RichardSalas17

[brsalas]

CONCAChampions League reformatting.

  I am a big fan of football, in particular of the Los Angeles Galaxy of the MLS and Luis Angel Firpo of El Salvador. Both clubs regularly compete in the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League yet the tournament is run so strange when they have a perfectly good model to follow in Europe. Even the way that teams qualify is a bit off. Liga MX and the MLS both get 4 clubs each in the tournament while every other country gets 2 or less. From there the teams are put into one of eight groups and do a home and away game series.

  This format could remain but if so then an extra team could be added to each group. Currently Costa Rica only gets two teams despite traditionally performing well in the tournament. El Salvador gets two teams as well and despite being a currently weak league have historically done well and have teams with huge followings in the US. Canada gets one team putting them with countries like Nicaragua and Caribbean nations. Costa Rica, El Salvador and Canada can get an extra team each.

  Liga MX despite already having four clubs they could have another two club added to increase the competition and also the revenue of the tournament. Likewise the US can have one extra team compete in the tournament to increase competition and revenue within the tournament as well. The last two extra clubs can be either Central American or Caribbean in a preliminary round. This way the tournament lasts longer and has a greater sense of continuity.

[brsalas]

LA NCAA y El Salvadoreno

  En nuestro pais de El Salvador una de las cosas mas importante es el futbol. Pase lo que pase futbol es una de las cosas que une el pais pero hoy con los hijos de los Salvadorenos que llegaron durante la guerra civil atendiendo a las Universidad de los Estados Unidos existe otra oportunidad para ayudar al pueblo Salvadoreno y a la Selecta tambien.

  NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) traducido dice la Asociacion Nacional de Deportes Universitarios. Es mas conocido por Football Americano y Baloncesto pero tambien tiene equipos de futbol que estan creciendo de popularidad. Por la primera ves jugadores de la seleccion Salvadorena son estudiantes de los Estados Unidos de papas de El Salvador. Uno de los primeros era Steph Purdy despues de representar a la Universidad de California, una de las mejores el mundo, fue contractado por la MLS y de ayi represento a El Salvador. La mayoria de estos jugadores se hizieron titulares de La Selecta despues de la investigacion de los amanos de partidos. De algo malo salio oportunidad para que los estudiantes Salvadoreno ayuden a sus comunidades aqui en los Estados Unidos y aya en El Salvador.

  Los jugadores que vienen de la NCAA son:

Steve Purdy de Bakersfield, California (University of California)

Derby Carillo de La Mirada, California y Pablo Punyed de Miami, Florida (University of St. John)

Junior Burgos de San Bruno, California (San Jose State University/California Polytechnic State University)

Richard Menjivar de Panorama City, California (University of Evansville/California State University, Bakersfield)

Romilio Hernandez de Lanham, Maryland (University of Louisville)

Tomas Granitto de Weston, Florida (Florida Gulf Coast University)

Benjamin Diaz de Silver Springs, Maryland (University of DC)

Carlos Canas de Manassas, Virginia (Longwood University)

Edson Cardona de San Jose, California y primo de Ramon Sanchez (University of Santa Clara).

 Los jugadores de la NCAA utilizan mejores canchas y gymnasios igual que los que usa La Seleccion Estadonidense y los jugdores de Football Americano. Lo mas importante que todo es que se educan y eso mejora las communidades de Salvadorenos en los Estados Unidos y tambien aya en El Salvador.

  Algunas de las universidades mas conocidas por tener campeonatos de futbol son: La Universidad De Virginia, La Universidad de San Francisco, UCLA, La Universidad de Maryland, La Universidad de Carolina del Norte, UC Santa Barbara y La Universidad de Santa Clara. Todas estas zonas a de mas de tener universidades reconocido en todo el mundo por ser las mejores por su educacion tambien estan en zonas con grandes poblaciones de Salvadorenos  cerca de las escuelas. Esto es para el buen del pueblo Salvadoreno en cual quier parte del mundo y tambien para volver a mirar a nuestra seleccion regresar al nivel que tiene Costa Rica y los Estados Unidos.

  El futbol de El Salvador antes era fuerte, en 1970 era el primer equipo de El Salvador a llegar a la Copa Mundial y regreso en 1982. El Salvador tuvo jugadores como Magico Gonzalez que jugo para La Liga de Espana y Mauricio Cienfuegos que se ponia el 10 del Galaxy de la MLS. Para poder crecer hoy en estos tiempos tiene que mandar mas jugadores para La Liga de Espana, La Serie A de Italia, La Ligue 1 de Francia, La Premier League de Inglaterra, la Bundesliga de Alemania. Antes de llegar a Europa El Salvador tiene que mandar jugadores a La Liga MX de Mexico, La Primera Division de Costa Rica y la MLS de los Etados Unidos y Canada. Si la Mayorea de los mejores juegan en esas ligas eso permite que los jovenes de El Salvador tengan mas opportunidad jugando en El Salvador y que el nivel de la Seleccion sea mas alta usando las Ligas al rededor del pais. Empezando con jugadores jovenes de las universidades de Los Estados Unidos es una ruta que ya esta caminando El Salvador y tal ves para la Copa Mundial de 2022 regresamos al torneo de Nuevo.

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Deceased Actors and The Comic Book Villains they were meant to play.

Here is a list, in no particular order, of some great deceased actors and the roles as comic book villains I feel like they would have been excellent for.

[Batman villains]

Robin Williams as Dr. Hugo Strange. Robin Williams is probably the most recognizable actors to be mentioned here because of his recent passing and impressive career. He has had a very diverse career and managed to pull off successful roles as differently from each other as possible. He is no stranger to playing the villain in films and this might have been an opportunity that further added to his legacy. Hugo Strange has never been seen in a batman film which is surprising since he is one of batman's older and more clever villains. Hugo Strange is one of the few villains who is able to figure out the true identity of batman. If any actor would have been marvelously cast in this role it would have been Robin Williams who could have made this character his own much like Heath Ledger made the Joker his own character.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman (1967-2014) as the Penguin. If this were a top 10 list Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the Penguin would definitely make it. Hoffman is one of the most decorated and well respected actors of this generation and his performances as villains have made especially strong impressions. Oswald Cobblepot better known as the Penguin, is one of Batman's most iconic and oldest villains but he is special in another way in that he is one of the few Batman villains who is not insane. This role as the highly intelligent boss of Gotham's underworld did have a memorable performance by Danny DeVito but Hoffman might have been able to bring something else to the role in class and sophistication. It had been rumored that Hoffman would play Cobblepot in the third film of Nolan's trilogy but now after his tragic death at the age of 47 we will never get to see what could have been.

Giulia Masina (1921-1994) as Harley Quinn. Masina was no stranger to playing a clown romantically involved with a monster with murderous tendencies all while showing a childlike fascination. Giuliana Mesina was beautiful and diverse with her roles and would have been the single excellent choice for the role had she been an actress in today's world. Harley Quinn was once a prison psychiatrist who fell in love with the prisons most violent inmate, The Joker! Her relationship to him would result in much abuse and would only lead to her tragic demise but despite knowing this she still chooses to blindly follow him. Harley Quinn is more than just beauty and sex appeal, she is tragic and that is something that few living actresses can capture but Giuliana Masina did so and made it look easy. 

