2007 04 02

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Since 1960 Volume 84, Issue 27

Bad Boys, Bad Boys

Facing Hurdles

Campus troublemakers show up PAGE TWO in Cop Blotter.

Equestrian club getting low on Sports, p. 8 participants.

Daily Titan

Monday April 2, 2007

The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

Campus Upgrades Discussed

Fullerton and STDs: AIDS

Possible solutions to student issues were the focus of a CSUF summit.

BY Melissa Fitzgerald

Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

Approximately 280 people attended a campus summit where faculty, staff, students, alumni, and outside community members discussed how to improve Cal State Fullerton at the Titan Student Union.

The conversation was part of the first annual Access to Excellence event on March 21. The summit was one of many across the CSUs that was used to take input from the audience and converge it into a plan.

“It’s a system that just needs systematic planning,” President Milton A. Gordon said. “All 23 campuses can well look forward in participating in the development of new plans.”

After lunch and introductions, participants at tables spread throughout the auditorium were instructed to begin their idea sharing.

Table 28 discussed the way in which students need clear-cut plans on how to finish their collegiate education and if CSUF shows the students and other affiliates the way easily. Laptops were provided to volunteer scribes and the discussion began.

Richard Parry, lecturer in management, brought up the issue of the writing capacity of students.

“I don’t think we do enough for writing,” Parry said. “There are schools that require a writing portfolio at the time of graduation.”

Shari McMahan, chair of the Health Science Department, said that her students have a core class that combats writing deficiency.

“And all faculty expects that,” McMahan said.

Vice president of Student Affairs, Robert Palmer, said he has seen a rise in cheating cases.

Anthony Regazzo, the director of program support for Associated Students Inc., said that in 10 years he has not met more than two students that did not have to work. Students are more pressed for time and they

By SAMUEL JIMENEZ/For the Daily Titan

Living WITH AIDS - CSUF graduate student Kurt Weston, 49, sits in his Huntington Beach home holding his self-portraits. He was diagnosed with HIV 16 years ago. Weston has

always wanted to be a photographer but lost eyesight in his left eye in 1993. He picked up a camera again in 1998 and made a calendar of his works. He lived to see each month go by.

Student Not Stopped by AIDS

By Sarah Mosqueda, Samuel Jimenez and Nguyen Huy Vu For the Daily Titan

news@dailytitan.com

COSTA MESA — Kurt Weston sits on the edge of the stage at Rock Harbor Church preparing to talk to a group of strangers about the day he was told he should get his affairs in order.

The Cal State Fullerton graduate student recounts a doctor’s diag-

nosis of having full blown AIDS, subsequent disfiguring purple lesions on his face and the eventual blindness that ruined his fashion photography career.

“I found out later my doctor told my family that I would most likely not survive my hospital stay because my condition was so grave,” Weston told the crowd of 30 faith-based volunteers organizing Orange County’s 21st annual AIDS Walk. The event will be held

ONLINE

Visit the Daily Titan’s multimedia page to watch videos about herpes and sexualy transmitted disease prevention.

May 12 at the Anaheim Angel Stadium.

Weston doesn’t stutter or stumble over his words. The Huntington Beach resident has told the same story more times than he can remember. It’s been about 16 years since the diagnosis but he continues to speak about his experience and to serve as an advocate for those infected with the deadly virus.

Eye patches are an accessory usually reserved for villains or pirates.

TUESDAY

CSUF student reflects on the issues and problems of contracting and living with herpes simplex virus type 2.

The black eye patch Weston wears over his left piercing green eye may be what makes him appear slightly out of place in a cozy living room.

Yet, Weston isn’t out of place.

Sitting on the couch in his Huntington Beach condominium, it’s obvious that he’s comfortable.

He’s comfortable enough to speak frankly about the disease that robbed him of his sight and that makes each day a struggle.

“I can’t escape the disease,” he

WEDNESDAY

The Human Papillomavirus is threatening countless young women and gaining attention worldwide.

said. “I deal with AIDS everyday, whether I like it or not.”

The 49-year-old is among the 3,500 people in Orange County known to be living with AIDS or HIV. AIDS is caused when a person is infected by the human immunodeficiency virus. HIV is spread from person to person through blood, breast milk or other bodily SEE HIV - PAGE 3

THURSDAY

Learn statistics on sexually transmitted diseases and find out how to keep from being infected.

SEE SUMMIT - PAGE 3

Failure is Not an Option for this CSUF catcher Hats off -

Cal State Fullerton catcher John Curtis lunges for a foul ball in the fifth inning during the Titans’ 7-5 win over Long Beach State at Blair Field on March 25.

The number 13 ranked Titans opened Big West play with a sweep against Cal State Northridge over the weekend. The team begins a fourgame homestand beginning Thursday night at 7 p.m. against rival UC Irvine.

Academic Senate Part-Time Lecturer Vacancy Filled

by Jenn Brown

Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

By Carlos Delgado /Daily Titan Staff Photographer

Communications Professor Robert Sage was elected to fill a parttime lecturer vacancy in Cal State Fullerton’s Academic Senate last week, defeating Valerie O’Krent by 17 votes out of 116.

Sage, who has never been involved with the senate before, said he is happy to be involved and plans “to represent my part-time constituency to my fullest extent.”

The election came about because the professor who had previously held the position left CSUF, accord-

Tomorrow Opinion

ONLINE www.dailytitan.com

Scientologists fight back

MULTIMEDIA

LETTERS Readers respond to published Daily Titan Scientology article.

Daily Titan now features podcast versions of the day’s top news.

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ing to Scott A. Hewitt, vice chair of the senate.

The senate functions as a liaison to President Milton Gordon, making recommendations about policies that affect the academic mission of the university, Hewitt said.

