Children are expected to conduct themselves according to conventional gender roles taught early in life.’ CSUN’s latest theatrical piece presents this idea with a comedic, insightful twist.

‘Bill’s New Frock,’ scheduled to run in Nordhoff Hall’s Studio Theatre Feb.6 through Feb.15, focuses on the behavior expected of young boys and girls through stereotypes.

The plot of the play revolves around Bill, an elementary-school boy who awakens one morning to find that he’s a girl.’ It isn’t long before he realizes that the ruffled pink dress he dons is the reason for the odd treatment he receives.

Bill is sent to school in this absurd outfit and is ostracized as he becomes the school laughingstock.

Bobby Avila, 18, a theatre major, plays Bill.’ He feels the piece is a surefire way to present stereotypes common not just to children but to adults as well.’ The satiric quality of the play doesn’t take away from its strong message.

‘Everyone he’s ever known treats him like he’s always been a girl,’ said Avila.’ ‘We take stereotypes for granted.’ People do believe in stereotypes and apply them to life, as if they are real.’

Bill withstands the strange treatment while learning a valuable lesson about judging others based solely on appearance.

Show info:

Feb. 6 through 8, 10 through 15
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
Studio Theater Lab, NH113
$16: General Admission
$14: Senior Citizens
$13: Faculty/Staff
$13: Student
$8: Student (Pre-opening early bird)

Four musicians cram together on a picnic bench singing in four-part harmony to a bus-load of tourists and staggering drunk hobos outside a San Francisco rest stop.’

‘We were on our way back from playing at the Red Devil Lounge, and we stopped off the road only to find a bus-load of tourist and hitch-hikers.’ The four of us looked at each other and figured why not,’ said Tyson Kelly, guitarist and vocalist of King Washington.

They’ve existed for only several months, but have been keeping busy putting together tours, new music and looking for other excuses to bust out with another set list of acoustic songs. The experience from San Francisco created a random happy memory that pompous rock stars might refuse to appreciate.’ Although King Washington performs live and plugged-in, their unplugged performances have been both memorable and inspiring to them.’

Other experiences include an invite-only show they did at Skyline Studios off of Topanga Canyon.’ The show had a noise ordinance that cut off at 11 p.m. and by that time fans were demanding more.

‘Our audience refused to leave and we felt responsible for making sure they weren’t let down.’ So we unplugged and sat on the ground like a bunch of Indians in a pow-wow,’ said drummer Jake Shearer.

It has led the band back to their studio in Camarillo where I met them working on a batch of acoustic songs.’ The studio is located at the home of George Krikes, who plays guitar and sings.’

‘Our music is saturated with vocal arrangements that weave in and out of our songs.’ We love The Beatles as well as other iconic bands from the 60s.’ Since we all sing in the band, our vocal arrangements cut through better in an acoustic setting,’ said Krikes.’

King Washington operates as a unit when producing new material, but when it comes to developing the beginning stages of an idea, most of them are sparked by Kelly and Dylan Cronin.

Before Cronin joined King Washington on bass and vocals, he served in the military as part of the Third Ranger Battalion. A king of Washington sent him over to Afghanistan and Iraq where he caught Malaria, which remained dormant in his system until he got back to the states only to catch Pneumonia.’ Once the Pneumonia entered his system, the Malaria became active and put him in a coma for two weeks. Cronin was clinically dead twice and remains on earth to recount the experience.’

‘When I came out of the coma, I couldn’t remember who I was or who these strangers were around me.’ It’s like someone treated my memories as a deck of cards and threw them on the floor.’ I’ve been picking them up one by one ever since,’ said Cronin.

Music and Harry Potter books became an outlet for many of these lost memories to resurface through the different associations he had with both mediums.’ When he’s not playing for King Washington, he assumes the role of an angry pirate in his band Pirates Charles with songs such as ‘Rise of the Buccaneers.”

