2008 09 11

DETOUR: Japanese Motors signs new record deal, page 6

FEATURES: Page 4 Gallery guests found out about Mel’s hole

Since 1960 Volume 87, Issue 6

OPINION: The affects Sept. 11 have had on patriotism, page 8

Daily Titan

Thursday September 11, 2008

The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

DTSHORTHAND

In memory of ...

Campus Life Cal State Fullerton will be conducting an English Writing Proficiency (EWP) test on Saturday, Sept. 13.

The deadline to register for the exam was Aug. 18.

However, those interested in taking the exam can still try by showing up on a standby basis.

The exam fee is $20. The EWP consists of a 90-minute essay. You may bring a dictionary and/or thesaurus to the exam, but no electronic aids will be allowed.

Go to the testing center’s Web site at www.fullerton. edu/testing for registration instructions and additional test information.

Seven years after the planes crashed into New York’s Twin Towers, the memories still linger. Students and staff respond to the nation’s progress

By Edgar Rascon

Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

Today marks the seven-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. It was a day that will “live in infamy,” as President Franklin D. Roosevelt once famously said about another homeland attack, the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Many people remember exactly where they were when they heard about the attacks.

They remember the horror, sadness and compassion they felt for the victims. They also recall the resiliency and camaraderie of the American people as they rallied together in a way not seen for a long time.

America’s younger generation had never experienced anything of that nature or magnitude. Feelings of panic and anxiety swept the nation.

“I was here at school,” Peter Rizk, a history major, said. “I had just transferred, and remember the panicked mood everyone felt once they closed the campus ... no one knew what was going on.”

Rizk, who is of Egyptian descent, also had another worry. Shortly after the attacks, reports surfaced of citizens discriminating against Muslim Americans, some leading to violent attacks.

“There was a short time I was scared for my personal safety,” Rizk said.

Others had a different perspective.

“I remember everyone being really scared, but I didn’t really feel that,” Ruth Dewey, a liberal arts major, said.

“Since Orange County is not a big metropolitan area, I didn’t have a big fear of an imminent attack or anything,” Grant Howard, business adminstration major, said.

The feelings of worry and doubt gave way to a sentiment of patriotism. President George W. Bush assured Americans he would bring those responsible to justice and his approval ratings soared.

“I felt it was a rallying cry for our country to put aside our differences and work together,” Sean Chamberlin, a part-time CSUF geology professor, said.

The war on terror was supposed to make Americans feel safer, yet there is some speculation as to if it actually has created more enemies for the United States. Republican Presidential nominee John McCain has thanked President Bush for helping prevent another attack on U.S. soil, but some people are not sure that America is actually safer.

See SEPT. 11, Page 3

Teacher OK after hitting a bear while riding bike MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) – A middle school teacher suffered some bruising and a big scratch on his back after he struck a bear while riding his bicycle to school.

Jim Litz said he was traveling about 25 mph Monday morning when he came upon a rise and spotted a black bear about 10 feet in front of him.

He didn’t have time to stop and T-boned the bruin.

He tumbled over the handlebars, his helmet hit the bear’s back and the two went cartwheeling down the road.

The bear rolled over Litz’s head, cracking his helmet, and scratched his back before scampering up a hill above the road.

Litz’s wife drove by shortly after the crash and took her husband to the hospital. He hoped to be able to return to teaching science at Target Range Middle School on Friday.

Horse play leads to injury in: ‘Something serious just happened’

As these youngsters drove along, they saw several children riding bikes in the street ahead of them.

One passenger had the bright idea to surprise one cyclist with a friendly tap on the back of his head.

As the moving car approached the cyclist, the blithe passenger opened the car door and leaned outside of the car to execute his plan.

That idea landed him face to bumper with a quickly approaching parked car.

WEATHER

TODAY

High: 79˚ Low: 62˚ Partly Cloudy

TOMorrow High: 81˚ Low: 63˚ Partly Cloudy

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By BRAD goldman/For the Daily Titan Members of the Chino Valley Fire Department, Station 66, remember the attacks on the World Trade Center at the Sept. 11 memorial located at their station. From left: Robert Wyatt, Ray Santoya, Captain Bill Heidmann and David Flores.

Program passes test NCATE, the nation’s top accrediting body, awarded CSUF’s teachers education program

By Tatiana Rodriguez

Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

The only university in Orange County with a teaching program accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, Cal State Fullerton received another thumbs up when it was recently re-accredited.

Once again CSUF passed the vigorous process, which schools must undergo every five years, conducted by an external review by professionals according to the NCATE Web site.

Accreditation by NCATE means that CSUF teacher preparation programs have to undergo an external review and meet high standards that have been set by the profession. This assures the quality of the programs and our graduates, Dean of the College of Education, Claire Cavallaro, said. The NCATE standards require universities to demonstrate that graduates not only have strong content knowledge,

but that they are effectively participating in the classroom.

“Our programs emphasize critical thinking and creativity,” Cavallaro said. “And this fall we have a pilot program that’s infusing visual arts into the multiple subjects credential program.”

On average, the CSUF teacher education program produces 800 basic teaching credentials, 400 advanced administrative credentials, 375 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees annually, Cavallaro said.

Maria Vargas, College of Education graduate student, said she chose CSUF because it’s considered a good school that prepares education well.

“Professors are very dedicated and have a lot of experience,” Vargas said.

The department is required to provide evidence that graduates have strong teaching skills and professional dispositions, Cavallaro said. They must demonstrate strong connections with the community and partnerships schools.

“The accreditation team interviewed several elementary and secondary school teachers and See TEACHING, Page 3

CSUF to conduct largest earthquake drill in CA After the July 29 earthquake, which was a magntude of 5.4, the university is preparing for the big one

By Laura Olsen

Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

Cal State Fullerton police will work with CSUF faculty, staff and students to prepare for another earthquake emergency, which will result in one of the largest earthquake drills in California history.

The statewide drill, which is expected to have 20 million participants, will begin Nov. 13 between 9:30 and 9:45 a.m. It will continue for three days and simulate a 7.8 magnitude quake lasting three minutes, according to the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. CSUF will only take part in the drill for one day.

Justin Hendee, emergency management coordinator for the Cal State Fullerton Police Department, said the university drill will be similar to the drills students may remember

from elementary school.

First, the alarm will sound over the loud speaker, then faculty, staff and students are expected to duck, cover and hold for three minutes. The staff has been directed to speak with students about the anticipated earthquake drill, informing them on the subject.

The president’s advisory board at CSUF will meet to plan out a response and do table top exercises.

“Students need to take accountability for themselves in an emergency situation. If you feel unsafe, assess the situation and take action,” Hendee said.

In an emergency, the police do their job more efficiently when students respond correctly on their own, he said.

When asked what you should do in an See EARTHQUAKE, Page 3

Page Two

2

IN OTHER NEWS INTERNATIONAL

Pakistan army chief criticizes US raid

September 11, 2008

Daily Titan Web site feedback

SLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) – Pakistan’s military chief on Wednesday lashed out at the United States over cross-border raids by American troops from Afghanistan and said his country’s sovereignty will be defended “at all cost.” In an unusually strong public statement, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said a raid last week into Pakistan’s South Waziristan region killed innocent civilians and could backfire on the anti-terror allies.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman would not comment directly on Kayani’s remarks. But he said the U.S. military is working closely with the Pakistanis in regard to the border region.

“We have a shared common interest with respect to terrorism and terrorist activities,” Whitman said. “Pakistan recognizes the challenges that they have, and the United States is committed to helping allies counter terrorism.”

But Kayani said such operations were covered by no agreement between Pakistan and U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan and risked stoking militancy in a region which Washington regards as an intolerably safe haven for al-Qaida and Taliban militants.

NATIONAL

Evacuations begin in Texas for Hurricane Ike

HOUSTON (AP) – The frail and elderly were put aboard buses Wednesday and authorities warned 1 million others to flee inland as Hurricane Ike steamed toward a swath of the Texas coast that includes the nation’s largest concentration of refineries and chemical plants.

Drawing energy from the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the strengthening storm was expected to blow ashore early Saturday somewhere between Corpus Christi and Houston, with some forecasts saying it could become a fearsome Category 4, with winds of at least 131 mph.

Such a storm could cause a storm surge of 18 feet in Matagorda Bay and four to eight feet in Galveston Bay, emergency officials warned. The surge in Galveston Bay could push floodwaters into Houston, damaging areas that include the nation’s biggest refinery and NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

Four counties south and east of Houston announced mandatory or voluntary evacuations, and authorities began moving weak and chronically ill patients by bus to San Antonio, about 190 miles from Houston. A mandatory evacuation was also ordered for the west end of Galveston Island. No immediate evacuations were ordered in Harris County, which includes Houston.

STATE

Plane nearly landed wheels-up at Cal airport ONTARIO, Calif. (AP) – Quick action by an airline pilot and traffic controllers last week kept a single-engine plane from landing at Ontario International Airport with its wheels up, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The Cessna 210 Centurion was about a mile from the runway on Sept. 4 when a Southwest Airlines pilot spotted the problem and advised a ground controller who quickly relayed it to a controller handling arriving aircraft, the controllers involved in the incident said.