“The students are at CSUF to take courses and learn. In general, since the Academic Senate focuses on this, it is important to students,” Hewitt said in an e-mail.

Requirements for joining the senate include being a member of the constituency that the candidate wishes to be elected to.

In addition, the nominee must turn in a petition form with ten eli-

weather

TODAY

gible signatures, according to Irene Matz, chair of the election committee, in an e-mail. Only part-time lecturers were allowed to vote in this election, as they are voting for someone to represent them in the senate, said Hewitt.

Sage is a part-time communications lecturer and also advises the advertising department of the Daily Titan.

“I enjoy being involved,” he said in an e-mail. “Living on the margins is, at best, lazy.”

Sage’s term will be shorter than SEE Senate - PAGE 4

TOMorrow Partly Cloudy High: 76 Low: 55

Partly Cloudy High: 77 Low: 56

2

April 2, 2007

Page two

IN OTHER NEWS NATIONAL NEWS

COP BLOTTER: Shots Fired, Torn Exit Signs and a Keyed Vehicle

Clinton Breaks Funding Record

WASHINGTON (AP) - Shattering previous records, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton collected $26 million for her presidential campaign during the first three months of the year and transferred an additional $10 million from her Senate fundraising account, aides said Sunday.

The campaign did not specify how much of the $36 million was available only for the primary election and how much could be used just in the general election, if she were the party’s nominee.

Still, the total raised outdistanced past presidential election records and set a high bar by which to measure the fundraising abilities of her chief rivals.

The Clinton campaign did not announce how much it had spent during those three months and how much cash it still had in hand.

Her closest rival in polls of Democratic voters _ Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois _ had yet reveal his totals; former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., was expected to release his later Sunday. But New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson’s campaign said he raised $6 million in primary campaign money and had more than $5 million cash in hand at the end of the three-month period.

STATE NEWS

Brushfire Causes 200 Evacuations HESPERIA (AP) - A small brushfire erupted into a blaze that burned 1,400 acres, prompting the evacuation of 200 homes for several hours, fire officials said.

Authorities in this high desert city east of Los Angeles ordered mandatory evacuations Saturday while the fire grew in the early evening.

By 10 p.m., evacuation orders for all but about 30 houses were lifted and families were allowed to return.

The fire burned a shed and the roof of a house as about 400 firefighters and a pair of water-dropping helicopters worked to keep other homes and out buildings from being consumed, said San Bernardino County Fire spokeswoman Angie Samayoa.

LOCAL NEWS

Ku Klux Klan Members Crash Rally

RANCHO CUCAMONGA (AP) - About 10 members of the Ku Klux Klan crashed a rally organized by the anti-illegal immigration group the Minuteman Project Saturday, police said.

Wearing black T-shirts with the KKK insignia, their faces covered with bandanas and sunglasses, the group chanted and waved American flags.

Minuteman Project spokesman Raymond Herrera said his group of about 40 decided to leave when the Klan members showed up. He said the group did not invite the racist organization to join the rally and would no longer post the dates of its rallies on the Web. More than 100 day laborers held a counter-protest nearby.

Police monitored the dueling protests but made no arrests.

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 managing editor Joe Simmons at (714) 278-5693 or at maneditor@dailytitan.com with issues about this policy or to report any errors.

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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.

Copyright ©2006 Daily Titan

How to Report a Crime To report suspected on-campus crimes, call 714-278-2515. For emergencies call 911.

March 24 1:47 a.m. Agency Assist Shots were fired in the parking lot of the Off Campus Pub. 12:12 p.m. Suspicious Person A transient male wearing a brown jacket and jeans was disturbing customers and urinating behind the Jalapenos Grille building on North State College Blvd.

tures of vehicles in the area around Library South on North State College.

10:08 p.m. Disturbance Six males were playing basketball on the second floor court of the Kinesiology building. The custodian needed to clean the area, so the subjects were not supposed to be in the building. A warning was given.

March 26 10:01 p.m. Disturbance Someone was heard yelling in the Nutwood Parking Structure.

March 28 1:52 p.m. Property Vandalism Four sides of a vehicle were keyed in Lot E. A report was taken.

March 27 1:26 a.m. Agency Assist A suspicious male wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black pants was seen turning on an outside water spigot at Associated Road.

9:47 a.m. Property Vandalism Two exit signs were torn off the third floor corridor in the main hallway near the elevator in Dorm Willow building. On one of the signs only the cover was removed, but the removal of the other sign caused an electrical short. A report was taken.

1:30 p.m. Suspicious Person A male wearing a khaki suit was seen waiting for an hour in the courtyard of the Irvine Campus.

2:56 p.m. Suspicious Person A male wearing a dark printed tshirt and jeans was seen taking pic-

March 29 5:08 p.m. Agency Assist A suspicious person was looking through mailboxes on East Santa Fe Avenue and South State College Blvd.

March 30 4:19 p.m. Petty Theft A couple with a dog may have stolen a female’s wallet on Fullerton Creek Drive. The male subject was wearing a white shirt and the female was wearing gray pants and a red shirt.

10:43 p.m. Agency Assist A person reported that a male was knocking on the door at Milton Drive. The reporting party did not know the subject and therefore did not answer the door.

CAMPUS CALENDAR TODAY Pub Monday Karaoke 12 to 1 p.m. in the Titan Student Union Pub TUESDAY Pub Tuesday Open Mic 12 to 1 p.m. in the Titan Student Union Pub Free Billiards Tuesday 3 to 7 p.m. at the Titan Student Union Underground.

WEDNESDAY Titan Toastmasters 12 to 1 p.m.: A workshop to help people become effective communicators without becoming nervous before a crowd. Hosted at the

Pollak Library.

