Daily Titan April 7, 2011

Vol. 89 Issue 33

April 7, 2011

Graduation candidates line up for Gradfest

Baseball’s Big West honorees ..........................10

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Day one of ASI voting

Planning for club success at CSUF

Candidates step up campaigning as students begin to vote in the 2011 elections

Blueprints workshop enables students to make the most of their organization

WILLIAM CHEN Daily Titan

Students lined up to vote as polling assistants cried out from the booths to compel students to vote for the Associated Students Inc. candidates for fall.

The candidates for ASI president and vice president are Eric Niu and Jay Jefferson, Aissa Canchola and Megan Martinez, and Brian Martinez and Taylor Edwards.

Throughout campus, these candidates set up tables with T-shirts supporting the respective candidates. Niu’s group wore custom red T-shirts with the slogan “Something New” printed on the front.

Canchola set up next to Niu with white T-shirts and signs that said “Vote 4 Aissa and Megan.” Martinez and Edwards had campaigning shirts as well.

In addition to the president and vice president candidates, the arts, business economics, communications, engineering and computer science, humanities and social sciences, and natural sciences and mathematics were represented on the ballot as well.

Students gathered around the ASI voting tents and were excited to voice their opinions on the best candidate.

See ELECTION, page 2

WHAT’S INSIDE CAMPUS Social Justice Summit is coming to CSUF ........................................2 VOTE View a map of polling places for the 2011 elections ........................................4 OPINION Radiation levels: Are they a cause for alarm? ........................................6 INTERNATIONAL Studying in Paris as a Cal State Fullerton student ........................................8

SABRINA PARK Daily Titan

JOHNNY LE / Daily Titan Students on campus lie down next to a giant cardboard representation of the national debt to illustrate the magnitude of the debt and how it affects students today.

Dealing with national debt Student activist group Young Americans for Liberty displays a 48-foot sign to raise awareness FRANCES LEE Daily Titan

The Cal State Fullerton chapter of the Young Americans for Liberty, a group of college-level freedom activists, displayed a 48foot sign against the Clayes Performing Arts Center illustrating the nation’s current debt, which is $14,240,657,381,369 and is growing by the day.

YAL is trying to create a dialogue with students and spread awareness of the debt that students

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Clift. “California is only getting screwed by foreign expenditures.”

YAL states that raising taxes is not responsible and blames the media for glorifying politicians that raise taxes without cutting the debt.

“This debt is out of control and it is a result of taxation without representation,” Clift said. “People are basically born into debt and having to pay taxes that they weren’t represented for.”

YAL points out that the majority of the debt stems from the federal Department of Education, Medicare and Social Security, and

war costs.

“Currently there are over 10,000 American troops stationed in England, 50,000 in Germany, 30,000 in Japan and 25,000 in South Korea,” Clift said.

Many students stopped to stare at the number in disbelief and questioned where that number came from.

Daniel Garcia, a senior kinesiology major, was deeply appalled by the large debt but rationalized where the money is being spent.

See DEBT, page 3

Alternative means of transportation Skipping the frustration of parking and gas JULIA GUTIERREZ For the Daily Titan

Students of a commuter campus are familiar with parking woes, bad traffic and continually increasing gas prices.

While many Cal State Fullerton students have said they experience

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must deal with after graduating and acquiring jobs.

According to YAL, the government debt is “harmful because it raises interest rates and it crowds out private investments from the bond market instead of private companies, which in turn will not be able to afford to hire employees.”

“Currently, California taxpayers receive only 80 cents back on their dollar, compared to New Mexico and Mississippi that receives over $2 for every dollar they pay in federal taxes,” said Western State University Chapter President Gerald

Get up-to-date coverage on top campus news stories at DailyTitan.com/ DTN34711

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these troubles every time they come to school, some avoid them by riding the train and bus to get to campus.

Joshua Padilla, a liberal studies major who has been riding the Metrolink for four years, said using public transportation to get to school can be beneficial. Padilla takes the train from Riverside to Fullerton.

“Avoiding traffic and being on time for class and with time to spare (are benefits),” said Padilla. “If I were to drive, I might be stuck in traffic while putting miles on my car and might be so late it might be a waste of time coming to school.”

Padilla said when he takes the train he gets to his destination faster than he does when driving; however, when problems occur with public transportation, the inconvenience can be frustrating.

“Sometimes there are accidents on the tracks that cause us to not meet our destination and may make us really late,” Padilla said.

The increase of the fees for the train have also become somewhat of a problem for students.

Convenience isn’t the only consideration when deciding whether or not to use public transportation on a daily basis.

See COMMUTE, page 7

Courtesy of Sarah Ellman Senior Sarah Ellman, center, stands with a couple of her teammates from the Spirit Squad at a Titan basketball game.

Dancing for new heights Two-time captain expresses love for center stage ASHLEY LOERA Daily Titan

After four years of taking center stage at Cal State Fullerton basketball games and headlining Florida dance competitions seen

all around the world, the last performances before the looming day of graduation are a bittersweet affair for senior dance captain Sarah Ellman.

“Being on a competitive team, you don’t realize what you have until it’s done. It’s an excitement that I’ll never get to feel again …

Cal State Fullerton club members attended a Blueprints workshop Wednesday to discuss requirements and procedures for reserving campus facilities.

The workshop, held in the Titan Student Union, also gave members the opportunity to certify their official CSUF clubs, a prerequisite to be able to make reservations. “(You attend) Blueprints in order to use our campus resources. You can do things like rent basketball courts for your club, and you have to get blueprinted to rent rooms in the TSU,” said Albert Ferranco, a history major.

Various students from different clubs were present for the meeting.

“I’m the webmaster for PDSA (Psychology Department Student Association),” said Jeremy Gray, a psychology major, who said he was in attendance at the Blueprint meeting to be able to reserve “rooms for meetings and the (PSDA) awards ceremony.”

Maame Agyeman, a pre-nursing major, represented three separate clubs at the workshop.

“I’m in three clubs: Afro-Ethnic Student Association, I’m the VP of that, (treasurer of) Sistertalk and Black Student Union, where I just got appointed the chair. Sistertalk is a club for women of color to meet up for peer counseling and advice. It’s a way to connect with other students of color,” said Agyeman.

See CLUBS, page 2

and it’s really hitting me that it’s over,” said Ellman, 21.

Ellman is the second-year reigning captain of the CSUF Dance Team and has spent the past four years of her college life dedicated to national competitions and school spirit.

The thrill of the performance was what first brought her into the light of the center stage.

