Surveillance Cameras on CSULB

CSULB Begins Surveillance Program

Last month CSULB installed it's new 37 surveillance camera initiative pushed by ASI to bolster the security in and around campus. The new pentel zooms, which have the ability to zoom in on license plates from a four-story altitude are mainly surveying areas that are unmonitored frequently, such as the parking lots. 

Big Brother or Proper Security?

The issue of irresponsible practices has been brought to light by several campus's around the nation. The proper use of cameras, the collection of data, where does it end up and ultimately who is watching the footage, are a few of the concerns civil rights activists have. According to the Daily 49er, CSULB's college newspaper, the cameras do have some inhibiting protocol that is manually installed. If a camera pans toward the student dorms windows, the camera will black out to the viewer so as not to capture any images of students inside their rooms.  http://www.daily49er.com/news/cameras_secure_csulb.

Why Cameras?

Last year, two women were sexually assaulted on the CSULB campus in dimly lit areas of the campus where the predators acted out their crime. Initially, the camera initiative began as a lighting plan to enhance lighting around the perimeters of campus. It was brought to the attention of certain ASI officials, primarily President James Davis to push for the security measure that would give the authorities a greater chance to crack down on crime.

Ways To Prevent Crime On Your Own

• Attend a campus self defense class
• Use campus security to walk you to your car
• Become familiar where the Blue security phones arE
• Attend College 100, an overall comprehensive How To Guide to CSULB
  

Obama, Before and After

ALEX SANJUAN

CANALIS 340

POST ELECTION

                                                Obama KO’s McCain!

As I expected, the build up was greater than the show. Thinking that I should take a nap before the long haul, the election was over not long after I awoke. Obama took four crucial states that were primarily Republican, two, which had been so, for the last 40 years, Colorado and Virginia.

            When Obama took the stage, it was if he had known for a long time how the outcome would be. He has always been humble with his presence but he had an aura of relief. A relief that this is finally over and he can now focus on 2009.

            McCain graciously bowed out with a noble speech, taking the blame for the loss and relinquishing any guilty feeling the Republican voters might have had. Something tells me as he walked off that stage that he wanted to serve a cold dinner to whoever’s idea it was to elect Sara Palin as his running mate. Four years is a long time to wait for another shot, and I believe he realized, this was his last.

            The most surreal part for myself was the panning of the camera over the masses, as profiles of Oprah Winfrey and Jesse Jackson fed through the television set, with streaking tears on their face. A younger more contemporary crowd was visibly apparent, as expressions of glee filled the Chicago air.

            As Obama’s family stepped onto the stage, First Lady Michelle and his two daughters, I thought to myself, an African American family will be living in the White House. I myself got emotional, and felt a sense of pride and hope again as I listened to people cheering outside on my Long Beach street.

 

Alex Sanjuan

Canalis 340

Pre-Election

                                                A Showdown for the Ages

        A historical moment will take place, Tuesday November 4^th as America’s next elected President will be selected. As of recent, many conflicting reports have different views on where the race actually is.  “The race is tightening”, and “Obama is a lock for the position”, are just a few of the premonitions that society has apparently. One thing is for sure; the issues at hand will definitely determine who wins this election.

Healthcare, Immigration, the war and most importantly, the economy are the key factors that will reach into the depths of everyone’s hearts when they punch in their votes.

Unfortunately people will still consider race and religion as a factor in their decision. The paper trail of Muslim roots for Obama has been portrayed as an accusation of terrorist links that people view as detrimental when it comes to foreign affairs. Obviously, there is no validity to these reports but people will run with anything in extreme times of camaraderie. Vice versa, the Republican Party gets a bad name for having conservative narrow-minded views that are facilitated by the word of God. The fact that Obama is African American gives a false sense hood to people that that actually represents diversity. What people fail to forget, is that he is half Anglo.

                                    In my opinion, staying up all night for the monumental finish will be a waste of sleep and will ruin your Wednesday. November 4^th will be anti-climatic and I believe Obama will win by a significant amount. The story will be what he does come 2009 and how a diminished economy will be replenished under his guidance, definitely time to fast-forward.

 

Proposition 8

This year on May 15, a 4-3 decision by the Supreme Court struck down Proposition 22, an act that would allow same sex marriage. On the ballot again for the upcoming election, Proposition 8 once again will give citizens the opportunity to vote on whether the matrimony of two same sex genders should be allowed to express their love however they seem fit.
I find it amusing that people can dig deep down into their pockets and actually come up with money in this “supposed economic crisis” to oppose something that doesn’t directly affect them. By this I mean, a gay person is not defecating in their from yard or blowing smoke in their face. Millions of dollars are being plugged into this campaign and at the end of the day when the conservatives do not get what they want they will be broke and despondent. When I think of gay marriage, it’s simply an adult decision made by two people that have genuine love for each other, it’s nobody else’s business. For those who are gay and actually trying to assimilate into society, the struggle for equality is alive and well, and will be for centuries to come.
This battle of ideals, whether it be funded by money, blood, sweat and tears, is worthwhile considering once something like this is annulled, other everyday rights will be infringed on eventually. I value my rights and society should be willing to at least tolerate this for the simple fact that we thrive on freedom and the right to choose.

