Intro
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Issue 76.1 Molly Shannon, Editor-in-Chief editorinchief@lbunion.com Alfred Pallarca, Managing Editor alfredp.union@gmail.com Connor O’Brien, Art Director connor.union@gmail.com Trevor Desrosiers, Advertisting Executive advertising@lbunion.com Eduardo Vargas, Distribution Manager distribution@lbunion.com ART & DESIGN Rose Feduk, Illustration Editor rosef.union@gmail.com
By Molly Shannon
Illustration by Rose Feduk
Well, howdy, y’all! Welcome back to another
Michael Tewasart, Assistant Art Director tewasartm@live.com Truc Nguyen, Web Manager web@lbunion.com EDITORIAL
motivates never
Jacky Linares, Opinions Editor opinions@lbunion.com
Union
Veronica Craft, Community Editor community@lbunion.com
list
Joel Martinez, Athletics Editor athletics@lbunion.com Renee Schmiedeberg, Arts Editor arts@lbunion.com Katie Cortez, Entertainment Editor entertainment@lbunion.com Sam Winchester, Music Editor music@lbunion.com Zach Phelps, Lifestyle Editor lifestyle@lbunion.com Elizabeth Nguyen, Literature Editor literature@lbunion.com Alfred Pallarca, Travel Editor alfredp.union@gmail.com Beatriz Villa, Food Editor food@lbunion.com Gumby, Grunion Editor grunion@lbunion.com COPY & ASSISTANT EDITORS Kaila-Marie Hardaway, Elliott Gatica STAFFERS & CONTRIBUTORS Brandon Richardson, Kyle Wirth, Andrew McGivern, Foster Lackie, Mario Lopez, Jon Nichols, Dat Le, Karen Ruiz, Liam Brown CONTACT US Long Beach, CA 90815 E-mail: info@lbunion.com
Follow us @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 claims of its advertisers. Grievance procedures are available in
Union of the Long Beach Union Weekly Believe
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Opinions Editor’s Note: President Conoley’s original message to the campus can be found at the following link: http://bit.ly/1IaEf6H.
Privilege at the Beach A response to President Conoley’s message to students By Andrew McGivern
Dear President Conoley, It is a misuse of your privilege as our president to use “recent events” to express a biased opinion, and then bolster it with the credibility of a related argument. Let me explain: I recently received a message from you in which you described your hope to ensure our campus is a place of “automatic privilege plus meritorious privilege. A place where privilege who we love, religion, or disability, veteran, or social status.” This is wonderful, until you declared your personal stance on a current national controversy: “Recent events remind me that this is not always the case in our society.” There is already a strong connotation woven purposefully into your statement, inner missive by segregating it from the other passages. Clearly, it was not intended to be overly subtle. Your words imply that during said “recent events,” our American system of justice has been corrupted and emphatically failed, and that our police forces have unequivocally, villainously, been in the wrong. These are powerful insinuations that no one outside the grand juries involved can events” to which you inexplicitly refer are far too complex to explain by expressing your personal expectations when approached by one-sided opinion of them as a springboard to introduce your thoughts on privilege. What you go on to say regarding the social psychology of “expectations” has much merit, and is to be commended, but prefacing it with
a tendentious opinion is manipulative. You voiced an illegitimate indictment to an entire student body of impressionable young minds, and respectfully, it is irresponsible to leave the realm of neutrality while ambiguously referencing such politically charged “recent events.” Because of this, the basis of all you say afterward is inappropriately rooted in your personal view of “recent events” based solely on passions and political leanings. I do not believe students should be instructed with biased opinions while in the academic environment. Many at the reach such position in academia understand that with that comes the responsibility of imparting fair and impartial instruction to those who aspire to accomplish the successes you have achieved. While I have no doubt that there were mostly good intentions behind your essay, I cannot disregard that it appears very much intentionally designed to sway. It has been my experience that faculty to present such sensitive, hot button topics from a non-partisan perspective. Why not draw attention to “recent events” by encouraging students to research facts and forming an opinion? How about creating temporary “grand jury” clubs to truly give students a chance to put themselves in the shoes of others? Students should always remain free to draw their own conclusions, independent
misleading media headlines, have just been pushed toward an agenda. It’s disappointing and disheartening.
Re: Privilege at the Beach President Conoley replies to Andrew McGivern Dear Andrew McGivern, message on Privilege at The Beach. I appreciate the time and thought that went dialogue about issues that concern us as a community and as a nation is at the core of
educator and a leader. My language is precise
events” turned my thoughts toward what I hope and expect for The Beach, but the piece was not about those events. It was about a that each of us has the power to change. I heartily agree with your encouragement
sentence of my original piece. You begin by saying I “misuse” my privilege as president by expressing what you deem a “biased opinion.” Not only is expressing my desire to ensure The Beach as an individual, it is my responsibility as an
and “can” are used advisedly, to indicate situations that can and do occur and that we want to ensure are not part of Beach culture. Nowhere did I state, nor do I believe that, “our American system of justice has been corrupted and emphatically failed, and that our police forces have unequivocally, villainously, been in the wrong.” That implication is yours, not mine. My brother is a
reading—a careful and purposeful reading and rereading of a text for understanding.
brother is a United States Marine. My uncle
to read it again with a fresh and critical eye. In crafting the message, I was deeply attentive to word choice. “Not always the case” is just
our society. These are the men and women who run toward danger while warning us
By Jane Close Conoley, Ph.D. to run away. I am forever grateful and will always do my best to support those who protect and serve. respect, privilege, and expectations can be uncomfortable and may elicit strong emotions. Our policy at The Beach is to celebrate the diversity of our campus; this includes a diversity of opinions. The ability to express thoughts clearly and civilly—as you did—is an important part of the learning and teaching process. We may not always agree, but the opportunity to engage in inclusive, and our country great.