In an audio recording released Wednesday, Bruce Bradigan, the controller handling arriving aircraft warned the pilot of the Cessna that his landing gear was not extended. The pilot immediately canceled his approach and went around for another landing.

“My heart was pounding because he was at least 20 to 30 feet off the ground,” ground controller Carlos Rodriguez recalled.

The pilot could have been seriously injured in a crash or belly landing, he said.

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

Please contact executive editor David Carrillo at 714-278-5815 or at execeditor@dailytitan.com with issues about this policy or to report any errors.

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Copyright ©2006 Daily Titan

Reader Response Response from reader John Asam to Christian Brown’s Daily Titan Writer’s piece about DNC sets the record straight with convention speech On the final night of the Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama spoke before a large audience to give the speech of a lifetime. In this speech he not only shared encouraging words for his supporters, but he also tried to point out why he would be the better pick for president. Last, he presented his bullet points describing how he would make the United States better.

As I watched him speak I wrote down each of the points that he made for change. Mr. Brown of the Daily Titan believed that Sen. Obama “demonstrated to the country that he could be Commander in Chief.” And “From health care to social security and from the Iraq War to immigration, Obama defined what change is.”

There are a few items that make me wonder what his changes will bring for the American people.

Sen. Obama would cut taxes for 95 percent of the working families.

Although this sounds good in theory, especially with the amount of money that most families are already paying out, who will be making up the money that those 95 percent are not paying? My money (pun intended) is on the rich. The senator is looking at class warfare, the rich against the poor.

Have the rich pay more and more taxes. My question is, what is the end game? How do you know that we’ve won? When the rich no longer have any money? Instead of trying to bring the rich down, how about bringing the poor and middle class up?

The senator would also like to go through the budget line by line closing the loopholes and the programs that don’t work. This sounds like a line-item veto which is not possible at this time. So this point is highly doubtful.

He would also like to recruit new teachers, pay them higher salaries and have them accountable. This sounds like a great idea, if he can get it passed through the teachers’ unions, which are some of the biggest contributors to his campaign, According to USA Today the American Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) each recently gave at least $500,000 for the Democratic convention in Denver. If they don’t agree with his ideas, specifically about accountability, they are not going to happen. The senator could offer real change and allow vouchers for the parents to let them decide where they would like their children to attend.

Sen. Obama would also like to create universal health care. This type of program does not work. It is not working in the countries that already have it in operation. According to an Los Angeles Times article, “Simply saying that people have health insurance is meaningless. Many countries provide universal insurance but deny critical procedures to patients who need them. Britain’s Department of Health reported in 2006 that at any given time, nearly 900,000 Britons are waiting for admission to National

Health Service hospitals, and shortages force the cancellation of more than 50,000 operations each year. In Sweden, the wait for heart surgery can be as long as 25 weeks, and the average wait for hip replacement surgery is more than a year.”

The senator also wants to end dependence on oil in the Middle East in 10 years. This is a lofty goal and it is not one that he can guarantee. It is also one that he may not be accountable for if he only serves one term in office and leaves after four years. At the end of the day the senator talks over and over about hope and change.

After learning about what he wants to change, I have little hope that these things will be good for America during an Obama presidency.

Who are you?

News

September 11, 2008

American Red Cross promotes blood drive at CSUF Xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx

by veronica espinoza

Daily Titan Assistant News Editor news@dailytitan.com

Cal State Fullerton’s Student Health Profession Association, alongside the CSUF volunteer services, will be hosting their semi-annual blood drive Monday, Sept. 22 through Thursday, Sept. 25.

SHPA has set up a booth on CSUF Titan Walk where group members are passing out flyers notifying students how they can help save a life by making an appointment to give blood. Guinevere Endter, an American Red Cross account manager, said just three percent of the population in Southern California donates blood.

SHPA is one of the largest blood donation centers in Orange County.

They are currently in collaboration with the Red Cross which is the largest provider of America’s blood supply for more than 50 years, Endter said.

Walk-ins are welcome, but as SHPA president Jose Soza said, it is helpful to know the expected amount of donors for staffing purposes.

Students also have the opportunity to sign up for bone marrow swabbing. After doing so, they will be on a national database and if any matches are found, they will be contacted and at that time will go under a small procedure where bone marrow is taken through the donators pelvic bone, SHPA President Jose Soza said.

The organization also hosts other events to cause student awareness, Soza said.

SHPA will be volunteering at the Children’s Choc Walk.

“We are having a Choc walk bake sale to raise money for Orange County’s Children’s hospital,” SHPA member Amy Moore said.

The bake sale is being held Sept.

23-24.

3

By Xxxxxx xxxxxx

Daily Titan XXXXXXX

xxxxxxxx@dailytitan.com

By muey saephanh/Daily Titan ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Students gathered around the American Red Cross booth for information about the blood drive they are going to have next week in the Titan Student Union. Student Health Professions helped sign up students for donations.

“This is an organization that intrigues students into different health professions,” Moore said.

The SHPA is a CSUF organization

that was established in 1986, SHPA member Matthew Prewett said.

Aside from the blood drive and bake sale, the SHPA also hosts lec-

tures that are designed for students who are interested in the medical field, Soza said.

These lectures can be found in the

TSU on Fridays from 1-2 p.m.

“They expose students to the field of medicine. We bring professionals from dentistry, pharmacy optometry

and medicine,” Soza said.

The professionals that attend serve as mentors to students with questions.

Sept. 11: america’s lingering memory at fire station 66 From Page 1

“No I don’t think we are safer,” Rizk said. “Nobody ever thought they would use airplanes. Next time it can be anything.” The Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan does raise a legitimate question: Is America safer than before Sept. 11?

“I think things are pretty much the same, it feels kind of the same,” Howard said.

Seven years later the memories linger, but the feelings seem to have faded. The country is more concerned than ever on some of the key issues that affect everyone.

The invasion of Iraq, although

supported by a majority of Americans, was criticized by a number of individuals.

Most Americans now agree the decision to invade Iraq was a mistake, according to a survey by USA Today.

The rising costs of education, food, fuel and health care; the implosion of the housing market and high un-

employment have overshadowed the memory of those days.

Although, the recession has inevitably aided in the departure from the feeling of “country first,” so prevalent after 9/11, one professor points out another possible factor.

“I think what happened is a dialtone situation, where the media went

so patriotic and bombarded Americans with that feeling, that Americans just tuned out,” Brent Foster, a journalism professor, said.

Even if the events of this day are a distant memory for some, it is obvious, in talking to people, that they still care about them. “I think people still deeply care about the events of

9/11. It’s just that in retrospect, we squandered one of our most rare opportunities. Few events in American history affected Americans as much as did 9/11,” Chamberlin said. “It’s too bad that we couldn’t have taken advantage of it and sought the promise of the future instead of the cynicism of the past.”

teaching: top oc program earthquake: what to do administrators, both on campus and during site visits to the K-12 schools,” Cavallaro said. “Our faculty have significant experience teaching in elementary and secondary classrooms, as well as excellent records of scholarship and service to the profession.”

The CSUF faculty understand the importance of being able to assess student learning, adjust teaching practices to engage students, and teach not only content but critical thinking, Cavallaro said.

“It’s important for our graduates to have knowledge of the subjects they teach, and they must be able to use effective practices to promote student learning,” Cavallaro said.

Special Education Lecturer, Joan A. Levine, assisted in editing a 325page accreditation document. The document thoroughly describes the College of Education’s teacher edu-

cation program, Levine said. this fall, and will be the only pubLevine admits to being unaware lic teacher preparation program in of the NCATE accreditation pro- Southern California to have this adgram when she first started at CSUF vanced technology,” Cavallaro said.

12 years ago, but said that she now Many of the faculty members are knows the importance of receiving experts in educational technology. this national Levine said the staff recognition. has had a tremendous “We want amount of support from to stay acthe dean and everyone credited. works together.

We’re very Providing the teaching proud of profession’s mechanism what we’ve to help to establish high – Joan Levine quality teachers, specialdone.

We Lecturer want to keep ists, and administrator preparation is what it that way,” Levine said. “We want to program NCATE strives to achieve, according everybody for success.” The College to the NCATE Web site. NCATE’s of Education faculty has a deep com- public homepage reads: “Teaching mitment to student learning Caval- children — to recognize letters, to laro said. The students are scholars read for the first time, to understand and leaders in their fields, so their how a tree grows — is one of the approaches are always cutting edge. most important jobs in America.

“We are having interactive white The nation’s future depends, in large boards installed in our classrooms part, on how well it is done.”

“

We wanted to stay accredited. We are very proud of what we have done.

“

From Page 1

From Page 1 earthquake situation, CSUF student Kimberly Ha, 20, had the right answer.

“You should go under a desk until the shaking is over, and listen to an instructor,” she said. “But it is a good idea to have an earthquake drill so that every student knows what to do in case of an emergency,” she said.

According to Judi King, chief of police at CSUF, the July 29 earthquake served as test of the department’s preparedness for a severe earthquake. They discovered that there are a few areas of improvement to be made, but that overall the police department is ready to handle a seismic disaster.

