ARTIST’S CORNER
llustration by: Paul La Point
Issue 77.12
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 Sam Orihuela, Art Director artdirector@lbunion.com John Mueller, Graphics Illustrator illustration@lbunion.com EDITORIAL Elizabeth Nguyen and Rebeca Vega Opinions Editors opinions@lbunion.com
Graphic by Sam Orihuela
MAC AND CHEESE BITES FOREVS Mac and cheese bites have become a big part of the Union Weekly It seems like every day, at least one editor *coughAndrewcough* a sandwich or burger accompanied by fried macaroni and cheese pieces
Bailey Mount, Campus Editor campus@lbunion.com
and cheese bite fever has spread to
William Odis Martin, Athletics Editor athletics@lbunion.com
at least one person can be seen in our
Madison Gallegos, Arts Editor arts@lbunion.com
Last week, Entertainment Editor Andrew Linde and I went to The Nugget for lunch solely for mac and
Elliott Gatica, Music Editor music@lbunion.com Jack Villalba, Lifestyle Editor lifestyle@lbunion.com Amanda Dominguez-Chio, Literature Editor literature@lbunion.com
sat across from me laughing at not only my calm reaction to plastic in my
Norm in Cheers
Lauren Hunter, lauren@lbunion.com Cesar Cadenas, cesar@lbunion.com Sylvana Uribe, sylvana@lbunion.com Emily Ayers, emily@lbunion.com Jordan Daniels
place for on-campus sustenence as long as they keep serving mac and
Christian Bourdeau, Paige Lapp, Alaina Tinnirello, Steve Lime, Karrie Comfort, Elizabeth Campos, Becca Pincolini, R. Ray Robinson, Ricardo Alejandro Pulido, Taylor Caceres, Maximo Gonzales, Fernando Ramirez, nothingbutwordssatire COVER AND FEATURE DESIGN BY: Sam Orihuela COVER PHOTO BY: www. leighanddistriccameraclub.org
Not only do I hate complaining about the food someone else has made for me (unless food allergies
SNAP OF THE WEEK
stop eating somewhere because of a small incident like a piece of plastic The Nugget was trying to kill me, but
COPY & ASSISTANT EDITORS
CONTRIBUTORS
younger classmates about this, and
some of my peers since I transferred
STAFF WRITERS
Carissa Pope, Karen Ruiz, Sheila Sadr, Abril Burstein, Michelle Ha
Ktez
point where they know us behind the counter, call our names for our main
Aubrey Graham, Grunion Editor
Kaila-Marie Hardaway, Food Editor food@lbunion.com
Try the mac and cheese bites,
stop eating despite the possible
burrito in the morning and added mac and cheese bites on the side and when I went back to The Nugget to join from friends for a beer later that day, the same person behind the counter knew me by name and
Mario Lopez, Travel Editor travel@lbunion.com
Sometimes I want to go where everybody knows my name, and
More than anything I was disappointed that my beloved Nugget
Joel Martinez, Community Editor community@lbunion.com
Andrew Linde, Entertainment Editor entertainment@lbunion.com
Was I going to stop eating my sandwich or mac and cheese bites?
experience many of their meal options, last week Andrew suggested I try the charbroiled chicken sandwich on a regular bun instead of
members wanted to share their experiences with being an older on so many levels that the other until after Justin Timberlake went Carey as the awkwardly skinny guy from The Price is Right and not the overweight comedian with his own
several bites, my teeth hit something hard and my senses screamed at me,
remember a time when Tom Cruise Transferring is a weird time for
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
D is for Dating Casual sex is ruining meaningful relationships Story by Emily Ayers Staff Writer
Illustration by Alaina Tinnirello Contributor
however, my experience has shown me that they are unable to spark a conversation with natural chemistry has been lost due to fearing
I recently had an encounter with someone who said they wanted to get to know me, but then in every conversation, he snuck in sexual
liking photos and leaving cryptic comments, yet we hesitate to make those same strides in
second place to his curiosity with my sexual
As young people residing in this awkward
I had with his questions, I was shut down and made to feel interesting only if I include facts of
being young, free, and having the ability to bombarded by images of couples and being
I wish there was a clear-cut set of rules for
is the limbo stage where it becomes unclear
lower my standards or rethink seeking true
choosing one path, many people ride the middle and respond to relationship statuses
I still continue to seek someone on a basis think that is too much to ask, and I do believe
relationship, no one seems willing to put in
Relationships should happen organically without feeling forced to conform to certain being willing to actually give things a chance to develop and not shutting things down early because being non-committal and
People guard themselves by only seeking
As young people, we need to stop being afraid of true relationships and we need to be willing to move away from that stage of limbo and into something more serious with
It is hard being in a position where you however you run into many people who are trying to convince someone to take a leap of faith and enter into a relationship, but it is blocked by walls standing for casual and non-
want someone to respect my standards and not pressure me into lowering them into Dating should not be added to our list of we are truly seeking a relationship with
As a straight female in today’s society I have found the expectation of dating to be
past traditions and an unconventional
The other pest that seems to rear its ugly
rituals from our parents or grandparents, yet at the same time want to embrace freedom
people just want to hook up, going right
capable of much more than casual hookups
addition to the demands of writing papers, late-night studying, and taking exams, we are
can be intentional and unafraid of going after Texting and social media have both helped
this social life include family and friends, but it has allowed more boldness, expression, Young people seem to be caught between
As a woman, it is disheartening that these are some of the experiences that I have
an escape from our everyday demands, not
Opinions
5
Breaking the Ice Touch me with your words, not your body Story by Jordan Daniels Staff Writer
Men. Let’s talk about them. No, this is not about man hating or gigolo shaming. It’s
Illustration by Alaina Tinnirello Contributor
where I’m not practicing what I preach. Our
I want to talk about how twisted and sad
short, I left the club that night without ever also one of the most vain areas. As we all know,
in WeHo haven’t proved much of that wrong
get conditioned to neglect forms of verbal
“...we think that giving someone the ‘do me’ eyes or a caress of the arm is code for sexing it up...Stop looking at me for permission to touch me and start asking for it.” interest? We’re all adults here in this club, and I know this man is older than I am, AKA it’s a rant about the process of obtaining one. Whilst I’m out in the club, twerking it out
Well, not in public at least, but I digress. While the stolen glances were appreciated I didn’t think much of it. When I saw him
confounded me how much we accepted
were connecting on more than one occasion. relationship would have been the same if I something. In the Stonewall era, this form of
So here we are making a rather intense
but at least we’re being up front about it. Stop looking at me for permission to touch me and start asking for it.
attraction will be stronger when he sees how
6
Campus
Paradise on Campus
There are several often overlooked spots on campus that are just too cool or unique to ignore. In my time here, I’ve made it a personal mission to discover little-known areas on campus. These new areas can be
How Grade Appeals Work
places to appreciate.