River Phoenix (1970-1993) as the Red Hood. Here is an actor who truly went before his time and still managed to have a notable career. Best known for his role in Stand by Me (1986) which is the proverbial friendship film. Jason Todd as well was Batman's friend and ally after the departure of Dick Greyson. Jason Todd would become the second boy wonder to wear the Robin costume but would later be killed by the Joker. The problem was that he really didn't die and decided to take justice to a place batman never would. River Phoenix was an incredible actor and his loss was a tremendous one with the potential he had. This role would have been an excellent physical match for him as well has testing him to portray a character who has gone against everything his mentor has taught him. 

Andre the Giant (1946-1993) as Bane. When a man can dwarf Hulk Hogan you know he is a true giant but this man was far more than brawn as he demonstrated in the film he is known best for, The Princess Bride (1987). Not only a physical match but his accent would serve him well as Bane's first language is Spanish. Andre the Giant also demonstrated his ability to be a well calculated and calm villain much like Bane despite his size and strength. Andre died of a heart attack and though his film career is very limited he will forever be remembered for his time as a wrestler which ironically is also a part of Bane's back story.

Henry Fonda (1905-1982) as Victor Freeze. If thee was ever a villain you wanted to see succeed it was Mr. Freeze. Despite how dangerous he is and how lifeless he can seem it is all to save a woman he loves. There is something tragic about that and that is something Henry Fonda did well to play roles in which his character fought a cause he was not going to win. Fonda was not well known for playing villains and was more known for his morally righteous characters but seeing his work you get the feeling that he could have made any cause seem just which Freeze did time and time again. This Batman villain had one film attempt which was horrendous to say the least and a villain that is so relatable and known within the DC universe deserves to have one of the most well known male lead actors play him.

[Fantastic 4]

John Huston (1906-1987) as Galactus. John Huston is easily better known for his work as a director than as an actor but it is perhaps this that makes him best suited as Galactus the eater of worlds and one of the most powerful villains in all of comics. One of John Huston's most notable performances as an actor was as Noah Cross from Chinatown (1975) which was nominated for several awards. Noah Cross is a power hungry millionaire and despite having so much is still hungry for more, much like Galactus. With his background as a director John Huston seemed to control much even in his performances and this all knowing and all powerful persona would have translated beautifully into the villain that threatens the entire Marvel Universe. Huston died at the age of 81 of lung disease.

Humphrey Bogart (1899-1957) as Dr. Doom. The Arch nemesis of the original super hero team is one of the more powerful villains in comics and has been rumored to be Stan Lee's favorite villain. This is a complex character who lost the affection of Sue Storm to Richard Reed/Mr. Fantastic and as a result became their enemy. Apparently he is so powerful that it takes four heroes to match him. A villain of this magnitude and importance deserves to be played by a Hollywood icon. Humphrey Bogart's was one of biggest star to ever grace the silver screen and role in which his anger surfaced because he lost love where roles he nailed. Perhaps best known for his iconic performance in Casablanca (1942) where his jealousy nearly destroys the lives of millions. Bogart could have pulled any role off and like many actors in this article, was not known particularly for playing an antagonist but this man could have been anyone especially a villain as powerful and tortured as Dr. Doom.

[The Flash]

Michael Clarke Duncan (1957-2012) as Grodd. This villain from the DC universe is incredibly underrated for his intellect and the threat he posses. Michael Clark Duncan has played a comic book villain in the past but his casting was questionable and his performance didn't appear true to the character. Grodd though highly intelligent is incredibly strong as well being a Gorilla which ironically Duncan played as well. This role would have tested the depth Michael Clarke Duncan possessed as an actor and though he had done a villain I feel this may have been more flattering to him to play a genius in the criminal world.

[The Green Lantern]

Raul Julia (1940-1994) as Thaal Sinestro. One of the most underrated and underappreciated actors named here, Julia ha a range to rival actors typically considered legends. Raul Julia had played a martyr priest, a revolutionary prisoner, an insane terrorist and most notable Gomez Addams of the Adams Family. He could have easily brought this depth to one of the deepest arch nemesis in all of the DC Universe. Thaal Sinestro was once a member of the Green Lantern Core, an organization that protected the universe and was considered to be their greatest member. Sinestro's actions would strip him of his lantern power and would later have him gain his power through fear. Raul Julia died at the age of 54 due to a stroke but his diverse talents may have very well seen him give an excellent performance as Thaal Sinestro.

Boris Karloff (1887-1969) as Solomon Grundy. Boris Karloff is best known for two horror movies in which he played the iconic monsters, Frankenstein (1931) and the Mummy (1932). Even though he was a relatively small man he was able to pull off the role of the towering Frankenstein brilliantly and it is this performance that has stood the test of time which best qualifies him for the role of Solomon Grundy. Grundy is a essentially a Zombie who is invulnerable and has massive strength comparable to that of Superman and commits acts of violence with childlike enthusiasm, much like Frankenstein's monster. He was first introduced as an enemy of the Green Lantern this villain has since become a staple in the DC Universe and has gone to be the enemy of Batman and Superman. Karloff died at the age of 81 and along with Lon Chaney is considered to be one of the best actors to portray a movie monster, it is too bad his talent was never put to use as a comic book villain.

[Iron Man]

Bruce Lee (1940-1973) as The Mandarin. Having one of the shortest careers in this article did not prevent Bruce Lee from becoming a Hollywood icon. Being Chinese in origin and having martial arts skills is another plus for paying this role. The Mandarin is the arch nemesis of Iron Man, Chinese in origin and possessing knowledge in hand to hand combat as well as technology. Lee tragically died at the age of 32 but managed to achieve an unthinkable international popularity through his talent and charisma which would have been key to anyone playing the role of the Mandarin.

[Spider-man]

Anthony Perkins (1932-1992) as  Venom. Perkins is best known for his role in the pivotal psychological thriller Psycho (1960). This film saw him portray a schizophrenic Norman Bates who murdered as one person and cleaned up the mess as the other. Venom is very much two people who slowly turn into one which is exactly the role Anthony Perkins perfected in this Hitchcock thriller classic. Aside from having the talent and experience to pull the role off he as well had the right physical features. Venom had a screen portrayal but was pitiful for how important of a villain Venom is to the Spiderman rogues gallery.

Brandon Lee (1965-1993) as the Punisher. Brandon Lee is no stranger to playing the role of vengeance and punishment incarnate. Lee is best known for the role that took his life in the Crow (199) an undead murder victim who seeks justice for the violent murder of he an his girlfriend. Frank Castle better known as the Punisher is motivated as well by vengeance and though he has become more of an antihero he did start out as a man hired to kill Spiderman. Lee died in a tragic accident while filming and much like his father he died way before his time. This is a match made in film heaven that might have happened had Lee had a full career.

John Candy (1950-1994) as the Kingpin. Physically we have an excellent match but some might point out that Jon Candy was too nice of a guy for the role of a villain but I will argue that John Candy had the acting chops to pull off a role. This is an actor that died too soon and never got to truly display his thespian versatility. Kingpin is a villain that has battles both Spiderman and Daredevil and is known for being the most powerful underworld boss of the Marvel Universe. If John Candy was anything I would call it boss way before Rick Ross began using the word. Despite Being known for mostly family friendly roles and comedic roles, John Candy was a well trained actor who had he been given the chance would have very well shined in versatile roles.

