Issue 77.11
Intro
3
Katie Cortez, Editor in Chief editorinchief@lbunion.com Richard Mejia, Managing Editor manager@lbunion.com Renee Schmiedeberg, Assistant Managing Editor/Social Media Manager assistmanager@lbunion.com Trevor Desrosiers, Advertising Executive advertising@lbunion.com Ashley Rodriguez, Advertising Intern ashley.lbunion@gmail.com Nathan Zankich, Web Manager web@lbunion.com ART & DESIGN
Graphic by Sam Orihuela
ADELE IS PROBABLY RUINING MY LIFE
Sam Orihuela, Art Director artdirector@lbunion.com John Mueller, Graphics Illustrator illustration@lbunion.com EDITORIAL Elizabeth Nguyen, Co-Opinions Editor opinions@lbunion.com Rebeca Vega, Co-Opinions Editor opinions@lbunion.com Joel Martinez, Community Editor community@lbunion.com
25
Bailey Mount, Campus Editor campus@lbunion.com William Odis Martin, Athletics Editor athletics@lbunion.com
Union Weekly
Madison Gallegos, Arts Editor arts@lbunion.com Andrew Linde, Entertainment Editor entertainment@lbunion.com Elliott Gatica, Music Editor music@lbunion.com Jack Villalba, Lifestyle Editor lifestyle@lbunion.com
SNAP OF THE WEEK
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 STAFF WRITERS Lauren Hunter, lauren@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 Elizabeth Campos, Joseph C. Petitt, Indigo Vu, Mary Cruz, Ricardo Pulido, Soft Knees, Dick Weiners COVER AND FEATURE DESIGN BY: Sam Orihuela COVER PHOTO BY: Peter R. Clark
CORRECTION “Bloodbourne”: Article incorrectly credited the author as “Isaac Garland.” His name is spelled Issac Garland.
CONTACT US Long Beach, CA 90815 E-mail: lbunion.info@gmail.com
@UnionWeekly
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
4
Opinions
“The United States was founded on the principle of human rights... assisted suicide is a right... ”
A Case for Suicide
Story by Cesar Cadenas Staff Writer
Gov. Brown’s approval of controversial act is the right choice Bills, Bills, Bills On Oct. 5, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law the End of Life Option Act, which will allow certain adult patients the ability to request drugs to end their lives. Patients are allowed to request assisted suicide as long as they meet the criteria set forth by the bill. California is now the fourth state to allow assisted suicide after Oregon, Washington, and Vermont. “I do not know what I would do if I were dying, in prolonged and excruciating pain,” wrote Brown in his signing message. “I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill. And I wouldn’t deny that right to others.” With a controversial bill like the End of Life Option Act, critics naturally attack the decision. Tim Rosales, spokesperson for California Against Assisted Suicide, said, “This
is a dark day for California and for the Brown legacy.” Rosales questions Brown’s decision by stating, “As someone of wealth and access to the world’s best medical care and doctors, than that of millions of Californians.” Assisted suicide is a highly divisive issue. Personally, I side with supporters of assisted suicide. If I had the ability to cure any and every ailment, I would not allow people to take part in any form of suicide. However, things are obviously not that simple, and there are circumstances where a person becomes terminally ill. In these instances, assisted suicide should be an option. I favor the side that allows freedom of choice. I would not want people to commit value the power of choice more than my personal feelings concerning suicide. The
Identify Yourself CSU empowers students through changes in identity politics Story by Indigo Vu Contributor
United States was founded on the principle of human rights, and while a controversial one, assisted suicide is a right for the people to have. With the bill, there comes a set of criteria that must be met, and that is the proper way to enact the bill. A patient must be over 18 years old, diagnosed terminally ill by the attending physician, be a resident of which must also be signed by two witnesses. There is more to the bill than the few listed criteria; however, the examples written show the bill was written with care and concern for the patient. I approach the topic of assisted suicide with the same philosophy I approach the topic of abortion: I wouldn’t want people to do it, but I would rather have the right exist than not.
Currently, the system in place on MyCSULB requires that students and faculty are required to provide their names in the system, whether it is the legal name or the preferred name. Frankly, that makes no sense for the preferred name. that allows students to report their preferred name to be used on ID cards, class rosters, faculty grade rosters, and MyCSULB is a sigh of relief to me, as a trans person, and to many other students, whether they are trans, international students, or have personal reasons. This new policy is expected to be implemented by January 2016. The name I use now in my personal life, at work, and at school is not the same as my birth name. Although I do not see myself using any other name in the future, there are a variety of reasons that I do not and cannot legally change my name: court processes to explain to my family, and I am not sure I want to ever legally change my name. None of these things
Other legislation approved month by Gov. Brown includes:
this
•Climate change bill- the state will need to produce half of its electricity from renewable resources by 2030 •Crisis pregnancy centers bill- centers that discourage women from getting abortions will be required to provide information about abortions and •Beer bikes bill- bike buses that take riders on tours will now be allowed on city streets •Medical marijuana bill- dispensaries will follow a new tracking system with strict regulations
invalidate the fact that I do not wish to be referred to by my birth name. When I am called my birth name, it means that people are refusing to acknowledge me as I am. It means they disrespect my very identity. Being called my birth name is an act of violence, especially when I have expressly requested to be called otherwise. If the system in place does not allow me a method to communicate my name, the system is inherently violent. With this new policy in place, I no longer have to email my professors a week before class starts about my and hope desperately that they receive the email, read it, understand, and are receptive to using a name that is enough to have not yet encountered a professor who refused, but that is a chance I would rather not take. If this new system can spare me any of the daily anxiety I experience because of the fear that people will use my birth name, then I am fervently in support of it.
