Spooky Stories to Share at the Water Cooler

Issue 79.11

“I’m excited to go on this ride.”

Slyvana Uribe, Community Editor

Alejandro Ramos, Editor-in-Chief editorinchief@lbunion.com Bailey Mount, Managing Editor manager@lbunion.com Nathan Zankich, Web Manager web@lbunion.com Alexis Cruz, Social Media Manager Andrew Linde, Multimedia Manager Allison Meyer, Multimedia Assistant Alfredo Banuelos, Advertising Manager Christopher Orozco, Advertising/Distribution ART & DESIGN Sam Orihuela, Art Director artdirector@lbunion.com John Mueller, Graphics Illustrator illustration@lbunion.com EDITORIAL Matthew Gozzip, Athletics Editor athletics@lbunion.com Sylvana Uribe, Community Editor community@lbunion.com Amanda Del Cid, Community Editor community@lbunion.com Sheila Sadr, Copy Editor Elizabeth Nguyen, Copy Editor Amanda Dominguez-Chio, Culture Editor amanda@lbunion.com Madison Gallegos, Culture Editor madison@lbunion.com Peter R. Clark, Entertainment Editor entertainment@lbunion.com

Brewing with Bailey Bailey Mount Managing Editor

Zach Phelps, Food Editor food@lbunion.com Grim Fandango, Grunion Editor grunion@lbunion.com Kaila-Marie Hardaway, Music Editor music@lbunion.com Elliott Gatica, Music Editor music@lbunion.com Jordan Daniels, Opinions Editor opinions@lbunion.com Mario Lopez, Travel Editor travel@lbunion.com STAFF WRITERS Martha Quijano Karrie Comfort CONTRIBUTORS Isaura Aceves, Emily Ayers, Rachel Haering, Marilyn Ramirez, Oyinda Salako, Nancy Soriano, RyC Behind the Lens, COVER DESIGNS BY: John Mueller

Nathan Zankich 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

@UnionWeekly

Alex was right.

This is hard.

Alex, I know you’re reading this, so I’m sorry for always telling you to go and write your intro because it’s “easy.” Now I’m telling myself to go and write this intro and it’s definitely not.

So hey there, readers and writers and everyone wondering who the hell this person is writing this week. It’s me, Bailey.

The woman whose name is under Alex’s at the top of the page every week.

That’s a pretty accurate representation of me, actually. I’m the last line of defense in separating him from our editors and staffers, sort of like an awkward, dark-eyed linebacker/office mom.

Weirdly enough though, oftentimes I feel like the distant stepmom who tries really hard to connect with her unwilling inherited children.

This is one of those weeks.

Alex went home for the weekend. After a long talk about feelings and family and facts about the other, we decided it was for the best and I sent him off with the best of wishes and the sincere hope that things would go well for the both of us.

It...

Well, we all started off rocky at first, but it seems to have went well. It’s a little after a midnight now, we’re nearly through, and I feel better about all of this than I have in a long time.

To clarify, the look of existential dread in that potato effigy’s eyes is eerily similar to how I imagine I often look. I panic easily and am prone to emotion. I also have a fondness for potatoes.

This week then was a test for all of us.

In terms of the paper, I would say that we passed. We have some great articles in this week and we even have two features!

But while the EIC was away, the editors certainly did play. This wasn’t our best work this week. I know it and they know it. A managing editor can really only manage so

much at a time and I managed to keep this little boat that I love afloat - never said I could stop up all the holes.

In terms of office bonding, I would say we passed with flying colors. Even now, sitting here writing this thing way past the decent time for it — yea yea, Alex, I understand why you write it at the end of the night now — I have four other people in here helping me out because they’re genuinely good dudes.

And because they don’t seem to have much else to do.

Suffice to say, I appreciate them. Peter, Chris, Mario, and Matt — thanks for keeping me company after what was a short, but easily one of the longest production days I’ve ever had.

Well, that’s it for this week. Not really sure how to end this, besides by saying thanks for taking the time to read this. It means a lot to all of us.

See you around in November!

Bailey

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.

Lighting the Way in Dark Times

3 COMMUNITY

Project OCEAN holds second “Light the Night with Hope” Words and Photo by Amanda Del Cid Community Editor It all began with lanterns of hope, a paper bag, a candle and the message “you do matter, you are loved.” These lanterns filled the middle of Maxon Square in front of Brotman Hall on October 18 at Project OCEAN’s “Light the Night with Hope” event.

Paula Patino, a Project OCEAN peer advocate, got involved with the organization when she worked as a mental health assessor at a mental health facility. She said she wanted to make sure no one felt alone during their dark times.

“I want to help top the stigma [around mental illness] … and to encourage others to have more compassion for those experiencing a mental health issue.” said Patino. “Just like the body and physical pain needs to heal, so does the soul.”

Patino said there are ways to prevent those close to you from falling into a suicidal state, the number one thing is simply being aware. Tuning into changes in others is a good start.

“Don’t always try to give advice when a person comes to you with problems, sometimes you just need to listen and support them and let them know that you are there for them,” she said.

Tiffany Schultz, a graduate peer educator with Project OCEAN, manned the stress ball table at Light the Night With Hope, one

of many stations that provided students an outlet for stress and anxiety.

She said the event was meant to highlight mental health and illness in a positive way.

Along with the stress ball table, there was bracelet making, a temporary tattoo station, a sensory tube table and a lantern table where students wrote messages of love and hope on paper bags in solidarity with those struggling with mental illness.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 73 percent of students experience a mental health crisis while in college.

“We’ve had a lot of students coming through talking about midterms and how they are just trying to get through the middle of the semester.” said Schultz. “I think that people are starting to recognize Project OCEAN and a lot of them are thanking us.”

Diane Hernandez, a freshman mechanical engineering major and volunteer, said that it really hit her when she saw the backpack display by Active Minds because she has friends who have struggled with their mental health. “Light the Night with Hope” was her first event with Project OCEAN. “I think these events are important because there is a huge stigma around mental health,” said Hernandez.

Students engaged in a multitude of lighthearded activities meant to relieve stress at Project OCEAN’s “Light the Night with Hope” event on Oct. 18 “It is deemed to be less important than physical illnesses and so it’s is important to raise awareness on how it actually affects people.”

Danielle Hall and Husam Alshuhaimi, third year communication studies majors both stopped on the way to their cars to check out the event.

Hall said, “Walking through, honestly

I had no idea what the event was. I saw all the posters that said hope and I thought to myself, ‘I like me some hope.’”

Hall and Alshuhaimi participated in “The Hope Tree”, which was covered in leaves with positive messages written on them.

Alshuhaimi said, “I needed some of the things that were up on the tree and I’m sure that there are some others who need it too.”

Cabinet Spotlight: Marc Guest An advocate for veteran success at the university and day-to-day life It was in December 2000 when Secretary for Veterans Affairs, Marc Guest, signed the papers to join the Marine Corps. Less than a year later he found himself being served mobilization orders for a year of active duty at Camp Pendleton after the 9/11 attacks.

The military path was one that Guest initially thought wasn’t for him. But after being recruited by the Marines and resonating with their message, he liked that it would still allow him to pursue a college degree.

As an undergraduate at CSULB, Guest pursued a degree in physics while serving as the president of the university’s Veteran Network student organization for two years. Now Guest is finishing up his Master’s degree and has found

By Emily Ayers ASI Press Secretary Photo by Jordan Daniels Opinions Editor student government as a new way to serve student veterans.

“The best thing that has happened this semester is being able to get student veterans voices heard to the ASI President and Chief of Staff,” said Guest.

“One of the biggest obstacles is that veterans typically have a different college experience than most students. A large majority transfer in, so it is important for me to connect them with a community that understands them.”

One way Guest helps build those connections is through collaborating with other organizations throughout the year.

November 4 kicks off Veterans Week with the Vet Net Ally Program, which is open to all students, faculty and staff. On November 5, the Long Beach Veterans Day Parade will march through North Long Beach, and CSULB Runs with Veterans is set for November 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“For some student veterans the issue of time plays a part in their involvement

on campus,” said Guest.

“With the G.I. Bill, student veterans are even more focused on getting in and out so they can graduate in four years. But it is important that they know there are a lot of programs that ASI offers to help them achieve those goals.”

Guest said that Vet Net is always looking for more students to come out and get involved. It is his goal to make sure students know that if they need to reach out, he will be there to guide them and make them feel part of the community.

CSULB Veterans Services Location: Foundation Building, Room 220 Hours: Monday - Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 5p.m.