Opinions
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Words Can’t Hurt Internet users shouldn’t be so sensitive
Recently, I was persuaded by a friend to enter into what I knew would be an unsavory, if comical, interaction with an Internet activist. Heavy on the knee-jerk activism, and heavy on the stupidity. On the morning of October 29 I received a text message containing a photo. The photo was a screenshot of a post made in the Union Weekly’s contributors’ group on Facebook Travel Editor for the Union wrote a post asking for contributing writers to share tales of their travels to “exotic” lands; this is our Anonymous Comment: “I’d like to say that calling other countries ‘exotic’ even in jest is really racist. It perpetuates a fetishization of nonWestern societies and people. Next time maybe try a word that doesn’t have so many racial connotations, like fantastic.” My response: of exotic. Foreign countries, foreign people,
foreign animals, foreign plants... they are exotic. Fantastic doesn’t mean the same thing as exotic. You just decided that exotic was racist and tried to drive your argument home with SAT vocabulary words.”
to end this nonsense, but the race-card was ready for a second hand. Anon: “You are a white person [technically I’m Guatemalan and Irish]. You have absolutely no right to tell me what is and is not racist … what constitutes as foreign and exotic for you is not the same for me. My food is not ‘exotic’ just because you aren’t familiar with it.” I must agree with them on that point; what is exotic to me is not the same as it is for them. ethnic backgrounds. Unfortunately for Anon, “unfamiliar” is a synonym for “exotic.” Me: “‘Exotic: Originating in or characteristic of a distant foreign country.’ That’s from the Oxford
By Brandon Richardson
Illustration by Rose Feduk
Dictionary. You can try to get them to change it to a racial slur, but I don’t think your argument here will do it.”
Absolutely. Anyone who says otherwise is racist. However, another major problem is the growing tendency to be overly sensitive when it comes to certain topics and cause problems where there are none. Some people may disagree and feel that the word “exotic” is purely negative. To you I would say that you are part of the problem of making problems where problems do not exist. Replace your dunce cap with your thinking cap, consider the way words are being used and choose your battles. Now, I’m not an activist against activists, I’m an activist against stupidity and ignorance. Every activist should adopt this philosophy. Once stupid and ignorant people supporting a cause, well, are they helping or
aspect of this conversation. But wait, racism was not done rearing its less-thanintelligent head. Anon: written by, oh that’s right, white people. And FYI you would not be exotic to other people. Y’know why? A little something called IMPERIALISM.” That’s right folks, imperialism is Please submit your requests to your local congressperson (if, and only if, you are “white”). Anon went on using phrases like, “verbal violence,” “I don’t care how it was intended,” “You can’t erase the entire history of a word,” and closed with, “Nice talking to you, I hope I never have to again. Goodbye.” Goodbye, Anon. And good riddance. Is racism still a problem in the world today?
day than racism, sexism and homophobia combined. Please, help raise awareness.
Choose Your Battles Cultural appropriation can spark unnecessary anger Does anyone remember that time that Selena Gomez performed on some award show and wore an Indian forehead jewel? It’s easy to forget, but that jewel is called a “bindi,” or song she performed was inspired by Hindi music. Or, that time when Lana Del Rey wore a Native American headdress in a music video? Simple enough, but more importantly, a lot of people found a reason to get really common phrase I encountered was “cultural appropriation." Now for those of you also at
from one cultural group to another. Now I feel
cases. However, in our modern lexicon, the term is starting to be used in a very negative light. It’s becoming common for some to point out just how horrible it is for someone to “appropriate” other peoples’ cultures. You’ve probably encountered photos on Instagram of Facebook of chicks with dreadlocks or someone with a henna tattoo, all the while being smashed by people screaming that phrase “cultural appropriation.” If you’ve been keeping up with the Union Weekly, you may have seen some of the recent articles posted using this term as well. I actually wrote an article about Halloween costumes and the misdirected anger surrounding them, and received a wonderfully thought out response. Yes, this
whole cultural appropriation panic upsets me, personally. But I’m not upset at the fact that Selena wore a bindi or because some guy wore a feather hat. No, I’m upset at the blatant control tactics being used to police others behind the veil of “social justice.” You see, true xenophobia exists in our Western society. We see this when we hear things like “She wears a bindi and she’s called exotic. I wear it and I’m called a terrorist.” There are problems within and among cultural groups. However, the way I see it, wearing a bindi is not going to interfere with your understanding or acknowledgement of those issues. Lana Del Rey wearing a feathered headdress as symbolism in a
By Foster Lackie whatsoever in those problems nor will it This is what I’m advocating against— you’ve taken issues that are meaningful, and warped and twisted them into something they aren’t, creating villains where there need be none. What are you trying to accomplish? To get people to stop doing benign things as a form of self-expression? You have no ends; rather, you are using this leverage as a means of shaming others while making yourself appear holy. You’re sidestepping issues of actual cultural prejudice that exist and focusing on non-issues—you and your social justice quack-tivism.
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Community
Bronzed Sugar, located on Broadway and Redondo, is a place I now frequent religiously. They specialize in tanning, makeup and false lashes, but the salon is best known for its sugar waxing, which is why I go. There is a group of women who work at Bronzed Sugar; they are known as ‘Sugar Mamas.’ These girls are always friendly, professional, and take very good
I Love My Sugar Mama
Events happening around CSULB By Veronica Craft
appointment. When I checked in, the lady
By Beatriz Villa
Even though it was 10am, I took a glass of cabernet sauvignon to calm my nerves. A few minutes later, I was undressed from the waist down, nervously waiting to get waxed. Obviously, I was scared because it was my first time waxing anything, but once my Sugar Mama, Heather, knew it was my first
Shakespeare Aloud Fairies, mortals, and romance, what could go wrong? Shakespeare’s classic play A Midsummer Night’s Dream combines all these and more. With a little something for everyone, A Midsummer Night’s Dream contains comedy, drama, action, and romance, all wrapped up in the enchanting
language of the Bard.This Saturday, January 24, Shakespeare Aloud will host a 10:45am live reading of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It will be taking place on the CSULB campus in the Theater Arts Building, and admission is free. While the event is free, there is limited seating, so be sure to make reservations in advance to
Pamper yourself at Bronzed Sugar salon
State of the Beach
Sugar was through a Group On deal. I had been wanting to get waxed for a long time, but I was afraid. I was not only afraid of the pain, but afraid of my skin’s reaction to a chemical based wax. I have eczema and I am plagued with allergic reactions to almost everything that comes in contact with my skin. But I found out sugar waxing uses one-hundred percent natural honey; sometimes with a little bit of lemon or lavender to sooth the skin. So, I decided to buy the 40-dollar Groupon deal for a Brazilian wax.
