Daily Titan February 17, 2011

Vol. 89 Issue 10

February 17, 2011

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Reaching out from retirement

Students and parents discuss how they feel about the new Children’s Center

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dailytitan.com The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

Student involvement assessed Survey conducted

by NSSE on CSUF ANDERS HOWMANN Daily Titan

11,094 first-time freshmen and seniors received emails from President Milton Gordon on the morning of Valentine’s Day.... and no, sadly they were not valentines.

They were invitations for students to participate in the National Survey of Student Engagement, a survey designed to gain information on how undergraduates spend their time and what they gain from attending college. This is a national survey that allows educational institutions to change their policies and practices in order to improve undergraduates’ experiences on campus.

This survey isn’t cheap either. At a total expense of $8,300 to conduct a web-based survey, this is a pretty penny. However, the information obtained is invaluable for changing policy and procedures to better students’ undergraduate experience.

“NSSE (National Survey of Student Engagement) provides the university with student perceptions of their experiences here at CSU Fullerton,” said Ed Sullivan, president of the Office of Institutional Research and Analytical Studies at CSUF. “It also allows us to see how we match up with other colleges and universities on areas that enrich the student collegiate experience.”

See NSSE, page 2

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWS Earth, Wind & Fire set to perform Saturday ........................................2 OPINION Mandatory writing requirements mandatory? ........................................4

MARK SAMALA / Daily Titan The drummer provokes the lion with his rhythm to usher in the Lunar New Year. This traditional practice drew a large crowd of onlookers in the central Quad where those who participated enjoyed the festive food and dancing.

Students ring in the New Year Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian and Taiwanese student organizations host a celebration FLOR EDWARDS Daily Titan

Despite the gloomy weather and sporadic drizzle, students crowded under ASI booths in the Quad Wednesday to celebrate a collaboration of Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Cambodian and Chinese New Year.

Everything had meaning--from the pork and cabbage-wrapped dumplings to sweet bean paste and rice cakes to the purple and red hanging lanterns to an explosive traditional lion dance.

Ngoc-Minh Nguyen, 25, a health science major and coordinator of the event, said the festival is meant to strengthen cultural awareness among Cal State Fullerton students, staff and public attendees.

SPORTS East Coast looks to dominate the NCAA tournament ........................................8

The parking game can push people to their outer limits of patience, reason and common decency. For many students at Cal State Fullerton, there

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See LUNAR, page 3

A parking officer shares his day-to-day experiences on campus ANDREW KWOK

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cause he had a friend who celebrated it and “every year since he had to give money away, he would ask to borrow some cash.”

He enjoyed the unique flavors of spicy chicken curry, stir-fried glass noodles and sweet fried banana. He is no stranger to Pho, a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup, and ate a lot of it when he lived on the East Coast for seven years, he said.

Students also munched on free pork dumplings, sweet rice cakes and coconut desserts.

Jeff Tseng, 23, a finance major, said the meaning of the food is important for the New Year celebration. The dumplings signify a “coming together,” said Tseng, since all the ingredients are wrapped together.

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“The festival is an opportunistic event to educate those individuals with the customs and traditions of this most celebrated Asian holiday of the year,” said Nguyen.

Contrary to most students’ speculations, the Lunar New Year Festival is not just a celebration of Chinese New Year.

“Lunar New Year Festival encompasses all South East Asia celebrations, not just Chinese New Year,” Nguyen said.

Two things common to most Asian cultures are superstitions and symbolism. Red is a symbol of good luck.

“During New Year the adults give the younger generation money in red envelopes as a sign of good fortune and good luck,” Nguyen said.

Adamo Vitello, 28, a public relations major, stood on the side and enjoyed the festival from a distance. He knows about Chinese New Year be-

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will be times when meeting deadlines makes it worth the risk of having a car ticketed, towed or booted.

That would be a job for people like John Orr, parking field supervisor at CSUF’s Parking & Transportation Services. Having started as a student at CSUF in 1996, he’s worked the parking lots on campus for nine years this March.

Thick-skinned is one of the qualities Orr recommends if considering a job similar to his.

“A lot of people have some very negative things to say about us; not always, I mean, we get thanked too,” said Orr. “We’ve had times (when) you write somebody a ticket and they just come up screaming obscenities and yelling; so you’ve got to be able to take that and not let it affect you.”

Orr recalls two times that people have resorted to attempting to hit his officers with cars. While there were no injuries from either of the incidents, it is actions like those that leave an impression of what the average person thinks of parking enforcement.

Things get especially stressful during commencements, the only event in which someone tried to hit Orr with a car, and where Orr has been cursed at the most.

See PARKING, page 2

Contact Us at news@dailytitan.com

JONATHAN GIBBY / Daily Titan Titan junior right-hander Jake Floethe delivers a strike to the plate. Floethe and his teammates are ranked No. 8 in the country by Baseball America.

Big West has another Titan cloud to deal with Baseball hunting for another conference title WESLEY RUSCHER Daily Titan

Just one out. That was all that kept the Cal State Fullerton baseball team from making a second straight appearance in the NCAA College World Series last season.

A disappointing end to an otherwise successful season, last year’s loss to UCLA in the Los Angeles Super

Regional has served as a major motivating factor in this year’s preparation.

Titan Head Coach Dave Serrano, in his fourth season, has been getting the team set all winter for the tough season ahead. With some hard work and a little fun, the players are anticipating another strong finish in the Big West Conference.

See TITANS, page 8

Celebrating Black History Month on campus Students reflect on what Black History Month means to them JESSICA Mc COY Daily Titan

In February, we recognize President’s Day because we honor great past presidents, and it is a day off from our lives. We show emotion for Groundhog’s Day because Mr. Groundhog will tell us either to get an umbrella or to gallop to an abundance of flowers in a patchy meadow since spring is here early.

Then we fall in love with Valentine’s Day, buying heart-shaped candy, blowing up our blogs and social media sites with quotes from romantic novels, and leaving kisses and hearts everywhere.

But this month is more than just candy, dead presidents and the weather. February is dedicated to past, present and future black leaders. Black History Month, the celebration of black people’s accomplishments, started in 1926 as “Negro History Week,” and in 1976 it was changed to Black History Month, created by Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Since then, Black History Month is known universally.

Cal State Fullerton celebrates Black History Month with exciting events organized by several different groups and by having inspiring historical information posted on Titan Online, so that each student, staff and faculty member can gain a piece of black history on a daily basis.