Robert Mitchum (1917-1997) as the Green Goblin. Anyone who has ever seen Robert Mitchum in The Night of Hunter (1955) knows that the man can be absolutely terrifying. The Original Green Goblin Norman Osborn was absolutely terrifying and one of the two most insane villains in all comics. Despite this dangerous true form Norman managed to look normal just like Robert did in his unforgettable performance in the 1955 film. Mr. Mitchum was not particularly known for playing the antagonist in his films but when he did he played a truly iconic one that went down as one of the best film villains of all time. The Green Goblin is one of Spiderman's most cunning and dangerous villains and though Willem Dafoe did an amazing job with the role with all of the remakes you can't help but wonder who else might do the role justice even if we will never see the portrayal come to fruition.

[Superman]

Joseph Cotton (1905-1994) as the Braniac. This was one of the harder villains to cast as no one has ever even attempted to play him on the big screen and for good reason. The Braniac is one of Superman's most powerful villains and is the definition of cold. To portray this cold and evil machine would require an actor already experienced in being cold, evil and machine like. That is where Joseph Cotton comes in, a well known actor who worked with great directors such as Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock his performance that makes him perfect was in Shadow of a Doubt (1943). This is a Thriller that has stood the test of time and much in part because of Cotton and how he goes from human to lifeless within the same film and the character is surprisingly dark despite the film production codes of the times. His lifeless eyes and chilling voice would have been a perfect fit to portray the villain of Superman in search of knowledge in exchange for destruction.

George Reeves (1914-1959) as Cyborg Superman. George Reeves is best known for his portrayal as Superman/Clark Kent in the Adventures of Superman in the 1950's. He had attempted to break into larger films earlier in his career but experienced many set backs and only reluctantly accepted the role as Superman believing television would not help his career. George died at the age of 45 in a controversial suicide, if it indeed was a suicide then this was a man with demons that would have made him perfect for the role of Hank Henshaw better known as Cyborg Superman. Superman's robotic enemy hates him due to the fact the Superman unknowingly destroyed his life and thus created him, it could be argued that George Reeves life was a parallel and this would have translated beautifully into the performance of Cyborg Superman.

John Cazale (1935-1978) as Lex Luthor. John Cazale holds the distinction of being the only actor to have every film he was in be nominated for Best Picture by the Academy Awards. Often overshadowed by Al Pacino or Robert De Niro, his quiet ad shy roles often had hints of rage and jealousy which could have applied beautifully to the role of Lex Luthor. Luthor is one of the most recognizable villains in all comics and this role has had a great portrayal already but for the sake of fun if any actor could bring a true to origin performance to the character it would have been Cazale. John passed away due to lung cancer shortly after filming the Deer Hunter (1978) and was one of the most respected actors of his time because of his dedication to his craft. This dedication and incredible talent might have even done a job that was comparable to that of Gene Hackman.

John Wayne (1907-1979) as General Zod. John Wayne was well known for playing the Cowboy hero in many of his films but many of these characters can now be seen as villains, such as his performance of the former Civil War general in John Ford's The Searchers (1956). His portrayal in that film was a ruthless ex military combatant of a lost cause who saw the Natives of the land as less than human. General Zod as well is an ex military man with an anger over the events that led to the destruction of Krypton and he sees Superman as his only obstacle to recreating his lost home. If John Wayne could be told to see Superman as a liberal trying to destroy America as motivation he may have very well been the best General Zod ever to face Superman.

Lon Chaney (1883-1930) as Bizarro. Lon Chaney was a silent film actor who played iconic roles such as the title characters in The Phantom of the Opera (1925) and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1924). Lon Chaney was well known for playing roles in which his character was turned into a monster by cruel fate and than turned into a monster by the cruelty of those around him. The role of Superman's doppelganger is exactly the type of role Chaney had perfected I his short but legendary career. In one creation story Bizarro was accidentally created a duplicate of Superboy and possessing his memories tried to seek comfort in Smallville but was treated like a monster due to his appearance. Bizarro was later recreated by Lex Luthor and though he tried to help Superman the man of steel decided to destroy him because his antics always caused more damage. This role with it's bizarre appearance and sympathetic personality was unlike the roles Lon Chaney was used to playing. Lon Chaney died of a throat hemorrhage at the age of 47 never making a full transition into "talkies".

[Teen Titans]

James Dean (1931-1955) as Deathstroke. Deathstroke can be summed up as one of the coolest characters in the DC Universe and James Dean is still one of the coolest and most talented actors to ever grace Hollywood. This just makes sense all around, Dean was physically fit and well suited to play a military enhanced super soldier. Deathstroke is more than just a soldier though, he is a man with depth which has made him such a fan favorite and the only way to eve do this role justice is to have an icon with beyond exceptional talent take on the role. James Dean was tragically killed in an automobile accident at the age of 24, he gave monumental performances in Rebel Without a Cause (1955), East of Eden (1955) and Giant (1956) but never got to see his full potential.

[X-Men]

Marlon Brando (1924-2004) as Magneto. Great villains typically get great performances and Magneto has had two amazing actors do him justice but Marlon Brando who was no stranger to comic book films, having played Jor-El Superman's father, may have equally been up to playing the enemy of the X Men. Anyone who has seen the Godfather (1972) knows that Brando can command a room full men to commit crime with a sense of purpose and conviction and anyone who has ever seen Apocalypse Now (1979) as well knows that Brando can lead rogue forces and be viewed as the enemy despite being no more evil than those who oppose him. Magneto is a holocaust survivor who is incredibly relatable as a villain because of what he went through and the parallels he sees to the current mutant situation and the Jews of World War 2. One of the greatest villains of all time deserves to have one of the greatest actors of all time play him.

Orson Welles (1915-1985) as Apocalypse. This is one of the most powerful villains in all of the Marvel universe and it would take one of the most powerful figures in Hollywood history to play this master. Orson Welles was a prodigy as a young actor and his ability to control an entire set would have served him well in this role. Welles even today to film scholars seems like this powerful figure who accomplished such an astonishing amount in such a short time that is seems unreal. Within the Marvel universe Apocalypse seems unreal even by the standards set by a comic book universe. Apocalypse is the first mutant and often refers to himself as superior to other forms of life which includes mutants and humans alike. He is a threat to everything and this is how many saw Orson Welles during the Golden Age of Hollywood and it would have been very entertaining to see him play the man who could more than anyone else destroy the X-Men.  

[brsalas]

A glimmer of hope is brightest in pitch black.

Bladimiro Salas Jr

[brsalas]

The Blackface Incident

   In 2013, immediately after being elected into the Multicultural Greek Council for the 2013-2014 term and right away we were faced with an incident that would define our term. An Asian fraternity's installation (intro of new members) video was brought to my attention a morning prior to our MGC meeting a protests was already being planned by the Black Student Union. Already aware of the backlash they were facing the President of Lambda Theta Delta was already prepared to give an apology at the meeting.

   Prior to the meeting between all of the organizations the Executive board of the MGC meets to discuss the events ahead and this surprisingly wasn't treated as a big deal. It wasn't that the Executive board was racist or didn't care, they just didn't understand the severity of the video. Our President went as far as to say that they could not be suspended for a video which in the end was exactly what ended up happening to them. Despite being called the Multicultural Greek Council, I only noticed our single African American Fraternity and sorority after the events that meeting. Living right next to Rosa Parks house gave me access to the African American student on a daily basis but on any other part of campus African Americans weren't as abundant as say Asians.

   With the position that I held within the MGC one of my main concerns was bringing organizations together that I viewed as ethnocentric. Lambda Theta Delta was definitely one of these organizations as not only were they themselves predominantly Asian but I did not see any desire from them to reach outside of their own community, unless you count the blackface video of course. Before I could even get any plans underway to bring some diversity to theses outsider organization this video surfaced and the same day I saw it the protest was held within our meeting as the President of LTD gave his apology. As soon as the protest was over members of the council had trouble understanding what exactly the source of the anger was and this was because few outside of the African American Community understand the ugly history of Blackface.  