Opinions
Dear Editor, Business owners are being unfairly targeted
Joseph C. Petitt Students for Sensible Drug Policy at California State University, Long Beach
Black Widows Kardashian women ruin lives of men they seduce
Story by Lauren Hunter Staff Writer
Keeping Up With the Kardashians on E!. We learned of his struggle
is where you lost your footing and began
“All the men in their lives seem to spiral downward, and fast. Lamar is the tip of the horrendous iceberg.�
5
6
Lifestlye
Beauty In Diversity Self loves comes in all different shades and cultures Story by Elizabeth Campos Contributor
Illustration by Sam Orihuela Art Director
Long blonde hair, green or blue eyes and
and beautiful, but somehow I think if I had
“beautiful women” onto a search engine. Lipsticks, foundations and fake eye lashes advertisements are what I see when looking through a magazine. Dark hair, tan skin and a thicker body, however, is what I see when I look in the mirror. I’ve been giving some thought to this and I caught myself thinking about how billboards with light skin models and straight
would predominate in beauty.” Ethnicity cannot be hidden, and why should it be? Kinky curls, braids, thick bodies,
that was apparently buried in my mind was wanting to have lighter skin. Suddenly, this memory of my younger self being totally weirded out by looking darker than the “prettier” girls at school came to my mind. I remember too that while I was comparing myself to those beauty standards, it didn’t feel right to be doing so. I trust that part of me was thinking: “BS! You’re beautiful like that.” Ivette Montes de Oca, a Hispanic, 26 year-old journalism student, said, “Girl, I’m pretty!,” when asked how media has
The importance of one’s complexion in society has been an issue to address. While the attention that this topic gets shouldn’t be problematic, people are categorized as more or less than others because of their skin color.
My Standard, Not Yours Story by Emily Ayers Staff Writer I didn’t always wake up an hour before I had to be somewhere to “put on” my face. Evening out my complexion, brightening my under eyes, making my cheeks rosy, and blackening my eyelashes was not always a priority for me. I didn’t always feel the need to conform to the stringent beauty standards that society puts in place for women. However, in many ways I have succumbed to them. I didn’t start wearing full makeup until around junior and senior year of high school. Now, as a young adult, I have grown to love the creative outlet that makeup has lent me. I learned from Beauty Gurus’ YouTube channels and blogs about the art of makeup. To most of my friends and family I have been deemed the “makeup-artist.” For special occasions I am the well of wisdom when it comes to explaining applying foundation and the best brushes for blending eyelid colors. In that sense I love makeup because it is not only an outlet, but it also allows women all over the world to feel beautiful and empowered. However, nudged up alongside my
feelings of admiration for makeup, I disagree with its representation of the unfair beauty standards women are constantly held to. It gets tiring to keep up with the never-ending list of criteria for how a woman should look. Sometimes waking up early to get ready feels more like a burden than an expression of my creativity. Sometimes I want to go out in the world bearing my naked face, bearing all of my so-called flaws. It begins to feel like I am denying myself the right to be who I am, and I don’t ever want to have to hide behind makeup. When I log onto Instagram I am immediately bombarded by images of women person I see when I look in the mirror. From there the gradual wave of comparison occurs and the pressure becomes almost unbearable. And in that moment I am tired of trying to be the perfect woman. I become tired of being viewed like an order for someone to nit pick. Recently the media has labeled makeup-wearing women as deceptive
for transforming their appearance. This harsh perspective shows that society often perpetuates the feelings within women that we have to change our natural appearance in order to be accepted and beautiful. I am personally tired of being made to feel embarrassed for wanting to wear makeup. It is not a sign of weakness but a personal choice to express myself and feel beautiful. I know that with or without makeup I am still worthy. As a woman we do not have to defend what we choose to do with our bodies. We only have to remind ourselves that even though society bombards us with unrealistic standards, we can choose to completely disregard them. We are beautiful in every state of our being, whether we just woke up in the morning, are going out on a Saturday, or just got home from an eight-hour-work day. We are all unique and with or without makeup we are enough.
cheekbones, light skin and dark skin are all equally beautiful. year-old girl, also said, “I teach my daughter that each person is beautiful in their own
diversity should increase self love. Personally, I love the fact that my physical traits show where and who I descend from. From a black woman’s hair, to a white woman’s skin, an Asian girl’s eyes and a Latina woman’s body, a story is being told.
Lifestlye
7
Dolled Up Pressure Make up doesn’t make up for insecurities Story by Sylvana Uribe Staff Writer
Among my friends are those who strive to leave the house every morning as close to perfect as humanly possible. I’m not one of those people. That’s not to say that I’m oblivious to the pressure of what others perceive as “pretty.” I’ve noticed the women’s magazines that watched YouTube beauty gurus pile powders and liquids on their faces. I’ve sat through red carpet commentary dissecting a celebrity from head to toe. The word “beautiful” is tossed around in each of these instances without any meaning attached to it. None of these “beauty idols” have lived insecure I feel when pimples pay me a surprise
I spent trying to avoid mirrors altogether. happened, but one day I just snapped. I was tired of the beauty overload. My brain couldn’t wrap itself around the purposes of concealers, primers, or the need for more
would enhance my appearance. I didn’t want to compare myself to other girls. In understanding why I deemed things about from a toxic mentality became more apparent. Changes in my behavior were subtle. My daily goal was to end the day by telling myself that I was OK. On the horrendous days where the circles under my eyes were noticeably
wasn’t going to spend the time or money to months anyway. I stopped searching for the perfect dress up an empty smile. acceptance out of exhaustion. I was done
While I’m not savvy when it comes to beauty trends, I’m not pushing for an au naturale movement either. Nor am I suggesting a revolt against the beauty industry because experimenting with one’s
wiped away. The trendy clothes can be as easily.
It’s been a liberating experience to live
demands that I swap the word “hate” with “love.” I don’t miss the outside voices that tried to dictate what beauty meant, because it
Embrace Your Shape Story by Jack Villalba Lifestyle Editor
Illustration by Sam Orihuela Art Director
I grew up in a community where all the girls were blonde hair, blue eyes, and had a slim figure. I have curly brown hair, green eyes, and curves to short circuit a navigation system. Growing up, the only thing that made me was always a plus. Once sixth, seventh grade came, all of sudden I had big brown curly hair that used to be straight, curves came out thrown in a pool of water. Girls would harress me endlessly. They of their chest and say, “Guess who I am?”, then swing their hips dramaticly only to The school was worse. On my thirteenth
celebrate with my friends. The Vice Principal yelled at me infront of all my friends, called
I spent my thirteenth birthday alone, crying
legs. Same thing happened to other girls
from the corner. It’s fair to say that was my least favorite birthday. From that day on I was always in trouble for dress code to the point where the tears stopped and the frustration grew. Not even for me but for others.
