The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Category: Life & Arts

  • Queer Student Union vogues the night away

    Queer Student Union vogues the night away

    Humboldt’s QSU hosts a ball and cabaret paying homage to the transgender community.

    By | Alexandria Hasenstab

    A person wearing a grey fitted suit complete with a bowtie and five inch heels steps onto the runway. With their hair slicked back and a full beard made of glitter on their face, they begin their walk.

    Multicolored lights illuminate the room, but a spotlight keeps all eyes on the person on the runway. Every step is taken with a confident swing of the hips, until they misstep and trip off the end of the runway.

    Surprisingly, the person does not stumble but instead gracefully falls to the floor as the crowd cheers loudly.

    This move is part of a style of dance known as voguing. Although this dance was made famous by singer Madonna, it has roots in the transgender community.

    Humboldt State’s Queer Student Union payed homage to the transgender community with a ball and cabaret held in the KBR on Feb. 18.  

    David Ontiveros is the treasure of the Queer Student Union. Ontiveros wasn’t a performer but still decided to wear black thigh high boots and matching corset to the event. Ontiveros was one of many people who helped organize the event.

    “We want people to understand the importance of trans, queer people of color,” Ontiveros said. “They created the scene that we’re paying respects to, and they helped in creating the modern queer community.”  

    The event was a combination of runway and dancing competitions as well as performances from students, alumni and community members who support the Queer Student Union.

    Photo by Liam Olson

    From Left to right: The winner of the Queenest of the Queens: April Showers, Winner of Queerest of the Queers: Sadie Shellmire, winner of Kingest of the Kings: Aaron Space Museum.

    Ten-year-old Sadie Shellmire got her makeup done by one of the performers before going on stage to compete in the Queerest of the Queer runway challenge.

    “I feel good,” Shellmire said. “I’m looking fly, I’m looking beautiful, I’m looking fierce.”

    Shellmire won Queerest of the Queers by impressing the judges with her runway strut and voguing skills.

    “It’s important to have confidence to get up on stage,” Shellmire said. “If you don’t have enough confidence to get up on stage, you won’t have confidence to do anything. It’s like going in front of your family. They will applaud you no matter what happens, so what is there to be afraid of?”

    Photo by Liam Olson

    Queen Mantrikka Ho hosted the event. Mantrikka has been performing in drag for over 15 years. She feels that the Queer Student Union is an important group for young people to be involved with.

    “Especially in this day and age people need guidance, queer people need guidance, queer people of color specifically need guidance,” Mantrikka said.

    Mantrikka talks about how the queer community has been pressured to be palatable to the rest of the world. She thinks that needs to end.

    “I believe that queer culture has always been radical, and I think that we need to maintain the radicalness,” Mantrikka said.

    Mantrikka has been a performance artist for a large portion of her life, she said being on stage makes her feel cathartic.

    “How often do we get to go on stage and be our full genuine selves, a side of ourself that is really deep.”

    Photo by Liam Olson

    Drag Queen Rosa Mendoza is an HSU student on academic leave. Mendoza has only been performing in drag for six months, but already feels that it has a big societal impact.“It’s a fun way to break society’s norms,” Mendoza said. “It pushes on society’s rigid gender roles, which is my favorite part.”

    Photo by Liam Olson

    Wren Broekema struts down the runway during the Queerest of the Queer challenge.

    Broekema is president of Queer Student Union and the queer community building coordinator. Broekema planned the event to pay homage to the trans community, specifically trans people of color. “This event in particular is in response to the political climate,” Broekema said. “We also want to showcase queer people of color.”

    Photo by Liam Olson

    Dancer Sarah Lee is from a dance group called Les IllumiNaughty with her friend Kath Collom. The pair performed for the Cabaret portion of the event. This is their group’s fifth year performing for Queer Student Union events. Lee said that events like the one this past Friday, are very important for students to be involved in because it’s an enjoyable way for people from all walks of life to come together. “We can come together and play and be merry!” Lee said.

    Photo by Liam Olson

    Queen Ophelia Cox performs a burlesque piece during the cabaret portion of the event.

    Photo by Liam Olson

    Lady Sedusa is a local drag queen and performer. According to Sedusa the importance of events like the ball and cabaret is that it gives everyone a chance to step out of their comfort zone. “You don’t have to be white or black, straight or gay, skinny or thick, to perform,” Sedusa said.

    Photo by Liam Olson

    Drag King Hugh Johnson is an HSU Alumni who performed during the cabaret.“The idea is to raise awareness, giving credit to the people of color who created the queer community,” Johnson said. According to Johnson, the event is a tribute to the balls that were held within the queer community in New York City in the 1980s.

  • “Legion” review

    “Legion” review

    By | Liam Olson

    “Legion”, “Chapter 1” brilliantly introduces audiences to the world and mind of David Haller, one of the most powerful mutants in existence. With interesting and in depth characters, great acting to bring these characters to life, and unique story progression, “Legion” will make the viewer want to delve deeper into David’s mind.

    The first episode of “Legion” aired on FX on Feb. 8. Noah Hawley directed “Chapter 1” and also assisted in creating and writing the show. The show is based on the “Legion” comic book series which written and drawn by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz.

    From the beginning to the end of “Chapter 1”, reality and fantasy are hard to discern going back and forth between the mind and world of David Haller, played by Dan Stevens. However, the back and forth create pieces of the story that all come together at the end of the episode. Although some pieces of the first episode are to be connected later episodes, the parts that you are given generate interesting discussion with friends at the end of the episode.

    The plot of “Legion” begins in the mind of David Haller where you learn about the memories of his youth. In his youth, he slowly begins to realize his telekinetic powers until his breaking point during his college years where his powers came in at full capacity.

    After his breakdown,  he was admitted to a mental hospital where doctors misdiagnose him with schizophrenia, but in reality he is a powerful telepath that cannot handle his abilities. In the hospital, David spends his days in his daily routine with a fellow patient and friend Lenny, played by Aubrey Plaza. However, everything changes as soon as a mysterious new patient named Syd, played by Rachel Keller, arrives at the mental hospital and Danny immediately falls in love with her. Keller is able to show versatility in her acting by switching between the various sides of her character Syd with ease.

    For some viewers, the story of the hospital seems like the main plot, however, these are just the memories of Danny. The actual plot of the main story begins in an interrogation room. In the room, Danny is monitored and questioned by government agents to determine how much of a threat he actually is to the world.