   As a film major I had to study many films with blackface and even cover the concept and political and social ramifications of minstrel shows. The sad history is that countless African American performers, entertainers and artists would lose their intellectual property back in a time when they could not perform for mainstream American audiences. On top of losing their artistic and intellectual property there would be insult to injury as white performers who stole the acts for perform them in blackface mocking African Americans as if to call them sub human as they made money off of their talent. It was this history and these negative feelings that were being brought back to life and what is most pathetic is that not a single member of Lambda Theta Delta knew enough about this to see how wrong their actions were.

   There was much tension on campus after this as the African American minority at UCI sought justice and rightfully so. The Black Student Union, assisted by MEChA and the Muslim Student Union lead the fight against this act of racism yet even with student outrage and significant media attention both UCI nor the Greek community acted effectively or accordingly and this is coming from someone who was an executive on the council at the time. The act committed by the fraternity was wrong and yet the fight seemed to be going nowhere as the pleads for an effective measure of action fell on deaf ears. Looking back I can honestly say I did everything I could have to stress the urgency of action and maybe my efforts were not lost.

   In the suspension was for nothing since the members of the fraternity continued to wear their letters on campus and began to rush a year immediately following the suspension. As a member of the MGC it is my opinion that they suspended themselves to avoid any further or more sever punishment from the MGC or worse the school itself. It is as well my opinion that their initial apology was insincere and only attempted in order to calm some of the negative feelings against them. They were not sorry because they had actually seen the error of their ways but rather because they were in trouble.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/26/uc-irvine-blackface-video-fraternity_n_3162657.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bEz9RTsie8

The views and opinions expressed here were not that of the MGC or my fraternity at UC Irvine.

[brsalas]

People and Shadows

   If you were to really sit there and think about it you would come to the conclusion that most people you meet in life are so forgettable. I recall a few years ago after my best friends little brothers funeral trying to tell him something profound and I feel like what I said stuck more with me than with him.

"In my life I have walked alongside a lot of shadows but you are not one of them"

   In different worlds my life has taken me to certain people have definitely stood out, so much to the point where I still remember them despite them being gone for whatever reason. In beginning to write this I had to wonder whether I myself was someone worth memorizing or if I have had an impact on anyone's life and perhaps b the time this information surfaces I will not be around to hear it myself. I had even thought about listing the people that have had a strong influence on me but I don't think that would do them justice. I would hope that the best way to pay tribute to any of these people is simply to not be a shadow myself. This doesn't mean being a profoundly influential person to everyone that I meet but at least to everyone who is worth my time.

   Every so often I clear my facebook page of people I know won't be interacting with for a few strong reasons. One being that I believe one cannot truly have over 10 true friends and two because I believe letting people go is an essential part of life and this means letting go in every sense possible. It is not say I never wish to see these people or know about them but that myself having any contact with them and not being able to take part in their lives is pointless. There are some people from my past that are so beautiful at heart and in mind that I wish I could go back somehow and see them in person but even if you help someone there comes a time for you to leave and for them to grow.

   I was watching the sunset a few days ago and I couldn't help but think that some things could never go back to how they were but change is a far better thing that we will ever accept. After all if not for a drastic change how could we ever reflect on the situation that once was. I don't particularly like goodbyes but I did always like the sounds of saying "Forse Nella Vita Prossima". I have many more departures ahead of me, including my own but if I could make just a few people think as deeply as I am thinking now than my time here will have been worth it.

   This post is dedicated to those I cannot thank as well as to those who I could but I think I can do that best by being a person and not a shadow.

[brsalas]

One of my favorite color combinations; Maroon and White.

[brsalas]

Why UC Irvine?

   UC Irvine gets a bad rap when it comes to choosing a University to go to and the reasons are fairly evident. The campus lacks any serious school spirit, especially when compared to our sister campus UCLA and our northern neighbor USC. We are not by any means a party school like our other sister campus UCSB or our neighbor to the South SDSU. Yet another reason could be because we are not as old and prestigious as say the original University of California in Berkeley or it's NorCal rival Stanford. Another negative not so noticeable on other campuses is how oriented towards a single ethnicity the campus appeared to be, there seemed to be no real cultural variation and little presence of Latinos and African Americans. It would appear that UC Irvine is beat in every category and yet according to US News it was the 4th most applied to school in he US.

   UC Irvine has much to offer yet I am not sure if anyone has highlighted all of this until now. When I was choosing schools I had 6 schools to choose from; UCSB, UC Davis, Long Beach State, Cal State L.A, Cal State Northridge and of course UC Irvine. I was rejected by UC Riverside and San Diego State University so I couldn't go to these schools even if I wanted to. Having lived in Los Angeles my whole life and wanting to make a change I rejected both Cal State L.A and Northridge. Being the party person I am I felt had I gone to UCSB I would drink myself to death and UC Davis had little appeal to me being a truly small town so far from home. It came down to Long Beach or Irvine and simply because Long Beach was still technically in L.A county I chose Irvine and now being an alumni am very happy with my decision.

   Having arrived in Irvine I felt I had made the wrong choice because of how boring and quiet it was, most of my dorm neighbors seemed more interested in playing video games than going out and interacting with other students. I felt like all I saw was Asians, albeit a wide variety such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Filipino but I had expected an equal amount of students from other regions as well. The buildings all looked newly constructed which though nice to some for me took away the experience of going to a University. I expected old buildings where many generations before me had come to learn, not buildings constructed after my birth. I was almost certain that I had made the wrong choice but this feeling didn't even last a week.

   At the end of week zero I went to UCI involvement fair, There I was able to join organizations like Zot Film, CASA (Central American Student Association) and my fraternity Sigma Delta Alpha, a Latino Fraternity at the time. These orgs took up the bulk of my time and exposed me to the fast diversity the campus had beneath the surface. Through these experiences I learned what it truly meant to work with people you may not get along with to achieve a common goal and I benefitted so much so that my family noticed a positive change in my work ethic and attitude upon my return. I became a better person at this school and through living on the actual campus ad being involved was I able to be so receptive to these opportunities.

   I feel like any student can appreciate and grow from these experiences and have some memorable life moments. While there here are some locations and activities you should check out.

Angel Stadium 15 miles away- This is the place where Obama spoke to my graduating class but it is also the place I saw my Dodgers beat the Angels. Come and watch your team play against Anaheim and even if you don't watch baseball, a trip to the ballpark is a one time experience worth the time and money.

Ant Hill Pub- Once you are old enough go and get your free beer and than after have friends buy you a pitcher or two. These are some of the best prices I have ever seen for pints and pitchers and perhaps one of the things I miss most about UCI. The food isn't bad either so go and create memories with close friends or make acquaintances into good friends here. 

Anteater Ballpark- Our baseball is easily one of the best in nation and made it deep into the playoffs last year. They have stiff competition every year and could use the support from the students so roll by an get a seat or enjoy a game on the grass while you "study". No joke this team is NCAA ranked and very exciting to watch.

Anteater Stadium- Yet another top ranked team at UCI is our men's soccer team. A team this strong deserves a fan base that plays drums and wears scarfs but if you have neither just show up and cheer. I have always been impressed by their style of pay and like baseball this is a team that frequently makes it deep into the playoffs. Show some school spirit!

