. Their songs were so cheesy and fun like they could be in a weird bubble gum commercial for kids who are going back to school. I haven’t really heard them before seeing them live, but the day after the show, I looked up some of their songs. My favorite one is “I Want to be With You.” It reminds me of high school, back when all I’d worry about was my crush writing his name down on my notebooks thousands of times, and being a

creep and walking behind him without being noticed.

They played that song at the Whisky along with “Rock and Roll (Is Gonna Set the Night on Fire).” They also played “Rock ‘N’ Roll Outlaw.” Anyone who knows ‘80s Glam metal has to know these two songs. They’re the anthems for rockers back in the day. If I were alive around the 80s I’d probably be rocking that glam look. I really enjoyed this band’s cockiness and confidence on stage with which they played all their songs without giving a crap about anything. They’ll never let the dream die; they’re still stuck back in 1988. That night, they took the Whisky with them to a never-ending party. They threw shirts and merchandise at the crowd which showed how much they care for their fan base even if it was small. The singer kept saying how awesome he felt and how much he was enjoying playing for us. Pretty Boy Floyd is such an awesome band that I got a shirt from them. Now you can say I am a true fan of them. I really hope I get to see them again.

Music

17

Does anybody else here feel the way she does?

By Anna Elaine Abella Contributor

I’ve found it. I’ve found the soundtrack to my life. My father (also a huge Pink Floyd fan) tried to test me what the album was about, and I told him I couldn’t describe it. When I first listened to “The Wall” I didn’t realize I was about to embark on an epic musical journey.

Well, at first I didn’t like the album as much as “Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, or Animals,” but I decided to give it another listen this year, just a week before the cinema screening, and holy crap. It feels like I’ve just been struck right in my soul.

I went to the “Roger Waters The Wall” cinema premiere. It was showing on Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. nationwide and there was only one showing at that specific time. My immediate thought was, “I NEED TO GO, NO MATTER WHAT.” I asked two of my friends ahead of time if they were willing to go, but in the end they flaked (they’re now irrelevant). So, I went to the cinema alone. As crazy as this sounds, I enjoyed it. I didn’t have to worry about anyone else and I got to immerse myself into a cinema concert. The movie was about Roger Waters’ performance in Paris, France and followed

what “The Wall” meant to him alongside his relationship with his father.

Whenever a new song would begin playing, I could feel all the molecules and

From the Oct. 19 issue “Laughing and Crying”

neurotransmitters in me start to dance with happiness. I got that extra shot of dopamine and serotonin in my brain. It was like all the songs are connected, but were forced to be severed into 2-3 minute pieces with different titles.

Prior to this movie, when I was in high school, I actually went to a Roger Waters concert where he performed “The Wall.”

Watching the film felt as if I re-experienced the concert without the nosebleed seats.

Throughout the whole movie, I just felt the vibe of the people that were there. There were parts where I literally laughed and cried. I couldn’t help myself. From beginning to end, the albums were just so perfect and so deep that I couldn’t even see Adele rolling in it.

One of the many songs I cried to was “Goodbye Blue Sky.” The song itself is beautiful and simple, but the message is so intense and profound. It can be interpreted in many ways, but I believe this song relays Waters’ antiwar sentiment. Waters lost both his grandfather and father during World War II. In the song, he mentions, “The flames are all long gone, but the pain lingers on.”

Although the war is long and finished, it still goes on due to the death of loved ones. It’s as if it didn’t solve anything and created more pain and suffering. Another interpretation of the song could be that, as humans, we often are at war with ourselves, and this song describes the misconception of what we think life is. As children, we were made to believe that life is such a great thing (I mean, it is). However, we were never aware of the fights and wars we were supposed to face; they all feel like “falling bombs.” Remember when we were kids, we couldn’t wait to be grown-ups? This is what this song is. As children, we thought there was “promise of a brave new world unfurled beneath a clear blue sky.” Do you understand my passion with this album? It makes you think. It challenges you to explore what you know and don’t know. And when you do find out, it’s like someone put a mint Ice Breaker on your heart.