Dollar Wednesday Bowling Nights 6 to 10 p.m. at the Titan Student Union Underground.

BABY 8 to 10:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center Hallberg Theatre.

Tickets are $16 in advance for students with current CSUF ID and $18 for adult general admission.

THURSDAY CalPers Long Term Care Workshop 12 to 1 p.m.: A CalPers representative will discuss the program and answer questions at the Pollak Library.

April 2, 2007

3

NEWS

STDs and Fullerton: HIV

HIV: CSUF STUDENT DISCUSSES HIS BATTLE LIVING WITH AIDS fluids.

AIDS occurs when the HIV infection has severely damaged the immune system, a process that may take years. An HIV-positive person may or may not develop AIDS; however, they can pass along the disease.

There have been nearly 7,000 documented cases of HIV/AIDS in Orange County since the county began taking statistics. The majority of cases involve men having unprotected sex with men (4,943), intravenous drug users (773) and heterosexuals engaging in unprotected sex with multiple partners (452), according to the county’s latest statistics.

Donna Fleming, the county’s division manager for disease control and epidemiology, believes the numbers of cases could be significantly higher.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 25 percent of folks who have HIV/AIDS don’t know it,” Fleming said. Health officials also note many of the new infections in the county are occurring among women and communities of color.

CSUF offers HIV/AIDS educational programs and confidential tests for a $13 fee at the Health Center. The center also provides free psychological services for students who believe they may be infected.

Stigmas associated with HIV/ AIDS have evolved since the virus burst on the national scene more than 25 years ago. However, CSUF sociology Professor Lisa Guerrero said there are still pockets of society that still have the same mentality when little information about the disease was available.

“If you go to different parts of the United States, even in California, people may still have this impression that AIDS is a gay disease or AIDS is something you get because you engaged in unprotected sex or intravenous drug use,” Guerrero said “But I also see change. People are

becoming more tolerant and aware of the transmission of AIDS. It’s not always through risky behavior.

We’re starting to realize it’s not only a problem in the U.S., but a global problem.”

Knowledge about the disease at CSUF is as diverse as the 36,000 student population. Although some people on campus know little about the pandemic, students like De‘John Brown have a firsthand understanding.

The sophomore, majoring in music education, spent two months in Uganda on a missionary trip to build an orphanage and help locals infected with HIV/AIDS. “I won’t lie, I was a little afraid sometimes just because I wasn’t very knowledgeable. I wasn’t sure exactly what I could do to be as safe as possible,” Brown said.

“I realized that you can’t really contract the disease by just giving someone a handshake.”

CSUF journalism Professor Jeffrey Brody also has experience with the disease. Brody took care of his younger brother, Marc, before he died from complications of AIDS in 1995.

“I was fortunate that I was professor. I had the summer off. I spent his last five weeks with him. We created a hospice at our home … We wanted him to die in the room he grew up in. We thought that was important,” Brody said.

“In the end he could hardly eat.

He lost his sight. He had the pneumonia associated with AIDS. There were stomach problems. He couldn’t walk. I must have emptied his urine bottle 17 or 18 times a day.”

Brody said because of new medical breakthroughs in medicines, people afflicted by HIV/AIDS can live longer lives. The San Francisco Chronicle reported in February that two new AIDS drugs have been found to be highly successful at suppressing the virus in patients who have exhausted available treatment options.

“

It’s like I’m running down the street with a really huge bus coming after me and I’ve got to make sure that bus doesn’t run me over.

– Kurt Weston

“

From Page 1

CSUF graduate student

“It’s no longer a death sentence,” Brody said.

Weston is living proof of that. But it’s not an easy way to live. Since being diagnosed Weston has been on endless combinations of medication, which can cause extreme side effects like nausea, fatigue, neuropathy, intestinal distress and hypertension.

“I’ve been on almost very single medication that is currently available, that has been FDA approved.” he said.

It’s a common misconception that medication can eliminate the virus. In reality drugs can only keep the virus at bay, before the virus mutates and becomes immune to the medication. As a result the pharmaceutical cocktail is constantly changing.

“It’s like I’m running down the street with a really huge bus coming after me and I’ve got to make sure that bus doesn’t run me over.”

Weston says. “And it’s always really close.”

Weston has been fortunate that each time he has reached the end of a particular therapy, a new drug will be introduced. However, he is currently nearing the end of one treatment and no new drugs have presented themselves.

“I’m kind of on my last combination of medications.” he says.

The bus has never been closer. But

Weston has outrun the bus before, thanks in large part to his strength and determination. Like in 1993 when he sensed his vision was beginning to deteriorate, a common symptom of the disease.

He began to see what are often referred to as “floaters.” Weston holds out his palm with fingers spread in front of his eye as he describes the floaters, which appear like spidery cobwebs. They are the result of retina damage.

“On my birthday I had gotten tickets to see the rock opera Tommy,” Weston recalled. “I took my mother and she sat to the right of me and another person was on my left.”

Weston noticed that he could see his mother in his peripheral vision but he could not see the person to his left unless he turned and looked directly at him. He eventually lost all vision in his left eye. His vision loss continued to his right eye, which has no central vision and only limited peripheral vision.

“I didn’t think I’d ever photograph again,” Weston said. “I couldn’t imagine what my life would be like not being able to do that.”

It wasn’t until 1998 that Weston picked up a camera again when a group approached him about shooting a calendar for a fundraiser. After much coaxing, Weston decided to give it a try. The photos were some of the best he had ever done. Weston ended up doing the entire calendar, and lived to see each month go by.

Weston has not stopped making his art since. He’s shown his photography at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. and was accepted into CSUF’s Masters in Fine Arts program. He graduates in the spring of 2008.

