Now You See Me, Now You Don't

Intro

Issue 78.9

2

Katie Cortez, Editor-in-Chief editorinchief@lbunion.com Richard Mejia, Managing Editor manager@lbunion.com Jack Villalba, Assistant Managing Editor assistmanager@lbunion.com Ashley Rodriguez, Advertising Executive ashley.lbunion@gmail.com Nathan Zankich, Web Manager web@lbunion.com Amanda Del Cid, Social Media Manager

LIVE FROM NEW YORK (SORT OF) Last week was a little more than hectic here at the ol’ Union Weekly.

We were hoping that after the previous week’s news-filled Thursday-Saturday, the next week would be light and breezy for us.

But no, the news doesn’t sleep and apparently neither do we.

To make a very long story short, a lastminute decision to push up production day by three days for a few different reasons, number one being Andrew, Alex, and I were travelling to New York for the College Media Association conference. I did not want to leave Richard and Sam with all of the work on Saturday. And I also didn’t want to be worrying about the paper while we were on the opposite side of the country.

It wasn’t fair to them that Alex, Andrew and I were going to be exploring the streets of New York while the rest of the staff sat in the office working, like we all do every Saturday.

So, we pushed production day to Thursday, and nearly everyone was able to enjoy their

weekend for the first time in a long time.

The day before our flight was chaos.

Everyone was struggling to get their work in on time. We weren’t sure who was working on the cover. Alex and I had to go to our other jobs in the middle of the afternoon which made it difficult to finish our Union work. I think I left my chicken tenders at my other job, so Sam bought me Taco Bell. Only three of our computers can connect to the server, so working with more than three people has been difficult.

So, at 2:11 a.m. Friday, March 11, Alex, Peter, Sam and I are the only people left in the office. Peter’s waiting on a caption and copy editing finished pages for me, Sam’s wearing her noise-cancelling headphones and can’t hear us, so I don’t know what she’s doing over there. Alex is laying out his pages so Richard can just plug in his article.

I wish I could say that I will soon be done with my work. But I’m not. I have two news articles to edit, and write an essay that’s due

Graphic by Sam Orihuela

sometime today. I also have to run one more errand before heading to the airport. Oh, and I still need to pack for New York.

I can’t wait to disappear from California and school and work for a few days. I’ve never been to New York, and I really hope I get to see some of the city when I’m not attending the conference. I plan on ghosting from most people in California, but not for the same reason people in this issue’s feature were ghosts and ghostees.

I’ve experienced my fair share of ghosting, but in most cases I’m the one who disappears. I don’t know if I have a problem with commitment or something, but I ghost because I’ve never been a person to have constant contact with another person. I’d rather just disappear. Like right now.

Ktez

Andrew Linde, Podcast Producer ART & DESIGN Sam Orihuela, Art Director artdirector@lbunion.com John Mueller, Graphics Illustrator illustration@lbunion.com EDITORIAL Joel Martinez, News Editor news@lbunion.com Elizabeth Nguyen, Opinions Editor opinions@lbunion.com Bailey Mount, Community Editor community@lbunion.com Alejandro Ramos, Athletics Editor athletics@lbunion.com Kaila-Marie Hardaway, Food Editor food@lbunion.com Amanda Dominguez-Chio, Culture Editor amanda@lbunion.com Madison Gallegos, Culture Editor madison@lbunion.com Elliott Gatica, Music Editor music@lbunion.com

Andrew and I want to do the unthinkable and eat every item on the Nugget Bar and Grill’s menu. We have take-home menus and check off each item, and each week we’ll talk about a different Nugget meal.

Andrew Linde, Entertainment Editor entertainment@lbunion.com Peter R. Clark, Travel Editor travel@lbunion.com STAFF WRITERS

Andrew: I’ve been a fan of Tapingo since I arrived on campus. The app makes it easy to order food for pick-up or delivery. This includes ordering from the Nugget on your way so you spend less time in line. The one thing I haven’t figured out is if it’s pronounced Tap-in-go or Ta-ping-o. Here’s a true account from order to pick-up.

printed! Firing up stove!” And, “Master chefs working their magic.” Delightful.

1:57pm —I open up Tapingo, it says it’ll take six minutes to complete my order. Sure.

Katie: Last year, I was sitting in the Nugget eating lunch and “Jennifer Tapingo! Julia Tapingo!” rang through the loudspeaker.

Now, I don’t know if it’s because I’m not hip to the food-service phone apps, but my first thought was: “Why won’t these twins pick up their damn food?”

About 8 months later, Andrew told me that Tapingo was an app for ordering food.

1:59pm—I get an error message that the Nugget is closed. That doesn’t make sense.

2:05pm—I finally get my order in, 7 minutes until food. While waiting, the app gives encouraging messages like, “Ticket

2:15pm—After getting distracted in the office, I remember I have food to pick up.

2:19pm—I walk straight to the pick-up counter and grab my food. Perfection.

The first time I used it, I was surprised at how fast my order came out. Normally, I have to wait about 10 minutes for my food to come out, but with Tapingo, my food is ready by the time I get upstairs.

The second time I used Tapingo, I was in class and had forgotten that I hadn’t eaten all day. I was hungry and cranky and just wanted food immediately, so I ordered when I left my class in the AS building and by the time I got to the Nugget, it was ready.

I’m pretty sure this app has changed my life. No longer will this Editor-in-Chief starve because she hates waiting in lines.

Thank you, Tapingo. Thank you for making sure that I eat regularly.

Disclaimer and Publication Information: The Union Weekly is published using ad money and partial funding provided by the Associated Students, Inc. All Editorials are the opinions of their individual authors, not the Union Weekly, ASI nor CSULB. All students are welcome and encouraged to be a part of the Union Weekly staff. All letters to the editor will be considered for publication.

However, CSULB students will have precedence. Please include name and major for all submissions. They are subject to editing and will not be returned. Letters may or may not be edited for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and length. The Union Weekly will publish anonymous letters, articles, editorials, and illustration, but must have your name and information attached for our records. Letters to the editor should be no longer than 500 words. The Union Weekly assumes no responsibility, nor is it liable, for claims of its advertisers. Grievance procedures are available in the Associated Students business office.

Lauren Hunter, lauren@lbunion.com Sylvana Uribe, sylvana@lbunion.com Emily Ayers, emily@lbunion.com Jordan Daniels, jordan@lbunion.com Elizabeth Campos, liz@lbunion.com Matthew Gozzip, matt@lbunion.com Abraham Alapisco, abraham@lbunion.com COPY & ASSISTANT EDITORS Carissa Pope, Karen Ruiz, Sheila Sadr, Abril Burstein CONTRIBUTORS Beatriz Villa, Jesus Hernandez, Augustus Krider, Jessie Butera, Justin Lee, Anna Abella, Fergie Rosales, Karrie Comfort, Ricardo Alejandro Pulido, Becca Pincolini, Monica Morales, Jessie Butera, Wesley Ihezue COVER ILLUSTRATION BY: Wesley Ihezue FEATURE DESIGN BY: Sam Orihuela CONTACT US Snail Mail: 1212 Bellflower Blvd. Suite 116 Long Beach, CA 90815 Phone: 562.985.4867 E-mail: lbunion.info@gmail.com Classifieds: classifieds.lbunion@gmail.com

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Athletics

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Beach Heartbroken in Big West Finals

With the game winding down, tensions began to mount for Beach’s #24 Travis Hammonds. Hawai’i maintained their slender lead despite the 49er’s outscoring their opponent 35 to 33 in the second half. (Jesus Hernandez/ Contributor)

Men’s basketball remained plagued by season-long mistakes in 64-60 loss to Hawaii Words by Richard Mejia Managing Editor

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

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

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

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

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

size to their advantage.

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

Photos by Jesus Hernandez Contributor

deficit early in the second half with a few three-pointers from Hammonds and Faust, as well as a few 50-50 calls from the referees that went their way.

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

Ill-advised shot after ill-advised shot caught up to the Beach, and a contested three-point from sophomore guard Justin Bibbins was the last one the Beach would miss this season.

“I have no regrets on that final play,” said LBSU head coach Dan Monson. “Justin [Bibbins] is our best three-point shooter.”

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

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

-Dan Monson In addition to Faust’s 17-point performance, junior forward Travis Hammonds was the catalyst for the team’s offense in the second half.