Little-known CSULB hangouts for the wandering student
The McIntosh Building Bathrooms
Story by Karrie Comfort Contributor
I had heard rumors that the bathrooms on the highest levels of the Mac building were the most austere and well-decorated of all the good, clean bathroom aside, I just wanted to see if they lived up to the legend. The Mac building is the tallest on campus at nine stories. And strangely enough, each The Student Art Galleries
Story and photos by Steve Lime Contributor I can only imagine the inconvenience of
of the Mac building, I wanted to earn it, so I walked up all the stairs. I will never do that again. When I approached the bathroom, I expected trumpets to blare or something, but nothing of the sort happened. Instead, I was greeted with a great view of campus and the surrounding area. A person could literally sit in the stall with the door open and have a sea of green A gentle breeze came in through the large window, reminding me of how high up I was. From then on, whenever I had a class over by the Mac building, I took every excuse to ride the elevator to the top and relieve myself in style.
Between FA2 and FA3 are four student art galleries that, during the school year, display new, original installations. Even if you don’t care about art, there’s always something interesting on display. In fact, a friend and I made a little game out of it. Each week, we’d stroll over to the art galleries and decide which was the creepiest. One of the four galleries would always be made up of the most disturbing or scary pieces. One week, we thought there would be no creepiest art gallery, and then we walked into the last one. When we opened the doors, we were
just you, it was all the sad, sorry students on RateMyProfessor, not to mention all the other people who did even worse than you in the class.
well-known or often-used, but it is possible to argue yourself a better grade.
prejudicial way.” The process is simple: File an appeal hearing in the appropriate department. These committees then provide
drapes hanging from the ceiling. In the center was a series of Victorian children’s toys. Windup dolls and music boxes were playing. Next to the toys and jewelry were small skulls instead of heads. And there were mice and hamsters in formaldehyde jars. Winner, winner.
Celebrating Dia de los Muertos La Raza celebrates different student cultures Story and photos by Elizabeth Campos Contributor held its 40th Dia de los Muertos celebration. Ballrooms from 5-9 pm and was open to the students as well as their family and friends. The room was decorated with colorful picador (traditional Mexican paper folk art), banners created by La Raza, a big screen with a slideshow explaining the importance of Dia de los Muertos, and altars put together by La Raza and other student organizations. The event started with a procession led the Puvungna land on campus. Following the return of the procession, the group presented traditional Native American songs and dances to the audience. Vendors, from outside the school and opportunity to showcase their talents in jewelry making, painting and embroidering. Throughout the event, some La Raza members did traditional face painting and participated in a craft table, where attendees were able to decorate sugar skulls.
songs that turned this event in to a more fun and dynamic celebration. The dancers performed an Aztec dance ritual that transformed the ambiance of the event to a very intimate celebration. Incense, chants, drums, music, food, color and history gave the Dia de los Muertos celebration a chance to share Mexican culture with the event goers. La Raza’s Dia de los Muertos celebration honored both Mexican and Native American cultures and shared them with those present. There is no doubt that it will do the same next year.
written accounts explaining their decisions, and if the student feels like the committee represented them unfairly, they can appeal to their college, and, as a last resort, the university. undermine professors’ authority, nor is it an easy way out for those of us who the midterm. “But the burden of proof lies entirely with the student, so simply not agreeing
A grade appeal is a serious process that can really help check the power of a professor that perhaps has graded you
Athletics
7
Basketball is Coming Back to the Beach A glimpse into the upcoming seasons for men and womens’ hoops Story by Maximo Gonzales Contributor new-look ‘Niners will be looking to bounce back from a subpar year in which The Beach
Story by Fernando Ramirez Contributor
transferring to The Beach this year. He
enough for fourth place in the Big West Conference. “We
his ninth season at The Beach with high
are
learning
terminology
were busy this year putting together a challenge coming from high school is not the Lions. The ‘Niners also welcome back a Long
college basketball when the team is playing
in school history with a 135. Long Beach goes into the season with a bit
The Beach faces a big task when the
to make an impact back in his hometown. Come celebrate homecoming with the
This upcoming season shows a lot of
With the roster almost completely the season against BYU-Hawaii at the Walter has really been a force since her freshmen
Photos courtesy of LBSU Athletics
anything.
8
Arts
Capturing the World in a New Light A photographer provides perception beyond ordinary sight He is a journalism student at California State University, Long Beach, the Athletics Editor at Long Beach Union Weekly, founder and operator of Third Eye Visions Photography, and, most importantly, a visionary. He is William Odis Martin. Raised by his mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother from Los Angeles to the Bay Area, he knew from the beginning he wanted to be a photographer. “I always composed pictures in my mind before I ever realized that was what I was doing,” Martin said. and as you can see, he’s gotten pretty damn good at it. Martin develops and processes his brand, Third Eye Visions. His passion lies in black and white photography, and it shows throughout his work. Martin prefers to shoot women and sports as his primary subjects because those are the things he truly cares about. Women have played a crucial role in his life and sports pay homage to his competitive side. He bares his heart and soul into his photos. He believes that everyone is beautiful from the right angle and strives to capture that. As a result, he refuses to conform to
Ostracized from the Art World Beauty can be found anywhere, even on the streets
Story by Jordan Daniels Staff Writer
Story by Madison Gallegos Arts Editor Photos by William Odis Martin The Artist Himself
Western ideals of women by editing out what others may think of as imperfections. “I will not contribute to the warped and perverted ideals of human form,” he said, an idea that separates him from the majority of mainstream artists. Part of the reason Martin’s photos are so amazing is because they are completely raw and uninhibited. “I usually try to minimize my direction,” he said. But that’s easier said than done. Over the years he’s had to teach himself to open up to his surroundings and be more aware of the world around him. He’s always looking at people and places while searching for the perfect shot. “Everything inspires me,” he said, only attesting to how receptive he is. He fully lends himself to his surroundings—truly the mark of a remarkable artist. He hopes to travel around the world with his camera one day and be featured in galleries all around the world. And looking at these pictures, I have no doubt he’ll make it. To check out more of his work or to send a shout-out, you can reach him through his Instagram, @3ev_la. You don’t want to miss seeing these photos. You won’t be disappointed.
Art is subjective; its beauty is relative to the person viewing it. Art challenges us and makes us think about ideas, whether they’re grand concepts of social change or pretty thoughts that make us smile. But it also causes controversy.
more metropolitan areas. People of older and more conservative generations see it as cheapening the look of the city, but from an artistic perspective, it only makes the city more wondrous and mystical. People respond well to the intricate and colorful
negative connotations due to its deep roots
Taking a look at classic street artists like DONDI, who created the famous “Children of the Grave” piece on subway cars in New York, and contemporary artists like Shepard Fairey who created the iconic poster of Obama with “Hope” below his face, it’s hard
also be seen as positive art? Growing up in the Bay Area, a region enriched with culture, the idea of tagging was hardly foreign. I witnessed people making love, and hate. When you remove the parts that are just full of violent or disturbing images and simply focus on the pure and meaningful art,
If Pablo Picasso tagged a wall of the city, people would crowd around and claim his work as a part of Long Beach culture. So why to be seen as artists and have their work appreciated in our cities?