“You can find a way to live a meaningful life if you’re inspired,” Weston said.

Editor’s Note: The reporters for this series are members of Mike Tharp’s public affairs reporting class.

SUMMIT: fullerton students, faculty thinking ahead

By Christina House/Daily Titan Photo Editor

FInding answers - President Gordon addresses students and faculty members of his hopes for the future of Cal State Fullerton at the Access to Excellence banquet Wednesday afternoon.

From Page 1

don’t know they cannot work 35 hours on top of taking four classes, he said.

After the small group discussions at each table were completed, five theme leaders compiled the data and opinions of the tables with the same theme. The theme leaders then shared highlights of what was learned to the audience.

Sylvia Alva, assistant vice president of academic programs, discussed some information that she had compiled with the input from her teams.

“One that I thought was a great idea was to get feedback from alumni,” Alva said.

Tony Rimmer, the director of the Faculty Development Center, said his team members were diverse with their opinions.

Rimmer said he was worried about the preparation of trans-

fer students. “We do a better job with our freshmen than our transfer students,” he said.

Some of the students who gave their input mentioned that there should be a one-stop-shop Web site that has it all instead of being transferred to different departments. The same goes for all CSUF offices.

“Well, I think we can say it was a great day,” President Gordon said, closing the event. “We have a large number of students who want to come here. That is definitely a good sign.”

CSUF’s summit was jointly sponsored by the offices of the vice president of Academic Affairs and the executive vice president and coordinated by the University Planning Community.

The next campus forum, the Complexities of Growth, will be held on April 5th from 8 to 11:15 a.m.

4

NEWS

NEWS

April 2, 2007

ASI Presidential Candidates Seeking Office Two pairs of running mates compete for votes in 2007-2008 election

By Kristina Junio

Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

Associated Students Inc. spring elections for the 2007-2008 academic school year will be held on Wednesday April 4 and Thursday April 5.

Students can vote for ASI president and executive vice president positions as well as a representative to sit on the ASI Board of Directors for each academic college.

Two pairs of candidates are running for office this year.

The current ASI president, Heather Williams, is running for re-election with Curtis Schlaufman, current ASI director of governmen-

tal relations, who is running for executive vice president.

The current ASI executive vice president, Javier Gamboa, is running for president with WILLIAMS Linda Vasquez, who is running for executive vice president.

Williams is a political science major and the vice chair of external affairs for the California State Student Association.

Schlaufman is a political science major and chair of the environmental action and advocacy sub-committee.

This team’s goal is to advocate student concerns about textbooks, student fees and financial aid, green campus issues, class availability, aca-

demic advising and the development of the governmental relations department, said Williams and Schlaufman in an e-mail interview.

SCHLAUFMAN They also want to promote campus community and pride by expanding the Titan Tusk Force and other ASI committees; providing more leadership development opportunities; expanding collaboration with Student Affairs; increasing the amount of programming and services available to students; promoting a shared governance; planning for Cal State Fullerton’s 50th anniversary; and diversity awareness.

“Students should vote for us because we have the most vision, as

seen in our goals and plans, dedication; as seen in the results of this past year, and experience; as seen in our knowledge on ASI and the entire GAMBOA CSU system,” Williams and Schlaufman said in an e-mail interview. “We will continue to advocate for the students for affordable tuition, financial aid and quality in education through the CSSA.” Gamboa is a political science major and a business administration minor. Vasquez is a political science major and a Spanish and business administration minor.

She is currently sitting on the board as one of the two representatives for the College of Humanities

Senate: Professor elected to part-time spot From Page One

the average part-time faculty term, which is usually one year. Because the seat had been filled until the former professor left the university, Sage will only have the seat on the senate for a few months, Hewitt said.

In those few months, Sage hopes to “make a significant contribution to the criteria and standards for the selection, retention, and tenure of faculty members and other important matters that affect both faculty and students.”

“It was debatable whether we should have just left the seat open for the remainder of the semester,” Hewitt said. “However, since there are only two part-time lecturer seats on the Academic Senate, we felt it would be important to fill the seat so the part-time lecturers wouldn’t be disenfranchised.”

Sage felt “splendid” about his win, but was also “disappointed that out

of over 2,300 part-timers at CSUF only 116 votes were cast in this election.”

Votes were taken online over a four-day period last week, from March 19 to March 22, and the results were announced on March 23.

Matz said she is “very delighted that [Sage] and the other nominee were interested in running for the seat and have taken an active interest in the senate.”

“Before I recommend any specific programs and plans, I intend to fully canvass my constituency to determine what problems need to be cured or determine what opportunities need to be exploited,” Sage said.

“We hope he will be a strong voice for the part-time lecturers,” Hewitt said.

Sage is a part-time communications lecturer and also advises the advertising department of the Daily Titan.

“I enjoy being involved,” he said in an e-mail. “Living on the margins is, at best, lazy.”

Sage’s term will be shorter than the average part-time faculty term, which is usually one year. Because the seat had been filled until the former professor left the university, Sage will only have the seat on the senate for a few months, Hewitt said.

In those few months, Sage hopes to “make a significant contribution to the criteria and standards for the selection, retention, and tenure of faculty members and other important matters that affect both faculty and students.”

“It was debatable whether we should have just left the seat open for the remainder of the semester,” Hewitt said. “However, since there are only two part-time lecturer seats on the Academic Senate, we felt it would be important to fill the seat so

the part-time lecturers wouldn’t be disenfranchised.”

Sage felt “splendid” about his win, but was also “disappointed that out of over 2,300 part-timers at CSUF only 116 votes were cast in this election.”

Votes were taken online over a four-day period last week, from March 19 to March 22, and the results were announced on March 23.

