Golden Nirvana

“Because it’s convenient and cheap.”

This is my reply to the scores of people who ask. Yes, I already know the health effects, and yes, I have seen “Super Size Me.” I just don’t care that much. These people look down on me, as if eating from McDonald's was a crime. Well, it’s not folks. I am a full-time student who interns 30 hours weekly and I am unable to make gourmet three-course meals daily or spend an extra couple of bucks on an organic Panini. Go ahead and turn your noses up at me. I’m going to continue to dip my chicken nuggets.

“But it’s all processed food!” Yeah, but it only costs one dollar. Weighing the pros and cons, I’d rather chomp down on a decent burger made with plastic-like cheese and limp buns. The meals aren’t of the highest class, but the grease smothered patties are worth every penny.

It’s not like I eat from McDonald's every time I have an hour break at my internship. Even though I can probably recite every item on the Dollar Menu, I only buy a parfait and McDouble in moderation (maybe one a week). So back off, people. You don’t have to preach to me why I should lay off fast-food. It’s not an addiction that’s controlling my life, and the looks of revulsion as I unwrap my high-calorie meal are tiring. Maybe a vegetarian, vegan, pescetarian or whatever other lifestyle isn’t for everyone. It certainly isn’t for me.

I respect what you guys are doing, but please don’t try to convert me. It’s like when I’m sitting on the lawn at Cal State Fullerton and a Catholic Crusader approaches me to talk about God. I tell them I’m atheist just for the hell of it, but they continue to preach, nipping at my ear with reason after reason of why it’s beneficial to have Jesus in my life. All I do is nod until they tire themselves and trot away to their Crusader friends. This is the same strategy I employ when scolded about my eating habits.

So, next time you see me holding a bag with the golden arches, you know what to do. Hold your tongue and walk away because your attempts at a health intervention will be futile. Maybe when I’m rich I’ll be more concerned with my health, but until I’m rolling in dough leave me and my 75 cent vanilla ice cream cone alone.

Halloween Tricks & Treats!

Halloween is only a little over 2 weeks away and it can always be tough to find fun yet easy and cheap snacks to make for a party! It can get pricey when you are expected to make snacks for lots of people that may like different foods or could be trying to eat healthy, etc. 

Here are a few of my favorite recipes that I have tried in the past! The ingredients are expensive so you can even do a test run at home before the big day! 

Graveyard Brownies

What you will need

Picture and Recipe courtesy of www.picky-palate.com

1  Brownie Mix, 8×8 size
6 Milano Cookies
5 Oreo Cookies
6 Pumpkin candy corns and 6 normal candy corns
1 Frosting to write with (In black or brown)

• First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  

• Follow the directions for your brownies in an 8×8 inch pan lined with foil 

        *Be sure to spray with cooking spray*

• Let cool completely then cut into 6 rectangles.
• With frosting pen write "RIP"  onto the Milano Cookies then press the cookie into the back of each brownie.  
• Top with a candy corn pumpkin and candy corn.  Sprinkle with crushed Oreos for the “dirt" effect 

A Veggie tray is another great snack that is healthier and involves no baking at all!
Pumpkin Veggie Tray

What You Will Need

A large serving tray or cutting board
1 large bag of baby carrots

Picture & Recipe courtesy of www.tasteofhome.com

1 cucumber
1 head of broccoli
1 carton of your favorite veggie dip
2 small bowls

• First you will want to make a pumpkin shaped outline out of carrots on your cutting board. Once you get a shape you like, fill the circle with your carrots
• Remove enough carrots so you will have room to fit your cut up cucumber slices for the mouth
• Place halved cucumber slices into your open slot
• Fill your small bowls with veggie dip and fit them into the pumpkin as eyes and nose
• Cut the head off of your broccoli stem and place that at the top of your pumpkin 

Another healthy snack that is super easy to make!

Recipe and Photo courtesy of familyfun.go.com

Apple Bites
What you will need




An Apple
Sliced almonds

• Cut your apples into quarters and cut out the core
• Cut out a wedge out of the skin side of the apple
• Stick sliced almonds in place as teeth 
• TIP: If you are making these ahead of time, baste apples with lemon juice so they will not brown

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

YOUtube, not SLAMtube

Answer something for me please; am I the only one who gets annoyed by people’s comments on Youtube?