All because my “top was too low and showed
After that I began to wear two sports bras on top of my bra to try to hide them. Baggy clothes were a must. When my crazy gemini grandmother found out, it’s safe to say her evil twin was out and on a rampage. She sat me down and threw down a Latina magazine in front of me. “This is where we come from. This is the
other “dress codes.” Girls with long legs were always in trouble for shorts when didn’t have breast and they didn’t get in
woman and that’s beautiful.” were completely covered. But the shorts appeared shorter because they had long
in retalition from dress code. “Oh, your shirt
is too low.” No bitch, I’m just a double D, what do you expect? This expierence has taught me that you should embrace your body type, whether it’s curvy, round, apple, or pentagon. Embrace it. size, or number. It’s about embracing what women and other people have to celebrate and embrace one another. Who wants to be another barbie doll on the conveyor belt when you can be your own unique person that not even biological sciences or God could ever create again? That’s how special you are.
8
Literature
Return of the Living Dead Meyer celebrates the 10-year anniversary of Twilight with a reimagined version
Illustration by Soft Knees Contributor
Story by Taylor Caceres Contributor
Whether you’re a Twilight fan or not, you’ve got to admit that Stephenie Meyer’s new gender-swapped remix of her vampire universe would make a fascinating topic for a gender studies major. Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling Twilight series sold over 120 million copies and has series - following the love story between the teenager Bella Swan and the vampire Edward Cullen - became a pop cultural phenomenon. Twilight’s tenth anniversary, Meyer wrote Life and Death, which was released Oct. 6. In Life and Death, Bella is Beau and Edward is Edythe. Beau Swan remains the awkward new student and Edythe Cullen is the mysterious attractive vampire, but their genders are swapped
And so I thought if I switched it around a little bit to see how a boy does, and you know, it’s about the same. [...] It’s just a love story, it doesn’t matter who’s the boy and who’s the girl.” Readers have compared of Twilight and Life and Death. Blogger and reviewer Cleolinda Jones has been live tweeting Life
that has nothing to do with gender at all? these questions, and I am sadly not the gender studies academic you are looking for. But it’s pretty thought-provoking, and I’d like to mention that Twilight and Midnight Sun had Edward watching Bella sleeping, having slipped through her bedroom window and also oiling said window to make his entrance more silent. All signs in Life and Death point to Edythe doing this to Beau, too. Even with twisty gender comparisons, Life and Death is an angsty love story between a human and a vampire that makes for a great read based on its entertaining merits as a paranormal young adult romance. Edythe Cullen—a strong, beautiful mindreading
“Edythe Cullen—a strong, beautiful mind-reading (female)
Twilight book with notable divergence at the end, yet there have been changes made nonetheless. Meyer explained on Good Morning America: “[Criticisms about Bella being a damsel in distress] always bothered me a little bit, because anyone surrounded by superheroes is going to be in a bit of distress.
interesting to me.” and Death Cleolinda raises some interesting observations that can be summarized around the question: to what degree is Meyer successful proving her point about Twilight being a universal “human in distress” story? How much of the changes in Life and Death are attributed to the genderswap, and how into gender stereotypes after all, such as putting Edythe into the overdone ‘sexy’ female vampire category)? How much is it
interesting to me. And who can say no to an all-women werewolf pack? Although Life and Death doesn’t continue onto retelling the later Twilight werewolf characters and mythology, the fact that they do exist is amazing. All-female werewolves, you guys.
FEATURE
9
A college student’s guide to local pubs
Intro by Richard Mejia
The life of a college student will always be hectic. In addition to the gross amount of hours spent studying and working on projects, many students have to deal with part-time jobs (full-time in fortunate cases), as well other extracurricular activities and résumé boosters. The stress of these activities can be very taxing, especially the closer you are to your graduation date. To overcome all the ordeals that come with being a college student, many of
Photos by Peter R. Clark
us seek ways to relax or reward way too crowded and, quite ourselves after a big exam, honestly, they’re not worth all the hassle. There is no point in Living in Long Beach, folks attempting to relieve stress and are surrounded by a plethora reward hard work by standing in of pubs, bars and eateries that a sea of people, drinking either provide both high quality a watered-down cocktail or an beverages and food. Whether overly foamy beer while you individuals are visiting from wait for cold, chewy fries. This is other cities or are citizens of especially true if you’re a broke Long Beach, both 2nd Street college student (most of us and the downtown area provide are) who doesn’t want to spend popular spots for drinking and too much to have a good time. dining. However, the popular Here at the Union Weekly, we bars in those areas are always have gone through painstaking
our readers with as much information to allow you all to make the best decision possible when it comes to choosing a local pub. We’ve dwindled it down to four bars in Long Beach that we feel give you the best bang for your buck when it comes to quality of beers, cocktails, and food. If you’re over 21 years of age, heed our words and try these places out for yourselves. Cheers!
10
FEATURE
THIRSTY ISLE
Pabst Blue Ribbon 32-oz. schooner ($6.75) Food: Grilled cheese and 4317 Carson St., Long fries ($6.34) and buffalo Beach, California 90808 chicken sandwich ($6.50) Total: $29.09 OUR ORDER: Beer wait time: zero Beer: Rebel IPA 32Food wait time: 8 minutes oz. schooner ($9.50) and
Fondly known as T.I., this bar could be classified as both the darkest bar and the friendliest bar in Long Beach. Its close proximity to Long Beach City College attracts a large customer base of students in their early-to-mid 20s. T.I. delivers exceptional food and beers that allow their patrons to enjoy each other’s company without putting a huge dent in their budgets. Photographer Peter Clark and I walked into T.I. with $20 and left with a couple of dollars in our pockets. My grilled cheese wasn’t too greasy or burnt by any means, but instead a perfect golden brown with melted cheese in the middle. Peter’s buffalo chicken sandwich was a little more spicy than he anticipated
but his beer and a couple of my fries helped to mellow out his tastebuds. The Tuesday night crowd ranged from early 20s to older locals, and the bartender and cook were both very polite to their customers. Self-titled as serving the coldest beer in Long Beach, our 32-oz. beers were served in heavy, ice-cold schooners that maintained the beer’s cold temperature long after it was served. Pros: Jukebox, pool tables, big TVs, shuffleboard table, boxing game, basketball game, golfing game Cons: Awkward parking situation, dirty restrooms, cash only, beer and wine only Rating: 5 out of 5 beers
atmosphere was pretty quiet for a Tuesday, and mostly made up of older locals, so it was a pretty calm place to grab a drink. Old tin posters and an electronic countdown to St. Patrick’s Day adorn the walls in this dimly lit hole-in-the-wall pub. Even though the kitchen was closed by the time we got there, I have eaten there a few times before, and no matter if I order their Irish nachos or a cheeseburger and fries, the cooks never hold back. The food is a little more expensive, but the portion sizes make the price worthwhile. At one of the bars on 2nd Street, two 32-oz. and two pints of beer would easily cost $30-$40, which makes a $23 bar tab at B. O’Cons an absolute steal.