“For me personally, since I am half black, it’s an opportunity to channel my thoughts and see where that half of me came from and what made me today,” said Debra Carter, a business major.

See HISTORY, page 6

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NEWS

February 17, 2011

NSSE: Student engagement survey ...Continued from page 1

Students were asked questions from five different categories. These categories include everything from an assessment of the academic challenge students are experiencing to questions on the involvement of students outside their classes. In 2009, CSUF scored low in two categories: Enriching Educational Experiences and Student-Faculty Interaction.

What are these large professionalsounding categories? To put it plainly, Enriching Educational Experiences includes out-of-classroom educational ventures such as internships and cocurricular activities (organizations, campus publications, student government, etc.), and Student-Faculty Interactions includes students attending office hours and asking professors about assignments and grades.

Jason Schneck, a senior economics major, can understand these shortcomings.

“I’ve never really taken interest in too many things on campus,” said Schneck, a commuting student who works almost 30 hours a week. “Now that I’m a senior and graduating, I don’t really see the point.”

Schneck does not feel that participating in co-curricular activities would provide him with anything of value.

Schneck did not participate in the survey.

“I just dismissed it because I don’t check emails on my CSUF email,” Sch-

neck said. If he had known the importance of the survey he would have made sure to take the time to fill it out. He suggested the survey be conducted over another medium of the CSUF website, such as the “To Do List.”

Tyler Fichbeck, a junior theatre arts major, does not fully understand the lack of involvement by students.

“In the Theatre Department there is a huge sense of camaraderie, and we all work on these huge projects together literally all semester,” said Fichbeck. “You’re doing hours that you didn’t even think you had.”

Given the opportunity, Fichbeck would have taken the time to fill out the survey. He sees the lack of involvement throughout the rest of the campus and can understand the need for change.

“It’s kind of like ‘do your work, go home,’” he said.

According to Sullivan, deans, department chairs and Student Affairs leaders have begun discussing how to alter policies based on the shortcomings of 2009’s survey and will begin to implement them in the coming year.

Even though it is not a colorful gram from President Gordon, Sullivan assures students it is for their benefit.

“The survey provides information about the experiences of students and provides a foundation for future decisions that will affect the student experience at Cal State Fullerton. It is an opportunity to help the university understand how the student experience aligns with what the university expected those experiences to be,” Sullivan said.

FOR THE RECORD It is the policy of the Daily Titan to correct any inaccurate information printed in the publication as soon as the error is discovered. Any incorrect information printed on the front page will result in a correction printed on the front page. Any incorrect information printed on any other page will be corrected on page 2. Errors on the Opinion page will be corrected on that page. Corrections also will be noted on the online version of the Daily Titan.

Please contact Editor-in-Chief Isa Ghani at 657-278-5815 or at execeditor@dailytitan.com with issues about this policy or to report any errors.

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DTSHORTHAND Apple Cashes in on Subscriptions

Courtesy of MCT This year’s Front & Center concert will feature the award-winning music group Earth, Wind &Fire at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The band’s appearance will raise money for the CSUF President’s Scholars program.

The elements take center stage Earth, Wind & Fire will perform to help raise scholarship funds at CSUF MARITZA VELAZQUEZ Daily Titan

The Honda Center will be transformed into a “Boogie Wonderland” Saturday as legendary multi-Grammy Award-winning Earth, Wind & Fire take to the stage at Cal State Fullerton’s annual Front & Center event in Anaheim.

The concert puts the university in the spotlight and supports CSUF’s President’s Scholars program, which awards four-year scholarships to incoming freshmen.

“Earth, Wind & Fire is a legend in the music industry.

Their caliber is really keeping in the tradition of talent we feature in Front & Center,” said Ryan Smith, associate director of Marketing and Communications in CSUF’s University Advancement Office of Major Events.

The group, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, originated in the 1970s with a new brand of pop music that integrated various styles including jazz, funk, soul and more.

Between 8,000 and 9,000 people are expected to pack the Honda Center Saturday, Smith said.

The opening act will feature performances from 18 CSUF musical theatre majors and this year’s Orange County Titan Award winners Bette and Wylie paying tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire.

Abby Hankins, 20, who is among the 18 selected, is thrilled to perform before such a large crowd. It’s an opportunity that most college students probably wouldn’t otherwise get to experience, she said.

“It’s one of my favorite things we do here because it’s firsthand pro experience,” said Hankins. “It’s truly a magical experience to share the stage with a band as influential as Earth, Wind & Fire.”

The fundraising goal of Front & Center is to raise $100,000 for academic scholarships, Smith said. A black-tie dinner and silent auction will take place before the concert begins. Since its inception in 1996, the event has provided more than 400 scholarships, he said.

“This event is actually a community outreach event,” Smith said. “The purpose is to raise the visibility and exposure of the university in Orange County and to cultivate ‘new and prospective supporters of the university.’”

Jo Etta Bandy, a CSUF alumnus and donor, has been involved with the event’s advisory committee for 10 years now.

“I think it’s not just about CSUF, it’s about the students,” said Bandy. “The students are spotlighted and are at the heart of this event in terms of performances and fundraising.”

Tickets are still available and range from $39.50 to $89.50 for arena concert seating and can be purchased online at Fullerton.edu/FrontAndCenter.

PARKING: A day in the life of a campus parking officer ...Continued from page 1 Much to the dismay of commuting students, signs have been posted in some of the parking structures saying that drivers are not allowed to stop their vehicles in the roadway. This is typically done to stalk departing drivers for their parking spaces. Following a warning, many will wait for parking officers to leave so they can sneak around and try again. Another known move is to borrow disabled persons’ license plates.

“If you don’t start off cynical, you start becoming cynical as you do the job because you get lied to a lot,” Orr said.

But the humble Orr doesn’t often get angry. He knows the consequences of taking things personally, and he tries not to do so.

Being human, however, Orr is sometimes glad to give tickets or boot cars when people are giving him attitude or trying to take advantage of

his initial kindness. Likewise, there are times when he feels guilty for doing his job.

Once Orr had to boot a car owned by a girl who had received a few too many parking tickets. While she went to pay them, her friends casually mentioned to him that she had cancer but couldn’t take medication because of her pregnancy.

Then there are the odd and bizarre occurrences that Orr has witnessed.