Sure, there has been a rise of artist and display their pieces in small spaces, but I think that can limit the artist’s creativity and doesn’t truly allow them to share their work with the world. The best art is art that you stumble upon. It’s surreal when you’re strolling down the street alone or with a friend and you stumble upon a blend of colors, words, and pictures. up to some sort of deeper meaning. contribute to a city and can represent something negative, but there are also many pieces that should be seen as forms of beauty
“Some people become vandals because they want to make the world a better looking place.”
FEATURE
Among Uncharted Territory A candid look into the struggles of older transfer students
Intro by Katie Cortez
Transferring from a city college to a 4-year what to expect. I questioned my past and was university is an emotional time for anyone. unsure of my future. I knew I had at least one There are a select few who actually manage to friend from my high school who was my age common for students to stay there for three really cared to make friends with people in sitting in a classroom next to someone who has taken the same amount of classes you looking forward to sitting next to someone a cell phone was like or someone who thought a city college to a 4-year is a weird time for those of us who are in our mid-twenties. “Did of the Union Weekly experiences and felt the same way. Not only I try harder when I was younger?” “Am I just a slower learner?” transfer students.
9
10
FEATURE
By Jordan Daniels
By Lauren Hunter I have been in college for a long time. I graduated high school in 2008, went to a different CSU, had to move home, got stuck at city college because there were not enough classes, received my associate degree, and finally, at the age of 24, started at CSU Long Beach. It has been a long, long journey and finally there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This spring I will be graduating with my bachelor’s degree in English Literature at the age of 26. It has not been easy. I know there are people older than me still working on getting their degrees, but I still feel like I am on the older end of the spectrum. Being a transfer student meant I had to take a few lower division courses that city colleges do not offer. At CSULB, there are four survey classes at the 200 level. I had to take three of those classes and each time I wanted to shoot myself in the foot. My annoyance and aggravation have nothing to do with the information being taught, but everything to do with the 18 and 19-year-olds who have no clue about the outside world. I have taken a year off from school and I have also spent the last six years of my life in the professional and business world. It seems that the younger kids only follow what is popular and their opinions echo what the media says. They don’t think for themselves anymore, yet they are know-it-alls! It is not cute. I do not mean to rain on their little parade, but all I hear are complaints about certain topics
with no action behind them. I want the children that just started college to grow up a little. It is annoying in my mid-20s to constantly hear the same things being bitched about over and over again. There are also my senior seminar classes in which people are 22 and about to graduate, so I feel like I failed somewhere along the way. I am by no means unintelligent. I could easily pass every class with minimal effort, but due to circumstances beyond my control it has taken me much longer. Even though things got in my way that I had no control over it still down right sucks. It sucks and there is no other way to put it. I feel like my life is in limbo right now. I have felt this way for a while and it almost depresses me. My life cannot truly start until school is done and over with. It is absolutely frustrating! I by no means want to go back to working at a restaurant or take a part time job that I will most likely quit come May. I want to finally get my career started. So being an older transfer student does help when it comes to the ways of the world. I have zero fear standing up to professors when something isn’t fair. I have no problem questioning the way things are, and I truly believe that has come with age. Luckily this sucky journey is almost over and I can finally get my life started in May. And I cannot wait to get away from the “children”.
Transferring to CSU Long Beach at age 21 isn’t much of a phenomenon. I’m only a year behind the peers I graduated high school with and I’m essentially playing into the national a bachelor’s degree. The phenomenon, perhaps, lies within the experience that I’ve had transferring to CSULB. Growing up in the Bay Area, I experienced multiple cultures and communities that made diversity second nature to me. However, after I graduated high school, I moved with my family to Oceanside in the San Diego area. Living less than a mile from Camp Pendleton, I found myself surrounded by predominantly white military families. Don’t get me wrong, they defend our country, #GoTeam, but I didn’t find much of a multicultural experience anymore as I did in the Bay. My community college of course had that, but I didn’t live at school so I didn’t experience the melting pot as much as I did growing up. I realized that all my mannerisms had to change when I was at school. My music changed as did the clothes I wore. I was afraid of being regarded as “ghetto,” or “urban.” Being in such a dominated environment conditioned me to put on my “white” face and act proper at all times. Now, having moved to Long Beach and experienced the amount of diversity that’s present on this campus, I’m beginning to get reconditioned into being who I was for most of my life: classy, sassy and a little bit hood. Initially, I feared coming to CSULB because I heard how culturally diverse it was. While I was of course excited at the prospect of living how I’d grown up,
I was nervous because I had spent time assimilating into the culture of the majority. But, in the style of my true self, I strutted up the sweat-inducing stairs to the College of Liberal Arts where my major classes are held. As someone who felt restricted for a in a college that had “liberal” in the title because I felt that the move to Long Beach See, transferring to Long Beach didn’t mean that I just switched schools. It meant that I moved out of my house, away from my family, away from my friends, and away from my prior life. I had to let go of who I was to become who I am now and I truly feel that choosing Long Beach as the place for my evolution was the best decision. I had plenty of colleges to choose from, but I knew people at the other schools, and I know I would have felt too comfortable in those places, maybe even stagnant. After all, three of my choices were back in the Bay Area, but something about Long Beach spoke to me; the fact that it holds LA vibes in a beach community is both fascinating and mystifying. I knew nothing about Long Beach like I knew my other choice schools, so I at least knew that coming here would be an immersive experience into unfamiliar and exciting territory. My roads divided into yellow woods, and like Robert Frost, I took the one less travelled
FEATURE
11
By Emily Ayers I am trying to brace myself for the moment when my best friend crosses the stage to receive her diploma. I won’t be able to stand next to her to receive one of my own, even though, we graduated high school the same year. My college career has turned out
return to Long Beach and attend Long Beach wave of relief, but it was quickly replaced by feelings of doubt. I thought I had let myself and my family down. realized that I had made the best possible
as I have learned, that is okay. For me, high school was an intense process of college preparation. My senior year creating personal statements, and numerous college applications. I chased dreams of outI prepped myself for an exciting four fresh faces and independence, but I quickly I struggled to connect with people, and the party atmosphere distracted me from the true importance of a college education.
humbled me in many ways. I was exposed to a variety of people: soldiers who had mothers working toward a degree to better their family’s lives. In a lot of ways my high school made me feel like community college was somehow taking the lesser route, but I was quickly shown that that was not the case. My bright and intelligent people who all had a goal to better themselves through the path of education. I began immersing myself into my classes
By Rebeca Vega are my 40s. I don’t have a career, my own home, children, nor a spouse. But I’m here.
two years ago, despite the fact that “here” doesn’t make sense some days. middle school kids enjoying field trip caught the tail end of the tween stampede as we ascended the Friendship Walk being hungry and I wanted to reach into my pockets to hand them whatever loose change I might have had. One of them tripped and I wanted to catch him. I realized I had maternal feelings for these strange my biological clock that reminded me I was late to something other than class. history of Modern art last semester and we discussed the many firsts that came about during one of the waves of the sexual very phallic.