Like any other 8-year-old girl longing to be a beautiful ballerina, Ellman chose dance over swimming, gymnastics and the many other possibilities that were available to her.

After taking everything from jazz to hip-hop classes, she was hooked. “I just loved dancing. It’s more of a kind of free expression compared to competitive sports,” Ellman said.

And she wasn’t the only one involved. Her family also joined in her passion with dance by enrolling her in the classes, going to performances and supporting her every step of the way.

“I’ve done a lot of dance stuff throughout the years. I was a team dad, set up sound equipment …

My wife and I always participated. If it wasn’t doing some of these things, we were in the background,” said father Karl Ellman.

After dozens of dance classes and competing in middle school, Ellman made the senior dance squad in high school as a freshman and was one of the youngest members on the team.

See ELLMAN, page 10

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NEWS

April 7, 2011

Social Justice Summit

CLUBS: Blueprint for event planning ...Continued from page 1 Room reservations for all meeting spaces in the TSU - including booking for the Garden Café - are managed by the University Conference Center and can be secured up to 14 months in advance, said Carmela Gomez, event planner.

The TSU regularly hosts different kinds of club events, including weekly meetings, talent shows, dances, awards presentations, concerts, guest speakers and poetry functions.

Clubs who want to organize larger events are encouraged to meet with an event planner.

Though the campus facilities are available at no charge, extra fees for TSU managers, custodial staff and public safety may be included, Gomez said.

For example, if a club wanted to reserve a room on Saturday, the club would need to hire a manager, for $11 an hour, to be present during the event, as the TSU is not staffed on Saturdays.

The Public Safety Department determines if a particular event would require their presence, Gomez said.

Rooms can be reserved up to six months in advance at the Student Recreation Center. The Harvey McKee Fitness Studio, Martial Arts Studio and Dance Studio are also available for booking.

Reservations can be made by filling out and submitting a form to the UCC, SRC or Titan Pride Center. It

takes as long as three days to process the request, so reservations can be made a minimum of five days prior to the event.

Eric McDanel, a graduate assistant of the Student Life Programs and ACE Programs, spoke at the workshop about Titan Pride Center services and regulations that campus clubs must follow while promoting their clubs and hosting events.

According to McDanel, all banner, flier and chalking areas must be approved by the TPC, and all clubs must have an ASI Agency Account in order to prevent any members from taking money from the club’s account for personal use. “(It’s) a rigorous process to get funds out—it’s good checks and balances,” said McDanel.

The Blueprints workshop ended with a brief on the ACE Program, a co-curricular learning experience for students, in which students can get involved with a number of activities intended to assist them with future employment.

“You would come back at the end of the year or semester, and we would help you articulate those skills in an interview setting,” McDanel said.

There will be two more Blueprints workshops April 29 and May 2 before the end of the semester.

For more information regarding reservations, contact the Student Organization Resource Center in the TSU at 657-278-7622 or visit the website at Fullerton.edu/studentlife.

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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CYNTHIA RODRIGUEZ Daily Titan

WILLIAM CHEN / Daily Titan Polling stations like this in front of McCarthy Hall allowed students to vote for the ASI candidate of their choice with ease. Students have the ability to utilize these stations on campus or their own personal computer to cast their ballots.

ELECTION: Students cast votes for ASI candidates

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Workshops and resource fair to teach students how to make a change in society

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The Daily Titan is a student publication, printed every Monday through Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSUF System. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. The Daily Titan allocates one issue to each student for free.

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...Continued from page 1 Cecilia Peredia, a junior psychology major, was going to class from the Pollak Library when she spotted a voting booth outside the library.

Peredia went to one of the candidates’ meetings and was motivated to vote.

“I think voting is important because that’s the only way my voice is going to be heard,” said Peredia.

“I saw the booth here, so it was very convenient.”

Kelly Pederson, a sophomore child and adolescent development major, sat in front of McCarthy Hall while waiting to vote in one of the booths.

“I think it’s important (to vote) so that you can pick representatives that will have a voice for you,” said Pederson.

Pederson simply wants to be represented in the ASI Elections and feels that students missing this opportunity could be detrimental to the college.

“If (students) don’t vote, then someone who isn’t right for the job could get there and things could mess up,” Pederson said.

Pederson believes especially now

WILLIAM CHEN / Daily Titan Students stopped by polling stations between classes to cast their electronic ballot. Polling stations will be open all over campus from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday.

with the budget cuts, students need to be more involved with the student body representatives of ASI. Two polling assistants were available at each station to encourage and help students to vote. These as-

sistants began setting up and operating at 8 a.m.

These avid supporters of ASI constantly invite students to take a minute to vote for candidates that will represent them in the fall.

Chanelle Veltre, a sophomore art history major, strongly believes these elections matter.

“I think it is as important as voting for your country,” said Veltre.

“As your country, you have the duty and also a right to voice your opinion and change things. As a student here, it’s the same thing. They’re paying for it and they have a voice and it needs to be heard.”

Veltre said the students make up the school and sincerely wants the students to be heard and represented correctly.

Students can vote today online at Asi.Fullerton.edu under the first link of “News You Can Use,” titled “Vote in the ASI Elections!” After Thursday, the ballots will be closed.

Cal State Fullerton students passionate about local, national and global injustices can get together with other students equally concerned with the issues of human rights at the seventh annual Social Justice Summit organized by Students Advocating Civic Transformation.

The event will take place at the Titan Student Union April 16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free to everyone who wants to discuss their ideas on how to make a difference and get involved through the workshops and resource fair.

Workshops There will be 26 workshops designed to educate students and empower them to change the communities they live in.

Students will have time to visit two of the workshops after the opening speaker and another two after the free lunch and resource fair.

Resource Fair Both campus and community organizations will allow students not only to get to know what their group stands for, but get involved in their community.

Speakers The opening speaker will be captain Paul Watson. According to the Volunteer and Service Center website, he has been a part of Sea Shepard Conservation Society, “the world’s most active marine nonprofit organization” for the past 34 years.

Jamie Kilstein will be the closing speaker and is a known free speech and political activist. He co-hosts Citizen Radio with Allison Kilkenny. Kilstein considers himself a comic and brings humour into serious topics.

Students ACT There are six project directors in charge of the Social Justice Summit who have been planning it since the fall.

Amy Mattern, the coordinator for the Volunteer and Service Center, said it is very important to be educated in issues happening in the community in both a local and national level.

Carolina Franco, 19, a photo-communications major and one of the project directors for the Social Justice Summit, thinks it’s great that CSUF would allow them to host an event like this.

