DUI law breakdown of terms and regulations

California’s strict drunk-driving laws work to prevent deadly alcohol-related car accidents that killed 950 people this year. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 31 percent of traffic accidents in California are caused by drunk driving. The numerous laws may be difficult to discern. Here is a break down of terms and offenses:

Preliminary Alcohol Screening (PAS): A test usually administered by a police officer to determine a driver’s level of intoxication. Common PAS tests include; breathalyzers, urine samples and blood tests.

Blood Alcohol Content (BAC): The percentage of alcohol found in a person’s system. California’s legal limit is .08 percent for people 21 years or older, and for those under 21 it is illegal to have an alcohol content of .01 percent and over.

Driving Under the Influence (DUI): The legal charge for driving with a BAC of .08 percent or above.

DUI and DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) are used synonymously in California.

Ignition Interlock Device (IID): This small device is connected to the car’s ignition, requiring the driver to breathe into the device before the car will start. During driving, the IID will require periodic breath tests to ensure the driver’s BAC is below the legal limit.

Designated Driver (DD): A person who refrains from drinking in order to safely drive his or her friends who are drinking.
If a driver is 21 or older and his or hers BAC is .08 percent or more, he or she could be arrested for DUI. A first offense could result in a four month suspension of the person’s driver licence. A second offense will result in a one year suspension.

Here are the list of offenses for DUI:

First Offense
Jail: from 96 hours to six months
Fine: $390 to $1,000
Completion of Driving Under the Influence Program required
California SR22 Insurance Required for restricted license

Second Offense
Jail: 90 days to one year
Fine: $390 to $1,000
License suspension: two years
Completion of Driving Under the Influence Program required
California SR22 Insurance Required for restricted license
Driver may apply for a Restricted Driver’s License, but the installation of an IID is required.

Third Offense
Jail: 120 days to one year
Fine: $390 to $1,000
License suspension: three years
Driver is designated as a Habitual Offender
Installment of an IID is required
Completion of Driving Under the Influence Program required
California SR22 Insurance Required for restricted license

Fourth Offense
Jail: 180 days to one year
Fine: $390 to $1,000
License suspension: four years
Installment of an IID is required
Driver may apply for a Restricted Driver’s License after one year
Completion of Driving Under the Influence Program required
California SR22 Insurance Required for restricted license

*DUI becomes a felony after the fourth offense, and the driver receives a prison sentence.

If a driver causes an accident while driving drunk and people are killed, the driver can face manslaughter charges.


Written with Erin Bradley.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on November 18, 2010.

Video Game Review: Call of Duty: Black Ops

Call of Duty: Black Ops, the latest in the highly successful Call of Duty series, picks up where Modern Warfare 2 left off. Developed by Treyarch, the same group who worked on World At War, the game expands much on innovative first person shooter game play developed in previous Call of Duty titles and slightly modifies it, creating an action-packed game that fans of the series are sure to appreciate.

The most important change that Black Ops brings to the Call of Duty series is the inclusion of CoD points, a currency system within the Multiplayer mode that allows players to unlock items using points they have earned from online matches. The money earned from matches can pay for things like unlocking custom class slots, new game modes, bonuses and weapons. Points make it possible to earn the maximum amount of game content without having to prestige (resetting your entire multiplayer progress and starting from scratch) like Modern Warfare 2 required.

These points can be used in whatever way you choose. You can customize your game play, buying weapons and perks in any order, though players must be conscious because once you buy something you can’t necessarily go back. This system adds a lot to the multiplayer game play and is something new that may take some time to get used to if you have never played CoD before.

The contract system is unique because you bet on your gaming skills and try to achieve specific challenges in exchange for CoD points and XP. You purchase a contract and are given a time limit to complete it, and if you don’t complete it by the set time, you forfeit your payment. Black Ops allows you to earn three contracts at once, and successfully completing them not only rewards you with points, but can improve your playing style.

Player profiles add another dynamic to Multiplayer mode. When you hover over someone’s name, a profile pops up, revealing their rank, level, clan tags and icon. The icons are completely customizable, featuring a wide range of images, colors and backgrounds, and can be purchased with CoD points.

The actual game play matches seem to emphasize the points system. For those still interested in the hallmark Team Deathmatch and Domination modes, Black Ops offers these, and they differ little from Modern Warfare 2. The Wager Match offers something new, as it lets players earn more points by using their points to gamble on the outcome of each match.

Since there are a lot of new kill-streak rewards and perks, you’ll most likely encounter the newest of these, which includes an explosive RC car in many of the preliminary rounds.

Lag and frame-rate drops are also an occasional problem. In a game where life and death is determined in a fraction of a second, it sucks when you knife a guy, only to die because he was actually looking at you with his pistol. Choosing local players instead of global players does occasionally help, but at the price of longer matchmaking times.

The Zombie mode places up to four players in a slowly expanding environment where they shoot zombies and repair doors that the invading zombies have. Zombie fans will get a kick out of the mode, but the fact that there’s only three environments shows that developer Treyarch didn’t have enough time to flesh it out. It’s not as engaging as the Multiplayer mode, but it is fun to try out.

The Single Player campaign is where the game truly shines, not because of the decent graphics or solid gameplay, but rather the well-paced and engaging story. Central Intelligence Agency operative Alex Mason begins his ordeal in an interrogation room, and what the player participates in are his memories of prior missions. This allows the game to jump quickly between different locations and time frames.