For example, the Connect Ed notification system, which sends out information over the campus loudspeakers, through text messages and voice messages, to all faculty and staff, was overloaded after the last earthquake. The department learned that it is not necessary to call all campus phones during an emergency, authorities said.

Students are encouraged to confirm their contact information in the student portal. This is the contact information CSUF police use to contact students and staff in case of an emergency.

King also said that students should not wait for the police or anyone else to give directions in case of an emergency.

“Protect your head first and foremost,” she said. “Go under the desk or any sturdy structure. Make use of the best opportunity to evacuate.”

CSUF buildings were built to be earthquake-safe as well. The July quake occurred 8.3 miles from CSUF. Jay W. Bond, associate vice president for facilities management, covered campus grounds soon after the event with a structural engineers familiar with the campus. They discovered that the vast majority of the impact was non-structural, which meant minor damage was observed on building elements that do not provide vertical or lateral support to the buildings. Bond said there was no evidence that the structural safety of the university’s buildings was sig-

nificantly compromised.

Despite assurances, facilities management will be continually conducting reviews of the structural elements at CSUF. In the event of a real emergency, cell phone towers and land lines tend to become bombarded with calls and fail to work. But the Cal State Fullerton Police carry Blackberries that operate on data networks, which are still able to send and receive text messages, Hendee said. And payphone lines are always the first to be re-established after an emergency so they would be a reliable way of communicating after an earthquake.

Hendee also said that everyone should be prepared, with a three-day supply of water and non-perishable food items such as granola and fruit snacks. There will be no access to electricity or water supplies for a considerable amount of time after a disaster, Hendee said.

Hendee also said that students should not leave campus immediately after an earthquake until they are accounted for so that emergency personnel do not spend unnecessary time searching for them.

Future engineers get new toys By daniel xu

Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

Aspiring engineering and computer science students have a pleasant surprise waiting for them this school year – brand new equipment and labs from the largest endowment the department has ever received.

The College of Engineering and Computer Science brought school administrators and outside affiliates on a tour Wednesday, showing off all of the department’s upgraded facilities and what advances these new gadgets will bring to the department’s education and research programs.

“This is a quantum leap, what we can do now, from what we were used to just a couple of years ago,” Raman Menon Unnikrishnan, Dean of the

College of Engineering and Computer Science, said.

Among the highlights of the tour were the machine shop’s futuristiclooking robotic arms and press machines that can produce mechanical parts in minutes where the more conventional models would take days.

High tech computers, sitting gallantly atop desktops in the center of the chip design classroom, make ones in the library look like children’s toys.

The group projects lab of electrical engineering featured a GPS controlled lawn mower, and the civil engineering labs demonstrated models built to examine the strength of building structures against earthquakes.

Unnikrishnan said the department received great value for its money.

“We were not only funded for about $2 million over the last five years, we

also spent the money creatively and dynamically,” he said. “Most of the equipments we upgraded over the summer are only one month old.”

For students, however, new computers and machines are more than just fancy playthings.

Mechanical engineer student Ashley Carter said life has been made much easier than what she had first expected in her field of study.

“I thought I would have to work with those,” Carter said, pointing to rusty old press machines in the machine shop.

“Instead, all I have to do is draw out plans and push a button.”

CSUF President Milton Gordon, who attended the tour, congratulated the department on its advancement and success and said he was impressed by its many federal funded programs.

4

Features

September 11, 2008

Odd exhibit captures a large audience The story of an endless hole in an Eastern Washington man’s backyard becomes unusual imaginary fodder for Grand Central Art Center’s latest exhibit. features@dailytitan.com

ByJoe von regius/Daily Titan Staff Photographer Albert Cuellar’s piece “memories of a falling sleepwalker” is one of the many pieces displayed at the ‘Aspects of Mel’s Hole art exhibit at the Grand Central Art Gallery in Santa Ana.

The last thing that comes to mind while thinking about an art exhibit is bluegrass music. But Cal State Fullerton’s Grand Central Art Center, located in Santa Ana, is different than most museums.

Saturday, from 7 to 11 p.m., GCAC housed “The Aspects of Mel’s The Hole: Artists Respond to a Paranormal Land Event Occurring in Radiospace.” This off-the-wall exhibit is the brain child of Los Angeles writer and artist Doug Harvey.

Inside the art center, a three-piece bluegrass band cheerfully picked, sawed and strummed away at a banjo, fiddle and guitar, stomping their feet as puzzled patrons slowly crowded the space. Curious onlookers studied the ambiguous art pieces with full intensity.

Sin Te, 33, a local artist, thought the quality of the work was amazing and liked how different it was.

“I didn’t come to the show knowing who Mel Waters is,” he said.

“I’ve been here before and this is the best showing I’ve seen in a while,” Te said. As interesting as the artwork is, the history behind it is just as colorful.

In 1997 a man named Mel Waters from Eastern Washington called paranormal-themed radio show KFI 640 Coast to Coast AM. He described a seemingly bottomless pit in his backyard to the host at the time, Art Bell.

Among the many strange qualities he described about the hole, he mentioned it had been used as a dump by his neighbors and the previous owners of his house for years, and it never seemed to fill up.

He said he reeled miles of fishing

line down the hole and never hit the bottom. Waters said the pit had no echo and as far as he knew, it could be a remnant from an Indian burial ground. The hole has never been found.

The story of Mel’s hole went on to capture the curiosity of many people. Harvey was one of them. and said he knew a lot of people who listened to Coast to Coast AM around that time. He said it was just about

“

I’ve been here before and this is the best showing I’ve seen in a while.

“

By Ashley Landsman

Daily Titan Staff Writer

– Sin Te,

Local Artist

all he and his friends and fellow artists would talk about. “To me, that was a sign something had to come of it,” Harvey said.

What came of Harvey’s conception, a juxtaposition of rugged folk art and futuristic style forms based on the Mel’s Hole story, had the brightly lit building bouncing with energy as bodies buzzed within its vividly decorated walls.

To the right of the crowded entrance, people packed themselves into the first of three rooms dedicated to “The Aspects of Mel’s Hole” exhibition.

Crowds of people piled into a dark room showcasing artist Marnie Weber’s contribution, “Mel’s Hole, a Love Story.” In front of a dark orange, black and red cavelike backdrop, two mannequins rested on a tired-looking red velvet loveseat.

One sat upright wearing a slick giant seal costume. It’s abnormally large brown eyes held even casual

onlookers captive as they stared into its black cat-like pupils.

The other mannequin, dressed as a lifeless lamb, laid on the seal’s lap, hands folded neatly in its own lap.

In the same room on the next wall, a tambourine was the soundtrack for Super 8 footage of the seal, the shackled lamb, a hole and a few more characters that danced rhythmically across a screen almost the size of the wall.

Harvey, who got the call from Grand Central Art Center out of the blue, was excited to start moving on his contrivance.

“I was thrilled to get Marnie’s work because her film is loaded with things like music and she always uses animal decorations, which lend themselves well to the Mel’s Hole story,” Harvey said.

A few steps away, an unearthly wishing well-like piece got a gathering of grossed-out gawkers gabbing.

Admirers threw coins into the top of a movable sculpture, which dominated the piece of shiny concrete floor where it was placed. The coins danced through a lime green funnel, passing a globe with a tiny clear seal sitting atop, and landing inside a medium sized glass jar.

The sculpture, by the Rev. Ethan Acres titled “Wombat Outta Hell,” featured sharp shreds of red stained glass and a neon-green, nearly complete skeleton hanging upsidedown coiled around a plastic tube.

A “cherry picker” engine hoist held the bizarre item in such a way that it made a deep noise when coins hit it in a certain way.

Artist and author Richard A. Love found himself laughing with the art.

“It is a test to the general delusion of country living and the wild imagination of the human race,” he said.

Collectively, the Mel’s Hole art pieces were in-your-face, slightly disturbing works.

This exciting, eclectic, futuristic art exhibition ends Oct. 19.

Art Director Andrea Harris said the Mel’s Hole exhibition was just the type of out-of-the-box show GCAC was suited for showing.

Features

September 11, 2008

Teen pregnancy did not stop alumna’s dreams

By Haley Barnett

For the Daily Titan

features@dailytitan.com

Ariana Guerrero and her parents sat patiently at the doctor’s office, waiting to hear what was making her so sick.

As she sat in her blue hospital smock, the doctor walked in with a smile on his face and said, “Congratulations, you are going to be a mom!”

She was 14 years old.

At 5 feet 2 inches and 100 pounds, Guerrero has a strong presence. She walks as if she were balancing a book on her head and talks with unwavering self-assurance.

Her long brown hair and huge deep eyes help her command any room’s attention.

Guerrero’s good friend, Hayley Stevens, remembers the first time she saw Guerrero at school.

“When I saw her I noticed her right away, I was directed toward her,” she said. “She carries herself with such poise that I made it a point to go and meet her.”

Guerrero’s confidence is striking.

As a teenager, however, her shattered self-image trapped her in an abusive relationship that would shape the rest of her life.

It was through her older brothers that Guerrero met her first real boyfriend.

He was 21 and she was only 14.