“It’s important to inform students about issues going on,” said Franco.

“Students don’t have time to keep up with news.”

Karen Kidd, an American studies professor, was glad to hear the event was “still moving forward.”

“It’s important for many reasons,” said Kidd. “The situation we find ourselves in personally and politically in this moment of time, we need to become activists.”

“If Not Me Then Who?” Every year the Students ACT comes up with a theme for the Social Justice Summit, and this year it is “If Not Me Then Who?” Carolina said she wants students to think, “If I don’t do anything, who will?”

April 7, 2011

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Live Entertainment Panel Professionals speak at the Entertainment and Tourism Club event

Panel members gave tips on breaking into entertainment and answered student questions.

JESSICA DRUCK / Daily Titan The Entertainment and Tourism Club hosted its first Live Entertainment Panel.

The panel included (from left) Nederlander Concerts Talent Buyer Michael Rogers, Across the Universe Public Relations Founder Ashley Eliot, Orange County Performing Arts Center Executive Director Richard Stein and Arts Education Director Pat Wayne.

The event was designed to give students the opportunity to “get their foot in the door.” Students asked questions about the industry, got informational interviews and exchanged business cards.

ETC hosts many of these meet-andgreet events designed to educate students.

For full coverage, visit DailyTitan.com.

DEBT: Activists display the national debt in provocative terms ...Continued from page 1 “The money is going to protect our country, families, lives and freedoms,” said Garcia. “But if it is useless spending, it pisses me off.”

Ruth Prendez, a senior child development major, said she felt duped, cheated and gypped by the government because this number was not open to the public.

“Why don’t we know about this?” said Prendez. “I’m upset that they are taking my hard-earned money and that I was unaware of this information.”

YAL collected over 53 signatures of interested members mostly inquiring about information regarding how to address and compound this debt.

“We are as students struggling to find jobs, and when we graduate we are already in debt,” said Patrick Ryan, a senior business major. “We need to be aware and get involved, and one of the ways is to contact our congressional representative.”

Ryan, president of YAL, also pointed out that YAL was founded

by Republican Rep. Ron Paul in 2008, who is also announcing his plans of running for president by the end of this month.

“We want people to walk away with the realization on how big the debt is and the spending of the government,” said Jesse Narveson, a senior philosophy major. “Students must realize that government spending has consequences and those consequences are very real and the spending is unsustainable.”

By the numbers The figures below illustrate the national debt. The rate of growth is alarmingly high.

25 %

Percentage of United States GDP from Federal spending.

$44,667 In debt per every man, woman and child in the United States.

$3.8 billion The amount United States debt rises, on average, every day.

SOURCE: Cal State Chancellor’s Office, CSUF Public Affairs

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N. STATE COLLEGE B

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Where to Vote (Official Polling Locations) CORPORATION DR.

By the numbers

DORM EXPANSION (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

GYMNASIUM DRIVE

STUDENT RECREATION CENTER

Voter turnout in previous ASI elections has been very low. Below are the numbers from spring elections of 2010.

2,189 Number of students who voted in the spring 2010 ASI election.

Official Polling Location

37,765

Number of students enrolled at CSUF in 2010.

TITAN STUDENT UNION

E PARKING

Official Polling Location

I Official Polling LocationPARKING

COMMONS

VISUAL ARTS

ARTS DRIVE

CLAYES PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Official Polling Location

QUAD Official Polling Location

F PARKING

McCARTHY HALL

NUTWOOD PARKING STRUCTURE

Official Polling Location

MIHAYLO HALL

FOLINO DR.

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April 7, 2011

5.8 %

Percent of students at CSUF who voted in the spring 2010 elections.

SOURCE: ASI Elections Office

FOR THE RECORD EAST SIDE PARKING STRUCTURE

April 5, 2011: In the column entitled “What About the Debate Stood Out Most to You?,” the photo accompanying the quote by Narine Mehrabian is incorrect and is of Markese Freeman.

The picture accompanying Markese Freeman’s quote is incorrect. The student depicted is Ryan Alhandeff.

The picture accompanying Rosie Jimenez’s quote in the column entitled “Do You Know What ASI Is and What It Does?,” is incorrect. The student depicted is Narine Mehrabian.

NUTWOOD AVE. COLLEGE PARK

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OPINION

April 7, 2011

by KURT TELLEZ

by CHARLOTTE KNIGHT

“Read ‘em and Weep”

Dear Sacramento,

“Let’s Get Personal”

Darling, love what you’ve done with the place.

I see schools closing, prisons opening and it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

I’m proud to be a slut be more rational and think with their brains instead of their vaginas, must control their hormones in a conservative manner, lest they are married, or at least in a committed long-term relationship.

Oh, puh-lease! What is this crap society’s trying to spoon-feed me?

I’m not going to go home and hump my pillow or masturbate in secrecy. I’m going to have sexual intercourse with a man and enjoy it, goddamn it!

I have just as much right to have raging, out-of-control hormones as men do.

When I feel like I’m going to burst a few days before my happytime-of-the-month, I’m not going to go home and hump my pillow or masturbate in secrecy.

I’m going to have sexual intercourse with a man and enjoy it, goddamn it!

And when I want it, I have it with a man who legitimately cares about me and who I can trust: in all cases, good friends with benefits who insist on using a condom every time and will actually text me to see how my day is going— not to ask for pictures of my tits.

If my only option for the month is some random guy off the street, I know well enough to refrain.

I respect myself enough to save the energy for someone who is man enough to respect me and my feelings. That’s right. I try to come off like I’m tough shit, but I can lose control of my emotions just like any other functioning female.

(Doesn’t happen often, though.)

Guess what, guys.

We’re human.

It’s in our animalistic instincts to feel compelled to have sex. It’s not immoral. It’s not wrong. It’s how both men and women are naturally designed.

If I want to go out and have sex, then by George, I’ll do it and won’t let anyone slap the big scarlet letter “S” on my ass for everyone to see and judge me for.

The only requirements I set for myself are that I protect my partner and myself at all costs, and that I fully understand that every decision I make is for me.

And if that’s what it means to be “slutty,” then I have no shame in being just that.

5

Literature of Life

Frisk Me

According to my old high school boyfriend during our sophomore year, I was a slut for having romantic feelings for my math tutor—a fellow student, president of the Fencing Club, the sweetest young man everyone liked and got along with, and only a couple years my senior.