Since former Black Ops soldiers consulted on the events depicted in the game, the missions hold much more weight than other first person shooters that are currently available. Every word and bullet has both emotional and historical backing, and that’s a rare treat in today’s gaming market.


Originally published in the Daily Titan on November 18, 2010.

Potter's whimsical world comes to Los Angeles

View the accompanying article, written by Erin Bradley, and the multimedia SoundSlides presentation here.

All photos by Sophia Islas.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on November 17, 2010.

In the shoes of the homeless

The Cal State Fullerton Volunteer and Service center set up three informational tents in the Quad on Tuesday to raise awareness of Hunger and Homelessness Week.

About 841 million people are suffering from hunger, malnutrition and famine around the world, lending to the figure that one in seven families are in dire need of food and housing.

“We do this event every fall semester to educate those on campus about the ongoing issue of poverty and hunger, not just in third world countries, but in the United States as well,” said Allie Mosier, Volunteer and Service Center Project Director. “We also want to erase dominant misconceptions that people have about the homeless.”

Mosier said these misconceptions revolve around the idea that homeless people are in their present conditions because they are lazy. This popular notion is incorrect, as the information tents dispel the myth by explaining that homelessness occurs due to rising housing costs, a cause that could affect anyone at some point in their lives.

There were two blue-topped tents fashioned with old issues of Daily Titan and Los Angeles Times. Housed within these tents were a number of statistics written on long pieces of cardboard that were intended to show how prevalent hunger and homelessness is around the world.

“In addition to the two information tents, we also have another called the ‘It Can Be You’ tent,” Mosier said.

This tent was designed to put students, professors and other visitors in the shoes of the homeless. Within the tent are two mirrors, chairs and walls of statistics. Those who entered were encouraged to look in a mirror, read the walls of information and visualize the possibility that homelessness could strike anyone, including students, professors, pregnant women, single fathers, children, teens and so on, at anytime.

“It’s important to raise awareness, because there are people in desperate need of help,” said Collin Jamieson, a 20-year-old volunteer. “We have to keep in mind that there are people less fortunate than us, people who are without homes.”

Placed throughout the tents were purple ribbons, the official color that signifies Hunger and Homelessness Awareness. When attendees looked through the tents, they were welcomed to a table that had miniature purple ribbons.

“(Prior to this event) I wasn’t aware of all these facts regarding homelessness to this extent,” said Daniel Brockman, a business major. “I think it’s good that people are being exposed and made aware of these statistics.”

The event was intended to raise money as well as awareness. The Volunteer and Service Center sold muffins and other baked goods in order to fund future events. There were also donation containers, where students could throw in loose change and dollar bills.

“I know that this event lasted a week in the past,” Jamieson said. “But with the limited resources we have this semester, we are making the best with what we have.”

The Volunteer and Service center meets every Friday. For more information about getting involved and how you can help with upcoming events, visit Fullerton.edu/DeanOfStudents/Volunteer.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on November 17, 2010.

Video Game Review: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

He’s acrobatic in his motions and uses his force powers to crush, kill and destroy his enemies. Every kill getting him closer to a showdown with Darth Vader.

When Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II was unveiled at E3, the trailer revealed a stunning computer-generated action sequence showing Starkiller fighting a mob of Storm Troopers. The graphics were promising and fed tons of hype to fans of the first Unleashed title, which introduced Starkiller, the protagonist and apprentice to Darth Vader.

Unleashed took place between Star Wars: Episodes 3 and 4, creating an original story that bridged the gap between both the old and the new trilogies. Starkiller first worked for Darth Vader following his orders and doing certain tasks that would enable Vader to take the control of the empire away from Emperor Palpatine. But after completing a mission that involved rescuing members of a fledgling rebel alliance, Starkiller learned that the Empire was evil and decided to go after Vader and disrupt his plans of total control. When Starkiller confronted Vader, he was killed. In his death, Starkiller was credited for starting the Galactic War between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance.

Unleashed II takes place seven months after the first, and there is a huge disconnect in the story that should be mentioned. The beginning of Unleashed II reveals that Vader cloned Starkiller, so the character you’re playing with in this game is a clone of the original Starkiller from Unleashed. The Starkiller in Unleashed II also retained all the memories from the first game, which is both convenient and confusing. As the “new Starkiller,” your mission in this game is to rescue Starkiller’s love interest, Juno, take down waves upon waves of Storm Troopers and attempt to defeat Vader again.

The fact that you play as a clone from the first game is a red flag and reveals that there was no need for the creation of this sequel. Since we know that Vader doesn’t truly die until Star Wars: Episode 6, the final film of the trilogy, having Starkiller come back from the dead to rescue his girlfriend and to try to defeat Vader again is both redundant and pointless. There is no motivation when playing this game since the story leads nowhere, which is evident by the game’s six hour running time.

Aside from the lack of a cohesive storyline, the game has fluid controls that run a lot smoother than the first, allowing for a more minimal gaming screen. The stream of text that explained how to do certain combos no longer clutters the screen and there is an absence of a mini map on the left corner, two components that were included in the first game.

The way you can execute and unlock combos has been made easier. Instead of having to pick and choose what combos you want to unlock, like the first Unleashed, players now get to spend points they have collected throughout the game to upgrade their Force Talents. Also, there are hidden lightsaber crystal Holocrons in each level that, when collected, allow you to upgrade your lightsaber.