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

The Beach weathered a 12-point

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

(Jesus Hernandez/ Contributor)

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Opinions

Let Me Spell It Out For You Journalism is more powerful than what you think

By Elizabeth Campos Staff Writer There’s a random question in my head: Do all majors have a stigma placed upon it by society? I’ve heard people say that pre-med and medicine students will spend a lifetime studying, that graphic design is not really a career, and that psychology will make you crazier than you might already be.

Then, there’s my major – journalism. The comments range from, “like entertainment news and stuff?” to “you like writing? Ugh!” “Are you going to be on TV?” “Isn’t writing more like a hobby?”

Being completely honest, I wasn’t sure what journalism entailed when I was younger.

I always knew I wanted to follow some sort of communication path, but I never knew what direction to go in. I lived in Mexico for 15 years and moved back to California four years ago. It wasn’t until I came to the United States did I take the journalism path. I chose

it because of noticing the differences between the countries and the world around me. This made me want to tell all sides of the spectrum.

Through journalism, I can tell my story as well as the neighbor’s story, the secret behind a great artist, the inspirational journey of a veteran. I can try and dissect why an economy works the way it does and I can give a voice to those who cannot speak.

While my purpose with the major stays the same, the way a journalism career works is not as simple as “a hobby.”

To start, journalism can come in all shapes and sizes. There’s television, radio, print, and even podcasting. With each one of these forms comes interviewing, editing, contacting people, being rejected, being accepted, sending 1000 e-mails with only a third of those you sent are responded to.

Oh! Let’s not forget deadlines!

Journalism is much more than a hobby as it changes the way you read, write, and talk.

When reading, I sometimes wonder if words need to be abbreviated in AP style. When writing, I always feel the need to give more details. Also, when writing academic pieces, I find that it starts looking more like an article rather than an essay. When talking to other people, I can’t help but think, “That would be a good quote for a story.”

Moreover, curiosity is what drives your work, but the credibility that a reader attributes to you is not a fair statement when they base it on your age, sex, or the publication you write for. Additionally, an unfortunate aspect of journalism is that whom you know might sometimes be more important than your skills.

Although I love what I do, even when I’m not being paid for it (yet), I have to say that

I Care About Podcasts Knowing what a podcast truly is makes all the difference

By Andrew Linde Entertainment Editor On Feb. 21, The Daily 49er published a story detailing the honors they took home from the 2016 California Media Association Awards. Near the end of the story, it reads, “The Daily 49er also placed for Best Podcast, Best Audio Slideshow, Best Newspaper Column…” And that’s when I did a doubletake. “Best Podcast?” I thought. Surely that must be a mistake.

I am extremely enthusiastic about podcasts. When I found the format in 2011, I took to it immediately, searching for new shows and eventually starting some podcasts myself. Going into journalism, I knew that I wanted to work in podcasts, which is what I saw as the future of radio. When I got to CSULB, I thought I could easily get involved with something podcast related. Instead, I found no real podcast support of the kind.

Each organization I got involved with didn’t really know what to do about my enthusiasm.

To put it mildly, The Daily 49er doesn’t have a “podcast.” They might have some audio files embedded on a website, but that’s far from what a podcast is. I can’t subscribe to it on my phone, like every other podcast I listen to. When I checked for what exactly won in the podcasting section, I encountered an error screen. The CCMA did not respond when I tweeted at them that their link was dead. I checked again the next week to find it online

and then was even further shocked to find that the Daily 49er podcast only got “Honorable Mention,” which isn’t exactly “placing.”

Last semester, I was in JOUR 340, Introduction to Online Media. As part of that class I had to assist with an online aspect of The Daily 49er in some way. I partnered up with my friend Mitchell so we could make a weekly podcast out of the Daily 49er offices.

I could finally do it-make a podcast.

When we arrived that first morning, we found that it wasn’t a true podcast (in my eyes). They didn’t really have equipment for us, and thank goodness, I already knew how to edit audio. But we still put together a solid show each week.

So allow my shock at this win to continue further when the winning “podcast” wasn’t one of mine or another person from that class, but a kind of one-off radio report from earlier in 2015. It is titled “Luck of the Lion” and was produced by Jesus Ambrosio, the radio producer at the time. Jesus is a nice guy and it was a good piece; I truly just blame the system for not understanding podcasts.

It wasn’t a coincidence that that semester was when I created a podcast series for the Union Weekly. You can find it on iTunes, or any podcast app you have.

Call it blind hope, but I really want podcasts to no longer be a misunderstood “hobby.”

this job will not make you rich. Professors and graduate students have said, “if you’re in this for the money, you’re in here for the wrong reasons.”

Some people are apathetic to the media.

They attempt to discourage me for trying to show the true colors of the system. I’ve been told “nobody cares.” Through all this, I don’t do journalism just as “a hobby.”

I believe that a journalist is an activist at heart; a curious and courageous mind that believes in the power of communication.

And if you still think that I do this as just “a hobby,” hold on to that idea if you like. At least I will live to the saying “choose a job that you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

Opinions

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Putting Fire Out with Gasoline Why engaging the campus religious extremists won’t work Words and photo by Bailey Mount Community Editor 1 Thessalonians 3:12 of the New Testament states, “the Lord should make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.”

With that said, modern Christians wouldn’t consider shouting slurs at university

students an overflow of love.

The middle of spring semester has brought with it the usual festivities: midterms, inconsistent weather, and the triumphant return of the extremist “Christian” groups on campus, a term that is loosely used here. They pop up like hatemongering flowers, seeking to spread the word of an angry and vengeful God. We are the cause of our own damnation and—unless we repent—we will have the fires of Hell to answer to. They might as well be telling us that Moses will lead us out of the drought.

Outdated beliefs propagate outdated world views and should be paid no more attention to than the grandfather who spews racist comments at the dinner table each Thanksgiving. Yet when these “Christians” come on to campus, large groups of angry “protesters”—again, loosely used in this regard—amass under the delusional assumption turning the hate back on them will make them leave.

To call these students protesters would be an injustice to any form of protest. A protest is carried out in opposition to something a person is powerless to avoid.

People are powerless to avoid increased taxation. They protest. People are powerless to avoid racial discrimination by many police officers. They protest. On a campus

Illustrations by Justin Lee Contributor university, it is ridiculous to think that we can’t avoid one or two people brandishing a sign with a fiery cross.

The problem here is that we don’t want to avoid it. We want to walk over there. We want to hear the incredible things they are saying so we can shake our heads in disbelief, walk on, and have something to talk about over lunch that day.

That is our mistake.

What do you do with a child when it throws a tantrum?

You certainly don’t tell them, “Hey, kid!

Stop being a little prick,” because what that usually gets you is louder crying, louder screaming, and more temperamental child who will only renew their onslaught with more vigor in the future.

So why would calling a member of this group a “sub” who lets “God give you the finger,” as one mob member shouted with a rude hand gesture, do anything but the same?

These people will not be shamed or shouted off of our campus.

This hatred is still attention that we are giving them, still a reaction to them and is still what prompts them to keep come back each time, because they know that we will stop and listen.

We are not “protesting” when we return their hatred. We are descending to their level

The Future of Selfies

and - through our ugly words and our mob mentality - confirming their beliefs about us.

We are confirming that we are inherently bad creatures whose first instinct when we see something we don’t like is to tear it down.

Aren’t we better than that?

“What’s the problem with selfies?”

Selfies are not as meaningful as they’re intended to be

By Jessie Butera Contributor Every day on campus, I see at least one person take a selfie. I see someone taking a selfie for Snapchat or a group of friends documenting their midterm study session or even a group from a sorority or fraternity stretching their arms to the fullest extend to snap a large group selfie.

What’s the problem with selfies?

Imagine yourself revisiting them in twenty years: You will be very confused

because you will not know where you are.

Your entire youth experience has been documented by selfies, smooshing you and your friends’ faces into a 4 in. by 6 in. frame, but you can’t even see the background! Yes, you and your BFF are looking fab in that pixelated iPhone 4 quality selfie cam, but where the hell were you? How do you look that good? Did you use overexposed lighting to hide the stress zits? Are you wearing

clothes or is that just a strapless top?

Even now, looking back at photos from high school, I can see the problem. There are photos from school dances and choir performances (I think) documented by several selfies of me and my friends’ heads from various angles. Luckily, my mom was there to take my pictures at prom or else years from now I would have forgotten the excessive amount of makeup I wore.

Here’s an easy fix: Have someone else take a photo of you and your twenty friends.