    In the first episode alone, Stevens does a phenomenal job at bringing the character of David Haller to life. He conveys the instability and insanity that David’s character represents in fun and interesting ways. Plaza channels the laid back and oblivious characterization of Lenny. Plaza’s choice to play Lenny is a great change from the more comedic roles that she has played in the past such as April from the show “Parks and Recreation”.

    The show itself is well done, however, there is one issue that needs to be mentioned. The lighting was overbearing in some shots and, at some points, got in the way of the visuals. One example that stood out among the rest is the scene where Syd walks in on David’s group therapy session, in the background behind Syd there is lots of light that causes Syd’s face to not be visible. Due to the length of this scene, the light was so bright that it made it hard to look at the scene.

    “Chapter 1” of “Legion” is complex and intriguing. Through the unique and interesting characters and storytelling, audiences will want to delve deeper into the insane mind of David Haller.

  • Pokémon GO is still around trying to bring back users

    Pokémon GO is still around trying to bring back users

    Niantic releases 80 new Pokémon in attempt to bring users back

    By | Curran Daly

    Niantic released 80 new Pokémon into the popular Pokémon GO game on Feb. 16, adding 80 new cute reasons to get out and explore the local area.

    The update adds new Pokémon, evolutions, gameplay animations, berries, and wardrobe options. The game dominated the summer months, according an article on the Business of Apps website daily user numbers surpassed Netflix, Spotify, and Twitter on Android devices.

    User numbers declined after the initial release. The decrease in users mimicked the percentages lost by other apps. However, according to SurveyMonkey, the larger initial audience meant that a 25 percent decline would lead to the loss of 3.9 million weekly users. The new update has been viewed as an attempt to bring back former users and appease consistent users.

    Connor Austin, a junior religious studies major, played the game when it was first released but has deleted the game because of repetitive gameplay and problems with the app working on his phone.

    “I literally just re-downloaded it two minutes ago,” said Austin. “It was kinda the fulfillment of my dreams as a kid, going out and catching Pokémon and seeing other trainers, but once it started to dwindle it waned for me.”

    The game garnered a loyal following after its release. Some of the success was attributed to the games connection with fans who finally got to live out their childhood dreams of becoming a Pokémon trainer.

    The game centers on high interest locations, like Humboldt State’s campus, while neglecting more isolated areas.

    “It depends on where you live, because before I lived on campus I was living on Giuntoli, and like even though I played it kinda sucked because there was only Pidgeys or Rattatas for miles, but here on campus it’s great,” said Austin.

    The abundance of common Pokémon was an annoyance for users when the game was released. However, with the games new update, there are new low level Pokémon that have joined them as the ever present Pokémon.

    Julianne Updike, a senior communication major, is happy to see the new Pokémon as they revitalize the game that was becoming stale.

    “Having more Pokémon in the game than it did before, definitely makes it more fun again,” Updike said. “But I think once we get used to those ones it will get kind of boring again.”

    The release of new Pokémon has generated more interest in the game, but it will not keep users satisfied forever. Many fans of the game have been waiting for the introduction of player to player Pokémon trading to be introduced into the mobile game. Trading was a feature promised before the release of the game and its absence has frustrated some users.

    Along with trading, people are hoping that the game will go on to further mimic the original Pokémon games with features like in depth combat and being able to interact with the Pokémon.

    “I get that the technology is new for this type of game, but I think they could’ve added a more dynamic combat system because the way you fight now is just like da-da-da-da-da, just mindlessly tapping the screen, when in the actual Pokémon games so much more goes into battles,”said Austin. “If it could mirror that better that would be nice.”

    These changes would be a welcome addition to the game for Lucas Arnese, a junior art education major, who has been playing that game since being a part of the beta. To Arnese, the game is addicting and connects him to his childhood growing up with Pokémon.

    “My grandma used to play with me as a kid, she would play and fight with us, I played before I could read,” Arnese said. “Then once I could read I really started to get more into it. It’s kind of cool to know that I grew up with Pokémon.”

    Nostalgia is a major force behind people playing the game. Niantic is hoping that this nostalgia will keep the game relevant while they continue adding features to create a more complete and diverse game.

    Woody Sundberg, a junior English major, thinks that the game will be able to outlive previous apps like Temple Run and Angry Birds. Pokémon Go’s use of location and augmented reality makes the game stand out, which Sundberg believes will help the longevity of the game.

    “It helps you explore areas and go places you’ve never been before and otherwise wouldn’t end up at like the murals in Eureka or the Arcata marsh at sunset,” Sundberg said.

  • Word on the Street: Pokemon GO

    Word on the Street: Pokemon GO

    Why do you think Pokemon GO is losing popularity?

    By Domanique Crawford

    Photo by Domanique Crawford

    Kairos Pacheco, Ecological restoration- “I already realize that when I am texting on my phone I am zoned in and not paying attention to the world around me. I don’t really like it [Pokemon Go] for that specific reason. people are just zoned out not paying attention to anyone else.”

    Photo by Domanique Crawford

    Steven Ramirez, Major Recreational  Physical Therapy- “It was really popular in the beginning. I played it a lot because my friends did, but now I only play every once in awhile because of the new generation. I might play twice a week.”

    Photo by Domanique Crawford

    Jake Ma, Business Major-  “Right now it [Pokemon Go] is losing popularity because after like two weeks of the release of the pokemon Go people are not playing because Pokemon go takes up too much battery on the phone. And also, they updated Pokemon Go and nobody liked the update, so people stopped playing.”

    Photo by Domanique Crawford

    William Nitzsche, major Environmental Resources Engineering- “Pokémon Go is just not my cup of tea.” “If it was Pokémon Go on a DS it would probably be more popular.”

  • Valentine’s pillow fight takes over the Plaza

    Valentine’s pillow fight takes over the Plaza

    A Facebook event, filled the Arcata Plaza with people looking to have fun on Valentine’s day.

    By | Curran Daly

    A pillow fight erupted in the Arcata Plaza.

    The fight attracted people of all ages. At around 4 p.m. on Feb. 14, it began with children and quickly spread to the adults who arrived pillows in tow. Arcata resident Zac Shank came the most prepared with a pillow shield duct taped to his arm and a large body pillow duct taped to his hand.

    “I came because it’s cathartic,” Shank said, “it’s fun.”

    The fight was organized by an Arcata resident, Rilo DeAnn, and her friend Aren Rye. DeAnn and Rye created a facebook event and began inviting friends.