Yet even with these upgrades, the game fails to deliver. It isn’t challenging enough and there are hardly any puzzles. Also, if you’re waiting for the scenes that you’ve seen in the commercials showing intense battles between Starkiller and Vader, you’ll be left waiting for an eternity because all those were just for show, and you don’t even get to play those levels.

With a confusing storyline, sub-par graphics and lack of variety, The Force Unleashed II will leave fans of the first scratching their heads, wondering why the sequel to such an amazing game was treated without care.


Originally published in the Daily Titan on November 16, 2010.

Sanrio brings 'Small Gifts'

Photo by Sophia Islas

A bright inflatable rainbow archway adorned with the Sanrio trademark phrase, “Small Gift,” adds color to the otherwise dull, gray entrance of the Barker Hangar. An occasional draft from planes landing and taking-off on an adjacent runway causes the rainbow to sway a bit, but it doesn’t seem to keep adults and children of all ages from entering. As they pass through the rainbow, they step into a miniature Sanrio world, encapsulated neatly in a 50-foot airplane Hangar.

Small Gift Los Angeles is part of a nationwide tour that was created to celebrate 50 years of Sanrio. In addition to a special Sanrio pop-up shop, the Small Gift events feature workshops, exclusive parties and art showings. Though stationary Small Gift events will only take place in Los Angeles and Miami, a pop-up tour is currently underway, which features a Sanrio-decorated tour bus driving across the country filled with 50th anniversary goods available for purchase.

As people entered the Hangar, they were greeted with the faint scent of kettle corn and hot dogs. What used to house airplanes, now housed an indoor carnival, complete with a miniature golf course and Ferris wheel. Every aspect of the interior design included the iconic Sanrio characters, Hello Kitty, Pochacco, Keroppi and many more, so much so that large inflatable character heads were even hung high above the crowd.

“It’s good that they did (Small Gift) in an airplane Hangar,” said John Draisey, an attendee from Los Angeles. “They could have easily hosted the event outside, but the atmosphere in here is a whole lot better. The character balloons are huge.”

One of the main attractions of the event was the Small Gift Pop-Up Shop. The line to get into the shop, which could only accommodate 30 people at a time, spanned halfway around the Hangar. Included on the “menu” of items for sale was the 50th Anniversary Collector’s Book, Special 50th GIRL Skateboard Deck, Multi-Character Vinyl Figure Set, 50th Anniversary Tote Bags and Wallets, 90-Piece Multi-Character Mini Figure Set, Multi-Character Bobble-heads and much, much more. Fans were eager to get their hands on these products, which featured new patterns that included Sanrio characters from both past and present. Not only are these items limited edition, they will become rarities soon after the 50th anniversary celebration is over.

“The 50th Anniversary items are so classic, they remind me of my childhood,” said Nguyen Tran, an attendee from Los Angeles. “It was worth it to wait in line. The atmosphere is so nice in here, I love all things Sanrio.”

Situated next to the Pop-Up shop was the Sanrio-themed art gallery sponsored by JapanLa, a Sanrio retailer located on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. The brightly-lit space was divided into three aisles, and featured purchasable art placed in creative installations. Hello Kitty was the subject of choice for most artists, as she uniquely appeared in most works in the form of oil on canvas, mixed media, sculpture and stuffed animal form.

“I really loved the art portion of this event, there were a lot of big names,” said Shiho Nakaza, a graphic artist and illustrator based in Santa Monica.

In addition to buying rare goods, attendees also had the chance to participate in carnival activities. The games required one to three tickets and were character-themed, with clever names like “Landry Lucky Duckies” and “Little Twin Stars Shooting Stars.” Most popular among the games was “Tuxedo Sam Bowtie Bounce,” because first prize winners received a limited edition Small Gift tote bag. For those who spent all their cash on games and items, there were also classic arcade games, like Pac Man and Tron, that were free to play.

The event is free and open to the public and runs until Nov. 21. Attendees who want to be a part of special workshops and exclusive events can purchase tickets on Sanrio.com.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on November 15, 2010.

Top five internet media law legal developments

Associate professor of communications and media law expert, Genelle Belmas, provided insight into the following court cases, which illustrate some of the issues that have arisen between the Internet and the First Amendment.

1. Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union (U.S. Supreme Court, 1997) The Supreme Court struck down portions of the Communications Decency Act that attempted to regulate indecent sexual speech online. The Internet, the Court said, should be treated more like a book than like a broadcast TV show. In doing so, the Court set the stage for fairly broad content protection for the Internet.

2. Doe v. Cahill (Delaware Supreme Court, 2005) The Delaware Court outlined a test for when it would be appropriate to unmask anonymous speakers for purposes of suing them for libel. It is a thoughtful test that takes into account the need to preserve anonymity except when there is a clear case for exposing a speaker’s identity, and the test has been widely adopted by other jurisdictions.

3. Comcast Corp. v. Federal Communications Commission (D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, 2010) The appeals court found that the Federal Communications Commission did not have the authority to regulate Internet Service Providers’ (ISP) traffic decisions. This decision that could have devastating implications for net neutrality, the notion that all traffic that passes through the Internet should be treated the same. Under the principles of net neutrality, ISPs should not be able to charge more for the delivery of information based on the service or content it provides. This case also makes clear how little we know about who should regulate the Internet.

4. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 This law says that ISPs are to be legally treated as distributors, not publishers, of third-party communications that appear on their sites. That means that Facebook could not be held liable for libel if one person libels another on a Facebook page. The person who posts the libel could be sued, but not Facebook.

5. Digital Millennium Copyright Act This law provides copyright protection online. Under the DMCA, copyright holders may request that infringing material be removed by ISPs; if the ISP complies, it cannot be sued for contributory infringement. Both Section 230 and the DMCA provide protections against liability for ISPs.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on November 9, 2010.

Art shows life and death

Elaborately styled papel picados hang along the Hibbleton Art Gallery’s walls. These and other wall ornaments effectively frame the artworks of the Fullerton gallery’s current exhibit, “La Muerte y El Recuerdo en Latinoamerica” (Death and Resurrection in Latin America).

Adorning the gallery are pictures and paintings that showed different views of how life and death are celebrated in Latin American countries. There are also shrines surrounded by decorative lights. On the shrines are skulls and other miniature statues and trinkets. Mediums that range from photography to painting to mixed media art are used to depict how each artist represents the exhibit’s theme.

Serving as a guest curator for the exhibit is 40-year-old Cal State Fullerton alumni, Albert Garcia. Garcia was put in charge of selecting the artists, artworks and the parameters of the exhibit after approaching Hibbleton Art Gallery owner and CSUF English professor, Jesse La Tour. He also contributed some of his own work.

“The pictures I have on display were part of my research and travels and inspired the theme. I chose the ones I felt would compliment the theme and framed them for the show,” said Garcia, of the photography he presented, which was taken from graduate research done in Guatemala.

Garcia did his undergraduate and graduate studies in anthropology and graduated in 2006. For his Master’s thesis, Garcia compiled his studies from three intermittent trips to Guatemala. The thesis, “Religious Syncretism: An Anthropological Study of Maya Myth and Ritual,” revolved around the study of the indiginization of 16th century Catholicism into localized forms of religious observance and ritual, with an emphasis on the native point of view rather than the European point of view. Garcia currently works in an auxiliary office in McCarthy Hall that is part of the California Office of Historic Preservation.

“La Muerte y El Recuerdo en Latinoamerica” was the featured exhibit for the Hibbleton’s grand re-opening. The Hibbleton’s newer and significantly larger gallery space is located on 223 W. Santa Fe Ave. in Downtown Fullerton, a few blocks away from its previous location. The new gallery is fashioned like a warehouse with a visible wooden-structured ceiling, and contains many walls that help cut the exhibit into sections. The Hibbleton lies in the middle of PAS Gallery and Violet Hour Studio.

The exhibit runs through Nov. 2, but there will be a closing reception Oct. 29 that will feature live music and will serve as both a Halloween and Day of the Dead themed party.

Daily Titan Question and Answer with Albert Garcia:

Daily Titan: Out of the work you contributed to the exhibit, what is your favorite and why?

Albert Garcia: My friend and research partner, Tod Imperato, took a clandestine picture of several skulls on display at the Museo de Tiwanaku, Bolivia. I transformed it into a four-color screen-print, which changes it from a rather eerie scene of death to a somewhat picturesque and colorful look at what awaits us.

DT: What do you want viewers to get out of your work?

AG: The idea behind the theme, “Death and Remembrance in Latin America,” is to highlight the differences and similarities in how different cultures conceptualize and experience death and loss. Latin America has a unique history of cultural upheaval and tragedy – up to 90 percent of the population of the New World was gone within the first century of contact. And the syncretism of pre-Columbian traditions and 16th century Roman Catholicism has produced an amazing array of rituals and beliefs regarding death and the afterlife.

DT: What are your feelings toward this particular exhibit? Why do you think it’s important?

AG: I was very pleased with the artists that contributed. I gave them the idea and they ran with it, each conducting their own research and creating a wide range of artwork. I also mixed in photos from our fieldwork and associated travels so that aside from being an art show the gallery has an educational, almost museum-like feel to it. That was a very important idea behind it since I have volunteered and done internships at various museums, and appreciate the need for exhibits that enlighten and intrigue.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on October 28, 2010.

Actors urge youth to vote in elections

Actors Kal Penn and Kerry Washington urged young people to vote in the Nov. 2 elections. The actors, along with Kamala Harris, the democratic nominee for California attorney general, stressed the importance of the youth vote and the power of student-led political movements.

“Every important and major movement can be tracked in this country to its young people and students,” said Harris, who is currently San Francisco’s district attorney. “We want to encourage students to understand their power.”

If elected, Harris would be the first African American attorney general in California.

Harris stressed the imminence and importance of current issues on the ballot. Environmental issues, gay marriage and health care are topics Harris said the younger generation can solve.

“Understanding the importance of the race and the imminence of all of these issues in terms of impact on our lives,” Harris said. “What we want to do is encourage students to organize as they have done before.”

Harris, Penn and Washington want to dispel the myth that the number of students that voted in the 2008 presidential election was not a fluke.

“It drives me crazy because everyone is doubting our voice,” said Washington, who plays Kelly in the upcoming movie For Colored Girls.“We have to show up to the polls to make sure that our numbers are heard, that people know that we still care, that we understand that a representational democracy can only represent us when our voices are heard.”

In 2007, a large student population was responsible for the grassroots movement of the Obama campaign.

“This signifies that young people were moving the country forward,” said Penn, who left his role as Dr. Kutner on Fox’s drama, House, M.D. to join the Obama administration as a political activist.