BRIEN O’CONNORS
($13.50) and Pabst Blue Ribbon 32-oz. schooner 4130 Paramount Blvd., and a pint: ($9.50) Beer wait time: zero Lakewood, California 90712 Total: $23 OUR ORDER OOur experience at Brien Beer: Rebel IPA 32 oz. O’Connors (B. O’Cons) was schooner and a pint:
a pleasant one. The beer was ice-cold and served pretty quickly, even though it took a minute to get the bartender’s attention. She was friendly and remembered our beer orders when we went back to the bar for round two. The
Pros: Takes card, mostlyclean restrooms, two parking areas, full bar, pool tables, shuffle board table, big TVs, jukebox, golfing game Cons: Small restrooms, bartender gravitates toward locals, older crowd, torn chairs Rating: 4 out of 5 beers
FEATURE
CONGREGATION ALE HOUSE 201 E. Broadway Ave., Long Beach, California 90802 OUR ORDER Beer: Eaglerock Solidarity 16oz ($6) Food: Basket of fries ($5.25), “big” pretzel ($4) and a ribeye burger ($8) Beer wait time: 1 minute Food wait time: 12 minutes Total: $23.25 Located in downtown Long Beach, this eclectic bar delivers a large variety of craft beers and a menu of “beer food” that pairs well with whatever beer you are drinking. Congregation’s decor and staff uniform is a clever play on their name and while the lighting inside
11
is a little too dim, their outdoor patio is my favorite place to sit. Inside the bar is a little loud and sometimes it can be difficult to keep a conversation going if the bar gets too busy. Beer prices and sizes vary depending on the beer you order and sometimes the price is a little more than you’d expect for the size of the glass. Tuesday nights are fairly steady, but it gets even more crowded on the weekends.The crowd is typically made up of college students and youngprofessionals who live in the area, and although they have a couple of TV sets, not too many people sit at the bar and pay attention to sports. The food isn’t terrible, but Peter’s burger was a little on the small side for $8. If you order the fries, the beer cheese and pesto ranch are two dipping sauces you must try. Congregation is a good place to go if you’re
trying to catch up with one or theme, full bar, take card, two friends over a couple of clean restrooms beers, but definitely an semiCons: It’s downtown, so expensive place to hang out all parking is terrible. evening. Rating: 2 out of 5 beers Pros: Wide variety of beers on tap, taps change frequently, fun overarching
up of young-professionals, but there are a fair amount of college students on the weekends. The parmesan tots are a great snack if you’re looking to share with a group. If you’re celebrating a special birthday or event and want to
keep a downtown atmosphere without the typical college crowd, the Dub is your best choice.
THE AULD DUBLINER 71 S. Pine Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802 OUR ORDER Beer: Coors Light pint ($5.50) and a Modelo pint ($5.50) Food: Parmesan tots ($8) Total: $19 Beer wait time: zero Food wait time: 10 minutes
For about three years in a row, some friends and I would always celebrate birthdays at The Auld Dubliner (The Dub) and we loved it. Now that I’m a little older, I can see the bar’s appeal to younger me. $5.50 for a pint of light beer in a bar downtown isn’t terrible, but it’s not ideal either. The service is pretty good, partly because all of their bartenders are burly, attractive Irish men, but also because they address every customer when they approach the bar, even if they’re busy. The Dub has a live band every night, so it’s a cool spot to hang out at if you’re into to Irish rock music. The interior makes it look like a traditional Irish pub, and their list of whiskey is massive. The atmosphere is mostly made
feels like Ireland, plays bigger sporting events on a projection screen, clean restrooms Cons: A little expensive, Pros: Parking is easy loud, gets crowded on the at night, hot bartenders, weekends young crowd, good food, Rating: 3 out of 5 beers
12
Travel
Richard Hates Camping Camping trip not worth remembering
Story and photos by Richard Mejia Managing Editor
After spending much of my evening laboring to jump in the lake, or so I thought. I’ve always been the type of person who takes logical approaches to everything. If it doesn’t make sense to me, then I will absolutely
question what “it” might be. This was the case earlier in the year when my sister invited me to go camping with her family. At 24 years old, I have never gone camping nor have I ever been close to doing so. She insisted it was going to be a great time with endless activities, adult beverages and memorable family memories. The latter was the biggest selling point, seeing as I have a large family and I hardly get a chance to see them.
while crashing into rocks isn’t my idea of fun. Outside of going through many cans of beer and bottles of whiskey, camping was not much of a good time. But hey, if you want to
After a few months of saving up a small trip. I spoke to many friends and coworkers who had nothing but positive comments when it came to my trip. They were actually excited for me and were insistent that I would love it. Well, they were wrong. The four-hour drive to Kern River in Kern County was one of the worst drives I’ve had in all my years as a licensed driver. Passing through the somber and scorching hot
“...if you want to save up a gross amount of money to sleep in the dirt, get destroyed by Mother Nature and stay inebriated, then camping is for you.”
with many questions like, “How far is this place?” and “Who in their right mind would willingly live here?” Trekking through seemingly endless winding roads finally brought us to the campsite. The sun punched me in the face as soon as stepped out of the the car. Living in southern California, I’m not much of a complainer when it comes to heat, but when we move past frying an egg on the hood of a car to grilling steaks on a sidewalk, it’s really hot. were on the prowl, as they seemed to not be bothered by repellant spray, and were focused on feasting on my blood. Now mind you, all of
The water was great and very cooling, but the powerful current and murderous rocks canceled out any satisfaction from the lake. Getting forcibly dragged down the river
save up a gross amount of money to sleep on the dirt, get destroyed by Mother Nature and stay inebriated, then camping is for you.