It does not count as a good photo if your lens is an arm’s length away and poor Kathy in the back only has one eyeball in frame. Give someone else your camera and take a proper picture so you can help your future eightyyear-old brain remember your youth.

6

News

Campus Hosts Security Forum Students voice concerns over ‘knife incident’ Demands for justice and for the resignation of Associate Vice President and Dean of Students, Jeffrey Klaus, rang out through the University Student Union Ballrooms on March 10.

“This is the open discussion we want to have, for you to be heard,” said Dr. Carmen Taylor, Vice President of Student Affairs.

Heated questioning continued on for the most part without a response from a facilitator or panel member.

In line with demands from the CSULB Black Student Union, the female student allegedly threatened last month by the male student who brandished a knife during a sociology class on campus was in attendance and made a formal statement at the podium. “…Can they be certain he is not a threat?” she asked. “Why is he allowed to [be on campus]? How is it safe for an alleged violent male to be allowed on campus and [into] our classes?”

“Who are you trying to fool?” said Justin Bradley, president of the BSU. “We are not stupid, don’t sit here and act like we are stupid […] come straight forward with the answers or else, like, justice or else.”

Kevin Clinton, a member of the BSU, requested that Police Chief Fernando Solorzano leave the stage and stand in the back of the room, stating that he felt “unsafe.” Solorzano agreed to appease the students but was almost immediately called back to the stage to answer another female student’s questions about campus safety.

“The conflict is that the young man works for me, he is a student and he is a

[Campus Security Officer],” Solorzano said, after being prompted to clarify claims of a conflict of interest. Grunts and sarcastic laughter from the students in the audience filled the ballrooms.

Dr. Jose F. Moreno, chair of the department of Chicano and Latino Studies, was one of the few on the panel to speak, reading a written correspondence on both the department’s and his own behalf. “The department of Chicano and Latino Studies wishes to extend our support to our fellow CLA colleagues and the students who were affected by the classroom incident,” Moreno said.

The meeting ended promptly after the BSU and the Sociology Student Association stood as one group and walked out of the forum stating lack of answers to be “bullshit.”

“I don’t know how much can be answered when you have feelings around anger and hostility and lack of understanding,” Taylor said. “So, I just let it roll. I didn’t want to contain it. You gotta let it get out, so get it out. Hopefully, in the next steps we are able to do more.”

Dori Levy, mentor of Students for Quality Education and member of the Executive Board of the California Faculty Association, spoke in a small group after the forum ended saying, “...I don’t feel safe for my students. I mean, how do I know that this kid isn’t sitting there next to another student in one of my classes? I want him out.

Every faculty member on this campus wants that kid out, and I want Jeff Klaus gone.”

Talk Politics to Me

The day is March 10 and Americans gather around their TVs, just one night after watching former Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton duke it out, to watch former Senator Ted Cruz repeatedly use the term liberal Democrat. As if there existed some other kind of Democrat.

Yes it was a big two days for debates, but luckily CSULB has made them available to us the voters. All thanks to the efforts of two people, Hillside President Judah Peralta and Elizabeth Wolf. The event was located in the USU: an almost excellent venue. For parts of the Democrat’s debate there was not enough seating, many people had to sit on the ground or stand. There was also a heated game of Ping-Pong going on behind the TV at all times.

The winner of that game will go unreported as I did not get his name, he does deserve credit for valor though. But it was his indifference to our hearing the debate that really won it for him.

I may critique, but the event was a success.

Peralta prior to the event said, “I intend to bring politics to the students of Long Beach

Primary debates screened at USU

By Augustus Krider Contributor

By Amanda Del Cid Social Media Manager

Members of the Black Student Union and the Sociology Student Association voiced their concerns regarding campus security and the ongoing police investigation (Amanda Del Cid/Union Weekly)

State and to promote political awareness around campus.” I think it is fair to say he did.

Furthermore I had wondered if the seating issue would be resolved on the second night, and at the beginning of the Republican debate I was still on the floor. However it was not an issue for long. Trump had decided not to yell at anyone, making the debate rather boring. So by the halfway mark, most people left, but it did free up a seat for me. As for the Democrat’s debate, Sanders and Clinton seemed to hold the audience together much longer. Event attendee Shannon Dow said that, “It was nice to hear the candidates discuss immigration, personally I feel it is a tricky issue. It is very helpful to hear it debated, and I’m glad that I could watch the debate here with other students on campus.”

The name Let’s Talk Politics was slightly misleading; I was asked to be quiet several times by other students during the debate, and there was no discussion after the debates ended. Many other amenities were provided though, for example, lots of diet coke. The

ASI was also advertising their upcoming elections, and people were present to aid in voter registration, you know like for voting in the real world.

Buffalo Wild Wings catered and I was likely the only liberal democrat to notice there was no strong vegetarian option save some delicious potatoes. The radical bleeding heart liberal vegan Democrats obviously had to pack their own lunch.

The most exciting thing to happen over both nights was a life sized Jenga set falling behind the spectators; causing a crash that startled a crowd already on edge after hearing that Marco Rubio would like our generation to retire at seventy. Boring as it may have been, it is important that people see these debates.

And though the event is as imperfect as our presidential candidates, I do hope that it is done again with more seating and salad come the next election cycle.

News

7

Sanders Wins Michigan, Hinders Clinton’s Momentum Debate and voting results blur democratic nominee outcome

By Richard Mejia Managing Editor Coming off the heels of heavy GOP debates and primaries, this past week revolved around former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Senator of Vermont Bernie Sanders and the Democratic Party.

After a week where two debates and a gross amount of delegates were had, the Democratic nominee race has intensified as though for the first time this election season; Sanders and Clinton were able to solely square off on national television.

Sunday’s Democratic Debate on CNN was one of the first times many people saw Sanders in that type of setting. Due to Clinton’s political history, the potential constituents had gained familiarity with her over the past two decades.

Sunday’s debate proved to be a pivotal moment, as Clinton could have furthered her support from the super delegates and in turn score a big win in Michigan, while Sanders had the opportunity to drive his

Illustration by John Mueller Graphics Illustrator

popularity into the Midwest.

The latter prevailed.

Sanders and Clinton heavily debated the automotive industry’s bailout crisis a few years ago, where Clinton consistently referred to Sanders as a “oneissue candidate” after the former Vermont senator repeatedly brought up Clinton’s Wall Street affiliation.

“My one issue is trying to rebuild a disappearing middle class,” said Sanders.

Sanders’ momentum following the debate carried over into Tuesday, as he shocked the political world by winning

Michigan over Clinton. Clinton had long been projected to claim Michigan, and with 127 delegates at stake, it would have furthered her standing.

With Sanders’ victory in Michigan, he stands at 562, with 25 superdelegates, and Clinton still firmly in the lead 740 delegates and 461 superdelegates.

Having to reach a total of 2,383 delegates to win the nomination, Sanders’ continuance of major victories has the potential to sway the minds of the superdelegates and wind down the election down to the Democratic National

“...Sanders’ continuance of major victories has the potential to sway the minds of the superdelegates...”

Convention.

After an eventful string of days early in the week, Univision hosted another debate Wednesday night in Miami, where immigration was the highly debated topic of the evening.

“Of the undocumented people living in our country, I do not want to see them deported, I want to see them on a path to citizenship,” said Clinton. Moderator Alex Ramos was pressing both candidates to clearly indicate what they would do with the current immigration policy.

“I agree with President Obama on many issues— I think he’s done an excellent job as president of the United States, he is wrong on this issue of deportation,” said Sanders.

With still many questions to be answered, the Dems will move forward to Tuesday, March 15, where a large sum of delegates will be up for grabs with Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Illinois being the featured primaries.

8

Travel

Naked Lunch for Two A mother-daughter trip to a nudist resort

By Bailey Mount Community The car ride was tense. My mother had not eaten before they arrived and was complaining about it as if it had been the result of someone else’s oversight and not her own. It didn’t give me high hopes for our trip.

I wanted to turn around, but I couldn’t.

I was the one who had invited my mother to do this. I was the one who had persuaded my family to make what was – for them – a three hour trip. I was the one who had decided this.

Thirty minutes later, my mother and I were naked.

She whispered in playful but anxious tones about how much she hated me, how she couldn’t believe that I had talked her into this, how cold she was.

A golf cart pulled up next to us. A short, stout woman stepped off, dropped her shawl, and introduced herself. This was our guide, a 67-year-old woman named Lori, and this was how we began our tour of the Glen Eden Nudist Resort.