Matz said she is “very delighted that [Sage] and the other nominee were interested in running for the seat and have taken an active interest in the senate.”

“Before I recommend any specific programs and plans, I intend to fully canvass my constituency to determine what problems need to be cured or determine what opportunities need to be exploited,” Sage said.

“We hope he will be a strong voice for the part-time lecturers,” Hewitt said.

and Social Sciences.

Gamboa and Vasquez said their team’s goal is to create affordability by lowering fees and tuition, parking, textVASQUEZ books, and increase financial aid and scholarships.

Another is to better student life by adding more programs, events, services, and the collaboration between ASI and student clubs and organizations.

And lastly to improve the quality of education and facilities through academic advising, availability of classes, graduation rates, facilities, and to further the cause for an environmentally friendly campus, Vasquez said in an e-mail interview.

“I think students should vote for

us because it’s important to be able to relate to your candidates and also know where they stand,” Vasquez said.

“Candidates should be running because they want to represent their peers, and in doing so they acknowledge that they are protecting the interests of those peers, not their own,” Vasquez said. “Javier and I are running because we believe we will make the students’ voices be heard much louder.”

Students can vote online at any on-campus computer, or by using the on-campus voting tents.

The tents will be located in front of the Titan Student Union from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and at Langsdorf Hall, McCarthy Hall and the Pollak library locations from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Students must present a valid Titan ID card to cast their ballot at the tents.

U.S. and S. Korea Reach Agreement SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - The United States and South Korea have successfully concluded a free trade agreement, Steve Norton, a spokesman for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, said Monday, wrapping up almost 10 months of contentious negotiations.

Norton told The Associated Press that details would be provided in a briefing later.

The deal, which requires legislative approval in both countries, is the biggest for the United States since the North American Free Trade Agreement signed in 1992 and ratified in 1993.

It is the biggest ever for South Korea.

The governments launched negotiations last June in Washington, alternating meeting sites between the two countries.

Both sides strongly advocated a deal, saying it would boost trade and economic growth in the two economies.

Differences over trade in automobiles, agriculture, textiles and other issues, including the staus of South Korean goods manufactured at a small enclave in North Korea, had thrown up obstacles.

In the final round of talks in Seoul, negotiators held eight days of marathon talks.

Some of the talks went all night, to finally clinch the deal.

6

April 2, 2007

opinion Titan Editorial Providing insight, analysis and perspective since 1960

Keeping What We’ve Got Welcome to Oz – meets the leges were offered by Taylor to OC, that is. the inmates who would “take Recent allegations have care of the situation” involvsurfaced that Orange County ing Chamberlain.

Sheriff Deputies turned a It’s common knowledge blind eye or possibly even had that child molesters, kiddy an underlying hand in the Oc- porn peddlers and like scum tober death of have never John Derek been the ChamberWhat’s disconcert- most popular lain, a Miskids on the sion Viejo ing here are allegations prison block man who was that the deputies are – and for in custody on behaving in a manner good reason. child pornogWhat’s disraphy charg- synonymous with the c o n c e r t i n g es. The 41- criminals they are paid here are alleyear-old, who with taxpayer funds to gations that was awaiting the deputies oversee. his trail later are behaving in the month, in a manner was murdered synonymous in the shower with the in Orange’s Theo Lacey jail. criminals they are paid with An Orange County Reg- taxpayer funds to oversee. If ister article published last these allegations are found to week pointed suspicion to- be true, then they represent a ward deputy Kevin Taylor, the tangible flaw in our jail system guard who was on-duty at the that needs to be remedied imtime of the murder and was mediately, and with outside watching television. The same intervention at that. article shed light on other Makes you wonder who charges brought about by in- belongs on what side of the mates suggesting that privi- bars.

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The Daily Titan welcomes letters to the editor.

Any feedback, positive or negative, is encouraged, as we strive to keep an open dialogue with our readership. The Daily Titan reserves the right to edit letters for length, grammar and spelling. Direct all comments, questions or concerns, along with your full name and major, to executive editor Adam Levy at alevy@dailytitan.com.

Spring Break Not Such a Great Break The anticipation of Spring Break usually ends in disappointment

By Sarah Gammill

Daily Titan Staff Writer opinion@dailytitan.com

Lame!

That pretty much sums up my entire Spring Break, and for that matter every Spring Break that I have had since high school.

For some reason or another, it always seems that Spring Break never comes through for me.

The anticipation builds up into this big orgasmic ordeal, the event of the semester, but fizzles out when it comes down to it.

I always have big plans of where I might go, the things I might do,

but then I remember I don’t have a job and haven’t had one for the last five years.

Whether it’s out of pure laziness, that I’m too busy or that I mooch off of my parents, I don’t really know, but money always seems to stop me from taking that last big step in vacationing.

My big plans are always to go somewhere exotic like the Caribbean or Italy, but I would even settle for a measly trip to the beach.

Yet, it still doesn’t happen for me.

Even the simplest pleasures are denied, like going out to get ice cream.

The Spring Break gods curse me every year and find reasons to prevent me from doing anything exciting.

This Spring Break, now dead and gone in my book, was just another example.

As the week began on Monday

(day one of official Spring Break time) I planned on going to the beach and a movie with my boyfriend, but he got called to work so our plans were cancelled.

I tried to make the best of the situation. With nothing to do at home, I decided to go to Palm Springs!

It isn’t what you might think though.

My day wasn’t spent shopping, laying out in the sun or even golfing, it was spent sitting in a truck for five hours straight while I went along with my boyfriend to all his mold testing jobs.

Fun, right?

As the week went on this same routine of work continued, with cancelled dinner plans. The one week I have off, he had to work, so I got to see a lot of Southern California.