    “It was my friend Aren’s idea I created the event because he egged me on to do it.”

    DeAnn said, “Every year in San Francisco, on Valentine’s Day, they have a big pillow fight, apparently it has happened before in the plaza here too.”

    DeAnn created a facebook event which at the start of the pillow fight had over 300 people interested and 70 people committed as going. The event mimics a similar event that happens each year in San Francisco and offers a distraction for those who are single on Valentine’s Day.

    “I just don’t like Valentine’s Day and I’ve always been single on it and this just seemed like a fun way to cope with that,” DeAnn said, “it’s just a nice way to have a distraction on an otherwise lonely day.”

    The pillow fight may not have been as large as the one held in San Francisco, which nearly 1,000 people attended in the past, but it was not lacking on fun. The plaza went from being nearly empty and calm to being full of people. There was laughing, hugging, and lots of whacking people with pillows. Before the pillow fight began DeAnn was just hoping for other people to show up.

    “If like five people come out and have a pillow fight with me I’ll be happy,” DeAnn said.

    A bystander gets into the pillow fight action with a balloon animal sword.
    Photo by Curran Daly

    DeAnn got more than the five people she was hoping for. Parents with their kids, college students, and other community members attended the pillow fight. Allison Guerrero, sociology major, and Chris Trotta, zoology major,  both second year Humboldt students, attended the pillow fight.

    “We came because it’s a pillow fight,” Guerrero said, “it’s a good stress reliever in the middle of the day.”

    A fun afternoon in the plaza was an excellent distraction for Guerrero and Trotta. The amount of people that attended the event was surprising.

    “I was surprised how many people showed up to honestly,” Trotta said.

    Whether it was to distract from school or Valentine’s Day. The flash mob pillow fight was a huge success as everyone involved had a good time and could just focus on hitting other people with pillows.

  • Nudity Trumps popularity

    The 4th Annual Mr. Humboldt Pageant delivers a night to remember

    (more…)

  • Vampire Penguin celebrates one year of bringing snow to Humboldt County

    Vampire Penguin celebrates one year of bringing snow to Humboldt County

    By | Erin Chessin

    It is unusual to see snow in Eureka. Thanks to Vampire Penguin Shaved Snow and Desserts, the business has brought a unique treat for HSU students, families, and locals to enjoy. Since their grand opening on Feb 13, 2015, Vampire Penguin has made it possible for people to enjoy the taste of ice cream in a low calorie and non-dairy way.

    Sophia Linklater is the supervisor at Vampire Penguin.

    “It’s the perfect combination of ice cream flavor and freshly fallen snow,” Linklater said. “Customers enjoy the taste and how the desserts are served to them as a work of art.”

    Vampire Penguin is a popular chain restaurant created by two brothers according to Linklater. There are seven Vampire Penguin locations in California. The first one opened in October of 2013 in San Luis Obispo. Because it opened on Halloween, the brothers found the name Vampire Penguin suitable.

    Snow Tiger, another customer favorite at Vampire Penguin. Thai tea shaved snow topped with crushed Oreos and condensed milk. Feb. 10, 2017.
    Photo by Erin Chessin.

    It’s not shaved ice, nor is it ice cream. The dessert is ice cream tasting, however it doesn’t weigh heavy in calories and the flavor of the snow is derived from non-dairy cream. The snowball is decorated with toppings such as fruit, condensed milk or candy. Then either chocolate, caramel or fruit sauce is drizzled over.

    “Once you have your first bite, it melts in your mouth just like fresh, powdery snow would,” Linklater said.

    Prices of the shaved snow ranges from $3 to $9, depending on how elaborate the dessert is. Customers can either order a small or a large size, which differentiates in price too.

    Vampire Penguin’s most popular dessert is the Strawberry Cheesecake, which is strawberry and vanilla shaved snow, decorated with fresh strawberries, raspberries and graham crackers. Strawberry and white chocolate sauce is draped over the dessert, the last step to decorating the snowball. Other customer dessert favorites include the S’moreos and the Twix.

    The process of creating the shaved snow takes time Linklater said. Scott Merriam, the owner of the Vampire Penguin Eureka location, comes in once a week to take the pre-made ice blocks and infuse the different ice cream flavors. The flavors Merriam makes are just like regular ice cream flavors, including chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, coconut, green tea, taro, cookies and cream, and coffee.

    Linklater learned how to make the desserts from Merriam along with her co-worker Becca Scholte who is an HSU alumni and supervisor at Vampire Penguin.

    “Each of us have our own creativity, and the job allows our inner-artist come out,” Scholte said.

    Once the ice blocks have been infused with the flavor, the ice is shaved down to a snow-like consistency, then put into smaller individual molds. The ice is then taken out of its mold and put on a plate when ready to be decorated with dessert sauce or other toppings.

    When a customer walks into the store, they have a large menu with many different dessert options to choose from. From the menu, a customer can pick a Menu Special or create their own. If a customer creates their own dessert, they pick the flavor and get one free topping when they order a small size or two free toppings if they order a large size dessert. Customers also have the option to buy a thai tea boba drink on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

    Mia Pambianco, a freshman at HSU and a Humboldt County local, said Vampire Penguin is one of her favorite places to go for a treat. “I go every time I have a chance,” Pambianco said. “I think it’s an awesome place for dessert because it’s unique.” Pambianco suggests the Coffee Crush, which is made of coffee flavored snow, topped with crushed pretzels, and cocoa powder with chocolate and caramel sauce drizzled all over.

    The Vampire Penguin menu, including the Menu Specials. Feb. 10, 2017.
    Photo by Erin Chessin.

    Vampire Penguin is located on 3144 Broadway Suite C5 in Eureka, CA.  They are open Tuesday through Sunday and are closed on Mondays. Tuesday through Thursday they open at noon and close at 9 p.m. On the weekends they stay open till 10 p.m.

    You can visit Vampire Penguin’s website to check out their dessert menu and hours at http://www.vampirepenguin.com.

  • What to wear in the cold and rain at Humboldt State University

    What to wear in the cold and rain at Humboldt State University

    By | Curran Daly

    People have many clothing options to choose from on cold and rainy days. So do dogs. Teus is a dog who rocks a sweatshirt on a cold and rainy Humboldt afternoon.

