The truth about Long Beach Guesthouse...

Well, as the men's basketball team play with nothing to lose down in Ohio, and the Dirtbags go on an expedition to shock Wichita State in awe, the men's volleyball team is hosting the Active Ankle Classic. Interestingly, the secondary sponsor is Long Beach Guesthouse. On the site, they look spic and span.

When I looked at the reviews for the hotel, most reviews were very negative, some were even graphic in their presentation. Could have used a better choice of wording, but the surrealism may add to the fact that it probably wasn't the best choice to be secondary sponsor to the Active Ankle.

Might as well just called it the Active Ankle/Hotel California Invitational instead. Colitas over a played Felder and Walsh riff anyone?

Going to the candidates' debate...part 3

Rounds 1-5: Oh god. I can’t believe the responses. Boring, empty rhetoric. Predictable clichés. Monotonous tones. Quite a change from the presidential debates, which had some semblance of flavorful dialogue. The treasurer debates feature Virindiana Sanchez, Shelena McClinton, and another candidate by the name of Swann, whose first name I cannot find from the Daily 49er. You fail me again, you rats.
Round 6: Hironao Okahana, current VP, is grinning across the room from me like the smug bastard he is. Bloody oath. Okahana is finishing his limited term, as is outgoing treasurer Zaira Tinoco, a childhood friend of mine who, like me, isn’t looking for love yet (but would love the seize the opportunity when the time is right!). And the predictable rhetoric from the three candidates continues. I’m starting to get disinterested in this debate, because it is B-O-R-I-N-G. This looks like an interview more than a debate. Simon Cowell, you are a fool. Even though I did agree with a few of your statements, especially with Jordan, speaking in that clichéd British accent, praising her efforts, you are still a fool.

Predicted winner: Toss-up, but I’m leaning toward McClinton. Enough said.

Going to the candidates' debate...part 2

Next up is the presidential candidates, and this one should be a doozy. Mark Andrews, incumbent Shefali Mistry and Joel Barber. The other candidate was feeling ill from the step show. This should have plenty of fireworks.
Round 1: Mistry starts this one. Her savvy that got her as the incumbent in the first place sets the pace. Natural, and effortless. Andrews follows through, keeping the pace, and turning it up. Interesting fact: Andrews is in a similar position I was with Long Beach City College's ASB Executive Board in 2004-05. Barber is running a bit off. Ever heard of Fat Albert? Mistry is slowing down a bit, though.
Round 2: Andrews anticipated this one, no question. It's as if he read a football or basketball play and capitalized off the turnover he forced. Barber is concurring with Andrews. Not good for him, and he stopped short. Mistry fires right back with prioritizing students. Her point seems to hit a fallacy, and Andrews is making her pay for that. It seems that the fourth candidate came, Ashley Marie Stanton. She is suffering from laryngitis, like me. That's what this weather has done to a lot of people who saw Long Beach go to the big dance last Saturday.
Round 3; Stanton makes her move, and makes things interesting. Barber goes in, but he is speaking too monotone. Mistry now makes her move, but is speaking a bit too quickly. Not all the people here are from New York, Madame President...Andrews is blasting the other three with his move. Moss-Stanton's laryngitis isn't being an issue with her rebuttal, but not too compelling.
Round 4: Barber still being monotonous. I've observed that from him, Stanton, and Mistry, while Andrews is using his poise, and everything other than monotonousness to state his case. Mistry is concurring, but she's trying to rebound from the heavy competition, and doing it well. In turn, Andrews concurs to an extent, and adds his point. Pure effortless delivery, emphasizing advocacy. Everyone's agreeing with one another. Boring. Now it's all about how they deliver, rather than what they deliver.
Round 5: Textbook question (no pun intended, unless you ask for it (pun intended)). Mistry starts this one, and uses her experience working with the 49er Shops. Andrews, unlike Mistry, does not accept the high prices of textbooks at the University Bookstore, and delivers his point with authority. A slam dunk. Stanton concurs with Andrews' point, while Barber does the same. Adding scholarships to ease the high prices, as long as a cap, might be problematic. Perfect-world scenarios. Mistry is a bit realistic.
Round 6: AB286 question. Land mine alert. Andrews dismisses this question, adding the importance of AB540 and the inferiority of AB286. Risky move. Stanton does not approve of this bill, either. Okay, guess it wasn't so risky. And so are Barber and Mistry.
Land mine =====> Consensus. No clear winner of this round. Andrews would be the virtual one, adding the importance of AB540.
Round 7: Parking question. Stanton approaches with parking off-campus. Already done, at Vets Stadium, but she wants to increase the amount of spots. Barber is trying to salvage his sinking ship, with a "focus group," and other dubious options. Smoke and mirrors. Mistry makes her move with faculty and staff permits for students., as well as financial aid, as well as concurring with the other two candidates. Flashbacks of ECON 333. Meanwhile, Andrews suggests reduced costs, paying for specific numbers of days. I think that's a sign of weakness, as other students may want to be on campus during days that they don't have class. Stanton makes a rebuttal, with a half-arsed effort.
Round 8: Barber prioritizes checks and balances, and asking for ASI to follow the US federal system. Mistry concurs, but to an extent, stating that corporate and government do not mesh. She is not finding a way to solve this though, beating around the bush. Andrews, goes on the attack, with a bit of a joke on the side, emphasizing local government as the way to model ASI's Executive Branch at. Playing it safe, Mikey boy? Stanton dismisses echoing state, local, or federal forms, emphasizing serving the students. Now Barber is swaying away from his point, concurring with Stanton. Big mistake. His ship already sunk.