I saw Yucca Valley, which lived

up to its name, Moreno Valley, Corona, La Quinta and everything in between.

Yes, my Spring Break was spent in the car for endless hours.

Although I did have a nice time with my boyfriend and got some homework done, it wasn’t the ideal picture of bliss and relaxation I pictured for my Spring Break.

When the weekend came, we were too tired from the week of driving to even go out to dinner, so we ordered in completing the failure that I call my Spring Break.

I wasn’t one of the lucky people enjoying the week in Cancun.

I guessed I should have expected it though, I knew something would happen from letting me actually enjoy my week off.

It was like any other busy week, with no time for fun.

posed to stop and switch the bracelet to the opposite wrist. So far, 1.1 million bracelets have been sold.

The bracelet is intended to make each person aware of how much they complain each day. But nothing is immune from human complaint: politics, Hollywood, school life, boyfriends, girlfriends, how Baskin Robbins overcharges for ice cream and then skimps on the ice cream with one miniscule, pathetic scoop (yours truly’s favorite complaint).

Now, what was the last thing you complained about?

L.A. Times reporter Stephanie Simon conducted an experiment, documenting the attempts of individuals attempting to go 21 days without complaining. Those who participated noticed that trivial incidents would affect their mood.

CSUF sociology Professor Joseph A. Weber said excessive complaining could be a byproduct of a sense of entitlement, the belief that people can have anything they want, in industrialized countries.

“We are raised to believe that we can do and become anything that we

want to be,” Weber said. “Any child can become president of the United States. So we have this idea.”

Then Weber laughed and said citizens in agrarian societies probably complain too.

Complaining is as much a part of the fabric of this society as Britney Spears (go ahead and complain, one point for me). So do we need to stop complaining?

No. The Complaint-Free Bracelet is simply a gimmick to earn money.

There is nothing wrong with the American practice of complaining.

It’s a natural reaction to an event, like wincing when something bright shines in your eye.

Most complaints are about minor events that receive passing commentary before quickly being dismissed to make room for whatever complaint is next. Complaining also provides a common forum for people to talk. Complaining is different from being miserable. It only becomes detrimental when people actually believe in the nonsense they are spouting or start taking their

words down like the Ten Commandments. Otherwise, complaining is just a way of providing commentary about their lives.

Google, the almighty and allknowing search engine, turned up zero studies related to the topic of complaining. There is nothing about complaining reducing a life span, a comparison of complaining by country, or scientific evidence of any kind on the subject. There is no scientific evidence pointing people to stop complaining.

Complaining needs to be kept in perspective – and most people do. My general feeling is that people understand that they live in the United States and not Somalia. My general feeling is that nobody puts much weight in a friend complaining about traffic on the 91 freeway.

The amount of complaining probably reflects more aptly the level of cynicism in the country more than anything else.

And if you don’t like my opinion complain all you want … then I’ll just complain to somebody else about you.

Complaining about the Complaint-Free Bracelet Complaint-free concept is just a marketing ploy, not a real problem

By John Sakata

Daily Titan Staff Writer opinion@dailytitan.com

The dismissal of eight attorney generals is another attempt by the Bush administration to undermine the foundation of democracy and shows a complete disregard toward public interest. It’s the latest in a string of malfeasance by this administration and … if I were wearing the Complaint-Free Bracelet, that paragraph might have taken me 30 minutes to write, with all the bracelet-wrist shifting.

Let me explain.

In response to excessive complaining within his congregation, the pastor of the Christ Church Unity, based in Montana, designed the Complaint-Free Bracelet to encourage church-goers to abstain from complaining. Every time the individual complains, the person is sup-

7

April 2, 2007

5

Gaming

Gaming Without Baseball “MVP” maneditor@dailytitan.com

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF ARTTODAY.COM

At least one hot release this week, but several others that cruised under the radar. With “God of War II” out, it’s going to be a light release schedule for a little while.

PlayStation 2 “Brave: The Search for Spirit Dancer” This platformer is tagged as being set in Native American mythology.

That’s a pretty broad statement – what would a European setting entail? Italian merchants fighting

Fans of the EA Sports’ MVP Baseball series were disappointed to learn that the 2005 version of the game would be the last.

For the past year, gamers are left with only two choices: Sony’s “MLB 07: The Show” and 2K Sport’s “MLB 2K7.” Most video game enthusiasts considered “MVP Baseball 2005” the best baseball game ever created.

After reviewing the game, GameZone.com wrote, “There’s just no denying the fact that this is the closest to baseball gaming heaven.”

Fans of the MVP Baseball series have not responded well to the other two games.

Some tried to move on by purchasing one or both of the other series but many found them to be subpar to “MVP Vikings with Damascus steel in Arthur’s England?

However, GameSpot said the gameplay was challenging and solid when it previewed the game at last year’s E3.

“The Plan” “The Red Star” Magical Russian soldiers fight against an oppressive Soviet government in an alternate far future.

GamePro called it part “Final Fight” and part “Contra.”

“SingStar Pop” Another karaoke game, and the

second in the “SingStar” series.

As the title implies, this installment focuses on pop songs.

“World Championship Cards”

PlayStation 3 “Enchanted Arms” One of Xbox 360’s first RPGs to get PS3 treatment. It received middle-of-the-road reviews when it didn’t have competition; we’ll see how it stacks up on Sony’s traditionally RPG-heavy system.

Expect a number of user reviews

Baseball 2005.”