I’m going back to the future or fast forwarding to the past. I’m aging physically, but lack the life experience of people my age who graduated eight years ago, like I would have had I stayed at the out of high school. Instead, I went, failed, refused the terms of their reinstatement contract, and ended up back home after three years. I tasted failure, real failure, but my worst fears didn’t come true. My family didn’t disown me, and the sun that mattered were still there. I finally graduating with three associate degrees and a clear I still trip over my pride, though. I lost my car my first week here and spent an hour circling the same lot because I convinced myself that someone my age should not ask for help older transfer student, I deal with
television without being censored?” No one answered the professor, but everyone typed the question into their notes:
attend that event? I’m not young here? We won’t have anything in
“Lorena Bobbitt,” I called out. I didn’t know the answer as a straightforward fact, but I remembered watching snippets of the Bobbitt trial on into a tissue from under toilet-paper-roll bangs and a white scrunchie. Her shoulder pads exaggerated her whimpers into heaves. I was there, but I’m also “here.” “Here” is getting ready for a 9 am class, but avoiding the mirror in case there’s a gray hair. “Here” is waiting by the mailbox for a college admissions letter the same month I’m expecting a Facebook invite for my 10-year high school reunion. “Here” is being old enough to wade through the section of the dating pool that welcomes some of my instructors. I’m stuck “here,” in this weird limbo where time is everything, young and old are a glaring truth, but also inconsequential details. I don’t know if
Nah, I shouldn’t even be here anymore. I should be a lawyer or marine biologist. I should have a doctorate by now. I should have frozen my eggs. I should be a better version of myself. Where did I go wrong? I didn’t. I’m exactly where and who I need to be to help others do the same. My biggest challenges here have all involved personal development. I’ve been a student forever; I know how I’m still learning is how to move past the standard set by the K-12 public school system that considers community college a second choice to university. If an education is the goal, all schools are a viable step. I know least, and the very most, I’m here.
the content my teachers were discussing. I was making connections with my peers, and professors alike. My professors changed my entire perspective on education, and through their passion instilled in me the importance of hard work. I had wrongly categorized community college as a step down, but it turned out to be a complete step up. like I would never transfer back to a fouryear college, but I was reminded daily that removing myself from that environment was the best thing I could have done. gratifying experience. I appreciate every moment I am here. the fact that I am technically a year behind has been hard at times. It takes me back to the place of feeling like a failure, but then I
am reminded of how far I have come. When I go to my classes, meet new people, or attend a club meeting, I am grateful to be exactly where I am. how I envisioned, it turned out better. Yes, some of my friends will receive their diplomas before me, but when the time comes for me to move my tassel to the other side, I will do it with ease knowing that I am a stronger and more well-rounded human being.
12 Food
Hitchhiker’s Guide to French Food and Restaurants Story and photos by Ricardo Alejandro Pulido Contributor
learned that crêpes are to the French as hamburgers are to Americans. Basically, if a tortilla
hot spots, cafés and restaurants in Long Beach.
Gourmet Crêpes at Bixby Park’s Farmers Market strawberry and Nutella crêpe with whipped ($5), both made fresh on the grill. But if you’re not craving sweets, they also sell savory crêpes
I found this little gem when I moved to Long Beach in 2013. I used to come to the Bixby Park farmer’s market every Tuesday for their
This farmer’s market only takes cash, but they have a booth where you can use your debit/credit card to get cash vouchers to buy the crêpes. This cute crêpe stand is right near the front stage of the market and you can sit at tables near the stage and see live musicians sing their hearts out. It’s a great environment to share a yummy French crêpe with your friends and while you are there, you can also go shopping for veggies and local produce. This farmer’s market is located in Bixby Park on Cherry Ave. and Broadway St. It’s open Tuesdays from 3 pm-8 pm and Saturdays from 10 am-3 pm. For more info go to www. LocalHarvestFarmersMarkets.com.
go to the “Gourmet Crêpes” booth. Their dessert crêpes are amazing and cost-friendly if you are on a budget. My favorites are the
Babette’s Feast are amazing and they are all on display right when you walk in the café. What stands out the most about this restaraunt, however, is all Macarons are a famous French pastry with
with you to snack on for later or give as a gift
Babette’s is a café and bakery on 2nd St. in Long Beach. It’s the perfect place to get an espresso, a pastry, or the traditional baguette while working on your homework, or have a quick lunch with your friends. They specialize mostly in pastries but they also have a wide variety of breakfast and lunch specials. I had their chicken mushroom crêpe and green salad as the side (for $9.29) for lunch and their apricot tart ($4.19) for dessert, which was so
choose from you will want to come back for more. Macarons are usually very expensive due to their ingredients but I think if you’re on a budget this is the place to get them for a decent price. Try their croissants ($2.09 each), quiche ($6.29), veggie torte ($6.29) or their vol au mushroom, olives and white wine cream sauce ($6.29) for a nice lunch. They are located at 4621 E. 2nd St. Long Beach, California 90803 and their hours are Monday-Sunday from 7 am-8 pm.
Crème De La Crêpe Café This café is located in downtown Long Beach crêpes. It has an escargot (which are snails!) appetizer and specialty French sandwiches such as the “croque monsieur” and “croque madame” are their signature classics. I ordered
mignon in a Porto mushroom sauce. It is a little on the pricey side, but its location, ambiance, I had the “douce” crêpe ($6.95), which was cream on the side and it was also great! They also have outside seating—a classic feature of most French cafés in Paris. They’re open Monday-Sunday from 8-10 pm and are located on 400 E 1st St., Long Beach, California 90802. For reservations or questions call (562) 437-2222.
La Creperie Café I recently found out about La Creperie from a friend in my advanced French class. It’s located on Long Beach’s famous 2nd Street. I had a plutonic date night there with another friend and the food was worth every penny. The crêpes we got there were so good and ambiance. The interior of the eatery is quite beautiful and you feel like you’re in a Parisian café. It has dim lighting with a grand chandelier and beautiful paintings and large mirrors on the walls that make you feel like you’re not even in Long Beach. restaurant and if you don’t want to eat inside there is sidewalk seating. I ordered the Al Mare crêpe, which had shrimp, sundried and plum tomatoes, wild mushrooms and mozzarella in a lobster basil cream sauce ($14.95) and my date ordered the Jambalaya crêpe, which had andouille sausage, caramelized onion, tomato, shrimp, chicken and mozzarella in a spicy sauce ($14.95). It was a little on the pricey side, stop serving savory crepes after 9:30 pm and from then on they only serve dessert, so keep that in mind when planning on a late dinner.