Around for 53 years and counting, Glen Eden was like a small town all its own. It had a bookstore, a clothing shop – ironic, considering the circumstances – tennis courts, a garden, a diner, and permanent housing for some of its residents.

My mother and I were surprised at how naturally nudity came to us. No one

commented on it. It would be like mentioning that you breathed every day: obvious and unimportant. The only moment of hesitation came when we arrived at the bookstore.

Glen Eden residents could wear clothes if the weather permitted it, and the recent bout of cold weather had driven older members into wearing clothes again.

I didn’t come in until my mother went first, and for a moment I felt like a child again.

When meeting the rest of the community, there was no leering or staring. The men were respectful and the women were friendly. It was as if we had known each other our entire lives, with every person we met waving to us and wearing nothing but a smile and good intentions.

It almost felt like finding a tribe. Each person who approached us treated us kindly, remarking how much of a novelty it was that a mother and daughter were taking this adventure together.

We got to eat burgers, drink coffee, and sit and talk to each other for the first time in a long time. I was reminded of how close I felt to my mother. It helped that there was no cell phone reception amid the rolling hills. It was just us, going through this experience that had turned out to be more relaxing than we thought and filled with more loving people than we thought existed in the world.

Cheating on Winter

Photo courtesy of http://gleneden.com/

Lori, whose response when my mother expressed fear over her scars was to lift her stomach and bare her own. The sweet diner manager with blonde hair and an Alabama drawl like something out of a movie, who called everyone “honey” and “sweetie.” A man in a cowboy hat who gave me drawing advice and whose wife invited us back to their home for coffee. The group of old men who were delighted in my cribbage knowledge and wanted me to come back for a tournament the

next weekend. And lastly, a fellow diner who introduced himself by saying, “Are you two the mother-daughter I was hearing about?” and left Facebook friends with my mother.

I realized that this was something I could see myself doing often.

I realized that this was something my mother and I had in common.

And I realized that there is nothing in this world like drinking coffee, naked in the sunlight.

Bottom:We went luging in Rotorua for an evening. We started at the top of the hill raced all the way down. Left: My group and I snuck into the prop sections and touched everything in sight.

New Zealand’s north island adventure Story and Photos by Beatriz Villa Contributor During winter break I decided to take a rain check on winter and headed down south for an early 2016 summer. With a group of my closest friends, Mayra, Snead Marlene, and Ilja, we took a three-week vacation to visit our kiwi friend: Jodi. During our vacation, we used Jodi’s mom’s mini van and drove around the north island.

I arrived about three days before the rest of the group, my first kiwi experience was me waiting at the airport for Jodi to pick me up.

Unfortunately, the thingy-majig (yes, I know a lot about cars) hose had a hole and some stuff leaked out, which caused her van to overheat and die in the middle of the freeway. Without any way of knowing what was going on (no cell service

to call), I sat at the airport for what felt like days, until Jodi came to my rescue.

After dealing with a broken down van, a tow-truck, a stranger driving us to Jodi’s house, and a sip of an apple-orange flavored drink, my vacation began.

Jodi took me to her bach, a vacation home, in the country.

There her family made Laksa, a Singaporean noodle soup, with chicken, crayfish, and delicious spices.

After staying a night at Jodi’s bach, we hit the road. We napped at the beach, ate fresh oysters, and visited one of her friend’s bach (Apparently, everyone has a bach in New Zealand). We arrived in the middle of a power outage, but it didn’t matter because we were in a multi-million dollar

beach house on the edge of a private beach.

We had some fruity drinks and hung out at the beach until we regained power. The following day, Jodi took me to a little shop that sold sausage rolls. They are kind of like pigs in a blanket but the blanket is this soft, flaky croissant, and the pig is a perfectly seasoned sausage. It was amazing.

Three days after my arrival, Jodi and I headed to pick up the rest of the crew from the Auckland airport. We visited many cities and small town, each had a unique feel to it.

My favorite town was Hobbiton, and seeing my friends creep in and out of hobbit holes talking like Smeagle. We messed around with the props half the time, which I don’t think we were allowed to do. At the end of the Hobbiton tour, we were given a free bear at the Green Dragon.

We went zip lining, zorbing, luging, and hiking. Zip lining is one of the scariest things I have ever done. I mean, I am up for

adventure; want to go traveling? I am there, as long as both my feet are firmly on the ground. Jumping of things has never been my style. But I zip lined, and it was terrifying— but I had an amazing time.

Luging was like playing real life Mario Kart. We raced down the side of a mountain.

Luckily none of us fell, but I did see some guy bleeding through his clothes from a bad fall.

Luging is no joke.

We hiked pretty much every day, up to waterfalls and down to secret beaches. We took long, relaxing sulfur baths in hot water springs, and lay out on black sand beach. We ate fish and chips constantly and got around to saying “sweet as” and “yeah-yeah, coo,” and “cheers, mate.”

From what I saw of the north island, New Zealand is a beautiful country. It’s filled with beautiful forests, natural springs, and sheep.

Tons and tons of sheep. There are more sheep than people on that island.

FEATURE

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ghosting noun /‘ghĂľstiNG/ The act of suddenly ceasing all communication with someone the subject is dating, but no longer wishes to date.

Graphic by Nathan Zankich

10

FEATURE

By Sylvana Uribe Ghosting extends its grip far beyond the realms of dating. When calls are forwarded to voicemail and texts go unanswered, the mental anguish is set free to wreak havoc. The strands of any relationship, whether romantic or platonic, unravel under ghosting and the pain it brings with it is difficult to stomach.

Yoselin Garcia credits her hesitance to spark new friendships to her ghosting experience with a former friend of five years. As the 21-year-old health science major wraps a set of grey earphones around her fingers, she pushes through recollecting the fragments of a friendship that only exists in her memories.

Garcia befriended “the girl” in middle school and carried the friendship until the end of high school.

Their dynamic consisted of handmade birthday gifts filled to the brim with candy and spending time with each other’s families.

“She was the kind of person who’d call me every single night and I’d fall asleep on the phone with her until I started mumbling things,” Garcia said.

But the phone calls and texts came to a halt when “the girl” stopped responding. Confused, Garcia went on social media only to see that the person she considered a best friend blocked her. “The girl”

remained in her newsfeed whenever tagged in photos by mutual friends and would appear posing with a new set of faces.

What had she done wrong? How was she to blame?

What changed? Garcia didn’t get answers to any of those questions, but her biggest struggle was parting from something she considered “special and beautiful and ... torn down without a reason.”

A year passed before an unknown number called Garcia wishing to rekindle the friendship. The two agreed to start anew, but a month later “the girl” retreated into the silence once more.

Fed up with it all, Garcia threw away photos and items that tied her to “the girl.”

“I got rid of it all except for a letter or two that every now and then I come across when I’m cleaning my closet out,” Garcia said. “At some point, that relationship was real and it’s nice to know that I got to experience it when I needed it.”

After her troubles with “the girl,” Garcia struggled to salvage other friendships and remained discouraged.

Liliana Escatel, 20, a biomedical engineering major at Long Beach City College, was one of the few people who saw Garcia’s friendships unravel and said she was

often overlooked by Garcia who was hung up on dying connections.

“I was just there and that’s all you can really ask of someone…when you feel like you just lost this important person,” Escatel said.

Garcia rests the earphones on the table and shifts her gaze to the strangers passing through the hallways of the University Student Union as she admits that her efforts to open up are dictated by fear. However, Escatel’s support and nudges to meet others has calmed the persisting doubts echoing through Garcia’s mind.

“It’s helped me in opening up and trying out different groups of people and not seeking friendships, but letting it come to you,” Garcia said.

Escatel said Garcia’s fear of losing friends still dwells, but believes her newfound optimism will encourage her to continue branching out.

“People come and go, some people stay longer and some people don’t stay as long,” Escatel said. “You just have to make the best of it while they’re still around and if someone decides to leave, there’s not much you can do.”

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

“I asked this girl out a few weeks ago. She said nothing. They give you silence. Why? Make some shit up! You know?”

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

Handwritten letters and phone calls were some of the ways people used to stay in touch with one another.

Nowadays, everyone is a few swipes and taps on a screen away from receiving a notification saying “I’m reaching out to you and I hope you will too.” When a response is never sent, the term “Ghosting” has just been added to your lexicon. Ghosting has a literal meaning since that person has essentially disappeared from your life without an explanation or understood reason. The person being ghosted (ghostee) is left to decipher a silence and decide how to respond. The term is often used in reference to dating, but it can be used for friendships as well, considering that the result produces similar feelings and reactions.