Penn and Harris joined campaigners in Des Moines, Iowa, and went door-to-door to ask people to vote for Barack Obama, a then unknown senator from Illinois.

“Everything from city college students, high school students, university students, graduate students… people who have never been involved in a campaign, a lot of whom have never voted,” joined the Obama campaign, Harris said. “What was happening was just a part of the creation of a movement.”

Harris hopes students will channel a similar movement in the upcoming state elections by using social media to promote candidates and spread information regarding propositions.

“Do not underestimate the power of what you guys can do in your own community as students,” Harris said.

Written with Erin Bradley.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on October 28, 2010.

Free in-depth class reviews

With Spring registration beginning this week, students will have the chance to test out MyEdu.com, a free program that allows them to research courses, view course grades and read reviews on faculty.

“Students (can) use MyEdu during registration to build the best class schedule by comparing professor reviews and grade records from past semesters,” said Chris Chilek, one of the company’s founders, in a press release introducing MyEdu to educational institutions in California.

Unlike RateMyProfessor.com, MyEdu offers more objective overviews of professors and the classes they teach. Students can not only search through student reviews of professors, but can also see grade disbursements from previous semesters. This is made possible because for each course MyEdu compiles official grade records from previous semesters. These records are then displayed visually through a bar graph students can scroll over to see percentages for grades A through F.

“It takes a certain person to post their opinions about their professor online. It’s very subjective,” said Candace Foote, a sociology major, about sites like RateMyProfessor. “Though it’s interesting to see the grades professors give.”

In addition to accurate grade readings, students can also build schedules using a specialized “Schedule Planner.” This planner creates schedules that work with what professors students want, their work schedules and other commitments. MyEdu also links up with Facebook, so students can share their schedules through the social networking site.

“I think a site (like MyEdu) would be helpful to students because they can see how professors graded their students,” said Arav Kahanna, a finance major. “As long as the grades are shown anonymously I would use a site like this.”

Initially, the program required a small fee to use, but has since changed its policies to allow students to gain “100 percent free access.”

“Anyone could write whatever they want on sites like RateMyProfessor,” said Alanah Krueger, a sociology major. “(MyEdu) seems more accurate because a lot of students use those kind of sites to write bad things about professors who gave them bad grades.”

According to a press release from MyEdu, the company was founded in 2008 and houses the largest warehouse of course, professor, degree and college information in the United States. The resources that the site provides have helped over 2 million students graduate for college. To enroll in the services and learn more, visit MyEdu.com.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on October 28, 2010.

Pizza with the ASI Board of Director Candidates (ASI Brief)

Associated Students Inc. will be holding Pizza with the ASI Board of Director Candidates today from noon to 1 p.m. at the Becker Amphitheater.

Students will have the opportunity to get to know candidates who are running for Board of Director positions in the upcoming ASI Elections. Along with free pizza, students are free to ask the candidates questions about why they would the best represent their respective colleges. A total of 14 candidates, plus any last minute write-in candidates, will be at the event.

ASI Elections will be held on campus Oct. 27 and 28. Students will be able to vote at various polling stations located around campus.

Johnny Cupcakes sprinkles students with advice

Hudreds of cupcake lovers waited for hours outside Steven G. Mihaylo Hall to hear Johnny Earle, creator and founder of Johnny Cupcakes and BusinessWeek’s number one entrepreneur of 2008, speak.

“Does anybody think I really sell cupcakes?” Earle asked the people in the crowded Charton Family Lecture Hall.

Johnny Cupcakes is a successful clothing brand known for its cupcake and crossbones logo. The Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM) hosted Earle, who travels across the country lecturing students on starting a brand.

Earle’s lecture, which was given through PowerPoint slides, focused around life lessons he learned while starting up his business. Key topics included: the importance of branding, starting a business with little or no start-up money, entrepreneurship, management, product development and much more.

“Johnny Cupcakes has been an inspiration to me since day one,” Michael Custodio, a business major said. “He has taught me that anything is possible as long as you’re persistent. His whole lecture is a learning experience.”

Johnny Cupcakes started his company by selling buttons and T-shirts out of the trunk of his car in Massachusetts. He now has three storefronts, a cult following and more than $1 million in profits.

“My brand is for… every type of person,” said Earle, describing the diversity of his customers.

He builds a community around his product and recognizes the importance of customer service by adding special packaging and inserting gifts when shipping his T-shirts, stickers and pins.

“Every order shipped out gets a surprise,” Earle said.

Sometimes it could be $20, a free shirt, a doll’s head, a battery or stale cereal. He surprised all the students by hiding little cupcake-covered gift bags between the seats. People got pins, candy, business cards and classic ‘90s television trading cards.

“I’m here to hear Johnny and become inspired,” said Earl Rocha,19, undeclared major . “My friends from other schools told me about his lectures, so I had to experience it first hand.”

A lot of people in the crowd wore Johnny Cupcakes T-shirts, but no two T-shirts were alike. The Johnny Cupcakes brand prides itself on brand longevity by creating limited numbers of each T-shirt or products.

“My T-shirts have created a sort of ‘Tee Harmony,’” Earle said. “A lot of people have made friends with random strangers just because they have one of my shirts on.”

He stressed the importance of reinventing oneself, reminding the crowd that everything has been done before and that it is their responsibility to do things differently.