Phone: (562) 985-5115

4 OPINIONS

A Laughing Matter

These clown games aren’t that serious

By Rachel Haering Contributor Photo By RyC Behind the Lens Contributor s Clowns aren’t exactly an unusual sight in American cities, especially around Halloween. However, the recent outbreak of clown sightings that began in August has some people picking up their baseball bats and others looking over their shoulders a little more often.

The epidemic began in Greenville, South Carolina; where children reported seeing a clown hanging around their apartment complex and attempting to lure them into the woods. Clown sightings and images of “creepy clowns” have since spread all over the country, and even outside of the U.S. into countries like Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Several alleged “creepy clown” groups have made social media posts threatening to visit specific cities across the U.S., but most

have proven to be hoaxes. Many threats were perpetrated by students who simply wanted to pull a prank, probably trying to ride the wave of the #clownpocalypse’s social media popularity. The police have made several arrests of people dressed as clowns for disorderly conduct and deliberately frightening citizens, but few claims of clown attacks have been substantiated. Most clown sightings are just that.

With little evidence of a massive clown conspiracy, it’s hard for me to buy into the fear that many are experiencing. Clowns are portrayed as sinister, often murderous figures across the pop culture spectrum and

many people simply find them unsettling; seeing one leering at you from the darkness would send a shiver down anyone’s spine.

However, a few isolated, legitimate incidents sprinkled among a myriad of fakes is no cause for alarm. The viral popularity of the Greenville story most likely spawned copycats who wanted to take advantage of the situation to create a mass panic.

Honestly, the increasing number of people who claim they will attack any clown on sight is much more frightening

to me. Hundreds of Penn State students decided to go on a “clown hunt” after rumors spread that one had been sighted on campus. Michigan State had a similar panic after a doctored clown photo was shared around. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but similar riots could easily result in innocent bystanders being harmed.

Stay safe this Halloween, but don’t feel the need to take any extra precautions against killer clowns. Enjoy the festivities, everyone!

5

Perfect place to witness the spectacle

Words and photos

by Marilyn Ramirez Contributor

“So maybe, we can thank the sun for leaving because, as a replacement, we get crimson reds, deep indigo hues and soft oranges.”

TRAVEL

Palos Verdes Sunset

I believe the best sunsets happen in winter.

The trick is, you have to choose a clear, late afternoon from October to February – maybe March – and make it to the coastal cliffs before 5 p.m. after the sun has started setting but before it completely disappears.

This is possible in Palos Verdes. If you type Lunuda Bay Elementary school into Google Maps, but head toward the million dollar mansions overlooking the ocean, you’re there. You’ll pull up in front of the homes and park in the dirt, ready with a blanket and jacket, and sit to watch the night unfold.

You’ll be surprised. Everything summer becomes imaginary. At the height you’re at, the air will be frigid and force you to wrap your arms around your body. It will force you to preserve the heat coming off your skin that the sun will fail to keep alive.

The sun, instead, will be selfish. It will keep its usual scalding rays to itself and peer at you as it creeps beneath the horizon and dims into nonexistence. The waves will crash against the rocks below before the

thunderous collisions mellow to a lull, a lull as lingering as the setting sun.

I don’t know much about atmospheric science involving gases and all that, or why they work the way they do in a colder climate, but what I do know is that it’s the work of color in the sky that needs to be remembered. So maybe, we can thank the sun for leaving because, as a replacement, we get crimson reds, deep indigo hues and soft oranges.

You won’t forget the cold – it’ll probably get worse and bite at your skin – but you also won’t forget the transition to dusk.

In that moment, your day, whether it was productive or cringe-worthy, is being absorbed by the swirl of newfound color and then relinquished to the night.

I believe this is what we need to focus on.

It’s not just a day that’s ending. It’s a day we survived, a day that left its mark on us and a day we got through. It’s the reason why we can watch thousands of sunsets in our lives.

Though the sun leaves us, there’s more than just darkness ahead.

my friend, who’s birthday I was going for, to see where he was at.

By Jordan Daniels Opinions Editor His father had taken a different route and told me to take the Interstate 210 east because it would be easier.

“Okay,” I said and hoped for the best.

Those were the slowest 50 miles of my life. Rage is a strange emotion. But let me tell you, I have never had more rage in my life than I did on this godforsaken freeway. Traffic was not just bumper-to-bumper, it was side-to-side and all around.

My navigation on my phone had alerted me that the issue was apparently an accident on the side of the road so I thought, “Okay, if someone is The sign you see after a hell hurt, then I acknowledge that of a ride. Photo courtesy of I’m lucky to be safe.”

Las Vegas News Bureau On that note, why was A road trip to Las Vegas is supposed to be at around 3 p.m., the prime time for traffic on a the “accident”, just two cars fun. You’re going to celebrate a birthday with Friday evening. Still, it’s the principle—it took pulled over with one giving the other a some friends, have some amazing dranks, me eight hours for a 250 mile drive. jumpstart? make bad choices and turn the hell up.

In short, the drive getting out of LA was I’m sorry, does a jump-start constitute as So please, for the love of the Lord, tell me literal hell. I didn’t get of the county until an accident worth losing another two hours to why is getting to Vegas so stressful?

5:30 p.m. I’ll let that sink in. go 50 miles for? Screaming. I was screaming.

I know, I am partially to blame for this little Finally, I hit the split from the Interstate Finally, at 7:30 p.m., I hit the Interstate hiccup because I decided to leave Los Angeles 405 north and the Interstate 210 east and I call 15 north and, just when I thought I’d have a

stroke of luck, I was once again bombarded with traffic.

So, I took an exit, got some coffee and a pair of McChickens, because my feelings needed to be eaten, and I looked for an alternate route. My beautiful assistant (my phone) deemed historic Route 66 as a suitable substitute, which it was.

It was darker than night. So here I am, rolling 80mph on this dark-ass road, seeing nothing but 10 feet in front of me, hanging on to my steering wheel for dear life and praying I bypass the 15’s stupid traffic and get my ass to Vegas.

30 miles later, I finally see the 15, it’s road is clear and I make my way on down with my sights high and my temperament low. I made it there safely by 11 p.m., but Moses, that was the worst drive of my life, especially to do solo. Next time I am definitely just going to flap my bat wings and fly.

Marilyn enjoying the beautiful Palos Verdes sunset

Headache of a Ride

“So, I took an exit, got some coffee and a pair of McChickens, because my feelings needed to be eaten.”

6 ATHLETICS

The Potential Demise of the Golden State Warriors

By Alex Ramos Editor-In-Chief

“The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

This is a pretty straight forward saying with a simple meaning. No matter how much you plan and prepare, things can still go wrong. As it stands, that’s what everyone in the NBA is hoping for with the Golden State Warriors.

Let’s take a moment to recap. After weeks of speculation, fans and pundits finally got an answer to the burning question, “Where is Kevin Durant going to sign?” Many figured he would resign with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his original team.

The Thunder appeared to be the Warriors’ only kryptonite out West after pushing the defending champions to a seven game series.

It only made sense for Durant to return and complete this new challenge with the only franchise he had ever played for.

And then it didn’t make sense. On July 4, Kevin Durant announced that he would be leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder to sign with the Golden State Warriors, the team that had just knocked him out of the playoffs.

It goes without saying that this wasn’t a very popular move. Fans turned on Durant for breaking a sort of unspoken code about signing with a championship contender.

Critics bashed the Golden State Warriors for signing a top 5 player and creating a superteam, despite having: the best shooter in the league, Klay Thompson; the most versatile player, Draymond Green; and the most valuable player (for two seasons in a row), Stephen Curry.

Overall, the masses were upset with both parties for coming together in an unholy union to bring about the end of times to the basketball landscape.

This is all ancient history by now.

Everyone is just waiting for the Warriors to decimate the competition and leave behind a trail of pain and despair. The thing is this outcome isn’t necessarily guaranteed.

Remember when the Celtics lost all of their steam after Kevin Garnett got injured

Women’s Soccer, Volleyball Mirror Success in Conference

Illustration by Allison Meyer Multimedia Assistant

in 2009? When the Lakers assembled their own superteam, not once but twice (2004, 2013), and failed to produce championships?

Remember when the up-and-coming Golden State Warriors broke out and basically stole a ring from Lebron James and the super Cavaliers with a young Kyrie

Irving and a highly efficient Kevin Love just two years ago?

My point is that there have been all these instances where teams that were predicted to overwhelmingly come out on top, didn’t, for one reason or another.

The Warriors are no exception because they’re men, just like the rest of the players in the NBA. No matter what, they are susceptible to injuries and ego trips and bad luck.

Just last week, ESPN published an article that detailed Draymond Green’s controversial antics on and off the court. It tied together all of the incidents Green was involved in — starting from the beginning of the playoffs through the summer up until the beginning of the preseason — into a cohesive narrative that painted the picture of passionate player and equally

problematic person off the court.