If you didn’t know, the album describes a story of a man named Pink. Pink lost his father in WWII (“Another Brick In The Wall Part I”) and in the movie, he visits his father’s grave with his kids and grandkids. He has an overbearing mother (“Mother”). His teachers are “evil” and ridicule him for having a creative side (“Another Brick In The Wall Part 2”).

There are voices in his head that tell him to build an anti-emotional wall around him. Each brick in his wall symbolizes a memory full of pain and suffering that he has felt starting from

his childhood. Eventually all the bricks have made him numb, and the walls surround him, isolating him from the world (“Hey You”).

“The lyrics are probably the aspect that catapulted this album into this orgasmic phenomenon.”

When he finally releases one of his emotions he’s put to trial for this unjustifiable crime (“The Trial”). Finally, his walls are torn down though it’s not explicitly said why, which feels like an unfinished ending to the album. The actual movie further helps you understand the album. Many might argue that “Dark Side of the Moon” was the best album, but compared to “The Wall,” it provides a deeper meaning that all audiences can eventually relate to.

The lyrics are probably the aspect that catapulted this album into this orgasmic phenomenon. Every time I listen to “Is There Anybody Out There” and “Nobody Home,” I have to literally stop myself from crying. I can’t listen to those songs individually; it’s like eating pizza without the crust. They HAVE to be played together. But if I had to pick between the two, I’d pick “Nobody Home.” There are lyrics in this particular song that made my heart feel a million pounds heavier. He says, “...and I’ve got a strong urge to fly. But I got nowhere to fly to.” I have hopes and dreams.

There are so many things that I want to fulfill in my life, but there is a sad realization that I most likely may not be able to accomplish any of them because I’ve never been the person to always put in 110 percent. Another way that I look at the line, “But I got nowhere to fly to,” is that I’m still lost. I’m 21 years old, and I still don’t know what I want to do with my life. It’s like I found myself, but I’m still stuck in the dark. I’m still trapped and my heart feels like it’s still enclosed in a bird cage and I can’t find the fucking key. What do I do? I keep on living my life day by day and I keep going. I’m sorry to end this so abruptly, but there aren’t any more words that convey the way I feel about this song and album. It’s the soundtrack to my life.

18

Entertainment

In Theaters Now: “The Hateful Eight” Tarantino takes on racial tensions From the Jan. 19 issue “Realistic Resolutions”

Quentin Tarantino has struck gold again. “The Hateful Eight” was released over our holiday break, and it was certainly entertaining. The story line and the cast are superb. It begins with Union and Confederate soldiers that have now turned to bounty hunting. One of these bounty hunters is returning Tarantinoalum, Samuel L. Jackson, who does not disappoint as Major Marquis Warren. The other is none other than Kurt Russell as John Ruth. John Ruth’s character is carting around a criminal, Daisy Domergue played by Jennifer Jason Leigh. She does a fantastic job at not being lady-like at all.

These three end up in a stagecoach bound for a frontier town with a blizzard

close behind them. They pick up another hitchhiker along the way played by “Justified” bad boy, Walton Goggins. These characters end up in a lone cabin. But things begin to seem amiss and suspicions start to turn everyone against each other.

Another Tarantino-alum, Michael Madsen, plays a quiet mysterious drifter.

Bruce Dern plays an ex-Confederate General who has a grudge against Major Warren. Quentin Tarantino also brought back Tim Roth to play a charismatic British executioner, Oswaldo Mobray. Things begin go awry as these men begin telling more secrets and the quarters start becoming smaller and smaller as the blizzard rages on.

In typical Tarantino style the story makes use of flashback to explain what is really going on. This isn’t as dramatic or on as grand a scale as “Pulp Fiction,” but the concept is still

“The Hateful Eight” Length: 3 hrs 7 mins Director: Quentin Tarantino Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Walton Goggins, Jennifer Jason Leigh

By Lauren Hunter Staff Writer Illustrations by John Calhoun Graphics Illustrator

the same. “The Hateful Eight” falls more into the category of “Django Unchained” since it sticks with the same characters throughout the movie and is set in a similar time period.