Most of King Washington was assembled through other projects that broke the ice for creative differences, such as the 90s cover band that Kelly and Krikes put together to play at college frat parties.’ ‘ ‘ ‘

Kelly’s brother, Spencer, is the band’s manager. Both brothers expressed their problem of never being satisfied with their own work.’ This can be blamed on their father, Tom Kelly, who wrote five no. 1 Billboard pop hits before they could even grasp the concept of music.’ Among them are ‘True Colors,’ which was a major hit for both Cyndi Lauper and Phil Collins Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin.” He is now retired from the music business and supports the band’s process of learning songwriting.

‘We’re not like the Osbournes or anything like that.’ In our situation, there is no silver spoon attached to having a hit songwriter for a dad.’ We still do everything ourselves, but I guess it doesn’t hurt to have his opinion on tunes we feel should be better,’ said Spencer.

Besides working on a self-released music production, King Washington is currently putting together a mini-tour to San Diego and waiting for their new band t-shirts to be printed.’ Getting their music on online engines such as iTunes, Rhapsody, and CD Baby are other goals, but their main focus is getting a solid batch of new material recorded and ready for the road.’ ‘

Their next show is Feb. 6 at Ground Zero in Los Angeles. Other dates can be found on myspace.com/kingwashington.

Two sisters from the Philippines were the first recipients of the Family Scholarship Pilot Program for migrant workers granted by the Western Union Foundation (WUF) Jan. 26.

Carla Mae and Carmela Mae Ubalde are CSUN students who’re splitting a $5,000 scholarship to aid them in continuing their college education. Carla is a junior studying nursing, while Carmela is a sophomore majoring in information systems.’

‘It will really make a difference. When we first found out, we couldn’t believe it,’ said Carmela. ‘I mean, you never think you’re going to win something. And then, to be the first to receive this kind of scholarship, to help families who have more than one kid in college, is kind of cool.’

Most scholarships only benefit the recipient, but Western Union is making other programs that’ll benefit their family.’

Their family is eligible for an English Spanish Language (ESL) training program’mdash;a component many scholarships lack, according to Judy Cara spokeswoman for WUF.’

‘I’m not aware of any other scholarship programs that benefit not only the recipient but their family as well,’ Cara said. ‘We included ESL training to be a strong component of the scholarship because of the fact that one of the toughest barriers for migrant families is to overcome English skill barriers in order to find work.’

The Family Scholarship Program is part of Western Union’s Our World, Our Family signature program, a five-year, $50 million commitment designed to provide communities with the skills, knowledge and resources essential to breaking the poverty cycle.

The Ubalde sisters were born in the Philippines and immigrated to the United States in the early at different times at the beginning of the new millennium to join their parents, who like most immigrant families, came to make a better life for themselves.

Carmela was 12 years old when she came to San Fernando Valley and Carla, was 21.

Applicants for the scholarship had to meet a certain criteria for consideration. Requirements include the applicant’s family to being from Guatemala or the Philippines.

They must also have community involvement in Los Angeles and plans for unitizing the scholarship.’

The Institute of International Education (IIE), an international non-profit educational exchange organization, independently runs the scholarship program.

‘Although we don’t accept outside financial contributions, we do appreciate people spreading the word of our cause,’ said Karen de Bartolome, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Regional Center of the IIE in Denver, Colo.

IIE is an organization that is in partnership with the WUF.

IIE is an independent nonprofit organization is among the world’s largest and most experienced international education and training organizations, de Bartolome. IIE has offices in 13 international locations that assist the Educational Testing Service in offering Test of English as a Foreign Language and other U.S. college admissions tests.

Some offices are U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs-supported Educational Advising Centers. They plan to expand their efforts to include the Mexican immigrants as well, said de Bartolome.

‘We knew (CSUN) had good programs and that we could learn a lot here,’ Carmela said. ‘The scholarship from Western Union just makes getting our education a whole lot easier.’

Transfer students who meet the criteria to apply for Western Union’s scholarship must turn in their submission by Feb. 15.’

Scholarship applicants can determine eligibility and initiate an online application through the Western Union Foundation Web site at foundation.westernunion.com.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘

CSUN administrators have implemented an existing policy in response to the State’s budget cuts to the California State University (CSU) system by encouraging students who have over 140 units, more than enough to receive an undergraduate degree to graduate.