Alamitos Beach Cleanup Now that the semester is back in swing, it is time to earn back some good karma points lost from all the partying and shenanigans done during winter break. This Sunday, January 25, and every fourth Sunday of the month, from 10am to 11am, be productive and join the Long Beach Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation in cleaning up Alamitos beach. For those volunteering, there is free parking at the lot on Shoreline Dr./Alamitos Ave. South of Ocean Blvd., and free bags and gloves will be provided.
time, she made sure I was comfortable. She talked to me during our session; just small talk really, but it helped me keep my focus off the pain. I’m not going to lie, it hurt. Before hand, I was told by my sister and some friends that it was going to sting forever, and I kept a mental picture of me walking similar to a crab once it was over. But as Heather was doing her thing to my thing, she explained sugar waxing was better than regular waxing because it is more gentle on the skin. Chemical wax may dry on skin, and when it is pulled off some skin might go with it—OUCH! Sugar waxing only takes the hair. It is similar to chemical waxing, but only in the way that your hair gets pulled out mercilessly, but the method is different. Instead of lathering your lady parts with a hot wax, letting the wax cool, and then pulling the wax off, sugaring uses a small ball of honey that is gently rubbed into the hair and quickly pulled off. Yes it is painful, especially since your hair is being pulled out of a sensitive area. However, it did not hurt as much as I thought it would, and I was able to walk of to the salon normally. If you have been contemplating whether you want to get waxed and are too afraid, I highly recommend you find a Sugar Mama at Bronzed Sugar.
ensure that you get a seat. In addition to simply listening to the magical words of Shakespeare, audience members also have the opportunity to participate and read for one of the characters, without having to audition. If reading sounds appealing to you, remember to arrive early to signup before your favorite character is taken.
Athletics
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The Great Number 8 Anaheim Ducks retire the jersey to commemorate Teemu Selanne On January 11, 2015, prior to the game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Winnipeg Jets, the Ducks held a ceremony for the retirement of the jersey “Number 8,” the Duck also known as Teemu Selanne. When the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim initially acquired forward Teemu Selanne for the ’96-’96 season, he was already a player full of promise, having scored 123 goals and 111 assists in three seasons playing with the Winnipeg Jets. Though for the next 10 years he jumped around to other teams like the San Jose Sharks and the Colorado were while he was in Anaheim, when he scored 183 goals and 204 assists between 1996 and 2000. lead the Ducks to their Stanley Cup victory in 2007, alongside other greats like Scott Niedermeyer, Andy McDonald, and Jean-
By Joel Martinez
Cup, and unfortunately his last. Despite memorable attempts in future years, the Ducks were never able again to reach the this last ’13-’14 season where the Ducks were eliminated by the Los Angeles Kings in Round 2. Despite the disappointing tone of his last he’d been toying with the idea since the and after 21 seasons, he leaves with a legacy as the greatest player in Ducks history. In the ceremony, an all-star cast of
stadium played a video narrated by former appeared. Selanne’s legacy is one that brought the Ducks franchise to its niche as
Tanking to the Title Insight into unorthodox methods of two NBA teams Over the past few seasons in the NBA, two teams have become the front-runners for rebuilding as the main route to success, selling and trading players as if they were out at a Saturday morning yard sale. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are among the worst teams in the NBA, and for good reason. Their belief in “tanking,” deliberately having terrible
the 76ers potentially have eight picks in both staggering number of potential assets, the teams are headed for future success. Danny Ainge, team president of the Celtics, believes this is the right way to build a contending team. The Celtics sent Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks for two draft
picks,will hopefully produce future success, future rosters. The 76ers currently have the worst team on paper, and the Celtics are not so far behind. Both teams have numerous draft picks in the upcoming NBA draft, through previous deals sending skilled players in return for a better chance in the lottery. Over the next two years, the Celtics
picks. The franchise has cleared its cap space and has an opportunity for their young talents to gain experience, again impacting their potential success in the future. As for the Philadelphia 76ers, their young roster has had to learn and struggle in the volatile environment of the NBA, and the experience and toughness each player will
learn gives them an opportunity they may never have received on a contending team. Take KJ McDaniels for example: a second round pick who has shone through the opportunity he has received, as his ability to block shots and his formidable athleticism connotates a formidable NBA player. There are many opportunities presented to young players on struggling teams. Such opportunities may sprout talented players who will be in the long term plans for either the Celtics or 76ers. and trading away players for draft picks, it may seem without a doubt that teams should automatically tank if they are not contenders, right? Not necessarily. Even though these teams do not have a clear cut superstar,
By Dat Le
such as Lebron James or Kevin Durant, their ability to overcome the odds and buy into lead them to great success. For example, the
the eastern conference standings. Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers determined by how the coaches play their cards and who they obtain with their draft will tell.
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Arts
Getting Their Hands Dirty Los Angeles clothing line raises awareness of homelessness By Jon Nichols Dirty Model was founded in 2013 by friends, Zac Dugan and me. We met while attending Cal State Long Beach in 2006 and moved to Hollywood six years later. Upon moving, we were both immediately shocked by the overwhelming amount of homeless people living on the streets of Los Angeles. We devised a plan to create a clothing company with the core philosophy of spreading awareness about the United States homeless used a large network base to quickly gain exposure for our charitable fashion brand. Zac Dugan used his artistic background as a graphic designer and music producer to help create the clothing line you see today. Together, our talents created the perfect balance needed to make Dirty Model a sustainable brand that, with each purchase, delivers high quality products to homeless communities throughout the U.S. We also host weekly food and donation drives as well as other giving events. Dirty Model and their volunteers work closely with homeless shelters like the Midnight Mission and the LA Youth Network. They will be at an event at the Midnight Mission in Downtown Los Angeles being held on January 24 from 11am to 2pm. The address to the Mission is 601 South San be interested in volunteering for this event please contact Dirty Model through their website. Help feed homeless families and bring old clothes to donate for the winter We have a growing following that believes in our movement and with your support we can reach more people. Our mission is to move beyond our Los Angeles limits to bring Dirty Model to every American city in need. Whether you are an artist, musician, professional athlete, or otherwise; “anyone willing to get their hands dirty and become a model for society� represents the #dirtymodelmovement.