While head coach Steve Kerr and several of the players have been downplaying the impact of the article, it’s still telling that a team that portrays itself as one big happy family has this kind of issue in the locker room.

Let’s also not forget that the two of the best offensive players on the team are prone to injuries. Stephen Curry spent the second half of the 2011-2012 season on the bench due to ankle injuries and, while not related, dealt with several leg injuries throughout last season’s playoff run, including a sprained MCL. And while Kevin Durant was successful last season, he is only a year removed from a severe foot injury that plagued him during the 20142015 season.

Doubts continue to linger about this particular injury since foot ailments are more difficult to maintain than other injuries.

Although signs point to both players being healthy, the threat of injury remains, especially if they’re aiming to make a championship run.

There are numerous other factors that could derail the Warriors, no matter how unlikely they may seem to affect them.

The team has three of the best shooters in the league, but there might not be enough spacing to keep defenses from correctly guessing on perimeter shots. Steve Kerr is back to coaching full time and seems to be bringing down his fist on shenanigans (the same way he did when he shattered a clipboard in rage during the playoffs).

Strong team chemistry has not been established, a little detail that most superteams overlooked before they ended up failing in critical moments.

This season’s Warriors are certainly poised to have another dominant season and make another run at the championship.

The season is long, though, and anything could happen. After all, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

By Matthew Gozzip Athletics Editor Two months after the start of the Long Beach State fall sports season, the 49ers are beginning to break through bedrock and hit pay dirt.

After navigating through one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the country, the women’s soccer team is proving that they belong among the nation’s best.

Injuries to key players before a six-game stretch against several top-ranked squads resulted in a 1-5 record. Even though the Beach lost many of these matches, the end tallies were never blowouts.

If anything, the team learned how to balance out the offense while also solidifying the defense. Leading scorer Ashley Gonzales and stalwart goalkeeper Ashton McKeown aren’t the only stars on the team anymore.

Defender Chloe Froment has been holding the backline down while also pushing the ball up field for multiple scoring chances.

Midfielders Dana Fujikuni and Mimi Rangel continue to be the balance that keeps the offense moving. The team has compiled a 3-12 record in conference play and is currently 2nd in the Big West.

Across the field in The Pyramid, the women’s volleyball team is experiencing an eerily similar season.

The flying 49ers struggled to establish consistency in beginning of the season, regularly sweeping opponents or getting shut out the next game.

An invitational with LMU resulted with some shaky results at home and an especially disastrous meet in San Diego only furthered doubts about the team’s future.

Instead of forfeiting the season as a result of inexperience and rebuilding, the team decided to do something differently.

They started winning and haven’t stopped since. The team is undefeated in conference with a 9-0 record powered by libero Hailey Harward and an efficient front line rotation of middleback Eri Xue, setter Missy Owens and hitter Anete Brinke.

Star players Ashley Murray and Nele Barber have calmed the team through the storm as its veterans.

Even though the women’s soccer and volleyball teams accepted losses early in their seasons, they obtained many valuable qualities: experience, chemistry and control, qualities you can only gain through adversity.

One other achievement they can both share is the title of Big West champion, the ultimate reflection of success.

7 FEATURE

By Bailey Mount Managing Editor Listen!

There was that sound again.

Those whispers.

They were there, they were real, if you just listened you could hear them as I heard them and then you’d understand.

You’d understand why I did it.

It wasn’t as if I set out on that morning with certain intentions in mind.

No, on the contrary, I set out on that morning with a hopeful optimism in knowing of my own insignificance in the events that would follow.

I knew that no matter my disposition, certain events would be beyond my control.

I met that epiphany with open arms.

How young of me.

The door slammed behind us, a sound of finality that echoed around the large room. In 12 hours, it would shrink to the size of a coffin—a coffin with 20 living, writhing, whispering inhabitants that breathed and spoke and always wanted something. That always wanted me.

It was maddening. It was the whispering that I couldn’t stand.

And eventually, I suppose I did go mad.

When at last I came to my senses, it was night. The whispering had stopped. The door was open. A cold breeze dried my skin, compelled me to leave, compelled me to step outside and into the night.

The door shut behind me — the final closing echo of what was now a tomb.

You’ve been asking me for hours, but I still don’t know what happened.

I only know why.

It was because we wanted silence. And we got it. Didn’t we?

Of course, none of this actually transpired. That would bypass the realm of natural occurrence and fall right into insanity.

This is my scary story, lived out every weekend by my editors and I, as we desperately try to deliver something worth reading, quite often at the expense of a brief mental lapse and some cutthroat behavior— though it’s never literal.

Working is scary. Other people are scary.

And being an adult is one of the scariest things of all at times.

The following pages contain adult subject matter, from apartments to credit cards to graduating.

Reader, beware. Real life is quite a scare.

8 FEATURE

THE GRADUATE

By Mario Lopez Travel Editor The last person left the classroom, and I was still sitting on the desk at the back corner, furthest from the door.

I stared at the blank pages in front of me. I did not know what to do with myself but to sit there until the motion sensitive lights went off and the sun outside submerged the room in a swampy, grey Riesling shine. My shadow seemed to leave a print of overuse on the wall behind me.

I stood up and stuffed my papers and notebook into my bag. I hung the bag over my shoulders and trudged toward the door.

I counted each step. I inspected every desk on my way; each touched the one behind it, too close.

The board was smudged with words, numbers, theories and equations that no one would remember in a few days. My brain hurt a lot.

Seven years. Seven years I spent in rooms just like this one. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until my hand clasped around the worn knob.

The open air hit like a clout on the side of my head as I shouldered the door open. The air swarmed in through my nose and I felt every particle, down to the atom, flow an invigorating tinge into

my lungs, surge into my bloodstream and rush to every edge of my body.

I walked through every route I had ever taken on campus, shortcuts and all.

There was nobody in sight, but it didn’t seem strange. They have promises to keep. The solace fit me—lovely, dark and deep.

On my walk, I searched for a clarity, or maybe a sign pointing me in the right direction. I could do anything, go anywhere. My journey was over. I graduated. I finished.

The realization creeped prickly up my spine.

I now have time.

“Graduation Begins Today” read on every other banner I paced by. It ends today. They never mentioned what happens after.

I came to my favorite path.

The trees warped over the paved road ahead of me. I could see the water tower, the blue pyramid, the fields, the recreation center, the new parking structure.

Everything was so different.

The trees could probably tell you better than me if I had changed.

They’ve been here from the start.

Their branches like warped prison bars

closing in. My pace slowed.

What did I have? A job in a parking lot. I could call in for more hours. I could spend more time with my family. I could buy a nice car, maybe a home if I learn to save money. I could read all the books I’d never read while I kept adding to the bookshelf. I could apply to grad school.

Apply to jobs I’m not qualified for. My brain swelled with a buzz of thoughts bursting out my ears.

The trees’ fleshy skin bent and rumpled in an enigmatic fashion. They arched in a way that framed the sky between them and the hill near the music department. The sun was off frame, but its presence wrapped itself over the drooping sky as the clouds wavered by.

The leaves scuttled and scraped by as I feebly placed one foot in front of the other. Slower and slower.

The leaves rustled in their branches, a crowd cheering on my victory lap. They must have heard I was leaving. I couldn’t bear walking any longer. I don’t want to think anymore. Think, Think, Think.

All I ever did was think.

I walked up to the hill, and took out my notebook, unclasped it, sat and poured my thoughts out and squeezed as much juice out onto the page.

No blurts of horns or resonance of cellos from the music department. No Pomp and Circumstance—there was nothing to celebrate.

I just wanted to repose and sleep, maybe dream. I took a breath, but not too deep. I was scared that if I breathed in too deep I’d have breath enough to say something. So I wrote.

I can’t tell you what I wrote now; you see, I tossed the paper. It was a bit damp is all I could say.

My bones were weary and my eyes a bit teary.

I’m so tired. I don’t think I can go on like this. No one to tell me what to do. I realized I was shaking, having withdrawals. I missed that chair. The classroom. The comfort.

I drove home. The same swamp of gray light permeated the walls of my room. I slopped onto my bed.

I shut off the lights and just stared in the dark.

I tried to get up and do something.

Maybe wash dishes, make plans, take out the trash, or feed the dogs.

I thought, thought some more, and thought again. I was paralyzed.

Sleep looked lovely, dark and deep, but I could not close my eyes.

Week 2: I have good news: our AC is fixed!

We agreed to only run it when the majority of us are home and only for a few hours. And now for the bad news: we have termites.

We think the heat drove them to find shelter in our lovely abode. What’s worse is they have wings! My roommate called to get rid of them and the exterminator will arrive next Tuesday.