The goal is to have 1,800 full-time students graduate under this policy, said Harry Hellenbrand, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. Current students who have 140 units or more will meet with department chairs of each major to discuss future enrollment.

‘We’re creating a way to inform people who are close to graduating and help them move on,’ Hellenbrand said. ‘Most (CSU’s) are doing some versions of this.’

While the policy had been in place, the campus only enforces it when necessary, which was the case in 2003 through 2005, because the language allows CSUN some flexibility in its implementation.

The Provost said some students may have switched majors several times which would explain why they have so many units. However, the reasons vary from student to student and the campus would try to be ‘flexible’.

While he doesn’t agree with the policy Hellenbrand agrees that the implementation of the policy is necessary because of the budget cuts.

‘However it’s unfair that the state is taking this out on students,’ Hellenbrand said.

Amber Prince, 21, who is a graduating senior, agreed with CSUN’s approach to decreasing the capacity of students, but thinks it should have been taken care of before the impaction of the school occurred.

‘There is no need to continue taking more classes unless it’s one or two more,’ said Prince. ‘If they (students) want to take more classes then its best they transfer.’

Jose Bustamante, 25, CSUN alumnus feels CSUN should promote education rather than taking it away.

Bustamante graduated from CSUN with a total of 170 units and a degree in communications and Central American studies, with a minor in psychology.

Although he was well over the university’s required units to graduate, he feels faculty contributed to his delay in graduating.

‘There was a lack of good counselors who actually took their time,’ said Bustamante.

Bustamante said the university should focus more on students rather than raising the cost of tuition. Adding, if tuition is raised then there should be more classes.

In situations such as availability of classes that cause a delay in a student graduating, department chairs will review student files on a case-by-case basis, said Hellenbrand.

Admittance for first-time students will become more competitive starting fall 2009 as CSUN prioritizes prospective student’s enrollment by local residencies and high-test scores.

Because CSUN has exceeded its capacity by 1,800 students admittance will be decreased basing freshman eligibility on two tiers, according to a report written by Hellenbrand before the beginning of the semester.

The first category consists of graduates who attended high schools in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties and the second category is based on high school GPA, SAT or ACT scores.

Torie Takaki, 19, a sophomore, agreed with the approach CSUN is taking with future freshman enrollment.

‘Enrollment should be strict by not letting in so many freshmen who have to take remedial classes,’ said Takaki. ‘I think they need to be ready for the college level classes.’

Hellenbrand also indicated once freshman students are admitted they have until June to take the EPT and ELM test, which is another way to curb enrollment.

However, Hellenbrand said cutting enrollment will have long term effects, such as an increase in high school dropouts and a decrease in college enrollment which will in turn produce an uneducated and unqualified workforce in the future.

He blames the state for not making higher education a priority in the budget.

‘It’s a short term solution to a long term problem,’ Hellenbrand said.

CSUN guard Rob Haynes, who missed Saturday’s game at Cal Poly while recovering from a concussion, said he’ll be ready to go against Cal State Bakersfield on Thursday at the Matadome.

Haynes suffered the injury after he dove headfirst for a loose ball in the first half of CSUN’s win at UC Santa Barbara last Thursday. He was able to walk off the court wearing a neckbrace and didn’t return. He was held off Saturday’s game as a precaution. 

The Roadrunners stunned the Matadors early in the season and beat them 67-65 at Bakersfield. The loss was the second of a string of six straight road games lost in 2008. 

Bakersfield has gone 3-13 in their last sixteen games, but their last outing was a win, 69-60, over Utah Valley.

The game is a not a conference one, just a grudge one.

Palestinian American
January 30, 2009

First, many senior Israeli political and military leaders strongly opposed the June 19 cease-fire with Hamas, and looked for opportunities to re-establish Israel’s fabled ‘deterrent capability’ of instilling fear into its enemies. These leaders felt Israel’s deterrent capability was badly damaged as a result of their withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, and especially after the widely criticized failures in the 2006 Israeli war with Hezbollah. For this powerful group a cease-fire was at best a tactical pause before the inevitable renewal of conflict, when conditions were more favorable. Immediately following Israel’s aerial assault, a New York Times article noted that Israel had been eager ‘to remind its foes that it has teeth’ and to erase the ghost of Lebanon that has haunted it over the past two years.