ARC- We truly have an amazing gym, even Kobe Bryant trains here! Now that I am gone I miss it so much so take advantage of this state of the art gym and it's fields because it is the perfect location to stay in shape or get stronger.

The Block in Orange 12 miles away- This is really just an outside mall but if you ever get tired of being in Irvine or just the immediate area come out here and check your options because it is a nice spot to come out for a date and not be seen by everyone from class.

Bren Event Center- These games here can become intense especially with the recent effort made by the school to improve the basketball team. Show up since just like the baseball and soccer games it is free. Wear our blue and gold, paint your face and boo Cal State Long Beach! The Anteater athletics department gives us so much and all they as of us is to show up and cheer.

Corona del Mar Beach 4 miles away- You got to love the beach and the sand between your toes especially in the months of May and June or September and October here in Southern California. Go for swim with friends and enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets that can be seen anywhere in the world.

Crystal Cove State Park 8 miles away- This park is a challenge to a first time hiker like myself but when I first went with my frat brothers I had to take a moment when I reached the end of the hike and got the great view of the coast. Stay healthy by testing yourself here through a intermediate level hike with above average scenic views.

Disneyland 17 miles away- Of course this is one of the biggest attractions in Orange County and in Southern California in general. It is worth at least one visit and maybe many more if you end up liking it.

Downtown Fullerton 24 miles away- Believe the hype because this area gets down in a way Irvine simply cannot. This is a good thing because it means the ratchetness can remain in another city while your academics stay in Irvine. These two things rarely mix together so if you want the former (ratchetness) go downtown and turn up but please leave your books at home.

Fashion Island 3 miles away- This place so close that it was worth the trip for food and window shopping if not shopping for real. It is an outdoor thing and in SoCal can make for a nice summer or winter night out.

Food truck Tuesday 2 miles away- located at the Irvine lanes this parking lot turns into a one stop food court Tuesday nights with various different foods. Most are delicious and there is always a wide variety to try so you can't really go wrong.

Gaufree 3 miles away- Though the concept of a burger or sandwich on a waffle might sound weird the actual food itself is delicious. Maybe it is because it isn't an option readily available anywhere in Los Angeles but this one of the food spots in Irvine that was good.

Gina's Pizza Across the street from campus- This is just really good pizza and luckily it is right across the street from campus, if anything take the green line to get here. The place clearly has school spirit and is another good spot to get a pitcher of beer.

Honda Center 15 miles away- Once the Big West basketball playoffs get rolling UCI competes here and the experience is one that should not be allowed to simply slip away. This competition is the final and the school actually takes you there and brings you back! take advantage of this.

Irvine Spectrum 7 miles away- Come here on a date, nothing to special about this place but it at least provides you with options. It is a safe option so if nothing else come here and do as the Anteaters do.

Knotts Berry Farm 19 miles away- In my humble opinion this park is better than Disneyland, it is more geared towards adults and is less crowded. You may not agree but go and see for yourself before you say no.

Mission San Juan Capistrano 17 miles away- What UCI lacks in old buildings it partly makes up for at this historic location. This Mission was the first and is the oldest standing structure in California and has been rightfully named the "American Acropolis". This location is absolutely breathtaking and aside from serving as the origin of Zorro, is actually a beautiful landmark.

New Port Beach 6 miles away- Bars and the beach, go to the peninsula and walk for a while, it is a great place to clear your head in the midst of intense tests and exams.

Santa Ana 9 miles away- No specific locations here, just get out of the bubble that is Irvine and got get some authentic tacos or if you are old enough go to a dive bar and try something new. At most you have 5 years at UCI so make them worth it.

Taco Mesa 7 miles away- These are just some damn good tacos and are worth the trip. They are made uniquely but that is a part of the draw especially since good tacos are practically non existent in Irvine.

Tijuana, Mexico 100 miles- This is by far the most adventurous location on the list and was in my opinion the most fun. I highly recommend it if you are from out of State and are truly looking to broaden your horizons. I was 24 when I went to UC Irvine so the drinking age wasn't an issue for me but interestingly enough the legal drinking age in Tijuana is 18 and everything is much cheaper over there. I first went to Tijuana with my fraternity brothers and fell in love immediately as have many others I have taken subsequently.

[brsalas]

The MLS Quadrupal Crown

   In sports such as horse racing and Major League baseball individual competitors can win something known as the triple crown which in each respective sport is an incredibly difficult feat to accomplish. In the MLS such a concept could begin to exist, a concept which no team has yet to accomplish because each is more difficult than the last task. This would not be an individual accomplishment but rather something accomplished by the club as a whole. This could forever be called the MLS Quadruple Crown.

   The first trophy to be won would arguably be the simplest, the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. This trophy is arguably the easiest because the competition up until the final stages are sub par teams in the US's lower divisions of soccer. The Chicago Fire and Seattle Sounders are tied with 4 cups each, DC United has won 3 and the Galaxy and Sporting KC have each won 2. it is expected that MLS teams will make up the bulk of future winners as their teams are typically better built with their large payrolls. For the past 15 years MLS clubs have dominated the finals so this trend is expected to continue.

   So if someone were to win the US Open Cup the next step would be the MLS Supporters' Shield. This one arguably more difficult because right from the start you are competing only against other MLS clubs through a grueling entire MLS season. This trophy doesn't mean being perfect throughout the season but it is about being next to perfect, the best regular season record on either the eastern or western conference. The Supporters' Shield is important because it is our version of trophy won in European leagues where playoffs are not held immediately after a season. Both the Galaxy and DC United have won this trophy 4 times each, the most of any MLS clubs.

   The third step is the most coveted of the four, even more than the next trophy, The MLS Cup. This one some argue is the most difficult because you have a short window with a small margin of error to do it and you are competing against the very best the MLS has to offer. This means getting through the regular season and having a winning record and then beating out your competition in a tournament format. The Galaxy again holds the record with 5 MLS cups won.

   The final trophy is a lesser known or valued one than the MLS Cup might in fact be the hardest one to win, the CONCACAF Champions League. Perhaps this trophy is not valued since our competition is not familiar to us, after all we mostly compete with Central American and Caribbean clubs but alarmingly only two MLS clubs have won this trophy. The Galaxy and DC United have both won it in it's previous format of competition. The last time an MLS club won this was back in 2000 with the Galaxy and we have not come close since 2011's runner up, Real Salt Lake. This competition is it proves anything it is how far behind the Liga MX the MLS still is. We even have trouble beating clubs from Honduras and Costa Rica, clubs we should have no trouble against are giving us competition. The way to even qualify for this tournament is to either win the US Open cup, Supporters' Shield or MLS Cup and once in we are competing against the best clubs on our continent.

   Though damn near impossible to accomplish it does provide the ultimate challenge for a club within the MLS. Just this past 2014 season Seattle Sounders won the US Open Cup and the Supporters' Shield only failing to win the MLS cup to the superior Galaxy and now both clubs have a chance to win the CONCACAF Champions League and even if Seattle does they will have fallen just short of the Quadruple Crown. The teams that have come the closest thus far have been of course the Galaxy in 2002 and 2011, DC United in 1996,1997 and 1999 and this year Seattle. The closest would be DC United who in 1997 won the Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup which saw them qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League which they won as well only missing out on the US Open Cup with they had actually won in 1996.