Projected winner: Andrews. He made his point across, reduced tired cliches, and fought off most rebuttals, although he seems to be a bit tired from going through the rounds.

Whew! What a mouthful. Next up: part 3!

Going to the candidates' debate...part 1

So says a lyric from Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson." I went to the debates today at USU-224. First were the Vice-Presidential candidates: Chris Chavez vs. Lucy Montano.
Round 1: Montano seems to concede the first round, concurring with Chavez. Nothing too compelling from Chavez...the usual cliches.
Round 2: Montano seems to be reading from a script at times. It doesn't seem very natural. Chavez is speaking naturally, and is even like a professor at times. Not staged. He emphasizes Students First. Montano is cornered.
Round 3: The usual explanations for not being active in ASI. Good attacks from Chavez. Textbook. At last, Montano is actually doing something to prove her case. But again, it's merely adding to Chavez's case. Yawn. Chavez knocks on the table, and goes in for the kill.
Round 4: Montano is still reading from the script. Again, not compelling. I can't believe she's on the podium. Was she even ready for this one? Chavez, meanwhile, rolls along...but also gets a little hiccup from reading the script. Great recovery from Christopher, though.
Round 5: CSSA question. Chavez plays it safe, quoting "middle of the road." Monthly basis and see how it goes. Montano, however, does not believe in a vote, but how the students feel...which is a vote. Oxymoron. Chavez, however, is weakening a bit.
Round 6: Reading from the script. I suppose this is Senator Montano's comfort zone. Academic Senate and ASI is a priority for Chavez. Montano is conceding this one.

My projected winner of the debate: Chris Chavez. He did his homework, and also was sportsmanlike.

Stay tuned for part 2...

Nothing to lose. Definitely.

I like taking a little trip over to Atlanta to see how things done there on business, but it's not a high priority.

Today, I just received an e-mail that I have been selected in the Coca-Cola Human Bracket, and they said if Long Beach State win the South Regional, I'm going on a trip for two to Atlanta.

While that is nice, I'm not going to moan over blowing the opportunity if my team loses in any of the first four rounds. I mean, I will go to Atlanta one day in my life. It may not be the time yet.

Mr. Salazar,

Congratulations! The Coca-Cola Company selected you as Long Beach State’s biggest fan in the Coca-Cola Most Devoted Hoops Fan contest.

Fans whose teams earned a berth in the 2007 NCAA® Men’s Basketball Tournament, as announced by CBS on “Selection Sunday,” March 11, 2007, are featured in the outdoor and online versions of the “Coca-Cola Human Bracket.”

The giant outdoor bracket is hanging from the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, and fan photos will advance with their teams throughout the Tournament. The four fans representing the Final Four teams will win a trip for two to the biggest weekend in college basketball to cheer their favorite school to victory. We will be in touch with those winners on March 26, following the Regional games.

Looks like I won't have to nag Chance Decker, my right-hand assistant from the BPC (Beach Pride Center) about what I have to do. As for me, I gotta brush up on my homework, and get ready for some exams.

Nothing to lose from this one. It's up to the team to see how far we will go.