ARTIST’S CORNER
Illustration by Dominique Roberts Contributor 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
Issue 77.5
Graphic by: Sam Orihuela
Intro
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Katie Cortez, Editor in Chief editorinchief@lbunion.com Richard Mejia, Managing Editor manager@lbunion.com Renee Schmiedeberg, Assistant Managing Editor/Social Media Intern assistmanager@lbunion.com Trevor Desrosiers, Advertising Executive advertising@lbunion.com Ashley Rodriguez, Advertising Intern Nathan Zankich, Web Manager web@lbunion.com ART & DESIGN Sam Orihuela, Art Director artdirector@lbunion.com
“TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I really don’t like doing this. I’m not normally the type to pick up a paper and then complain
John Mueller, Graphics Illustrator illustration@lbunion.com
it. However, I’m a senior who has been reading
Jose Hernandez, Photographer
don’t give a rats ass about civility at this point so I would just like to be blunt with you; what in the hell happened to the Union? In the past, the cover stories were
EDITORIAL Elizabeth Nguyen, Co-Opinions Editor opinions@lbunion.com Rebeca Vega, Co-Opinions Editor opinions@lbunion.com
was interviewed comes to mind), reviews
Joel Martinez, Community Editor community@lbunion.com
actually high-brow journalistic endeavors
William Odis Martin, Athletics Editor athletics@lbunion.com Andrew Linde, Entertainment Editor entertainment@lbunion.com Elliott Gatica, Music Editor music@lbunion.com Jack Villalba, Lifestyle Editor lifestyle@lbunion.com Amanda Dominguez-Chio, Literature Editor literature@lbunion.com Mario Lopez, Travel Editor travel@lbunion.com Kaila-Marie Hardaway, Food Editor food@lbunion.com Aubrey Graham, Grunion Editor grunion@lbunion.com STAFF WRITERS Lauren Hunter, lauren@lbunion.com Karrie Comfort, karrie@lbunion.com Cesar Cadenas, cesar@lbunion.com Sylvana Uribe, sylvana@lbunion.com Emily Ayers, emily@lbunion.com COPY & ASSISTANT EDITORS Carissa Pope, Karen Ruiz, Sheila Sadr, Abril Burstein, Michelle Ha CONTRIBUTORS Brittany Lieberman, Samwell Favela, Eliza de la Flor, Alfred Pallarca, Athena Robinson, Zach Phelps, Teresa Arteaga, Crystal Rodriguez, Leslie Leon, Lilly Nguyen, Kiliko, Ricardo Alejandro Pulido, Walnutz Goldberg, Chestina Craig, Henri Haycraft, Stella Garcia, Adam Clease, Paul LaPoint, Paul Macaulay, Cody Vogel, Virdiana Prado, Elizabeth Ayala, Ashwin Bhosle, Genesis Rivera, Ricardo Perez, Justin Man, Cesar Melchor, Ricardo Perez, Kyle Ho, Ellen Chou, Denise Moreno, Mark Anthony, Dominique Roberts, Alaina Tinnirello COVER BY: John Mueller FEATURE DESIGN BY: Sam Orihuela CONTACT US Long Beach, CA 90815 E-mail: lbunion.info@gmail.com
@UnionWeekly
immigration, and the transgender community. But lately, the pool of ideas has gotten notably more shallow. Your cover story about Denny’s dishes was of no journalistic value whatsoever. Basically a free advertisement for some multinational corporation that literally everyone knows about, cloaked in a nice neat alt-paper package if you ask me. I really do hope you got payola for that article because then it’s just corrupt instead of an embarrassment. paper I consistently looked forward to has to those pages every Monday as I grabbed a cup
Dear Disappointed (Ex-)Reader, I was thouroughly enthused to recieve your email. Nothing makes me happier than pissing
amazing. The writers you recruited in the past would educate, provoke, and entertain me. I didn’t know when I opened to those pages whether I would laugh, furrow my brow, or get angry. Now I know the emotional response I will have each time I open the paper. Boredom, with a bit of nausea on the side.
article in this week’s issue. How strapped for content were you that you had to take this trite jingoistic attack on our university president for her lack of obvious patriotism? Propagandistic articles like this ending up in print prove to me your opinion’s editor does not seem to have a grasp of their responsibilities as a gatekeeper. worthy of an article. But an ideological attack on someone for something that they DIDN’T do? You’re merely empowering bullies to try people in the court of public opinion; you are complicit in this when you allow it to be published. self-absorption and cliquish tribal mentalities permeate throughout this paper as of late. Your Grunion jokes are no longer celebrity puns or even better, strange and avant-garde yet humorous stories. Now they are clearly inside jokes, with no frame of reference or
is this: I didn’t know that Donald Trump was an “inside joke.” I thought he was just a living, breathing joke. In regards to Snap of the Week, none of those have been Snapchats of myself, so
even basic anchor to pop culture. Your vain “Snap of the Week” feature is an absolute and start working on some decent content! Did you forget that you have an audience? Did you not realize that you people are being paid thousands upon thousands of dollars a speaks to us? sounds like the college equivalent of “Can I speak to the manager?” But I have actually attempted to get involved with your paper on numerous occasions and I have seen how you clique if they’re not your friends. I’ve been this campus in my time here, taking leadership roles in two of them and I have never seen a club more hostile to outsiders than your own. Publish this letter next week. Or don’t. I don’t really care at this point. Because me and anyone else who knows better will not be picking up the Union come Monday. Sincerely, A Disappointed (Ex-)Reader”
have a question for you: How is the old Union better if according to you, the people behind it were worse?
resounding thank-you. accusation about receiving payola for our “Floptastic Food” Feature had the piece shown Denny’s in positive light. I’m assuming you didn’t actually read it, because the reviews on the food we ate were negative, we just said the food was better than the Fantastic Four movie. I don’t think Denny’s would have compensated us for a negative review of their meals. I’m also assuming that you haven’t read our last two Features either, because if you believe that being bi-racial is a “shallow” topic, then this is The articles written for Opinions are the opinions of the students. If you don’t like it, take it up with your peers, not with us. We don’t tell CSULB students how to think, nor are any of them here to entertain you McGivern’s piece, again: It was the opinion of one student. He has the right to say what he wants, whether or not we agree with it. We’re merely an unbiased outlet for students like him to speak. The only comment I have about Grunion
campus. If you’re going to make an argument in print, at least get your facts straight. I didn’t know that we got paid “thousands
This was fun, Tez
SNAP OF THE WEEK
From reading your email, you’re clearly referencing the old UW crew’s “clique” because every person who’s come to our weekly meetings thus far has written for us. I know several veteran UW members, and I assure you that none of them work here now. been involved with the paper for one year. If you have a problem with that, you should know that I have run two other award-winning publications besides this one, so I would “journalistic value” and attempting to tell me how to do my job. It’s pretty obvious that you do “care at this point” because you took the time out of your day to send me an email about your “concerns.”