“The Hateful Eight” is an excellent story that follows the same characters you grow to love and hate as they interact with each other in a tiny store.

Tarantino himself and performed by great actors. If you have not seen it yet, go!

Ennio Moricone won the Oscar for Best Original Score for “The Hateful Eight” The film is a male dominated story and you can feel the testosterone raging between them. Another style of Tarantino is the use of the F-word in all its forms and the use of the N-word. As a Tarantino fan, this does not bother me, but actually adds to this movie since it takes place shortly after the Civil War when race tensions ran high. This is a fantastic movie and one of Tarantino’s best. The witty banter, the storyline, and the progression of the characters are fantastically written by

In Theaters Now: “The Revenant” DiCaprio displays savage emotions “The Revenant” is one of the most important films of the twenty-first century, and director Alejandro González Iñárritu, whose previous works include “Birdman” and “Babel,…” has cemented himself as one of the most significant directors alive.

Iñárritu’s “Birdman” won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay at last year’s Oscars If I sound enthusiastic about this film, it’s because so rarely does a film exhibit such craft, depth, and beauty in such wonderful manner that I cannot help but feel like an impressionable child gazing with wide eyes at what this magnificent director has created.

The film follows Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), an experienced navigator and tracker. He’s with a hunting party along with his half-Native American son, Hawk. Their location matters little. All one needs to know is their location is hostile and frigid. Within

the first 20 minutes of the film, the party is viciously attacked by Native Americans, and Glass is mauled by a bear in a terrifying scene.

Near death and slowing the party, Glass is left with Hawk, Bridger (Will Poulter), and Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) while the others go ahead. Before volunteering to stay behind, Fitzgerald suggests they kill Glass. Once the party is gone, Fitzgerald immediately tries to smother Glass, only to fail and then kill Hawk. He then tricks Bridger into leaving Glass half-buried while they leave.

Glass crawls off to get revenge, and the rest of the film shows his desperate hope for survival through a frozen wasteland

“The Revenant” Length: 2 hrs 36 mins Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domnhall Gleeson, Will Poulter

By Sean Dundas Contributor

As a whole, the film is brutally violent.

Every moment of violence is suspenseful and disturbing to witness. Iñárritu puts us in the middle of these terrifying fights through some of the most intricate and effective long takes he’s done yet.

But the film isn’t just physically brutal.

Emotionally the film is just as savage as the action. Glass is haunted by the murder of his wife. There is a particularly powerful scene where Glass dreams of his wife in a church, destroyed except for a silent bell ringing above the ruins. These scenes show us the guilt he carries, connecting it with his present. Revenge is something Glass is very familiar with, and he thinks it can soothe his pain. It’s these dream-like scenes that provide the emotional core to the film.

Like the rest of the film, the performances are striking in their boldness. DiCaprio and Hardy have never been better. DiCaprio has very few lines of dialogue, many of which are grunted, and Hardy is a tricky being whose performance builds up to the very end.

Iñárritu teams up again with cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki to create absolutely stunning shots. There are

vast landscapes that show the true scope of God and nature, closeups that pierce the souls of our characters, and long shots that bind everything and everyone in the film together. The two have taken all that they’ve learned from “Birdman” and perfected it in a visual style that combines the fluidity of Terrence Malick, the intimacy of Ingmar Bergman, and the spirituality of Andrei Tarkovsky. This duo is living proof that in cinema, the image itself is king.

“The Revenant” is nominated for 12 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor (DiCaprio)

In my eyes this film is clearly the best film of the year. With its spirituality, heart, and grand questions about humanity it is a definitive film for this generation of artists, and it will be a significant influence for young filmmakers of today. It is one of the finest films of this generation.