México Lindo y Querido A trip down memory lane
I found myself aimlessly looking through my old pictures. You know, browsing through that archive in your computer you almost put a password on for no one else to see. I suddenly encountered my young self comparing and contrasting who I was then and who I am now. The pictures that I found were of my years ago. I was so in love with that city and had such determination to live there that my parents sent me for spring break to spend two weeks with a couple of my cousins who reside in that city. My parents, however, didn’t necessarily send me with the idea of, “You like it so much that we’re sending you on a vacation,” but rather with a mentality closer to, “Yes, its a beautiful city and you like the tourism of it, but you really don’t want to live there.” My dad spent many years of his life there. Although he has many good memories about that city, he also faced struggles he doesn’t
Story and photos by Elizabeth Campos Contributor
wish me to go through. As I was looking through these pictures, I found one of my emptied purse: Some money to suffice my tourism days, basic girly needs, an old phone and a map of the metro of the city. It was that one picture that started a trip down on memory lane. Mexico city is known for many things such as crime, contamination, corruption, horrible politics and plenty of robbery. Those characteristics however, never outweighed my idea of what Mexico city is; a city full of cultural backgrounds, history, diversity in all aspects and a mystical, almost magical essence to the place. Pictures of the buildings in downtown, each one of the museums that I
went to as well as pictures of the things I ate during the day—even before foodiegrams were a thing! The metro routes, auditoriums, street art and performances, protests in front of the city hall, traffic and little kids dressed as clowns giving a show in the streets to simply collect one or two pesos. All that was captured by a 16-yearold girl and her camera. Pictures of the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts), the University of Mexico (UNAM), Tenochtitlan pyramids and the city streets are not enough to describe the beauty that this city has. To me, it was perfect. Every single moment of that trip I enjoyed so much that as I am writing this now, Elizabeth’s emptied purse and items. shivers run through my spine and every image
in the room blurs as I slowly transport myself to that time. I’m not lying when I say that that happy as a little kid with candy, as happy as a dog playing in the park, as happy as I had ever been. “Not all those who wonder are lost.” That’s a quote that some people live by, the backpacker’s motto, a quote gracefully written in cursive on t-shirts and on the cover of notebooks and planners. I consider myself a dreamer, a wonderer, you something: I was lost.
to live in California, I learned that better opportunities await for me here. While I still have a deep love for that city, the pictures reminded me that curiosity sometimes will lead you to what you truly needed to know even if its not what you expected.
Travel
Lost and Found Detour leads to a traumatizing experience
Story by Jack Villalba Lifestyle Editor Photos by Jack Villalba Lifestyle Editor and Joel Martinez Comunity Editor
13
Arts
r
rite
fW
St af
er s
Ay
on sh i
St or yb yE m iy
Fa
When most people think of
Ec o yle St of ts en em El
Other collections featured in the show were Bourage, Gabe/ Mackenzie, Luxelooks, and Intra Los Angeles. The last collection, Imprint by K-Sherri, was inspired by The Heart of the Ocean necklace from the movie Titanic. The line was created to make red carpet evening wear more sustainable. “My goal with Imprint is to show that there are eco-friendly ways of producing clothing that is still beautiful and eye-catching,” said designer Kelsey Osborne. “A lot of times when people think of eco-friendly clothing, they think of dull colors and boring silhouettes. But we can spice things up by the way we cut the fabric and how we piece things together.” Osborne’s collection consisted of cotton and rayon fabrics that were naturally hand-dyed with indigo, grey, and blue. All materials used were biodegradable and/or recyclable. soundtracks, various photographers, and professional models that helped to showcase
e
a garage, and has since used eco-friendly tools such as a silk-screen
Week, dedicated to promoting urban sustainability at CSULB and the local Long Beach community through Snorlax’s House of Blends Barbershop.
im
both global and local issues, but it allows students, faculty, and professionals to collaborate.”
at
Solutions President and CSULB alumni Darrell Patterson. “The use of fashion as a mechanism to communicate
attend another show and I am looking forward to viewing and purchasing some merchandise.”
at
Environmental Solutions joined with JusListenTV and Cal State Long Beach’s Black Student Union to create the event and open up conversation about living an ecologically aware lifestyle. “It is important to continually address the ongoing battle to reduce activities that negatively
stylish a n d mindful clothing. “The fashion show was a well put together event with some wonderful styles and looks,” said anthropology and Africana studies major Danny Crumble.
ric
sustainability a n d eliminating waste, they think about things such as recycling plastic, using biodegradable products, shopping cruelty free, or buying organic produce. What most people don’t realize is that clothing choices can also be made in an environmentally conscious way. The second annual Elements of Style Eco Fashion Show brought a stylish twist to the runway by promoting sustainable fashion in the Pointe at the Walter Pyramid on Oct. 23.
b f far e o age iecb Man e p We on ich nt, Zank me an on ath vir of N en tesy he our g t nd c vin grou SaBack
Sh ow
14
enhancing the natural environment while advocating awareness and environmental sustainability. The organization also strives to increase the educational advancement of students pursuing careers in the natural sciences The collaboration between the various organizations brought fresh perspectives to the fashion show. “In addition to addressing social justice issues, we as an organization need to address environmental issues that are detrimental to our local communities,” said Black Student Union President and communications and Africana studies major Justin Bradley. “The fashion show was a success and really brought out tremendous support.” JusListenTV loaned its multi-media network to the event with its promotion of fashion music and technology. The company aims to help entrepreneurs in developing skills that allow for a greater consciousness about environmental issues surrounding African-American communities in terms of treatment and education. “Awareness is key because most students don’t realize that their JusListenTV and electrical engineering major Reginald Vincent. “Attendees had a chance to witness what environmental friendly clothing looks like and could see that it can actually be applied to their wardrobe.” This fashion show proves that there is power in collective gathering in order to shed light on greater issues. It perfecly blended the seriousness of social justice issues with environmental awareness in a fun and entertaining way. With this knowledge, students can make more informed decisions when it comes to clothing choices. Perhaps now people will gravitate towards pieces that were created with the environment in mind.
Arts
15
Crazy But Cultured Comics How one artist uses humor to display society’s ugly truths
Story by Cesar Cadenas Staff Writer
Robert Crumb is an American cartoonist known for his weird style and biting satire of American culture. an English teacher’s copy of “The Book of Genesis - Illustrated by Robert Crumb.” I had a life changing experience upon reading that book. Never before had I seen the Book of Genesis drawn in a realistic manner; showcasing the strange and disturbing aspects of the Bible. From incestuous relationships to fratricide to depicting the devil as a lizard man, Crumb’s interpretation I had to seek more about Robert Crumb. Little did I know, I found a highly controversial artist with a lot to say about society and himself.
will notice is the bizarreness of his art and his comics. His art subjects are drawn realistically yet heavily shadowed, giving an inhuman look to characters. The character could just be a woman talking normally but with a disturbing look. One common criticism of Crumb is his portrayal of women. It isn’t misogynistic or negative—if anything, he portrays his women as stronger people than he. The criticism comes from how the women are drawn and how his character acts towards them. The women are drawn sexualized and big, and by big, I don’t mean fat. I mean the women are BIG, Amazonian. Women have huge, tree trunk-like legs with large hands, breasts, and butts. Crumb, on the other hand, draws himself as a weak
Illustrations by Robert Crumb
Broadening Your Art Horizons A look into the new art museum in downtown L.A., The Broad
and enamel.