    Kiara Pineda and her dog Teus. Teus’ outfit caused many people to laugh as he and Pineda walked across campus on a cold and rainy Humboldt day. Photo by Curran Daly

    While walking between classes Teus gets many smiles, stares and the occasional pet. When it is raining, Teus wears a sweatshirt to stay dry so he doesn’t get his owner’s apartment wet.

    Teus’ owner, Kiara Pineda, is a junior child development major. She learned a few tricks over the years for the cold and rainy Humboldt weather. Warmth is important while walking between classes. When she’s not dressing Teus, Pineda has her own go-to clothes to stay warm and dry.

    “I put rain boots on and a rain jacket,” Pineda said. “I’d recommend just like a turtle neck and rain boots and any warm pants that you have.”

    Layers work especially well to stay warm when it’s wet and rainy. Desteny Gutierrez, a Freshman from Los Angeles, knows how important it is to be warm. She feels that layers work perfectly for cold weather. When you’re outside you can be bundled up and when you’re inside you can take it all off to enjoy the heater.

    “You definitely need layers ‘cause, you don’t want to get wet and have nothing to take off,” Gutierrez said.

    According to the National Weather Service, Eureka has already had 40.94 inches of rain so far this winter. That is 7 inches more than at the same point last year and 16.4 inches more than the historical average for this time of the season. This increase in rain also affects Humboldt State students. Students must walk through the rain to and from classes. Gutierrez doesn’t worry about the rainy weather.

    “If it’s raining, definitely just throw on a rain jacket and anything under with some jeans and boots,” Gutierrez said. “If it’s just cold, I’d pull on a pull-over sweater with jeans and shoes.”

    The shoes you wear are also important in wet weather. When it’s cold and rainy some elect to wear boots to keep their feet warm and dry while others, like freshman kinesiology major Conner Chappel, just wear regular tennis shoes.

    “I need my jacket and then an umbrella, jeans, and some not nice shoes,” Chappel said. “Why would I want to ruin nice shoes?”

    Chappel moved to Humboldt from Rocklin, Calif. He hasn’t dealt with much rain in Rocklin for the past few years due to the drought. Moving from a drier climate to Humboldt can make for a hard transition, but Chappel found the move easier than he expected.

    Conner Chappel rocking some “not nice shoes” through the wet winter’s day. Photo by Curran Daly

    “It was pretty easy to transition, especially compared to my roommate,” Chappel said. “He came up to school without a rain jacket, like he didn’t even have a rain jacket.”

    Desteny Gutierrez came to Humboldt at the beginning of this school year. In the cold wet weather Gutierrez uses layers to stay dry and warm. Photo by Curran Daly
  • Check out the Mr. Humboldt Pageant

    Check out the Mr. Humboldt Pageant

    Video by | Race Blackwell

    Humboldt’s 4th annual Mr. Humboldt Pageant was held at the Arcata Theater Lounge on February 11, 2017. Mr. King of Outer Space lost the popular vote, but won the electoral college.

  • Word on the Street: Valentine’s Day

    By | Liam Olson

    Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to show your significant other how much you love them. You can get them chocolates, watch their favorite movie, or make them a nice dinner. However, there are some people who don’t care about Valentine’s Day and think that it is not important enough to celebrate. This day has different meanings depending on the people you talk to. Here are some opinions on Valentine’s Day from  Humboldt State students.

    Why do you celebrate or not celebrate Valentine’s Day?

    Photo by Liam Olson

    Left: “I celebrate Valentine’s Day because it’s a day to remind myself and others of the love that is important in my life.” -Simone Rani McGowan, Freshman, Environmental Science

    Right: “It doesn’t make sense to make a national day for love when love should be celebrated everyday.” -Nicholas Lara, Junior, Social Work

    Photo by Liam Olson

    “I like to celebrate Valentine’s Day because it is the one time a year I get to go out to a nice restaurant.” -Cassady McLaughlin, Junior, Psychology

    Photo by Liam Olson

    “Me and my partner have been together for six years and at this point it has become just another day for us.” -Alleigh Sullivan, Senior, Art History

    Photo by Liam Olson

    “I celebrate Valentine’s Day because it is a day dedicated to love, which I think is pretty neat.” -Alex Ballesteros, Junior, Environmental Science

  • Announcing the 89th Academy Awards

    Announcing the 89th Academy Awards

    The nominees for the 89th Academy Awards have been released. There are nine titles nominated for the Best Picture category.

    The Best Picture nominees are strong this year, including “Hacksaw Ridge”, a movie about a WWII US army medic, and “Hidden Figures”, a historic drama about the African American female mathematicians that put astronaut John Glenn into space. Other nominated films include “Moonlight”, a unique coming of age story, and there is possibility of a modern day musical, titled “La La Land”,  winning best picture.

    “La La Land” has 14 nominations, tying with “All About Eve” and “Titanic” for the record of the most Oscar nominations. It has two nominations in the category for Best Original Song.

    This year, “Arrival” and “Moonlight” both have eight nominations. Both are unique films in their own respect. “Arrival” is an intelligent sci-fi film about communicating, not fighting, with aliens. While “Moonlight” follows the journey of a young African American individual. The movie shows emotions with subtlety and compassion.

    A few of these oscar nominated films are still in theatres. You can catch them while they’re still playing. If you missed any of these films on the big screen, Richard’s Goat Tavern is featuring several nominated films in their miniplex.

  •  Inked Hearts 8th Annual Tattoo Expo

     Inked Hearts 8th Annual Tattoo Expo

    By|Carlos Olloqui

    The hum of tattoo guns buzzing in unison, human canvases waiting to get ink, and tattoo lovers browsing through binders full of artwork. Add stale casino smoke to that and you have a tattoo expo.

    The eighth annual Inked Hearts Tattoo Expo was held this past weekend at the Sapphire Palace in Blue Lake Casino. This four-day event began on Feb. 2 and featured tattoo artists from all around the area.

    Ted and Amy Marks of NorCal Tattoo host the convention which features pinup contests, tattoo contests, live entertainment, and more.

    Local tattoo artist, James Kerr from NorCal Tattoo, was one of the many people in attendance.

    “I met my mentor about 11 years ago, this guy named Otto who owned a shop named Ink Addiction in Eureka,” Kerr said. “After my apprenticeship, my mentor moved back to southern California and sold me the shop. I went from apprentice to owner overnight.”

    Inside the expo, people filtered through the crowded rows checking out the newest tattooing technology, artist merchandise, and artwork on display.

    Joe Elliot, owner of Tattoo Joe’s in Vacaville, Calif., was another tattoo artist present at this year’s expo.