A second factor was pressure surrounding the impending elections set to take place in early February. The ruling coalition, led by Ehud Barak and Tzipi Livni, have been repeatedly criticized by the Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu, the former prime minister, who is leading in the polls, for not being tough enough on Hamas and rocket-fire from Gaza. This gave the ruling coalition a strong incentive to demonstrate to the Israeli people their security credentials in order to bolster their chances against the more hawkish Likud.

Third, Hamas repeatedly said it wouldn’t recognize Mahmud Abbas as president of the Palestinian Authority after his term runs out on Jan. 9. The looming political standoff on the Palestinian side threatens to boost Hamas and undermine Abbas, who had underseen closer security coordination with Israel and was congenial to Israeli demands for concessions on future peace proposals. One possible outcome of this assault is that Abbas will remain in power for a while longer, since Hamas will be unable to mobilise its supporters in order to force him to resign.

‘

Supporter of Israelis and Palestinians
January 29, 2009

Enough lies! This conflict is not a result of the occupation. it is not a result of Palestinian refugees.

It is a result of the Arab world refusing to accept a Jewish state’s right to exist in an Arab-Muslim neighborhood. I agree, both sides have committed injustices and both sides have legitimate claims to the land. Both peoples have the right to self-determination. But any claim that calls for the destruction of another people should be fought against by all people of conscience.

Today Israel has put a peace proposal on the table that it is [under negotiation] with Al Fatah, another Palestinian faction currently in control of the West Bank. The proposal includes dismantling of the majority of settlements, withdrawal from over 95 percent of the West Bank (the other five percent is where there are major Israeli cities/settlements), and land swaps for the remaining five percent. It also includes the division of Jerusalem, and sharing of natural resources (i.e. water). In return, Israel is asking for one thing…security.

Why would Hamas fire rockets at Israel while moderate Israelis and Palestinians are negotiating peace? The answer is that they don’t want peace with Israel. They want the destruction of Israel! Even moderate Palestinians speak out against Hamas. We need to continue to encourage positive developments between moderate Israelis and Palestinians. Peace is possible if you believe in it!

‘

Jarkin
January 31, 2009

This should not be an academic argument, nor should it be a military one. Let’s just look at the present and future.

The one fact about the past that is rarely brought up: Palestinians never had any sovereign control over their land, ever. The idea that every inch of Israel has been ’stolen’ from a stateless people is ludicrous.

Looking forward, we can see that a return to pre-1967 borders is impossible and indefensible. Israel wouldn’t agree to that even in the presence of a peaceful settlement with Hamas. Why then, base a peace on a concession that will probably never happen?

Gazans can look forward to a period of great accomplishment and productivity should they hold their leaders to a more humane and rational standard. Israel is ready to reward the Palestinians with something their Arab brethren have never offered them – a home and a genuine, vigorous helping hand to build it should they ask.

Yes, the Palestinians are frustrated and yes, they have been dealing with death and destruction for too long. Let’s encourage them to throw off the yoke of the real oppression that binds them – that of radicalism and hate.

The Israelis will not tolerate a terrorist state in their midst and neither will the international community.

‘

Julia Pitt
January 31, 2009

This editorial is full of misinformation concerning Hamas’ stance on Israel. The main idea in which this article presents is that Israel’s war on Gaza was justified partially because of Hamas’ supposed refusal to accept Israel’s right to exist. We know this is not true. Hamas has accepted the two-state solution on the June 1967 border, a resolution which is voted on every year in the UN for 30 years and consistently voted against by the USA and Israel (in 2008, the only other nations to vote against it were Australia and some south-sea island countries whose names I can neither spell nor pronounce). Even after the recent war, Hamas leaders have still signaled their willingness to negotiate. In other words, Hamas wouldn’t be attacking Israel if Israel just went along with the rest of the international community and got out of every bit of land they took in 1967.

A junior cinema and television arts major died Tuesday night collapsing after playing basketball at the Matadome during open gym. Diron Rivers Jr., 20, was pronounced dead on arrival at 11:12 p.m. at Northridge Hospital.