For dessert, we shared the Napoleon crêpe ($9.95), which had fresh strawberries, crème brulee custard and a crispy brulee crust with whipped cream and ice cream on the side. Go for a date night with your new beau and you won’t be disappointed. It is located on 4911 E 2nd St. Long Beach, CA 90803. It’s open Monday-Thursday from 10 am-10 pm, Friday from 10 am-11 pm, Saturday from 9 am-11 pm and Sunday from 9 am-10 pm.
Food
13
Flavors from the Horn of Africa Story by R. Ray Robinson Contributor
A close look at Ethiopian food in California Ethiopian food is not only a culinary delight but also an undisputed expression of the people’s culture who reside in the country that is located to the east of the African continent. Although I am not Ethiopian, I want to make sure that people who are unaware of this country’s meals won’t miss out on enjoying the
Vegan
Cuisine,
Messob
Ethiopian
is the spicy doro wat, a combination of
It’s really fun to eat all the food a certain
dishes.
“American mindset” of exotic foods. I thought the moment I bit into it, it was the complete opposite as it was so tender and rich that it
meat dishes with pieces of injera. Other times
are Tana’s Ethiopian Restaurant and Market
the food inside the injera, roll it up and eat it as
Abyssinia Ethiopian Cuisine on 2751 W.
single delicious bite. Whether dishes are hot, equally delicious.
and
get the beets, collard greens, or the Timatim
doro wat and the shiro inside the injera are a satisfying combination. Whether it’s shiro or doro wat on the injera, I also enjoy other meals that are either
tortilla. One of the many foods that injera goes great with is the shiro, which is sweet chickpeas that melt in your mouth like honey. This dish is perfect if you’re trying to eat healthy or if
in Inglewood. Ethiopian friends to teach me, I felt I lacked the opportunity to be fully enriched by Ethiopian culture and food. This made me want to search for these wonderful meals as I began doing research on my own. When I did, I wound up enjoying many of the dishes that
with awaze sauce, which is the Ethiopian in Little Ethiopia, such as Rahel’s Ethiopian
ones and the world.
14
Literature
Blue Balls of the Heart Short story by Becca Pincolini Contributor Illustration by John Mueller Graphics Illustrator
There are three ways to say, “Fuck you.” The
the “F”.
Lifestyle
Relax your body, brain, and soul
15
Meditate The Stress Away
Like all college students, I go through a lot of stress. I had struggled to deal with my stress for a while until I discovered meditation. At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, meditation changed the way I deal with stress, and it’s something that I recommend. Meditation has been proven to minimize anxiety and depression. According to a study from Behavior Research and Therapy, meditation aids in focusing the brain, preventing it from wandering and conjuring negative thoughts. Some may look down on meditation as merely sitting down with closed eyes, but that kind of concentration does wonders to the brain. Meditating is really simple. There are a variety of sitting poses you can do, but there is one pose a beginner can do with no
problem. The signature pose is sitting with legs crossed, close to your body. Hands can be held o f
“Imagine yourself as a mountain and thoughts as clouds”
Story by Cesar Cadenas Staff Writer in a variety ways: index or middle the thumb, interlace your hands together (which is what I do), or put
on top of one another with your thumbs forming a bridge. Look at the pictures around if you’re still confused on
hand posture. Your back must be completely straight; you can’t slouch. And eyes must be closed. Remember, it’s all about staying in the here-and-now, and The next step to great meditating is proper breathing. When meditating, you’ll have to lungs. Inhale until your stomach concaves and your chest sticks from full lungs. Exhale and relax your stomach. But, don’t continue breathing deeply when meditating unless that’s the way you normally breathe. Deep breathing will distract you from meditating
unconsciously, where you don’t notice that you’re breathing. Imagine true meditating breathing as when you breathe in a everyday scenario, like walking to class. You’re breathing, but you’re not paying attention when you do. As you meditate, you’ll reach that state. Inevitably, as you meditate and reach that calm state, you’ll start to think all sorts of thoughts. They’ll be positive thoughts, negative thoughts, or simply thoughts. Focus on your breathing. Imagine yourself as a mountain and thoughts as clouds. Clouds do nothing to mountains, and neither will thoughts. Practice being still and focus. Eventually, you’ll reach a calm state. Meditate for 10 minutes every day for a month. See the improvement.
ease yourself into a state where you breathe
ChitChat With Jack Thought bubbles of ideologies interpreted I admire and repsect other people who don’t think or live like me. I live with my own thoughts all day. I think they get a little stale is a party for me. The only time I ever have a problem is when people force their ideologies onto me. It’s one thing to speak, embrace, or love your ideologies, but please do not force it onto me. It’s like brain rape. No means no. I was talking to a person who is a tree hugger like me. He took his environmental stance on diets while I take mine on cosmetics and everyday better alternatives.
meat.” Whoa, there sir. That escalated quite quickly and you should slow down before I throw a cow in your path to really make you swerve into the slow lane. Good for you for being a vegan—round of applause—but don’t shame me for living my eco-friendly life that’s not your way. If you really want to talk about saving animals, then ditch that body wash that contains plastic microbeads that pollute our waters. These little “friendly” microbeads absorb chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, that are harmful to animals eat them by accident or confuse
of pro-meat diet which was interesting. But then that bastard turned around and said, “If you really loved animals, you would quit
So don’t come over to me forcing your ways onto me when they aren’t that perfect. Go eat
Story by Jack Villalba Lifestyle Editor
How about those people who preach on campus about the Bible? Cool, you believe in what you believe in, but please do not wave a big-ass sign around telling me, “Gay people are going to hell.” I’m sorry, but I have a chemistry lecture to worry about and the last thing I need is someone else giving me a lecture on something I don’t care for. And on my body, baby, because I will happily march alongside anybody who is gay, lesbian, long as they are a good person and would save a puppy from a burning building. How about when people force their idea of what “good music” is? Good for you that you like songs that go, “Titty, titty, ass, ass,
drink some Hennessy, make it rain, titty titty.” I dont judge (aloud), but please do not force it onto me. I perfer my alternative music like The Neighbourhood that doesn’t increase teen pregancy. “Listen to this song,” she said as we drove in her car. “It’s better you make me listen to your music without consideration of what I like, then you insult my taste in music? If I’d known this would happen, we would have taken my car and you could have sat in the backseat listening to Sweater Weather until your eardrums bleed. But because I’m nice, that didn’t happen. Long story short, don’t force your ideologies onto other people. It’s cool to talk about, but not to try and convert other people. If you like doing that, go join a cult.