SLUT. Hearing that ambiguous word directed at me -- then, the innocent virgin who freaked out at the thought of moving up the ladder from frenching to second base -- was the equivalent to having a needle pierced through my heart and being bitch-slapped across the face.

As I have sexually matured and finally got around to losing my virginity at the ripe old age of 18, I can now say I understand the meaning of “slut.”

I am a walking depiction of the word that was originally used against me to hurt and embarrass.

“You are NOT a slut,” my friends will tell me.

When they hear “slut,” they think of the negative connotation they’ve been so used to associating the word with: a woman who has promiscuous sex with every man she sees, a woman who thinks dressing trashy is fashionable and sexy, a woman who is desperate for attention from anyone, etc.

It certainly is a horrible definition of my character.

The word, defined by UrbanDictionary.com contributor “undertheinfluence,” means, in layman’s terms, “A woman who sleeps with many men.”

His example of the definition was, “The difference between a slut and a whore is a whore wants something in return, a slut does it just because she likes it.”

In that case, I would be lying if I said I didn’t lean more toward the “slut” end of the spectrum.

The only thing I have asked from a man in return for sex is if he would say my name during the act.

That’s not prostitution—that’s me really getting into it.

Hence, I like it.

But I guess it still sounds bad.

However, according to contributor “Laura,” the word has a negative definition and a positive one.

A “slut” is either: “A girl who has sex but does not enjoy it, who is used by guys and lets them do it,” or “A girl who likes sex, so she does it. She probably is not in a relationship, and she equalizes herself to guys by treating sex the same way they do.”

“The difference between the two examples of what society labels as ‘sluts’ is that one has selfrespect, the other does not,” she writes.

“Laura” my dear, you nailed it!

(Pardon the pun.)

See, supposedly men can have all the sex they want, and it’s generally socially acceptable because men naturally are horny bastards who can’t control themselves.

Women, who are supposed to

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Educated minds?

Courtesy of MCT

Is there such thing as brainwashing?

People don’t know they have grown up in a cult until after they have left it FLOR EDWARDS Daily Titan

The first time I heard the word “brainwashing,” I was probably sitting on a smooth, wooden bench with my hands tucked underneath me.

The walls were white and bare.

The curtains were closed.

I had a habit of sitting on my hands to keep myself from picking the skin on my cuticles. Sometimes I did it out of habit, sometimes I was told to so I had no choice.

There were people all around me, but names and faces became a blur at this point since there were so many people living in the compounds.

When you grow up in a cult, you don’t know about it until after you leave.

A feeling of discomfort and restlessness started to settle in.

I wiggled and became restive.

When I finally left the cult, I continued to ask myself if there really is such a thing as brainwashing—if one person has the authority and power to take away another person’s ability to think.

My mind traveled to distant places, but my thoughts were interrupted when someone, probably an adult we know as a “shepherd,” asked me, “Did you grow up in a sect?”

They used to probe us with these kinds of questions just in

case we had a raid.

We were programmed to answer, “What’s a sect?” as if the naivety of our answer would somehow hide the odd fact that 100 foreigners were living together, crammed in a house surrounded by high walls in a Third World country.

Then they would tell us there’s no such thing as brainwashing, just in case anyone asked us if we were being brainwashed.

When I finally left the cult, I continued to ask myself if there really is such a thing as brainwashing—if one person has the authority and power to take away another person’s ability to think.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind,” and that succinctly describes how I feel about brainwashing.

The truth is, I never believed it.

If I had questions, I wasn’t allowed to ask them.

If I had fears, I was taught to suppress them, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have questions or fears. I had lots of them.

I wrote my first poem when I was seven years old while pacing around a hill of poppies in Phuket, Thailand.

It rhymed and questioned the existence of God, something considered blasphemous and punishable.

Even though I didn’t know what poetry was, I was fascinated with language and how words could be strung together to form sentences and how those sentences could be formed into questions and how those questions gave me the slightest inclination that I had within me a mind that was capable of thinking on its own.

Since I didn’t want to be punished, I kept my writings to myself.

Even though I was kept inside walls and trapped in an apocalyptic dogma, my freedom was knowing that my mind could never be controlled.

When I became aware of the power of the mind, I became an advocate for free thinking.

Now it takes me a long time to make decisions, but every time I make a decision I am exercising my free will, and that’s a privilege no one can ever take away from me again.

Talk about a dead-end street.

Exploitable labor on the other hand, that there’s an 1849-style gold mine.

While we’re on the topic, what’s to be done with those educators?

I say cut their pay to ribbons.

What kind of sick scum wants to tell people how to think and what to do for a living?

Strange days these days, I’ll tell you.

Stranger indeed is the case that many of my associates have to drop out due to rising tuition.

A delightful sight really, because poor people aren’t really people after all.

I say they need to be done away with entirely.

Anyway, on behalf of the next generation and myself, I just want to say thanks again.

My one hope is that you’ll have enough days left on this earth to see the future you are pioneering.

It will be more beautiful, more completely serene than any words can do justice.

Love always, Kurt Tellez

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Daily Titan welcomes letters to the editor.

All letters must include the sender’s first and last name.

Students must include their majors, and other writers must include their affiliation to the university, if applicable.

The Daily Titan reserves the right to edit letters for length, grammar and spelling.

Send letters to Isa Ghani, the Editor-in-Chief, at DTEditorInChief@gmail.com.

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April 7, 2011

OPINION

Courtesy of MCT

Should the US be concerned about radiation from Japan’s damaged power plant?

Japan’s natural disaster caused a lot of problems, but not for us ERIK AGUILAR For the Daily Titan

Ever since Japan’s nuclear meltdown, people have become afraid that radiation will affect our health.

Let’s get something straight: Japan’s radiation should not be a concern to us, not one bit.

Yes, there have been signs of radiation in the air, according to experts, but it is not close to being harmful to us.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the levels that have recently been detected are far below degrees of concern for Americans.

EPA works “to protect human health and the environment.”

Come on, think about it.

Do you all really think the EPA will let such a drastic health concern just slip away?

Radiation is dangerous, I must agree, but it should not be made into an exaggeration about its causes to us when its levels are harmless.

Our cell phones release more radiation than what these monitors are detecting in the air.

According to Cnet.com, in order for a cell phone to receive certification from the Federal Communication Commission, its specific absorption rate, or SAR

level, the measure of the amount of radio frequency, should be less than 1.6 watts per kilogram.

People are tripping about the radiation from Japan heading our way.

You all should be worrying about the amount of radiation you’re exposed to when you’re making a call.

People also are exposed to radiation from everyday appliances like the microwave.

Why not trip over that?