Sent by: Sam Orihuela
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Opinions
Graphic by Abdallah Seoud If something did happen, I think I would know what to do and where to go. [The shelter-inplace drill] was pretty thorough. I mean, I got a phone call, I got an email, multiple of each. I’m pretty sure if I was here, the drill would know what they went over during the drill, but the call and the email were both pretty explanatory of what was going to happen. I don’t think there’s anything else [the school] could’ve done. Cody Vogel, second year (transfer) Civil Engineering
The day we had the emergency drill at Cal State Long Beach, I was not on campus. information—my cell phone and my house phone—that we had a drill, so I did not get to experience the procedure. Once during high school, I experienced an earthquake for the first time at school. That was pretty big. We actually ended up using the emergency drill procedure we had practiced for many years, so it came in handy. Perhaps more than once a semester we should have these drills so it live in California and there’s bound to be a big earthquake one of these days. Perhaps we’ll be on campus and more prepared for this situation. Anonymous
experience the drill. My friend wasn’t here for the drill, and there are many people that are not here because [the school] doesn’t do it as often. So, I guess changing up how many times they do the drill and the time of day, whether it’s in the evening or in the morning. Just change it up a bit. Viridiana Prado, third year Psychology
I don’t really feel that prepared because when we had the drill this past week…was it this week? I didn’t even know it was going on until afterwards. I saw the email. I think [the look at them and read them and do whatever it says in the email. Maybe talk about it in class with your professors and have them tell you it’s going on so that you know. Anonymous
Based on the drills for emergencies, I would say that I don’t feel prepared because they’re unrealistic to what would happen if there was an actual emergency. They are not really related to what we would do. For earthquakes, go under the table, or something? That’s not going to work because the table is not going to protect you in any way, so I feel unprepared. I think [the school] should research some other ways that would be more realistic to the actual emergencies and what steps we could take to save our lives in an organized manner, where people wouldn’t get trampled, and worse things wouldn’t happen. I don’t think anybody would stay in place. I think people
Elizabeth Ayala, third year Accounting
I don’t think I would be prepared during an emergency [at CSULB]. I didn’t get any information about [the drill] so I wouldn’t know what to do besides go crazy on my own. Maybe if I went to a small workshop that wouldn’t take too long, and explained the basics of what to do instead of having people run around crazy, which might actually happen during a real emergency. I don’t think college students take emergency drills seriously. They
Justin Man, second year Mechanical Engineering
I got three voice mails saying the same thing each time. I feel enraged. Cesar Melchor, third year Computer Science
“What drill?” -Alex Pham, third year Computer Engineering
Yeah, I knew about the drill. But it should be you actually do it, like walking out of class. Ashwin Bhosle, third year Computer Science
[Emergency drills are] really important because, with today’s society, and with everythng that’s going on with other schools outside of the states, for example Columbine, structured. Professors need to know how so that more lives aren’t lost. It’s hard to say [if i would know what to do] depending on the situation, because I think if I were in a drill], I would feel more prepared. If I were in the same building I was in [last Tuesday], I feel like I would freak out more, so I don’t know. I don’t think I would be prepared for that type of situation. Maybe at orientation, since everyone has to go through that, they should make people more aware and say, “Look, this is what you need to do if this were ever to occur.” Genesis Rivera, third year Philosophy
I guess I would feel very safe [during an emergency] with all the people around me. The only problem is that, if something were to occur, people would feel scared and everyone would react very wildly. Other than that, everyone should know what to do. Stay calm in order to accomplish what needs to be done. [CSULB] should bring out more awareness. For the most part, people don’t really pay attention to the drills, because it’s an open campus. Everyone’s not here at actually paying attention and who’s not. Ricardo Perez, Civil Engineering
Why are we having a discussion-based drill? We should have had an evacuation. It’s bullshit. Kyle Ho, third year Computer Science
I wasn’t on campus, so it was nice to get the notice. I’ve been here for three semesters now and I’ve never been here for a drill. I think maybe if they had a YouTube video or something, “OK, this is a drill. If you’re in this area, this is what you should do,” that might be helpful. You know how they put them up on BeachBoard? Maybe make it a requirement to watch it, or there will know that I wouldn’t know where to go or what to do here at CSULB during an actual emergency because I’ve never been here for a drill. Anonymous, fourth year Human Development I don’t think you’ll ever be completely prepared, because you notice that sometimes when something so serious actually happens, your brain doesn’t go directly to what you’ve learned. You’re in the moment. Some people freeze, some people actually are able to [remember], so I don’t know if I would actually be completely prepared unless something actually happens and I’ll see how I react. I think it depends on the person [to learn from the messages the school sends] tell you when the drill happens. Wait, what happens if you’re not even on campus? I wasn’t. I didn’t have class, so if people don’t have class during those days, then they won’t be prepared. Denise Moreno Spanish I wasn’t here when it happened. If they’re going to have these drills on campus, I believe they should do it on either Monday and Tuesday, or Tuesday and Wednesday, because it’s really important. If it’s only one time, a lot of people are going to miss it. I have experienced a drill here, but it was
to the quad, so it was open space. If there’s an absolute danger on campus, I would seek safety for myself. The only thing I remember is that if there are sirens and there are people walking around wearing any sort of highlighted vests, then they’re probably the ones to organize the emergency routes and those are the ones you should go to. In class there was a gun control drill. They said they
I understand why we have drills, but it shouldn’t have been called that. I think it should have been called a test.
wouldn’t feel safe, but we’re in the basement of the Theater Department so no one goes over there. I would feel safer there than out [in the quad].
Ellen Chou, third year Accounting
Mark Anthony, fourth year Theater
Opinions
5
Getting the Cold Shoulder Frozen should not replace Aladdin at Disney California Adventure
classic, but
Story by Leslie Leon Contributor
Illustration by Sam Orihuela Art Director Back in 1992, Walt Disney Pictures released a street rat who encounters a magic lamp that takes him through a wondrous adventure to his true love. Now fast forward to 2003 when the Walt Disney Company introduced Disney’s Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular to Disney California Adventure. Since its opening 12 years ago, this musical has become a mustsee attraction to everyone who visits the park. Not only is it a wonderful, nostalgic touch for those who grew up with the Disney classic, but it introduces the story to a younger generation who may not have gotten the chance to see it. A few weeks ago, the Disney company
aspect of Disney since it was released, and more when it became a huge success. Not only are they stepping away from a classic, but they are also removing a fun musical that
announced that in January 2016, Disney’s Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular will be replaced by a Frozen-inspired musical stage show. Maybe this is a move to pander to the younger generation who views Frozen as a classic, but this also might be an attempt movie that premiered in 2013. No matter what the reason for the replacement, there
It’s A PR Bomb
Police in Irving, Texas say they arrested 14-year-old Ahmed Mohamed for taking a “hoax bomb” to school. The “bomb” was actually a clock connected with wires that Mohamed created for his engineering class at MacArthur High. Stored inside a suitcase, Mohamed’s project beeped during class and his teacher thought it was a bomb. Several other teachers then questioned the boy. School administrators went as far as to call the police to arrest the teenager for having a lethal weapon. Mohamed has since been freed and the police decided not to press charges on
An instance of how discrimintation turns into a media frenzy
Mohamed’s school as well as Irving police for blowing things out of proportion. Racist accusations have also been thrown at the school and police because this was an
Story by Cesar Cadenas Staff Writer
the story leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but what truly bothers me is the reaction from the US government. Following the controversy, President Obama sent out a message on his Twitter page: “Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire
is no doubt this decision will be viewed as a mistake, and met with anger by some. The company’s decision is another move to step away from the classic era of Disney we have come to love and cherish. If we visit the parks today, there is very little reference to the old Disney movies with the exception of a few rides here and there. It is also evident that Frozen has taken over in almost every
“Racist accusations have been thrown at the school and believe that this was an instance of more kids like you to like science. It’s what makes America great.” At the risk of sounding cynical, the President’s tweet was simply a public relations move as elections are a year away. But I feel that ever since the discovery that the American government spies on its people and catalogs our information, this gives way to cynicism. Obama’s tweet came at a suspiciously convenient time, as early debates for presidency are beginning. The
the always charismatic Genie. As the show will close Jan. 10, 2016, you can bet more than one person will miss the enthusiastic rendition of “Friend Like Me” or the sweet cover of “A Whole New World.” All we Aladdin fans will forever keep fond memories of this show, not only because it helped us survive those exhausting sunny days at the park, but also because for 45 minutes, the Hyperion Theater took us to the magical land of Agrabah.
whole ordeal feels like a bad PR move. The administration is using Mohamed as a sort of martyr to make the Democratic party look good. If you remember back in 2008, there was a man called Joe the Plumber. He came into the limelight when he asked then Senator Obama a question on small business taxes. Afterwards, the Republican snatched Obama’s Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, and dubbed him “Joe the Plumber.” Joe the Plumber was used by both parties to symbolize the middle class, and was dragged along on the republican campaign trail. Currently, a similar situation is happening through the use of Kim Davis by some republican candidates to protest gay marriage. Martyrs will always exist for politicians to push their agendas. In Mohamed’s case, he’s only a kid. He had a bad day because of a grave misunderstanding, and the US administration pounced on the story. There have been many other instances where the police have wrongfully arrested a person before. The administration never said anything then. The situation with Ahmed Mohammed seems too much of a coincidence.