As I was watching a segment on Youtube that was from “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on Wednesday, I could not help but scroll down and notice some of the absurd comments that were made by people.

I missed a portion of “Ellen” on Wednesday, which featured two adorable little girls, Sophia Grace and Rosie, singing to Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass.” The main singer, Sophia Grace, who is 8 years old, has one of the biggest personalities I have ever seen. She is full of energy and enthusiasm.

Ellen had seen their home video on Youtube singing to Nicki Minaj, and loved it; so Ellen asked the girls to come out to L.A. to appear on her show.

Before they sang for her, Ellen interviewed the girls first, where the audience got a feel for their enthusiasm. Yet the true excitement came when Nicki Minaj came out and surprised the girls. I must say, this was one of the cutest things I had ever seen. The look on Sophia Grace’s face was priceless when Nicki came out.

Though I am not a fan of Nicki Minaj myself, I really enjoyed this portion of the show. The girls were absolutely adorable when they sang “Super Bass” and their bubbly personalities made them just that much more adorable.

However, when scrolling through the comments underneath the video, I became very annoyed. People can be so negative and mean!

I am sure, and I would hope, that Sophia Grace would not ever see or hear some of these comments because they are just plain nasty. Someone said she was annoying, someone asked: “what do her parents feed her for breakfast, crack?” another person said she is a brat; and someone said the Rosie was prettier than her. Unfortunately, I could go on and list many more negative comments, but I will stop the list here. In fact, I had to stop looking at the comments because they were making me sick. I ask, what the hell is wrong with people?

This little girl is 8 years old and full of life and enthusiasm. Is there something wrong with her being excited about meeting one of her favorite singers and being on television? Honestly, I would be more concerned if she wasn’t so excited. Yes, she may be hyper, but what child isn’t? This girl actually has personality, and I would not be surprised if she became famous one day.

Is it really necessary for people feel the need to criticize and say horrible things? I cannot comprehend this; some people have something seriously wrong with them. Leave the poor girl alone! More importantly, leave Youtube as it is, no need to slam everyone with rude comments. Especially children!

For those of you interested, here are the two links to watch the segment.

The Interview: http://youtu.be/_Tlt6WRpaTI

Meeting Nicki: http://youtu.be/f9573kGBtuE

57 Reasons to Hate Commuting

I don’t know what is worse: Waking up at 6 a.m. for a 2:30 p.m. class or having to wait in traffic on the 57 freeway. Both are infuriating, but at least waking up early allows me to take my time getting ready and to possibly watch a little bit of Law and Order. When I am stuck on the 57, though, my blood boils and I start my day crabby.

My commute from Anaheim to Cal State Fullerton isn’t too far, but I only have two ways of getting to school. I can take side-streets across several cities. However, constantly hitting red lights and waiting in traffic from elementary school children being dropped off usually results in a 45 minute trip. My only other option is taking the 91 freeway to the 57; a much simpler way, one may believe. Not quite.

Freeways have always made me nervous. Big trucks, people speeding and merging lanes have been in my nightmares since I tuned 16. But I repress these mental images if it means getting to school quicker. At least, I try to until a huge diesel drifts into my lane without flashing a blinker.

The 91 isn’t the problem, though. Traffic is usually at a minimum and drivers seem tamer. It’s when I’m merging onto the 57 that hell breaks loose. Waiting on the congested onramp to get onto the freeway, I hear horns blaring and see hoards of cars bumper-to-bumper. Cars stagger forward, yet seem to go nowhere, reminiscent of a never-ending line at the DMV. My stomach churns as I once again realize what I have to go through to get to school.

The reckless driving is the cherry on top. Drivers must be practicing for their audition for the next Fast and Furious by weaving in and out of traffic, cutting people off and refusing to allow me over. When I am stuck in the (not-so) fast lane, I look into my rearview mirror at the carpool lane to see these daredevils zoom past me illegally, as if they are entitled to a quicker route than everybody else. Oh, how I am tempted to throw something out my window at them.