Whether or not it is due to “selfie culture” or immaturity, it may have become a social norm to avoid communication when there is potential conflict

looming. For students like Chelsey, photography major, ghosting is a noticeable issue when dating.

“It’s happened to me a few times,” said Chelsey.

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

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

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

“No one is good, No one is bad,” said Andrew, a junior biology major. “The pain and ambiguity caused by ghosting could probably be easily avoided through communication, but who has the energy to always pour out your emotions.”

Sometimes, ghosting can be a time for reflection.

Andrew sees it as an opportunity to reevaluate a situation. For him, taking a step back provides an alternative view of a dilemma.

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

FEATURE

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By Emily Ayers After a seven-month relationship, he told her that he was moving back to his hometown to take care of his mother.

He didn’t give a warning—that the day he left would be the last time they would speak.

For California State University, Long Beach communication major Zayra Cardenas, it is never receiving answers as to why her then boyfriend chose to “ghost” her that is most frustrating.

The act of ghosting is defined in the urban dictionary, as “the act of suddenly ceasing all communication with someone the subject is dating, but no longer wishes to date.”

Often people think this will be easier than navigating the complex web of emotions that develops between two people. Because of this, more and more people are experiencing ghosting in their dating lives, or are willing to use it as a tactic to end things.

“I feel that people do this because they just don’t want to hurt the person they’re with,” Cardenas said. “I honestly think it’s wrong because you’re only going to hurt that person more by just leaving because they get no explanation. I believe they only do it for their benefit and nothing else.”

Ghosting comes into play at all stages of

relationships or potential relationships. But in nearly every circumstance there are lasting effects on peoples’ perceptions of dating and with their willingness to open up.

“I think this causes a lot of insecurity,” Cardenas said.

“People need and explanation as to why something ends and if not they might end up blaming themselves. It can cause trust issues and trust should be the foundation of a good and healthy relationship.”

Many people share stories about horrible dating experiences, and those experiences have evolved into a social trend that fears openness and vulnerability.

“Often times meme pages reflect the current state of relationships; the frustration of unmet expectations, loneliness—with a fear of cheating embedded within humor,” said anthropology major Paul Espinoza.

Espinoza experienced ghosting multiple times when dates from Tinder took a down turn. “Our desire for fulfilling relationships is reflected in our frustration with abrupt encounters even though the cause is in our desire for immediate gratification,” said Espinoza. “Ghosting is an avoidant characteristic that alleviates the pain from saying no many times over; it’s easier to cast people aside than it is to take a look in the mirror and take stock.”

Sometimes the reason for ghosting goes beyond the humor depicted in the media, and is the result of the immense pressure that people feel when it comes to ending relationships.

For CSULB student Garrett Covey, the pressure of not knowing how to explain a sudden lack-of-feelings has been enough to cause him to ghost people in the past.

“Not knowing what I’m going to say or how to approach a situation pretty much paralyzes me,” Covey said. “I don’t morally agree with it, and I have to push to ghost someone, but in certain circumstances I take my mental well-being more seriously.”

Whichever side of ghosting that someone falls on, the circumstances surrounding it are not always cut and dry.

“If you focus on developing yourself, these flash-inthe-pan romances just open you up to people who really do ‘match’ with you, and for that I would say to those who have done it to me, “all the best,” Espinoza said.

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Culture

You Say You Want a Revolution?

A review of George L. Jackson’s “Blood In My Eye”

Have you ever thought about what you would do if you were incarcerated while the outside world was in the midst of social transformation or revolution For George L. Jackson, who was jailed for over a decade, separation from his community did not result in isolation from what was happening in the streets of “Amerika.”

The Black Panther Party and other organizations radicalized and inspired the collective consciousness of generations of working class people in the 1970s.

Jackson joined the party and from within prison walls co-founded the Black Guerilla Family and wrote the letters that compose the book “Blood in my Eye” (as well as other writings). In the letters Jackson communicates in a way that does not lose the reader in academic jargon in order to explain mass incarceration and its connections to imperialist projects, hence delving into colonialism, capitalism, liberalism, and racism in a sufficient introductory extent. He critiques, reflects, explains, and somewhat instructs the possibilities of achieving liberation from racial and economic oppression, limitations of reformism, and electoral politics.

In addition, there are clear references to the Marxist, Leninist, and Maoists perspectives he studied while in prison (the influencing ideologies of the Black Panther Party and their international allies). Reading the actual writings of the Black Panthers,

By Monica Morales Contributor

the primary sources, are perhaps some of the most useful studies that observers and participants of social movements can assign themselves because it is very likely that college courses will not offer the kind of insightful historical accounts of one of the biggest threats to the status quo of the nation/state’s social-economic repressions.

By continuing to ignore and demonize what we have not been culturally allowed to understand, we discredit perspective that decenter the rampant individualism of our daily lives, which explore collective definitions of freedom that value to knowledge of anti-imperialist revolutionaries and philosophers.

So imagine being caged up in prison, or just reflect on the restraining racist and economic social conditions that exist in surrounding communities.

Now we can apply Jackson’s words to build a better future: “Consciousness is knowledge, recognition, foresight; common experience and perception; sensibility, alertness, mindfulness. It stirs the senses, the blood; it exposes and suggests; it will objectify, enrage, direct. There are no positive formulas for a thing so complex. We have guidelines only to help us with its growth. This means that after we are done with our books, they must be put aside; and the search for the method will depend on observations, correct analyses, creativity, and seizing the time.”

Culture

With a Heavy Heart Maylis de Kerangal delivers her beating “Heart”

By Ricardo Alejandro Pulido Contributor

I was fortunate enough this semester to come across a book in my advanced French civilization class called “Réparer Les Vivants” or “The Heart.” My professor who teaches the class is a doctor from Rouen, France and knew the author since they were in their twenties. He was really lucky to be able to get the author Maylis de Kerangal to come to our campus and speak about her story of a young man named Simon Limbres, who after a freak car accident, is pronounced brain dead but his heart continues to beat. His parents are soon left with making the most difficult decision of their lives: pulling the plug on their brain dead son to give to those who are in desperate need of organs, and most importantly his beating heart. The reason why my class was assigned to read this book was to better understand French culture and how they deal with these situations that can happen in our every day lives. My professor, Richard Flamein, assigned us to read the book and write our opinions on what we thought about the book and on meeting the author. I was immediately drawn to the book’s representation of our humanity and how we deal with making life-changing decisions. Also, Kerangal’s style of writing made it a unique experience to read. Her sentence structures are different from the norm and are able to give the reader such a beautiful picture of what is going in the book and what the characters are experiencing. On the day of the conference, I thought I was going to be late. Outside of the conference I saw some of my professors walking together, so I went to say hi and it just so happened that they were late to the conference too. To my surprise Maylis de Kerangal was there with them. My professor introduced me to her and I was able to chat with her before the conference began.

She was humble, modest, and down to earth. We chatted about her stay in California, how much she loved our sunny weather and above all, her book.

I told her how special the book was to me and how it was really my first French novel I had completely read from beginning to end.“Réparer Les Vivants” is a beautiful book and a great read. I recommend it to anybody who enjoys touching story about the human heart and how it beats. You wont regret it!

““I recommend [this book] to anybody who will like a touching story about the human heart and how it beats.”

How To Be a Model An original short story

By Becca Pincolini Contributor

Illustrations by John Mueller Graphics Illustrator

Chew ice, but make sure it’s of the crushed variety. Savor your days off by eating all that you can. Pick a fight with the only guy you’ve ever loved, and relish the loss of appetite that comes with the seven-day silence between the two of you. Realize that this is giving you all you’ve ever wanted.

Take pictures that your agency photographer took of you, and post them on social media to validate your self-worth. Sulk heavily if it’s not well received, and radiate confidence for a day if it is, then sulk anyways after its number stops climbing. Tell people who look at you with heart eyes that you’re a model and have an American Apparel ad dominating

in Seattle. Watch them as their faces nod in surprise, and feel hurt when you realize they didn’t automatically assume.

Pick at your split-ends when you’re waiting for your turn at your go-see. Let that moment pull you in, and fixate for once, on something else, rather than your weight and how pretty you don’t look. Step on the scale gently, because in your mind if you do, you’ll weigh less. Watch the needle bump up and down, and breathe out when you find out you’re under your weight quota for that month.