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Community
Pie-Covered Beards Folk Revival Festival returns to Long Beach
Story by Emily Ayers Staff Writer Photos by Sylvana Uribe Staff Writer
There is a whole culture out there centered on americana, roots and bluegrass music that I discovered at the Long Beach Folk Revival Festival. On the surface it consists of intricate beard and mustache styles, tattoos, vintage vibes, and dancing barefoot in front of a stage. But if you dare to delve deeper, together to make a soulful connection. The third annual Folk Revival Festival that took place at Rainbow Lagoon Park in downtown Long Beach Sept. 19. The outdoor venue added to the overall energetic vibe. As I entered the festival, I was greeted by a row of vendors selling things from vintage shoes and hats, to soy wax candles, and homemade soaps. There was a henna tattoo a local barber shop that set up space to give fresh cuts. As I ventured further in, I saw the cozy enclave that housed food trucks and local businesses. Sweet Lou’s BBQ, Luckdish Curry, Speedy Dogs Hot Dogs, and Fine
Park Roasters and The Pie Bar which delivers fresh homemade pies to your doorstep. Every shop owner was eager to share their product and connect with Long Beach locals.
The music, of course, was the highlight of the event. The three stages shared musicians throughout the day. The Haunted Windchimes, Sawtooth, Bearcoon, and Possessed by Paul James were among my favorite performances. Bearcoon played on the showcase
surrounding it to hear the indie folk duo. The two explained their excitement to be back in Long Beach after traveling up the coast to Oregon, performing their music along the way. I was immediately stunned by the vocals of Solange Igoa and the guitar skills of Andrea Walker. Her voice was bold and bluesy and cut through the air with a playful ease. The decision in exploring the festival. I expected to be distracted when watching the various acts, but every time I found myself completely captivated by the passionate messages of the performers. They encouraged simplicity, following your dreams, and spreading positivity. activities and events that took place during the whole festival. To cater to the many families that were at the event, there was a “instrument petting zoo” put on by the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra. The Polly’s Pie eating contest brought out brave souls to try and devour an entire pie to win a free one every month for a year.
Long Beach Ukulele club. The beard and mustache contest had multiple categories such as the best “papa beard” that had to be over six inches long. There was even a wiskerina contest for women. The winner had created a collage of polaroid pictures to dangle from her blonde hand-carved wooden mustache replicas.
environment to the community.
Women made their own beards and competed in the Whiskerina category of the competition (Top); Attendees compete in the Polly’s Pie Eating Contest (Middle); Buskerfest 2014 winners Bearcoon perform on the Showcase stage (Bottom)
“I found myself completely captivated by the passionate messages of the performers.”
Community
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Traveling Back in Time Story and photos by Sylvana Uribe Staff Writer
the Huntington Beach Events page at huntingtonbeachevents.com/annual/civil-
‘49ers Take Over Comic Con Story by Andrew Linde Photos by Adam Clease Contributor Long Beach Comic Convention held its seventh annual convention on Sept. 12 and
The Kurdles. The book
one might expect the convention to be
Hero 6
Big Wall-E as a couple. His
Union
Long Beach Union Weekly Newspaper in the Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man on Rugrats The Wild Thornberrys As Told By Ginger American Dad!. The Kurdles
Ultraman
Old College Comics said.
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Athletics
49’ers Host the Mizuno Invitational LBSU beats USD but is defeated by UCLA in Walter Pyramid Story by Stella Garcia Contributor
Photos by William Odis Martin Athletics Editor
The Long Beach State women’s volleyball team hosted the Mizuno Invitational over
extended her double-double streak to six games through Friday night‘s matchup Barber later put up ten kills and ten digs Freshmen Mykah Wilson and Barber led
Impressive net play and incredible digs by LBSU captain Linsey Lawmaster and freshman Sarah Miller kept the battle tight, but when veteran coach Brian Gimmillaro recieved a yellow card after a questionable point was awarded to the visting Toreros, it added unneeded chaos that made the team match, although things started to unravel for Senior middleback Hayley Benson, who by dominating the net with her six-foot-four length to help LBSU come back and take the
The home crowd hoped that the same spark that drove the earlier victory would
In a nail-biting end that had the small crowd on their feet, the 49ers proved victorious over USD, winning the decisive
as they sensed blood from early on in the
Benson was named Player of the Game,
With one win already under their belt, the ladies of the Beach hoped to continue their The Bruins lived up to their ranking as the Sophomore
Ashley
Murray
started
49ers missed her net presence but Benson’s
UCLA quickly scored four points in the
blocking to steal points from the 49ers, and along with a couple of blunders from the
The 49ers redeemed themselves in the second set putting on a performance that looked similar throughout their victory
FEATURE
Lowered Expectations Dating struggles in a hookup culture
Message
Save to Favorites 83% Match
By Alfred_Pallarca 23 / Male / Single About
Photos
Living in Los Angeles, people typically think of two things when they hear the word ‘grinder.’ If you are pothead then you know it is a tool you use to grind marijuana. If you are gay, then you know that Grindr is a phone app you use when you are feeling thirsty on a Friday morning. In this case, I am talking about the latter. Grindr is a “dating” app for gays that most people don’t like to admit they use. I’ll be honest: I have used this app to look for a stranger to cuddle with on a random night. It was a cold December evening, so don’t judge me! My body, my choice! Besides cuddling, people use this app to find someone to hookup with. If you spend more than 20 minutes on Grindr and tell someone you are not looking to have sex, they get mad and instantly block you. Because of the app’s nature, it is impossible to ask people for friendships or relationships. From the really nice torso pictures, to the dick pics intended as ‘hello messages,’ it is really hard to find anything else but a hookup. Grindr is notorious for being a quick way to find Mr. Right Now. I am one of the few who is not looking for a quick “handy-j” and despite its negative connotations, I have found a positive way to utilize Grindr when I travel. I rarely use it when I am home; however, I most certainly have it when I am out of state or country. As a frequent traveller, being in a new place can be quite daunting at times. It is always better if you know a local to show you around, so I use Grindr to find locals to hang with and be my tour guide. Last year, I traveled to Colombia only knowing one person there. I used Grindr
Details to meet locals and after 40 dick pics later, I found a nice Colombian guy who was willing to have an actual conversation. We hung out every weekend, sometimes more. He took me to local spots that foreigners would not know, and I was able to practice my Spanish with him. Of course, we also cuddled once or twice, but that’s a different story. I had an experience I would not have had without using Grindr. Another instance is when I recently went to Australia with my mother. Once again, I used the app to talk to people and practice my Australian accent, and while the dick pics were obviously inevitable, eventually, I found a nice Australian guy to hang out with. We spent a lot of time hanging around different areas while talking about politics and different cultures and he advised me places to visit with my mother. With dating apps like Grindr, you will find what you look for. If you are looking for a piece of dog poop in the middle of the ocean, I am certain you will find it (Well, maybe not). However, in this day and age where everyone is attached to their phones, it has become the norm to meet friends or “friends” online. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. As for me, I will continue to utilize this app as a travel buddy and find people who are keen to be friendly tour guides in new, unexplored cities. I still keep in touch with the guys I met from my previous excursions, and I am more than sure that if I return to their city, I will be welcomed because they will be treated the same wherever I am. And at the end of the day, the 40 extra dick pics are just a little extra bonus, you know?