“We were at party and he came up to me and told me he had a surprise for me. He took off his shirt and showed me a fresh tattoo with my name on his back. It was only the

second time we met,” she said. GuerHe is currently serving a 10-year rero viewed the tattoo as a symbol of sentence for the statutory rape of love, and from the moment forward another young girl. It was after she felt it her obligation to do whatever made the choice to break up with her new boyfriend asked. her boyfriend that Guerrero began “He was a compulsive liar, and I to develop into the strong woman was only a child,” she said. she is today.

He soon gave Guerrero guidelines “Becoming a mom so early made of what a relationship should be.

Ariana grow up quickly, she is on He told her if he were ever mean guard. She knows exactly what she is to her, it was to be accepted; if he looking for,” Stevens said. hung up the phone, she was to call Guerrero returned to school a back; if he were to walk away; she few weeks after she gave birth to her was to chase after him. daughter, but could not graduate She followed every one of those due to a lack of credits. rules.

While being home-schooled, Shortly after the two began dating, Guerrero decided to take acting Guerrero’s boyfriend classes at a local began pressuring her community colinto having sex. lege.

“I said no to him “After being every time. He later on campus, I forced himself on knew I wanted me,” she said. to get my deWhen Guerrero gree,” she said.

– Ariana Guerrero found out she was While other CSUF Alumna pregnant she had had 18-year-old girls no form of sex eduwere wondering cation and thought what to wear to getting pregnant could never hap- prom, Guerrero was working as a pen to her. modeling director at her local dance Her parents discussed no other studio, going to college and caring option than having the baby. for her daughter.

“I was in denial until I was six “My parents were very supportive months pregnant,” she said. “When and helped me out a lot,” she said. we would go to the doctor’s I thought “But as I soon as I came home from the ultrasound was a video tape of school and work I had full responsisomeone else’s baby. When the doc- bility of (my daughter).” tor had me listen to the heartbeat I At the dance studio, Guerrero’s thought it was pre-recorded.” boss tried to persuade her to comThe relationship ended soon af- pete for the coveted Miss Whittier ter Guerrero discovered she was title. Because there were no rules pregnant, which was also when she that prohibited a mother from comlearned that her boyfriend was cheat- peting, Guerrero decided to particiing on her. pate. Continuing to keep her guard “When women get into abusive up, she kept the fact that she had a relationships, they put the blame on 3-year-old daughter at home a sethemselves,” she said. “He knocked cret. my self-esteem so low, that I thought After weeks of rehearsals, the day he was the only person who would of the pageant finally arrived, and ever love me.”

“

He was a compulsive liar, and I was only a child.

“

14 and pregnant, Ariana Guerrero had her baby, got an education and found success

Guerrero was ready to take the Miss Whittier tiara home.

However, the other contestants had a different set of plans.

“They found out that I had a baby and didn’t want me in the pageant,” she said. “The moms of the other girls said that they were going to pull their daughters out of the pageant if I was going to compete.”

But Guerrero not only got to compete – she won.

“Ariana won Miss Whittier fair and square. She was the best girl up there regardless of the fact that she was a young mother,” Guerrero’s friend, Andrea Uribe said.

The city of Whittier hosts an annual parade each year in which the newly crowned queen of the city sits on a float and waves to the crowds.

“I was sitting on that float waving when I saw my high school guidance counselor, who suggested I leave school to be on home study.

She told me that a teenager with a daughter would never be a sufficient role-model for anybody,” Guerrero said. “There I was a role-model for the whole city, and she knew it.”

After winning Miss Whittier, Guerrero’s confidence continued to soar. She soon got a job working for an insurance company and was exposed to extremely confident businessmen.

“In sales and business you have to be confident,” she said. “Being around such smart, confident men taught me a lot about believing in yourself.”

Still having to financially support her daughter, Guerrero continued to take classes part-time, and was determined to earn her degree.

“She is very persistent, if she wants something she will get it,” Ernesto Maldonado, Guerrero’s friend of more than nine years, said.

With hard work, Guerrero was able to earn her associates degree in

5

Photo courtesy of Ariana Guerrero Ariana Guerrero set her mind to accomplishing her goals , and that she did. She is currently pursuing her dreams in acting .

general studies from Cypress College in May 2004.

Then she transferred to Cal State Fullerton, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism with a minor in psychology in fall of 2007.

She is the first person in her family to receive a college degree.

After briefly working as an associate producer at the ABC affiliate television station KESQ News Channel 3 in Palm Desert, Guerrero decided to move back to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.

“I decided it would be best to pursue my passion, and took a big risk,” she said.

Guerrero reminds young mothers to continue to look on the positive side.

“Many girls feel when they get pregnant their life is over. You do have to be prepared for the responsibility, but you also have to realize that you still have to take care of you. You can still accomplish what you want to accomplish, it is just going to be a little more challenging,” she said.

Guerrero has undoubtedly come a long way from the insecure girl she once was. What is her secret?

“If you have confidence in the person you are, you can go anywhere,” she said.

Ph.D. level.

Along with the workshops and meetings that McNair scholars must attend, they also have the option of going on a tour of graduate schools around the country.

Every year, the program chooses a different region of the country to explore.

“I had the opportunity to travel to Boston to visit several colleges and universities including Boston College, MIT and Harvard University,” she said. “I was able to meet several history professors and get acquainted with their graduate programs.”

Because of the tour, many McNair scholars have graduated and moved on to universities throughout the U.S. Rocio Mendoza graduated from CSUF in 2006 with a double major in human services and sociology.

She was the first member of her family to graduate from high school and she is currently attending the

Master’s of Education program at the University of Washington, where she works as an adviser for the McNair program on campus.

“Because we got so much experience out of state … it opens you up and you realize the sky is the limit,” she said.

Mendoza said that when she first entered the master’s program she felt much more prepared than her peers.

But one thing the program cannot prepare students for is moving away from their families, former McNair scholar Rose Buckelew said.

“This is the first time I’ve been detached from my support network,” she said.

After graduating from CSUF in 2007, Buckelew moved across the country to attend a Ph.D. program at Duke University.

Without McNair “I think I would have gone to grad school (but) I don’t think I’d be at Duke. “Clearly I owe that to McNair.”

McNair puts students on track to graduate

By Justine Lopez

For the Daily Titan features@dailytitan.com

It used to be that going to college and getting a bachelor’s degree was as good as a guarantee for a great job.

Now that more students are going to college, it’s becoming more evident that a bachelor’s degree is not enough.

That’s the mindset behind Cal State Fullerton’s Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, which encourages students to consider graduate school.

The program functions to help McNair scholars finish college and get them on track to get into doctorate programs.

The program was created by the U.S. Department of Education in

1986 as a way of influencing students to continue their education at a higher level.

While the program can be found on campuses throughout the nation, it was introduced to CSUF in 1999 and has been helping students ever since.

“In today’s economy those without advanced degrees are behind the curve. Just having a B.S. degree is not going to guarantee (students) a good life,” Gerald Bryant, director of the program, said.

The program accepts about 22 students each year.

All applicants must have the intention of pursuing a Ph.D. and have strong grades to be accepted.

Most students who apply are in the second semester of their sophomore year or at junior standing “We need to have one full year of working with the students and get them to understand the full magnitude” of graduate school, Bryant

said. in Latin American studies.

For a school as large as CSUF, the She entered the program as a juprogram receives only 30 to 40 ap- nior and plans on applying to UCLA plications each year, Bryant said. and UC Irvine’s doctoral programs Once accepted to the program, in history this fall. the students must commit to a lot of Alvarino’s research focuses on the extra work, Bryant murders of womsaid. en in Guatemala, Students are which are known advised and menas “femicides.” tored by faculty “Many of the members who help victims were sexuthem conduct an ally assaulted or original research tortured prior to – Rose Buckelew, their deaths. My project. They are also encouraged to research project attend workshops provides a prelimifor writing and renary hypothesis search. as to the killers’ identities and their Of the students who gradu- motivations to commit these genate from the program at CSUF, 85 der-specific crimes,” she said. percent go onto master’s programs Alvarino said the completion of while 20 percent of those have en- her research project is “the most tered Ph.D. programs, Brytan said. important component” of completJackie Alvarino is a McNair schol- ing the McNair program and will ar majoring in history with a minor give her discipline to function at the

“

This is the first time I’ve been detached from my supposrt network.

“

Program will accept 10 new applicants this year.

For more great feature stories, make sure to check out our website at www.dailytitan.com

Job Workshop held in the Titan Theatre

By Muey Saephanh

Daily TitanAssistant News Editor features@dailytitan.com

Having high energy and being unforgettable was the key factor that employers talked about at the job fair workshop yesterday in the Titan Theatre.

The Career Center holds a bi-annual job fair where hundreds of employers come to campus to recruit potential hires.

Elizabeth Munoz, Career Center employer relation’s specialist, said 163 registered employers will be at the job fair.

Six panelists from different companies were at the workshop to answer the questions that students want to know, but are typically too afraid to ask.

William Beyer from Ingram Micro Inc., which is a wholesale provider of technology products and supply chain services, said he expects students to be prepared. He said he also expects students to be dressed professionally, have a resume ready and take everything seriously.

“Be prepared to sell yourself in a short amount of time,” Beyer said.

Susie Arellano-Reed from Enterprise Rent-A-Car said that she expects students to be ready to talk about themselves, their resumes and be able to talk to the recruiters.

