By Francisco Portillo “Antigone,” the latest play on campus, is set to open on Friday at 8 p.m. in the P2 Upstairs theater. The latest production from the Theater Department is being directed by David Laird Scott. The story, which was written by philosopher Sophocles, is a family drama that questions the basic rights of human beings when presented with laws created by man. The main cast of characters are…
By Francisco Portillo The vast landscape of television programming today has far surpassed the quality of storytelling in films. As televisions upgrade, so does the programming that is made available for consumers. Some of TV’s greatest characters aren’t so black and white. Instead, they live in the grey area between hero and villain. HBO’s drama “The Sopranos” was the first to contain such a character as its lead protagonist in…
By Francisco Portillo With the insurance enrollment period beginning November 1, the Department of Health and Human services is defunding the budget that advertises the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, by 90 percent. The funding for advertisements has been cut from the $100 million that former President Barack Obama used to $10 million and will begin November 1. The funding for in-person enrollment into the program was also…
By Francisco Portillo The city of Los Angeles took a step in the right direction last Wednesday when City Council voted 14-1 to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day. This action reflects the removal of Confederate memorabilia in southern states. For years now, I have contemplated the validity of Columbus Day as a holiday. Throughout grade school, I was taught about what an amazing historical figure Christopher Columbus was….
By Francisco Portillo All-Star comedian Tracy Morgan returns to comedy with his insanely hilarious new Netflix stand-up special “Staying Alive.” There are few comedians who have the skill to make audiences laugh so much their faces will hurt and Morgan is certainly one of them. Right out of the gate, Morgan comes out swinging with his opening skit. While the Bee Gee’s “Staying Alive,” plays in the background, he walks…
By Francisco Portillo After years of being lost in the gang lifestyle and becoming paralyzed, Obed Silva discovered the power of literature and underwent a major transformation to become a respected English professor. Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, Silva emigrated to the United States with his mother at just one year of age. His father was an artist trained by Mexican painter Aaron Pina-Mora, who was also his godfather. His father…
By Francisco Portillo After winning the first state title in doubles last year, badminton player Jean Buenaflor faced a tough follow-up season. Last season Buenaflor was partnered with Serena Lieu, who she played with since 2013. With Lieu gone, she took on a larger leadership role. She partnered with international student Quan Zhang, which presented an obstacle as the two tried developing chemistry with one another. As a beginner, Zhang…
By Francisco Portillo James Gunn creates another magical experience with the wildly entertaining “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2” Using the best elements from the first film and expanding on them is what makes this movie such a fun and emotional experience for fans of the rag-tag group. The sequel takes place months after the events of the first film and the lovable team of misfits have become famous across…
By Francisco Portillo Movie theater crowds have devolved into such an obnoxious crowd of narcissistic people, whose entitled actions and impulsiveness can really ruin the movie going experience. A large percentage of the people who go out to theaters to watch movies are genuinely excited to see the movie and will respect the unwritten rules of being in the crowd. However, a small percentage of moviegoers lack common sense and…
By Francisco Portillo Bill Nye’s new show, “Bill Nye Saves the World,” is an entertaining and enlightening look at how science can be used to save the world. Fans of Nye will love the new show because of how much it emulates the feel of his previous show, “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” which stopped being produced in 1998. It has a new talk show format. In its scheduled 30…