Luckily, I am only on the freeway for about three miles, but this short trip infuriates me to the point where I need to vent. Yet, until a road is built directly from my house to Cal State Fullerton, I am left wallowing in the pit that is the 57 freeway.

Rainy day tips

Every year around this time Southern Californians are victims of heavy rainfall and every year the same car crashes, power outages, roadblocks, and cancellations occur. I’m not a native of California and I actually grew up in Georgia where the rain there is usually accompanied by a hurricane warning or hail the size of baseballs. As a resident of California I’d like to give you some tips to help you get through this rainy season.

First when you wake up in the morning don’t just assume it’s going to be beautiful weather because you live in Southern California, check the weather. The picture on the left doesn't count as checking, except if you live in Hawaii.

By check I mean go outside or go online and get a daily forecast. By doing this you eliminate the possibility of getting caught in a potentially freezing rain in flip flops, shorts, and a tank top. If you don’t have time to check the weather just make sure you have an extra pair of clothes, shoes, and an umbrella in the trunk of your car.

Next make sure you have a map of the area and a list of streets that are prone to flooding when there is heavy rain. This is helpful especially when you’re running late. By mapping out your route to school or work beforehand you’re saving yourself time and gas.

In the event of a power outage make sure you have a flashlight with fresh batteries handy. Don’t use candles because you risk causing a fire in your home. Also make sure you have water bottles and food that doesn’t need to be cooked or heated up. Another thing that’s good to have around is a book or a board game because you don’t know how long the power is going to be out.

If for any reason you need to go out and drive in the rain make sure you give your vehicle a quick inspection before heading out. You’ll want to make sure that your windshield wipers are new, that you have enough gas in your car, and that your cell phone has enough battery life incase you need it. Before you start driving you want to make sure that you eliminate any distractions. So if you’ve been texting someone let them know you’re going to be driving and you’ll text them back when you’ve reached your destination. You’ll also want to pick a radio station that you won’t get bored of too quickly or creating a playlist on your musical device. By taking these steps you eliminate the need to remove one or both of your hands from the wheel.

Once you’ve started driving remember to keep both hands on the wheel and to focus on the road. You’re not just driving for you anymore. The other day I was coming home from school and I witnessed a person, on their phone, almost hit a car in the lane next to them because they didn’t check before they went to change lanes. The most important thing to remember when you’re driving is that the roads are slick so you’re going to have to do the speed limit or slower.

While your driving there are a few things to consider that could potentially save your life or the life of someone else. In the rain it’s a lot harder to hear and see motorcyclists so make sure you look twice for them. Make sure your headlights are on as well, it doesn’t matter if it’s sunny and raining it’s the law. If your car starts to hydroplane just keep calm and whatever you do don’t slam on the brakes, you’ll skid or create a more dangerous situation, simply let off the gas and try to keep your car in your lane. Lastly, make sure you’re not following too closely, if the person in front of you stops suddenly you’ll have to slam your brakes and the slick roads will just cause you to slide in to them.

While the rain is a beautiful thing it can also be extremely dangerous, especially when you have to drive in it. So make sure you take some precautions because you never know they could save your life.

Let students pick who replaces President Gordon

The ASI Board of Directors unanimously passed a resolution to request increasing the number of student representatives on the Advisory Committee to the Trustees Committee for the Selection of the President (ACTCSP) at their weekly meeting Tuesday.

With Cal State Fullerton President Milton Gordon stepping down, ASI President Eric Niu said it is important that CSUF is well represented.

“We really just want our student voice to be heard,” said Niu. “To request the appointment of additional student representatives to sit on this search committee will ensure the student voice is represented at its full potential.”

The ASI executive staff has been seeking students’ signatures in support of having extra student representatives. Their goal is to have 1,000 signatures by 4 p.m. Wednesday to send to Chancellor Charles B. Reed.

As of Tuesday, 400 signatures have been collected. Some board members questioned why this was not brought to their attention sooner. Niu said there were time constraints.