First impressions were something that all employers stressed.

“The best sales person to sell you is yourself,” said Darshan Arya, President and CEO of MaximumBit, Inc., which are leaders in Informa-

tion Technology, outsourcing, citrix access infrastructure, virtualization and thin computing solutions.

Arya said students should inform recruiters about what makes them unique and should try to be unforgettable.

High energy and eye contact is also highly recommended. Employers also expect students to have a vision and have an answer about where they see themselves in five years.

Students should be open-minded and be excited about themselves because that shows confidence and seriousness.

Employers look for students who wear their game face and ready to both talk and ask questions.

Some of the mistakes that employers discussed were being informal.

“Being unprepared is a big mistake.

Employers also emphasized that what students do outside of college is also very important.

“Everyone at the job fair is trying to get a degree,” Marc Essensa, operations manager of McKesson Corporations, health care service company, said. “What values you can bring to a company is also important.”

Employers also value when students take the initiative to take the next step. It helps when students ask what they can do for the company and being proactive is a plus.

Employers expect the students to be respectful, passionate, goal oriented and prepared.

The Career Center job fair is going to be held in the Quad on Sept.

17-18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

yo u r w e e k ly d o s e o f e n t e rta i n m e n t

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DETOUR

September 11, 2008

detour@dailytitan.com • (714) 278-5027

The four-man group signs record deal and practices in the “Sweaty Burrito”

by Jackie Connor

September 13

Saturday Francisco Aguabella Steamers Jazz Cafe Fullerton

14

Sunday Nelly House of Blues Anaheim

17

Wednesday Digible Planets House of Blues Anaheim

18

Thursday DJ Jazzy Jeff Sutra Lounge Costa Mesa

19

Friday Dr. Dog and The Delta Spirit Detroit Bar Costa Mesa

20

Saturday Race to Hell Alex’s Bar Long Beach

Daily Titan Staff Writer detour@dailytitan.com

The atmosphere was alive inside the Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa.

Rockabilly music echoed within the padded quarters of the stage as people came and went from the bar after fueling up on mixed drinks and beer.

Towards the end of the night, a diverse crowd packed the venue to watch the headlining band, Japanese Motors.

This surf rock four-piece has emerged with an infectious sound that has recently earned them a contract with Los Angeles based Vice Records.

“In the past year, since all of us came together, we’ve all had a pretty good idea where the band is and where we can go with our songs and personal taste,” front man Alex Knost, 23, said.

Both on and off the stage, the Japanese Motors are just regular guys having a blast dancing around to the peppy and, at times, humorously vulgar music.

“I’ve watched the Japanese Motors develop into a really amazing band,” Jon Reiser, 35, owner of the Detroit Bar, said.

Singer and lead guitarist Nolan Hall, 23, began playing with Knost in 2006. They started out making beats on borrowed drum kits, and as their skills progressed, they began to contemplate forming a band.

“We’re all on the same page, but we all listen to different music so we bring different elements to the band,” Hall said.

After a stint of playing cover songs, the band decided to take on their own sound by directing a more serious focus within their practices.

The Japanese Motors electrify the Detroit Bar

By McClain nelson/For the Daily Titan The Japanese Motors, whose recent success has earned them a contract with record company Vice Records, outside the Detroit Bar where they played as the headline act.

The band’s original name, Japanese Motors, has stuck with them since they started. However, its meaning remains a secret among its members.

“Listen to the album and all the answers are in that,” Hall said.

Just over a year ago, Japanese Motors roster was completed by their newest addition, drummer Andrew Atkinson, 25, of Long Beach.

“I have been hanging around with these guys for two years now, maybe that’s too long,” Atkinson said jokingly.

All joking aside, Atkinson shares the same passion for his music as the rest of his fellow band members.

“Andrew is more like (the) ‘music is my life’ sort of person,” Knost

said.

Rounded out by bassist Chris Vail, 23, Japanese Motors began to schedule gigs in and around the local Costa Mesa rock scene.

Their sound is a mix of grunge, dance and rockabilly, and it is catching on, evident by the large crowd that appeared on a Monday night to watch their energetic performance at Detroit Bar. The band cites several major musical influences – The Velvet Underground, The Clash and various classic rock artists, along with oldies and even television show tunes – and they give each member of the band a different feel to their music.

“I like Little Richard because he is pretty crazy and also The Clash has

played an influential role,” Vail said.

To avoid pricey practice rooms that rent by the hour, The Japanese Motors have found their own nook to rock out in as well as stow their gear.

Practice takes place in a room inside a Costa Mesa warehouse uniquely dubbed “The Sweaty Burrito.” It’s a room equipped with layers of carpet nailed to the walls to serve as their homemade sound proofing equipment.

“The Sweaty Burrito is fun,” Hall said. “We get a sauna while we practice.”

But their practices accumulate more than just “interesting smells” and sweat. Since signing a contract with Vice Records on Aug. 19, the

band has been working on their upcoming album due out Oct. 7.

Living in close vicinity to the beach, their first single, “Single Fins and Safety Pins,” echoes their beach and surf lifestyle while also taking the listener’s focus off of the stresses of every day life.

The Japanese Motors are more than simply band mates. They skate and surf together at places such as San Onofre state beach.

And though there is a surfing aspect prevalent within their band, it does not completely represent their sound or style.

“We don’t just sing about the sand in our ears,” Knost, despite being a professional surfer, said. “I think we are a voice of what we are around.”

d et our

MUSIC

By Daniel Batalla

Daily Titan Staff Writer detour@dailytitan.com

In case you were wondering, success in the world of techno can be broken down into four basic steps.

Step one: build a small fan base at trendy European Clubs. Step two: travel the world mixing music for thousands of club hoppers. Step three: release a CD. Step four: go back to mixing for Europe.

Laurent Wolf has dedicated his life to electronic music since the age of twelve.

He has performed for tens of thousands of people in Colombia, Mexico City, Chile and Taiwan; undoubtedly, he is popular overseas.

But the release of his latest CD, “Wash My World,” sounds incomplete and generic.

Sure, Wolf ’s rhythmic music and peppy percussion is contagious, causing inevitable foot tapping and head nodding, but it still manages to fall flat.

Maybe in a dimly lit club, with

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dancers swinging glow sticks and tripping off of Ecstasy, Wolf ’s performance would impress, but listening to the thumping of drum machines and less-than-impressive vocals for forty minutes definitely requires endurance.

“Wash My World” launches into “No Stress,” a three-minute-long track that sounds like a mash-up of Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” and anything by the Vengaboys.

Wolf ’s entire collection, though a respectable attempt, sounds like one of those seventies club hits” CD’s you buy at 2 a.m. from an infomercial.

Ironically enough, his track “Seventies” is the least Seventies-sounding, instead giving listeners a taste of what Bono would sound like shooting laser beams.

Laurent Wolf may be adored by thousands, but if “Wash my World” is his finest work, I suggest you stay dirty.

REVIEWS TV

COMIC

by crysania salcido

By Diana Corpus

Daily Titan Staff Writer

Daily Titan Staff Writer

detour@dailytitan.com

detour@dailytitan.com

This season, the Fox Network premieres Fringe, a new series which will air Sept. 9 at 8 p.m.

Fringe is a pseudo-science thriller starring Anna Torv and Joshua Jackson (Dawson’s Creek). Executive producers for the show include J.J. Abrams (Lost), Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (Star Trek, Alias).

Just like Abrams’ early work on Lost, the first episode of Fringe started with an airplane. Flight 627 ended in mysterious circumstances.

It landed, but all passengers were found dead.

Torv, who plays Olivia Dunham, an FBI Special Agent, crosses paths with Jackson, who plays Peter Bishop, a civilian consultant for the FBI. Bishop has an incarcerated father, Dr. Walter Bishop, played by John Noble, who was a scientist specializing in fringe science. This pseudoscience studies paranormal activity like gene mutation, teleportation, mind control and re-animation.

Dunham is on a quest to find a cure and the truth behind the mysterious airborne toxin. Along the way, she finds that Dr. Bishop was a scientist at Harvard. She takes him out of jail and brings his expertise to the case, but not before getting his son Peter to help her as well. By the middle of the episode, all three characters are bound together by the deadly phenomenon of Flight 627.

Though the plot is good, Torv’s portrayal as an FBI agent isn’t very believable. Her dull facial expressions and lackluster delivery failed to capture the emotions of her character. However, Jackson does a great job playing Peter Bishop, who tries to stop Torv’s character from working with his dad.

The series is filled with twists and turns and it looks like a romance could blossom between Torv and Jackson’s character this season. It’s a thriller that will leave sci-fi fans longing for the next episode.