There is no need to freak out when there is no harm at all.

According to the California Department of Public Health, California has eight environmental monitoring stations testing for radiation.

One of these stations is located in Anaheim.

Radiation that has been found through these monitoring stations has shown that radiation levels are 10,000 times below amounts that could possibly cause health concerns.

If radiation becomes harmful, such agencies will notify us without a doubt.

Personally, ever since that catastrophe occurred I have not worried at all about the radiation.

I’m not going to start scream-

Contact Us at dtopinion@gmail.com

ing “wolf!” when there is no danger in the way.

The best thing anyone can do is simply stay updated with the news.

By far, there is no danger for us and if there is, just be prepared.

Sure, it does not hurt anyone

to be aware, which is good.

What is too much is the fact that people go chaotic over minuscule amounts of radiation.

Such small amounts that have very minimal impact to our health.

And even if such small amounts did affect us, it will take years until it can harm our health drastically.

Instead of us worrying about Japan’s radiation, we should be concerning ourselves about other things, rather than such a harmless issue.

Japan’s natural disaster is a reminder that it could happen here NICOLETTE GRANT Daily Titan

The 10,000-person death toll from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan stunned the world in

many ways. From the Red Cross to Cal State Fullerton’s Japanese Cultural Club, hands stretched out and hearts heard the call.

California heard the cries of the Japanese and responded both with aid for the ravaged country and fear for itself. While the storm skipped by our shores, we still had to sit and wait for the radiation to float across the world and contaminate our waters.

Americans, however, love to panic. We saw it with the swine flu and now we are experiencing it with radiation. Both of these

instances were epidemics and by reacting in such severe ways, illnesses are prevented. However, we would rather just run away screaming from an issue than actually take the time to understand its full effect.

Currently many people are afraid of tap water and turning to bottled water for a “safer” alternative. What seems an instinctual switch actually is purposeless when one stops for a second and examines the situation. Bottled water comes from springs and lakes and has not been re-filtered for radiation, thus the water is no safer.

Other products such as milk are beginning to show signs of radiation. Crops are beginning to be threatened too, with 420 Times warning about contamination in California’s multi-billion dollar marijuana crop.

What has to be the biggest concern, however, for the American people is not the slowly showing trickle from Japan, but the overall picture of nuclear power dependency and radioactive waves affecting our health.

Skip down the highway for an hour and you will run into two dome-like buildings called the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, otherwise referred to as S.O.N.G. Resting on a fault line by the ocean, plants such as these act as

an eerie reminder to the events in Japan. While these reactors are second generation reactors and built to withstand a 7.0 earthquake and 25 ft waves, there is reoccurring echo of “what if ” that can’t leave the minds of many Americans.

With over 250 plants spread out through America, many placed along coasts for the water generators to operate, this might be a fear the people are allowed to panic about.

According to Los Angeles Times reporter Shari Roan, there are two types of radiation: nonionizing and ionizing. Danger, however, only comes from ionizing radiation due to its ability to break down chemical bonds, which in the long run could turn into cancer. When exposure time is the most important factor, symptoms can change from hair loss to tumors in the central nervous system to even death, depending on the timeline.

When a nuclear plant explodes, the blast itself produces X-rays and gamma rays, which alone could have a lethal dose of radiation. Even though the nuclear explosions in Japan are not directly affecting us in a life-threatening way, it doesn’t mean that current awareness of the issue should be avoided. We need to look at Japan and learn from its misfortune so that we can prevent our own.

FEATURES

April 7, 2011

Visiting Russia as an exchange student

dailytitan.com

7

Tech Time

by ARVIN DANG

KATHLEEN ROSELL Daily Titan

The anticipation grew as the bus approached the Finnish/Russian border.

The bus full of exchange students all studying in Sweden was headed to a country where few of us had been before.

Getting into Russia is not easy for anyone, especially an American.

The Cold War may be over, but there is still hostility, and the communist mentality is still abundant in mindset of the older generations.

In order for anyone to enter Russia they must first have an entry visa. These range in price depending on which country you are from. An entry visa for an American citizen is roughly $150.

It can be tricky to get into Russia by yourself. I had heard about how hard it was, so when this trip came up I decided to go on the tour, rather than try and get into the country myself.

If you go on a sponsored tour, it is much easier to get into the country because they take care of all the paperwork.

All I had to do was fill out an entry visa application, which was three times longer than the application for the European students.

Europeans are asked their name, where they are from and why they want to enter Russia.

For me it was a completely different story. Apart from the Europeans, I also had to give my marital status, both of my parents’ names, every country I had been to in the last 10 years, where I have worked in my home country, where I have attended school, charities I have worked with, if I have any specialized training with weapons, if I have ever served in the military and any criminal history I had.

This was all to get a visa for a week trip with a student group.

Somehow, I was granted a precious visa to enter Russia. However, now that I had the visa, I now had to get into the country.

If music, photos and videos are our digital lifelines, it must be a hassle having to pack up and move each time you get a new phone or computer. Trust me, there’s an easier way.

KATHLEEN ROSELL / Daily Titan The Cathedral of the Resurrection in St. Petersburg is one of the most well-known monuments in the entire country of Russia.

The bus approached the Finnish side of the border. We got off of our bus and stood in line to get our passports stamped. This was to show that we were leaving the European Union.

We got back onto the bus and drove for about a half mile before we reached the Russian border.

For some odd reason there is a sort of no-man’s land between the Finnish and Russian borders. We once again were instructed to get off the bus.

We had been given entry and exit forms before this to fill out and have stamped when we entered and exited Russia.

This was sort of strange, considering that we had the visas, but these little papers were just as important.

We stood in line for a long time while we waited for the Russian border guards to take their sweet time going to their booths.

They were all very short, dominating Russian women who looked like they were going to pull out a whip and use it on anyone who got out of line.

Somehow we all got through passport control without any trouble. We had to wait for the guards outside to finish checking our bus with their bomb-smelling dogs.

With great relief, we were allowed to reboard the bus and move on our way toward our destination

of St. Petersburg. We had not gone far when the bus came to a stop on the side of the road.

The bus driver got off and had to show the authorities his documents that proved he had been allowed to enter the country legally.

We were allowed to continue.

Not a few minutes later, the bus was stopped again, and two severe-looking Russian officials got on the bus.

One of them went down the aisle barking the word visa at us.

When every person on the bus had shown her their visas, the two got off the bus.

We thought we had finally made it over the border when not a few minutes later we stopped again.

This time, however, it was for an under-the-table money exchange.