Sports, were barred from making Rather than play the other titles, professional baseball games. some of these fans have taken the seThey can continue making baseries into their own hands. ball games but are not allowed to Owners of the PC version of the use professional teams, stadiums and game can download the fan-created players. Last year, EA Sports replaced 2007 version for free from Web sites “MVP Baseball” with a college baselike EAMods.com and MVPMods. ball series. NCAA rules, however, com. Memebers of these Web sites forbid EA Sports from using real have changed details of the game to college player’s names. Baseball fans keep it up to date. seem lukewarm on the idea of the Although it has college series. only been two years “It doesn’t sell since the last MVP as well as the other Baseball game was There’s just no denying two games,” said released, a lot has the fact that this is Donald Church, an happened in the the closest to baseball employee at Game baseball world.

Crazy in Fullerton.

Current rosters, gaming heaven.

After the release – GameZone of “MLB 2K6,” new players and new stadiums are wrote On the defunct “MVP Baseball” IGN.com all updated for the series produced by EA Games that “Major League 2007 season.

Baseball wasn’t too The contract behappy with the tween EA Sports quality of the game, and Major League or the direction the Baseball expired after the 2005 sea- series was headed.” son. The league signed an exclusive In response to criticism by the deal with Take-Two Interactive that major league and its fans, 2K Sports will run from 2006 to 2012. hired Ben Brinkman, the lead gameThe contract effectively ended the play designer for “MVP Baseball.”

“MVP Baseball” series and allowed The hire was seen as a strategic Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo to move to make the 2K series more create major league games for their similar to the MVP series. respective consoles.

Brinkman told IGN.com, “We’re Third-party companies, like EA not adding a ton of bells and whistles

“

“

By Nolan Andre

Daily Titan Staff Writer

– this is the first Japanese RPG the PS3 has seen this side of the Pacific.

PlayStation Portable “Prince of Persia: Rival Swords”

Xbox 360 “Guitar Hero II” The Guitar Hero phenomenon keeps on rollin’. The Xbox 360 incarnation of the game will only be available in a bundle with the guitar

controller at $89.99.

This version includes every song from the PS2 version and an additional 10 songs. More will be available for download from Xbox Live’s Marketplace.

GameCube “Backyard Baseball 2007

Nintendo DS “Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales”

this year, we’re going to take what we have and add some cool stuff to it.”

Those who have played this year’s version noticed the excellence of the graphics immediately. “They like the graphics better,” said Church, “A lot of people stick to the 2K series.”

Some critics maintain that EA Sports is just getting a taste of their own medicine.

The company signed an exclusive contract with the National Football League, barring any other game companies from producing football games. The contract gave EA sole rights to use NFL teams, stadiums and players for their Madden game series. 2K Sports was forced to stop making their popular NFL series.

“MLB 2K7” was released on all consoles in February while “MLB 07: The Show” was released on Playstation 2 and PSP; the Playstation 3 version will be available this month. Both recived mostly positive reviews.

Leah Hahn, a Fullerton Target employee, said that people began preordering the two games weeks before their releases. Among gamers, the popular series is “MLB 2K7.”

“2K7 is the most popular because the graphics are a lot better,” said Aaron Serfozo, a Game Crazy employee. “They try to make it seem more like a movie, more cinematic.”

Square Enix has been very busy with their hand-held games. Between “Final Fantasy III,” the very under-rated “Rocket Slime,” to-bereleased “Final Fantasy XII” spinoff “Revenant Wings” and GBA releases “Final Fantasy V” and “Final Fantasy VI,” it’s saturated the DS. However, this game isn’t a typical RPG; it’s a mash of “WarioWare” minigames and card battles with a kid-friendly glaze.

No official reviews in yet, but GameSpot had high praise in its preview.

8

April 2, 2007

SPORTS

Equestrians Offers the Opportunity to Ride Club team at Cal State Fullerton hopes to enlist more interested members

BY LAUREN MCKINNEY

Daily Titan Staff Writer sports@dailytitan.com

Although the Cal State Fullerton Equestrian team is considered a club, not an athletic sports team, the team members are very much as athletic and competitive as recognized sports teams at CSUF. The equestrian team on campus only consists of seven people, but they compete against other teams twice their size both locally and nationally.

During the first part of the year, the team competes in shows against other schools like the University of San Diego, UCLA and the University of Arizona.

If riders do well in this stage of competition they move on to the regional competition, then a zone competition and then a national competition.

The team competes in the Intercollegiate Horseriding Student Association, IHSA, that includes schools that have teams with riders earning scholarships for their riding capabilities, and schools whose biggest sport is their equestrian team.

This year, the CSUF equestrian team hopes to send two riders to the national competition held in Massachusetts in May. They only have to win or place second in their next competition to advance.

One of them, Tracy Brownell, 21, a business administration major, has been on the team for two years. She rode on the equestrian team at Virginia Intermont College for a year before she transferred to CSUF.

CSUF Coach Honored Hicks named Coach of the Year in the Western Athletic Conference CSUF Athletics Media Relations Cal State Fullerton first-year head coach Jill Hicks was named the Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and the Titans scored a season-high 193.625 to finish fifth at the 2007 WAC Women’s Gymnastics Championships on Saturday night hosted by Southern Utah.

Fullerton finished just ahead of Boise State, which finished sixth with a score of 193.300, and just behind fourth-place San Jose State, which scored a 193.750.

Sacramento State claimed its second consecutive WAC title with a score of 195.275 while the host Thunderbirds finished just behind in second place with a 195.225. Utah State was third with a 195.175 team score.

The score was a season-high for the Titans, surpassing their previous high of 193.550 set on March 11 in a win over Arizona State. Fullerton also set a season-high on bars, scoring a 48.675 to finish second as a team behind Southern Utah’s 48.875.

Freshman Shannon Kawada had quite a night as the rookie finished tied for eighth on vault with a 9.80 and set a new career-high with a 9.80 on bars to finish in a tie for fourth and earn all-conference honors.