Saiki Misaki is just your average are interesting, but they are overalbino girl trying to make a living shadowed by gratuitous nudity by working two jobs to get by. and forced humor that becomes And if her “day job” as a domi- old fast. natrix and writer for a sex magaThere isn’t much to be said for zine doesn’t get you interested, her the overall art, either. At times it second job as a freelance “ghost is detailed and well done, but it talker” for the city often lacks backmight. Dark Horse ground and feaThe story gets Manga’s “Ghost tures too many Talker’s Daydream” off to a decent start intense facial begins with an in- but fails to deliver a shots. teresting premise art fails compelling manga ... to The and beautiful cover set the “sexy art. Unfortunately, and dark” tone there isn’t much promised on more to the comic than that. the back of the manga comic. The The story has the potential to story gets off to a decent start, but be funny. It revolves around a fails to deliver a compelling manga stalker that steals Saiki’s panties that leaves you wanting more. while sending her tips to solving Unless you’re into cartoon nuthe mysteries behind each ghost dity accompanied by a few well she encounters on the job. But the placed jokes and an OK storyline, lines are delivered in a far too di- you won’t miss very much if you rect and over-the-top manner. choose to skip “Ghost Talker’s The back stories for the ghosts Daydream.”

“

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September 11, 2008

Thomas Huerta’s “Piece of Mind” is a piece of himself Gadget of the Week:

The Parrot Minikit

Huerta’s inspirational art tells portions of his life one piece at a time

A great way to use your cell phone in the car without getting a ticket

by Eui-jo Marquez

Daily Titan Staff Writer detour@dailytitan.com

Thomas Huerta, 28, inspired curiosity in patrons at the reception of his show “Piece of Mind,” hosted by the Titan Student Union’s Plaza Gallery. With striking emotion and technique, Huerta used each piece of art to tell his life story.

The gallery’s opening reception was held in the TSU Underground last Sept. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. More than 30 friends, family members, and passers-by attended the opening. Over the happy hum of conversation, the sounds of The Bee Gees, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin could be heard, broken occasionally by impromptu pieces played on the piano

by Huerta’s 9-year-old niece Stephanie Huerta. According to Stephanie, Huerta’s work inspires a big part of her creativity.

Despite Huerta’s passion and creativity, there is one thing that separates him from much of the upand-coming artist community. He is

by Joseph Von regius

Daily Titan Staff Writer detour@dailytitan.com

By Joseph Von regius/Daily Titan Staff Photographer The artwork of Thomas Huerta is currently being shown in the Plaza Gallery in the lower level of the Titan Student Union.

not an art student. He received his bachelor’s degree in liberal studies, and is currently working on a special education teaching credential in order to work with students who have moderate to severe disabilities.

“I try to incorporate art into the work I do with kids,” he said.

Tracing a chronological journey through his life, Herta’s gallery work begins with black charcoal on paper.

Confident, organic lines dominate, and the early pieces show his preference for shading and for black and white.

As the work progresses, Huerta’s introduction of color creates a joyful mood. The final pieces in the series

are colorful paintings on wood.

“The color represents a new direction in my life,” he said.

Although the early pieces may appear chaotic and are surrounded by broken, plain pieces of picture frame, there is a cohesive feel to his work. An underlying theme of fluidity and emotion is present throughout, and as the series progresses, the pieces appear more finished until they are complete at the end.

Lauren Terrone of Monterey Park, a friend of Huerta’s from high school, said that Huerta has always been a good artist.

“And when he explains what it is, it’s like, wow,” she said.

That’s the thing about Huerta. He is the star of the show, not his art.

The way he described his art to curious patrons included phrases like: “flow of energy,” “opening myself up,” and “an emotion expressed.”

Huerta calls his work a “reflection of my growth as a person.”

The art is interesting in itself, but even more so when you see how it reflects the artist.

“He’s an inspiring person,” said Angie Elman, a passer-by from Garden Grove.

Huerta’s works will be on display at the TSU Plaza Gallery, down the hall from the bowling alley, until September 19.

With California’s new handsfree cell phone law, have you ever considered buying a Parrot to help you avoid a ticket?

Not the type with fancy feathers and a loud mouth, but one that connects itself electronically to your cell phone.

A company called Parrot has developed a Bluetooth device which truly makes you handsfree.

It’s a welcome alternative to sporting the common electronic jewelry on one’s ear which so many people use today.

It’s called the Parrot Minikit and can be clipped to your car’s sun visor or set on a flat surface with the clip removed.

It allows you to talk on your cell phone and hear back through a loud speaker with adjustable volume levels.

The Parrot Minkit uses a high definition speaker for greater sound clarity, a vast improvement over cheap earphones that come packaged with some phones.

Easy operation makes the Parrot very user-friendly. If you can push buttons and turn knobs,

then you have the skills to make it work.

Push a green-lit button to answer a call, and a red-lit button to end it. The volume is controlled by a round knob, which turns right to increase the volume, and left to decrease the volume.

The device is small enough to fit in a pocket, making it portable and very convenient for switching from one car to another.

The kit includes a car charger, a removable sun visor clip and the Bluetooth Parrot device.

A few companies that carry Parrot products include Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics and Circuit City.

The Parrot Minikit sells for about $79.99 in most stores. That price may be a good deal if you’ve already had a few cell phone violations.

It’s a great alternative to getting tickets if you just can’t kick the talking-while-driving habit.

According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, a violation of using a cell phone in a manner that is not hands free will result with a fine of $20 for a first offense and $50 for each offense thereafter.

On the plus side, the device can be connected with your cell phone just as easy as other Bluetooth devices. Just follow the steps of the included instructions and you will be talking to your Parrot in no time.

Cyber Strip For exclusive Detour content that you can’t find anywhere else, make sure to check out dailytitan.com.

One of this week’s special online features is photo galleries of the Thomas Huerta “Piece of Me” art exhibit

and “The Aspects of Mel’s Hole: Artists Respond to a Paranormal Land Event Occurring in Radiospace” exhibit.

So for the best stories and photos, head to the Daily Titan Web site today!

7

opinion

8

Titan Editorial Providing insight, analysis and perspective since 1960

Lance Armstrong continues cancer awareness cause George Foreman did it. Michael Jordan and Roger Clemens managed to do it twice. Until this week the most recent person to do it was Brett Favre.

Now joining the ranks of nonretired retired athletes is cycling legend Lance Armstrong.

Armstrong, who battled testicular, lung, brain and abdomen cancer, was the spark of the Livestrong bracelets, raising cancer awareness around the world.

In another venture to raise global understanding of cancer, Armstrong is coming out of retirement and hopes to win an eighth Tour de France.

Armstrong's effort is even more genuine due to the fact that he is not taking any salary or bonuses from his racing team, according to a report by CNN. He is also posting his blood test results online to "prove that he is a clean athlete."

His efforts to prove that he is not using any performance enhancing drugs and his denial of any monetary compensation from his team, leave little doubt about his intentions in coming out of retirement.

He's really the best person to be representing something like this.

When his prognosis was grim, he bounced back to win seven consecutive Tour de France titles.

The Livestrong bracelets gained popularity the world over, raising awareness and, at one point, $25 million dollars for the Lance Armstrong Foundation in only six months.

The popularity of athletes has always been a selling point in raising awareness for a variety of

Letters to the Editor:

causes, organizations and foundations.

Doug Flutie, a NFL and Canadian Football League quarterback, marketed "Flutie Flakes," a cereal, which has its profits donated toward the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism.

It is an admirable thing for an athlete to use his or her persona to open other people's eyes to a cause.

Some athletes have been known to be selfish, and it's good to see that some of them still have the ability to see beyond the scope of their fame.

Yes, these sports stars tend to promote a cause or foundation that they can closely identify with, and some might call it selfish but at least they are doing something positive.

Plenty of other athletes are too busy driving over-priced sports cars and gas-guzzling SUV’s to notice or care that there is a world beyond their multi-million dollar homes.

Maybe it's time for some of them to start jumping on the awareness bandwagon.

There are plenty of them out there who can make a difference, and it won't take much more effort on their part.

We know that George, Michael, Roger and Brett came out of retirement for their love of the game and other various reasons, but there is a new standard being set – the hype can be used for something else.

We applaud Armstrong for what he is doing.

It's refreshing to see a someone put the rest of the world before

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 Daily Titan Opinion Editor Austen Montero at opinion@dailytitan.com.

September 11, 2008

Reality Politics

By Joshua Burton Daily Titan Columnist

Family Matters There is a lot of dirt being flung at Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee who everyone is already sick of hearing about. Not only is the grime being slung on her, but it seems to be landing on her family as well. This has become a point of contention that is stirring up various people in both parties.

Certainly Palin guessed this would happen. She is entering an extremely close race (is anyone else sick of the phrase "dead heat"?) at a time when the media is desperate for someone new to talk about. Now that she has thrown her hat in, there is no one else to look forward to. Let the long reign of the Palin-centric articles begin!

There was a time when personal matters were left out of political campaigning. Most notably, perhaps, is Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who had lost the use of his legs but was never addressed as "the lame president."

Imagine if he had been president today. Almost certainly there would have been articles titled "lame duck president" if he had ever made it to an actual final term.

Palin's personal life is well known by now and she isn't even holding federal office. Everyone knows she is married to a burly oil worker, has a child with Down Syndrome and has another child who is pregnant. If you do not know all this, good for you.

You've avoided the modern media's political blitz.

Many have argued that this material, however, should be off-limits. A candidate's personal life away from the capitol, wherever that may be, is best left secret. This can either be said as a sign of human respect to a person who already holds a stressful job or just that the information is irrelevant to a holder of public office.