Volunteers for Dirty Model Movement prepare large batches of salad and bread for a dinner for the homeless in LA (top); co-owner Jon Nichols, dons a Dirty Model T-Shirt uniquely designed by Zac Dugan while serving food to the homeless at one of their company events (left); Nichols, half of the leading duo at Dirty Model, gets his hands dirty preparing meals for homeless visitors alongside other volunteers (bottom)
For college students, returning to classes after a lazy winter break— especially for those prepared to graduate—is like getting ready to eat that last brussel sprout (or some other wacky vegetable) on your dinner plate. Up until this point, you’ve been either anxiously anticipating the challenge or meticulously avoiding the mere thought. Let’s be honest—it’s most likely that this will be an extremely miserable experience for you, but don’t give up, children! You can and will make it to the other side. Everything will be worth it in the long run because, like wacky vegetables, this semester will leave you feeling stronger, wiser, and with if knowing that still doesn’t cheer you up, one tactic that might help
can relieve the pain that comes with transitioning back to the school grind, whether it be by participating in a Danny Devito movie marathon, sipping a hot cup of menudo, or, say, engaging in a zany board game with some friends. Yes, a board game. Remember those things? Nowadays, people tend to mistake contrary to popular opinion, they still exist. In fact, there’s one on the next page—just a little gift we created for YOU, reader, to inspire one last smile on your dopey face. ‘Cause we can do that. Just imagine this game is like a road map to help you navigate what’s to come in the semester. You only have one objective: make it out alive. Grab a few of your favorite chicken-heads and go through the sweet game that we designed. At least you can put
is adding a little “sugarcoating” to teeny bit longer. yourself every now and then, you
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Have each player choose and cut out a playing piece from the cover of this issue. The piece you choose will represent you in the game, so choose wisely. Glue them to lil’ cardboard bases, if you’re feeling groovy. 2. Find a dye. (Our dice budget privileges were cut after the Dye Massacre of ‘89. Apologies for any inconvenience.) 3. Roll the dye. Depending on the result, advance the corresponding number of spaces. For example, if you roll a ‘3,’ move your piece up three spaces. It ain’t rocket science. If the space you land on has instructions (move forward, go back, lose a turn, etcetera), follow them. 4. Continue onto the next player and repeat step 3.
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FEATURE
Week of Welcome to get involved in some great
Fall asleep in the grass in upper campus, and wake up with face painted covered in hacky sacks .
a shark! January 28 & 29 from 11:00-2:00pm in the regret it!
Uh oh, you You get kicked out of Give a fake Email, get an old Tootsie Roll.
ghost on campus. your shoes on,
shark.
Move forward 2 spaces
Prof. calls you “Julie� of semester; Karen for the last half .
pronounce gyro, so you order Greek Cafe. Voting is extremely important. Share your voice at the next ASI election in late spring,
from your usual crusty sandwich at lunchtime, head over to the campus place at the friendship walk every other Wednesday from 10am-2pm, the jams, salsas, produce, and pastries to drool over, all of which are handmade or homegrown. Play it cool and vendors will even slip you samples!
You get ultimate head. You lose, go to hospital. Lose your life
You run into a wild horse eyes. You think sure. Luckily, you carrots at the
You go to your game. The fans are rude, they call you
cute puppies! Constant vigilance, yo!
You vote in the ASI election. Hey, that is real good. Go for it! Advance 1 space
You sit next to that guy in class, sorry.
You are that guy that class. Sheesh! Go back 9 spaces
FEATURE
You lose feeling in your Construction?! Go back to where you came from.
good parking spot.
The Uber driver takes you to Cuba instead of Cabo!
Advance 2 spaces
Backtrack to that green space!
You go to the 6:30 Flow Yoga show at the SRWC; realize Flow Yoga is not a rapper.
This spring, CSULB Film Club, College Beat Television, and USU Program Council will be introducing “Beach Film Festival” to campus, where students
Just like last year, the Union will host the Valentine’s Day special at the Nugget where students of CSULB will be more than welcome to go up and perform some romantic love songs written by them. Whoever writes and performs the coolest jam will win some juicy prizes!
You write a ballad for your special someone and perform it at Lovely Jams. You get hella smooches.
and see them brought to life on the big screen. Plus, participants will have the opportunity to network and win prizes!
You enter the Beach Film Festival and you win. Now maybe your back about being a
Use your TAP card for a free bus ride! Ride that bus! Ride it! Take this shortcut!
Someone trips over your tent in the library. You
You wait in the bookstore line so long that you where you put that thing you lost a while ago.
You get kicked out of the USU’s pool table zone for hustlin’. You’re such a pool shark.
hazard. Go back a space
You get jumped by a raccoon in an art building bathroom.
Hey goob! Don’t you dare throw that water bottle in that basic garbage trash. Separate your trash and make sure you throw it away in the proper bin. Also, there are compost bins on campus now. Instead of tossing that leftover footlong into a
Lose a turn
that thing on a Tuesday? It’s the black bin. Put it in its place, don’t waste!
GRADUATION!
Save the two-liter, Save the world. Advance 1 space
You spent how much time decorating that dumb hat?? Graduate !