Seditious Libel for two please

Brave kid sans slingshot. A young Palestinian shows his diapproval of an occupying Israeli tank





If you're wearing CSULB apparel, it was made with the hands of a suffering indigenous person in a 3rd world country, according to the Campus Progressives. If you're still pissed you didn't get a seat to the Jim Gilchrist show, you can partially blame the Campus Progressives.

A liberal on campus activist group meets twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays to discuss everything from illegal immigration to gay's rights. On Wednesdays the discourse is taken to Viento Y Agua, a homey coffee shop on Fourth street here in the city of Long Beach. "It's just a chance for us to feel more unified outside of the campus and the staff here is very accomodating to us, we roll pretty deep," says JC, a Progressive member.

According to the Daily 49er, staff writer Tiffany Rider disclosed the Collectives pursuit to inform and support the legalization of marijuana and student tuition fee increases next semester. Cultural festivals, revolution film night and political debates are some of the activities that the club puts on and even a "how to overthrow a government" workshop is in the works. Rikers Island here we come yay!!!

http://www.csulb.edu/org/progressives/

Break-yo-neck

Spin on your head and impress your mom, a breakdancer shows he can hold his dinner






Justin Young a.k.a. Baloo has been The Breakdancer clubs head organizer for the past year. The PE building is home to the Break Battle crews that headspin, windmill and dead man (where you throw yourself horizontally in the air flat on the ground) til closing.

"Breakdancing has been a major cultural iconic dance form since the 80's. It originated on the East Coast by entrepeneurs Mr. Freeze and Crazy Legs, still well known in the scene", said Young, a 4th year Marketing major.

Aside from a complete workout, the clubs organizes "battles" with other competring colleges, where a scene from Westside story ensues. Two groups commense in what looks like a reallive fight but break out in a dance like act and individuals show their talents while being applauded by their comrades. The club meets Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7-?

Beginners welcome but make sure you have medical insurance.

compose this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Video]An eccentric musician performs at the ART SOUNDWALK

If creating music is what you are all about, The Composers Guild Society is requesting your presence. Every other Thursday the club meets in the Music Department at 8 pm to discuss their next up and ocming performance and their eager aspiration of making it big.

Joe Kaplan, Composer Guild committee member describes the club as multi-faceted and talented,"We have an array of talents here and i think that we have one of the best programs in the State." The club has entered competitions state wide and has recently been awarded the "Composers Guild Future Award" for you guessed it, Best Composition.

This qualified them to perform before a packed house at the Museum of Latin American Art on November 26th."It was amazing, we worked really hard and we are always looking for new talents" said Kaplan, a senior Music major. The club was established in 2003 and has been prosperous and continues to gain notoriety.

study abroad...that means outside of your incubator!!!

[Photo]Maybe you can study oppression from Burmese monks in a protest, yay!

Eric Johnson head of the Study Abroad Club is as motivational as Tony Robbins. His charisma he advocates for leaving your native homeland to study in the unknown is uncanny. Every Wednesday at 5 pm in the CBA building rm. 114, you can find him and a slew of hungry students waiting to abandon ship.

"We started with 5 people and now we have 25 regular attendees, new faces are always showing up", said Johnson, a senior Geography major from Bakersfield. The club has been in motion since the mid-nineties but has gone through several transformations and as of recent has been fully revived due to the efforts of Johnson. "We are trying to put together scholarships and workshops for people interested in studying abroad to show them that its not an impossible feat."

When you arrive, you can find an array of pamphlets that describe in detail about the many lands that await you to expand your mind to a new culture and experience. On occasion documentaries of sister city Universities are shown and x-pat students return and describe their adventurous tales of the time they got pick-pocketed.
http://www.csulb.edu/org/special/globaltravel/about.htm

Anime I ask you out on a date?

Yoni Matayou, Anime guru and looks like an animated character himself!!

Ahhh, some things never change! Growing up watching cartoons and reading comic books transcends into adult life!!! Join the Anime Club where you can feel one and comfortable with your fellow addicts. The Anime club meets every Thursday night at 7pm to watch old Anime flicks like an old couple watching Casablanca!

"I've been collecting comic books since i was five and i ultimately want to become an illustrator", said Martin Chou, President of the Anime Association. The Anime craze has been around for decades, although the movement was centrally focused in Japan and has flourished nationwide, especially in the US.