Even Barack Obama himself, the leader of the "other team," has spoken out against using personal attacks on candidates. In a speech on Sept. 1, he condemned the practice,

saying that "people's families are off limits, and people's children are especially off limits."

This comes from a person who has pretty successfully kept his young ones away from the media eye. So much so, in fact, that he needed to finally put his family on display during the Democratic National Convention, as we saw with Michelle Obama's highly personal and family-oriented speech.

This only highlights the fact that a person's personal life becomes public once he or she runs for public office. A personal life has implications on how a person acts in real-world situations.

Family management, personal finance management, neighborly conduct, religious affiliation and the like can be used to determine how a person will rule based upon how they normally act.

Given that some of the candidates lack a long-term resume in politics, there is a real need to see how these people act when put to the test.

United States citizens are putting the welfare (figuratively and literally) of their families on the line in this election and they want to see how

these politicians treat their own.

People care about these things. If a person neglects a family to obtain personal success, that should matter. Why have a family at all?

We want to know if these families are trophies, accidents or a political knee-jerk reaction.

Looking at a candidate's personal life is an age-old practice.

Look in the Bible. When a Christian church in the first century was looking for an elder or deacon, the candidate's private life was open to criticism. How a man (yes, at that time it was only men) ruled his family was of paramount importance. His standing in the eyes of others needed to be beyond reproach. The church was looking for good people.

Granted, this was over two thousand years ago, but the principles still work. Although it should only be one factor in the whole equation.

It should be remembered, however, that family life coupled with professional life should be the full measure. After all, we aren't looking for a father or a mother, we are looking for a leader.

Patriotism in post 9/11 America By eui-jo marquez

Daily Titan Staff Writer opinion@dailytitan.com

It’s Sept. 11, so that means it’s time to forward a couple of patriotic e-mails, share stories of where we were when we heard about the World Trade Center attacks, and call it a day.

Does it bother anyone else that patriotism has been a red, white and blue shirt that we wear for a day and then toss into the laundry, where it lays in a crumpled, tangled heap of dirty socks and underwear?

Normally I would say salute whatever flag makes you happy, whether it be the Bud Light one you have tacked above your bed, or the U.S. one that flies on campus.

But for the past five-plus years it’s bothered me that we aren’t more patriotic in support of our peers who are serving in the armed forces.

I can’t help but compare this war in Iraq to World War II. I’m not talking about reasons for entering the war, the death toll or

the length of the war. I’m not talking about whatever political nonsense we read about in the news every day.

I’m talking about the actions of the people back home to help ease the burden of war that lies solely on the shoulders of the men and women who serve in the military. This is what I consider patriotism.

We did it up right during World War II. Picture this: USO dances, where pretty girls in frilly dresses danced with pimply-faced, scrawny, homesick and scared boys, who were barely 18.

Think FDR's fireside chats.

Think war bonds, coffee rationing, sugar rationing, rubber rationing and gas rationing.

Think Rosie the Riveter, representing a new generation of women, stepping out of familiar roles and into a new world and fighting the good fight at home.

Back then people made sacrifices.

Now we don’t think about it much.

I realize that things weren’t peachykeen, just as I know they aren’t now.

But the fact is, we are at war. And

even if you don’t support the war, you can still support the troops.

For most of us, 364 days out of the year we go about our business: shopping, watching TV, eating out.

There is no sign in our daily lives that we are at war, or that over a million Americans are on active duty in the military. Their freedoms are restricted, and they can’t enjoy the pleasures we take for granted.

Our soldiers in the Middle East deal with dust storms, summer temperatures around 125 degrees, posttramautic stress disorder, and an invisible enemy – one that masquerades as a civilian. An enemy that is everywhere, and nowhere – leaving an improvised explosive device behind to do their dirty work.

They need more from us. After 9/11 we made a show of being patriotic. People slapped silly yellow ribbons on their SUV's. Country singers wrote songs about putting a boot in someone’s ass, because “it’s the American way.” This did not help our troops in Iraq.

Faded stickers and stupid songs

don’t help the soldiers. They need us to get angry. They need us to read and ask questions, to think and talk.

They need us to donate money and care packages to the American Red Cross, which is ranked the numberone charity in the United States by charitynavigator.org.

They need us to donate phone cards through the Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation, which also rates three out of four stars on the Web site.

Most importantly, our soldiers need us to help bring them home. In a speech Tuesday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Senator John McCain predicted that if he wins the presidency, the war will be over by 2013.

Senator Barack Obama promises a withdrawal of troops 16 months after he moves into the White House.

When you’re listening to the endless campaign nonsense, think about our soldiers .

Think about patriotism when you vote.

Do something.

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You will call someone today, who will insist on calling you “Sven.” Humor them -- act impressed.

Capricorn (December 22 - January 20) Not a good time to discuss sauerkraut. At least not if you value your friendships, and your sanity.

Aquarius (January 21 - February 18)

P E R S O N

complete

13

SUDOKUS

[FOR SEP.[ C O R R E C T LY

will

win

[ [ A720

IS 8MP

DIGITAL CAMERA

26 TURN IN TO KASSIA AZIMIOARA AT CP 660

SUDOKUS SHOULD BE TURNED IN BY SEPTEMBER

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SUDOKU

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.

This might be a good time to refer to your roommate as “Watson” and say things like “The game’s afoot!.” Eventually, you’ll be able to reconstruct an entire evening’s events from a spilled drop of raspberry vinaigrette.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20) You will spend the day discussing whether the main problems in the world are due to ignorance or apathy. Personally, I don’t know and I don’t care.

T H E

A CANON POWERSHOT

Humorscopes

Aries (March 21 - April 19) Old Neil Diamond songs will circle endlessly in your mind today. I recommend screaming and pounding your head on the table.

Taurus[ April 20 - May 20) Bad day to call someone a “whiney gen-x cybercowboy.” Tomorrow’s better, for that one.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20) About your new idea... Sure, I’ll bet you could sell your handmade voodoo dolls by marketing them over the Internet. The competition, however, can be “fierce.”

Cancer (June 21 - July 22) Your mind will go blank today. You won’t mind it’ll be a refreshing change from the raging torrents of thoughts that have been pouring through you lately.

Plus, you’ll get to stretch out in a sunbeam and take a nice nap.

Leo (July 23 - August 22) If you love someone, let them go. If you hate someone, grab ‘em and hang on like a dog with a stick.

Snarl a bit, too -- that’s always fairly effective.

Virgo (August 23 - September 22) Good day to begin construction of a labyrinth.

Everybody loves a labyrinth.

Libra (September 22 - October 22) As a joke, you will send off a resume for your dog to a company which wants to hire an extrusion manager. Surprisingly, he will not only get the job, but will earn more than you.

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21) Try not to attract attention today. This might be a good time to learn the art of disguise. Forget about camoflage suits, though - I tried wearing mine to the mall, and people could still see me, even when I crouched and remained very still Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)

1T O

9

ALL

CLASSIFIEDS

September 11, 2008

Sudoku is made possible by the

people at www.dailysudoku.com

Sports

10

September 11, 2008

Volleyball gets shut out in UNLV Tournament Titans win one set in three matches during Las Vegas road trip, but team looks to build on its early struggles

By Crysania Salcido

Daily Titan Staff Writer sports@dailytitan.com

The Cal State Fullerton women’s volleyball team took on tough opponents at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Invitational Tournament over the past weekend.

Although the team said it gained much from the experience, the Titans were unable to come out of the tournament with a single victory.

The Titans (2-4) started off against Miami University on Friday afternoon. Despite sophomore Erin Saddler’s season-high 12 kills and sophomore Cami Croteau’s 11 digs, the Titan’s service errors and low hitting average kept them from overcoming the Red Hawks (4-2) in three close sets (25-19, 25-23, 25-23).

On Saturday, the Titans took on the UNLV Rebels (2-4) in a close match. Senior Brittany Moore led

the team with her fourth doubledouble of the season by posting 18 kills and 16 digs, sophomore Genie Francisco led in assists with 41 and digs with 20, and junior Alex Wolnisty posted seven block assists, but the Titans were unable to overcome the Rebels’ momentum and lost the match in four sets (23-25, 25-17, 25-16, 25-23).

The Rebels finished with three players with 10-or-more kills, led by Jessica Walters who tallied 13 on the afternoon. Walters also picked up four block assists, finishing behind teammate Samantha Noland who had six blocks of her own.

In the Titan’s second match on Saturday, the team finished the tournament by facing No. 10-ranked University of Wisconsin (5-1).

Moore had 11 kills and junior Ashley Collier came up with 13 digs in the match.

But hitting errors in the first set

and good blocking by the Badgers defense led to the Titan’s loss (25-16, 25-21, 25-22).

CSUF held an early lead, but Wisconsin caught them at 8-8 and never relinquished the lead from there.

Even though the Titans came out of the tournament without a win, Francisco said she felt that they grew as a team. Head Coach Carolyn Zimmerman also saw improvement in the team’s play.

“We didn’t get the outcomes we’d like as competitors,” Zimmerman said. “But as coaches and a team, we have to celebrate the small victories.”