“The more time you spend making business decisions, the better your ideas get. It’s best not to rush,” said Earle while talking about his elaborate store on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.

The store is set up like a bakery, keeping consistent with the designs of his East Coast storefronts. Over-sized oven doors function as doors that lead to a hidden office and stock room, while a stovetop acts as a cashier’s counter. Customers pick out T-shirts from refrigerators, which are then packaged from bakery boxes.

“(Johnny Cupcake’s) products are very unique and fresh, I like them a lot,” said Megan De Guzman, a kinesiology major.

With no investors and no chain stores, Johnny Cupcakes proves that people can make millions and have fun in the process.

“It’s not about the money,” Earle said. “It’s about being happy and doing what you love.”

Written with Erin Bradley.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on October 19, 2010.

"Art 4 Health": Healthy living showcased

Students, faculty, alumni and members of the community gathered at the Student Health and Counseling Center (SHCC) for the opening reception of the fourth annual “Art 4 Health” event.

The theme that pervades each of the 105 artworks in this year’s exhibit is “Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Spirit.”

Of the 41 artists participating in this exhibit, which took place Friday Oct. 15, 66 percent are currently enrolled students, while the rest are faculty and alumni. Each artist used different forms of media to convey the theme, ranging from acrylic on canvas to photography.

“All artworks in this exhibit hold so much expression,” said Gail Pakalns-Naruo, director of counseling and psychological services at the SHCC. “And that expression has a relation to healing and well-being.”

The artworks line the walls of the SHCC West and East buildings, and are placed in areas surrounding sitting rooms, next to doctors’ offices, in lobbies and other highly visible areas.

Upon entering the exhibit from the West building, Eric Leonard Jones’ canvases dominated one of the main corridors at the start of the exhibit. Adjudicator Brandon Strathmann commented extensively on one of his pieces entitled “It Can’t Be Precious” and explained the intricacies and technique present in that particular work.

“Most of the artworks in this event can be seen as autobiographical or semi-autobiographical. But prevalent in all the works is a sort of psychological aspect,” said Strathmann, who is also a assistant professor of entertainment art and animation. “In Jones’ work you can’t help but note the quick brush strokes and how his technique creates raw emotion.”

Many of the artists had multiple works; some were individual pieces while others connected to represent a series. Brittany Relf, a 22-year-old entertainment art major, submitted a three-part series entitled “Mother Nature.” Two of her works were large canvas paintings that depicted trees shaped as human beings. Another work built off the other two, but was created using acrylic on cloth, and hung using a bamboo rod.

“My work shows a connection between nature and humans. I use our vulnerability towards nature by showing human pain and I do this by showing nature and people as one,” Relf said. “This is the easiest way I can think of to show the connection between the two and to promote understanding.”

The exhibit was not only created to promote the arts and awareness for the SHCC, but it was also a juried event. Along with Strathmann, there were five other jurors who worked on deciding which artists would win “Best in Show” in three categories, students, faculty and alumni.

In addition to award certificates, student artists competed to win $200 scholarships and alumni artists competed to win an exhibition space in the Titan Student Union from January to April.

The winners were announced during the reception. Natalie Salim and Shauday Deeble both tied for the student awards and both received scholarships. The alumni winner was Lauren Gallegos and the faculty winner was Raven Lauren Mansen.

Artists also had the option of putting their works up for auction. If a work is purchased, the artist receives 60 percent of the bid, while the rest of the money goes into funding the exhibit for the entire year.

“The whole event is a fun way to give artists more of an opportunity to show of their work,” Relf said. “It’s also interesting putting health and art together, which is an unlikely pairing.”

The Arts Inter-Club Council was also present at this year’s event. Set up on the lawn across from the SHCC building were the Ceramics, Hot Glass and Pencil Mileage Club, along with the Society of Museum Associates. There were also live musical performances by the Classical Guitar Club, Phi Mu Sinfonia, Sigma Alpha Iota and the Theatre Professionals of Tomorrow.

“Art 4 Health” will continue until the end of July 2011. Friday’s reception was the only time that the exhibit opened its doors to the general public, but those who are interested may contact the SHCC and set up an appointment for a special viewing.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on October 18, 2010.

Queer speaker series continues (Queer Scholarship News Brief)

Associate Professor of American Studies, John Ibson, will be giving a lecture on Wednesday as part of the “Thinking Queer: Bringing Queer Scholarship to CSUF” speaker series.

Ibson is the second speaker in this series, following the first speaker, UCLA professor Anne Pelau, who gave her presentation September 22nd. Ibson will be presenting his lecture entitled “Same-Sex Marriage and American Culture: The Perspective of a New Groom and Longtime Scholar,” which will include the story of how he married his partner of over 30 years. His lecture will take place in University Hall 252 at 5:30 p.m.

The speaker series was created to introduce a proposed queer studies minor at Cal State Fullerton. The interdisciplinary minor is expecting to incorporate courses from the women’s studies, American studies, history and psychology departments.

The final speaker of the series is Judith Jack Halberstam, professor of English and director for feminist research at USC. Her lecture will be entitled “The Queer Art of Failure” and will take place on Nov. 4.

The Queer speaker series is sponsored by Psi Chi, CSUF Psychology Department, National Honor Society and the Women and Gender Studies Student Association (WGSSA).

Originally published in the Daily Titan on October 12, 2010.