These people who claimed to have a better exchange rate for Russian rubles got on the bus and exchanged euros for rubles.

After that we were free.

Luckily, except for the extremely uneven roads and the traffic stop where the police tried to get money out of the driver by telling him that our bus lights were illegal, the trip was an amazing adventure where we got to tour the cathedrals and palaces and learn all about the old country of Russia and how it had changed over the last century into the country it is today.

Media: Amazon Cloud is a new service by Amazon which lets you store five gigs of music free online.

So instead of having to sync music across multiple computers, simply put, you can access your music so long as you have an Internet connection.

And if you have an Android smartphone, you can stream music directly to your phone using Amazon’s music application.

For a limited time, if you purchase an album through Amazon, they’ll increase your five gigs of space to a plentiful 20 gigs for an entire year.

Amazon’s service, while geared toward music, also stores photos, videos and regular files to help keep you in sync.

Contacts/Emails/Calendar: If you still transfer contacts one at a time from an old phone to a new phone, you’re doing it wrong.

Stop wasting your time and let Google migrate it for you.

If you’re already using Gmail, outside of email, use it as your global address book and calendar.

Then sync it between devices using Gmail’s free exchange service (Google.com/ mobile/sync).

Now whenever you add a contact or edit a calendar event, it will sync both online and across each of your devices.

It’s easy getting frustrated setting up a new phone or computer.

Instead, see what other cloud services like Amazon or Google are out there and can help do the work for you.

If you have a specific question, tweet me @arvindang.

COMMUTE: Exploring different methods of transportation ...Continued from page 1 As “going green” is promoted to slow down global warming, public transportation is often used as a way to reduce one’s carbon footprint.

According to Donald Barkley, a professor of environmental studies, using public transportation would be ideal if there was more of it and if it were more efficient in Southern California.

Even though using public transportation is urged by environmentalists, it’s not a foolproof method for reducing pollutants in the air.

Barkley said while emissions from gasoline like carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxide are harmful, diesel fuel and hybrid cars can be damaging as well.

“Diesel emissions may have greater carcinogenic effects … With hybrid cars there could be greater battery waste from recharging the car,” said Barkley. “They all have their good and bad points.”

In addition to improving air quality, using the train can help commuters save money. Gas prices have risen to $4 per gallon in many places. Everyone is feeling the pain, but those who ride the train and bus aren’t facing it as much.

According to MetrolinkTrains.com, a monthly pass for the Metrolink from the Riverside-La Sierra train station to the Fullerton train station is $194.75 for students, and for a 10-trip ticket it costs $71.25. From the Los Angeles Union Station to Fullerton, a monthly pass costs $188.50 for students, and a 10-trip ticket costs $64.25. While train tickets may seem expensive, students who ride the train say it is not as expensive as paying for gas. Rebecca Rozenstraten, a mathematics major, said she preferred riding the train to school.

“I don’t have to pay for a lot of wear-and-tear damage on my car,” said Rozenstraten. “It saves a lot of (gas money).”

The train programs used by students, like Amtrak and Metrolink, try to make riding the train an affordable

alternative to driving. According to the Parking and Transportation Services website, Metrolink offers a 10 percent discount on monthly passes and 10trip tickets to students. Amtrak offers a 15 percent discount on all rail fare to students. For those who drive to school and would prefer to drive, carpooling can be a good way to spend less.

According to Sara Barajas, a criminal justice major, she and her carpooling partner have found ways to keep a bit of money in their pockets.

“My roommate and I usually take turns using our cars; one week we’ll use my car and the next we’ll use her car,” said Barajas. “Whenever it’s my week to use my car I pay for the gas, and my roommate does the same on her week.”

In another attempt to save money, Barajas and her roommate split the cost of the parking permit. According to the Parking and Transportation Services website, the student parking permit for the 2010 fall semester and the 2011 spring semester was $220 a semester.

dailytitan.com/features

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April 7, 2011

FEATURES

styleWatch 1

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CSUF student studies in Paris, France ANDREA AYALA For the Daily Titan

When you’ve lived in Paris for three months, there are a few things you start to notice. Crepes? Not that popular.

Clubs? Kind of expensive. And there’s not a single person who still wears one of those cliche French mustaches.

I am a junior at Cal State Fullerton who decided to do “one of those study abroad things.” In January of 2011, I packed up my essential belongings and headed to Paris, France where I was to spend the spring semester (six months) living in a country thousands of miles away from everything I understood.

I didn’t know where I would live, I didn’t know what school I was going to and I was moving to a country where I would have to survive off the four and a half years of French I had accumulated. I was terrified.

Now, three months later, with an apartment settled, a school chosen and my French improved, I can safely say I’m beginning to really see what the French culture is all about.

Study abroad is one of the most popular ingredients to the college experience in the United States. Every year, thousands of college students (mostly juniors) travel all over the world for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Yet, at CSUF it is not as common. In the 2009-10 school year, approximately 150 students studied abroad out of the approximately 30,000 students enrolled. Of those who study abroad at CSUF, the least are done for semester or year abroad programs. This is despite the fact that there are affordable programs offered in English to France, Finland, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland and England, as well as those offered in other languages (like mine in Paris).

The cliche 1950s image of Paris being a romantic city with candlelit dinners in fancy restaurants, while French men play loud traditional music, is not what Paris is about anymore, if it ever was. Today, Paris is a fast-paced,

Courtesy of Flickr user niteseeker A group of students studying abroad visits the Eiffel Tower, one of Paris’ notable and most recognizable features.

bustling city with much more to offer than baguettes and cheese. History and modernity crash at every street, corner and building. Jazz clubs and performers are scattered all around the city. Fashion and health is a way of life, and people come from all over the world. It’s almost impossible to think of Paris without the influence of Arab cuisine. Every grocery store offers a variety of couscous options, and Arab kebabs are much more commonly eaten than crepes.

When I got to Paris, it was winter. Having grown up in Southern California my whole life, adjusting to this change was one of the hardest for me, almost worse than the time change. Friends I had made from the East Coast ridiculed my need to wear three sweaters in 40-degree weather, but it was something I never had to live with before. Walking, too, was a major adjustment. I had never lived in an urban environment; never had I missed my car more than the first few weeks I lived in my apartment and had

to go grocery shopping, apartment shopping and get all my paperwork together without a car.

It’s difficult to live in a country where your first language is not spoken. Although the French were mostly patient and understanding, there were many times where I was laughed at or just plain not understood. This can get difficult when you need to communicate something important, such as bank or school issues. It was exhausting to the brain at first to adjust.