In one instance, a car had parked too far into a space and smashed a drainage pipe. Instead of changing spaces, the driver had simply left the car where it was and walked off. Orr and campus police searched the car for information on the driver and found marijuana and drug paraphernalia. It was assumed the driver was high during the collision.

Twice Orr has caught people having sex in cars parked on campus. Of the uglier things to be witnessed, Orr watched someone commit suicide by diving off a ledge. By the time it was called in to police it was too late.

No doubt, many students will express disappointment with the increased parking permit prices. David Smith, a fifth-year business finance major at CSUF, said he is disappointed with the increased parking permit costs, but also understands the justification due to the new structure.

“I’ve been to other campuses; our (parking tickets are) double the price,” said Smith.

Kalena Hookano, a second-year kinesiology major, chose not to buy a permit this semester. She either parks off campus or uses an OCTA bus.

“I didn’t want any more tickets; I was over it,” said Hookano.

According to Orr, state law dictates that state funds cannot be used for parking. No permits and no tickets mean no spaces. Given permits, there must be enforcement.

“No one’s going to live or die depending on whether or not I write that ticket. But at the same time, we are a necessary part of the way the school runs,” Orr said.

Apple announced Tuesday it has launched a new subscription feature through its App Store. iPhone and iPad users will now be able to purchase subscriptions to services like Rhapsody and Netflix directly on their iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. When a service is purchased through the App Store, Apple will forward the subscription to the publishers and take a 30 percent cut in revenue.

Along with this condition, Apple has stated that all links to sell the same subscriptions anywhere other than the App Store will have to be removed or offered at the same price.

The announcement of Apple’s new venture has left publishers in dismay. While the digital content and market share Apple has to offer is ideal for struggling publishers, many publishers have expressed upset with these restrictions.

In a quick move to aid publishers, Google announced the launch of a rival subscription service Wednesday.

Google One Pass is a payment system that allows publishers to set the price for their digital content, which can be accessed afterward on any computer, tablet or mobile phone, even if using a different browser or app.

One Pass lets providers keep 90 percent of revenue from their sales with Google. Publishers will also retain control of consumer data from digital sales, which Apple will not provide.

Brief by Jeanette Casteneda

U.S. Intelligence is Left in the Dust The speedy pace of Middle East protests and regime changes has left the United States intelligence community baffled and scrambling to stay on pace with events.

According to the Los Angeles Times, analysts were not able to predict when events such as the Egyptian protests and regime change would occur, even though they had extensive reports on the political and social climate in the region.

In the last year the CIA wrote more than 450 reports that expressed concern for the repressive regimes and lack of personal freedoms in the Middle East region.

However, these reports did not make any predictions as to what sort of events could trigger mass protests in countries like Egypt and Tunisia.

Tunisia’s former president Zine el Abidine ben Ali’s departure is what reportedly set in motion the wave of protests that spread to Egypt and other countries in the region according to the LA times.

In response to the lack of foresight by the CIA, they have put together a 35-member task force in order to research and analyze trends on social networking websites.

CIA Director Leon Panetta told the Committee on Intelligence that there is a “massive amount of data” to sort through.

Panetta added that there are over 600 million Facebook accounts and 195 million Twitter accounts, and that 35,000 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every day.

Brief by Keith Cousins

February 17, 2011

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LUNAR: New Year’s Festival promotes culture and family through activities ...Continued from page 1

NURAN ALTEIR / For the Daily Titan Carol McDoniel, the associate director of Titan Student Union, discusses an item at the Committee of Services meeting. To the left of her is Andrea Willer, director of Titan Recreation.

Committed to serving students on campus Committee of Services discusses the future NURAN ALTEIR

chair for services on the Titan Student Centers Governing Board.

Borden said she hopes the surThe Committee of Services voted vey will help make student services Wednesday to recommend closing more relevant to students’ lives and the Titan Student Union Under- better fit their schedules. ground to the public on October 14 “We’re looking for students to refor a Gamma Phi Beta fundraising spond so we can hear their voice and event. get their opinion,” she said.

After a few minutes of discussion During the committee, memthat included questions about how bers noted that many students don’t many students could be affected by know what services are offered to closing the Underground, mem- them, like late-night studying in the bers voted on TSU. the item four to In addition zero. to closing the According to Underground, Bowl and Bilthe committee liards Manager also reviewed Ken Maxey, not TSU and Stumany students dent Recreation come to the Center operatUn d e r g r o u n d ing policies at to study at the We d n e s d a y ’s time of the meeting. planned fund“Every year raiser, 6 p.m. to we go through midnight. the policy to During the make sure . meeting, Dithey’re accurate rector of Tiand up to date,” -Annora Borden tan Recreation Willer said.

Vice Chair of Services, Andrea Willer The commitTSC Governing Board commended the tee also reviews sorority presithe policy to dent for requestensure it’s uning the Underderstandable for ground so early students. because stuFor the first dents who time ever, the may want to committee reuse the Underviewed feedback ground at that time can be notified cards submitted in the Student Recin advance. reation Center.

“The sorority has put on the same One comment in particular menevent for at least four years, and in tioned the rough towels offered the past two years the sorority re- through the free fitness towel serquested the area a week or two be- vice.

“I know we’re buying cheap fore the event, pressuring the board to make a decision because the so- rough towels, but it’s because people rority already invested in the event,” steal them,” Willer said. “I would be concerned with buying more expensaid Willer.

The recommendation will go to sive towels.”

Willer went on to say that bethe governing board for voting next cause there isn’t a control system week.

According to the acting chair of in the Student Recreation Center, the committee, Annora Borden, the many towels are lost and, as a remost important agenda item was sult, cheaper quality towels are purthe development of a survey about chased.

One committee member restudent services, a project she will sponded to the feedback by saying, personally head.

“We’re dedicated to reviewing the “This person needs to bring his own information so we can provide the towels.” The feedback cards are anbest possible service to students,” other way the committee is trying to said Borden, who is also the vice get to know what students need.

For the Daily Titan

We’re looking for students to respond so we can hear their voice and get their opinion

Contact Us at news@dailytitan.com

“The New Year is all about family,” he said. The rice cakes, also known as nian gao or “new” cake, predict that “you’ll do better next year and have success.” Nguyen said that the rice is also a reminder that their relatives “didn’t have much to begin with.”