    “I started tattooing almost eight years ago, but I’ve been drawing and painting since I was a kid,” Elliot said. “I’m tattooing this weekend, but I also have some of my sharpie art with me. To practice I paint on watercolor paper, using just sharpies.”

    Anything from a small arm tattoo, to a full-on chest or back piece, could be done at the Inked Hearts Tattoo Expo. The convention brought together world class artist together make possible these lifelong ink memories.

    Lucas Eagleton is originally from Denton, Texas, and he has been tattooing professionally since 2012. He is currently working at Artful Dodger Tattoo in Seattle, Washington.

    “I went to art school prior to tattooing; I began with just print,” Eagleton said. “I had a friend who was a piercer and she asked me if I’d be interested in tattooing and I just took the chance. Now here we are here.”

    Tattoos have been around for thousands of years and have a vast list of meanings. For some people with tattoos, it’s religion, for others it’s simply art.

    “It’s okay if you don’t like my tattoos,” Kerr said. “They don’t like you either.”

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  • Q&A with “Bread Talk’s” Sandwich Kid

    Q&A with “Bread Talk’s” Sandwich Kid

    By|Bryan Donoghue

    Albert Bernales in the studio to record a Bread Talk.

    Sandwiched between school and life, Albert Bernales makes time to record podcast’s on his talk show called “Bread Talk”. Topics range anywhere from  food to money, encompassing the word “bread”. Before the interview, Bernales, the host of Bread Talk, sat me down and made me a grilled cheese sandwich with my favorite type of bread, sweet Hawaiian rolls. Bernales made “Bread Talk” because he wanted to create a show of his own. Using it as a creative outlet, his voice now goes out to the Humboldt community.

    Q: To start us off, what’s your name and major?

    A: My name is Albert Bernales, my alias for Bread Talks is “Sandwich Kid”. I’m a business major with an economics minor.

    Q: What’s your favorite type of bread and why?

    A: It would probably be sourdough, because as you dip it in soups, it tastes really good. Not all things are going to be sweet, there will be some sour things that will happen. I think sourdough represents life.

    Q: So you could be the “Sourdough Sandwich Kid”. Why did you decide to make a podcast and call it “Bread Talk”?

    A: I decided to make a podcast just for fun. I was listening to people like Jimmy Fallon and all those late night talk shows. They kind of inspired me, because they’re just talking to somebody, but it’s still really fun and interesting. That’s one reason why, and as soon as I started listening to podcasts, I realized “this is pretty easy, I can do this”. I called it Bread Talks because it grabs your attention. I’m pretty interested in business, but it lets me talk about other things. I can just pull up some articles I’m interested in and talk about them.

    Q: What is Bread Talk? Do you talk about bread, money, or everything in between?

    A: Definitely about all things bread, like the physical bread we have here, this sweet Hawaiian bread. It also goes into money, that’s where the business aspect of this podcast comes in. A lot of rappers inspired me, like E-40. He said, “I choose to get money, I’m stuck to this bread,” in his song “Choices”. Definitely talk about the rap culture and community, since they tend to rap about money, and stuff, like bread. But there’s definitely another meaning, such as bread as in food, because I love food and cooking as well.

    Q: Food and money seem to be two universally appreciated topics. Everyone wants to talk about,  and listen into both of these subjects. In your fifth podcast, one topic you were talking about was the change in iPhone headphones from the iPhone 6 to the iPhone 7, and how that’s affecting people today. Which subject does that fall under?

    A: That’s pretty business related. They took a risk in their products, and I think people need to take more bold risks. It’s really appreciated for when they take those risks. It takes a lot of guts to do that.

    Q: Where do you record?

    A: First time we recorded in an actual studio in Gist Hall, but for the second and third time we got a headphone microphone that comes with the iPhone and put it on top of an empty water bottle, and spoke into the bottle. We literally had no options for episode 2-4. You can hear the difference on Soundcloud, it’s either really loud and clear, or not.

    Q: Is Soundcloud the main media outlet you use to put out your podcasts?

    A: Yeah, definitely, it’s the first thing that popped up to me, and it’s a great way to get your voice out there.

    Q: And Bread Talk is a continuing series. You have your own following of listeners.

    A: Definitely always shout out to the listeners, we love them. We at Bread Talk definitely have come a long way, from a recording standpoint, from iPhone microphones, to studio microphones, and I now record on the library microphone. So, shout out to the digital media lab too. They have all the snowball microphones I use. I can just plug it into the computer and record a podcast whenever I need to.

    Q: When does the new Bread Talk come out?

    A: It was originally supposed to come out every single week, but we were really busy, so it eventually became every month. Then every month became every couple of months. But I have extra podcasts stored on my laptop, I just have to add the intro music and I’ll be able to upload it. For the show, I made the intro music Entertainment Tonight, but on a keyboard.

    Q: You still have a few episodes in a storage vault, but they’re ready to come out?

    A: We have number 2, but that’s a lost episode, since we don’t know where to find it. It was on my friends flash drive but I didn’t get the file. But since it’s a lost episode, let the idea of it marinate in your mind for how good it’s going to be. This is a comedy type of show, you know. It is super spontaneous, you don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t even know what’s going to happen in the next Bread Talk.

    Q: It’s really interesting that you decided to take that approach.

    A: I have an article here to highlight the next Bread Talk actually. Here’s the teaser, it’s about a “master pickle tester.” Basically, there’s a person who eats pickles for a living to determine the quality. That’s the article that I chose to talk about in the next podcast.

    Q: You have plenty of guests on your show, but in terms of subject matter, is it just being spontaneous? How do you prepare before for what questions you’d want to ask?

    A: Definitely, in my head, I find an interesting topic. So I go on the internet, and find a couple of articles that are interesting. We’ll talk about it, and do an analysis on that article. For the questions that I ask, they’re typically solid but typically the same through every episode. And at the end, I have quick fire questions, where it’s like fill in the blank. I switch those up every single episode.

    Q: I noticed you have your Bread Talks listed by number, but some are also categorized by words, how do you come up with these?

    A: They are the focus, and central theme of each episode. Like the one that’s under “ninja—no income, no job”, that originated from a friend of mine who works on these with me. He had a finance class, and ninja was a term they discussed. So I asked if he just wanted to leave it as Bread Talk Number 5, and he said to add ninja.

    Q: Ninjas and economics together, that’s an unusual combination. Do you know what ninja means?