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FEATURE
Message
Message
Save to Favorites
Save to Favorites
91% Match
47% Match
By Samwell_Favela 24 / Male / Single About
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because everyone was trying to such a joke. You swipe right, match, and at most times, never talk to them. The matches just pile up and stay there. I mainly keep them there to stroke my ego when I’m lonely and need to look at all the people who would be down for the ‘D’ if sometimes there’s a convo. I with people and be able to chat for weeks, but now I can hardly keep the conversation going for longer than a weekend. And that’s at best. I just matched minute convo that I’m pretty sure will never be more than that. But hey, at least I know they’re DTF, if need be. And that’s just Tinder. I haven’t even touched Grindr. Just downloading the app would probably give me an STI. I don’t want to talk down on my gay brethren who use the app, but the only info I pull from Grindr
Details
if I used it a couple years ago, but I’m done with the hoe life. I’m looking for something stable, something with substance, and I know a dating app is somewhere person who preaches, “Finding a person in real life is the best way to go,” because we all know that shit is not easy either. School and work consume my life. I don’t dip my pen in company ink and the only head I want from school is head of the class. Finding potential partners in perfect group project. I think the main problem is this generation. We get used to daily activities, like swiping left or right on people, and don’t take it seriously anymore. And it doesn’t help that there’s so much out there that no one wants to settle down just yet. Of course, this is coming from a gay man who doesn’t exactly know how the straights do it, but what I’m basically trying to say is: Dating in your 20s sucks and no one should do it.
people to make “XTube” videos with. Maybe I’d take it seriously
“I am one of the few who are not looking for a quick ‘handy-j’” Alfred_Pallarca
By Brittany_Lieberman 25 / Female / Single About
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The stigma once attached to online dating is dead. Because of this, more young adults choose to enter the arena of sex and love through their smartphone. We’re able to scroll our way to bed any day of the week; perfect for those of us who are overscheduled and under-sexed. But my optimism fades when I see bars and clubs full of people busy scrolling through dating profiles and ignoring everyone around them. For those of us who have no idea what the hell we’re doing in any facet of life, it’s nice to invest a little hope that the internet will have your back on the dating front. You’ll be matched with someone who likes the same bands, food and hobbies as you do, right? You’ll be ignoring your friends to hang out with your new babe in no time! That would be nice, but more often than not it’s just a meat market fueled by terrible one-liners. At its best, online dating is a booty delivery service. At its worst, it’s dampening the thrill and romance of meeting somebody off hand, without the help of the internet. Not everything about internet dating sucks. There are two reasons why I will always secretly love internet dating. First, Tinder served as a helpful guide through my girl-curious summer. I had no idea how to tell if a girl was into me, and I wasn’t going to run around town hitting on straight girls. This is where app-based dating comes to the rescue for us in-
Details betweeners. Tinder cemented the reason why I will always give a shout out to the app we love to hate. The second reason is Tindog, which is Tinder for dog lovers. I haven’t actually signed up for it but the fact that it exists is enough for me. Ultimately, the cons outweigh the pros. The thousands of profiles to choose from makes it easy to overlook people we might have actually liked in person. A small detail you would have overlooked face-to-face is suddenly reason enough to skip over someone entirely. A grass-is-alwaysgreener philosophy starts to take effect and your thumbs are suddenly scrolling for the sake of scrolling. We end up on a hunt for perfection that just doesn’t exist. Yes, real life dating blows too. But by signing up for a dating website you’re essentially saying, “I give up! I’m too lonely/horny/busy/anxious to do it on my own, help!” Don’t give up. Find the courage to flirt. Write perverted poems to the person you want to see later. Send someone a surprise pizza. Do whatever you need to get back in the game, because while online connections can be fun, there is nothing like the real thing, face-to-face, with no selfies or bad 50 word biographies in sight. Then again I haven’t scored in months and most of my Instagram pictures are of me and my dog so what do I know?
FEATURE
Message
Message
Save to Favorites
Save to Favorites
58% Match
75% Match
By Eliza_de_la_Flor 33 / Female / Taken About
Photos
Full disclosure: you’re reading an account by someone terrifically awkward and not terribly romantic. More sincerely pragmatic than anything else. Just so we’re all clear that I’m not blaming dating drawbacks in the Flooded with Information Age on my pre-existing conditions. About two years ago, I was in a self-imposed dating drought. Since the end of my relationship a year prior, I hadn’t met anyone particularly enthralling; since I went back to school and started a second job, I felt I simply didn’t have time for The Game. My friends encouraged me to try Tinder. Instantly my no-dating excuses seemed groundless. I want to date someone local: the app indicates how far away a potential match is. I’m a huge nerd with a passion for anime: as a result of having to log in through Facebook, I can see if we have marked shared “likes” in our social media lives. I don’t want to go on a blind date and find myself literally eye-to-eye with the man: most men on Tinder are apparently aware of this and say how tall they are in their bios. This was like the dating equivalent of a personal shopper. No hurt feelings when you reject someone based on the quick impression they present with their bio, because they don’t even know you were looking. Much better than having a forced conversation
Details with someone because they bought you a drink and you don’t want them to think you have bad manners but is he SERIOUS with that shirt? Meeting potential dates through Tinder seemed efficient and logical, and therefore more enjoyable. Stop your laughing, I was naïve, I know. Like a bad personality with good looks, Tinder revealed its flaws before long. Matches that were within five miles when I swiped to the affirmative right would be displayed as within 50 miles if we matched. Apparently if someone “likes” you before you “like” them you are subject to their distance preferences. What kind of person is realistically dating anyone within 100 miles of them? I mean, respect for your pursuit of hooking up, but I’m also a little wary of why you need such an expansive dating pool. Additionally, the choices the app creates are illusions. I have plenty of acquaintances and friends on Facebook that I supposedly share 10 or more interests with and I can’t have a natural conversational flow with those people in real life, and I’m not even hoping to make out with them. The positives of my flirtation with Tinder include some nice conversations and me realizing that I was ready to date again, and this was not the way I wanted to do it. Also, I received my first-ever dick pic, but I’m calling that a draw.
By Athena_Robinson 25 / Female / Taken About
Photos
I started using Tinder about a year ago to get over the end of my first relationship. I grew up in a conservative Christian home and was always instructed by my parents to wait to be pursued. I was so sick of hearing it, sick of waiting for these men to step up that I finally decided to use Tinder. Basically, I waited until I was 24 years old to have my teenage rebellion. My main goal was just to meet people in general because trying to find friends as an adult blows. I quickly realized that I would not find exactly what I was looking for and decided to lower my expectations. I created the standard biography for my profile and included the stupidly cheesy phrase “I don’t do hook ups. Trust me, I am worth it.” As soon as I added these words to my profile, I received ridiculous messages and most of the guys seemed to think that I really did not mean it. I then decided to use Tinder as a time-suck tool and just send creepy messages to the guys who wouldn’t take no for an answer. For example, normally a guy will ask “My place or yours?” My go-to response to this became “Mine as long as you are ok with my cats watching.” Having such low expectations may have been
Details the trick to staying sane long enough to finally meet someone worthwhile. About two months ago,I got a message that was very different from the previous ones. He simply asked how I was. In our society, this is the new way of being pursued and I got excited that such an amazing guy initiated a conversation like that with me. By the end of the day we had agreed to meet for drinks and now we are on the path to one of the best relationships I have had in the last few years. I think one of the biggest problems with dating is the fact that these relationships stay within the cyber realm and couples have a hard time living together in reality. My boyfriend and I have sought to abandon our social media lives and technology whenever we are together and use it sparingly when we are apart. It is important for him to not be glued to his phone and it is becoming even more of a priority for me. Tinder was great for establishing the initial connection and making us aware of each other’s existence, but now it is up to us to develop that connection further, faceto-face.