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Entertainment
Suicide or Salvation? An interpretation of Birdman
Words by Beatriz Villa
Illustration by Rose Feduk
Before you continue reading, please keep in mind that I am commenting on my interpretation of the movie Birdman. With that said, note there are spoilers in this article. Also, I am basing my interpretation
the audience sees his point of view. Riggan is physically picking up lamps and picture frames and throwing them at the walls; this is a perspective outside of Riggan’s mind, which is the reality of Truth. During this point of the movie, it must be clear to the audience Riggan is an unreliable character and his point-ofview cannot be trusted. The point I am making is that in the
During my trip to New York this winter break, my friends and I decided to watch Birdman. For one reason, the cinematography was supposed to be really good—the movie
not have special powers that inhibit them to were told it was a weirdly interesting movie. So we set out to a movie theater in Manhattan via buses and subways to watch the movie. The train ride home consisted of a discussion of what really happened at the end of the movie. Does Riggan, played by Michael Keaton, knowingly fall to his death or does he I believe the only argument that supports the latter is the look on Sam’s, face during
their eyes. This means it is unlikely Riggan Another point I feel that needs to be addressed is the fact Riggan has unsuccessfully tried to kill himself once before. He admits trying to drown himself, but and is forced out of the water. He tells her this story near the end of the movie, during his play’s intermission. She responds, telling him he never really loved her because he didn’t love himself. At this point, I believe Riggan loses hope of ever accepting himself and Birdman, his split personality. Feeling unloved and desperate he can never get rid of his dark passenger, he takes a loaded gun to the stage and shoots himself. It is clear he intends to shoot himself because he unloads the gun then reloads it. Comments have been made by
“Feeling unloved and desperate can never get rid of his dark passenger.”
down towards the concrete sidewalk, then she looks up into the sky and smiles. This might suggest she is smiling because she
To further this argument, she does not cry out in panic when she looks down towards the street. Her composure suggests she sees nothing out of the ordinary, which means her This argument does not hold credit; however, if we take Riggan’s character during the movie into account, the argument’s
reality of Riggan, and the reality of Truth. Riggan believes he can make things happen audience. But it is clear that Riggan does not when Jake enters Riggan’s room during one of Riggan’s tantrums. In a scene before, we think Riggan is moving objects and breaking them with his mind powers; this is happening in the reality of Riggan because he believes he has telekinetic powers. When Jake enters,
commentary on the movie industry only producing sequels to top selling movies, but I believe the underlying meaning of the story is the importance of connecting with people in your life and feeling loved. Unfortunately for our character, his mental instability doesn’t allow him to make these connections, which is why he jumps out of his hospital room’s window. Riggan is a troubled character and his problems are liberated through death. This is a dyer interpretation of the ending, but I believe it is the most realistic ending therefore it is the most viable.
Entertainment
13
You May Have Missed... Into the Woods By Georgia Canareé
Into the Woods was the first movie I watched this year, and I’ll admit, it has been one of the most beautiful Disney movies I’ve seen. I was expecting it to be as disappointing as Maleficent and Alice in Wonderland, where the visuals were all that mattered, and the story lacked. I’ve never seen the musical on stage, but cast were all outstanding, but I particularly enjoyed Emily Blunt’s performance—she her character, the baker’s wife, who just wants a baby. She was my favorite character as she is the most realistic of all the characters, the most reasonable, yet imperfect and makes real mistakes like the rest of us. Depp’s performance as the Wolf was very
in the story of Little Red Riding Hood, the purpose is to teach young girls the dangers of older men, “to not stray from the path.” And if young girls are to stray from the path, it is their fault for not doing what they’re Depp’s performance, and his character, is just how uncomfortable he made me feel in the theater. His air was that of a pedophile, obsessing over a young girl walking through the woods, and how he does conquer her in
and princesses, my absolutely favorite part were the Princes, and just how utterly stupid faults of chasing after an “ideal,” and the idea of Prince Charming and how he’s going to
The Interview
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know all about the beleaguered Seth
to-earth producer Aaron Rapaport, played by Rogen, are recruited by the CIA to “take out”
Co-directed by Rogen and frequent collaborator Evan Goldberg, while working from a screenplay by Dan Sterling, the film never rises to the satire it could have been; here, Kim is reduced to a cartoonish villain plagued by the condemnation of his father, who berated his love of margaritas and Katy Perry. Couple Kim’s daddy issues with the no-
from all the others—it stays true to the original intention of original fairytales to teach people universal lessons.
By Liam Brown
and you’ve uncovered about 80 percent of the started it all, The Interview, was arguably the biggest story in Hollywood last year—and
way one would expect. Chris Pine’s prince summed up this idea when he told Anna Kendrick, “I was taught to be charming, not sincere.” It was so refreshing to see a character admitting he’s a pretty fake fuckboy!
performance is an exercise in obnoxiousness: everything from his facial expressions to his suits screams a desperation to bring anything funny to the proceedings, although to be fair, one absurdly funny scene involving Skylark and Kim gleefully riding a tank set to Katy for a chuckle. It’s astonishing how little The Interview settles for when it could have been so much more, and while I can appreciate crude humor now and then, it’s tough to watch a
are important, and I certainly appreciate
safe to say that this probably wasn’t such a good idea after all.
condition, where the “Woods” are a metaphor for life, and the decisions you make and the consequences one must of blame, parenthood, love, and death are all prevalent and are brought to life by a visual feast and through song. Go see it and into the woods you go!
14
Music
New Year, New Beats of Montreal tease their upcoming musical endeavors This new year should be an exciting one for music lovers of all genres. Whether it be because of Florence + the Machine announcing their return to the Coachella stage (and a yet-to-be-announced-butlikely new album release), or the soon-tocome Kendrick Lamar album, this year for sure will be a great one for people looking for great music to listen to. Specifically, those who love the psychedelic and experimental pop-rock band of Montreal should be enthusiastic as ever. The band, led by the artistic Kevin Barnes, announced last December that it will be releasing a new LP album on March 3, titled Aureate Gloom. This album is arriving about a year after the band released its twelfth album Lousy With Sylvianbriar. Whether or not you are familiar with of Montreal, you should know that this upcoming album will introduce some
subtle changes to the pop-rock style that of Montreal is most known for. Barnes announced in a press release that this upcoming album will be taking a different direction from of Montreal’s previous albums and opting for a more personal and even emotional style of music that exposes a lot about Barnes’ private life. This should be no surprise, as of Montreal has been known to change its style between certain albums. Since the popular 2005’s The Sunlandic Twins and 2007’s Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? album releases, of Montreal has gone for a more straightforward rock style to its albums, which can be seen in its Lousy With Sylvianbriar. The band will never let go of its pop style, but over the past couple of albums, it has become a bit less pronounced. Nevertheless, listeners should expect to still be captivated by the mysterious and complicated lyrics that
Barnes often uses in his songs and will definitely continue to sing along to its familiar, catchy choruses. Along with announcing the album dates, the title of the songs, and tour dates, the band titled “Bassem Sabry.” The title of the song blogger and civil rights activist who tragically passed away earlier last April. The song opens up with a strong electric guitar presence and instantly shifts to a pop and even funky tune. The lyrics seem to discuss the deeper implications behind Sabry’s passing and Barnes does a good job of masking up the sad lyrics with his prominent voice and the funky tune. (Note: I’m not the best at decoding of Montreal’s lyrics, so I could be wrong about what I believe the song to be about). As someone who has been to two
By Karen Ruiz
different of Montreal shows over the past couple of years, I could hear the evolving musical style of Barnes and of Montreal, but I also believe it’s for the better. Bands are supposed to evolve their sound. If you haven’t been to one of their shows, I definitely suggest you do. Why? Because when I say show, I really mean show. They put on a cool performance, with flashy lights, people in the background dancing in costumes whilst wearing things like pig masks, and Barnes wearing elaborate costumes and makeup. It really makes their concerts electric and unforgettable, especially with everyone in the audience dancing and singing along with the band! See of Montreal perform in Los Angeles on March 22 and 23 at the Regent Theater and Largo-The Coronet, respectively.