Moreover, my roommate decided

to not kill the termites but to collect them in a Tupperware, in our freezer. He thought it would be a good idea to show the exterminator what we’re dealing with.

Because my schedule is less rigorous than the rest of my roommates, I collected a generous amount of the termites.

I find myself dreaming of the small and brittle winged fiends. I keep having the same reoccurring thought where I was

HOMESICK

By Amanda Dominguez-Chio Culture Editor Week 1: The first week of the semester went by fast, especially since I am only taking two classes. Life at the apartment is good. We all moved last Saturday.

Once everyone was settled in, we spent the night talking about what items we still needed to purchase and how we were splitting expenses.

Most importantly, we talked about the parties we wanted to hold to celebrate our

new independence. Our spacious living room would hold all of our friends.

I could just imagine all the joy and laughter our apartment would bring. The past few days, however, have been hot and to our dismay, our air conditioning is broken. One of my roommates sent in a maintenance request a few days ago but it is still broken.

No matter, we have fans so that should suffice for now.

Alex Ramos Editor-in-Chief Let’s talk about the election, guys. In

a couple of weeks, we’ll be going out and casting our votes to elect the next President of the United States. Now, getting to this point was something of a struggle for us. We were treated to sensationalized coverage of everything Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump did and said as they scrambled to gain our votes. It was a non-stop barrage of insults and retorts with little to no discussion of the actual issues. I don’t know about you,

By Alex Ramos Editor-in-Chief

but I’ve had my fill of this political drama.

That’s why we’re turning our attention to something that has been overlooked: the local and state elections.

There’s a lot at stake in these elections and it’d be better if we were all at least somewhat informed.

So, we took it upon ourselves to read up on the 17 propositions that are up for vote and condensed a few of them with the hope that we’ll get you up to speed. Go forth and get caught up!

By Karrie Comfort Staff Writer

Prop. 51

Prop. 58

Prop. 56

Prop. 57

It’s no secret that schools are in disrepair. A number of problems— from building stability, ventilation, electrical, and plumbing—plague our places of learning and make it difficult to maintain a high quality of education.

Fixes need to happen soon. In order to make them happen, money is needed.

That’s where Prop 51 comes in.

Prop 51 would give $9 billion to schools in bonds from the state, with $7 billion going to K-12 schools and the other $2 billion going to community colleges. This money would go towards fixing and building school facilities.

Sounds good, right?

Well, it’s a little too good. The bonds promised by the proposition would have to be paid back with interest by the taxpayers, which would amount to $500 million a year over 35 years.

Essentially, the matter boils down to if we want the money for schools now despite negative consequences or if we want to take a step back and figure out a way to get it done without any setbacks.

In 1998, Prop 227 passed and made English-only teaching the standard statewide. Bilingual programs were still available, but there was an application that needed to be filled out and approved.

They were also only available in a few school districts.

Learning English is hard, but it can be even more difficult to process if it is not your first language. The contradctions in grammar and pronunciation rules can be confusing to pick up, especially if you don’t have your native tongue to fall back on.

Proposition 58 seeks to remedy this problem by giving school districts control over how non-English speakers are taught English. It would allow educators to implement dual language programs tailored to fit their students.

Fiscally, the proposition would not cost voters much. Instead, much of the debate is over whether or not dual language is worth the effort, especially since it will be undoing the effects of a previous proposition.

Prop 58 would essentially repeal Prop 227 and open up a number of options to educators at the local level.

Opponents are quick to bring up the success of English-only programs, as test scores and English fluency increased after Prop 227 went into effect. It’s undeniable that having students fully immersed in the language will help them pick it up faster.

Proponents, however, cite studies that show dual language instruction can be just as effective if done properly. They state that you can teach students English without sacrificing their knowledge of their native language.

Prop 56 might hit a little close to home for most college students, especially here at CSULB. A $2 increase on cigarettes by the pack, with an equivalent tax raise on other tobacco products. Recently on campus we have implemented the “Breathe” campaign, with the goal of making our campus, eventually, completely smoke-free.

No one debates the health benefits of smoking; it’s not good for you.

Cancer is real, and the science is all there, so the real question is whether or not we have the right to play the policeman and limit the use of cigarettes, whether it be on college campuses or via a cigarette tax.

Something interesting about this proposition is that it includes not only tobacco products, but also e-cigarettes. These might be even more detrimental to a young market that tends to consume this niche market product.

The current tax is $0.87 cents on the dollar for one pack of cigarettes. With California being well below the average state tax on cigarettes, that would put our new rate well above the average at $2.87- a dollar over the average state tax.

Where would the money go? Most of it would go to Medi-Cal., physician training, and school programs that prevent tobacco-use.

Should nonviolent felons be given more opportunities for parole? Another aspect to this proposition is that it allows judges to decide if certain juveniles should or should not be tried as adults, instead of prosecutors who currently make the call.

Prisons in California are overcrowded, and of course building new ones is extremely expensive.

A similar proposition was passed in 2011, Proposition 47, which reduced certain nonviolent felonies to misdemeanors and also allowed prisoners more opportunities for parole reduced prison numbers.

The Republican party opposes the proposition and the Democratic party supports it: Governor Jerry Brown is a strong supporter of the proposition as well.

The main idea for the proposition is to allow “incentive credits”, earned via good behavior or educational achievements to reduce the time spent in prison by non-violent felons. Around 35,000 inmates would be able to seek an early release. Less inmates would, of course, save the state some money.

“Learning English is hard, but it can be harder still if it is not your first language .”

“Prisons in California are overcrowded, and of course building new ones is extremely expensive.”

By Zach Phelps Food Editor

By Matthew Gozzip Athletics Editor

Prop. 52

Prop. 64

Prop. 55

Prop. 65/67

Though decidedly less sexy than some of the other propositions on this year’s election ballot, Prop 52 addresses an important gap in the way funds are diverted from California’s Medicaid program.

For all states, including California, to receive federal funding for medical programs for low-income residents, they must create their own revenue stream to match incoming federal funds.

As the law currently stands, the California State Legislature is allowed to divert funds from the state’s Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal, without voter approval.

If Prop 52 is enacted into law, changes to dedicated hospital funds would have to first be passed by voters.

This legislation is primarily intended to prevent the diversion of funds from programs that would benefit children from low-income families, as these programs are often the target of such diversions.

Prop 52 is supported by both the California Democratic Party and the California Republican Party, as well as by the majority of Legislature members.

Among the most sensational of all the propositions on the 2016 ballot is the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative. If passed, Prop 64 would amend California state law to allow adults 21 years or older to use marijuana recreationally, either in the privacy of their own homes or at specially licensed businesses.

Similarly, adults would also be permitted to possess up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana, known as wax or oil.

Individual adults would further be permitted to own and maintain up to six cannabis plants, given that they are kept within a private, secure enclosure.

While Prop 64 would legalize marijuana at the state level in California, it would continue to remain illegal at the federal level.

While the California Bureau of Marijuana Control would be given responsibility for regulating dispensaries, local governments would have the option to ban the sale of marijuana within their given municipality.

City and county governments would not, however, be able to establish regulations that extend beyond state mandates on how and where marijuana could be consumed.

After covering administrative costs, taxes collected from the sale of marijuana would be allocated for a variety of programs, including but not limited to studies on the short and long-term effects of marijuana consumption, youthfocused drug education, and job placement for mentally handicapped individuals.

The aftermath of the Great Recession continued to plague the California economy several years after it ended. To help recover from diminished funds and broken consumerism, voters passed Proposition 30 in 2012 to increase taxes. The increases were applied in increments from 1-3% each year to parties making over $263,000 annually, including small businesses that paid personal income tax. The legislation was promoted as a temporary rainy day fund that would end in 2018, but a new extension of the proposition has made it onto this year’s ballot: Proposition 55.

By voting “yes” on 55, the personal income tax increases on incomes over $250,000 approved in 2012 will be continued until 2030 in order to fund education and healthcare.

The revenue collected will be directed to education and healthcare at a near equal rate. Nearly 89% of the designated educations funds from the increased tax rates would go to K-12 schools while the remaining 11% revenue goes to state colleges. The healthcare funds directly support Medi-Cal and the remaining is set as budget reserves.

If you are in the tax bracket above $250,000, do not linger too much on the increased tax rate. The rate is marginal, applied to money in excess of the bracket minimum. If the proposition were denied, the tax rate would not be lowered to pre2012 rates. Taxes for people in the higher brackets would still remain high.

The taxes may go to meaninful programs but there are still problems associated with the prop. Education supported by income tax rather than sales tax is already a risky move. Revenue from income tax is dependent on the economy and the economy is still volatile (ex: the original reason why the original Proposition 30 was passed was because of a housing crisis).