The Broad features 2,000 pieces of worldwide postwar and contemporary art from the last 50 years. Founders Eli and Edye Broad leave visitors with this mission statement: “By advancing education and engagement through exhibitions and diverse public programming, the museum enriches, provokes, inspires, and fosters appreciation of art of our time.”
Photos by William Odis Martin Athletics Editor
Words by Madison Gallegos Arts Editor
“In the Land of the Dead, Stepping on the
Neon and paint.
and slimy man who is only out for sex. The main appeal of Crumb’s comics is their brutal honesty. Crumb was an artist in the 1960s, the prime time for American counterculture, feminism, and experimentation. These movements served as inspiration for his disgusting honesty. Through his character “overcoming” women by having sex with them, Crumb shows that despite the apparent attitude of free love and openness in the ‘60s, women were still oppressed. Women are often beaten and assaulted his stories, honesty that is too shocking to look away from. It demands the reader’s attention, because without knowledge these issues won’t go away. violence, and hatred. Read it. Learn.
16
Music
Light Up the Dark British acoustic songwriter Gabrielle Aplin releases her second full-length album Music Editor
British singer and acoustic songwriter Gabrielle Aplin has released her second fulllength album, titled Light Up the Dark. I could say that this album is nothing but a step up from her previous release titled English Rain. This is a 12-track album that strays away from her usual soft and acoustic approach. Her sound has become much more pop-y
song, “Light Up the Dark,” which already set the threshold for what this album would eventually be about. Most of the songs in her English Rain album were more ballad-like and revolved around the angelic voice of Aplin. However, in Light Up the Dark, she has electric guitars, drums, and more piano complementing her
rhythms, feature a more prevalent usage of drums, and have more frequently repeated choruses while still maintaining the same tone she usually portrays in her music. “Slip Away” seems more of a reminiscent of a song that Aplin had sung back in her She starts to raise her vocal range to a much higher tone in this one while not overdoing it. Then comes “Sweet Nothing;” this has to be the most upbeat songs that Aplin has ever produced. She released this song prior to the album’s release, as she had a music video come along with production. It’s funny because in the music video, Aplin is prancing
myself, “Wow, this is very ambitious, she’s going to sing about something happy.” But I was very wrong. The lyrics of the song revolve around her being alone, wanting some
acoustic cover artist on YouTube. “Skeleton” and “Fool’s Love,” have faster
“Her sound has become much more pop-y with rock, blues, and jazz elements added to the mix.”
To those who don’t listen to this, you will be left behind Contributor
reciprocating any advances as she thinks that he does not understand her, meaning he’s giving her “sweet nothing.”
man. Apparently, from what I understand from her lyrics, she’s struggling with maintaining a fair and simple relationship problems as she does. Following that song is “Shallow Love.” It seems like a continuation of the problems that had arisen in her previous song. She keeps asking for reasons why they should “let go” of each other; I honestly don’t know why. Now I see some sort of disastrous end to
I myself was never really into Blessthefall until Hollow Bodies came out back in 2013, but their new album To Those Left Behind actually turned out to be in really great shape. This album comes along with 12 tracks including an acoustic version of “Condition // Comatose,” which is one of my favorite songs from this album and band so far. I feel like this whole album depicts my unstable life in middle school and throughout my high school years, when I was trying to chaotic. This would have done me very nicely back in ninth grade. to hit the sound they have been looking for. To Those Left Behind contains fairly good energetic songs such as “ Up in Flames” and “ Looking Down From the Edge.”
feeling really helpless, which can hit
a love story forming song, “Anybody Out There,” seems to follow the events that had transpired. It seems that w h a te v e r happened after “Shallow Love” did not end well, and now Aplin is singing about if there is anyone “Out There” because she needs him. After her melancholic and beautiful rendition of “Anybody Out There” comes “Hurt.” This is another melancholic ballad with a bit of a faster pace than “Shallow Love,” but with a sense of acceptance that the love that once was will never be. At this point, I felt like I needed a tissue to prepare myself because this is getting close to the end of the album. “Together,” my favorite song in Light Up the Dark, has an upbeat tune, as well as some moments of happiness in it. This song is mostly
sound back to how she was in English Rain. It does, however, sound like she used the rhythm of “Jingle Bell Rock” in this song. I always loved the song, and she made the lyrics work in her favor to deliver this song so beautifully. And to end such an emotionally heavy album, the song “A While”
with “no one left to hear.” I will admit that the emotion behind the song along with her beautiful voice did in fact make me shed a tear (there’s no shame in getting emotional with a song). This is not an album to listen to when you’re still in the process of getting over someone after a breakup, especially if you’re listening to music and looking out recommend this album to those who like
so well.” I will admit that it is almost as if she lost diversity in her lyrics, but its simplicity makes it so masterful (also, she has such a soothing singing voice, so there’s that). “What Did You Do?” reverts Aplin’s
ballads with a pinch of melancholy.
someone emotionally. Point across, this album has a tip-top sound to it; the lyrics are outstanding and relatable. They are full with meaning and feel like they can take anyone to a feels trip to Feelsadalphia (Philadelphia). This deserves an 8.5 out of 10 on the feels chart for me. Although there will be people who disagree with me, it is probably
face, because it hit me like a big yellow school bus, or tour bus. I feel like it would hit others,
themselves to be much more in a hardcore scene to actually like this. Also, they want the guitar rhythm to be much more distorted and have muddy chords. But in reality, music doesn’t need that to hit someone in the
sounds a chance. Others will probably be disappointed as if they were waiting for something like they are making their own sound and that’s turning out great for them. It may let’s say, Hollow Bodies “but their music still has something worth listening to. Rock on, mates!