Senior Brittany Evans finished up her Titans career by leading the team on beam, scoring a 9.775 to finish in a tie for 14th, and floor, scoring a 9.725 to finish in a tie for 11th.

Fullerton’s night on bars saw four of the six Titans set season-high marks on the apparatus, including a superb performance by freshman Ashley Wang, who set a career high with her 9.725 to finish in a tie for 13th.

Other career-high scores set by the Titans on Saturday included Kori Underhill’s 9.725 and Jessica Tait’s 9.75 on beam, and three careerbest performances on vault: Britni Echeverria’s 9.625, Erica Ficarrotta’s 9.725, and Tait’s 9.550.

COURTESY OF CSUF EQUESTRIANS RIDING HIGH – Cal State Fullerton equestrian first-year team member Katrina Ruzics rides to a 2nd place finish in her Novice Flat class.

“I joined the team because I missed the competitions and I missed riding,” Brownell said in an e-mail interview.

Brownell also said that being on the team has taught her a lot.

“It has taught me about leader-

ship and teamwork,” Brownell said.

“We rely heavily on one another and without each person’s support and contribution, the team would fall apart.”

Brownell said that while riding is based on individual performances, a

team helps the riders get to be where they are at their best and in a position to do well.

“Even though most of the events and classes at the show are up to the individual, it takes the preparation and help of the team to get the rider ready for that round.”

Art major Katrina Ruzics, 20, has been on the team for one year.

“I joined the equestrian team because I wanted to meet new people and get involved,” she said. “ It got me out there with a team; I’ve never been on any sort of a team before.”

Ruzics said that anyone can join the team even if someone has no experience riding horses.

“We hook you up with some lessons and if you can’t afford to pay for them or the outfits, the team will pay for it and the school reimburses us,” she said. “We need people who have little to no experience for the walk and trot competitions.”

The walk and trot competitions are when the rider walks their horse and trots their horse in patterns while being judged.

“We don’t have a lot of people from our school who enter in those competitions and we miss out on points that way, so it’s a good place for beginners to start off,” Ruzics said.

Brownell also encourages people to join the equestrian team.

“Even if a person does not even know what a horse looks like, there is a spot for him or her on the team,” Brownell said. “I want people to know that we are competitive and the competition is serious.”

Students interested in joining the equestrian team can visit their booth at club rush in the fall.

“I love that our team, even though we are the underdog with the smallest roster, can still finish towards the top at each of the shows. It makes me very proud,” Brownell said.

Titan Baseball Loses Starter at First CSUF Athletics Media Relations Cal State Fullerton first baseman Jake Vasquez suffered multiple fractures in his left wrist and hand in a

Read the Daily Titan Online www.dailytitan.com

collision with a runner at first base in Friday’s Big West Conference opener at Cal State Northridge.

Titan Certified Athletic Trainer Rusty Baker reported that Vasquez

was taken to the local hospital in Northridge and received six X-rays that revealed at least three breaks in his radial styloid, his ulnar styloid and his third metacarpal.

... And One

BY Jonathan Saavedra

For Starbury, It’s Got to Be the Shoes These shoes rule. These shoes suck. These shoes rule. These shoes suck.

No, that isn’t just a lyrical excerpt from Liam “Kelly” Sullivan’s popular Internet music video “Shoes.” They’re actually the echoes of NBA stars LeBron James and Stephon Marbury duking it out with each other in a verbal war of sneakers.

James jabbed at the $14.98 Starbury shoes that Marbury wears and endorses before their two teams met last week, saying that he couldn’t imagine endorsing a shoe that cheap.

“Me being with Nike, we hold our standards high. And we do a great job of putting out great merchandise, great shoes,” James said.

“It does come with a price that is pretty high, but at the same time you’re getting great quality for it.”

Starbury is an affordable sneaker and clothing line endorsed by Marbury. In the today’s world of selfish attitudes, multi-million dollar coated passion for the game, and footwear being used as a symbol of status, the idea behind Starbury is a breath of fresh air. Kind of ironic considering the man behind the idea is often criticized for his selfishness on the court.

Starbury shoes are listed from $9.98 to $14.98 and clothes are usually priced under $10. The company recently added Chicago Bulls star Ben Wallace to its endorsing team as he will have his own sneaker model, “Big Ben,” due out later this year. Marbury and Wallace don’t get up-front endorsement deals, but do receive a cut of the sales.

James, on the other hand, has a $90 million endorsement contract with Nike. James’ Zoom LeBron IV can sell for $150 and t-shirts for $55.

“I don’t think he did his homework,” Marbury said of James.

“We’re putting out the same stuff he’s putting out, just at an affordable price. But I understand that he’s got to say that because it’s part of the business.”

On March 23, ABC’s “20/20” had a segment featuring the Starbury brand of shoes versus a pair of Nike’s Air Jordans.

The shoes were brought to Parson’s The New School for Design and cut in half. The outcome was that Starbury and Nike were constructed the same way. Others in the business came up with similar results.

While James does come off as kind of “the bad guy” downplaying the quality of the bargainpriced Starbury brand, he is a businessman and has to please the company that signs his paycheck.

James is a reflection of a company that allegedly uses cheap labor to make shoes that sell for astronomical prices. Of course he’s going to sound like a villain against a brand that is made for the sons and daughters of bluecollar workers, single mothers, and maybe even some Nike employees on the lower part of the totem pole.

Although James knocked Marbury’s shoes, he did say that the idea of low-cost shoes was definitely smart on the company’s part before brushing off the idea of endorsing them.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Starbury line pans out in the future. Right now it seems like a step in the right direction in the world of footwear.

A step taken in $14.98 quality and stylish shoes.

Jonathan Saavedra’s columns appear every Monday. sports@dailytitan.com