Students were encouraged to try their luck with games such as Bau Ca Tom--lucky chess--a red envelope dice game or Plinko, but because of campus regulations on gambling they weren’t allowed to use real money, Nguyen said.

Some students tried their hand at origami, creating sharp-eared rabbits in celebration of the Year of the Rabbit. Above them hung red and purple lanterns symbolic of “lighting the way” for the New Year, Nguyen said.

Around halfway through the celebration, the stage erupted into a traditional lion dance. Nguyen said the lion dance, along with loud firecrackers, is meant to scare evil spirits away, according to ancient myth.

The lion dance is often mistaken for the dragon dance, but unlike the lion dance that requires only two people, the dragon dance requires many participants.

The lion dance is performed by two dancers who, through elaborate costume and kung-fu-like movements, “imitate the characteristics of a lion.” Jacky Do, 19, a civil engineer major, performed the dance along with Danny Nguyen,19.

Do said the three-minute routine requires lots of stamina and good posture acquired through stances, running and condition-

MARK SAMALA / Daily Titan Students participated in many different activities at the Lunar New Year’s celebration. The event drew a large crowd and showcased a lion dance, in which two dancers donned an elaborate costume and used kung-fu-like movements to imitate the characteristics of a lion.

ing. There are lots of styles performers can adopt, from traditional to freestyle. Today they performed a Malaysian style sequence. For Vitello, the lion dance was a highlight of the festival, as

he had only seen it on TV. This year the New Year fell on Feb. 3. Nguyen said it is usually a three-day celebration spent with family and friends (however, it is not uncommon for the festivities

to last up to two weeks). She said they chose to celebrate it later on the CSUF campus so it wouldn’t interfere with family celebrations and also to include the university community.

Becoming a permanent force in the CSUF community The Titan Tusk Force meets to discuss ways to spread unity and pride throughout campus FRANCES LEE Daily Titan

Thirty students trudged into the Titan Student Union Wednesday for the weekly Titan Tusk Force meeting to discuss and organize fundraising for campus events and philanthropies.

The Titan Tusk Force mission is to spread unity, pride and teamwork throughout the campus community through social events open to all students during the year.

After only three years of being an active campus club, the TTF has doubled game and event attendance. The most popular of those events is the athletic tailgate parties that feature music, free burgers and sodas, and exciting games.

The TTF promotes an open-door policy for their meetings and welcomes all interested students who wish to be involved in campus events.

“In high school, I was involved in student government and cheer. I like TTF because to me it combines the two,” said Kayla Coriaty, the events coordinator. “CSUF is considered to be a commuter campus, and a lot of people find it hard to get involved. But at TTF you can walk in and immediately get included in the planning and execution of school events.”

Coriaty explains the program will work one of the tables at the upcoming softball tailgate on March 16. There are 16 games throughout the semester, and each student who attends can swipe their TitanCard to accumulate points for prizes and promotion items. These items can range from pom poms to sunglasses, headbands and T-shirts.

The TTF also fundraises for their philanthropy called Camp Titan, which busses underprivileged children in Orange County to a week-long trip to Big Bear during the summer.

VyVy Vu, 19, the marketing coordinator, climbed on a table to reach the whiteboard to write down the ideas while members shouted out options. Some brainstorming ideas included a win-a-date competition and student car

FRANCE LEE / Daily Titan The Titan Tusk Force meets to organize fundraising for campus events and philanthropies. Titan Pride is always number one on the agenda; members are constantly thinking of new ways to promote school spirit throughout CSUF.

wash.

“It’s never too late to get a sense of Titan Pride,” said Vy. “It is a great place to meet friends and socialize while getting involved in hands-on planning and not just sit here and listen to us talk.”

Vy, a business marketing major, updates the TTF Facebook and Twitter account and uses her skills to build a strong following both online and in person. By announcing events at clubs, personally inviting members of all Greek houses and passing out fliers on the Spirit Walk on campus, TTF has since doubled attendance at games and events.

TTF is also a great place to socialize and meet new people on campus.

“It is really important to look back at your college experience and not only be proud of your education, but the people and connections you made along the way,” Coriaty said.

The meetings are also designed to incorporate socialization among members with ice-

breakers and games. New members are quickly introduced to other members and immediately invited to participate in working the tables at the events. With approximately 1,300 members on the TTF email list, members meet and form friendships immediately.

“Everyone is really friendly and have an unconditional love for all the programs on campus,” said Taylor Delgado, a freshman pre-business major. “I was a little shy when I first joined TTF, but that has definitely been shattered after playing the icebreaker games during the meetings and working with other people during the events.”

Delgado first got involved in TTF during the student life organization last semester and most enjoys the tailgate parties because of the camaraderie and getting excited for the games.

The next tailgate is March 16 for the women’s softball game against Pacific University.

TTF meetings are held every Wednesday at 5 p.m. in TSU Gabrielino.

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OPINION Frisk Me

February 17, 2011

Fullertoon: Students these days BY SEAN LEFLER

by CHARLOTTE KNIGHT

“Let’s Get Personal”

Parental advisory suggested “I told you so! I was right and you were wrong!”

You have no idea how long I have waited for the bright and dignifying moment where I can look my parents straight in the eyes and say those exact words.

Please note: They are the coolest people in the world.

And no, I’m not saying that because they might have found this column and decided to read it religiously (Heaven help me).

I say that with utmost sincerity.

They don’t embarrass me in public, they make great conversation with my friends, they don’t freak out when I tell them I’m going on a date and they give me a lot of leeway when it comes to my social life.

After the first 18 years of raising me to be a decent, law-abiding citizen, they were ready to let me spread my wings and learn life’s lessons on my own, sometimes the hard way.

In other words, they have willingly cut the umbilical cord and let me put on my big girl panties all by myself.

So when I bring a guy home and they have a legitimate reason for not approving of him such as, “He’s doing nothing with his life,” I strongly take their opinion into consideration, and chances are that relationship will go nowhere.

“That’s not very fair,” one of my ex-boyfriends said.

“If two people are in love, it shouldn’t matter what anyone else thinks.”

Of course, this was coming from a guy who, at the time, had no car, wasn’t looking for a job and wasn’t going to school.

If he wasn’t hanging out with his friends—who would have to willingly pay for his food if they were all going out to eat—he would be sitting in his room fiddling on his computer all day.

And that’s what our dates consisted of: me driving to his house 20 miles away and sitting on his bed in his cramped room.

All day.