Literature
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao A review of Junot Díaz’s debut novel By Amanda Dominguez-Chio
Illustration by Claire DeWilde
exams and look forward to rest and relaxation, whether it’s hanging out with friends, vacationing, or just catching up on sleep. This winter break allowed me to catch up on my reading list, so I decided to read Junot Díaz’s award winning novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, becoming engrossed with the De Leon family. The story follows a young nerd
on Raphael Trujillo. Now, I appreciate a good history lesson, so you can imagine my fascination, learning all about the merciless dictator. I’m sure I am not alone in saying that the footnotes proved essential, giving long and detailed description that only serves to prove Trujillo’s sadistic and brutal nature. My only complaint is at times the book proved to be sexist. The story was primarily narrated by one of the characters named Yunior. As Yunior narrates the novel, his life intertwines with the De Leon family: he befriends Oscar and falls in love with Lola. Although Yunior provided humor to the story,
his corpulent and large physical appearance and geeky tastes. The story also focuses on Oscar’s sister Lola and her relationship with her mother, followed by Oscar and Lola’s mother, Hypatía Belicia Cabral’s story living in the Dominican Republic during the Age of Trujillo. For those of you are unfamiliar with Dominican Republic history, the Age of Trujillo refers to the ruthless and callous rule of Raphael Leonidas Trujillo Molina who ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961. Prior to reading the novel, I received several positive reviews from fellow bibliophiles. One of the pure joys I received while reading this book was the amount of depth the author created. The novel, for example, dealt with serious themes, such as identity and the power of love. Oscar, Lola, their place in this world. As for the theme of presenting the negative and positive aspects love. One of the interesting parts of the novel was learning about Raphael Leonidas Trujillo Molina. Throughout the story, Diaz provides
of women, often taking the time to describe a woman’s body in lewd terms. Despite the book’s misgiving, the story featured strong characters, such as La Inca, Oscar and Lola’s “grandmother.” Personally, my several sections of the novel are dedicated to Oscar and Lola, and Belicia appears as a minor character; however, she receives her own section that describes her life in the Dominican Republic and the three men that to survive and ultimately leave behind her home to come to the United States in search of a better life. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
tragedy and hope.
15
16
Lifestyle
That Morning Struggle Five experiences that students with 8am classes will inevitably face By Kyle Wirth
Illustration by Jay Jenkins
As Spring 2015 is about to begin, most students are familiar with their school schedules. They learned the ends and outs of how their classes work, where the best (and worst) places to get food on campus, and other trivial matters that won’t be needed outside of campus. Well, having many 8am classes over the past school years, I learned that this time of day is slightly different than others. Here are some things students might experience when they have 8am classes: 1. There are actual open parking spots— yes, what you just read is true. Most students experience the parking lot jam where it sometimes take hours before settling into a spot miles away from your class. But
early in the morning, you actually have options on where to park, imagine that! 2. You hate the 405 freeway more than usual—this goes with any other freeway as well. Although the parking lot is emptier, it doesn’t mean your friendly neighborhood freeway is. While on the freeways you often compete with working commuters with jobs (yes, those exist) and parents dropping off their young kids at school. But don’t worry, once you exited the 405 parking lot, or I mean freeway, you can enjoy an empty CSULB parking lot. 3. That one energetic student—When you stroll into your class, most of the students are either half asleep or have already fallen asleep. But there is usually
that one student who has just as much energy as Tigger from Winnie the Pooh. They’re usually the ones who would often brag that they “only need five hours of sleep” while they jack themselves up with energy drinks. People usually can’t stand these students because A: That much energy in the morning is annoying and not needed, and B: You secretly envy them and their unnatural energy. 4. The dramatic temperature change—I remembered the dreaded days where I showed up in the morning I needed two jackets, sweat pants, gloves and a beanie. But once you get out of your first class, the temperature dramatic jumps to the point where you wished you packed your
bathing suit and sun tan lotion. For these days, it’s best to just bring your whole closet so you’ll be ready for anything. 5. The overall bittersweet feeling of 8am classes—I’m sure many students have conflicted views when it comes to these early classes. They may grumble to themselves when they have to roll out of their beds before the sun comes out. But, they also have a sense of relief after finishing their first class before others have even started their school day. So the next time you’re scrolling through the list of classes for next semester, just take note of the experiences you’ll probably face when you click “enroll” for those 8am classes.