   As a supporter of Galaxy I am confident that if any club is to accomplish this amazing it is the premier club in Los Angeles. Regardless of what US MLS team wins it I would just like to see the US start dominating the tournament to legitimize us as the dominate soccer (football) power house in the region. This years CONCACAF Champions League will see 4 familiar MLS clubs: The Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, DC United and Real Salt Lake. I hope one of these four can steal it from the dominant Liga MX clubs.

[brsalas]

The Stucture that Might Exist.

  As of 2015 Los Angeles is home to only one soccer team that is widely followed, being the MLS franchise the Galaxy. Chivas USA folded a losing team with little sense of identity other than trying to borrow some shine from their sister club in Guadalajara. It seems that there is only room for one club in Los Angeles and that is of course the 5 time champion but let's pretend for a minute.

  Let us pretend that instead of having 1 MLB club, 2 NBA teams and 1 NHL club that all we watched was Soccer. Now to add to this let's pretend that every team LA has in another league would be magically transformed into a Soccer club that not only represented a specific part of the city but an ideology as well.

  Let's start with the Clippers which would represent a small yet dedicated fan base just North of Downtown. This team would have little success and share a Rivalry with the Soccer team known as the Lakers over geography. Clippers would claim and be named after the neighborhood they call home. Echo Park FC

  Now the NHL Kings though have won 2 Stanley Cups have a small yet dedicated following. Being the only one of these teams to have originated in Los Angeles this would be the club for the LA native, he who was born and raised in L.A county. The fan base would be predominately white and upper middle class yet it would only be the third most successful team in Los Angeles. This team though playing in downtown would have it's home in the suburbs of white Los Angeles. This team would be named after the man that helped California join the United States of America.(John C.) Fremont FC                          

  The LA Dodgers would have their own separate stadium right where Dodger Stadium exists now but it would not represent Northern L.A but rather the Latino and immigrant population. This team would enjoy a heated rivalry with the Fremont FC over ideological issues like immigration and multiculturalism. This club would be named after the original name given. C.D Nuestra Senora.

Finally the most successful club in L.A being the Lakers would represent the city much like Manchester United represents Manchester. It would be a global entity and will boldly claim all of Los Angeles specifically downtown. Their specific rivalry with Echo Park FC would come from their logo. A picture of downtown L.A with a Lake beneath it which EPFC would claim is actually Echo Park lake. This club would be above all others and simply go by a name that demonstrated this. Real Los Angeles

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La Selecta y why it's support is so strong.

  Most people are familiar with the story of David and Goliath, the story of the underdog is very appealing to most people. This team, the Salvadoran National Football team perfectly captures that and so much more. This is a team of losers that not only gets cheated but cheats itself from any glory. This is a team that has only made the world cup twice and set the record for worst loss in World Cup History. This is a team that has never won it's regional competition not only failing to ever win the CONCACAF Gold Cup the Central American Cup either, which only has 6 other teams competing. Yeah this is a team that only a Select few can support and losing year after year not only games but everything else thinkable has not made the support any less evident.

  El Salvador is the smallest country within continental North America and yet gets some of the most ardent support of any team in the region. During the 2013 Gold Cup their final match against the US was viewed by a stadium of over 70,000 people in Baltimore with a very mixed crowd of US and El Salvador fans. This demonstrates the strong fan following even for a game they were widely predicted to lose in a tournament they have no chance of winning.

  This team knows nothing but heart break and in all likely hood will know nothing more but that doesn't matter what matters is identity. The US, Mexico and Costa Rica are the big 3 powers in the region but they experience a considerable higher amount of success when compared to La Selecta. These other teams can state support out through success while Los Cuscatlecos have only ever one CONCACAF soccer related event. This one win seemed like a dream gift to El Salvador which its fans have waited decades for anything to go right.

  La Selecta have had more than their share of injustices such as in the 1970's world cup where La Selecta was awarded a free kick by it was instead taken by a Mexican player without permission which lead to a goal that was allowed to stand. Or when Panama beat El Salvador on a hand ball that didn't go in to advance in the Gold Cup. The list goes on and despite all of it the fan base has increased especially within the United States. Perhaps it helps unite Salvadorans living abroad in New York, Houston, Washington DC and Los Angeles to come together under such injustice.

  Many CONCACAF teams have nicknames; The US is Sam's Army, Mexico is El Tri, Costa Rica are Los Ticos and Honduras is El H but only El Salvador's name is La Selecta. The is the team only a select few can support and through the worst of times that support has never weakened. We are the Chicago Cubs and any other loser you can think of but like those teams La Selecta receives special support, a support that is unconditional and cannot be bought by success. This team knows little success and is never predicted to win anything and yet the fans embrace because just as David beat Goliath one days La Selecta will cut down el Tri or defeat Sam's Army in battle.

[brsalas]

What the L.A Galaxy represents.

  The Galaxy is Los Angeles newest successful team having only been founded in 1996 and already having won 4 MLS Cups, 4 Support Shields (best record in regular season), 2 US Open Cups and a CONCACAF Champions League Cup. Only D.C United is a more decorated club within the MLS having one just one more US Open Cup but in all reality the Galaxy will surpass United within a few years in terms of trophies. The Galaxy much like the Los Angeles Lakers is a team of champions and wealth but beyond the money and the trophy display case the teams represents so much more. The Team represents the city through city of Los Angeles in the trades that is has made, the rivalries it has dominated, the clubs that support it and the meanings behind it's colors and name.

  From the starts with it's name the team payed homage to an image the world had of the city, a city full of stars. Being home to the worlds most profitable entertainment industry Los Angeles has enjoyed a tradition of fame that goes back over a century that can be seen from Billboards up high to stars with specific names imprinted on the streets. The home of any star is a galaxy comprised of many other stars and this is where the name Galaxy comes from.

  Some of the earliest players on the Galaxy were US national team players as well such as Alexi Lalas and Cobi Jones. Along with these players were some of the best players from Honduras and El Salvador such as Carlos Ruiz and Mauricio Cienfuegos. This diversity of players which still continues today was important in shaping the fan base of the team. The team did not represent a single ethnic group like Chivas USA but rather showed through it's players that an Angelino is not someone born in the city but someone who called Los Angeles home.

  No one player is more closely associated with the Galaxy than Southern California native Landon Donovan. Landon Donovan who is the MLS and US national team scoring leader and is second in CONCACAF only to Carlos Pavon of Honduras. Donovan is a world class player with excellent character to go along with it representing his city and his country the way any star athlete should. Having perhaps the biggest name in US soccer was not enough though for the Galaxy as they would acquire one of the biggest names in soccer the world over.

  David Beckham coming to the MLS is still one of the biggest things to happen to North American soccer 7 years later. This helped demonstrate to the world that MLS Football was on the rise and the club leading the pack was to be the one in Los Angeles. Soccer or Football is a global sport and since many other teams in L.A are global so should its football team. The trend of signing well known foreign players continues with the Galaxy's signing of Robbie Keane and many other MLS teams scrambling to follow suit.

  Keeping with the tradition of signing people to make a point, another groundbreaking acquisition the Galaxy completed was the trade for Robbie Rogers. Rogers who had come out as a homosexual immediately after retirement perhaps left soccer fearing his sexual orientation would affect how the football world would treat him. Even with this knowledge the Galaxy front office aggressively pursued him, even having to lose one of their top players Mike Magee. Today Rogers is still a valuable starter for the Galaxy and is serving as a role model the gay youths looking to play sports.

  The current primary colors for the Galaxy are a safe and simple white with blue and gold that do not hold too much significance. the 3rd kit however strange looking does hold and actual meaning behind it's selection. The colors being mostly black with a red, yellow and green trim might seem random but the colors are actually the same as the ones found on the flag of the city of Los Angeles.