“We end up on a hunt for perfection that just doesn’t exist.” Brittany_Lieberman
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12 Literature
The Temple of Time
A Stranger in Trial
Story by Ricardo Alejandro Pulido Contributor
Story by Kiliko Contributor
Illustration by Dominique Roberts Contributor
Illustration by Paul LaPoint Contributor
French Translation Dans les profondeurs d’une forêt en France est un temple qui s’appelle « Le Temple du Temps. » C’est un lieu mystérieux, sacré et très secret. Il n’y a presque personne qui le connaît parce que il est très caché dans les bois. Le Temple du Temps est situé dans une forêt connaît sous le nom de « Bois Perdus. » Il y a beaucoup de gens qui essaient de trouver son existence mais peu de gens peuvent faire la quête. Le temple se trouve dans les ombres de la forêt. Il est entouré des plus belles cascades et la rumeur court que l’eau est le plus claire dans le monde. Les arbres autour du temple sont extrêmement grands et ont une écorce des couleurs rouge, bleu et doré et c’est la raison pour laquelle beaucoup des gens se perdent dans les bois. Les couleurs des arbres sont remarquablement belles que les gens deviennent distraits et perdus. Les briques du temple sont d’une couleur grise argentée. Les briques du temple sont tellement belles que les gens qui les voient rendent fou dans leurs esprits. Quand le soleil se dirige sur le temple les vitraux du temple luisent d’une couleur rubis et s’éclairent avec éclat. Ce qui réside dans le temple est un
English Translation In the depths of a forest in France is a temple called “The Temple of Time.” It is a mysterious, sacred and secret place. Almost no one knows about it because it is hidden deeply in the woods. “The Lost Woods” is the name of the forest where the temple is said to lie in. There are a lot of people who try to can make the quest. It hides deep within the shadows of the forest and is surrounded by the most beautiful waterfalls. Rumor has it that its water is the clearest in the world. The trees around the temple are extremely large and their bark are of the colors red, blue and gold. This is the reason for which a lot of people get lost in the woods. The colors of the bark on the trees is so remarkably beautiful that people become distracted and lose themselves. The bricks of the temple are of a silver color and they are so beautiful that the people who see them become mad and lose sanity. When the sun shines on the temple, its stained glass windows shine a ruby color and illuminate with radiance. What resides in
They are scolding me. Why am I in a courtroom? The judge is speaking. The juries are mumbling. I cannot make out what they say. Why am I scared? I think I’m on trial. Oh, fuck. I must have done wrong. If I cannot recall my crime, it surely must be horrible to remember. Did I kill someone? I can barely hear myself think. This kangaroo court is speaking a foreign language. They must be. They’ve stopped jabbering. What’s this? A door opened up behind the judge. An executioner!
Am I in bloody France! Oh shit! I’m pinned down. I can’t move my neck or head. I can’t see who’s holding me down. There’s a hand on my neck. What the hell is going on? The juries are humming something? Are they reading my punishment…they are praying. Was my action sacrilegious? I must be in the Vatican city. The juries are all standing now. They are praying! They sung a hymn for my death, I just know it! The executioner is near me! How didHe’s raising his arms already! What the- a guitar! He’s swinging still! Please forgive me!
Inspired by the song “Untrust Us” by Crystal Castles.
Temple of Time your life will change forever. surnaturel. Si vous pouvez trouver le Temple du Temps votre vie va changer pour toujours.
Dual Identities, Dual Perceptives Dr. Paulino Lim presents a discourse on language and creativity Story by Amanda Dominguez-Chio Literature Editor Last Wednesday, Sept. 16, a friend and I attended a discussion on Dr. Paulino Lim Jr.’s “The Split Mind-Set of the Hyphenated American: How to Put It to Creative Use.” For those of you who don’t know, Dr. Lim is a professor emeritus at Cal State Long Beach. He’s an author, having written novels, including Requiem for a Rebel Priest, and short story collections, Passion Summer and Other Stories and Curacao Cure and Other Stories. Sabong: Stories, etc. is his latest novel. At Wednesday’s event, Dr. Lim began an interesting discussion on the “split a particular way of thinking. Those who have a split mind-set are those who grew up speaking or listening to their “heritage language.” With heritage language, a child is taught that language at a very young age, yet as time passes, the dominant American language supersedes the heritage language. The language learned at childhood is
Photos by Emily Ayers Staff Writer imprinted in the brain but repressed. Dr. Lim, however, proposes a solution: to prevent your heritage language from being replaced by the dominant language, the answer lies in creativity, producing art forms such as texts, visuals, and art. I found Dr. Lim’s discussion compelling and was reminded of my Chicano/a and Latino/a Cultural Production Class. The focus of Dr. Lim’s discussion was on “hyphenated Americans,” referring to people with dual identities. In my class, we engage in several conversations on identity and learning about a diverse and complex culture. In several of the assigned readings, we encounter Spanish words. In one of our recent class meetings, we discussed the term “macho,” and how the word has one meaning in English and another in Spanish. The situation reminded me of Dr. Lim’s talk on how being bilingual can result in two opinions, thereby, being bilingual results
in becoming more perceptive. I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Lim’s talk and look forward to reading more of his work.
Lifestyle
A Walk To Remember Being fully attached to a phone inhibits the everyday things like smiles and hellos to classmates
Story by Emily Ayers Staff Writer Photos by Jack Villalba Lifestyle Editor As Cal State Long Beach rounded into the third week of school, I prepared for my trek from Parking Structure One to Liberal Arts One. My parking pass was visible, my lunch packed, my books bagged, and my phone tucked securely in my backpack. the vast majority of students; I would walk without my cell phone. Immediately, I felt bare without the weight of the phone in my hand. I knew I was out of the loop when I saw passersby had their technology easily accessible. Men tucked their phones into the pockets of their jeans and women carried purses and phones ensue. I was the only one “unplugged.” Headphones dangled from eardrums and every face looking down was engrossed in a virtual world. It began to feel lonely walking to class and making little eye contact with my fellow students. No one seemed to pay attention to anything that wasn’t in their immediate path. And when I did catch a pair of eyes, I sensed discomfort followed by an instant nervous look-back down into a phone screen. It seemed most students use their cell phones as a way to appear occupied and to avoid uncomfortable social situations. As a transfer student from Long Beach City College, I can understand how technology eases the awkwardness that comes with new environments. Awkward moments such as the ominous silent moments sitting in class waiting for the professor to begin class, standing alone at the shuttle stop, and waiting in line to buy books typically prompt the need for an escape. Although I often rely on my phone, on campus would be if everyone walked
around without being digitally tuned in. If people actually acknowledged one another’s existence by simply smiling, waving, or nodding their head then maybe we would all feel more connected. It would be powerful if people said hello to each other and kept their eyes up long enough to recognize that the person coming towards them is a classmate. When I did walk without my cell phone I enjoyed my surroundings much more. I took the time to observe the beautiful trees on campus, the number of squirrels that race each other and the sunny weather Southern California is known for. All of those little observances add up to As students, we are often being pulled in multiple directions and are easily distracted. Allowing yourself to solely be in the present messages, and news alerts can really help you to refocus. Just walking to classes without your cell phone in an easy-to-grab spot can foster a greater awareness for the people and environment you daily interact with. If we get rid of this culture where we have to hide from people and hide from ourselves by burying our noses in our phones, then we burning stares and sideways glances. Yes, technology is amazing, but let’s not forget the importance of face-to-face interaction. Life and relationships are meant to be experienced and not just absorbed via social media feeds. It starts with little decisions like walking without your phone to truly transform the ways in which we allow technology to penetrate our lives.