Over time, however, I got used to the cold and was able to wear less layers. Now that it’s spring and the weather is warmer, my comfort level with being abroad has improved immensely.

I now have French friends and have found that to be the easiest way to integrate into the culture. And the walking has become a natural and extremely enjoyable aspect about living in Paris.

What I discovered was that living in California isolates us in our cars. We who are known as a friendly, healthy and nature-loving state hardly know

each other. Paris is different; walking is a way of life. Walking gives a person the opportunity to see people up close and experience the delicious smells of fresh-baked bread, chocolate and perfume every day.

What I’ve come to love about Paris are the little things: the warm sizzle of the long paninis sold all across town; the ancient, small and lonely streets that weave around the city; the fresh, bright colors of the fruit on fruit stands; the easy availability of delicious healthy meals at a relatively low cost; the immense interpersonality of not having to drive anywhere; and the general political awareness and involvement of the average Parisian (many more Parisians read and watch the news and vote than back home). Adjusting to a new culture can be challenging, but the lessons learned when overcoming that challenge are priceless. It can be scary to dive into the unknown, but sometimes you discover things about yourself that you never would have otherwise.

When life provides lemons, cayenne pepper and syrup ALNAS ZIA / Daily Titan

For Patricia Gonzales, 21-year-old English literature major, fashion is a risk that she is willing to take. She likes to play with patterns and colors and does not shy away from mixing stripes with polka dots. Her fashion sense is inspired by nature or anything that is around her, even a Starbucks coffee cup. She is wearing her sister’s scarf and thrifted shirt and tights.

1. Color blocking is a huge trend this season, and this outfit serves as a great example of color blocking done right. Pairing two solid colors is definitely eye-catching and can make a stylish statement.

2. A billowy blouse is perfect for spring but should be paired with skinny jeans or leggings to keep the outfit balanced.

3. Animal print is another hot trend to try for adding an edgy look to any outfit. Gonzales pairs a dressy top with animal print leggings for her signature “eclectic” style.

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!

Contact Us at dtfeaturesdesk@gmail.com

Students use the Lemonade Diet as a quick weight loss plan before summer ALTHEA WAGONER For the Daily Titan

With summer approaching, people are looking to slim down and lose their winter weight through extreme diet programs like the Lemonade Diet.

For a minimum of 10 days, the dieter consumes a lemonade concoction of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, grade B maple syrup and cayenne pepper mixed in 10 ounces of filtered water.

The person consumes 60 ounces a day, or at least six servings of the juice.

A saltwater flush is taken in the morning and a laxative tea is taken in the evening. Nothing else can be eaten.

The diet became well known when Beyonce Knowles appeared on Oprah and said she lost 20 pounds on the diet for the movie Dreamgirls.

Developed by Stanley Burroughs in 1941, the diet was created to release toxins and waste brought on by poor diet, lack of exercise and negative mental attitude. Possible benefits of the diet are said to help people lose up to 20 pounds, look younger, ease chronic pain and increase energy levels in 10 days.

Tiffany Wilcox, 21, a history major, was recently on the Lemonade Diet for 10 days.

“I did the cleanse to feel healthy and ‘clean,’ not to look for an easy weight-loss solution. I knew that weight loss was a positive side effect, but it certainly was not my motive. I would estimate that I lost between 10 and 13 pounds from the cleanse,” said Wilcox.

According to WebMD nutritionists, “the diet can be dangerous to a person’s health because it is deficient in all the essential nutrients: calo-

ries, vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fiber and fat.”

Significant weight is lost because of the minimal caloric intake. The average weight loss is two pounds a day.

According to the American College of Science and Medicine, it is unhealthy to lose more than two pounds a week.

Sometimes the dieters are focused only on the benefit of losing large amounts of weight, which defeats the purpose of the diet.

With most starvation diets, dieters tend to binge eat after ending the diet and gain back the weight they have lost.

Wilcox recommends the diet because of the positive effects she encountered.

“I feel much more energetic and significantly happier. It is a jumpstart to a change in lifestyle. The cleanse eliminates bad cravings and gives you assurance of your mind’s power over your body,” Wilcox said.

Wilcox had a pleasant experience with the diet, but other dieters have not.

Josh Bishop, 21, a theatre major, said, “I have a friend who tried it.

She said she passed out on the fourth day and woke up on her kitchen floor with a lemon in her hand. She quit the diet that day.”

There are alternatives to this diet when weight loss is desired for longterm results.

When choosing a diet plan, certain health factors must be addressed.

Darany Hoang, health educator at Cal State Fullerton, said, “A balanced diet with an intake of appropriate servings of all the food groups that is recommended for each person’s age, height, weight and physical activity should be considered.”

Hoang suggested creating a “MyPyramid profile” using the website MyPyramidTracker.gov.

The website will calculate the amount of servings and calories a person should consume and suggests a workout plan based on how the health-related questions are answered.

It also provides other resources in pursuing a healthy lifestyle.

9

April 6, 2011

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Horoscopes

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Daily Sudoku: Fri 8-Oct-2010

5 8 7 9 2 3

7 3 2 5 9 1

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

6

9 7 6 5 8 2 3 1 4 5 2 4 1 7 3 9 6 8 Daily Sudoku: Fri 8-Oct-2010

6

7

5

2 1 7 6 6 3 4 5 8

2 8

4

7 1 8 3

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

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Tell others how you feel, and listen to what they say. You may be surprised to find they’re on the same wavelength. Stay open-minded to their ideas.

2 1 6 4 8 5

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Everywhere you look, you find questions. The good news is that you have the answer. Your own intuition fills in the information gap.

These answers are greatly appreciated.

9 7 4 8 5 6

How To Play: Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9: and each set of boxes must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

6 5 1 3 4 9

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) All the information lines up for a group activity. Take time to collect materials.

Prepare carefully for messy or toxic ingredients. It’s worth it.

5

4 2 9 6 7 8

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Get your homework done before presenting results. Pay extra attention to facts that don’t seem to fit the picture. They turn out to be essential.

2 1 7 6 6 3 4 5 8 2 8 7 (c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2010. All rights reserved.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Work within your physical capabilities, and avoid excessive strain on joints and muscles. You have time to get it all done, so take it slow.

5 7 7 1 8 3

3 9 8 7 1 2

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Personal changes are possible when you elevate your thoughts above the ordinary.

Consider everyone’s feelings as you choose your own direction.

3 4 6

8 6 5 1 3 4

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) An active imagination can make work both a challenge and a delight. Each person contributes. Listening to the stories allows for understanding and insight.