Music
17
Illustration by John Mueller Graphics Illustrator
Bumpin’ Baguettes French playlist to get turnt to (not necessarily) Story by Ricardo Pulido Contributor I recently bought a black Nissan Sentra 2005 this summer and I call it my “Batmobile.” My best friend Rey and I cruise the Long Beach streets at night and we pretend that he is Batman and I am his sidekick, Nightwing
Graphic by Sam Orihuela Art Director
typed music. It can be upbeat, fun, and crazy music like you never have before, here is my secret French playlist that will get you on a good one when your cruising down Long Beach boulevard ready to hit the bars, clubs
Maître Gims- “ Bella”
moments when I am driving in my Batmobile bumping my favorite songs that get me hyped up and ready to hit the bars and cause mayhem. I usually take 10 minutes before I hit the road to make a quick playlist to get me pumped up while I go pick up Rey and we go hit the bars. I quickly pick songs from my old iPod Touch that I recently downloaded or songs that I feel would boost my mood and make the night alive and electric. Since I am a French major at CSULB, I solely love to listen to French music while I drive because it constantly keeps the language in my mind
Daft Punk- “ One More Time” Tryo- “ Joe le Trader” Mc Solaar- “ Clic Clic” Tryo- “ Greenwashing” Garçons” Stromae- “ Formidable” Yelle- “ Ba$$in” Stromae “ Papaoutai”
people don’t know is that French music can be really contemporary and cool. French music is not just solely your typical romantic Edith Piaf’s “La vie en rose” accordion-style
K-Pumpin’ Iron Korean pop for gym-spiration on that extra rep Story by Cesar Cadenas Staff Writer
Stromae - “ Carmen” Yelle - “ Dans ta Vraie Vie” Stromae - “ Humain à l’eau” Sinsemilia - “ La Mauvaise Réputation”
Like a lot of readers, I love listening to music while I work out at the gym. The right song powers me through my sets and gives me the boost of energy that I need. I listen to a wide variety of music genres, but lately I’ve been genre that has widespread appeal. Gangnam Style has two billion views on YouTube, making it the most viewed video in the site’s history. The reason for K-pop’s appeal is the throughout the world and Eastern theatrics, combining synchronized dancing with rap and electronica beats. K-pop is good at creating very energetic and dance-y songs. 2NE1’s songs have a lot of bass and sassy attitude. 2NE1 is a must for the start of a workout session. Crayon Pop’s song has a steady and easy beat. The beat stays constant throughout that I have been able to lift weights to it. “Bar Bar Bar” sounds like a drum; you work-out to the beat and it gives you energy. I’ve had the best workouts since adding this song. “Electric Shock” and other Girls’ Day’s songs sit in the middle of the playlist or the height of the workout. This is when you’ll
be lifting the most weight, so you’ll need the right songs to help gain. “Bubble Pop” is the last push, where you use the rest of your “Vibrato” is for resting, the song you’ll listen to when taking a break in between. This is my workout playlist. If you have one, please send it in. I’d love to listen to it.
“The reason for K-pop’s appeal is the mixture of popular Western music sounds throughout the world and Eastern theatrics... ”
Best” CL, Minzy, Dara, Park Bom Crayon Pop - “Bar Bar Bar”
Krystal Jung, Victoria Song,
Yura, Minah, Sojin, Hyeri, Jihae Hyuna - “Bubble Pop” Kim Hyun-a Stellar - “Vibrato” Gayoung, Minhee, Junyool
Hyoeun,
18
Entertainment
Movies on the House: The Man from U.N.C.L.E. This spy comedy has a classic charm
Story by Richard Mejia Managing Editor Illustration by Sam Orihuela Art Director
Much too often, theater audiences expect either far too much or far too little when it comes to movies. That statement goes without saying, but there is hardly a time where one looks to watch a movie simply to revel in modest satisfaction and for a running time of about two hours to escape their reality. This describes The Man from U.N.C.L.E. to a tee. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is based on the 1964 television show of the samename. None other than Superman himself, Henry Cavill, Solo. Following suit from the original TV show, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. takes place in 1963 where both the United States and (former) Soviet Union are deep in the Cold War. As a former professional thief turned of any government agent character from that
are forced to team up for the greater good and provide the audience with very satisfactory entertainment. With a cast comprised of Alicia Vikander (The Fifth Estate, Ex Machina), Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby) and Hugh Grant, there is a wide variety of diversity in both actor longevity and performance that creates an almost undeniable cast chemistry very few misses with this cast and the subtle laughs and believable action sequences are proof of it. English director Guy Ritchie ties the
as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels as well as Snatch, but this type of action/comedy was
given the already formatted story he had to personal interpretation. Overall, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is
agent be without his Soviet counterpart? Armie Harmer (The Social Network, The Lone Ranger) plays KGB agent Illya Kuryakin, a what you would expect any Soviet agent to be back then. As to be expected, both Solo and Kuryakin
Movies on the House are hosted twice a month on Wednesday and Thursday. Each movie is screened for 2 days at 3:30 pm, 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm in the USU Beach Auditorium. All screenings are free for are available for purchase. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. will be screened Nov. 4 and 5. The next Movie on the House will be American Ultra on Nov. 18 and 19
should provide entertainment to just about action sequences or laughing hysterically throughout, but the overall performance of the cast and director will leave comfortably
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Directed by: Guy Ritchie Starring: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Hugh Grant
Food
19
A trip to Universal Studios results in a delicious trip down memory lane courtesy of The Simpsons Story and photos by Katie Cortez Editor-in-Chief
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios is generally thought to be an event that scares the theme park’s visitors. Last Sunday, I attended H o r r o r Nights for time and as excited as I was about the special effects, mazes, and the Jurassic Park ride, but I had not realized that about a third of the park had been
Man’s taco truck, the power plant, Android’s Dungeon—every location any fan of the show could hope for. My friends and I stopped into Moe’s Tavern for a be disappointed. The theme park does not sell alcohol during Horror Nights, so we were disappointed that we didn’t get to try the infamous beer, but instead the to make us a Flaming Moe. That’s right, the Flaming Moe beverage from season 3, episode 10. Although it did not have carbonated drink was delicious. White
the town from one of FOX’s longestrunning TV shows, The Simpsons. Walking toward the Simpsons-themed ride, I could see Lard Lad Donuts on my left, Luigi’s Italian restaurant on my right, Krusty Burger,
drink as the bartender passed us our drinks in cups that we were able to keep. grab dinner at Krusty Burger. I ordered the
standard Krusty burger with fries and a drink, but was very tempted to get a ribwich. Sitting in Krusty Burger, I couldn’t help but feel like I was actually burger itself was much better than I expected it to be. The meat was cooked to perfection and the combination of thousand island dressing, lettuce, tomato, and the buttery top bun made me realize why Homer goes to Krusty Burger every day. Toward the end of our night, we decided to stop at the Bumblebee Man’s taco truck and Lard Lad. And much like the burger and Flaming Moe, we were not disappointed. The Bumblebee Man’s chicken nachos were the best theme park food I have ever eaten. The chicken they used was real chicken instead of overly processed garbage, and the melted
c h e e s e was real c h e d d a r. Topped with sour c r e a m and fresh guacamole, they were the best thing we could have chosen for a latenight snack. The giant pink sprinkled donut is big enough to be a cake, but had the texture of the perfect cake donut. The frosting on top wasn’t too sweet or too bland, and Lard Lad completely understand why Chief Wiggum is the way he is. Studios, Hollywood is the best theme park food that I’ve ever tasted. It made spending money on Horror Nights worth it.