Kaila-Marie Hardway (top) texting throughout the pathways of CSULB Joel Martinez (bottom) texting down the stairs (don’t miss a step).
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14
Travel
Gotta Catch ‘em All! The new Poké-Game will make us travel across the land, searching far and wide Story by Lilly Nguyen Contributor
Hello, there! Glad to meet you! Welcome to the world of Pokémon! My name is Oak. Pokémon Professor. This world … is inhabited far and wide by creatures called Pokémon. For some people, Pokémon are pets. Others use them for battling. As for myself … I study little about yourself. Now tell me. Are you a boy? Or are you a girl? > BOY
> GIRL
It is not an unfamiliar introduction to life-long Pokémon fans: a generation of grown 90’s kids paying taxes and tolerating rush hour traffic. It is nostalgic to think of simpler times when adulthood boasted adventure, exploration and merits that even kids like us could reach for. They were based solely on determination and strength, all within a little screen. With the Release of the Red and Blue versions of the Pokémon game in North America (1998), the Pokémon Company kick-started a revolution of children who wanted to explore the world around them in the same way the game protagonist and Pokémon Master-in-Training, Red, explored and conquered region after region when he was no older than ten.
Illustration by John Mueller Graphics Illustrator
The franchise’s main fan base that had grown up with Pokémon are now in their twenties and have continually returned to the franchise—that now has 570 new Pokémon, compared to the 151 in the original release, as shown in the strong sales numbers when Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby were released last year and Pokémon X /Y the previous year (9.9 million and 13.8 million respectively). So, perhaps, it is no surprise that iPhone and Android users are the target audience. The Pokémon franchise intends to appeal to them with the chance to explore the world of Pokémon again through the release of Pokémon GO. That’s right. Pokémon GO is bringing Pokémon into the real world. The game has changed. Why not venture out beyond After all, no Ho-Ohs were ever found without adventuring! “Imagine discovering a Squirtle hiding along the waterfront in San Francisco, a Bulbasaur at Shinjuku Station or a Pikachu founder of Niantic, a software development company best known for the augmented reality mobile game, Ingress, who is helping development. Alongside the app, Nintendo will also release their own-built Bluetooth
device—a sort of Poké-watch—Pokémon Go Plus to deepen the experience. Though not necessary to play the app, it will allow players to perform basic functions like throwing Pokéballs without having to constantly look at their phone and see if there might be a Pokémon in the area. However childish it may seem, the advent of Pokémon GO is letting fans get the opportunity to engage in their childhood and interact with the world in a way that they were
be adventuring around and seeing what I will beyond California. Will I leave all my friends and family behind and just focus on traveling around the world to become a Pokémon master? No! Of course not! It’ll just be a perk
Pokémon GO is slated for release in 2016.
Riding on the Metro A recollection transportation experience
environments are neither conservative where every citizen is outstanding and mannered, nor is the environment consistent as each city has its own subculture and take the Blue Line from Long Beach to Los Angeles, the raunchier it becomes. There are bums stinking up the seats and corners and teenagers blasting their music while everyone else is forced to listen. There are also the egotistical phone-talkers airing out their drama on speakerphone as well as the occasional blind man asking for change when you hit Willow Brook to Vernon. If you
make it to 7th St/ Metro Center, everyone chaotically exits toward their destinations. There are folks heading down to the Red Line or Purple Line, while others walk toward the upper metropolitan streets. The Red/Purple personality selling snacks. His catchphrase is, “If none of y’all want water or candy, then don’t chingen. Por que luego, I am not going proceed to regret not buying his service. One thing about the Metro lines is that you can sense the loneliness on the islands. Each rider is almost like Atlas as they hold on to the world around them and need it to survive as much as the world needs them. It shows. I often meet up with a homeless
Story by Kiliko Contributor
security guard working at Universal Studios whenever I head to my mixology class. On the way back home, around 11pm, I often
were followed by a disappointed reaction in her face. I am unsure if it was toward me or toward her. “We need people like you. We
longboard at the Rosa Parks station. What makes this extraordinary is that this station is surrounded by a freeway and the passing cars always bring a cold draft. Another time, I came back from a failed meet-up in Redondo Beach and took the Green Line home to the Lakewood station. On the long ride back, a stranger caught me reading, as they always do, and inquired what book what it was. I replied, “Psychology.
she smiled back.
“Why do you say sorry? I love psychology.
named Ethan. He told me about his divorce, his criticisms of African-Americans, and his general racist rants of colored foreigners. This conversation eventually turned into him telling me about his current struggle to obtain a simple cheap car from Europe, as Blvd. and Olympic. It all concluded with an interesting Nazi conspiracy.
Travel
Concerning My Travels... An introspective look on studying abroad in Australia Story and photos by Zach Phelps Contributor
On The Road Hell’s Angels
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Food
If You Can’t Do It Right, Then Get Out of the Kitchen! A dedicated baker tells you what to do and what not to do when baking at home Story and photos by Jack Villalba Lifestyle Editor Illustration by Peter Macaulay Contributor
My mother taught me the basic code of baking as a little girl: clean the entire kitchen in order to have start fresh, have all the ingredients and equipment needed, pre-heat the oven, use a timer, and absolutely love what you are baking and who you are baking for (unless it’s revenge cupcakes spiked with laxatives, then you don’t have to love that person). It’s fair game. A friend of mine said that she was a baker and I was instantly ecstatic, all for about two minutes until I found out what she thought baking was. I’m an old fashioned, bake-fromscratch kind of girl and my friend was all about Betty Crocker and Dunkin Hines. Ok, that’s cool, no judgement…still a form of baking and just as much work. We started to bake and her kitchen was not
clean. That’s gross. If you’re baking brownies, why is last night’s spaghetti just chilling on your plate? That’s pet peeve number one: Before you start baking, clean up! We then started baking using Betty Crocker and all we needed was oil, water, and eggs. We were missing eggs. Pet peeve number two. Make sure you have everything you need! Even after we had all the ingredients, girlfriend just threw everything in the bowl and then began aggressively mixing the dough. Baking is not just mixing some eggs and oil; it’s a creation. It’s putting warm, sweet ingredients in the perfect ratio that is held in time by the heat of the oven. How could you just throw food in there and not even put the care such desserts deserve? And the pet peeves keep growing. Love what you are baking, be delicate and take the time to do it correctly. Once the brownies were in the oven, she turned it on. The point of pre-heating a oven is to ensure that the dish is baked at a constant uneven baking. That’s gross, again. Then, on top of it all, no timer! We were chilling and I asked how much longer; she shrugged her shoulders. We checked on the brownies but they still needed some time (reguardless of no timer). After a while she checked on them and to no surprise she burned the brownies. Oh wow. Surprise ending everyone dies at the end like your brownies. How do you not set a timer or at least look at the clock? That’s how burnt brownies and salmonella become a thing. After all the trouble and hair pulling, she wasn’t even upset about the brownies. “I made it for my neighbor for his birthday, was just trying to be nice.” First of all, why are you baking something for someone you don’t even like? Second of all, being nice is burnt brownies? That’s like giving a used iTunes card with 98 cents left because that’s how much your burnt brownies are worth. If you want the sweet taste that cocoa can must follow the code of baking. Even more basic than that, it could be just giving a damn.