Feel every single human emotion in one day. Repeat.

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14 Community

A Fin-Tastic Adventure

ASI Spotlight

Aquarium of the Pacific is a splash Story and photos by Maddi Gallegos Culture Editor

There is one word species are endangered, general that perfectly information about their living encapsulates the conditions, and how they are essence of the cared for there.

Aquarium of Many of the mammals the Pacific: even have names. magical.

The most important If you part of the entire aquarium don’t enter are the numerous photos this place as and signs placed throughout a huge sea life the entire aquarium, that enthusiast, I can connect the massive issue of assure that you will climate change to the impacts leave as one. on marine species.

The aquarium takes up It specifically highlights rises in two floors, with multiple Jellyfish cascade from the sea level, drought frequency and ceiling of their tank. exhibits spanning inside intensity, depletion of snow in and outside. Exhibits include “Wonders the Sierra Nevada, and loss of habitats of the Deep,” “Southern California/Baja and ecosystems many simple marine Gallery,” “Northern Pacific Gallery,” and species rely on for survival. the “Tropical Pacific Gallery.” There is also The Aquarium of the Pacific also a theatre and an interactive science center has partnered with the World Wildlife inside. Outside is a shark Foundation in 2007 to spread lagoon, a penguin habitat, knowledge about the Gulf of and even an animal California’s ecosystem and care center. explore ways to protect it Because there and its inhabitants. is so much to There is even an see and it’s so interactive touchpad, expensive to provided by the go, you should National Oceanic have to spend and Atmospheric an hour there Administration, at the least. that allows visitors T h e r e to explore different is so much coastal and oceanic information to habitats, sanctuaries, take in and so many updates on weather amazing things to see conditions at sea, and more. that you don’t want to miss The exhibits themselves mostly Snapping a photo of a feature giant ecosystems, such as out on anything. mantarey.

Each species shown has coral reefs, anemones, or even information attached, so you’re really sun-powered kelp forests. Each ecosystem getting a show and education all in has an array of different species that one. It points o u t inhabit them. which Despite the “Wonders of the Deep” and the “Tropical Pacific Gallery” showing me some of the strangest/most mindblowing creatures I’ve ever seen, the “Southern California/Baja Gallery” had to be my favorite for two reasons.

First, it featured the seals and sea lions, which I absolutely adore. Not only are they the cutest sea creatures, but watching them makes me feel so peaceful. They flow so gracefully through the water – it’s so tranquil. I would not be disappointed if I ended up as a sea lion in my next life.

One The second reason are the jellies. They of the have so many different species of jellyfish, many each group just as, if not more, breathtaking exhibits.

Sea lions swimming majestically.

than the last. You cannot tell me jellies are not some of the most badass MOFOs in the sea.

Now, I am one of those that love animals more than people, so I have always been extremely against any form of animal captivity like zoos, and especially Sea World.

This aquarium is

Divers regularly clean the habitats.

different, however, because you can actually see that these habitats are being constantly taken care of. Many of the exhibits were closed to be cleaned and refurbished, and you can constantly see divers in the tanks, cleaning, feeding, or even playing with the mammals. The life here is clearly in good hands.

One of the largest The only part crabs in its I hated was the endless tank. amounts of children surrounding me, invading my personal space, and almost tripping me over numerous times.

But if you’re one of the unlucky folks that has a kid or you are a kid, then it should be smooth sailing.

By Karrie Comfort Contributor With election season already upon us, ASI will begin to see some fresh new students. Some of these students will have never participated in student government before.

But others come in with experience in student government as well as a passion to serve the student body.

One such student is University Student Union Board of Trustee Chair, Wendy Casillas, who entered the program with a desire to continue serving her fellow students like she did in high school.

A graduating senior with a major in Business Management and Supply Chain Operations Management, she stated that she “wanted to make an impact on a campus-wide scale.”

“The difficult decision was figuring out where I specifically wanted to make a difference,” she said.

Eventually, Casillas picked the Board of Trustees and began with some broad goals to start her off.

The BOT manages the buildings, vendors and operations of the USU and Recreation Center, so many of the decisions made by this board affect students directly. But it’s not all about line items and budgets.

As time went on, she began she realized that it was about more.

“It was about making things happen per students’ requests and/or concerns.”

Casillas said.

ASI’s motto of “Keeping Students First” is something Wendy Casillas lives by, and she encourages students to get to know their leaders.

“ASI leadership is constantly changing and I would suggest getting to know who your representatives are,” Casillas said.

She encourages students to ask questions, as it will help them realize their needs and help their leaders make those needs happen.

When she graduates this spring, Casillas hopes to leave behind a legacy of students she has helped and goals she has achieved in her position.

“I want to be able to leave more than just a record of items I have touched and collaborated on.”

She said: “Having a title can be nice, but being a leader is much more than what people know you as. Being a leader is how people remember you as when you no longer are holding a position.”

Community

15

Reach for the Stars PaleyFest 2016 celebrates prominent television shows.

Lies. Horror. Scandal. Crime. Comedy.

Action. These are what makes a television show, what attracts an audience and what builds a huge and strong fan base.

This has been demonstrated through shows such as “Scandal”, “Big Bang Theory”, and “American Horror Story,” whose narratives bring back viewers season after season.

Fans are annually given the opportunity to get closer to the actors, actresses, and producers of their favorite shows with the help of The Paley Center for Media.

This year, the center’s production of PaleyFest Los Angeles will take place in the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood in March.

A premier television festival, PaleyFest honors the most popular television shows of the year.

Fans are given the opportunity to watch episode screenings andhighlights of the featured shows. Panels and Q&A sessions with the cast and creators of the shows occur as well.

The festival will begin with the ABC show “Empire” on March 11 and conclude with FX’s “American Horror Story: Hotel” on March 20.

Other shows featured this year are “Better Call Saul”, “Scream Queen”, “Black-ish”, “Supergirl”, “Scandal”, “Big Bang Theory”, “Difficult People”, and “Fear the Walking Dead”.

March 19 will even feature an evening with Dick Wolf, best known as the creator and executive producer of the “Law and Order” franchises.

Attendees can purchase any of the

four following tickets, depending on their interests in the festival’s events.

Studio Pass A gives an individual premium reserved seat for the “Empire” and “Black-ish” screenings and panels.

They will be occuring on March 11 and 13, respectively.

Studio Pass B reserves a premium seat for the “Scream Queens” and “American Horror Story: Hotel” events on March 12 and 20.

Studio Pass C reserves a seat for “Supergirl”, “The Big Bang Theory”, and “Fear the Walking Dead” on March 13, 16, and 19.

The final pass PaleyFest offers for this year’s festival is the Showrunner Pass, for the more dedicated fans.

The Showrunner Pass gives the

By Fergie Rosales Contributor

attendee one ticket to all of the Paleyfest events. They also receive premium reserved seating in the first two rows and priority VIP entry at red carpet level upon their arrival to the venue.

Regardless of choice, each pass reserves only one seat and must be bought individually.

At PaleyFest, fans are able to connect with their favorite celebrities on a more intimate level.

Rather than watching an interview on a computer screen, fans will be able to ask the questions themselves.

You live in the entertainment capital of the world, might as well take advantage of it and reach for the stars.

16

Food

Chivalry is Tasty Medieval Times is a great dinner and show

Although it seems completely random and I have not been since I was child, this past weekend I attended Medieval Times. Right down the 91 freeway, in Buena Park, is a place that hosts a dinner and a show. Granted, this place is obviously for children, but my friends and I had a good time. For those of

you who have never been, or haven’t gone since you were a child, let me explain what happens: you are given a color and that color corresponds to a knight that you will be rooting for during the show. We got the blue knight then sat in our seats. Once we sat, I realized the best part of the show— they served alcohol.

Our menu was printed on our napkin and we got three courses. The fun part was that you are supposed to eat everything with your hands.

The first course was tomato soup and garlic bread. We just sipped the soup right out of the bowl and it was delicious. I am completely biased when it comes to bread since I love bread, so the garlic bread was a perfect complement to the soup. Frankly, I wish they would have given us more bread.

The main course was half a chicken, corn on the cob, and half a baked potato. All three were seasoned to perfection. The only thing about eating with your hands is the food is extremely hot; so it’s probably best to wait a few minutes before digging in. The corn was sweet and did not need any additions. The potato was a little plain, but whatever seasoning they used made it worth the experience.

However, it was the hottest thing so make sure you tear it in half to help speed up the

cooling process.