3 9

1 4 3 2 6 7

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Although you understand why others want drastic changes, you may not be clear about how best to accomplish that. Begin slowly, to avoid unnecessary dents and dings.

4

6

very hard

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Your heart is in the right place today, and everything else will follow. Take the first step, and feel your way along after that. Love leads the way.

9

8 9 5 3 2 1 7 4 6

Gemini (May 21-June 21) You’ll probably spend time away from your ordinary work environment today. Pay attention to every nuance of your surroundings, so you can report back.

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Taurus (April 20-May 20) Your closest associates disagree over the public image you’d like to portray. Test a variety of presentations. That way you discover what works.

Sudoku

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Aries (March 21-April 19) It’s hard to keep your eye on the necessary changes, as your feelings are so intense.

Help arrives in the form of an associate who can be more objective.

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10

SPORTS

April 7, 2011

Rugby rips Waves

Baseball’s Pitcher and Player of the Week

ball back and simply play a smarter CSUF men’s squad of rugby.” beats Pepperdine by one game The Titans kicked the ball into posiWILLIAM CHEN Daily Titan

The Cal State Fullerton men’s rugby club won Saturday against No. 25 Pepperdine by one, 24-23.

Although CSUF lost to Pepperdine 20-19 in an earlier meet March 19, they came back prepared and strategized to pull them through for the win.

The last meet was heartbreaking since Pepperdine snapped the Titans’ undefeated streak and gave them their first loss since 2009.

The backline for Pepperdine in that game was the key for their victory but this game, the Titans were able to shut them down.

“What we did differently, I feel, was we played a bit more of a numbers game,” said Jonathan Anthony Arroyave, senior captain of the Titan rugby team. “We would kick it for better positioning knowing we would win the

tion strategically on the field.

Arroyave was brokenhearted from the last game but was mentally prepared this game to fight hard against the ranked Pepperdine squad.

Arroyave commented on Pepperdine’s formidable defense and how they needed to move the ball beyond their own field.

“We just played as if it were the championship game, and of course we didn’t forget the loss from the first match,” Arroyave said.

The forward pack played with intensity, setting the tone for the entire team.

“We all simply played our butts off,” Arroyave said. “We brought numbers to every breakdown and tackling was improved overall.”

The game-changer came when a penalty was given for the Titans to kick, giving them a one-point lead.

The backline of the team stepped up to anchor the team.

The team played a full 15-man rugby game and helped bring the Titans to a victory.

WESLEY RUSCHER Daily Titan

PAUL RUDMAN / For the Daily Titan CSUF back Joshua Lee gets tackled. The Titans gained vengeance on Pepperdine with a 24-23 victory after being handed their first loss in two years.

Contributing to wins over No. 24 UCLA and Big West Conference competitors UC Davis, Cal State Fullerton baseball juniors, first baseman Nick Ramirez and right-handed starting pitcher Jake Floethe, took home Big West Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week awards for last week’s perfect 4-0 Titan performance.

Ramirez’s success at the plate awarded him Player of the Week status for the week ending April 3. His bat led all Titans in hits (6), RBIs (4), home runs (1), total bases (9), average (.500), slugging (.755) and on-base percentage (.588). The southpaw slugger also scored a run in each of the four victories for the week.

In the second game of the three-game sweep over UC Davis, Ramirez cracked his third home run of the year in the 7-0 victory.

Ramirez’s 3 for 3 performance in the final game against UC Da-

vis helped propel the Titans to a come-from-behind victory to close out the weekend series.

Floethe’s outstanding performance on the mound Friday in the Titans’ conference opener against UC Davis garnered him the prestigious Big West Pitcher of the Week award, a first for the pitching staff this season.

“It felt good,” said Floethe. “It’s a really good honor for our pitching staff that has worked hard all season long.”

In the series opener, Floethe pitched eight scoreless innings and held UC Davis to just two hits, improving his team leading ERA for starting pitchers to a negligible 1.52 and overall record to 3-1 on the season.

“The defense turned four double plays behind me, which was huge,” Floethe said. “Great defense is always key to good pitching.”

The Titans look to continue their reign of terror through the Big West starting Friday at 7 p.m. at Goodwin Field against the No. 16 Anteaters of UC Irvine.

ELLMAN: Dancing for more than just school spirit ...Continued from page 1 Spending four years on her high school dance team and being captain the last two gave her the confidence to try out for a college team the summer of her senior year.

“I heard the CSUF team was amazing, and I didn’t really know what I wanted to do career-wise, so I thought that if I could be on a good dance team I could figure it out from there,” Ellman said. “It’s very competitive at the (CSUF) auditions, just the way that our coaches handle it, it’s very professional and competitive and kind of intimidating.”

Being only 17 at the time of auditions, Ellman decided to bring her dad to the auditions for guidance and support. “I went with her not only to drive her, but to encourage her. You try to tell them to do the best you can, because you don’t know who you’re go-

ing up against, especially at a whole new level from high school to college, but we thought ‘Well, let’s go for it and see what you can do,’” Ellman’s father remembered.

When Ellman first made the CSUF Dance Team, she was again one of the youngest members on the team. Over the course of four years she won three national championship titles and became captain of the team her final two years. “(The dance team) was very time consuming, but we grew as a family every year. It’s kind of like our own sorority; we saw each other at least three or four days a week. I don’t regret anything about it … We just made it happen because we all love being there,” Ellman said.

Working with a group of women that have become such a tight-knit family can be hard at times, Ellman admitted, as the transition between fun and focus can be challenging. But her

Contact Us at dtsportsdesk@gmail.com

determination for success and strong leadership skills are what bring the team together to consistently thrive.

“She is such a caring person and she’s such a leader. It’s amazing how she balances it together … She always gets the job done, but she’s always thinking about her teammates and what’s best for us,” said Melanie Bridge, Ellman’s teammate and friend of two years. “She has proven herself as a great leader, and I can honestly say 100 percent that everyone looks up to her in that way.”

Ellman plans to attend nursing school in the fall. She also hopes to continue her dancing career by trying out for professional dance teams with the Los Angeles Lakers and the probable Anaheim Royals, better known as the Sacramento Kings, this summer. With the teams being extremely competitive, she is going in with an open mind and high hopes, and CSUF can only hope that our future alumna dance captain becomes the next big Laker Girl.

Courtesy of Sarah Ellman Senior Sarah Ellman along with the other stars from the Dance Team earned their 10th first place National Dance championship this year.