‘I know he sat down and then passed out,’ said Mischa Cavaye, an eyewitness who was playing basketball at the Matadome. ‘The paramedics performed CPR for at least 10 minutes’hellip;it looked pretty hopeless.’

The Los Angeles County Coroners Office hasn’t assigned an investigator to the case and can’t confirm the cause of death.

In order to play basketball at open gym players must sign a liability form, said Charlotte Cabeza an Associated Students Recreational staff member.

‘We don’t know exactly why but the doctors say that his heart just stopped,’ said Mercedes Burke, 32, Rivers’ aunt. ‘He slumped over and then passed out.’

Burke said he was diagnosed with a heart murmur at 16, but added that doctors told his mom it wouldn’t contribute to his death.

‘Basketball and movies were his life,’ Burke said. ‘He was also very good at imitating people especially our family and he loved to make fun of people he always kept us laughing.’

Demia Jones, 25, Rivers’ aunt, also described him as the family ‘joker’ and agreed that basketball played an important role in his life.

‘Basketball was his life, he lived, ate and dreamt basketball,’ Jones said. ‘His favorite movies were Billy Madison and Kill Bill.’

‘When he wasn’t in basketball shorts you could say he was a preppy dresser.’

Rivers lived on campus his first two years, but commuted to his Inglewood home at the beginning of his junior year.

He is survived by two brothers, three and 18 years old, and his parents Shantrece and Diron Rivers.

The family is accepting donations for the funeral. For further information contact (323) 899-4704.

We got Pregnant by Morning with a Fat Tire. These are two things one wouldn’t expect to get just by going to a restaurant for an innocent meal.

To clear the air this has nothing to do with cars or the start of a nine-month journey resulting in an infant. They are two of many drinks you can order at George’s Bistro.

The Valencia restaurant serves French and Italian dishes and has an entertaining drink menu. If you commute to CSUN from the Santa Clarita Valley or want a new place to try, George’s Bistro should be on your list.

The drinks are tasty and the food is great, but one downfall is Bistro’s expensive prices. Good food doesn’t come cheap, but if you’re trying to impress a date or just want to treat yourself, the Bistro is the way to go.

While the name may be intimidating, Pregnant by Morning is delicious and worth it.’ Just be careful, the drink isn’t sparse on alcohol. To make sure the name doesn’t become a reality, drink with caution.

The pink martini contains Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Bacardi Watermelon Rum, Peach Schnapps, De Kuyper Watermelon Pucker and a splash of Bacardi 151 and pineapple juice. I wonder if it’s a boy or a girl.

The drink comes in a chilled martini glass and tastes like a watermelon Jolly Rancher with a kick. The warming sensation after one sip is a small indicator as to how much alcohol this house specialty has.

The sweet treat comes with a hefty cost of $10. Pregnant by Morning is pricey, but good enough to try at least once.

Other martinis include the Bikini Martini, Brigitte Bardot, Tahiti Martini and X-Rated Martini. With a full bar, beer and wine list, it would be wise to get some appetizers and drinks for a Friday or Saturday night. Eating dinner at home and going out for appetizers and drinks will save some cash without cutting back on the fun.

One great appetizer is the garlic baked brie for $10.95. Served on a white square plate the bread is topped with melted cheese and garlic. The cost might be steep, but worth breaking any diet for.

The appetizers and drinks alone are filling enough and won’t cost as much, but if the stomach is growling, get ready for dinner.

The linguini turino for $15.95 is saut’eacute;ed in white wine and mildly-spiced marinara. Filled with Italian sausage, assorted peppers, onions, sun driedtomatoes, roasted garlic and shallots, this pasta swims in an Italian blend of flavors.

For something a little less spicy, order the arrostita del pepe rosso.’ For $16.95, the corkscrew pasta comes with artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes. The house cream sauce consists of roasted red bell peppers and garlic. The artichoke slices balance out the strong tomato flavor.

If the price seems high, stop by on Tuesday nights for Mission ImPASTAble. It’s a great deal for students because all pasta, house wine and draft beer is 50 percent off.

It’s cheap on the wallet, but not on flavor.