Entertainment
17
FOX’s New Fall Comedies Are a Hit and Miss
Stories by Lauren Hunter Staff Writer
Rob Lowe Grinders on your nerves Why, Rob Lowe, why? Why would you produce and star in The Grinder? I would like to take this lawyer-based show and sue Fox for my wasted time. The Grinder, not to be confused with the Grindr dating app, is a new show on Fox that will be airing Tuesdays 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. The Grinder is about a television actor whose show, which happens to also be called The Grinder, ends. as narcissistic. Rob Lowe stars as Dean Sanderson who is a washed-up actor. Fred Savage (The Wonder Years) stars as Dean’s little brother Stewart. Stewart and his father (William Davane of 24: Live Another Day) have a family will stay with them and start to work in the family business. He attempts to do this without going to law school by using his knowledge from his television series.
At one point, Dean uses his “lawyer skills” to help his nephew gain popularity. Dean even uses the term “hashtag” three times in scene. Cue the eye rolls please. This show is extremely cheesy. There is also a Legally Blonde moment (as I like to call it) during a courtroom scene. Judge Stephanie is played by Rose Abdoo, probably best known for her role as Gypsy on Gilmore Girls, and she allows Dean take over the proceedings. It is annoying that this is allowed to happen. The Grinder tries extra hard to be funny and never delivers. Rob Lowe tries too hard to be funny and his acting skills to settle court cases is a joke. The acting talent on this show is a waste and I have zero desire to continue watching it. Sorry Rob Lowe, but this is not your best work. You’ll get ‘em next time!
is constantly overshadowing his younger brother, who actually went to law school and obviously worked really hard to get where he is. Stewart has a wife, a son and a daughter. His wife Debbie is played by Mary Elizabeth Ellis (The Waitress on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) whose function on the show is just to be her husband’s cheerleader. She is not funny and quite boring. The children are not any better.
Rob Lowe and Fred Savage as brothers
The Grinder Comedy Sept. 29
Scream Queens is sweet and devious Calling all basic girls and pumpkin spiced lattes lovers! Scream Queens is about to premiere on the small screen on Fox. If you thought sorority stereotypes were bad, just wait until you see this show. Emma Roberts plays Chanel Oberlin, president
of Kappa Kappa Tao, an elitist sorority. She in a designer glove. Musical artist Ariana Grande and Abigail Breslin (Maggie, Zombieland) play Oberlin’s minions who do her bidding without question. The very
talented Jamie Lee Curtis plays Dean Cathy Munsch who is devoted to taking down the queen bees on campus. Munsch rules that sororities have to accept every pledge that comes their way. Skyler Samuels plays Grace Gardner whose character mirrors that of Sydney White in Sydney White (2007). Grace’s mother was in Kappa Kappa Tao and passed away when Grace was little. In order to get closer to her mom, Grace pledges the sorority. It is beyond cliché, but seems to work oddly enough. Her father is played by the adorable Oliver Hudson (Nashville) who is the stereotypical dorky dad. The show opens in the year 1995 at a party where a baby is secretly born and a
generic devil costume who is also seen in the present day. It leaves the viewer wondering who they are and what their plan is. In 2015, killings begin to happen. As the viewer, you are left with many questions, such as what happened twenty years ago and why history is repeating itself now.
Ariana Grande, Emma Roberts, Abigail Breslin, and Billie Lourd
chance to laugh at stereotypes and join in on some murder mystery fun. Emma
Scream Queens Horror/Comedy Sept. 22 Roberts plays the perfect bitchy queen bee. Jamie Lee Curtis is the perfect authority
century obsessions such as social media and the need to be thin and pretty. Girls, grab your yoga pants, oversized sweaters, Ugg boots and enjoy the show.
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Music
A Night of Music and Magic Story and photo by Sheila Sadr
Additional photos by Chestina Craig and Henri Haycraft
It’s a hot Saturday morning. Some are sleeping in from their long week. Others are recouping with friends and family. Then there are those who are grabbing a greasy bite from a fast food joint to soothe their angry hangover. But in downtown Long
copies of their album among other little
now cleaning up their footprint from this unique spot. L e a t h e r is a band
really want to try to put [it] in a box.”
started pretty folky sounding. I actually played mandolin for a while in the beginning. We’ve tightened up a lot and our sound has become more rock driven.” was easily a night for the books. With their self-titled debut album Leather Tramp EP
twice before a big show if possible.” building the album the best: “It was super Leather Tramp has experienced a lot of triumphs and hardships from their humble beginnings in August 2013 to their month long Indiegogo campaign to produce their album
and warm as if you had entered the Leather Tramp’s family home. And that’s exactly what the band had always intended with their music and their
this past August. The best advice they had to be afraid to make suggestions and provide input. If you don’t convey your thoughts at
group grew member upon member as other other popular local bands to open for them lead singer Jake Abernathie since he thought now it’s grown into more. It’s a family now. A collective of musicians that is one big family.” Paisley Shades. The whole concert was
The event itself was put together completely by LT with the help of their close friends and family. The venue was provided for free by associate pastor Chad Frontiera of LB’s Sound House Church who’s a big time supporter of the band. predominantly local to Long Beach with many of its members studying music here at CSULB. Whether you heard of them something worth discovering. LT saxophone and clarinet player Lawrence Pi let us in on the
resourceful self-proclaimed “band mom” past two weeks creating this event. They
the week of the show. They collected couches that were being given away on Craigslist and in thrift stores anywhere near the Long Beach area. The group
evolve but so did their relationships. Often playing at multiple live shows during the month (the band had a show the Sunday members grew incredibly close with one another and have worked hard to function as
of christmas lights from their homes to further decorate the venue. proved to be worth it as audience fans entered the set wide-
section; it’s hard to call them just a characterized on their
a s Indiegogo stands on its
was
a
slowly spread across their faces. You wouldn’t guess that the beautiful aesthetics weren’t planned out by a professional. There booth selling Tramp
“Also now that we have an album we can show our material to our fans or people who don’t know us yet.” And what are their future plans? Cathey
go somewhere. I want to do big things.” each other. The chemistry between certain members is astounding and present in our live shows. I love when Marc [Encabo] gets wild hair right before we play and tells me to change a random part in one of our songs.” Creating the album was challenging for the band. All the songs for this album were
so scheduling rehearsals is a very big task. We “Leather Tramp is an idea. It’s t a k e n from the book Into the Wild. [A] leather tramp is one who wanders on foot.” With a band of 12 members that contains a
members feel relieved. “I was there for almost all of the recording and to release the stress of knowing that we’re done until
(@LeatherTrampTheBand leathertramptheband
and
on
Music
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Brace Yourselves, Midterm Season is Upon Us One student tells us about music she listens to while studying Story by Teresa Arteaga Contributor
Illustration by Alaina Tinnirello Contributor
which sounds pretty pathetic. Sometimes, studying isn’t the easiest thing to get in the mood for, but with a little help from the lovely YouTube I have managed to get into a new study mode. Music has been my great escape from long, dull study sessions and is an essential part in keeping me motivated and awake. But the question is, “What type of music do we listen to when we
my favorites. If you are into alternative-rock or posthardcore, some of my favorite bands include Hands Like Houses, Emarosa, Dance Gavin Dance, Our Last Night, and Circa Survive. Although these bands aren’t known for calm melodies, they manage to keep me going. I have found myself listening to Hands Like House’s album, Unimagine. Honestly, this is the best album I’ve heard in a while. I love the fact that it is more mellow so you are able to understand the lyrics. Jumping to new music horizons, many people enjoy a variety of culture in their
tastes in music, but I’m here to share some of
beautiful about listening to music in another
Welcome to midterm season, 49ers! Or welcome to another period full of long nights, stressful assignments and a shitload
to be worried about the meaning of the songs; just enjoy the melody. If you are thinking
So whatever type of music you enjoy, try expanding your music tastes. A great way to check out new music is through SoundCloud
place to start would be with some famous
songs, up and coming artists, as well as I’m always on the lookout for new music and love that idea that you never know what
way to get acquainted with the language. And last but not least, YouTube has an amazing variety of up and coming artists. One of my favorites has to be Daniela Andrade because you get a variety of music covers and collaborations with other talented artists. I hope you guys are able to check her out because she is amazingly talented.