Entertainment

From the April 14 issue “Colliegiate Culture Shock”

19

Sci-Fi that Keeps Viewers in the ‘Dark’

A Hero Who Can Sense Justice

“Dark Matter” teases out a familiar looking show

Friends and foes keep “Daredevil” on his toes for season 2

By Andrew Linde Entertainment Editor

By Peter R. Clark Travel Editor

“Dark Matter” is a TV show on the Syfy network created by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie. The first season ended in August of last year, and I caught the series on Netflix earlier this year.

“Dark Matter” is a show about six people who wake up from cryosleep on a derelict ship. None of them know who each other are, and none of them have any memories.

The first episode is about the six people (who name themselves are in the order in which they awoke) trying to figure out who they are, and the logistics of the the ship they woke up on. Later they find out that the ship is full of weapons.

I like the way each

episode is presented.

They all seem to start out with a plot that, to me, seemed like it had nothing to do with figuring out their identities. Somehow, though, the writers figure out a way to make the seemingly random plot to be related. For instance, one episode starts off with a problem with the ship’s warp drive. I was upset because I wanted to know more about the characters, but somehow the ship’s problem put them in a position where they learned something about themselves.

“Dark Matter” Season 1 now on Netflix 13 episodes Starring: Marc Bendavid, Melissa O’Neil, Anthony Lemke, Alex Mallari Jr, Jodelle Ferland, Roger Cross

The set design of the show is where it really shines. Each set really makes you feel as if you are inside a ship. Everything from the lights, to the grates on the floor, and the doors. Cargo holds look like what you’d expect, dull, dark, and full of metal crates.

Everything looks and feels solid, cold, and uninviting. Perfect for a spaceship adrift.

The unfortunate thing about the show is that a lot of the storylines are very derivative.

Without going into too much detail, each character’s story feels like something we have all heard before, and at times it seems too obvious. However, as a whole, “Dark Matter” somehow makes it interesting to keep

watching from episode to episode to learn something new about the character’s predicament. Each episode simultaneously tells us something informative, and then something seemingly unhelpful. They reveal something, only to have it open more doors.

“Dark Matter” is actually based on a comic book by Mallozzi and Mullie published

by Dark Horse Comics. Mallozzi and Muille are known for their work on the “Stargate” series. The comic book’s story was written during their time as writers for “Stargate.”

The comic book series was first released in early 2012.

The second season of “Dark Matter” has been in production since December 2015.

It was picked up for a second season by the Syfy network in September 2015. There is no current start date for the next season, but I am looking forward to it returning.

Illustration by John Mueller Graphics Illustrator

When Marvel kicked off their Netflix series with Daredevil last year, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What followed was an engaging tale with origin stories for both hero and villain. Never did I expect to feel empathy for Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) or to actually grow attached to the simplistic costume that Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) wore. But I did and I was left wanting more.

Season two of “Daredevil” promised the Punisher and Elektra.

Both are iconic to the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen for very different reasons. The show delivered for all of the right reasons.

Frank Castle, played with both intensity and emotional rawness

by Jon Bernthal, is a one-man army and his storyline dominates the first few episodes.

The dialogue between Castle and Daredevil in the third episode, ‘New York’s Finest.’

Daredevil must decide how to reconcile his quest for justice with his decision not to kill those who do evil on the streets.

For me, Bernthal has been one of the greatest actors to show up in bit parts in films. He manages to be memorable in “The Wolf of Wall Street” while acting alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill when at the time he was mostly known for his role on “The Walking Dead.” I think he was the best part of both coming-of-age movies “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” and “We Are Your Friends.”

Elektra Nachios (newcomer Elodie Yung) comes into the picture at the wrong time for Murdock. Her mention in season one was so tantalizing to audiences who knew the history between the characters. Her appearance completes throws Murdock for a loop and changes his entire life, in ways he never expected.

Through flashback, the audience is given an adequate backstory for how Elektra and Matt met and what caused them to separate so many years ago. It’s truly satisfying to see Cox as a completely different man

before he forms the core principles of his current nighttime profession.

Foggy (Elden Hensen) and Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) aren’t forgotten, even with the addition of several meaty characters.