The club offers much more than drinking soda and eating milk duds in the USU Ballroom, field trips to the years Anime Convention at the Long Beach Convention center was the highlight for Annie Jones. "We got to meet all our favorite directors and got signed DVD's." A few of the hardcore's will be taking a trip to Japan this summer to attend the real deal Anime Festival in Okinawa where they claim that they can experiece "Anime Enlightenment".

I KNOW KA-RAZY

Sinsei Samir Abboud instructs his students how to block

"The ultimate aim of the art of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the characters of its participants."-Gichin Funakoshi

Every Monday and Wednesday at 12-2 pm, the Shotokan Karate club meets in the PE building in room PE-60 to practice and participate in 3 different categories: Kihon (basic blocks, punches, etc.), Kata (combat simulation) and Kumite (sparring). Don't fret if you are inexperienced, instructions are given at the most basic level.

The club was created in 1961 by Caylor Adkins, a disciple of Tsutomu Oshima who was a master in the Shotokan and is responsible for bringing this particular martial art to America. Current instructor Samir Abboud took over in 1992 and has enjoyed "teaching honor through self defense and discipline."

Aside from learning a worldwide international sport, the advantages are numerous according to Ben Feldman. "It helps you become more coordinated and sound. My stamina has increased over the last few weeks and I've made alot of new friends."

If your interested in joining the Shotkan Karate Club, you can e mail shotokan@csulb.edu or check out their website at http://www.csulb.edu/org/shotokan/

I SHALL FAST

Hamza, PR officer of the Muslim Society Club sings the "Call to Prayer"

Last Tuesday the Muslim Society Club invited CSULB students to break fast with them during the holy month of Ramadan.

About 100 people attended the event and speakers educated the students about what Ramadan is and the discipline to fast for a full month from sun-up to sun-down. Hamza, the public relations officer for the Muslim Society was the host of the night and provided ample information from everything to the rigors of going through a fast to the "Testimony of Faith" that takes place 5 times a day in the Muslim religion.

I participated in the prayer and only the men were allowed to attend the secluded room adjacent to the USU ballroom. After taking off my shoes and kneeling northeast, the direction of the holy site that pilgrimages are made to annually, we kneeled and prayed to Allah.

Magic Lamp, a Lebanese restaurant on 2nd Street in Long Beach catered the event and provided more than enough food for the public. As we ate, several volunteers, non-muslims that participated in the fast, some for the entire month, some just for a day expressed their experience and how it affected them. Students described being a little tired, at times forgetful of the fast (which includes not drinking water) but overall overcoming personal challenges and disciplining one's self.

http://www.sunnah.org/ibadaat/fasting/fast.html

Follow the Leader!!!!

Everyone wants to be the leader at some point in their lives. Not everyone possesses these qualities though. It takes a certain kind to be able to utilize this prowess when it is attained. It comes from within, that innate destiny which benefits this person to take a trip to the Lois J. Swanson Leadership Resource Center.
As stated by Carmen Long, a contributing writer to the Daily Forty-Niner, "A lot goes on in the center, but it is home to an extracurricular student organization on campus called Leadership Academy." The center's goal according to Long is to "empower those with leadership potential", and with great resources such as The O'Dell Family Leadership Resource Library, it would be difficult to be led astray from that mantra. Topics such as event planning to leadership strategies can be researched and help you to be well on your way to a bright future.
Make sure to stop by the Student Union in room 313-A and inquire about the program to become enrolled in the academy. There is no cost or GPA requirement and a handly little letter of recommendation can be used at your disposal when you are applying to be the next CEO at IBM.

SELF DEVELOPMENT

Weekly I would like to attend a different organization's meeting or event and interview heads of that club and discuss their mission statement and what they are all about. Whether it be events, discourse, community involvement and all around opportunities, I want to be able to relay first hand what it is these clubs and organizations offer.
I think that on hand field reporting is really the best way to get to the core of the source since it is a social congregation, why not be social!!! Also, you can get a better idea of how the members feel as of yet, and i will report, good or bad reviews, but one on one reporting is the most credible and verifiable way to form an opinion when seeking information about a club.

YOU'RE NOT A DRONE

There may be a few of you who would like to finish your college career and never look back twice at the campus you graduated from. But if your like myself, you want to make most of the opportunity, because regret is a hard thing to live with.
Your first semester here may be overwhelming, especially if you're from a small town or just don't have the friend base you're use to. Boasting 30,000 students, it's no wonder one can just melt into the masses.
Fortunately, CSULB has one of the most varietal and diverse student life and development programs. With a gamut of social clubs abundant, these associations enable you to bolster your student career and in fact, beef up your resume in the real world while establishing life long friendships. http://www.csulb.edu/divisions/students2/sld/.
Check out the student organizations office in the student unions' 2nd floor and join up with a weekly break-dancing crew while discussing right-wing issues that same night.