While all this food is being devoured, the show is happening right in front of you. I watched knights fake fall off horses with completely choreographed fighting, but it was entertaining nonetheless.

It reminded me of wrestling.

But, the knights are competing stereotypical medieval fighting, such as sword fights and jousting tournaments to help save the princess. The dessert course was worth the wait. It was basically an apple turnover, where the crust of the dessert was just flakey enough and the apples inside were great.

Basically this was my favorite part of the entire meal and I could have just snacked on them the whole time during the show.

Dinner and a show is always a good time.

Even if the show is a little silly, it was fun just to be eating food and hanging out with friends. Sadly, our knight did not win the tournament. But we got to enjoy the show and watch awesome choreographed battles, and horse riding. It was great to do something a little different and revisit my childhood by visiting this place.

Medieval Times is a great place to take children, whether it is your own, nieces or nephews, little cousins or siblings. As adults, we got

Words and photos by Lauren Hunter Staff Writer

to enjoy the full bar. Please drink responsibly, and make sure you have a designated driver if your party plans on drinking. Considering this is a small local spot that tends to be forgotten and should be experienced, my suggestion is to check for a Groupon since it can get a little pricey.

Music

Getting Your Soul “Turnt” Soulection and guests kill it at the Regent Story and Photos by Anna Abella Contributor

How do I even describe this feeling? Before I go on about this dope group, I’ve had this mindset that music is its own culture and pretty much, what we enjoy every now and then. I hate to sound like a fan girl but holy crap sauce, I love Soulection. It’s a perfect mixture of ‘90s R&B, oldies, contemporary hip-hop R&B, and foreign beats. What I mean is they use flavor from all over the world, from Brazil to the Philippines.

I actually discovered them by first finding Sángo the DJ. He’s really big on Brazilian culture. I’ve also always felt a deep appreciation for the Brazilian language.

I was instantly hooked. All in all, it’s mostly chill beats.

I cried out of happiness when I was one of the first people to attend Soulection’s recent five year anniversary on Mar 5.

Although it didn’t feel like it, my brother and I waited in line for about two hours.

Upon entering the venue, we noticed it was pretty small. We were given the option of either going up front, which would give us the opportunity to be up close and get free stuff, or to go to the second floor , which would give us seats and a bird’s eye view to the show. Being the logical adults, we picked the second floor for the seats.

For the lineup, it was a good move for Soulection to push the lesser known DJs to play. A lot of the selections were from their recent mixtape “Soulection & Chill.”

The mixtape revolves around the release of eight artists with differing styles, highlighting DJing and mixing abilities. Some were smooth, some were meh. Specifically from that set list, however, my favorites would have to be Yukibeb, Eden Hagos, Kronika, Sahar Habibi, and Sasha Marie.

Each title fits the whole concept of the song.

Listening to those tracks felt like Bumble Bee from “Transformers” was trying to speak to me. These artists tried to communicate to their listeners through music. And I just felt it touch my soul.

One of my newfound favorite hobbies is now listening to their music without doing homework, reading, or working out; just lounging and listening.

It’s so relaxing.

By doing this, it’s like giving the artist your undivided attention by paying homage or tribute for their hard work. I like being able to just focus on what the DJ is trying to portray.

Overall, there were 11 DJs who played at the five-year anniversary, and each had a dope flow. The concert itself is difficult to talk about since there were so many awesome sets. In no particular order, the

artists who performed was Mr. Carmack, Esta, Andre Powers, Kronika, Sasha Marie, Jarreau Vandal, The Whooligan, Insightful, SoSuperSam, Joe Kay, SPZRKT, Marc E Bassy, and Chris McClenny.

I was so surprised when Marc E Bassy, SPZRKT, and SoSuperSam actually sang live. It was so fulfilling to see them sing their hearts out, and I knew most of the songs they were playing.

The best feeling had to be when the crowd took over singing. I can imagine, from an artist’s point of view, being able to keep the crowd pumped for a long period of time would be exhilarating. I found that this concert was such a cool opportunity to learn about different artists and their styles, while having fun.

I do have to say that the whole night was the highlight. But my all-time favorite set of the night would have to be with Joe Kay. His whole set had the crowd passionatly. He had the perfect mix, from oldies and ‘90s to contemporary music.

The flow of it all was amazing because he played a mix of Biggie’s “Big Poppa” and Justin Timberlake’s “My Love,” and holy shit, it was great.

My second favorite set would have to be with Jarreau Vandal. He brought a different style that really kept people coasting and vibing. He put in a lot of wellknown songs such as “Work” by Rihanna and mixed it with an old The Neptunes/Pharrell song. You just had to be there.

Parts of the set were “turnt up” music, and it just made me want to jump in a crowd and just vibe with everyone there. My third favorite set would be Esta’s. Don’t even get me started. I started screaming at the top of my lungs. Then again, that’s all I remember.

It was too fun to recall, and I was too drunk to stay quiet.

Overall, I felt positive vibes with everyone, except for a depressed girl next to me midway through the concert. One last thing, I thought it was smart of them to have a “surprise” guest list. It kept everyone wondering who was going to be next.

In some ways, I felt like the “true” fans who followed the Soulection team were those who had an idea of who was going to play. More than anything, it was a family get together, and we were celebrating the birth of “The Sound of Tomorrow” through a dance party.

If you’ve never heard of Soulection, I highly recommend listening to them. You won’t regret it.

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Entertainment

“House of Cards” Ruined My Life How one political science major views the world

By Augustus Krider Contributor Graphic by Nathan Zankich Web Manager

I recently dove into season four of the Netflix original series “House of Cards”. It is a show that is entirely controversial and graphic, but if you truly want to understand modern politics then watch the first and last scenes of this season.

I’m not the first to draw this parallel. It was Kevin Spacey himself who told Colbert that when his character Frank Underwood looks deep into the camera and breaks the fourth wall, it isn’t for those of us at home, no, Spacey is communicating directly to Trump.

Trump and Spacey are exactly the reason why my world is falling to shit, because when Spacey looks deeply out of the screen, every politician in the world wants to be the one he is talking to. Or at least I do, and I have my suspicions about our own Mayor Robert Garcia, who tweeted a GIF praising #HouseOfCardsSeason4. So Mayor Garcia, our former ASI President, along with myself have man crushes on Frank Underwood and everything is Trump’s fault. But what actually brought me so low?

Trump has penetrated every facet of political life, he has broken every rule, offended every group, and he has amassed more power since. Many moderates, Republicans and Democrats, have been

“A Donald Trump presidency is far scarier than anything this show has produced.”

I love politics, and I love “House of Cards.” I watched 13 episodes in two days, and then I’d go to bed and read articles about politics all through the night. But as the title conveys, my world has fallen to shit. Or at least I truly thought it had. Many people have chastised me because of my love for such a gritty show, but let me be honest; a Donald Trump presidency is far scarier than anything this show has produced. And that’s including the murder scene in the BBC version where the original F.U., Francis Urquhart, throws a young reporter off a building, and she screams “Daddy” the whole way down. Now,

sitting by with horror. All political minds waiting for the sweet escape that would be the new “House of Cards” Season. Then, at precisely 12:01 a.m. on Friday March 4, it launched on Netflix. I watched the first four episodes in a row, until finally I fell to sleep.

I woke up the next morning and realized our world, or at least my world, was in existential danger. The show had completely downsized Spacey’s asides, and moved focus away from many core characters. The escape was null, it seemed to me any joy would be stripped from politics forever. I had been destroyed by Netflix and Trump. It was awful, the first half of the season had main characters fighting and Spacey’s character hallucinating. The first half of season 4 is absolute crap. Like a certain Billionaire we all know.

Luckily I watched it all the way through, and the rest turned out to be phenomenal.

It’s just the real political world that sucks.

As to what I mentioned in the first paragraph, the first scene of the season started with a person saying “Damn you are good with your words.”

The very last line of the season is delivered directly to the audience. President Underwood looks deep into your soul and says, “We don’t submit to terror. We make the terror.”

So if those two lines don’t convey something about Trump, then I have no effective commentary to give.

A Revival for Fans Only “Fuller House” isn’t everywhere you look, only on Netflix

By Kaila-Marie Hardaway Food Editor

Illustration by John Mueller Graphics Illustrator “Full House” has been one of my favorite shows ever since I was a kid. As I grew up, I became super attached to its distinct characters, along with their somewhat cheesy jokes and catchphrases. However, when I first heard that they were making a spinoff, “Fuller House,” I was very skeptical.