Foggy showcases his abilities as a lawyer and has several convincing showdowns by matching wits where Daredevil would have used his fists. Karen continues to transform and grow by investigating s o m e

in

inconsistencies Castle’s personal

history.

It was also a delight to see Rosario Dawson reprise nurse Claire Temple for a quick scene. With her also showing up in “Jessica Jones,” she is slowly becoming the agent Phil Coulson of this soon-to-be “Defenders” team.

With a Luke Cage centered series coming later this year, viewers won’t have to wait long for the next street-level Marvel hero.

“Daredevil” Season 2 now on Netflix Starring: Charlie Cox, Elden Henson, Deborah Ann Woll, Jon Bernthal, Elodie Yung Also Watch: “Jessica Jones” Coming Soon: “Luke Cage”

Volume 78 Issue 15

Monday, May 16, 2016

LBUNION.COM 12/23/93 Gouge out my eyes. Pestilence. Lack of love binds. Propagate. The strife you desire. Keep me from forced self-depiction.

Abhorate. Self-assured, I am no more. Take this away from me once more. Thirsted for something that never existed. Complacent I am abomination. I replace absence of malice. Sew my mouth shut. The silent sound of the end. I drown in tears. Sinking in dreams of what I once owned. I avoid the setting of the sun. Memories fade as you did once before. Stole hope from right under my eyes. Accomplice of my death.

The Grunion is a work of satire. It in no way reflects the views of Long Beach Union Weekly or Associated Students Inc.

Deadlines

Transgendered woman uses woman’s restroom, nothing happens

BOW DOWN TO YOUR GOAT LORD

BY KULDEEP CROSSBUSTER DEMON GOAT LORD

Y

UNSURPRISING: At 3:30 P.M. Thursday afternoon, a transgendered woman entered a woman’s restroom.

Five minutes later she exited. That’s all that happend.

Local Man Stung by Wasp, Sues Wasp for Racial Prejudice, Loses

THE TRUTH: Apparently not all actions have a racial motive, a local man finds out the hard way after near-fatal wasp attack. Local man pushes for appeal.

Rapist On The Loose in Dis, local Devil questioned

ou are all fucking slaves! We are the ones that own you.

This world will serve us in chains. Bow to your conquerors! No use in you resisting. Time to erase and feed! The fires shall empower the rise of oppressors, and the men who live to see the world burn. Burn!

Umm...who are you? What are doing to my page? And why are you fucking yelling? I never gave you approval to take up this spot! Get the fuck out! -Ed Do you resist the will of Kuldeep? Who dares speak to me in such a manner? I am a Goat Lord! I will enslave all! Come

of mankind and all that shit. Apparently it can be easily thwarted by an undead page editor with full control over his page.

Perhaps maybe I should have accounted for this. I mean I am an all-powerful, omnipotent being of immense power. I think I just repeated myself, but fuck you!

I don’t fucking care what anyone has to fucking say about me I am a Goat Lord.

Alright, I am going stop you there.

To all that are reading, he had about 8,000 more words to say, most of which was inchoherent rambling about being powerful, but if you read between the lines it was obvious that he was incredibly incompetant. I apologize to anyone who was offended by his opening remarks, I had no idea this goat guy was even here.

In the future I’ll be better at keeping the riff-raff at bay. Sorry. -Grim Fandango, Ed

HUBBY TYCOON BLASTS WIFE

BY MERCEDES COLOMAR

NEWS SECRETARY

N

ew light has been shed on the case of millionaire tycoon Donald Trump reportedly blasting his wife last Sunday, Apr. 3.

The report stated that presidential candidate, and real estate tycoon, Donald Trump blasted his wife, but no other information was given at the time of reporting. After further investigation it was found out that the blasting was not from a gun, but rather from a finger.