Besides the hypotheticals of economic collapse, there is still displeasure with already mismanaged tax funds. According to an editorial from the Sacramento Bee on Proposition 55, more than half of the state budget already goes to education. This prop may just be another stopgap tax for 12 more years instead of reforming the system as a whole.

It is important to see both sides of Proposition 55, even if most of us are on the side of the most immediate positive effects, from education and health care funds.

From Al Gore to Ken Bone, environmental awareness has become a hot button topic nationally for the past decade. The issue of ecological preservation runs through California, one of the largest consumer markets in the world. To offset negative environmental impacts, two propositions were included on the ballot that would ban the distribution of a common nonrecyclable item: plastic bags.

Most plastic bags are made with nonbiodegradable materials and are not durable. California would become the first state to ban the use of plastic singleuse bags under Propositions 65 and 67.

Both propositions suggest a limiting of the plastic bags but offer different opinions on how new recyclable paper bag fees would be allocated.

For Proposition 65, a “yes” vote is a vote in favor of redirecting money collected from the sale of carryout bags by grocery or other retail stores to a special fund administered by the Wildlife Conservation Board.

The vote for Proposition 67 is more complicated. A “yes” vote approves, and a “no” vote rejects, a statute that: a) prohibits grocery and certain other retail stores from providing single-use plastic or paper carryout bags at point of sale b) permits sale of recycled paper bags and reusable bags to customers, at a minimum price of 10 cents per bag.

Each proposition is independent and can hypothetically both pass. That being said, Proposition 65 holds more power than Proposition 67. If 67 receives more “yes” votes than 65, revenue from bags are kept in stores. If 65 get more “yes” votes, a clause can be used to negate 67 and revenue from the new bags would be still transferred to state environmental funds.

Proposition 67 is designed to expedite the banning process for plastic bags. Los Angeles has seen a 90% drop in single-use bags in the past year but there are still around 15 billion bags distributed in California every year.

With Proposition 65, taxing the revenue (10 cents/bag) and directing it to environmental programs is misleading to some.

According to an editorial on the propositions in the LA Times, directing the aforementioned fees to environmental programs doesn’t complement the conservation goals since the lobbyists backing Proposition 65 don’t support the bag ban in the first place and want to punish grocery stores for supporting the ban.

“While the California Bureau of Marijuana Control would be given responsibility for regulating businesses which dispense marijuana, local governments would have the option to ban the sale of marijuana within their given municipality.”

9

Week 3: I was wrong. I was so wrong.

The termites, fortunately, are gone. But we are facing an unforeseeable event.

Currently, I am writing by candlelight because we had a blackout. I was in my room when suddenly the lights turned off.

Luckily, we were all home but maneuvering around the apartment was difficult. I gradually made my way to the hallway, extending my arms to feel my way out of the room. In the hallway, there’s a small closet where I remember seeing a flashlight.

When I found the knob, I opened the door and inched my way closer to the hallway. I placed one hand on the wall, trying to find the closet when I felt another presence in the room.

I wondered if someone didn’t lock the door before leaving. I stood still for a moment. I tried to steady my breathing but knowing someone was near made it difficult. I heard the rustling of paper and rummaging objects.

As I was about to take a small back towards my bedroom, I heard a voice say, “Hey, I’m just looking for candles.” It was just my roommate.

Don’t you just love when your mind plays tricks on you?

Week 4: After the blackout, I didn’t think it could get any worse. It did. The power came back early the next morning.

Apparently, it was only our apartment complex that experienced the power outage.

A few days later, we received a notice notifying us that the water was getting turned off the next day between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. And if matters couldn’t get worse, my roommate saw a cockroach in our kitchen a few days ago. We think they crawled from the sink’s drain.

Yesterday, when we were preparing to fumigate the apartment, my roommate

noticed someone had removed the sink strainer and placed it on the kitchen counter. He reached for it and out scuttled a cockroach.

To this very day, I can still picture myself cleaning the kitchen sink, minding my own business, and a swarm of roaches arise from the pipes.

Roaches of various sizes scurrying around the kitchen and hiding in every corner and crevice. We are talking about a large horde of roaches, producing this rhythmic scurrying sound.

Week 5: I haven’t been able to sleep. I wake up early in the morning hearing noises, but when I turn on the lights, there’s nothing there. We’ve tried keeping the kitchen clean by not leaving any food around.

I’ve cleaned our—

“The horrors... were something you could take to your grave... one hole you’ll never be able to dig yourself out of.”

On one dark and stormy night, I was relaxing on a typical Friday indoors, scrolling through my emails.

Read. Delete. Read.

Delete. Spam. Delete.

Hundreds of emails from retailers flooded my inbox until one had put me in some sort of a trance like a pendulum swinging between my eyes.

I clicked on the link to their website and found myself getting lost in all the clothes and shoes I could ever want.

Before making any impulsive decision, I checked online to see how much money I had left on my debit card.

Dread washed over me and almost scared myself to death when I heard a loud bang coming from the room that I was in.

Maybe it had been the thunder getting

FEATURE

lying on the floor, eyes closed, and seeing these termites drop dead on the carpet.

One by one, these termites descend until I am covered with them. I reach out to get up, but I can feel their dainty and frail wings. Just writing this all gives me goosebumps.

Just a few more days and this nightmare will end.

A LIFE DEBT

By Martha Giron Quijano Staff Writer

ready to strike down its lightning on me for lack of productivity.

Or maybe it was a heavy branch knocking against my window as the wind and rain continued to pour down.

But then, I realized it was just me, and I nearly fell out of my seat when I saw I would not be able to afford any of the things I saw online.

With a snap of a finger, an idea popped into my head. I made my way towards my mom and casually asked her if I could get a credit card even though I expected her to say no.

Surprisingly, she didn’t oppose it but instead cautioned me about the dangers of having a credit card that guaranteed will leave me with nightmares.

Her story was sure not for the faint of heart.

My eyes went wide as she started to talk about interest rates and how there’s really no such thing as zero interest.

The thunder boomed, sounding like bowling balls crashing against the pins when she told me there were even companies whose interest rates can reach over 300 percent.

Banks will have no mercy and will suck the blood out of your wallet and leave you to bleed out your debt.

The horrors of being in debt, she warned, is something you could

possibly take with you to your grave.

It’s one hole you’ll never be able to dig yourself out of.

Late fees will haunt you like a shadow in the night, following you wherever you go if you don’t pay on time every month.

Maxing out your credit card is the nail on your coffin.

I couldn’t sleep for days.

The impending doom from interest rates and the inevitability of falling into debt through most of my adulthood had me fearing for my life. But I managed to put on my brave cap and applied for a credit card with shaky hands, unsure if they want to go through with it.

“Avoid adulthood,” my brain told me even though I knew it was virtually impossible. “Avoid it at all costs!”

But like a woman possessed with hands with a mind of its own, I fell under the spell of the enticing credit line a company was offering.

When I received the card in the mail, I felt the dark clouds that had been looming over my head clear up until… I made my first purchase with the card.

The rest of the story remains unknown as the responsibility never stops with a credit card in hand.

Local Lineup

10 MUSIC

A run down of bands in LA that make life bearable

By Nancy Soriano Contributor So, my friend Isa and I go to a lot of local shows. They’re rad. If you didn’t know, the Los Angeles music scene is wicked cool and besides their price, affordable for all college students regardless of budget. Usually, three or four bands play a set during these shows. We’d love to share all these bands with you and the easiest way to give you the deets, in case you’re interested but too lazy to do the work to see if these bands fit your genre, is to use four categories and let you look at a portion of the local lineup. Happy listening, 49ers!

Hailing from the OC, The Grinns are one of those bands that makes me proud to be from SoCal. You won’t find a song that doesn’t uplift you in some way and, side note, they also have a new record coming out soon. Plus, they gave me their setlist, followed by their “real” setlist. Champs.

Sound: They describe themselves as “flexy soul rock and roll” and I’m inclined to agree. With The Grinns, every instrument

Wee Beasties Okay, they aren’t exactly the most local, but based out of Central California, so close enough.

Wee Beasties are really something else and quite mind blowing (I’ll get into that later). I still recommend that you check them out.

Sound: They’re self described “Punk Skate Rock”.

The vocals are soulful and powerful as the singer growls and wails with clean execution. Their guitars contain lots of blues undertones as they play solo after solo, as well as raw riffs.

They’re almost what I would consider clean garage rock, a contradiction, but this band has all the power and raw sound mixed with harmonious musical elements.

Live: Okay, this is the part where they were mind blowing. I honestly don’t think

Photos by Isaura Aceves Contributor

The Grinns subtly complements another, creating a paradoxical sound that means this band better keep playing together.