  Along with paying homage to its city's colors, people, industry and progress the team through its supporters references its history. Los Angeles has through its violent history gained an image as a place easily prone to riots. From the Chinese massacre and riots which lead to the largest mass lynching in American history and labeled Los Angeles the "Blood Stained Eden" to Riots following the verdict on the Rodney King trials, LA has seen more than its fair share of riots within its relatively short years of existence. The LA Riot Squads name directly acknowledges this history through its name and intimidating logo.

  This city respects two things; heart and skill so things like being a native or an immigrant do not matter. Your sexual orientation means nothing but rather your character and your work ethic. This is a town that admires not the star but the talent that accompanies that star. The place goes by many names but Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles is the original namesake. This is LA, my home and the home of so many others who celebrated 11 Laker championships, 5 Dodger World Series wins, 2 Stanley Cup Kings victories and everything else the Galaxy has to add to it.

[brsalas]

Why Mexican despise Salvadorans in the US.

  When it comes to the Latino population most non Hispanic Americans view it has entirely Mexican. Along with this gross generalization is a hostility from Americans of European origins towards Latinos is even more hostility with this marginalized community. According to www.pewhispanic.org, the largest Latino group in the US is Mexican with almost 33 million while Salvadoran comes in 4th with not even 2 million. So why is it that Mexican and Salvadorans experience a higher rate of conflict than Mexican do with any other when Latino group. Salvadorans not only are vastly outnumbered but in general are less likely to be educated here in the US and have  much weaker nation to call home than Mexicans. The most obvious reason is that Salvadorans unlike other Latino populations furiously fight for their identity. 

  The Cities with the highest population of Salvadorans in the US are New York, Houston, Washington D.C and Los Angeles. Within Los Angeles the plethora of ethnic identities are well demonstrated in specific areas. Within LA there is a Chinatown, Filipino town, Little Armenia, Korea town, Little Tokyo and most recently, El Salvador Corridor making Salvadorans the only Latino group other than Mexican to be recognized by Los Angeles. This acknowledgement presents direct threat to the Mexican as the dominant Latino identity in the US but only because it provides an alternative to the red, white and green.

  Mexicans have shown hostility towards Salvadorans since their mass arrival in the 1980’s. Salvadorans fleeing their war torn homes arrived in cities like Los Angeles where the Mexican populations greeted them with much hostility. The hostility was so severe especially by Mexican gangs like 18th Street, that the Salvadoran banded together and created their own gang, Mara Salvatrucha. MS or Mara Salvatrucha has now because one of the largest and most violent gangs in North and Central America but was created as a result of the Mexican aggression towards the Salvadoran community. The war in El Salvador had given those Salvadoran gang members a slight advantage in violence they were willing to commit and had them quickly out gunning and out killing their competition. This was so noticeable that Mexican gangs like 18th street began to heavily recruit Salvadorans.

  Another source of conflict between the nations is the Soccer team that represent both nations. Mexico has historically been the stronger of the two with El Salvador having little success outside of Beach soccer. Mexican are often quick to mention this dominance in the Sport, despite having never come close to winning the World Cup and only having success because a lack of competition in CONCACAF. Despite having a much greater losing record the fans of El Salvador’s La Selecta remain loyal to their team and hold onto the belief that one day David (El Salvador) will beat Goliath (Mexico). Despite the losing record Salvadorans passionately support their side in a way Mexico would not if they were a losing team and this is evident by how well Mexicans support their baseball, hockey and basketball teams. They typically do not support these teams because they are poor performers but in soccer since they can beat their tiny neighbors they assume they are a World Cup quality team. We Salvadorans do not have a World Cup quality side nor do we pretend to but it doesn't matter, this support will never die.

  The Salvadoran identity is largely homogenous being mostly mestizo with a small European and Middle Eastern influence. There are two indigenous groups in El Salvador, the Lenca and the Pipil yet very few people identify as either of these tribe as the violent history of the nation has largely whipped this out. Mexico on the other hand possessing much more land encompasses a larger group of ethnicities including Africans, European and the various indigenous peoples that are rarely acknowledged. This lack of recognition has led to many rebellions for independence from Mexico from places like; California, Sonora, Texas, Zacatecas, Yucatan and many other places. Mexicans rarely bring this up when discussing their ethnic identity but Mexico is more than just the Mexica that founded Tenochtitlan. Within Mexico there are also the Chichimaya, Tarascans, Tlaxcalans, Mayans and many others that most people are completely unaware of. Many of these ethnic groups support a team that represents them as much Mexico represents Costa Rica yet because most Mexicans do not know their history they simply yell "Arriba Mexico!". Though El Salvador is small its identity is clearly defined and this clear sense of an identity is something that Mexico cannot say that is has. 

  Another common complaint from Mexicans in regards to Salvadorans is their assimilation to US upon arrival and apparent loss of their original culture and loyalty to the Latino population. Salvadorans commonly have Americanized version of Spanish names like Edwin, Steve, Bryan, Irvin, Alexander, Richard and William. Along with this some Mexicans are under the false belief that Salvadorans arrived in the US the government’s permission. Though at the time El Salvador was in the midst of civil war Salvadorans were not granted political asylum like Cubans. The country of El Salvador as well utilizes the American dollar as its principle currency yet this does not mean it a colony as it maintains its sovereignty. Style of dress is something often cited as well, the term whitewashed is often used for Latinos who don’t listen to Spanish music or dress the part. This is difficult to apply to Salvadorans since the most popular music are genres coming from other Latin American nations like Cumbia from Columbia and Bachata from the Dominican Republic. As for the style of dress El Salvadorans do not have a style comparable to the Mexican Norteno style and if Mexicans think that is style is truly representative of Latino fashion than they are sadly mistaken.

  Personally I have encountered much racism in my life as a Salvadoran American living Los Angeles county my whole life and when bigotry comes around I am not usually surprised by it. What has surprised me is encountering prejudice in a place like UC Irvine from students who should be more open to people from other cultures. What I have come to understand is that most of the Mexican that have expressed aggression and racism towards me are people who know little about Salvadorans and have had little exposure to my people. For some of them the Salvadorans they have encountered at UC Irvine are their first and because of this their overall ignorance is very evident. My advice to my Salvadoran brothers and sisters is to try to understand that the aggression comes from a lack of understanding and to try to explain that the difference is not to go against what is "Mexican" but to simply be recognized for being and individual culture.

  The important message to take from this is that the Salvadoran will defend their identity to the death. Throughout history oppressors have tried to impose either an acceptable identity or wipe out the identity completely and this has at times been true with how Mexicans approach Salvadorans. Salvadorans are not the subservient Latino group that Mexicans wish them to be and however hard they may try to impose their dominance the Salvadoran identity will never capitulate.

  An important thing to remember when discussing this topic is that a Mexican and Salvadoran like any other group of people have no reason to fight. We are both immigrants to the US and are seeking to establish ourselves and improve our lives. I have met many people who have put me down for being Salvadoran but I have met many more that not only accept me but appreciate and understand our differences. For every one misinformed and scared individual there is a handful more that rise above the judgment of others based on where they come from and seek to stand side by side. For every one ignorant or racist individual from Mexico I can say I have met 9 who were the opposite of these negative characteristics but as I saw when I initially posted this, even pointing out the obvious angered some. Ironically I think that is a part of the Salvadoran identity in the US, going against the typical Mexican way forging our own path however small or difficult.