Lifestyle
17
Killing It in the Cold Stay up to date with California’s winter trends gloss and matte options so you are bound to Now, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve been more than ready to ditch the shorts and T-shirts for all things cozy. There’s nothing better than thick knit sweaters, fuzzy said, let’s discuss some of the most popular fashion staples every girl should have in their closet this winter. Let’s talk makeup. This winter, dark lips, has lots of great lipsticks, glosses and liners to complete your perfect wintery pout. If you aren’t willing to spend 16 dollars on your lips, Ulta beauty also has a great line of lipsticks for only 5 dollars! They have tons of colors, with
look. As for your lashes, you don’t need to buy and apply fake lashes. Maybelline makes lots of lush mascaras that will make your lashes stand out from day to night. Lastly, deep contours are more than necessary to look your very best this winter. People tend to look a bit washed out when the cold weather hits, but you don’t have to let that happen to you. Give
these thick sweaters make you feel nice and warm, they also make you look extra cute and comfy. Forever 21 has lots of sweater weather options that you are bound to love, and all for a reasonable price. As for your winter accessories, scarves and gold jewelry are a must have! A chunky knit sweater goes perfectly with a chunky knit scarf ( just make sure they aren’t the same color). Gold jewelry is also going to be very popular this winter. Dainty gold bracelets, necklaces
bones, girl! comes to the colors of winter, I think beige, maroon, navy and dark grey are the best colors for chucky knit sweaters. Not only do
and they should be on yours too. Boots are always a chilly weather staple. Last year it was all about tall, knee high leather (or pleather) boots but this year, I’m
By Samantha Ramirez predicting that shorter boots will take over and Timberlands seem to be popping up everywhere around LA, so I’m guessing those two styles are going to become the new “must haves” this season. The chilly weather has made its way to
to dress like a slob—there are tons of ways to dress yourself up while still managing to stay warm. However you choose to dress this winter, just remember one thing—stay cute!
The Party’s Over Things may have changed while you’ve been away from home
By Zach Phelps
There’s a certain level of necessity for all humans to look back upon their salad days both wistfully and nostalgically. As inaccurate as some memories may be, they can help comfort and motivated you during challenging times. However, the real test of the accuracy of these memories comes when we have to return to the places and peoples that our early memories centered upon.
handful of months I’d been away, there had been drinking stories, new jobs, relationships and pregnancies I could have never even guessed about. All the girls I had planned on “reconnecting” with were either dating someone new, or doing the exact same thing with someone else. Here I was, expecting everything to remain the same for me, and instead, everyone had kept on living their lives.
and Benadryl began to wreak havoc on what remained of my sanity, the one thing that kept
me from going completely postal was the dream I had of seeing my friends and family as well have been an eternity, and I pictured a endless days on the beach, good times with high-school buddies and awkward hook-ups with some old lady friends. However, what I found as soon as I got
over the last couple months, my mom had
gotten quiet cozy to the idea of not having to cook three meals a day for anyone. This proved detrimental to my diet, which began to consist of oversized chunks of cheddar cheese and ice cream. To make matters even worse, I had completely forgotten just how winter, a factor which essentially negated any hope of endless beach days. however, was my inability to contact any of my old friends, both male and female. In the
18
Travel
It’s Different in the Woods
By Mario Lopez
This winter break I had a bit of money to spend, so I decided to venture into the Sequoia National Park with a cousin of mine. Since I had the money, I chose to spend big and get a room in the Wuksachi Lodge. If money is tight, I would suggest renting a room at a cheap motel nearby since the real adventure is outside—not in some fancy lodge. You can spend that money on more food.
closest description of what I felt seeing this gentle giant.
arrive on a Saturday afternoon and leave the following Monday morning. Not only were we visiting the Sequoias, but before then, living in Los Angeles, the distance called for a road trip! I have to say, road trips are a great way to bond with someone, because after a while, someone is bound to fart in the car; once that cover is blown, all your secrets are up for grabs. After the grueling, five-hour battle of multiple openings and closings of the windows to get that perfect balance of fresh air (after the farts—quick changes in altitude can do that, I guess) and trying to keep warm (pretty cold up there), we passed our first sequoia. The look on my cousin’s face was priceless. His smile was reminiscent of a child getting permission to sleepover at their best friend’s house. It was not my first time seeing a sequoia, but that deep breath I took—the relieved sigh of seeing an old friend doing well is the
suggest buying some good high-top hiking boots for the trip and a ton of extra and warm clothes. I was surprised to learn in the museum that it is important for the forest to burn at times to rid itself of the ground’s leaves, and allow the small sequoias—those just springing with new life—to grow. I also read a quote by John Muir in the museum that I would like to share with you which, very poetically, sums up the process: “By forced seemingly antagonistic and destructive Nature accomplishes her
way better than any beef I have ever had. The second day we spent the whole day hiking, visiting the Giant Forest Museum, getting lost, taking pictures, licking icicles, hugging trees, getting into an impromptu snowball
Of course, the highlight of the trip was seeing all those big trees. It humbled me to experience something bigger than me, and to know that these forests are old—very old! I can go on and on about the trip, but you have to travel there yourself and see and feel one of nature’s greatest gifts.
Food
19
Savoring Culture Experience NYC culture through table tops By Beatriz Villa During my winter vacation, I made my way up to the Big Apple. When people visit New York, they are interested in visiting the Statue of Liberty, going to the top of the Empire State Building, and crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. While those items were on my list, they were not a priority. I have recently discovered the the trip was planned, was the excitement of trying the American cuisine on the other side of the country. Now, I say American because, even though places claim to be “authentic,” I are actually sitting in a country, adapting to their mannerism—somewhat—and eating the food as it is meant to be eaten. This does not mean the food I tried was not true to the cultures the food came from. Since the city began to spring up in the 17th century, it has
Most of the best pizza in the city is under four bucks a slice and well worth the wait. I visited John’s Pizza on Bleaker, which is hands down the best Pizza I have ever had in my whole life. The pizza’s deliciousness is due to the sauce and bread. The host I was staying with took my friends and I to Cubana Café. The best Cuban restaurant in Brooklyn. They were ordering appetizers over appetizers, a few mojitos each. I ordered a lemon Tilapia that came with sweet corn on the cob, seasoned with parmesan and a delicious homemade sauce. My plate came with a delicious plantain puree. I have nothing to compare the food to, never having tried Cuban food before, but everything I tasted was exceptionally well made. Anyone who knows me can attest that I love anything to do with noodles. From
Jewish, Italian, etc. Four centuries later, the
to the communities of New York. I was interested in pulling out my spoon
mouth. Recently, I have been on a ramen craze. Now, the best ramen I had tried up until three weeks ago was at the Tsujita Annex in Little Tokyo, LA. In New York, I visited a couple of ramen spots to warm my
stay in the City So Nice They Named It Twice. Katz’s Delicatessen. I’m a sucker for a good ruben sandwich, and apparently Katz’s is one of the go to places for pastrami. The meat there was so tender that it was practically melting in my mouth. It was amazing. I also ordered matzo ball soup, which had a delicious, warm broth—which was much needed for the 10 degree weather—and a perfectly tender matzo ball in the center. are known for their quality, and boy did they give it. Lucky for us, our host Dan owns an ice cream shop that makes delicious and one-ofa-kind ice cream. Five Pennies is located in Rockville and well worth the drive out of the city. Dan makes all of the ice cream himself. wife’s favorite), peanut butter Oreo, PB and the back of his old fashioned ice cream shop. a car to travel out of the city. My favorite ice One of the best things about New York hot pizza at nearly every corner you visit.