Live: The front man doesn’t use a mic stand. That’s confidence. There are very subtle differences, if any, in the live performances and the studio versions of their songs. They put you in a pretty happy mood with their beachy guitar riffs. Also, the lead singer was “sick most of the week so [his] voice [was] giving out but don’t worry [he’ll] do it.” What a guy.

Recommendations: “Why Do You Lie?” is their newest single and definitely a banger. Honestly anything off of their album “Colorblind”. “You” is a personal favorite.

Where to Find Them: https://liquidlight. bandcamp.com https://www.facebook.com/liquidlightband/ http://www.liquidlighttheband.com/ the-band

By Isaura Aceves Contributor words can accurately describe the experience that they were to see live.

Starting off, the singer told the crowd to come closer to the stage before he came to us. Their studio sound is clean and spotless, but once you hear the guitar being shredded and the growling of the vocalist, you get chills running down your spine. The guitarist would rapidly move his hand up and down the guitar’s neck while creating all of these sound effects, with a variety of pedals, and a manipulation of the guitar’s volume. They’re an experience everyone needs to hear.

Recommendations: “Pacifica” and “Obvious” are both singles worth listening.

(Although I recommend all of their songs).

Where to Find Them: https://thegrinns. bandcamp.com/ h t t p s : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / T h e Grinns-553264751459981/

Liquid Light

Alright, so these guys are local to Portland, Oregon, but they came down and played and said that it was “good to be in LA” so it’s worth a listen.

If you check them out and dig their sound, there’s a new record out in February.

Save the date.

Sound: Alternative, pop rock with a hint of garage. Their bass lines are really clean, the guitar wails appropriately,

Hate Drugs If you ever wanted the perfect embodiment of the summer and the beach in sound, then the Bakersfield band Hate Drugs is perfect for you.

Sound: A mixture of chill indie and alternative. Their music consists of soft clean vocals with surf rock guitar riffs and delicate keyboard notes. They have a bassline and drums that keep their sound driving and upbeat.

They manage to create a unique sound of indie with surf rock as they fuse the elements of soft pop guitar riffs that vary from gritty and loud to soft and catchy.

Live: Seeing them live is nothing but a pleasure to watch. The keyboardist stood out a lot as he performed barefoot and would jump around as he sang along with the lead singer. This is just an example of the raw energy that they brought live in comparison to their studio music.

From their first song you could tell that they were really immersed in their music as every time the drummer hit the cymbals they would keep rhythm by

headbanging to the drum beat is pretty easy and fun, and the vocals are the right amount of loud and powerful.

It’s a good mix almost reminiscent of the wailing power ballads from 80s rock, except with less hair perms.

Live: They’re consistent with their studio recordings except the live versions give me more satisfaction.

Self satisfaction that can only come from kickass guitar riffs, bass lines, and a steady drum beat that fills the venue up to the rafters in sound.

Even when the guitarist broke his D string, he kept shredding until the end.

There’s something to be said about a band that somehow sounds louder when their tempo slows.

Recommendations: “Shed Light” off of their first EP and “Uninitiated” off of their latest album.

Where to Find Them: https://liquidlight. bandcamp.com https://www.facebook.com/liquidlightband/ http://www.liquidlighttheband.com/ the-band

Photos by Nancy Soriano Contributor bending their knees in unison.

Recommendations: “Oh Well” off the album “Anna Graham” and their single “Isotopes.”

Where to Find them: https://soundcloud.com/weebeasties http://weebeastiesmusic.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ weebeastiesmusic

MUSIC

Imprint Lab Presents: Underground Bands from China

11

Showcasing Beijing’s sound to Long Beach’s Psychic Temple Words and Photos by Isaura Aceves Contributor

The video projection playing behind the band and the lowlights play hand in hand with the synthesizer, heavy guitar and somber vocals that are playing front the stage.

I look up to see two men playing the guitar and drums and am amazed of how a full sound is being produced by just a duo.

They’re Beijing based duo called Alpine Decline, they started off with softer vocalizations and guitar rhythms and yet they play with dark underlying tones creating a hazy presence and atmosphere.

Beijing is not that first place that comes in mind when I think about underground

music. But I have never been more wrong.

I had the opportunity to listen to one of the world’s most unique bands from varying experimental psychedelic rock to punk rock music.

On Oct. 15, the Imprint Culture Lab hosted a concert with Chinese underground bands at the Psychic Temple in Downtown Long Beach. Although the Imprint Culture Lab specializes in contemporary art and entrepreneurship, and host purely talk shows, they hosted the concert bringing us a taste of the rich

sound grew into a harmonious daunting music that kept you immersed with every note they hit.

The majority of their songs were instrumental with the occasional vocals, but everything about their complex sound was new experience for me.

The bass line for every song was strong and powerful as the bassist created a concrete foundation for the guitarists to start floating away in their experimental sound and solos.

The perfomance was not restricted to purely guitars, bass and drums. They brought in different instruments varying

elements of fast paced music from China.

They opened their set with loud, deafening guitar chords and drove right in with the bass and drums following with a purely instrumental song.

During their fourth song, there were components of pop punk through the singer’s cheerful singing.

As they continued on their last song, their energy skyrocketed as the they came to the breakdown of the set.

The guitarist starting slamming the guitar with high energy, creating distorting effects in the guitar.

The end of their performance left

from song to song.

The lead guitarist would break off and start playing an electric drum pad while the vocalist traded off between the keyboard, guitar and at one point the electric viola.

After their performance, the audience burst into applause as someone yelled “That was fantastic! So rad!” to the band.

If you ever want to listen to punk at its finest and purest form, Carsick Cars’ music was an unexpectedly golden find from the night.

With driving lo-fi guitar, fast tempo drums and shouiting vocals, the noise punk rock band brought back the dynamic

my ears ringing, but kept me on high on energy till the next day.

To ever think I’d have the opportunity to experience the underground sounds from China live would have been unimaginable.

They kept me in a dreamy state to wide awake energy, but with every band that played, my music knowledge grew at a global rate.

Beijing is just on the top places on my list to visit now.

music scene bustling in Beijing.

Walking down the stairs of the Psychic Temple side door, I was was welcomed by a red and white backdrop and bean bags.

It was a rather small but simple venue that created an intimate atmosphere once the bands started performing just inches away from you.

Starting off the evening was the dynamic duo Alpine Decline with their haunting synthesizer and dark harsh guitar riffs. They opened up the night with a more of mellow atmosphere as their

tempo stayed constant.

Throughout their set they started playing more upbeat electro rhythms, implementing an experimental sound to noise rock. They were only a taste of what Beijing underground music had in stored for us that tonight.

Chui Wan is a self-proclaimed neopsychedelic experimental rock band that created unique music during their live performance.

Through the dark projections and heavy shadows during their set their

12 FOOD

Seaside Cuisine for College Kids Grabbing some budget-friendly bites in coastal Long Beach Words and Photos by Bailey Mount Managing Editor

I’ve been covering three restaurants a week to compile a comprehensive freshman’s guide to cheap food in Long Beach. The rule is that they can’t have meals going over $20, they can’t be chain restaurants, and they can’t be more than 30 minutes from campus by bus. This week, I frequented Belmont Shore and Broadway.

Breakfast: Sideyard Cafe

18 minutes from campus by bus, “Sideyard Cafe” is unassuming at first. The front of the restaurant is rather off putting, looking more like a place that you’d duck into to avoid someone catcalling you.

When you arrive, however, the interior is such an upgrade that you’re struck dumb for a moment. Tasteful plastic flowers adorn the table and chalkboard menus. It’s charming.

The servers are personable and delightful.

They don’t come around incessantly like the usual waiters and their absence provides a seldom felt enjoyment to your meal.

You don’t need to worry about mumbling, “yea, the food is great” around a mouthful of egg.

On that note, their breakfast burritos are the only ones I’ve found in Long Beach so far that don’t make you uncomfortably full.

The bacon is in full strips, the hashbrowns are perfect, and the onions provide a nice bite - and you can still move after you eat.

Lunch: Taco Surf

With its outdoor seating, “Taco Surf ” provides a pretty view of Belmont Shore and its inhabitants. That being said, it’s also great for attracting flies.

The tables are small and intimate, nice for having conversation with a friend — or a fly — following a day at the beach but terrible if you want to fit all the dishes on them.

Dinner: Archibald’s Char-Broiler “Archibald’s Char-Broiler” or as it likes to say on its menu, “Archibald’s Drive-Thru,” is easily the strangest restaurant I’ve been to in Long Beach thus far.

Its eccentricity is what makes it great.