As much as I love my super cool parents, it’s humiliating when their 99 combined years of life experiences prove me wrong.

However, my ex-boyfriend did make a valid point—the wrong guy or girl for someone else may be the right one for you.

You’ll never know until you give it a shot.

But if people you know very well and trust with your life are giving their personal input—even if you don’t like it—you might want to think twice about brushing them off, especially if they’ve been right in the past.

Even my 15-year-old sister, who’s not supposed to know squat about men until she’s 40, said about a recent ex, “He’s weird. I don’t have a good reason for not liking him, but I just don’t, okay?”

As it turns out, the guy she was speaking of had no shame in whipping his junk out and stroking himself in front of one of my friends and me because he got turned on watching us play the game 1 vs. 100 on Xbox Live.

And so ended another disastrous relationship.

Thank goodness.

If I learned anything from that ordeal, it’s that not only do I need to trust my own instincts, but it would be a good idea to also trust the instincts of those closest to me.

Yes, Mom and Dad, if you haven’t noticed already, I will be talking about sex in my column.

Please don’t think anything less of me, you super cool parents, you.

And even though you have always been right, thanks for never once saying, “I told you so.”

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To write or not to write? That is the question Mandatory writing requirements help students learn to communicate clearly and effectively FLOR EDWARDS Daily Titan

Philosopher John Dewey once said, “Anyone who has begun to think places some portion of the world in jeopardy,” and consequently, “We only think when we are confronted with a problem.” I think what he was trying to say was that in order to have a true impact in the world, one must learn to think deeply. And since we’re all in the institution of higher education, I’m assuming that somewhere along the line

we all want to have an impact. Dewey maintained that democracy was to be obtained by ensuring a fully formed public opinion through effective communication. In order to communicate effectively, each individual must have the capacity to organize his or her thoughts, which can only be accomplished through the critical thinking skills acquired by reading and writing.

To be honest, I was a little stunned when I heard that there was opposition to mandatory writing requirements.

Since I grew up in a cult, I was raised in an environment where I wasn’t allowed to read, write or even think for myself.

When I enrolled in college I read a novel for the first time. I was prompted to write an essay, and I was overcome with the sheer liberation of learning to articulate my thoughts through writing. For me, it wasn’t a duty or an assignment; it was a privilege. We live in a country where we are bombarded with the idea of freedom. Dewey said, “We naturally associate democracy, to be sure, with freedom of action, but freedom of action without freed capacity of thought behind it is only chaos.”

Perhaps our obsession with freedom of action inhibited by the lack of freedom of thought has resulted in a world of

chaos. Is there such a thing as freedom, and if so, how do we obtain it? Antoine De Saint-Exupery said, “I know but one freedom, and that is the freedom of the mind.” Perhaps in our attempt to define freedom we are creating barriers that limit our thinking.

For me, freedom means having the ability to think for myself, and if I’m lucky I’ll come across a professor who forces me to sit down and articulate those thoughts through words.

Freedom is not a contest of who can speak the loudest or most eloquently, but rather who can think the deepest and most independently.

FEATURES

February 17, 2011

dailytitan.com

For Your Health: Multivitamin nutrition

by KAMY WEST

JOHNNY LE / Daily Titan Students in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute - CSUF program look through their textbooks during a chorale class session.

Continuing class for the retired The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute provides education for elderly

JAMESON STEED Daily Titan

In an area less traveled by Fullerton students sits the Ruby Gerontology Center. Students may have an occasional class there, but unless they are housing residents probably do not go there often. Yet, located there is one of the most enjoyable learning experiences witnessed on campus. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute - CSUF, originally Continuing Learning Experience until 2001, was started by Leo Shapiro and a group of others because they had just retired but wanted to stay active.

OLLI President Dave Musante, whose office is decorated with paintings from a recent OLLI auction, spoke on why he recommended education continuation.

“Intellectual stimulation, socialization and exercise is what professionals say are ingredients necessary for a happy retirement and keeps one in the right spirit, enjoying life,” said Musante.

He brought up earlier that day when he found a man who was walking around the building. He asked him a few questions and handed him the blue book full of info about OLLI and

was certain he would be a member.

The classes initially would take place at only certain times of the day, but since OLLI now boasts 1,100 members, the schedule is as recognizable as our own college schedule of signing up for a class during a certain day and time. There are over 90 courses offered every semester for the members. No degree, no grades, you just go there to learn and socialize. Members can take courses on computers, creative writing, politics, art and languages. The tuition per year is $225 and with that, members can go to any classes they want.

One of the most popular classes is watercolors. Along with other art classes, the members held an auction to raise money for the center.

Joyce Ono, the vice president of programming, remembered a recent class fondly.

“This past fall in a conversation with a relatively new OLLI member, Ellie Monroe, I shared that I was contemplating taking the new ‘Learn to Play Guitar’ class because it didn’t require that you know how to read music.

This conversation led to a new class on ‘Learn to Read Music’ that Ellie subsequently planned and is offering,” said Ono. “I was a complete illiterate and discovered how difficult it is to read music. I have a greater appreciation of the skills it takes to be a musician.

It requires hand-eye coordination to convert symbols for notes into coordination to produce the notes, math to coordinate timing, and memory to decipher all the ‘codes’ that are in the notation of musical scores. It is truly a ‘foreign’ language that requires handeye coordination.”

The mood in each classroom is joyful as they discuss movies, paint or learn computer skills. On this week, a few classes were solemn as a beloved member and teacher of a few classes had just died the week before.

Recently, the OLLI-CSUF charter program came about. CSUF professors give their own time to go over and lecture while OLLI members come to campus and lecture. They have had a career’s worth of experience in certain fields that could be followed by students preparing their own careers in that field. The members also have a program where they usher the home baseball and basketball games of CSUF. One thing most members brought up while speaking to current CSUF students (who probably do not have retirement anywhere in their minds) is that it is something to look forward to.

“Trust me, it goes quick. It is something to look forward to when you retire,” said Dennis Fassnacht, vice president of OLLI Communications. “I’ve been busier here than I’ve ever been.”

There is a vast market for multivitamins on the shelves now, and vitamins can get expensive to buy.

It would be helpful to know which ones are worth my money and which ones will be most beneficial to maintain a healthy body.

How do we know the vitamin will perform its function the labels say it is supposed to?

There are many factors that help to build up a body’s healthy immune system to keep it functioning throughout the day.