20 Athletics
NFL Midseason Breakdown A look into the NFC
Forcasting the AFC
Story by Richard Meija Managing Editor
Story by William Odis Martin Athletics Editor
Most Valuable Player: The running backs live! Following the 2014 season, it was a foregone conclusion that workhorse running backs in the NFL were a dying breed and committees would have to be
Most Valuable Player: The AFC had a lot of and 2, Dallas lost wide receiver Dez Bryant injuries that have sidelined the tandem resulting in Dallas sitting at the bottom
Putting those ideas to rest is Atlanta running back Devonta Freeman who has arguably been the best overall player in afterthought when the new Falcons regime brought highly-touted Indiana running back Tevin Coleman with their third round Coleman’s rib injury in Week 2, Freeman has been absolutely shredding defenses as he’s rushed for a league-high 621 yards and leads all skill-position players with
Texans’ Super Bowl run as he tore his achilles in Week 7 and will be out for the
a repeat from last season? Would Peyton Manning have enough in his tank to make the deep throws in the brutal mile-high winters? Midway through the season these questions have sure answers: Brady unprecedented spite in their eyes once the Supreme Court trumped the league’s four
Surprises: The biggest surprise this season has been the emergence of Devonta Freeman as the premier running back in
Chiefs defense is solid but without Charles, the franchise needs to start thinking about Big Ben’s MCL/ bone bruise in week 3 looked bad when he got hit low and had to later he is gearing up to lead the Steelers against an undefeated Cincinnati Bengals Surprises: The Patriots outstanding start
Brady is unanimously the front-runner how terrible the Philadelphia Eagles have
the edges ferociously and is poised for a
team coming into the season with some major acquisitions: Running back DeMarco Murray, cornerback Byron Maxwell, quarterback Sam Bradford and linebacker
Rookie of the Year: The runaway rookie of the
bottom of the NFC and are still trying to
unstoppable in Kyle Shanahan’s new
During a week 5 game when the Chiefs hosted the Bears, Charles made a cutback
strength of yesteryear gets put on display occasionally, but the remaining 90 percent of his throws depend on his precision to put the ball where only the receiver could high ten interceptions and only seven touchdowns, Denver remains the favorite in the AFC West with a 6-0 record lead
England is 7-0 and is on its way to clinching the seventh consecutive division title; the
has been playing lights out for the Bengals, while Andy Luck and the Colts continue to the Colts to have a losing record of 7-9, they will be the representing the awful AFC
Predictions: The NFC is full of explosive 2015 NFL Draft, many experts saw Gurley as the clear-cut top pick, even though he
win MVP, the Broncos defense would be a Leading the pack are top contenders the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers
running back position has been nothing was seen as interchange and diminishing, Gurley has clearly rid the NFL of that stigma and is carrying the entire Rams three NFL starts, Gurley has rushed for 442 Currently leading the NFL in rushing yards
Noteworthy Injuries: game of the year, Green Bay all-pro wide ending knee injury that has noticeably
receivers Julio Jones and Randall Cobb to quarterbacks Cam Newton and Aaron Rodgers, all three teams are poised to challenge for both the NFC Crown and of a powerful running game and an elite aerial attack, the Atlanta Falcons and their newfound defense seem the best equipped the quarterback and one of the primer cornerback tandems in the league with Robert Alford and Desmond Trufant, the Falcons are running on all cylinders and are looking to mow down all teams on the road
North G.B. 6-0 Min 4-2 Chi 2-4 Det 1-6
West Ari StL Sea S.F.
11-5 10-6 10-6 2-14
North G.B. 14-2 Min 8-8 Chi 2-14 Det 2-14
East NYG Was Phi Dal
South Car 6-0 Atl 6-1 N.O. 2-5 T.B. 2-4
East NYG Was Phi Dal
9-7 7-9 7-9 5-11
South Car 14-2 Atl 14-2 N.O. 8-8 T.B. 5-11
Predictions: The (13-2) Bengals and the
be snowing and Tom Brady will be Tom Brady (I know I am really going out on a
Coop scorched AFC West division rival, the San Diego Chargers in week 7 with a 5-133-1 stat line: arguably his best game of his
year and Dalton will eventually buckle to Chandler Jones and Rob Nichovich pass
started out extremely impressive in his week 1 debut for the Titans but since then
the team around Amari Cooper and Derek
Current AFC Standings
Predicted NFC Standings
West Ari 5-2 StL 3-3 Sea 3-4 S.F. 2-5 4-3 3-4 3-4 3-4
The standout wide receiver has caught 3 touchdowns, accumulated 519 receiving
Noteworthy Injuries: The most devastating injury in the AFC would have to be Kansas
no team has been hit as hard with injuries Current NFC Standings
Rookie of the Year: This might seem biased considering I am a Raiders fan, but Amari Cooper has really proven himself as an
out for the emerging Jags with the gunslinging Blake Bortles who are looking more
West Den Oak SD KC
than 20 interceptions this year but will continue to be bailed out by the incredible
Predicted AFC Standings
6-0 3-3 2-5 2-5
North Cin 6-0 Pit 4-3 Cle 2-5 Bal 1-6
West Den Oak SD KC
East N.E. 7-0 NYJ 4-2 Mia 3-4 Buf 3-4
South Ind 3-4 Tex 2-5 Jax 2-5 Ten 1-5
East N.E. 14-2 NYJ 9-7 Mia 8-8 Buf 6-10
12-4 8-8 7-9 4-12
Cin Pit Cle Bal
North 13-3 9-7 3-13 3-13
South Ind 7-9 Jax 7-9 Tex 3-13 Ten 2-14