Local museum Project • The Long Beach Museum of Latin American Art, with the reconstruction design by architect Manuel Rosen (center), is increasing in size and is expected to be finished in September 2006. More of the ribbon cutting ceremony will be featured in Monday’s edition of the Daily Forty-Niner. Left is Associate Director Alex Slato and right is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors Carl Kravetz. The museum is also opening a new 15,000-square-foot Sculpture Garden, featuring a variety of Latin American contemporary sculptures, to the public on Tuesday, Sept. 20 although a sneak preview of the garden can been seen this Friday. Tracey Roman / Daily Forty-Niner

News

• Miscommunication sparks Senate furor over plus-minus grading
  The proposed plus-minus grading system is moving closer to becoming a reality. At the Associated Students Senate meeting Wednesday, the first session of the Ad Hoc Committee on Plus-Minus Grading was finally announced to be today.
  
• Scholarship helps students' research
  If you are a driven student who dreams of one day holding a degree that spells out Ph.D., Cal State Long Beach has a program that helps make that dream a reality.
  
• East coast woman goes on McDiet, loses weight
  DURHAM, N.C. (U-Wire)—Merab Morgan reacted with sheer disgust when she first saw the 2004 documentary “Super Size Me,” in which director Morgan Spurlock lived off the McDonald’s menu for a month.
  
  
• Nostrils can detect stimuli independently
  BERKELEY (U-Wire)—As a rule, human beings are born with a pair of eyes, a pair of ears and a pair of nostrils.
  
• Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Information
  The nursing and engineering departments in conjunction with the American Red Cross are currently collaborating to spearhead a disaster relief effort for hurricane victims. Today through Sept. 16 there will be donation stations at the University Bookstore, at the Learning Center inside the nursing building, and at the Outpost. Associated Students, Inc., in collaboration with the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, will have a donation container available at ASI Recruitment Night, Week of Welcome and in the ASI Office (USU-311).
  
• News in a few
  
  
  

• Our view: Government should financially plan
  The eyes of the nation and much of the world have been carefully watching the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. With each passing day new developments are reported, notably the billions of dollars pervading the news.
  
• College life refreshing, liberating - no rules
  Clean your room, make your bed, brush your teeth, take out the garbage, be home by 10 p.m., do your homework, don’t drink — the things our parents tell us goes on forever.
  
• Societal perceptions of tattoos changing - ink up
  As the pain numbs your skin and the beads of sweat roll down your back, all you can do is smile and know it’s worth it.
  
  

Diversions

• Thumbsucker' a strange but tasty treat for audiences
  “Thumbsucker,” based on the novel by Walter Kim, is the story of Justin Cobb (Lou Pucci), a 17-year-old boy who still sucks his thumb.
  
• 'Proof' that good drama requires an analytical mind
  “Proof” is the story of 26-year-old Catherine (Gwyneth Paltrow) who is trying to determine her place in life after the passing of her father (Anthony Hopkins), a mathematical genius.
  
• Other movies being released this weekend
  

• Beach Scoreboard
  
  
• Saints slightly restore spirit to New Orleans with win
  When the New Orleans Saints kicked off the season against the Panthers on Sunday afternoon they began what is sure to be the toughest season in the franchise’s 38-year history.
  
• Rice retires from football a legend
  For 20 years Jerry Rice has been at the top of his game, envied by his peers and labeled as the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time). Future hall of fame wide receiver Michael Irvin labeled him as “Jesus with Cleats.”