With processed foods and chemicals being sprayed on our fruits and vegetables, it can be frustrating and confusing as to what we should be putting in our bodies to build a functioning, healthy body and immune system.

Kinesiology major James Maynard, 24, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, says to look for an organic multivitamin, to avoid chemical additives.

He also specifies that if a woman wants to bear children, she should look into a vitamin with folic acid because it will prevent birth defects like spina bifida, which is a defect that involves the incomplete development of the spinal cord or its coverings, and will also prevent Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular diseases.

“The most important vitamins that a body needs to function is vitamin B, which is what you find in meat; vitamin D, which is easy to get from 20 minutes of sun; and iron,” said Maynard.

He explained that if you were a vegetarian, you would need to substitute vitamin B for meat, and that you would also need to take an organic multivitamin.

Another helpful tip from Maynard: If your joints are sore, it would be beneficial to take cod liver oil.

Darany Hoang, a nutritionist at the Health Center at Cal State Fullerton, says there are specific marks for age groups and gender.

“You need to look at the content of the vitamin label. Women who are pre-menopausal need a multivitamin with a lot more iron in it. Women that are between the ages of 21 to 31 and want children need a mul-

tivitamin with 100 percent folic acid,” said Hoang.

Hoang explains that if you are concerned you are not getting enough iron, then you can have tests run to asses your nutritional intake here at the Health Center to see what you are lacking.

“One should asses their nutritional intake. If you are eating a balanced diet you may not need a multivitamin,” Hoang said.

Chris Portillo, a certified nurse working in the field of nutrition at the Vitamin Shoppe in Mission Viejo, explains the need for a raw multivitamin is important because of how chemically engineered and processed our food is today.

He said the One A Day multivitamin has starch added to the pill, which slows down the absorption rate in the blood stream, which is especially important when it comes to age.

“As you get older, the body’s absorption rate slows down,” said Portillo.

He also stresses the importance of taking omega-3s.

“The omega-3s are very beneficial to the human body. They help with the heart by reducing sudden death by heart attack, and they help with brain function to improve concentration and memory,” Portillo said.

“It improves your health and the appearance of your skin, and also helps to keep the nails strong as well as keeping hair healthy and shiny.”

Chuck Rudolph, a nutritionist consultant and the CEO of Metabolic Response Modifiers, explains that nutrients in food do not exist anymore.

He says minerals get cheated out of food and struggle to get absorbed in the body.

Some of those minerals are calcium, magnesium and zinc, and the body needs the amino acid chelate.

“Chelate allows the minerals to stabilize in the stomach and cradles the minerals into an organic form so they can be easily absorbed into the body,” said Rudolph. “The resulting chelated structure is small enough to be absorbed intact so that the mineral is protected as it enters the intestinal tissue.”

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February 17, 2011

FEATURES

Student attempts to Art gallery curators join break World Record together for career help Richard Green, English major, aims to break record for creation of the largest bead mosaic KATHLEEN ROSELL Daily Titan

In 2010, 64 Irish children broke the world record for the largest bead mosaic, creating a 72-square-foot 410,000 bead mosaic.

Today Richard Green, a junior English and Japanese major, is attempting to break the record with a mosaic of more than 500,000 beads.

“When I was young, everyone watched those TV shows where kids are trying to break world records. I never grew out of that mentality,” said Green. “I just started this project on a whim and never really realized how big it was going to be.”

The first part of the mosaic was done just for fun. When Green had finished the mosaic, he realized how big it was. He researched how big the world record was and decided that he would try to beat that.

“It is a very ambitious project,” said Connie Cheng, a friend. “I saw it and never thought that I could do anything like that. The fact that he is so persistent and determined to complete the project is really impressive.”

Green’s first mosaic had been of Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai’s “Great Wave off Kanagawa.” He then chose two more works by the same artist, “Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife” and “Kirifuri Waterfall at Mount Kurokami in Shimotsuke Provence.” The first two are both 100,920 beads, while the third is in color and will be 200,840 beads.

“Since I am a Japanese major, I wanted to do something that incorporates my major,” Green said.

Green calls this a very childlike arts and crafts project that he has stepped up to an adult level. He takes the pictures, edits them, then draws the pictures out in pixels.

He then matches the colors of the

beads to his pixel drawing. He uses plastic beads and lays them out on grids. The grids are then laid out on panels; each panel is about 16,000 beads. It takes an hour to do 1,000 beads. The pictures slowly take shape as the thousands of beads are put together. However, sometimes there are setbacks.

“I have knocked over at least 15,000 beads that I had to then redo,” Green said. “When I knock over a couple thousand beads the project kind of goes on hold for a little bit because I don’t want to go back and do it all over again.”

Green researched what had to be done to break a world record.

He contacted the Guinness Book of World Records and declared he was attempting to break the world record. He had to explain in detail what he was attempting to do. They responded and explained how to be the newly recognized record holder.

He has to keep a journal, detailing his expenses and his process of creating his 120-square-foot mosaic.

He will then have to display it in public for at least a day, then an official will have to come out and measure the components. When everything is verified he will be sent the world record.

“I have never considered myself an artist. If I can say I have a world record in art, maybe then I can say that I am an artist or consider myself one,” Green said.

Green hopes to have the project done by March. He will then try to find a place where he can display the mosaics for people to see.

“I have no doubt that he will break the record,” said brother Bryan Green, 28. “He is the most stubborn creature I have ever come in contact with and if he says that he is going to do it, he will do it.”

When Green is finished he intends to frame the mosaics and hang them on his wall, hopefully next to his world record.

Society of Museum Associates club assists museum enthusiasts and art appreciators AMY LEADBETTER Daily Titan

The Society of Museum Associates (SOMA) is in the process of being revived! They are calling all museum enthusiasts, art appreciators, aspiring curators and anyone at all who is interested in pursuing a career in an art gallery or museum.

SOMA is currently made up of those working in the field of, or aiming to partake in, museum and/or gallery domains. In 2010, the Arts Inter-Club Council awarded SOMA “Group of the Year.”

Their members help promote and facilitate exhibitions and art galleries on campus. They stay up to date on related topics through lectures, field trips, workshops and art gallery events.

SOMA works with the university to maintain and repair the sculptures that are scattered around Cal State Fullerton’s campus and ensure their proper upkeep.