ramen I had been dying to try was Momofuku, being a David Change worshipper. The broth was phenomenal, and the pork belly and shoulder were perfectly seasoned. However, I have to say the best ramen I tried was Totto Ramen. I was feeling a bit under the weather that day, so decided to get the veggie ramen instead of the more popular pork. It was amazing. The veggie ramen consisted of delicious thin ramen noodles, mushrooms, avocado, grilled onions. I added an egg for a bit of protein. Honestly, out of the two ramen spots I visited, I enjoyed Totto the best. Food is a huge part of any culture. In many ways, you can become better acquainted with a particular place if you engulf yourself in the cuisine. I felt my trip in New York consisted of jump from restaurant table to restaurant table, savoring as much as I could. Although I missed out on visiting Elis Island, watching a Broadway show, and overlooking the city’s horizon on the Empire State building, I know I caught a taste of what most New York tourists forget to experience.
“I was interested in pulling out my spoon and trying as many flavors as I could during my stay in the City So Nice They Named It Twice.”
Volume 76 Issue 1
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
LBUNION.COM
DISCLAIMER: Hi I’m Ramsay Gordon! Y’ALL CAN’T COOK FOR SHIT. WERE YOU REALLY THAT IDIOTIC TO BELIEVE I WOULDN’T NOTICE?!?! GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY KITCHEN! Better get on writing for Grunion. This page is satire/ parody and does not represent ASI nor the CSULB campus. Submit your frosted tips to grunion@lbunion.com.
Equality Matters in the Marvel and DC Universes Earth–616. - I know most of you are done hearing egalitarian and/or feminist articles about how women in the superhero world haven’t been properly recognized with their own movie. And by properly recognized, I by Natasha Romanoff mean really recognized. Not some supporting role, or as a sexy sidekick. FYI, Catwoman was not a good recognition, even Halle Berry said so herself. So where I’m going here is that the world needs to know where the hell does Wonder Woman come from, or how did Oracle come to life. Any X-Men that isn’t Wolverine or a man, perhaps? Hell, I’m not even gonna talk about my story,
have to kill you after, but honestly, there are a lot of characters who deserve their own movie. And then we have Ant-Man going on this year. Really, Marvel? You release a movie of one of the lamest and most uninteresting characters, probably as disliked as Aquaman? Get your shit together and start paying attention to the real deal. What about Hope Summers or the Scarlet Witch? There are probably dozens of superheroes–and probably su[er villains–who deserve a movie more than Ant-Man does. Also, I know for a fact that people are tired of not just male superheroes, but caucasian actors who portray them when it has been white. For example, take Dr. Strange, a handsome, dark haired and slightly dark skin is being portrayed by the whitest actor ever,
Benedict Cumberbitch (no offense, Ben). Why? Because it makes perfect sense. I know most superheroes are caucasians, but they don’t have to be. I say directors should be more fucking open with their casting decisions! Speaking of, Marvel has also made the mistake with women too, making most of the female characters be caucasian. Maria Hill is believed to be Latina yet the audience has adopted the white version played by Robin Sparkles by now. Who knows? The only reason I am even mentioning this is because people
the fact that 90% are caucasian and only the male seem to be getting any proper recognition. But that’s just the opinion of a trained assassin, who happens to be a white woman by the way.
Michael’s Message Will Make Your Heart Explode! Hollywood, CA- I know what people love in a movie: a really nice series of explosions. Yeah, I put them everywhere, and I really mean everywhere. Your boat is sinking? Here, add a nice little explosion when it starts to break by Michael Bae apart. Car crash? Jesus, that’s so predictable, but let’s add some extra ones in the surroundings to create more drama and intensity. BAM! Shoot a gun? That’s pretty essential, man. What about when you drop your phone? Yeah, I like it, it’s more like a metaphor, but in the movie world it’s got to be literal! Lighting a cigarette? You know a little explosion would make that look boss as shit! Okay, okay, I’m cool now. But what I’m trying to say is, I know what sells on a movie, and yet I still don’t get why people hate on me so much. What does Tarantino and Anderson are giving you, huh? Pretty words and a nice color palette? Bullshit, you know you like something more than that.
Growing up in the Bae area, where I got my last name from ayyy, I decided to do something about this world. I hated to see the bunch of preps getting high and watching shit for TV, so I made my way to college and got a Film degree. I must admit I spent most of my college career getting drunk and doing coke but if I learned anything, was how to make some really cool explosions. Now, I am no pyromaniac, but after doing so much coke, I can’t help but need a little
I knew that I had discovered my true destiny in life. I knew I was right because man, did I make lots of money! But this is not about the money, and it never has been. My duty as a director and citizen of this wonderful country is to bring joy to people’s lives. Not because I someday wish to win the Nobel Peace Prize, but because each night I will go to sleep thinking about how many thousands of people I will have made smile and cry out joy. That, my man, is my true gain. But like, I wouldn’t mind that prize, though,
INSIDE
FRUIT GUSHERS COMMERCIAL REUNITES WITH STUNT DOUBLE
ACTOR
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LOCAL WOMAN CRITICIZED FOR DATING LOCAL GINGER
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