16
Travel
Fear and Loathing in the Salton Sea From a trippy adventure to a sobering sight
It was somewhere between Coachella and Mecca that I realized we were in for one hell of a trip. That vast, empty feeling you get in your gut when you enter true darkness and realize through the eternal void of space rushed over me; it enthralls me. Our escape was officially underway once the obnoxious city lightpollution subsided, conquered by the blackness of the desert night. The tapestry of ancient stars and distant galaxies proved the three-hour drive was well worth it. The setting was ideal for psychedelics, but we were here for photography. Although I was many moons removed from my experimental phase, I remained open to the idea of expanding my consciousness when the time is right. We had two eighths of funky fungi, a couple 12-packs of Red Stripe, a little less than a quarter of Topshelf, a few
enough to properly supply and inebriate the three of us for the next two days of adventure in the Salton Sea. After checking into our one-star,
We came across a strip of abandoned homes, some in worse condition than others. Some were half burnt with furniture still inside. Some needed to be burnt down. We split up, exploring the properties, armed with our camera bags breed of human rejects we could run into. All I could imagine was stumbling into some creature out of a Rob Zombie flick that nodded out in a dark corner of a decrepit room. It quickly became a perfect recipe for a bad trip on shrooms, so I stuck
Story and photos by William Martin Athletics Editor
from the local creeps. We got back to the motel, and tried to not think of all the possible reasons someone might have lubricated the doorknob and the remote control. I couldn’t escape the violating images that plagued my mind, so I used every disinfectant wipe to clean my dirty thoughts and anything the previous inhabitant may have touched. After a few hours of shut-eye, we woke up determined to make the pilgrimage to Salvation Mountain. (If you want to know more history about it, Google it. It really is fascinating.) Before we launch, I dig into my stash and discover the most wicked looking mushroom I have ever laid my eyes upon. It must have weighed at least two grams. The midnight-bluish tint on the stem was porous and black. Down the hatch it went, as I masticated it with authority to show it who was boss. I chased it with water, as if my tongue. No turning back now. The same anxious
to the Jamaican lager and ganja. We drank a few beers in someone’s abandoned living room and escaped without any cameos
my insides. We made a pitstop at a Farmer Boys. By the time I got to the cashier to place my order, endorphins rushed my pineal gland. I used every bit of my self-control to string together words to make a sentence, but I was
not sure what the context was. All I knew, I was number 86 and not hungry at all. Once my meal arrived at the table, I was peaking. I started laughing with my hamburger. “We have to get out of here,” I
We slipped out of there, two of us mushed out of our minds, and the other along for the ride, unsure of what the extent of our high was. Raul never tried anything other than herb and I was not about to feed him the forbidden fruit until he was certain that he wanted to have his mind pried open. By the time we pulled into the dirt parking lot of Salvation Mountain, the giggles had and introspective jargon. Immediately, I was shocked by the number of families that made the trek into the boonies to see this trippy hill composed of wood, abandoned train parts, and adobe. It was created by a senile old man in the name of repentance.
Quinta, California, we hit the road again for Balboa Beach. Maya didn’t realize when she booked the shithole that it was still an hour away from anywhere we wanted to explore, but at the same time it provided plenty of time for us passengers to work on the beers and roll up a few doobies. We pulled into a neighborhood that according to Google Maps was Balboa Beach. It looked more like an abandoned trailer park that was partly destroyed by a vandals. We pulled over to check out the neighborhood. As soon as we got out of the truck, we were confronted by a dude behind an ivy covered fence. He seemed as though he was as startled as we were by the exchange, but I told him we were looking for the beach and just wanted to take some long exposures. He told us that we were miles from the beach. We could too far. Or, at least, that is what I thought. We half-heartedly thanked him and piled back into Maya’s monster of a truck.
*The Long Beach Union Weekly does not promote the use of drugs
Music
17
An Entrance to Illusion Here is a recount of what went down at Escape: Psycho Circus Words and photos by Christian Bourdeau Contributor
After two nights of festive frights and spinetingling fun, the 5th annual Escape: Psycho Circus has come to a safe and successful close. Almost 90,000 costumed headliners explored the devilishly decorated NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, California, while sounds from dance music’s most treated to terrifying haunted mazes and the eccentric antics of Insomniac’s creepy costumed performers around every corner. As fans entered Escape, they were transported into the otherworldly Psycho Circus, complete with tightrope walkers, fortunetellers and nightly burlesque shows all to the backdrop of American Horror Story set pieces. The circus came alive as nightmarish characters including the Needle
Twins performed to the crowd’s delight under the big top circus tent. Headliners had access to classic circus attractions like a house of mirrors and popcorn vendors as they wandered around the moonlit lagoon. Over the weekend, more than 50 international artists performed across four massive stages. The energy was high in the
Moby, Paul van Dyk, and Flux Pavilion. Making its terrifying return to Escape, the Slaughterhouse mega-structure towered 190-feet tall by 400-feet wide with 10 impressive lasers, 14 hanging video panels, mind-blowing special effects and a giant, wide-mouthed clown centerpiece. Flanking the immense clown DJ booth, which hosted the likes of Porter
Seeing 90,000 people all migrating at once was an experience in of itself. Tea Party, fulfilling every techno lover’s dream. Blood-curdling screams could be heard from the festival’s dark and twisted mazes as fans braved the Looking and Alice’s House of Horrors, each full of gruesome scenes and surprises. After hours of dancing, guests felt a change of pace as they interacted with beautiful art installations such as the Spires, a crowd-controlled light sculpture, in addition to Fuego Arbori, a metal tree structure with
and
Delicious eats and craft drinks were available in The Abbey Bar area where Cats & Boots
a circus cage full of performers and a chilling guillotine. Tucked away between spinning ferris wheels,
Finally, when the event ended, hoards of costumed headliners squeezed out of the venue. It resembled recent scenes from The Walking Dead when the protagonists are driving the hoard away from Alexandria, except in this case, everyone is trying to get back to their cars.
&
Beyond,
Although there were more than 500 raverelated arrests during Halloween weekend, there were no reported deaths at Escape. Insomniac had a responsive paramedic team. They were constantly sweeping through crowds and asking how guests were doing and making sure everyone was safe. Insomniac invites everyone to continue their festival journey with EDC Orlando on Nov. 6-7 at Tinker Field, and at Dreamstate on Nov. 27-28 and Countdown on New Year’s Eve, both returning to the NOS Events Center.