Its cups are Greek-themed, its food features everything from Mexican to American diner, and they casually serve bread bowls with their soup.

Contrary to its name, there’s no actual

drive thru. There’s just a little restaurant with a lot going on — and it does it well.

Located at the end of Belmont Shore, it’s easy to overlook with all of its competitors around. It’s worth the walk.

The food is affordable and amazing despite the price. The bacon potato cheddar soup is thick and creamy, nothing expected from a fast food pitstop.

If you’re looking for fast food with all the substance of an actual restaurant, you’ve found it.

The servers hover a lot. Expect to constantly reaffirm that yes, you are fine and yes, the food is fine.

Unfortunately, the latter is not true.

The tacos are more greasy meat and cilantro than anything else. There’s little balance to them and in the end, you get a five star looking restaurant with two star food.

13 CULTURE

Red Light, Drag & Fashion An evening that embodied the intersection of fashion and culture Words and Photos by Jordan Daniels Opinions Editor

Marco Marco drag and underwear models; Alaska Thunderfuck (Center)

Los Angeles is the heart of fashion. It’s a chasm of creativity, constantly spewing up revolutionary concepts with each earthly pulse. Standing atop the cracks, absorbing this energy, is Marco Morante, a designer whose brand evolves our take on fashion and defies the status quo.

Debuting his fifth collection for Marco Marco Underwear, Marco held his fashion show, “A Night in Red Light,” at the Globe Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

Having designed for artists such as Britney Spears and Katy Perry, it’s clear that Marco’s vision of fashion is meant to be expressive of individuality. He transcends margins and

focuses on adding life to his pieces, making them stand out against the mold.

“I love counterculture and ugly clothes and everything that’s wrong,” said Marco.

His stance against the status quo is apparent through his utilization of drag queens as centerpieces to his collections.

Famous Queens such as Raja, Courtney Act, Adore Delano and recent “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” All Stars winner, Alaska, stormed the runway in fashion pieces that were dripping ingenuity.

In addition to these creations, Marco’s brand specializes in Men’s underwear with the intention of the pieces to also be

worn as outerwear.

With an abundance of models encompassing of all genders and identities, Marco’s designs prove to be fashion forward with each walk down the runway. Shapes, lines and colors all play an intersecting role in the innovation of his work.

Another stance against ‘standards’ is the incorporation of performance and art within his shows.

“I’m not going to bring everyone to the middle of downtown into this theater for 20 minutes,” Marco said. “We added performers and acts and it became a whole evening.”

“America’s Got Talent” contestant,

Brian Justin Crum, opened the show with a pair of dancers. Drag Race Queens Shangela and Alaska were also among the ensemble of performers who brought panache to the show.

The “Night in Red Light” captivated both audience and participants alike with wonderment. The employment of red as an accent imbued the event with a feeling of sensuality.

According to Marco, he builds on his ideas with each collection and his work translates that. He turns his continual evolution into a revolution that lies on the intersection of fashion and culture.

Getting Spooked From

14 ENTERTAINMENT

Intro By Peter R. Clark Entertainment Editor You know what the great thing is about this time of year? The rapid sequence of holidays. Starting with my favorite holiday of them all: Halloween.

This holiday is one that I hold dear to me. I have fond memories of going trickor-treating as a youth, and scaring other kids when my parents converting our house in a haunted house.

The other great thing about this holiday is what it does to cinema. The general population seems to have this innate sort of need to be scared. Movies are great because you can be scared without ever leaving your home.

However finding a good horror film to watch is not always the easiest thing to do.

Netflix’s streaming library is vast, and a lot of films get thrown under the rug. Trying to find a good movie is a feat in of itself, but finding a horror film that is acutally good is even harder.

The other difficulty is determining if this movie is a good use of your time.

With so many films out there and the little time we have on this earth, the last thing you want to do is waste your time on a bad movie.

These are a couple of films that are pretty good (or perhaps, so bad it is good) and worth watching if you want to watch a scary movie to get into the mood of the season.

ODD THOMAS

By Alex Ramos Editor-in-Chief

I’m just gonna say it: I’m a scaredycat. I’m afraid of gore and blood and all the things that go bump in the night. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to partake in the festivities of Halloween, and so if that means watching scary movies, then that’s what I’ll do.

Fortunately, not every “scary” movie is necessarily scary. After searching for a bit, I found a movie that fit just that bill in “Odd Thomas”.

The film follows Odd Thomas, played

by Anton Yelchin, an otherwise average guy with with a not so average name and an above average ability to see dead people.

While it tends to get him into trouble, he makes the best of his ability by using it to help the spirits move on. A little detective work and fisticuffs are needed as he usually ends up chasing down scumbags with guilty consciences much to the chagrin of police

chief Wyatt Porter, played by Willem Dafoe. His skills as a spirit detective get put to the test when he uncovers a plot that could devastate his small town if he doesn’t move fast. What follows is a wild goose chase to find the people responsible and stop their plan before it’s too late.

“Odd Thomas” is definitely not a traditional scary movie. If anything, it’s more of a detective film. It burns slowly as Odd works his way through a trail of clues and dead ends. Each discovery brings about a moment of intense action and drama that punctuates the long, drawn out periods of searching and monologues from Odd.

Throw in a few ghosts and demons, and you’ve got yourself a low-budget mix of “Chinatown” and “The Sixth Sense.”

The story was itself was pretty good but it was held back by subpar acting. Anton Yelchin was the film’s saving grace; he portrayed Odd with a good mix of humor and seriousness that kept me interested in his progress.

Overall, “Odd Thomas” was an okay movie with a great lead actor. It’s good enough to warrant a viewing around Halloween. So, if you enjoy detective films with a side of the supernatural and bad acting, “Odd Thomas” is right up your alley.

This Week In Gaming

By Mario Lopez Travel Editor Nintendo looks to revolutionize the gaming industry once again by taking the home console out in to the world. They recently revealed their new home console/ handheld combo, the Nintendo Switch.

However small this idea, gamers being able to play at home fills a hole in the gaming industry that many gamers have dreamt of most of their lives.

Knowing Nintendo and all their success with handheld gaming, I trust we are in for a treat when this hits the shelves.

In equally big news. Red Dead Redemption 2. Need I say more? probably.

The much anticipated sequel, out in fall of 2017, brings us back to a western world full of gunslinging action and scenic wonder.

So warm up those holsters, ready your dead-eye and strap your saddles tight.

There is still much more gaming to do, and this horse shows no sign of slowing down.

And—oh yeah—Battlefield 1 is out.

Go back to World War I and relive history, guns-a-blazing. Game on.

DEAD SILENCE

By Bailey Mount Managing Editor

It was a mild October night.

Long Beach nights are never truly cold, and living in a place with no air conditioning had made them almost pleasant.

Back then, I still had the luxury of free time and, better still, I had a loose assortment of friends who had the same.

We settled down for the night on the communal couch and browsed through Netflix. We opted for a film called “Dead Silence.”

The poster was a ventriloquist dummy, looking more like a grungy knockoff of R.L. Stine’s “Night of the Living Dummy” character than anything.

The film follows a man returning to his hometown after his wife’s murder.

Once there, he discovers the urban legend of ventriloquist Mary Shaw and realizes that the death of his wife might be a curse that is targeting his family.

In summary, it sounds hokey.

“Dead Silence” succeeded in renewing

my fear of evil dolls. This is a rational fear, forged from the trauma of glimpsing “Child’s Play” when I was four. It came back when I watched this and it came back hard.

Directed by James Wan and written

by Leigh Whannel, the creators of “Saw,” this film does a damn good job at turning a few things on its head. Shaw, the film’s villain, only kills people who scream when they see her.

Horror movies build their notoriety on the amounts of scream they procure, and taking that away from characters in the universe as well as the audience becomes the worst kind of meta film.

The film closes with a gruesome twist ending that the best of us couldn’t see coming. If you haven’t seen it, watch it.

Just remember not to scream.

Netflix Horror Gems

15

HOLIDAYS

By Peter R. Clark Entertainment Editor “Hollidays” is a collection of short films directed by a number of directions with the most notable being Kevin Smith.

Each segment within this anthology depicts a horror-themed version of some major holidays throughout the year.

Some are straight forward horros, some supsenful, creepy, and some are horror comedies.

There are good ones, and bad ones.

Unfortunately there are more bad ones in this anthology than there are good ones.

The opening short film, “Valentines Day,” is by far one of the best in the collection. The main character in this one is a young girl

who has a crush on her swim coach. She is picked on by her fellow swimmers, they make fun of her for both her name and her obvious affection for their coach.

“Valentine’s Day” gets dark quick, and the thing that makes this one work very well is the great use of sound, and the clever cinematography tricks.