George’s Bistro offers a large menu with foods ranging from salads, soups and chicken dishes to lasagna, seafood and risotto.

Topping off a satisfying meal with dessert is a must. Who can resist Tiramisu or Cr’egrave;me Brule?

Don’t fill up on too much pasta because you’ll want to try the Bistro’s Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding. It’s light, airy and full of sweet goodness.

The bread pudding is a baked croissant drizzled with pieces of melted chocolate chips.’ It’s served over a cream anglaise and whiskey sauce and topped with fresh whipped cream and strawberries.

George’s Bistro offers a great atmosphere to unwind while experiencing great flavors from its creative drinks to its rich pasta dishes.

George’s has two locations, 1321 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica and 28261 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia. Take a break from studying and drive through Third Street or stop by Santa Clarita where appetizing meals and a full bar of fun await.

As of last month, the basement of the Fitness Centre is no longer empty. It is the new home of the Games Room on campus with its orange, blue and green walls, five new pool tables, console games (X-Box 360 and Wii), two tennis tables, eight coin-operated video games and a lounge area with a projector screen.’

The five new pool tables cost $9,000 and the console gaming $5,000, but there was no extra charge for the renovation of the basement because it was done by the in-house maintenance team, according to Commercial Services Manger Jeremy Hamlett.

All students pay student union fees. Those funds can only be spent on Student Union programs and projects and not on academic programs, said Debra Hammond, Executive director of University Student Union.

‘There’s definitely student involvement in the decision making process,’ said Hammond. The special project was voted on by the Facilities and Commercial Services Committee, which is comprised of students, and then it was approved by the Board of Directors, Hammond said.

We want to provide convenient services that students desire. Any program that deepens a student’s connection to the institution helps them graduate, said Hammond.

The old Games Room across from the Fitness Centre will be used to expand the computer lab where students can print up to 20 pages free of charge because the service is included in student fees.

‘The expansion of the computer lab is a long-term project we hope to complete in January 2010,’ said Hammond.

A $262,172 budget was created from the campus quality fees to pay for 58 new computers, new furniture, renovations and the moving company, said Jason Wang, associate executive director for USU.

‘We’re trying to keep up with other campuses around the nation,’ said Hamlett.

‘If you look across the nation almost all campuses have a games room or a game area. It’s a valued service, a way to socialize and make connections. It’s exactly what we wanted it to be, more energetic and vibrant.’

About 50 to 150 students use the Games Room during the day, he said. Midday is the busiest time and some evenings after closing, the Games Room gets rented out to different fraternities, clubs and organizations on campus.

‘The set-up and everything looks a lot cozier than it used to be. I was surprised. Even though it’s a basement, it looks more inviting,’ said Greg Jones, 20, biochemistry major.

‘The old game room was a little dull. This one’s more colorful and we have more games,’ said Commercial Services Attendant Yamrot Amha, 21, environmental and occupational health major, who has been working at the Games Room for more than a year.

Throughout the semester over 100 students participate in table tennis, billiards and Texas hold’em tournaments held once a week, said Hamlett. Participation is free and the only requirement is to be a CSUN student. The top players will get a chance to participate in the championship games in April. ‘We have a wall of fame and trophies for first, second and third places,’ said Hamlett.

When students play for three hours, they can become Player’s Club members and can play another hour for free. Students will need to get a player’s card from the attendant and punch it every 30 minutes, which the attendants collect for a weekly raffle.

Commercial services assistant Aaron Sherrill said occasionally the Games Room will hold Lakers and Dodgers nights and sometimes during the games, they serve pizza or apple pie.

‘I like the fact that the TV is actually working. The projector has a better set-up; more people can view the TV,’ said Christian Covarrubias, 21, business administration major, who mainly visits the Games Room on Lakers nights.

‘You don’t have to play the games to be there. You can go there and take a nap,’ said Solomon Ojo, 24, cellular biology major, who started using the Games Room this semester.’

‘The biggest benefit was to utilize the [vacant] room and to have an inviting and engaging area for the students. And I think we’ve created a spot that when students find it, they’re going to make their own,’ said Hamlett.