    A: Ninja pretty much means no job, or no assets. So pretty much if you don’t have any money, you won’t have a job or anything valuable. And vise versa.

    Q: You have a sandwich, or just any meal that involves bread with your guests before or during an interview. For my last question, a spontaneous one on my part, why do you eat with your guests along with the bread talk?

    A: Well I try to always have bread. This is Bread Talk after all. You’re going to want some bread, and eat it with your guests. That’s a true Bread Talk.

  • A review on “Tickled”

    A review on “Tickled”

    When I first read about “Tickled” on a random online movie list, it sounded so unusual that I knew I had to see it. What I didn’t know when I bought my tickets at the Richard’s Goat Tavern’s Miniplex was that the film is a strange conspiracy thriller about a fetish.

    David Farrier, a journalist from New Zealand, is the director of the film. Farrier usually covers lighter stories. He has interviewed young Justin Bieber, Trent Reznor and has made a small documentary about the national anthem of his home country.

    Farrier came across a video on Facebook about competitive endurance tickling. The video featured men in Adidas jerseys tickling a clothed man strapped to a repurposed doctor’s chair. He is then shown being tickled with an electric toothbrush in slow motion.

    Farrier immediately messaged the tickling talent agency responsible for the video, requesting an interview in hopes of procuring the next great story. However, he was quickly met with homophobic slurs and a request to stay away from the company and its participants. He later received multiple lawsuits and threats. This only fueled Farrier’s curiosity about the history of tickling fetish videos and who the talent agency truly was.

    Lawyers from the tickling talent agency were aggressive and told Farrier that he could not film them in the New Zealand airport even though it was legal. The only person who was willing to talk about the tickling industry seemed to be mildly off-putting.

    The documentary doesn’t necessarily focus on the people being tickled because it was very difficult to find interviews of the participants due to their fear of their mysterious bosses.

    Many of the participants responded to the tickling talent agency’s ads in hopes for quick cash and paid travel expenses. However, these people were later humiliated and threatened in their outside lives by the same company who hired them, similar to the threats and lawsuits Farrier received from the tickling talent agency. One ex-participant, a former high school football coach, was threatened by the tickling talent agency to have his tickling videos sent to his family and his workplace. The tickling agency later sent the video to the school the man was working at anyway, causing him to lose his job.

    Seeing this movie in a full theatre of about 20 people highlighted the audience’s reactions to each twist of the film.

    “Tickled” is the perfect movie to show your friends if you’re looking for something a bit different with hints of thrill, peculiarness, comedy, and uncomfortableness.

  • Who Knew? At HSU: OhSnap!

    Who Knew? At HSU: OhSnap!

    In this installment of Who Knew? At HSU, we take a look at OhSnap!. This program offers free food and cooking classes to students as well as other services. Find out about all the hidden gems Humboldt State has offer by watching Who Knew? At HSU every week.

    Video by: Alexandria Hasenstab

  • Jacked up

    Jacked up

    Losing Headphones and the Headphone Jack

    By | Liam Olson

    Graphic by Joe DeVoogd

    Headphones are an essential for every college student, and it is the worst when you lose them. Without them, you would not be able to listen to music while doing your homework or watch a video without annoying the people next to you.

    You could leave them at home to only forget where they are or leave them at the library on accident.

    But you’re not alone, many others lose their headphones all the time.

    Library Circulation and Student Assistant Sineva Hosea, is an environmental science major in her junior year. She finds lost objects all the time around the library while she is working, but headphones seem to be the most common.

    Earlier in the week, she even found a pair of earbuds along with the iphone that they were attached to. Luckily, the owner was able to retrieve their phone and earbuds from the lost and found. But others are not so lucky and have to go buy a new pair of earbuds. “Some don’t get returned, but when I do my rounds, I mostly find earphones,” said Hosea.

    In the near future, wired earbuds and headphones could be a thing of the past. Apple removed the standard 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7 and soon other companies, such as Samsung, may follow this model.

    This change forces customers to switch to small, wireless earbuds. The new design could lead to more earbuds getting lost since there are no wires to keep it from slipping out of your pocket.

    When asked about this new design, students are not fond of the idea that would have to change to wireless earbuds and headphones.

    Brittany Heller, an international studies major in her senior year, is used to the normal wired earbuds. She finds that it is easier to keep track of wired earbuds over wireless earbuds since the wires help her hold on to her earbuds so she would not lose them.

    “I wouldn’t know where to put them,” she said.

    Amber Norwood, a zoology major in her junior year, keeps track of her earbuds, but her friends seem to lose theirs often. She says they have to go buy new a new pair about every month. She thinks that  wireless earbuds would be easier to lose with their small design. It would also become expensive to replace them often.

    The thought of having two separate earbuds makes you appreciate how they have always been connected by a wire, so that one earbud is never lost. “It would suck to lose one and still have the other,” Norwood said.

  • Getting swol in style

    Getting swol in style

    HSU students sport fashionable workout gear

    By | Alexandria Hasenstab

    Humboldt State is not known as one of the most fashion-forward universities out there. However, if you’re looking for current fashion trends around campus, you might want to check out the gym. Students head to the Student Recreation Center to hit the weights, but with current athletic clothing available in endless colors and styles, they look ready to hit the runway.

    Junior environmental science major Andie White is one of the students who regularly goes to the gym in stylish attire. She choose to wear blue patterned leggings with a blue athletic long sleeve top to work out in.

    “I prefer to wear things that motivate me,” White said. “I like to wear bright colors because it makes me feel good.”

    The cliché, look good, feel good, is certainly applicable to the gym.

    Senior psychology major Miranda Beach, works out in style at the Student Recreation Center on campus. | Alexandria Hasenstab

    Psychology professor Mary Bockover believes our outward appearance can affect our confidence.

    “When people feel like they look good, then on psychological grounds, they may believe others see them in a more favorable light,” Bockover said. “Conversely, when we feel like we don’t look good, it can negatively affect our self esteem and the willingness to be in front of others.”

    Indeed, working out in such a public space requires a certain level of comfort. For students like Andie White, a choice of clothing means the power to be comfortable and motivated to work out in front of others.

    White says some of her favorite brands are Nike and Adidas. B oth of these brands are sported by many students in the gym.

    Marjani Ellison is a junior environmental engineering major who can be seen wearing bright green Nikes while working out.

    “They’re a little brighter than the green of Humboldt,” Ellison said. “But as a player of the football team I feel like I should come out and represent Humboldt State every day.”