Cassandra Erb, who has a BFA in

“SOMA is a great organization for students with ambitions to work in a museum.”

- Mike McGee Exhibition Design and Museum Studies professor

painting and is currently working at getting her MFA in exhibition design says, “We put together a conservation report about what has to be done and see if we can get funding through the art department to restore any glitches in sculptures.”

Erb says that SOMA’s Monday meetings are generally students sharing experiences and group discussions that consist of planning possible guest speakers and future art shows to attend.

styleWatch

They are always open to new ideas.

Alyssa Cordova, president of SOMA, has a BFA in sculpture. She worked at Grand Central Art Center for six years where she was a curator and public relations manager.

“Most people go to school then establish a career,” said Cordova. “I did the opposite. I got a profession first and loved it and then decided to go back to school and get my master’s in exhibition design.”

Cordova admits that she doesn’t have the same ambition that a lot of studio artists have. Although she does art on the side, her real passion is putting her creativity to use while planning and designing art shows and helping young artists.

“SOMA is a great organization for students with ambitions to work in a museum,” said Mike McGee, professor of Exhibition Design and Museum Studies and adviser of SOMA. “The students schedule guest speakers and interact with professionals in their same field of interest. There is so much rich content you can learn from these speakers.”

SOMA is sponsoring an upcoming workshop called “Get Your Shit Together” (GYST), hosted by Karen Atkinson, president and founder of GYST: An Artist Run Company. She is also the co-editor of Artists At Work.

They urge anyone to come to the workshop, especially artists who are wanting to learn about the professional side of how to market themselves and their work, or those interested in learning how to get gallery shows.

The workshop will take place on Saturday, April 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The location is to be announced.

You can visit Gyst-ink.com for more information on what to expect at the workshop. SOMA meets the second Monday of every month from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. in Room BA 107. For more information, or further inquiries, please contact Alyssa Cordova at alyssacordova@csu.fullerton.edu.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Students reflect on a historical February holiday ...Continued from page 1 With Black History Month, memories of past and current struggles are visited, and it is a time to reflect and rejoice. Blacks have contributed so much to this country, with inventors such as Garrett Morgan who invented the first traffic signal and Patricia Bath who created a laser-based device to perform surgery so blind people have the ability to see. The list goes on.

Black History Month has a designated timeline, but is it recognized?

“Being an African-American male, Black History Month is very important to me because there is so much that African-Americans have done for the country during slavery and after that we do not get enough credit for,” said Marcus Brown, 21, a junior business major.

Students feel that black history is not celebrated enough, and people tend to lose the theme after February.

“It reminds me of the struggles that African-Americans have gone through in our history, and we are not taught enough about it. We are only taught a small portion in our history classes,” said Lorena Lopez, a human services major.

“I feel Black History Month has not been given as much attention as it should. I feel throughout the year it should be something that people bring attention to and have focus on,” said Itzel Marquez, an art major.

This month is dedicated to Black History Month.

“We are all here for the same reason: to get an education. When we work together we can make a difference.

We want a better future and we are not reminded of their struggles, and if we were we would appreciate what we have a little bit more,” Lopez said.

We take time to understand the meaning of Black History Month, and yes it is only a month. Black history is American history and should be celebrated year-round.

Contact Us at dtfeaturesdesk@gmail.com

ALNAS ZIA / Daily Titan

Dwayne Mason Jr., an animation major, believes “fashion is the easiest (form) of expression.” He is wearing a thrifted blazer from Goodwill, which he embellished with a DIY safety pin design.

Style Watch will feature photos of some of the most stylish and trendy looks sported by the students on campus. So whether you consider yourself the vintage queen or king, or a trendy fashionista, you never know when our Style and Fashion expert might spot you anywhere on campus!

See what CSUF students think about Black History Month

ONLINE

EXCLUSIVES dailytitan.com

Students share what Black History Month means to them.

See more at Dailytitan.com/ blackhistory/

Scan to view

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us tell your story

The Daily Titan wants to hear your stories and tell them for you.

If you have, or have heard of, an interesting circumstance about a fellow student or staff member or know someone on campus who has undergone hardships, has a strange job or a quirky pasttime or is working toward a unique goal, let us tell their tale.

We welcome any stories.

Send letters to the Features Desk at dtfeaturesdesk@gmail.com or tweet at Twitter.com/dtfeatures.

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February 17, 2011

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Sudoku

Sudoku brought to you by dailysudoku.com

Taurus (April 20-May 20) All the action goes on around you, seemingly without your input. You’ve laid the groundwork well, and benefit now without lifting a finger.

4

Gemini (May 21-June 21) You wake up with a plan.

Movement creates income. How can you communicate that to others? Show how today’s work fits into the flow.

1 4 7 9 6 3

2 8 6 3 5 9

3 1 2 5 8 4

9 2 3 4 7 5

5 7 8 1 4 6

4 5 9 6 2 1

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2010. All rights reserved.

5 9 2 8 4 6 1 3 7 4 3 1 5 7 9 6 2 8

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) As much as you want to maintain balance, you also have creative input that changes the direction of the project. Get practical later.

Southwestern Law School invites members of the CSUF student body to a special event on our campus.

CSUF DAY AT SOUTHWESTERN Friday, February 25 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Southwestern Campus 3050 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90010 For more information or to reserve your spot on the bus, contact Aissa Canchola at asboardchair@fullerton.edu

by Monday, February 21.

Attendees riding by bus should meet on the North Side of the Titan Student Union, by the Alumni House, at 8:45 a.m.

Map and directions to Southwestern: www.swlaw.edu/directions

Daily Sudoku: Fri 3-Sep-2010

8 9 3 5 8 8 7 3 4

6 2 5 7 6 2 3

1

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2010. All rights reserved.

1

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Don’t allow your pet project to languish over the weekend. Complete your part before you consider taking off and relaxing.

6 9 5 8 3 7

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Plan extra time with a favorite person to discuss feelings and make an important decision. An older person plays a big role.

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(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2010. All rights reserved.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Any time spent with your favorite person fills you with joy and helps you deal with a major challenge. Allow yourself to play.

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hard

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Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) If you want to get out early today: work creatively, avoid gossip and handle priority one first. This will confidently disappear your worries.

6

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Cancer (June 22-July 22) Life comes into balance when you express your desire to travel. Your partner jumps on board, and the two of you sail off into the sunset.