Getting Groovy at the Echo Indie rock band, Wild Ones, puts on a show of musical ecstasy There is nothing more invigorating than a spur-of-the-moment weeknight venture into Los Angeles. Every couple of weeks, my internal coveting for live music bubbles up to the surface, and luckily, just next door to Long Beach lies the artist’s oasis, the heart of the entertainment industry, L.A. On Nov. 2, I convinced a loyal friend to
infamous “bands in town” website, I found a show where the tickets were only $10. And so we go down to Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park, L.A., where one of the top hottest music venues in the city lies: The Echo—a venue famous for fostering new upand-coming bands. This particular night was headlined by Wild Ones, an indie rock band from
Portland, Oregon. They recently dropped their newest album, Heatwave in August. The album features 6 songs: “Heatwave,” “Dim the Lights,” “Show Me Islands,” “They Said,” and “Loveless.” We arrived to The Echo around 8 pm, but the doors were bolted shut. About-face, we strolled down to the intriguing little book store I had spotted just two doors down. Inside we found it was not just a bookstore, but a bookstore café
Words and photo by Paige Lapp Contributor
around and browsing through their vintage library collection, I left with one small composition book with cover, and my friend with a book on the Enlightenment. 8:45 pm, the doors to The Echo were opened wide. We scurried through the maze of velvet ropes, door man, and entered a small dark basementlike room with a stage, a bar, a few booths and small tables hugging the
outside walls. As soon as the band came out onto the stage and the disco ball descended from the ceiling, began a 1970s-esque twist of indie rock music that tickled my soul. Within seconds, I propelled myself toward in the ecstatic, psychedelic sound. Unique to Wild Ones is a sense of groove unlike most of the popular indie rock bands Heatwave album is an easy, sexy sound that will make you want to close your eyes, raise your arms up to the sky, and let your hips sway. Their music embodies a sense of freedom and letting go. The hypnotic, eccentric vibe is so potent and so contagious that you may even get so lost in the mellow beats that you sway the phrase, “dance until you drop.”
18
Entertainment
Who Will Save Hannibal? The one serial killer we want to get away Story by Taylor Caceres Contributor Illustration by John Mueller Graphics Illustrator NBC’s TV show Hannibal was cancelled this year, and I’m still in mourning. You’ve probably never heard of it: the Nielsen viewer ratings were not impressive, and the general reaction whenever I talk about it to other people is,“Wait, that exists?” Hannibal
and murder scenes are elaborately and gruesomely staged. And second of all, Hannibal is psychologically intense. There are scenes that blend reality with dreams and hallucinations—Will constantly sees a raven-feathered stag. And there is, of course, the core dynamic of the show: the push-
episode, to which another character replies
something of a happy ending, exiting stage left with their son, all of them hopefully being
at the end of season three. Together, Will
then initiates a murder-suicide attempt,
had sworn on Alana and her family. Unlike the majority of cancelled shows out there, Hannibal does have the potential
into the ocean. An end credits scene implies as a serial killer, but as the show goes on, he killer character that you might recognize from the iconic movie Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal was and is one of my all-time beautiful. You might not expect that a show featuring countless murders would warrant the label “beautiful,” but it is beautiful. Scenes are shot with a distinct artistic aesthetic, the color grading is grimly saturated, Brian Reitzell’s music is unique and unsettling,
that Will survives as well, but this remains the dangling endpoint in the story because of a man under turmoil, at turns vulnerable and tormented by his ability to understand the
The ending was emotionally resonant, and it’s not necessarily a bad place to end. But there’s more of the story to be told.
capability of Will’s and plays the part of the very much still in the air, along with other
the words “twenty-two months,” which fans have speculated is a contract expiration date that would allow Hannibal to be picked up by streaming services for new installments. Starz’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s book American Gods, and the other actors are likely The Way that doesn’t mean that hope is entirely lost, because this fannibal will always be hoping that one day, Hannibal will return.
Ava DuVernay vs. Hollywood’s Steroetypes Story by R. Ray Robinson Contributor
How one female director of color is making a difference
and even his voice made me question if the of women with sex tapes, boob jobs, and other scandals, and it is phenomenal to
and the Civil Rights movement marching in the town of Selma. It was amazing to see how
Selma because she really gives me reason to be proud to live in this new era where change is occurring for artists of color, female artists and artists everywhere. Although many people of color and women are continuously
but rather how men, women, young and old, had to endure so much to achieve voting
performance answered all my questions
rights proves that she can deliver universal emotions of perseverance and unity to catch her audience’s heart. Behold, America! Women from all lifestyles do not have to fake it to make it in order to succeed because they can stay true to themselves by working hard in order to make their dreams come true.
typical “sausage fest” by only showing the men saving the day all the time. She showed great support of the women marching along with the men, even when times were rough.
leadership, and his remarkable push for peace that made me feel like I was walking with him at the marches with uncontrollable zeal. because she was able to break barriers in
Oyelowo in the epic Middle of Nowhere. When
nominations from the Golden Globes and
on Selma, I was more than happy to see him
announced the win for “Glory”, written and
with the great actor, but getting him to master the late activist’s speeches, movements
more glory in times to come.
Entertainment
19
Guardians of the Halo Everything you wanted to know about “Halo 5” but were afraid to ask Story by Elliott Gatica Music Editor “Halo 5: Guardians”...Guardians? Wait a second. It’s called “Guardians?” I’m confused. Bungie released “Destiny” and the characters you play as are guardians. I don’t like “Destiny.” Your Spartans shoulder charge and ground pound like Striker Titans do in “Destiny.” Now this is concerning. I want to play “Halo 5,” not “Destiny.” Why is it called Guardians? Okay, rant over. So, here it is: “Halo 5” is out and more action-packed than ever. This game is perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing and graphically improved game in all of the “Halo” installments yet. This makes what I’m about to say go through a bit of a bumpy road. Take my review with a grain of salt, because as an avid gamer, this game has too many regions where there could have been improvement. mode, which is a huge determinant of this game’s shelf life and success. The cinematic aspects of this campaign are downright gorgeous. The visuals, the voice acting, the transition from cinematic to gameplay do I feel like this campaign is shortened despite
with scopes, and the Magnum. Now, you by the Arbiter or Sergeant Johnson anymore. Then I remember that Johnson died, and that made me reminisce of the Halo trilogy. comprised of Holly Tanaka, Olympia Vale, Edward Buck, and their leader Jameson down Blue Team to primarily bring Master Chief into custody. From the events that transpired in “Halo 4” and in the Spartan-Ops mode in “Halo 4,” Master chief has gone AWOL in search for Cortana, who had gone rampant. Instead of being your usual companion, she is now the target of interest as she is sided with the Prometheans. They act like “guardians” when it comes to her whereabouts and safety. it was predictable since she had started to malfunction in the fourth installment of
extinguished, but I digress. Anyway, starting with the gameplay, I’ve still got mixed feelings about this game. It feels like “Titanfall,” “Call of Duty: Advanced
SMGs, and just any other weapon that doesn’t have a designated scope for aiming. To be completely honest, I don’t really like it. It feels like this game is heading down the road of becoming yet another yearly released, generic shooter game with a community full of trolls, cry babies, and critics. I feel so disadvantaged since I still tend to only aim ratio obviously shows it. I’m never under 1.0! This was devastating because being the “Halo” veteran I am, I never went below 1.0. I’m digressing again, but anyway, risky move, 343 Industries. Onto the multiplayer, or rather the Arena: It’s great. Slightly underwhelming in terms of map choice and gameplay variation, but great! It also feels more tactical, fast paced, and once again balanced. The whole loadout system that was in “Halo: Reach” and “Halo
So far, there are only playlists for Team Slayer, SWAT, Team Arena, Breakout, Free For All, Warzone and Warzone Assault. I tried out every playlist. Slayer and SWAT have almost remained the same since it was around in the previous installments of this game. What really piqued my interests were Breakout and the two variance of Warzone. Breakout seems like the type of playlist that would be used for Major League Gaming tournaments, since it’s an elimination teams of four dish it out with no radars, no respawns, and lots of communication. The maps I played were very symmetrical and went down to the bare bones of this game. This is more for the hardcore players. And now, the Warzones. This is where “Halo 5” thrives in what is a revamped version of invasion mode from “Reach.” Two large teams face each other in a seemingly imbalanced warzone, but with AI on both sides in an objective-based game type.