    Junior environmental engineering major Marjani Ellison sports green nikes while working out at the Student Recreation Center. | Alexandria Hasenstab

    Athletic clothing has become so fashionable that many people wear it as normal street clothing. However, many students don’t feel the need to pay the high prices that are common with popular athletic brands.

    Senior psychology major Miranda Beach says she doesn’t usually dress stylish when she works out.

    “You caught me on a good day, this is what was clean,” Beach said of what was she was wearing. “I think it does give you a confidence boost when you think you look good, but most of the time I’m pretty in the zone.”

  • A “Taboo” to talk about

    A “Taboo” to talk about

    By | Liam Olson

    First impressions are important when it comes to a new television series. “Taboo” is a new program produced by FX and BBC One that gives a great first impressions in their first episode, “Shovels and Keys.” The episode is an introduction to different portions of the plot and the characters give the viewer many reasons to keep watching.

    The first episode of “Taboo” aired on FX on Tuesday, Jan. 10. Kristoffer Nyholm directed “Shovels and Keys” and Steven Knight wrote the script for the show. Knight worked with actor Tom Hardy and his father, Edward “Chips” Hardy, to create the script.

    Right from the start of the show, there is an eerie and dark tone. The show opens with James Delaney, played by Tom Hardy, riding in on a horse through the rain in order to bury an object in the middle of nowhere. This is just the start to the mysteries this show contains.

    The plot of the episode is complex with the various parts of the overall story being introduced. However, the base of the story is that James Delaney returns to London in 1814 after the death of his father, who left him a piece of land called the Nootka Sound. James had been presumed dead for more than 10 years but was actually in Africa for unknown reasons. James must navigate through the cutthroat business world of London to run his father’s shipping company and protect the Nootka Sound from his half-sister’s husband and the East India Company.

    The snippets of each part of the story is what makes the viewer even more enticed to find out answers to the questions this episode creates. What did James do in Africa for 10 years that gave him supernatural abilities? What is the importance of the Nootka Sound? To what extent will the East India Company go to take Nootka Sound from James? These are just some of the questions created by “Skulls and Keys.”

    One major point of the show worth mentioning is the relationships that James Delaney has with other characters. Throughout the episode, James finds himself face-to-face with old friends and acquaintances, as well as enemies old and new.

    With characters such as the loyal family servant, Brace, played by David Hyman; James’s half-sister Zilphia, played by Oona Chaplin; and the ruthless East India Company Chairman, Sir Stuart Strange, played by Jonathan Price; this diverse cast of characters will play essential parts in the story of James Delaney.

    Since a majority of the first episode was introductions, there was not enough screen time  to give a fair review of the actors’ performances, except for Tom Hardy. Hardy gave an excellent performance as James Delaney. He perfectly captured the brutal, composed and mentally unstable characterization of James. With his portrayal, he effortlessly went through scenes as though he was the character himself.

    “Shovels and Keys” is a slow but great start to “Taboo,” with the introductions out of the way. Viewers will want to dig deeper into the many mysteries and characters “Taboo” has to offer.

  • The Lighthouse Grill: a review

    The Lighthouse Grill

    By: Bryan Donoghue

    If you find yourself getting hungry after a long day of wandering through Trinidad and are looking for something that hits the spot, consider setting your sights on The Lighthouse Grill.

    The Lighthouse Grill’s philosophy is all about using fresh, local ingredients and serving homemade recipes to a community that has grown to love the restaurant. Bread is made in-house every day; homemade ice cream and sodas are at your fingertips to order. Employees pride themselves in the fact that nothing is processed or artificial in any of the restaurant’s recipes.

    The atmosphere can be compared to that of being in a cabin by the sea. Gentle gusts of wind grazed my cheeks as I stood outside; I breathed in the fresh scent of seawater. Inside the establishment, I felt as though I was standing under the sea, surrounded by various murals depicting marine wildlife.

    The organization behind the counter was impressive. The employees were all very friendly and helpful.

    I focused on the scent of rosemary and chives being infused into a waffle cone before I decided on what to order. Thankfully, there wasn’t a long line.

    I first ordered a homemade lemon mint soda. The lemon syrup is crafted beforehand and club soda is poured over the top before being garnished with mint leaves. There wasn’t any sugar added to the drink, giving it a tart and bitter taste at first. Take advantage of the carbonation and pour in about a teaspoon of sugar if you’re looking for a bit of sweetness to balance out the overall taste. All in all, the drink was immensely refreshing and complimented each meal I ordered. The lemon mint soda costs $3.

    I then had a mashed potato cone with everything on it, earning it a name in the restaurant as an “all the way” cone. The waffle cones are crafted by pressing fresh cornmeal, garlic, rosemary and chives and then rolling them around in a mold the shape of a cone. Mine was packed to the bottom with a mixture of mashed potatoes, bacon bits and mushrooms. The top of this ensemble was garnished with beef brisket that had been roasting for 12 hours and smothered in gravy, melted cheddar cheese and more bacon bits.

    I know a heart throb when I see one; this is one dish that may have captured my heart. Everything comes together perfectly, with the gravy encapsulating each ingredient and melding each taste together. The price for this “all the way” waffle cone is $6.

     

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    The “All the Way” Waffle cone of the Lighthouse Grill in Trinidad, California. Photo by | Bryan Donoghue

    The “All the Way” Waffle Cone of The Lighthouse Grill in Trinidad, California.

    The last dish I decided to try was a beef brisket on a waffle cone on a sandwich. Though this barbecue beef brisket sandwich was delicious, the bun was cut unevenly with a large top bun and a smaller bottom bun. Due to this, the sauce the meat had been soaking in eventually got absorbed by the bottom bun, completely saturating it. I couldn’t eat it as a sandwich, so I picked apart the sandwich using a fork. The beef was complimented by pickles, onions and a single leaf of lettuce. It’s delicious and slightly soothing since you will melt along with the tenderness of the meat. The price of the beef brisket sandwich is $8.

     

    The Lighthouse Grill is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Whether you’re heading to the beaches of Trinidad at dusk or dawn, The Lighthouse Grill will always be a beacon of culinary light offering a savory experience.

     

  • Who Knew? at HSU: HSU Marine Laboratory

    Who Knew? at HSU: HSU Marine Laboratory

    In this installment of Who Knew at HSU, we take an inside look at the Humboldt State University Marine Laboratory in Trinidad, Calif.  The lab is used for research in marine biology, fisheries and wildlife. It is also open for the public to enjoy.