I was conflicted because on one hand, they decided to continue a show that was very near to my heart. At the same time, it had been a whopping 21 years since the original show ended and it felt like a very strange time to create the continuation. As soon as I saw the official trailer, however, I knew I had to give it a chance.

On Feb. 26, “Fuller House” made its debut on Netflix and criticism instantly debuted along with it. Most critics have condemned it, which leaves many people to wonder whether they should watch it or not. If you’re one of those people, here are some reasons why it may be worth your time: They recognize their roots. The pilot episode is one big reunion for the original show, however, it also serves as a reset button for the series. They spend most of the pilot

“Fuller House” All 13 episodes on Netflix Starring: Candace Cameron Brue, Jodie Sweetin, Andrea Barber, Soni Bringas Not Starring: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen constructing the show’s new foundation, but they do this with the help of old characters and memories. They snuck in extremely sweet references to the past, including a recreation of a notable moment from the very first episode of “Full House.” It doesn’t feel like an entirely new show that came out of the blue, but at the same time it doesn’t feel heavily reliant on its precedent series.

The characters. In the pilot episode, almost every original character was present (except for Michelle Tanner, who was played by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in “Full House”). As soon as I saw each character, I was instantly overwhelmed with nostalgia. Each character had the exact

same personality traits (and catchphrases) as the original show, which served as a great reminder to why I was so fond of it in the first place. Unfortunately, the characters won’t be consistently a part of the series. Instead, they will be making guest appearances throughout the series, which fiercely adds to the level of nostalgia.

It’s modern. Although they make many references to the original show, they successfully manage to include modern allusions to what’s happening in today’s society. In the very first episode, Max Fuller makes a very shady reference to Donald Trump, and it was glorious. They also make many comparisons between modern society and life in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, such as the broadened use of technology among the youth, the ever changing use of language, and even the use of Uber.

If you’re still on the fence about watching this show, let these be the reasons why you give it a shot. Let’s be honest, this show was not created to please captious critics; it was created for the fans.

Entertainment

19

Live Life in “Stardew Valley” Take a break from monotony with...farmwork Anyone familiar with the gameplay of “Harvest Moon” will be right at home with “Stardew Valley.” The game makes use of pixelated graphics to help the nostalgia factor. The story starts with your character quitting his or her job at the menacing Joja Co. and setting out to live on the old family farm. Of course, the simple life is far from it as you learn more about your neighbors and the world around you.

Gameplay is based around time management and making good use of your energy. You start each day at 6 a.m. and your

By Andrew Linde Entertainment Editor

day is over about 10 real world minutes later.

If you stay out past midnight, you’re at risk of fainting and starting the next day with less energy. Energy is used when farming, mining, fighting, fishing or during any other activity.

While there is no real agenda in the game, quests help point you towards gaining levels.

Not all quests are urgent or even necessary, but they encourage you to branch out and get the full experience.

Various tasks and abilities are revealed to you as you walk the town and surrounding areas. Cutscenes reveal stories of villagers not getting along, Joja Co. attempting to overthrow the local business, and strange little creatures that only you can see. Don’t worry, they don’t mean you harm.

Creatures that do mean you harm live in the mines. These slimes and bugs block your progress deeper into the caves, where more rare minerals can be found. The Adventurer’s Guild also rewards defeating the monsters.

The game allows for social interactions with townsfolk. Your character can choose to romance one of ten men and women in

the game. You achieve this by talking to them everyday and giving them gifts. If only it was this simple in real life. Eventually your character can even get married. You can also be ostracized for digging through trash cans while someone is present.

What really blew me away in regards to NPCs (non-player characters), was how they wouldn’t always talk to you. It’s long been standard in a video game to give NPCs a few lines of dialogue that they would repeat ad nauseum. In “Stardew Valley” the NPCs will talk to you a few times, never repeat dialogue, and then not talk to you again until they had something different to say. This could seem frustrating, but it also feels real.

At it’s core, this game is about optimizing choices. Certain crops only grow in certain seasons, which only last a set number of days, and even then you don’t have unlimited time each day to run around to every spot in town.

This makes every choice important, but in a benign way. Tomorrow’s another day.

Film Major Cares About Politics College Beat gives a student a chance

By Elizabeth Campos Staff Writer

Ever wondered who is behind the scenes of the images and animations that make us get caught into a film? The creative minds behind these stories make ideas come to life and do so with passion.

For 19-year-old film major, Jessie Butera, following the path of film was not a hard decision to take. She explains that as a child, making short films and movie projects with her friends as well as in school was something that she enjoyed since the beginning.

Furthermore, Butera says that her father’s side of the family was always very theatrical.

Puppet shows with her family, musical theatre, storytelling and making short films during summer are some of the activities that directed her in the creative path of film.

After living in Tennessee as a child, Butera and her mother and grandparents moved to California in 2002.

When applying to universities, Butera aimed for various schools such as USC, Chapman, UCLA, Cal State University Northridge and Cal State University Long Beach.

Although Long Beach wasn’t her first choice, she is now immersed in the opportunities that the school provides her.

She works as an assistant at the University Telecommunications Center office in the film department and she is also an usher at

the Carpenter Center.

Outside of campus, she is a photographer for a sports league called Beach City which operates in Newport Beach, Long Beach and Huntington Beach. In addition, Butera also takes pictures of open-mic events.

Moreover, with the opportunities that Los Angeles and Hollywood offers, Butera is also part of Reach Honorship Program. This program is put together

by Warner Bros.

Entertainment and it consists of an internshipscholarship packages provided to graduating high school seniors.

The internships of the program take place during four consecutive summers. In the past, Butera had the opportunity to assist on set for the T.V. series Pretty Little Liars.

Butera acknowledges and appreciates that all these opportunities have helped her in her field. Moving from a place like

Tennessee to Los Angeles, where the film and entertainment scene is so big, Butera thinks that there’s also a “fakeness” in the entertainment world.

With Warner Bros. Entertainment, Nickelodeon, Universal Studios and Hollywood around the corner, Butera says she “didn’t like the idea of getting caught up in it.”

She recalls times in which mentors and people in her internships lectured her about how important networking is. While she knows that this is true, she doesn’t enjoy how forced and insincere certain relationships can be.

“It’s about who has the pipeline,” she says.

Along with the possibility of insincere relationships, she believes that film majors are categorized as pretentious.

Comments range from positive to negative, but also sincere. Butera describes a time when she was talking to a man who

“And We Vote!”

Episodes released on College Beat’s YouTube Host: Kirsten Hernandez Created by: Jessie Butera worked at the Sundance Film Festival and told her that this field “It’s going to be really hard because you’re a woman.” While that is no news, being told by someone close to her was a bit harsh.

Nonetheless, Butera continues her career and does so successfully. She is currently the director of College Beat TV’s newest show “And We Vote!”

Butera pitched this game show to the College Beat TV team and has been a success thus far. Students answer questions and give opinions about current presidential elections and the topics of discussion such as minimum wage, immigration and the Syrian refugees crisis.

“And We Vote!” has been her biggest project so far. Butera continues her education and involvement in school and the community by applying her skills. In addition, she hopes to continue to produce a short film in which she honors her grandfather, a great figure of inspiration for her.

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Athletics

Beach Basketball’s Tournament Path

As they both go up for a rebound, Beach forward #5 Mason Riggins fouls #21 Alex Larson. This was Riggins’ only personal foul and one of 13 Beach’s personal fouls in the entire game. (Jesus Hernandez/ Contributor)

Beach’s #2 Nick Faust listens to #21 Justin Bibbins as the Bows line up behind them after a foul. Faust later was the first player to foul out of the game. (Jesus Hernandez/ Contributor)

Riverside’s #00 Gentry Thomas goes up for an offensive rebound. He lead UCR both in offensive and total rebounds. UCR fell short with 38 rebounds to the 49er’s 40. (Jesus Hernandez/ Contributor)

Hawai’i #32 Aaron Valdez led the game in scoring with 10 points at the half.

Hawai’i is wasup 31-25 at the half. (Jesus Hernandez/ Contributor)

Beach #00 Gabe Levin scored 9 points and came up with 4 rebounds, including a spectacular and-one dunk in Beach’s finals loss to Hawaii (Jesus Hernandez/ Contributor)

Beach #21 Justin Bibbins led the team in scoring with 17 points, 9 of which came from beyond the arc.

(Jesus Hernandez/ Contributor)