Annual two-day book sale (ASSA News Brief)

The American Studies Student Association will be holding its annual Book Sale Extravaganza in front of the Humanities Building on Wednesday and Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The book sale will serve as a fundraiser for the ASSA, a group geared toward promoting awareness of the American studies department.

Rahima Schwenkbeck, ASSA co-president said the books being sold were all donated to the ASSA by students and staff members.

The fundraiser is also completely run and staffed by students. The items that will be available are used American studies books, as well as other books and DVDs.

“We keep our book prices extremely reasonable and both staff and student stock up on the great variety of books and other media we have available,” Schewenkbeck said.

Other upcoming events for the ASSA include a Game Night, which will take place Oct. 16, and a Pizza Night on Oct. 22 where American studies faculty, members of the ASSA, and other students will have dinner together.

Lastly, Film Night will be hosted by Assistant professor Adam Golub, who will be screening “A Single Man” on November 17th.

For more information on the events, email assa@fullerton.edu or find the ASSA on Facebook under “CSUF American Studies Student Association.”

Originally published in the Daily Titan on October 12, 2010

Album Review: Blonde Redhead's "Penny Sparkle"

For Fans of: Sonic Youth, Electrelane, Asobi Seksu

Kazu Makino’s hauntingly delicate voice combined with Amedeo and Simone Pace’s intricate instrumentation and back-up vocals is a combination of pure, effortless beauty in Penny Sparkle, Blonde Redhead’s latest album.

“My Plants Are Dead” is one of the many songs on Penny Sparkle that shows how the New York-based psychedelic rock band has mastered their minimalist alternative shoegaze rock style over the years. The lyrics are simple and flow effortlessly, weaving in and out between a soft drumbeat and a gossamer guitar reverb. Most of the songs on the album have this steady vibe.

“Will There Be Start” features the vocal talents of twins Amedeo and Simon. Their high-pitched voices pair well with the slow-moving background drums and sporadic guitar clangor. “Black Guitar” is another track that features the twins and Makino. The song begins with a fuzzy synth sound and the twins’ soothing voices. The almost orchestral introduction heralds in a guitar clangor and the voice of Makino, who sings throughout the rest of the track.

“I fell in love with the music like falling for someone you’ve known for a long time,” Makino said in a press release. “It was dreamy and sometimes was very stormy. At times I felt like a shepherd who was trying to herd five stallions into a yard (unsuccessfully).”

Makino’s cryptic statement about the album may be due to the fact that the band worked with Van Rivers and the Subliminal Kind, producers of popular Swedish electronic artist Fever Ray. This collaboration may be why there is a strong synth presence – almost every song incorporates the sound in the background. Also, the producer of the band’s 2007’s 23, Alan Moulder, was also on board serving as the mixer of the album.

The product of these collaborations can be best heard in the album’s opening track, “Here Sometimes,” which is a combination of a fuzzy guitar distortion and a steady electro background beat. This sound creates an unusually upbeat song, something not characteristic to Blonde Redhead. The unique sound is quite catchy and a welcome addition to the track list.

Long time fans of Blonde Redhead will be quick to appreciate that the band hasn’t strayed far from its signature style. Rather than doing anything drastic, they have managed to stay true to their sound, making it more distinct and focused by adding minor changes in instrumentation. Penny Sparkle shines, highlighting the band’s commitment to the style they developed in their 1995 self-titled album.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on October 7, 2010.

Superheroes unite for world record

Numerous Supermen and Batmen lined the streets surrounding the Nokia LA Live Theater. Dressed in outfits made of sheer cotton fabric, rubbery faux leather and crisp latex, they made their way down the street waving at cars that honked past them and smiled at bewildered faces. They were on a mission, and it wasn’t to fight crime. They were on a mission to help break a Guinness World Record.

The heart of Los Angeles was filled to the brim with men, women and children, who used their super powers to help promote DreamWorks Studios’ upcoming animated film, Megamind. Dressed in homemade and store-bought costumes, people from all over Southern California and beyond made their way to the Nokia Theater in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record’s title for the Largest Gathering of Superheroes and to kick off MegaMonth.

Costumed crusaders checked in with Stuart Claxton, an adjudicator and Guinness World Records spokesmen. His duty was to verify that all the participants adhered to the guidelines that pertained to this particular record which, according to Guinness, was that all participants must be dressed as an “easily recognized superhero who has been published in a book, comic, television program or film.”

As participants entered the theater, they were greeted with booths filled with Megamind-themed food and games. The “Blue Buffet” booth provided blue cupcakes, donuts, cookies and other blue treats, while booths like the “Minion Bowl Toss” and the “Metroman Powershot” tested super skills in the form of carnival-style mini-games. Participants were also given blue balloons at the “Megamind Balloonery” booth, which highlighted the overcast morning sky with a sea of bright blue.

Across from the booths was the main stage area, which was lined with blue flooring and was decorated with electronic movie posters that featured characters from Megamind. The floor space was crawling with super heroes and a handful of villains from various universes ranging from DC to Marvel to the wizarding world of Harry Potter. A lot of the participants were conversing and taking pictures with one another, which added to the friendly and fun environment.

All eyes were on the stage when Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO of DreamWorks, took the stage to congratulate everyone for participating in the event. Katzenberg also introduced the director of Megamind, Tom McGrath, and praised him by saying that he was the creative force behind the film and continued on to introduce Will Ferrell, who plays Megamind in the film.