    Video by: Alexandria Hasenstab

  • Q&A with Metalachi

    Q&A with Metalachi

    By | Carlos Olloqui

    Plastic beer cups flying across the venue, mosh-pits and headbanging throughout the crowd, stale cigarette smoke lingering in the air — and on stage was Metalachi.

    On Wednesday night, Jan. 25, Metalachi took the stage at the Sapphire Palace inside of Blue Lake Casino. A heavy metal mariachi band, what? That’s right, from Slayer to Vicente Fernandez, Metalachi gave the audience the best of both worlds. An unlikely meshing of metal classics with traditional mariachi instrumentation, the band has been named one of the top 5 cover/tribute bands in Los Angeles by LA Weekly.

    From the streets of Los Angeles, California, Metalachi is a 5-piece ensemble of classically trained mariachi musician siblings. The band features Vega De La Rockha on vocals, El Cucuy on trumpet, Queen Kayla on violin, Nacho Picante on guitarron, and Vato on guitar.

    Metalachi performing 1/26 | Carlos Olloqui

    First off: Where did Metalachi emerge from?

    Vega: Well, we are originally from Juarez, Mexico. But we were raised in LA – East LA, since we were chiquitos. The thing is that we used to be mariachi – just straight mariachi.

    How did the heavy metal aspect come into play?

    Vega: One day we kind of experimented with one song – we did Ironman, that was the first metal song we covered. We played that one and everyone started dancing, dude. So, we said “this might work out if we do something original” – you know?

    And you guys are all siblings, is that correct?

    El Cucy: We all have the same mama, different dads though — so that kind of tells you something about our mom — she knew how to party, dude.

    What does she say about Metalachi?

    El Cucuy: This is like right up mom’s alley – it’s the rest of la familia that’s into mariachi, she was more into the metal crowd and stuff. She comes to our shows but like she doesn’t stick around to the end – she’ll find somebody horny and just go with them.

    How does it feel to be the only lady of the group?

    Queen Kayla: I like being the only girl – I get more love, so yeah — I like it, it’s exciting.

    What does Metalachi have planned next?

    Queen Kayla: We are touring with Mac Sabbath – we are touring March and into April with them. It’s going to be about four weeks, and it’s going to be awesome.

    El Cucuy: We just released Dos and we are already working on our third album.

    Vega: Tomorrow we go to Novato, and after that we are going to San Jose – Santa Cruz after that. The we are going back to LA and we have Long Beach — Santa Barbara y Las Vegas. Puro party, bro.

     

  • The textbook hustle

    The textbook hustle

    Saving money on pricey textbooks

    By: Domanique Crawford

    The study, “Student Watch: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials: 2015-2016 Report,” reports that campus stores remain the top source for course materials purchases, with 80 percent of students in the fall and 73 percent in the spring acquiring units from the on-campus retailer.

    Students are willing to pay the exuberant bookstore prices for the sake of convenience of a one stop shop for all scholastic supplies and saving time on receiving the text.

    According to HSU’s cost calculator the average cost for books and supplies is $1,660. With a little bit of extra planning these alternative methods of purchasing scholastic texts are just as convenient as ordering from the Bookstore and offer more affordable prices.  

    1. Online Rentals- Renting a book online textbook providers are often cheaper than bookstore prices. You might be cautious about the cost of shipping, but most sites provide free return shipping. An added benefit for online rentals are that some of these websites offer access to e-book version while you’re hard copy is being delivered. Websites like Bigwords.com let you enter the text’s ISBN number and generates a comparative price list with various online sellers. Some of the most popular textbook ordering sites include: Amazon.com, Chegg.com, and Half.com.
    2. Book Swaps- HSU is a small community and you will inevitably share classes with the people in your major. Form a bookswap. Maybe a friend already has the textbook that you need just collecting dust. Offer a trade off.
    3. Ask your professor-  Professors understand that students can’t always afford the high cost of the required text and will sometimes have extra copies they can loan. Also, be sure to ask your professor if the most current issue of the text is necessary. You can save a lot of money buying an earlier model of the book.
    4. Info Boards- Check the info boards near the class in which the text is required. Students who no longer need their book might post flyers selling their old copies for reasonable prices.
    5. Check the Library- If you are really pinching pennies you might just want to check if the library has a copy of the text and photocopy the sections you need. As the cost of the copies can get expensive depending on the number of pages, you might want to try scanning the book and emailing the pages to yourself. Mind copyright laws!
  • Why Netflix Might Just Edge Out Hulu with their New Original Series

    Why Netflix Might Just Edge Out Hulu with their New Original Series

    By: Erin Chessin

    It is a combination of mystery, adventure and that ‘80s nostalgia all in one – we’ve never seen anything quite like “Stranger Things.” Netflix is rising to the top as a contender for who can make the most addictive original series. It is impossible to not get hooked on at least one of the many original series they have spit out recently. I would call “Stranger Things” a mix between Stephen King and Steven Spielberg; you get that perfection combination of ‘80s sci-fi and horror.

    The story starts off with a missing boy named Will Byers, and the audience thinks, “oh great another cheesy ‘80s horror series.” But then you have Byers’ mother, brother, three best friends and the police chief involved, who end up discovering more than they wanted to know about what is out there in the world. You fear the head of the Hawkins Laboratory, who is conducting inhumane practices in efforts to stop the horrific monster they allowed to exist.

    There are unexplainable tragic events, people going missing, lights flickering and dark elements – it’s quite the adventure three little kids go on. We have Dustin, nicknamed Toothless, who strikes his audience as geeky and innocent. Mike might have to be everyone’s favorite, just because he is probably the most compassionate of all the characters on the show. Lucas has to be that voice of caution, warning his friends of the dangers they could be accidentally getting involved in.

    In their small town of Hawkins, Ind., everyone knows everyone. It is a matter of all the characters figuring out how all the strange things that have occurred are connected; and better yet, why they are even happening.

    There is no doubt that I give this new television series a glowing review; I mean, it has to be one of the most compelling series that Netflix has created. However, those who have never seen “The Shining” or are simply not into entertainment that haunts you, the storyline might not be as intriguing to you as it is to that sci-fi/horror genre fanatic. “Stranger Things” is perfect for those popcorn and warm blanket nights. It is enough to give you a scare and provoke that sense of fear in you that you haven’t grasped since you last watched “The Shining.”