Whether you’re listening to The Weeknd or Taylor Swift, I wish you all happy studying!
The Gangster Nancy Sinatra Returns “Queen of the Gas Station” can never recreate Born to Die Story by Crystal Rodriguez Contributor Honeymoon would be described as a rosegold experience. Lana Del Rey has once again evolved her grim voice in her latest studio album. It consists of 14 tracks, 13 original and one cover of Nina Simone’s song, “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.” Lana Del Rey blends Paradise and Ultraviolence, making a sad girl discover other uses for owning a dagger. Unlike her Ultraviolence album, her hotel-ghost yearn has evolved to a vixen who lingers around an abandoned grove. Comparing the title tracks Ultraviolence and Honeymoon, they both provide a siren’s cry. However, Honeymoon gives that elegant vibe that makes the listener feel a bit dead with a dash of vice viable under miasma. “High by the Beach” has that hip-hop inspired sound that makes the listener feel like they just smoked a joint and they’re
cruising around Bel-Air with a gun ready to fire at whoever is coming after their cocaine heart. “Terrence Loves You” provides that petal sensation. It feels as if the listener is laying down on a meadow of cherry blossom petals, staring at a rose colored sunset, letting the petals just drag you
“...Honeymoon gives that elegant vibe that makes the listener feel a bit dead with a dash of vice viable under miasma.”
underworld. Aside from the creepy title (even though I secretly have some music to stalk boys to), “Music to Watch Boys to” makes stalking sound swanky. Although half of the time I cannot understand what she is saying during the chorus, I still enjoy the drunken voice
Speaking of enslaving, the song “Salvatore” provides a snake dance (an Italian sound for the politically incorrect) that has my brain hypnotized to zigzag waves playing in my head. I can imagine Lana seducing a crowd of ears;
the vibration of her fatal voice slithering up to the swaying cerebellum, enticing the listeners. The only part that reduces the lethality of her poisonous voice is her “soft ice cream” which is a reference to her previous glamour songs (I have no idea what soft ice cream symbolizes). I think “24” is one of those songs that Samantha from Bewitched would listen to while smoking a cigarette if her marriage tumbled to another woman. Needing a dose of nicotine because her love is malnourished, that gives the ember vibe after the spark of a happy marriage is gone. T h e enchanting voice and marshmallow sound is most noticeable in the title track, “Honeymoon.” Based on her evolution, Lana Del Rey can never redo the success of Born to Die with that glamorous Lolita
personality. Ultraviolence was pure sadness one would listen to with a box of chocolates, but Honeymoon is the mending sequel that celebrates woes that say “fuck the extra calories, time to parade my tears in elegance!”
Volume 77 Issue 5
Monday, September 21, 2015
LBUNION.COM
DISCLAIMER: WATCH YOUR PROFAMITY: I had a rash last week that was very itchy. It burned from the top of my bald motha’ fuckin’ head and spread across my chest. Initally, I feared for the worst and prepared myself for it. But alas, it was just a simple heat rash. This page is satire/parody and does not represent ASI nor the CSULB campus. Submit articlez to grunion@lbunion.com.
MISSED HOW TO PULL CONNECTIONS MAX HUNNIES Ever since Al Qaeda denounced the then-new terrorist group for being “too extreme,” the two groups have exchanged hostilities in their efforts to assert their dominance in Islamic society. In the past By Ayatollah O’bama few years, ISIS seems to be winning the battle, conquering many crucial cities and destroying numerous pre-Islamic sites. Al-Qaeda, on the other hand, has been fighting desperately to maintain relevance in the post-war era by attempting to expand its reaches into new areas. The leader of Al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, announced recently that they were extending an olive branch to ISIS in an effort to do more damage to their enemies. While the public announcement was oddly dismissive of the caliphate that they were trying to make amends with, we managed to acquire the private letter that was sent to ISIS in an effort to come together. Dear ISIS, Wow…it has been so long since we have seen each other in person. I feel like the only time I get to see you is when I’m looking through your beheading videos that you post on instagram. I’ve seen every one at least 10 times each and I must say, you look dashing in that black ski mask. I know you must be surprised to hear from me after all these years. I’m aware that we aren’t on the best of terms as of late. I said some things, you said some things… The thing is, I never stopped thinking about you. I have to admit, I drive by your cave every night just to check up on you just to see
how you are doing. I think about you all the time and just really wish that we could meet face to face again. The restraining order you put against me hasn’t really made that easy, though. I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a while, but since you blocked my phone number I guess I had to send you a message the old fashion way. There’s something that I need to get off my chest. Even though I make fun of you to my terrorist friends and say that you are too “crazy” or “extreme,” I only say that to cope with the fact that I can’t have you. ISIS, you complete me. Ever since you left to do your own thing I’ve been lost. I feel as if I can’t see my future as a terrorist organization without you in it. And I get it! You must be too busy trying to run a successful caliphate to be in a relationship with another organization right now! I remember the days when I had to do that. Organizing suicide bombings, enforcing sharia law, and dodging drone strikes was no easy task for us either! I understand what you’re going through, which is why you and I should finally get together so we can conquer the infidels as one. Don’t you see? We could be so much better together! I understand why you would be hesitant to jump into a relationship when you are so busy, but we could take it as slow as you want. Maybe we could possibly meet up for some jihad and chill and see where it goes from there? All I ask is that you give it some thought. Take as much time as you need. With love, Al-Qaeda.
By Huge Hefnards
Given a couple problems that have been plaguing some members of the local community related to thirst (from the drought, perhaps?), we at the Grunion have listed a few bits of wisdom for those who need them.
1. Scare them. This is why all the girls in horror movies are hot. 2. Flirt like a little kid. If you want to make babies with them, nothing is more attractive than to act like having just BEEN a baby, because clearly everyone has an inner pedophile that you will successfully attract. 3. Ignore the ones actually interested in you. Show them that you don’t need their approval to live life fabulously. 4. Remove articles of clothing on random occasions when completely unnecessary. Show off that inner Taylor Lautner and bite like the Sharkboy you are!
5. If at first you don’t succeed, try forever. And ever. And ever. 6. Facebook message the damsel in distress a high-definition image of your genitals, preferably extended...but if you have to zoom, reconsider. 7. Make your rounds to EVERY lady in the room, ignoring marital status (thankfully, the university cheating policy only applies to academics). 8. Play some baby-making music to the sweet rhythm of typing on a keyboard. 9. When in doubt, flirt terribly. This will foster conversation stemming from confusion that will soon bloom into disbelief. This can be compensated for with desperation and money. 10. Draw a shitty map to your crib on a postit to show how much time and effort you will invest in your relationship. With these tips, you’re sure to get at least ONE girl, thank God for rebounds!
INSIDE #ALLLIVESMATTER
BLACK SHADOW BOXER OUTLIER IN BLACK-ON-BLACK CRIME STATISTICS
CAPTAIN NAPALM DROPS MIXTAPE, VIETNAM CRINGES
GRASSROOTS PETITION DENOUNCES IMPEACHMENT AS WHITE PRIVELEGE
RONALDO GUMP: “IMMIGRATION IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES...”