A Megamind cheerleading squad took the stage and held a mini-performance that led to the introduction of Ferrell, who appeared with a Megamind mascot. After giving a little speech and thanking everyone for coming to the event, Claxton appeared alongside a large Guinness World Record certificate and announced to everyone in the crowd that they had broken the record of 1,500 and created a new record of 1,580. With much elation for breaking the record, Ferrell jokingly told the crowd to honor MegaMonth by remaining in their costumes for the entire month.

Soon after, royal blue and metallic gold streamers exploded into the air and showered onto the superheroes as they erupted in cheers.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on October 4, 2010.

Women should embrace their curves

Images of tall, skinny and beautiful women haunt us everyday as we encounter them in magazines, movies and television. These types of media serve not only as forms of entertainment, but as reminders of how women’s bodies should look- informing women on what they should aspire to look like. There is nothing good that can come from the media’s unrealistic portrayal of women’s bodies, and the effects are both physical and mental.

According to Jean Killbourne, the director of “Killing Us Softly,” four out of five women are dissatisfied with their appearance. Almost half of American women are on a diet any given day and five to ten million women are struggling with serious eating disorders. Aside from these horrifying statistics, it goes to show the profound impact of the media on women’s bodies.

One of the key points that Kilbourne makes in her film is that advertisements sell women the myth that they can and should achieve physical perfection in order to have value within our culture. This assertion is problematic because it is almost impossible for most women to achieve the bodies of even the skinniest actresses and supermodels. It’s not that most women are lazy, it’s due to the fact that most women’s bodies aren’t built to be extremely thin. The world is filled with women of different shapes and sizes, and the fact that advertisers and the media are trying to prescribe a certain waif body type as the norm is incredulous.

Also, aside from discouraging women to embrace their curves or lack thereof, not conforming to a prescribed body type can be mentally and emotionally damaging to women. In her documentary, Kilbourne goes on to say that women who don’t measure up to advertiser’s ideals of beauty are treated with a tremendous amount of contempt. I believe that this contempt doesn’t only come from those around us, but can arise from within ourselves. Too often I see and hear women criticizing their own bodies, complaining about how wide their hips are or that their arms are too flabby, when, in reality, they look completely fine. What are women measuring up to, and why do they feel the need to show contempt toward their own bodies?

Even women who we may perceive as perfect are not apt enough to measure up to the media’s standard of beauty. This point can be clearly illustrated with how advertisers and magazines alter photographs of models and actresses. For example, Christina Hendricks, an actress best known for her role as the curvaceous redhead Joan Harris on AMC’s Mad Men, recently completed an advertising campaign for London Fog. When Hendricks’ advertisements were revealed online, many of her fans noticed that her buxom body was absent and was replaced by a digitally altered and considerably thinner silhouette. This proves that even the most attractive women aren’t safe from being physically adjusted in order to conform to the strict, unrealistic standards that the media is using to control women’s bodies.

Though it is difficult to resist the media and its influence, it is important that women take control over their own bodies. Skinniness is not the sole measure of healthiness, and it is imperative that we get out of this harmful mindset. Instead of comparing ourselves to images, we should put in the effort to understand what is best for us individually.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on October 4, 2010.

Turning a T-shirt into an unlikely accessory

Going green does not necessarily mean spending more money on earth-conscious products. Reusing what you already have is an effective way of contributing to the “reuse, reduce, recycle” mantra. The simple act of recycling an old T-shirt can help save the environment and your wallet. As a college student, money for new clothes and accessories is limited. Old band shirts and free extra-large T-shirts given away at club meetings can finally be put to good use. There are limitless ways a T-shirt can be reused; from scarves to skirts, totes to towels. If you do not have an old T-shirt or refuse to cut yours up, you can be creative and reconfigure old jackets, jeans and sweaters. A simple Tee, patched up jeans, or an old sweater can be transformed into something more with a few everyday tools and the help of easy web tutorials at instructables.com or youtube.com. With a little creativity, a pair of scissors and five minutes, an armpit-stained T-shirt can be given a second life, no sewing machine necessary. We will show you how to recycle your ragged old Tee into a necklace. Keep it for your wardrobe, or give it to a friend, these projects make for easy handmade gifts.

Fringe Scarf:

Wear this fringe scarf to spruce up a plain T-shirt, or pair it with a jacket.

1. Cut off the top of the T-shirt, just below the armpit. Set the top part aside to use in a later project.

2. Flip the T-shirt upside-down and create fringe by cutting ½ to 1-inch strips toward the hem. Stop cutting 2 ½ half inches before the hem.

3. Continue cutting around the width of the shirt and then gently tug on the fringe so it curls in on itself.

Necklace/Cowl

Wear it like a necklace, or double wrap it to create a cowl.

1. Start at the bottom of the T-shirt and cut off the hem.

2. Cut 1-inch strips across the shirt until you reach the armpit (about 12 strips).

3. Stretch out the strips by tugging on them, until they curl inward.

4. Gather the individual strips and tie them together using a spare piece from the sleeve of the shirt.

Bracelet

Wear with everyday clothes, to add an accent.

1. Use the leftover sleeves from the previous projects and cut off the hem.

2. Cut eight ½ inch strips across the sleeve.

3. Stretch the strips so they curl inward, like the T-shirt necklace.

4. Gather the strips and tie them together using ribbon or a spare piece from the shirt.

Written with Erin Bradley.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on September 29, 2010.