with the same typical “Halo” multiplayer Magnum, and two frag grenades. Also, along with scrapped loadout customization,
items acquired through REQ packs can be used for upgrades and creating diversity in loadouts to turn the tide. This honestly feels game, but without the dreaded spawn tickets. Every match feels like something new, and the AI balances out the skill gaps between the two teams. I can see myself on this playlist for very long periods of time. I will say that I am a bit aggravated from microtransactions making their way playlist. These microtransactions are used to purchase REQ packs which are almost exactly
the 15 missions. It just feels lengthy because of the cinematics and scampering around for hidden skulls and intel throughout the missions. Also, the story (which I will not spoil) does not deliver as much as the original trilogy did. I tried to care about the other characters, but all I really cared about in “Halo” is Master Chief, and in more recent times, Edward Buck,who is an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, Cortana, Dr. Halsey, Captain Lasky, and the One is the Blue Team, who is a group comprising of Master Chief and three other Spartan-IIs named Fred, Linda, and Kelly. They were also given the same treatment that the Master Chief went through when going through the process of becoming a spartan,
gameplay elements with “Halo” to create the movement feels fast and sharp just like “Titanfall”; the “Advanced Warfare” aspects that you can utilize such as the booster packs; clambering technique where you vault over a complicated, but it still feels like a “Halo” game to the core nonetheless. This game also features ADS (aiming down the sights) for all weapons. This is what felt the most game changing as in every “Halo” game, you would only be able to aim
weapon drops around the maps are now pinpointed and have timers so you can intercept those annoying campers and people who memorize the spawn locations of the more powerful weaponry. Teams must work with each other if they wish to succeed. This whole idea of being a lone wolf will not get you far and will most likely result in a bad multiplayer experience. Healing is expedited when you are behind cover and are in slower motion. The whole run-and-gun mindset is not the most optimal type of tactic to use in the Arena. I went in with that mindset and only went so far before things went south. This actually feels like a warzone! My teammates’ characters also yell things out like, “Cover me, I’m reloading!” or “Shields down, need to recover!”
and vehicles in the loadout sections. Just like spend any money to acquire these packs, but those who are willing and have the cash to spend will be at a slightly upper hand. It doesn’t matter, though. Despite the microtransactions, the somewhat milked and predictable story, the need to aim down sights on all weapons, and lackey diversity in playlists, this game does deliver results for a game that will hopefully have a longer shelf life than new IPs and most of today’s triple-A installments. I give this game 4.2 out of 5 plasma swords. It’s solid without a doubt, but I still think the franchise should have ended right after “Reach.”
Volume 77 Issue 12
Monday, November 9, 2015
LBUNION.COM
DISCLAIMER: AND THE NIGHT IS YOUNG. THE DRINKS IS COLD. NOW YOU KNOW, TELL EVERYBODY THAT YOU KNOW THAT I DON’T LOVE YOU NO MORE.I KNOW WHEN THAT HOTLINE BLING. This page is satire/parody and does not represent ASI nor the CSULB campus. Submit articlez to grunion@lbunion.com.
GOP Candidates Create a Paul Ryan Wants to Ask GOP Coalition to Protect Their Caucuses if They Like Him Collective Interests After the notorious CNBC debate last week, the front runners in the GOP race for the presidency By Wouston Hitney decided that they had taken enough abuse from the media and collectively decided to take back what they believe is their unalienable rights as presidential candidates. Majority of the candidates in the race decided that to combat what they saw was a major injustice committed against them, they will create a group that looks out for the common interests of the members to make sure that events, like the most recent debate, will never happen again. “Enough is enough,” says candidate and former HP CEO Carly Fiorina at a press conference yesterday “We will no longer be taken advantage of while major news outlets use us to make millions of dollars. What kind of evil group would do that to another human being?” Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor, piped in with agreement. “The way that the news media has been treating us is despicable. They initially wanted to make the debate run for three hours! Those working hours are horrendous and no person should have to tolerate such harsh conditions.” John Kasich giggled, “If they are going to make us work for that long, they
should at least give us health care!” This line was met with hearty chuckles from all the candidates at the press conference. After the laughter simmered down, Ben Carson looked around with an inquisitive look on his face. “…Wait, that’s actually not a bad idea. Do you think we could put that in our demand letter?” Rand Paul nodded. “While we’re at it, can we request for longer breaks? My feet get tired after standing for so long.” “I want a snack break too!” Shouted New Jersey governor Chris Christie. “I think what my colleagues and I are trying to say is that all of us up here are humans, and we deserve respect and dignity when we go to work everyday. We aren’t animals, and therefore I don’t think we should have to work like one.” Inquired Senator Marco Rubio. A reporter from the audience raised her hand to ask a question. “So are you basically trying to say that the GOP candidates are trying to form a union?” This question was met by silence and glares from all the candidates, until
By Haris Pilton
WASHINGTON DC - Earlier this month in light of the resignation of former house speaker John Boehner’s resignation, the
leader for their majority in the house of representatives. After hearing that the position was once again unoccupied, Paul Ryan, Former Mitt Romney running mate, became giddy with anticipation that the seat might be his in the future. “After hearing that he could have a chance at the position, he squealed and sent me a text with a bunch of heart emojis,” said a close friend. “He has dreamt of being the speaker for years, but the position was with that Boehner guy for so long that Paul thought that he could only have the job in his dreams.” Upon several suitors for the positions being turned away, Ryan decided that he was going to run, but only after seeing if all the
Speaker’s friends thought that he would be good for the job. To test the waters, he made about a dozen notes with the title “Do u lyk me??” and hand delivered them to each of the sessions being held in the nation’s capital. “It was the strangest thing,” said a congressman sitting on one of the GOP committees. “We were going on as we usually do and all of the sudden we see Paul Ryan scamper in the hall, place a folded note on the leader’s desk, and then run back out while quietly giggling. We’ve never seen the congressman so bubbly before.” Of course like any person with a secret infatuation, Mr. Ryan has been playing it cool when confronted with the question of whether he wants the position or not. “He is really excited, but wants to play hard to get so it doesn’t look like he’s too eager.” a source tells us. Later, after he got voted in by 236 of the members of the house, Paul Ryan can be seen talking about the Speaker of the House position 24/7, blushing when anyone brings it up to him, and even updated his Instagram bio to read
found the courage to speak. “Shut your mouth, you fucking commie.”
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