Father’s Day is probably my favorite of the entire lot, though. It’s from start to finish a mystery. The tension and build up to final scene are done very well. This one is about a girl who receives a package from an unknown source and inside is a tape. The tape is of

her father, who she apparenly hasn’t seen in years, and he tells her how to see him again.

The music, sound, and eerie atmosphere all add to the suspense. The only bad thing about this one is that the ending could have been a little better.

Because it is the season for it, “Halloween” is directed by Kevin Smith.

It’s a horror comedy, and unfortunately it is pretty unremarkable. It is about a guy who lures women into doing webcam dates in his house. They rebel against his rule and make him do the webcam dates instead. It’s just alright, but when stacked up against the other shorts, it just isn’t all that good.

Other noble ones for being creepy are “Easter” and “St. Patrick’s Day.” “Christmas” featuring Seth Gree was also good.

I highly suggest that everyone see this if only for “Father’s Day” and “Valentine’s Day.” This anthology is worth it just for them.

of werewolf either.

Watching the hour and a half I had to endure, I’m surprised to say that my face remained completely neutral almost the whole way through. It is neither funny or horrifically disgusting to watch.

Nothing about it seems memorable except for the neighborhood idiot, Willy, who manged a few laughs with his one-liners.

There is no element of surprise.

No jumpscares.

The gore is almost expected. The plot

itself is almost so predictable that it actually made me cringe watching it.

But if there was absolutely nothing else to watch on Netflix on Halloween, this is your best bet.

WOLFCOP

By Martha Quijano Staff Writer

WolfCop is a horror comedy film I came across on Netflix when trying to find something that’ll scare me without traumatizing me enough to give me nightmares.

It features a careless alcoholic cop named Lou in a small town called Woodhaven-full of equally careless drunks and people just trying to get by.

Lou gets assigned a case of disturbance in the neighborhood that he thinks is just a bunch of teenagers messing around in the woods.

After a turn of events during his quick investigation, he wakes up vaguely remembering the events from the night before and feeling strange.

On the night that he is expecting to have a little fun, he transforms into a bloodhungry werewolf.

But this ain’t no ordinary Twilight kind

Images sourced from imdb.com

ENTERTAINMENT

The TVTB #2

By Oyinda Salako Contributor With a strong female heroine and a classic sense of suspense and thrill, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is easily one of the best shows of 90s.

The series was created by Joss Whedon, a personal creative hero to me; he has written, directed, produced, many movies and television shows. He also created the cult television series Firefly.

As the Halloween season begins to shift its gear into overdrive, I wanted to highlight a series that brings the fun and mystery of Halloween in every episode.

“Buffy” accurately represents the 90s vibe and the supernatural. The show follows her journey through high school, college and slaying.

The loyal entourage of Buffy’s circle keeps the series feeling consistent, despite some of the changes throughout the show as characters gradually find themselves.

But the greatest feature is the pacing of every character’s quick wit, making you fall in love with Buffy, Giles, and the whole gang faster than you thought possible.

In honor of the upcoming holiday, I recommend watching the aptly named episode, “Halloween” in season two. A curse is put on the costumes of a peculiar shop in town–turning everyone into their actual costume’s persona.

This episode is by far one of my absolute favorites. Buffy turns from intense badass vampire slayer to clueless 18th century young lady in waiting. And with all the angst-filled sarcasm, the episode is great fun and the perfect entertainment for the upcoming festivities.

While I believe the best seasons of “Buffy” are the first three, the series ran from 1997-2003 spanning 7 seasons and 144 episodes. The show’s continued cult following makes it a completely stellar and worthy binge-watching television series.

So, join me as a binge-watching television slayer. In every generation, there can be many. We will sit on the couch, watch the box with moving pictures and eat all the food. We slay. (It’s easier, requires less work and again you can eat while you do it!) Happy early Halloween readers, until the next tvtb.

For more TVTB visit our website medium.com/long-beach-union-weekly

Volume 79 Issue 11

Monday, October 24th, 2016

TO: UNION PODCASTER RE: UNION PODCAST FROM: GRUNION EDITOR

The Grunion is a work of satire. It in no way reflects the views of Long Beach Union Weekly or Associated Students Inc.

SHITLORDS Grim Fandango GRUNION FUCKLORD

LBUNION.COM

Dear Union Podcaster, if you want to do this podcast meet me in your office at midnight on the upcoming full moon.

Bring moist towelettes, trust me. You’ll need them.

THE SCIENCE OF PROFILE PICTURES

Cervantes LeMans FAUX DA POLICIA

Article By L. Bunion

Forgoo SKETCHY ARTIST

Art by Forgoo SKETCHY ARTIST

OPPOSITE MAN

H DEADLINES Send submissions to: grunion@lbunion.com

Ghosts Haunt Graduates by Shapeshifiting into Student Loans

ave you ever seen someone change their profile picture on Facebook and wondered what it means?

Facebook profile pictures are modern billboards, advertising mood changes and relationship alterations. With my help, you can read these changes as accurately as if you were in their own mind.

Solo picture, facing camera: This person has gone through some hard times. They might have just gone through a break-up, or had a fight with some family members. But now, they’re doing better.

They’re “moving on” with their life and picking up the pieces. They totally don’t care about whatever is bothering them and won’t bring it up incessantly when they get drunk.

Solo picture, facing away from camera: This person is actually moving on with their life. They don’t care if you know what they look like. They’re also more likely to be traveling soon or currently. The

GHOSTBUSTERS PSA: Demons and evil spirits are shapeshiting into student loans bills. Just ignore them.

Eventually, they will turn into debt collectors.

DSM-VI of New

Rumors Disorder

purpose of this picture is to show where they are, not what they look like.

Group picture: This is always temporary. This person is in flux, and they haven’t made their mind up yet. The friends in the picture will be happy to be showcased, but they should really know they’re not going to last long.

Picture with family: It is either Mother’s day, Father’s day, someone’s anniversary, or someone’s birthday. This is meant to make their grandmother or parents who use Facebook feel loved, if only for the week of that event.

Heavily edited photo with extreme colors: This person is WACKY. Like, they’re so random and crazy and they live life one day at a time and love life and you can’t pin them down. Or they left their Facebook open and are being pranked.

Photo of Harambe: This person is perfect and should never change their picture. Harambe is the highest of all highs and will never be forgotten. DICKS OUT FOR HARAMBE!

THERE WAS A DEBATE GOSSIP NEWS: New disorder can possibly diagnose millennials with what is rumored to be known as the “Peter Pan Disorder.” Symptoms include not wanting to grow up, graduate early, pay bills, or accept responsibility.

GUTTED

DICKFUNCTIONAL TAMPONS............2 SPOOKY COOKIES FOR FALL...........3 GIANT SPIDERS LOVE KIDS..............4 DRACULA IS HIV POSITIVE................5 SATAN IN DRAG..............................666 SCARY SCARY SCARY HORSE.........7 ROGER GOODELL IS STILL AN ASS...8

By Grim Fandango

GRUNION FUCKLORD

T

he third and last presidential debate is over. It ended last week on a Monday.

I believe there were some people saying things into microphones. There was probably some sort of arguing and speaking out of turn.

I watched a little bit of it, but then fell asleep after I ate about fourty-five buffalo hot wings, and rinsed them all down with Diseased Cow brand milk.

Anyway, I recall there being a lot of things that Clinton said that Trump said of things that Clinton said of things that Trump said and so on. The conversation went something

like, “my opponent said this” to which Trump said “wrong.” Yeah it was funny, and rather entertaining. I’m sure if I didn’t fall asleep, though, I’d probably be bored out of mind.

And then some more stuff happened.

They debated more, and yeah. Stuff.

Ugh. I can’t do this. This is what Mercedes did for the longest time.

After last week’s article, Mercedes left us. I told her about the contract, but she just flipped me off and left the office. I have no idea where she is.

The underworld is a big place, so she could be anywhere.

Maybe I gave her a lot of shit for nothing. She wants to be a real journalist, but as I said to her countlesss times, the Grunion is not that kind of newspaper.

We’re all about the shits, fucks, and

everything in between. We even said the C-word once, but we got in trouble for that.

Mercedes is...was our best writer. I’ll just have to go on a hunt for a new one!

Anyway, the debate was certainly a debate. There were two politicians speaking to each other in a manner that constitues as a debate. There was a moderator. He was from FOX News. I always wondered if FOX News was a sketch from MadTV. This election season is a farce. No side seems like a good choice. It’s between the guy who wings all speeches, and the woman who is probably a fucking robot.

I mean seriously, have you seen that woman? It’s like artifical intellegence has gained sentience.

I’ll give you a 10 cent raise if you come back, Meredes.