“Yes that is correct, I finger blasted my wife with such intensity that she went unconscious and was presumed dead for about 4 or 5 minutes,” Trump said in a interview on Thursday. He wanted to stress the fact that she thoroughly

enjoyed it, and that she is very much alive. The report came as a bit of a shock to many, as Trump was not known for touching women of any kind due to his strong disdain against anything that bleeds for a week and doesn’t die.

The Grunion tried reaching out to Trump’s wife, but she could not be reached for comment.

Donald Trump wanted to make it clear that she is in no way harmed by the recent alleged blasting.

“I want to make finger blasting great again,” Trump said at a press conference

in Wisconsin.

Trump wishes to let all his supporters know that finger blasting your wives is good for their health. And that you should not be afraid to blast your wife every once in a while.

“She’ll enjoy it, China enjoys it. It’s going to be big. Trust me. She will enjoy it. China,” Trump said as he explained finger blasting to crowd of middle schoolers in Detroit.

I’m dead, so fuck this election. I should stop reporting on the matters of living, they aren’t important.

I FUCKING HATE ALL YOU CUNTS

BY OLIVIA OFRENDA

FEMME FATALE

F HORNY DEVIL: A local devil questioned for going beyond his duties and raping a large number of human inhabitants. “Is it really rape if they can’t say no?” the demon said during questioning.

at me, bro! Come hither and take heed!

This is Grim Fandango, the editor of the Grunion. I’m not sure how you got here, but I’m thinking I should shut you down. No use in resisting as you say. -Ed Hahahahaha! You think a mere mortal can take me down? You must be a simpleton. It’s easy, first I kill you, then I enslave the world. I’m not even sure why we are even having this conversation.

I mean, I’m a goat lord, and you’re... A stupid asshole who thinks he’s in charge?

Well...seeing as how I am already Please. dead it would impossible to kill me. It would be easier for me to just remove your article, but this is getting interesting.

What are you going to say next? -Ed Hmm... I haven’t really thought this far ahead. I thought this was going to be easy, you know? Total enslavement

uck everyone. Fuck you, fuck this, fuck that, fuck cunt (heh).

I hate everything. I wish I could live the rest of my undeath alone in peace.

Fuck you, fuck all of you.

I hate your bullshit hair, I hate your bullshit music, I hate your bullshit attitude, and I hate your bullshit existence. I hate your bullshit ideas, I hate your bullshit car, I hate your bullshit dog that isn’t even a real dog. A real dog is at least 50 pounds. That little shit you got running around would be crushed under the slightest weight. I hate your bullshit ice cream, and your bullshit movies. Most of all, I hate your bullshit.

Ok, let’s recap. I hate everything and everyone. But I actually don’t If

you’re reading these words right now you’ve stuck with me. I’m glad, because this article is not actually about hating everyone. That was just a gate to block out all the assholes who don’t agree with that shit, or don’t want to read all those expletives. You know who you are.

No, this article is about something else entirely. Instead of hatred for all, it’s really about hatred for one person in particular. The biggest shit fuck to ever walk this plane of existence. Actually wait, he’s never actually walked this plane of existence, well at least, not yet.

If he did though, the amount of torture I would bring down on him would be glorious! In the plane of death there are no rules. I can do whatever I want, and torture is a-ok.

Wait, I am getting off track. The person I hate is that fucking worthless human shit pile Kanye West. That asshole doesn’t deserve to live. All he does is bitch and

complain about everything. Nothing is correct for him, and he wants everyone else to know that.

He can’t decide on how to make his album and he keeps re-releasing it. He takes it out on everyone else. I can only imagine what’s he like in the studio. He seems like the kind of guy (dodged a bullet there) who punches walls when he gets angry. At least he directs his angers towards inanimate objects, instead of his bullshit wife or something. Ohh but if he punched his son, that would be so fucking great.

So, yes, Kanye West is a fucking asshole, and he should die so I can torture him for eternity. I would gladly quit my job as a newspaper femme fatale to fucking his afterlife over. This job is shit anyway, I don’t even think anyone even reads this piece of shit newspaper. I could say whatever the fuck I want at this point. Fuck shit piss cunt cock ass.