5 9 6 2 1 2 9 4 2

Daily Sudoku: Fri 3-Sep-2010

Aries (March 21-April 19) Get creative at work and in social situations. In both cases, communicate your feelings as clearly as possible. Ease off on the gas.

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SPORTS

February 17, 2011

TITANS: Baseball expects to make a trip to Omaha

With March Madness just around the corner East Coast hopefuls expect to win title

...Continued from page 1 “We’re excited to get going,” said Anthony Hutting, a sophomore outfielder. “We’ve put a lot of work in this year and are ready.”

After finishing first in the Big West last year, expectations amongst the players are quite high.

“It feels like we are ready,” said Walker Moore, a senior utility player.

“I’m just tired of playing each other.”

Even after losing the talents of first-round draft pick, All-American Christian Colon to the Kansas City Royals at the end of last season, the Titans are still poised to be a major contender thanks to a strong returning cast and another impressive offseason recruiting class. The Titans will begin the season ranked ninth in the nation on both the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association the USA Today Coaches polls, and 8th by Baseball America.

Nineteen players make their return this year for the Titans, three of them starting pitchers. Led by junior ace right-handed pitcher Noe Ramirez (whose 12 wins and 119 strikeouts were both tops in the Big West Conference last year) and sophomore Dylan Floro (with an ERA of 3.26 and opponents’ batting average of 2.81), the team looks as strong as ever.

New recruit and true freshman Michael Lorenzen looks to make an impact right away this season for the team. After skipping a chance to turn pro with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Fullerton High School graduate will be one to keep an eye on this spring.

A transfer student from Cerritos College, junior infielder Joe Terry who ranks 91st on Baseball America’s Top College Draft Prospects, looks to fill the hole in the infield left by Colon.

The strength of the Titans, though, definitely rests on the team’s wellrounded pitching staff. Along with both Noe and Nick Ramirez, juniors Tyler Pill and Jake Floethe and sophomore Floro look to dominate the mound this season. Both Pill and Floethe made Baseball America’s Top 100 College Draft Prospect list.

“I’m mostly excited about our pitching,” said Moore. “With Jake, Pill and Noe it’s going to be tough on our opponents.”

East Coast heavy favorite in NCAA

ELLIOT COOK Daily Titan

JONATHAN GIBBY / Daily Titan Sophomore infielder Richy Pedroza sprints to steal third base in the Alumni game.

Opponents this year look to truly test the Titans. After a short homestand in February, the Titans will take to the road, squaring off against preseason top-ranked Texas Christian University.

In March CSUF will quickly roll into Baton Rouge for a three-game series against the always formidable Louisiana State University Tigers.

This season will also see two games against last year’s postseason spoilers, UCLA - one at home and one on the road, though not all trips this year look to be so intense.

Fifth-year senior and right-handed relief pitcher Raymond Hernandez is looking forward to all the traveling.

“Hawaii is going to be nice,” said Hernandez.

Contact Us at dtsportsdesk@gmail.com

With a win in the Alumni game and a handful of scrimmage games under their belts, the baseball team has their target set on making a return trip to Omaha, Neb. for a shot at their fifth national title.

“We have the team that can do it,” Hernandez said. “With a little help, little luck, hopefully we can finish off what we were doing last year.”

The Titans open the season on the road against rival Long Beach State 49ers in a non-conference game on Friday.

Their home opener follows the next day with a doubleheader against the North Carolina Tar Heels at noon and another faceoff with Long Beach State 49ers at 6 p.m. at Goodwin Field.

The NCAA basketball ranking systems don’t mean a thing. FACT. The last No. 1 team to go into the tournament and win it all? Duke, in 2001.

Last year, we had a Kansas team that looked without a doubt the best in the country lose in the second round to a mid-major squad named Northern Iowa. That’s why when you hear who is No. 1, don’t listen.

This week the “No. 1” team Kansas went to rival Kansas State and got beat up. I am here to tell you who the two best teams in the nation are, and why.

The first best team has to be Ohio State. Led by super freshman and Player of the Year candidate Jared Sullinger, OSU has been the best team in the country since Duke went down (more on that in a minute).

Sullinger has been a double-double machine and a perfect match for the upper classmen. Seniors Jon Diebler, David Lighty and Dallas Lauderdale have all won in their careers. Pairing them with junior William Buford is a solid base to make a run in the tournament. The one problem could be at point guard, where they start freshman Aaron Craft. After losing to Bo Ryan’s Wisconsin squad this weekend, they dropped from No. 1.

But this is currently my favorite to win it all. They have the depth, the great defense, and Craft isn’t much of a weak link, other than he hasn’t played in March before.

The other team that could challenge? The Duke Blue Devils. The No. 1 team coming into the season, Duke is the best team hands down when healthy. But they won’t be until stud freshman point guard Kyrie Irving comes back healthy from a toe injury. He recently started working out again and should be good to go within two weeks. The Blue Devils have been there and done that, trying to repeat after winning

JONATHAN GIBBY / Daily Titan Titan redshirt junior forward Orane Chin in hopes for another shot at the Big West crown.

last year. Seniors Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith are big-time players and both can carry this team during stretches. The problem here is in the paint. Duke is a soft team and isn’t very deep down low. This could cost them in March, but people thought the same last year. If Irving is back to 100 percent, they are my pick to win it all.

Enough about the East Coast teams, the Pac-10 is rebounding a bit after their horrendous year last year. Although the Washington Huskies did make the Sweet 16, the league was a joke nationally.

This year the Arizona Wildcats have looked solid, led by sophomore Derrick Williams. They are a very deep team and any time you have one big-time player that can take over a game by himself, you are a player in March. See: Stephen Curry, 2008 when he carried Davidson to the Elite 8.

Washington and UCLA are both solid teams in the Pac-10. UW is ter-

rible on the road, but in March that won’t matter much because games are held at neutral sites.

UCLA is a solid team that doesn’t have one big-time player, but both teams could win a game or two in March.

Lastly, the Big West. Ah, the Big West. Our own Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball team gave their fans life after beating first place Long Beach State and second place UC Santa Barbara.

Since then, they lost two home games within the last minute of game time.

Both games they should have won, as they held solid leads in both.

This is the type of team that could get hot in Anaheim for the Big West Conference Tournament and make the NCAA Tournament.

They have the big men to dominate a game, but the Titans can never seem to get the whole team on the same page. Until they do that, I don’t see them going too far.