Victories, such as Moore’s spot on the UNLV Invitational All-Tournament Team, and Collier’s 13 digs after switching to the libero position, helped the Titans to gain confidence in their abilities as a team.

Zimmerman said that the team is still adjusting to one another, but

knows that the opportunities to play better schools will help them to improve and develop to their full potential.

The tournament gave the Titans a chance to show how far they have come as a team so far early in the season.

“It was a bigger challenge, but more fun to play because they were better teams, and we got a chance to really compete,” Francisco said.

While they were pleased with the overall direction they are headed, the Titans realize that it is still early in the season and they need to improve.

“We’re all good individually but we need to work on, as a team, putting it together,” Saddler said.

The tournament also gave the team opportunities to increase their bond off the court.

Along with the four-hour bus ride to and from Nevada, Francisco said that the team was able to go and see the Cirque de Soleil show “Love.”

The Titans look forward to using the experiences they gained from the tournament in even more difficult matches ahead.

Zimmerman said playing highercaliber teams will help to improve their game in the long run, especially once they start playing regular season games in the Big West Conference.

The Titans being the “underdog” in the match doesn’t faze Zimmerman or her team.

“Regardless of who we play, we’re going to be playing Titan volleyball,” Zimmerman said.

Editor’s note: The Titans lost to No. 5 UCLA in three sets on Wednesday (25-10, 25-20, 25-19).

For coverage on the game check www.dailytitan.com

Photos By Rafael A. Delgado/For the Daily Titan Top: The Titans huddle together their first game loss, 25-10, to UCLA at the Titan Gym on Wednesday. Right: Alex Wolnisty, No. 11, spikes the ball passed two UCLA defenders in the first set of the Titans three set loss on Wednesday.

The Chef ’s Special

Think Different. Think Simon.

Between bidding war and arbitrator’s ruling, the NHL’s ‘Cold War’ could change American sports as we know them

The Angels perfect complement of pitching, hitting and coaching will help the team reach the Fall Classic this season

By Michal Olszewski

Daily Titan Sports Editor

molszewski@dailytitan.com

When Great Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Miliband said that Russia’s government has a big responsibility to “not start a new Cold War,” the shockwaves could be felt throughout the world.

The current crisis, however, is somewhat similiar, although far less serious, to another Russia-U.S. struggle.

Sports fans: brace yourselves.

Hockey may not be the biggest sport in America (it has to at least be in the top 15 though, right?), but the ramifications of what happens during the latest Cold War between the U.S. and Russia may end up having huge implications in your favorite sport.

This past summer, the National Hockey League and the Continental Hockey League, or the KHL as it’s known in Russia, have been in the midst of power struggle over the rightful ownership of player contracts.

Now the names of the players in this battle may not be the biggest stars in the NHL or KHL, but the precedent of what the leagues decide will set the tone of what happens in other professional leagues.

Especially since the players leaving for the KHL are doing it for

more money than the NHL can offer.

While it’s unlikely that LaDainian Thomlinson would have ever left the National Football League for the now-defunct NFL Europe or that Alex Rodriquez would bolt from the New York Yankees for a contract with the Seibu Lions, a more likely threat may emerge with the National Basketball Association.

If a player such as Kobe Bryant or LeBron James were to leave to play in Europe, as they have expressed interest in doing, then other players can now leave for more money elsewhere.

This issue is more related to a salary cap, but the idea is still the same.

A player, because of the weak American economy, can now leave to play overseas for more money because the NBA’s salary cap only permits a certain amount of money a player can earn.

Most leagues, in all major sports, have opt-out clauses or buyouts for players who wish to switch leagues, but under the new agreement between the two hockey leagues, there are no buyouts and the “poaching” of players has been ruled illegal.

The KHL recently withdrew its appeal on five players it claimed were poached from its league by the NHL. However, the two leagues will now go to court or arbitration to decide

the fate of former/ current Nashville Predators forward, Alexander Radulov.

Radulov was by no means a superstar in the NHL, but he had one year remaining on his contract with the Predators when a more lucrative offer came from the KHL. The Russian abandoned ship and left to go play in the new league, but the NHL had other ideas.

The two leagues agreed to honor each other’s contracts on July 10 and will no longer attempt to sign players under contract in the other league, but the ruling in the case could change what the leagues do.

If Radulov is allowed to play in the KHL, the ability to poach players will still, in some way, exist.

The NHL needs to do something right for a change and send the right message to the foreign leagues by keeping Radulov in the U.S. and making him play out his current contract. A player should not have the power to hold a team hostage by considering offers for more money in another league.

It is true that the four major sports in North America have a history of stealing talent from other leagues, but as a selfish sports fan, I want the leagues here to stay on top.

By Simon Liang

Sports Columnist

sports@dailytitan.com

As the season is slowly coming to a close, once again we see the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on top of the American League West. On a side note, I was never a big fan of that name change. Not only is it too long to type, it isn’t really pleasing to the ear.

Thanks, Arte Moreno.

Anyway, although their crosstown rivals have not been very good lately, the Angels have been the total opposite, seemingly always being in the hunt for the postseason ever since Mike Scioscia took the helm.

This season, the Angels have shown the rest of the league that their pitching staff is a force to be reckoned with.

Even without Kelvim Escobar, this year’s flamethrowers have made this team one of the few contenders for the World Series crown.

The five-star rotation all has double-digit wins.

Ervin Santana has emerged as an AL Cy Young Award candidate, but I am confident that the Cleveland Indians’ Cliff Lee will take the prestigious award.

Jon Garland and John Lackey have both been solid, but have not had their best seasons, so they will need to turn it up in the playoffs.

Joe Saunders has been the biggest

IN OTHER NEWS

surprise by coming out of nowhere to win 15 games.

All of the starters are solid, but the real gem of this pitching staff is closer Francisco Rodriguez.

There is a reason he is known as K-Rod; he simply strikes out batter after batter.

Not only has he decimated the competition this year, he has a great chance of breaking former Tigers closer Bobby Thigpen’s record of 57 saves in a season.

However, the pitcher I have been most disappointed with has been Jered Weaver.

After a breakout season in 2006 going 11-2 with a 2.56 ERA, I was ready to anoint the younger Weaver as the next great young arm in the American League. Instead he has had two mediocre seasons after the great start.

One head scratcher was the signing of center fielder Torii Hunter for $90 million in the offseason.

In 2006, they had just given Gary Matthews Jr., who plays the same position, a $50 million contract.

So if my math is correct that is $140 million committed to center field. Last time I checked, only one person can play center field at a time.

The face of the Angels, Vladimir Guerrero, has not been himself this season.

His batting average is the lowest it has been since he broke into the

majors in 1996.

Even with his struggles, he is still one of the most feared hitters in the majors.

The acquisition of Mark Teixeira was comparable to the move the Dodgers made in getting Manny Ramirez. Both sluggers are dangerous when they step to the plate.

The Angels got a bargain by swapping first baseman Casey Kotchman for Teixeira. He will be the difference in the postseason when the Halos need another big bat.

With their current roster, and Scioscia’s World Series experience, they should be set for another good run in October.

The only team I see getting in their way to the World Series is the reigning champion Boston Red Sox. In the postseason, pitching wins championships. The Halos clearly have the right arms in place to hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy.

With Teixeira, Guerrero, and Hunter in the heart of the lineup they also have the power to offset any pitching deficiencies.

The Halos will make the World Series. Yes, you heard it here first.

Get your tickets soon, because I will.

Mark your calendars; I will see all you die-hard Angel fans in late October.

Women’s Soccer

Team stays in top-25 poll, travels to North Carolina for weekend tournament With victories in four of its first five matches to begin the 2008 season, the Cal State Fullerton women’s soccer team (4-1 overall) racks up the frequent flier miles this weekend as the Titans head east to WinstonSalem, N.C., for the Wake Forest

Nike Tournament.

Despite suffering their first loss of the season to No. 12 Santa Clara, the Titans remain in the top 25 in the nation’s three major polls, ranking as high as No. 21 in the nation according to the NSCAA. The team

Women’s Volleyball

is ranked No. 25 in the country by both Soccer America and Soccer Buzz.

Host Wake Forest is the highest ranked team in the tournament, standing No. 14 according to Soccer Buzz, No. 16 according to Soccer

America, and No. 19 according to the NSCAA..

Virginia Tech and UNC-Charlotte are both unranked this week.

Fullerton opens tournament play on Friday at 2 p.m., against Virginia Tech.

Struggling Titans look to pick up wins in University of San Diego Tournament The Titans will travel to the USD Tournament on the campus of the University of San Diego this weekend.

There the Titans will face the host Toreros, Texas A&M and Southern Miss.

SOUTHERN MISS: Cal State Fullerton has played Southern Miss once since 1980.

The Titans beat the Golden Eagles 3-0 to open the 1997 tournament season at Southern Miss on Aug. 29.

TEXAS A&M: The Titans and Aggies have split the all-time twomatch series with one another dating back to 1981. Their last meeting came in 1993 when A&M emerged victorious 3-0 at the Fresno State Tournament.

SAN DIEGO: Fullerton has an all-time record of 8-15 against San Diego. The last meeting in 2006 resulted in a three-set win for San Diego. The loss also hindered the Titans from winning its school record 18th match of the year.