[brsalas]

Most Douche bag friendly Sports Franchises.

These are the sports franchises that in my opinion receive the most support from fans either because they have a long standing history of winning or they are currently winning and/or posses world class players. Most of these teams have fan bases that extend far beyond the city, state and even the countries in which the franchises are based. Just to be clear this is not an attack on the fans of these teams who reside in the respective cities but an attack on the fans that some would call the "Bandwagon". So remember if you are from the same place as the team being called out than you are good.

MLB- The Yankees. This team is probably the best example of a bandwagon team possessing fans all over the world. Most of these fans not having ever been to New York simply gravitate towards the team because they win and if that is the case why not just always run with a winner? Maybe because losing brings character.

NBA- The Heat. This insult to basketball fans came together when the Big 3 came together bringing with it many casual fans of the sport as well as those trying to look cool by association. NBA Fans are fickle though with the bandwagon franchise of choice changing ever 4-6 years or so. Expect the Bandwagon team of choice to change up in 2017.

NHL- The Red Wings. This sport surprisingly doesn't lend itself to much of a bandwagon phenomenon especially since hockey has so small a fan base when compared to other sports. Though other teams have won more championships, such as the Maple Leafs and Canadiens, the Red Wings are the winningest American team making them the team of choice for those who know absolutely nothing about hockey.

EPL- Manchester United. This is the worst European Soccer bandwagon team especially when you ask the question "Who cares?". Yeah they win more than any other team in England but this is not a sufficient reason to go for a team. People always forget their is a league here in the US or say it sucks by comparison so this begs the question that if the League were #1 would all these fake ass fans of one team follow their American home team?

La Liga- Real Madrid. This team defines douche fan. Christiano Ronaldo, enough said.

Serie A- Juventus. Ask people where Juventus plays and they most likely won't know, but winning is all they need to know. Sign me up right? No, this teams is so crooked that it makes a drive from L.A to Chicago look like a straight shot.

Bundesliga- Bayern Munich. What bothers me about this team is that most people don't even know where in Germany it is. I even had a friend who had been to Europe suggest that Bavaria is it's own sovereign nation. Yet Success in the UEFA Champions league means there are sure to be some American followers.

Ligue 1- Paris Saint Germain. This teams bandwagon is a recent development with the team having won 2 back to back French Championships and having drawn in players like David Beckham to simple increase the teams popularity. 

Mexican National Soccer team. This is one of the worst offender by far with many of its proud fans residing in the US and even being US born yet forget about their home team and support the teams of the parents and grandparents. Not that heritage isn't important but the team isn't even good and only makes the world cup yearly because Addidas needs to sell jerseys to a naive fan base. Even Guatemalans supports the team and ignore their own country since Mexico, though not by much, is a better team.

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Why not to go to Las Vegas.

  There are many reasons why a tourist might opt to go to a city to spend money for absolutely no reason other than an experience. One might go for the history of the city which is deep having meaningful cultural routs. ne might go for the people and to experience a new way of living completely different to their own. One might go for the architecture and monuments that are icons to the specific city and found nowhere else. One may go to just party, drink and meet attractive people to have sexual adventures. A traveler simply might just go because they have family there and not even spend much time on the strip itself.

  Las Vegas offers many things that my home town or even my home state doesn't such as gambling, drinking in public and 24 hour alcohol but these two things wear thin after the first visit or if you are educated enough the not appealing to begin with. Gambling is just n unnecessary risk to your hard earned money that a rational person has no business taking. Of course if your money is not hard earned than that is another story. Drinking in public to me is not a selling point since public intoxication cannot lea to anything positive anyway. Being able to drink all day and night as well is nothing special since drinking after 2:00am is best done at home. Drinking in a bar past 2 though sounds cool doesn't completely redeem a city.

  As for art and architecture this is something in which no one would put Vegas at the top of any list. The city resembles a large miniature golf course rather than an actual city with character. Instead of being known for it's own monuments and landmarks it is known for small and tacky versions of others cities. When it comes to at though most cities posses it in some for form this city completely neglects it from it's tourist pamphlets.

  Next we have culture and people but this city does not offer anything new or unique to anyone looking to get away from their own. This is not some foreign, exotic place this a desert town for those who know not what to look for.

  The bottom line is that the city is a tourist trap that is highly overrated by a city and a state with an amazing advertising agency. The tourist department of Las Vegas won't come out with such blunt honesty but here goes it's here goes a truthful statement. "Come to Las Vegas, if you are old that is perfect come waste your money since you don't have much time anyway and even fewer options with your money so come and gamble it away. I mean what else could you do with your time and money? Donate it to charity? Don't be silly, give to rich men who truly need it. If you are young and do not have money even better. Come and get away from the job you probably hate to do shit you can do at home for less money. Come to a city so devoid of history, culture and character that we conveniently leave it out of the brochure. Ignore common sense and visit Vegas!"

[brsalas]

There is no Rivalry

So what separates Clippers Fans from Lakers Fans? Is is geography like the Knicks and Nets or Mets and Yankees? No. Is it ideological differences like the older European soccer rivalries between Celtic and Rangers or Barcelona and Espanyol? No. The short answer is championships and popularity.

One team has 16 championships while the other has none and with that comes vast more popularity. Most Laker fans choose the Lakers because they win but by this logic they would choose any other team if they would also just win enough. Those who do go for the Clippers hold onto a notion that they are going against the grain and being unique which means they don't really care for the team rather just want to upset the mainstream. I can honestly say that I am an ardent supporter of both teams for the simple reason that they both represent my home town, neither more than the other. I was born and hail from Echo Park, north of Downtown L.A and aside from my years at UC Irvine I have never lived outside of L.A county.

Neither teams has specifically claimed my neighborhood of Los Angeles in the same way the Dodgers have, claiming L.A county against the wishes of lame Angels fans. Neither team has come out with a specific ideology the same way the Galaxy has, claiming the native Angelino fan base and excluding the immigrant fan base of Chivas USA.

The Dodgers are in Los Angeles and claim their city correctly while the Angels sit a county over and claim my city in disgrace. The Angels are Mickey Mouse organization with a pitching rotation that consists of Mickey, Donald and Goofy and should, like the Ducks, be the Anaheim Angels.

Chivas USA is a poor substitute for Club Guadalajara and an even poorer attempt to capture the Mexican fan base in L.A. This team is a rival but not one to be taken seriously by L.A's real and only team the Galaxy, which represents the Angelino born in L.A.

The Lakers and Clippers compete for the Pacific division and for the top spot in L.A but this is not enough to make it a rivalry if people choosing sides is a s random as a coin toss. The Rivalry can become real but lines need to be drawn and minds need to be spoken by the teams players, fans and management, 

[brsalas]

No Country for Old Film Majors

The top majors at UC Irvine as follows:

1. Biology/ Biological Sciences

2. Business/ Managerial Econ

3. Political Science

4. Social Psychology

5. Psychology

39 percent of our school majors in these five fields according to US News and we are as of 2013 ranked 49th in the nation as a University. Regardless of our rank as a film school we are not what a person would expect who is looking into getting into production. Zot Film is about the most production heavy aspect of a film students life here at UCI and even that is only a club. Most of the films we do here are light hearted or fantasy and that in my opinion is so lame. It is not that the stories are poorly done but the fact that most filmmakers here think they are producing quality stuff. A shift towards realism needs to happen and it really needs to happen soon. Not just films that are overly ambitious but films that tell the stories of the struggles of the average students here.