The signatures are not a petition, said Vice President of Finance Matthew Badal. The signatures are just to show support, he said.

“We want to send a message to the Board of Trustees Office to the universities that students here at Cal State Fullerton do care,” Niu said.

ASI Board Chair Aissa Canchola explained how the student representatives are appointed.

“The chancellor does not pick the student,” she said. Canchola said according to CSU policy, there is one student representative, who is traditionally the ASI president. “He (ASI President) can allocate two additional seats (for the ACTCSP) and those student representatives would be designated by the ASI,” she said.

Niu requested an additional two seats but was rejected by the chancellor

Web-Work

Running a web show isn't all fun and games. Of course everyone's had the YouTube fantasy of sitting in front of a webcam and speaking their mind, while thousands of strangers sit entranced by their words. But that's not really a web show, is it? A web show is something more than just a blog or an expulsion of opinions from a person's mouth.

A show has to have guests, topics that people care about and regularity. Now, granted, a lot of those things are hard to come by on a personal budget and hard to deliver when you're a student, but it can happen. For instance, I recently set up a four person interview where I sat down with the creators of a web-series and the men who created the video game that the series was based off of. Not only that, but the interview was at the game studio where the game was developed.

The reason we chose these guests were varied. For one, the website and series I manage all have to do with video games, their development and their impact socially. Pairing the creators of a successful web-show with the men that created the very thing they were making a show about was a good way to cause buzz. The show is incredibly successful as it garnered at least ten thousand hits a day every time a new episode came out and the creators offered to plug our show when the interview was posted. Their fans had also been asking if they'd received held from the game company when making the show, and I thought this would be a good platform for them to answer that as well as showcase my own channel.

While I hope this will aid my show, I have no idea if it will. We've been trying a variety of different things to garner the attention of the YouTube community, but like print journalism, you need to a lot of work for nothing before you get something. However, we're on the right track and have more going for us than some other shows.

But what about more successful shows? What do they have that makes them so popular that the users can actually live off of their YouTube partnerships? One of the most well known examples is Hot for Words (www.hotforwords.com). Marina Orlova, the host of the show, is a philologist/model; a combination only a nerd could ream of made into reality. Orlova uses her looks to get the attention of her audience, but they actually stay for the knowledge she brings to the table. On a fairly regular basis, between 1 to 3 days, Orlova releases another video about the root of a word or group of words, and their meanings.

There's no question that a portion of Orlova's 463,376 subscribers stay for her good looks and frisky Russian accent. A good portion of them stay because she actually produces interesting content off of viewer requests to continue getting formidable ratings. She even has a book out with a large "As seen on YouTube" stamp on the front that is "chock full of words and phrase origins, and includes 80+ pics of me to go along" to quote her personal site.

(The cover of Orlova's book ^)

While that might be the peak of YouTube fame, there are others who are just as successful minus book deals and lusting fans. The Needle Drop (www.theneedledrop.com), produced by Antony Fantano, is an album review show. Fantano grabs the latest music, listens to it and posts his personal opinions on the content. Now, there's no end to shows like this on YouTube, but 43,784 people subscribe to his channel for a reason. A friend of mine regularly watches the show. Christian Avina, 19, really respects Fantano's opinions on music because "he really knows what he's talking about. He does a lot of research and is pretty unbiased." The frequency on The Needle Drop is dependent on the music industry, but that's quite a clock to run with so content is not hard to come by.

(Antony Fantano ^)

When I looked at shows like these, I saw a lot of potential for my own, but also a lot of room for work. There needed to be some sort of kick to our content, some sort of draw. I'm hoping our latest interview will do just that. We work tirelessly to produce videos on a weekly basis, which helps viewers trust us on our commitment to content. Our reviews work with the latest games that come out, and the ones we can afford to buy ourselves. As an all male group we don't exactly have the sex appeal Hot for Words does, but we try and make up for it with humor and raw critiques. In the end, only time will tell if our 32 subscribers will grow into something more. One thing is for certain though, there's a lot of work to be done if that's ever going to happen.