DAILY EGYPTIAN
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Nebulas Eco camp builds and knowledge viewable from Neckers BRANDA MITCHELL Daily Egyptian
On any given night, there are many planets and stars to see in the sky, however observers may soon be able to see an entirely different galaxy. “It could be now or it could be in a few months, but Andromeda is coming up,” Lecturer of physics April Hendley said of a spiral galaxy located about 2.5 million light years away. “It’s the nearest big galaxy to us.” Andromeda is 2.5 million light years away from the Milky Way, but they are predicted to collide in four billion years due to the mutual gravitational pull, according to NASA. The Department of Physics will host an astronomy viewing at 10:30 p.m. Sunday at the Neckers Observation Deck. Hendley said the moon might determine if spectators can see certain extraterrestrial bodies such as the Ring Nebula. The Hubble Space Telescope showed the true shape and colors of the Ring Nebula in May 2013, which was previously believed to be different from what it found. “The Ring Nebula looks like a tiny greyish donut in the sky,” Hendley said. “Through a telescope it appears as a grey circle. The pictures we’ve seen where it’s colorful is from cameras where the shutter is open gathering light over a period of time. When we look through our eyes, we don’t have enough time to get the color information.” Lecturer Hendley described the behavior of Ring Nebula as indicative of what will eventually happen to our Sun in billions of years. “It is pretty much how a star about the size of our sun ends its life,” Hendley said. Saturn and Mars are also anticipated to be visible at Sunday’s observation. Saturn, the fifth brightest object in our solar system, is the most distant planet that can be seen with the naked eye. The planet can be distinguished by its pale yellow color, or by its rings when looking through a telescope. Mars, known for being ‘The Red Planet’ can be recognized by distinct coloration caused from the presence of rust on the surface. Two more observations are scheduled for the summer on Aug. 10, when the moon is closest to Earth, and Aug. 17. Branda Mitchell can be reached at bmitchell@dailyegyptian.com
KETURAH TANNER · DAILY EGYPTIAN
Torrie Withrow, a senior from Wayne City studying outdoor recreation, demonstrates to Maggie Bathgatt-Duram how to build a mound fire during one of Touch of Nature’s Eco Camps Tuesday. A mound fire is built on a tarp with a dirt base so it will not burn the ground or leave marks. It is a fire technique used for the“Leave No Trace”program. Withrow is a camp leader for Camp SIBOGI, Southern Illinois Boys and Girls, which took place June 30 to July 3. The camp is named after a past Touch of Nature program.
Carbondale gets set for the fourth MARCUS GRUWELL Daily Egyptian As American flags wave in the wind and the feeling of patriotism sweeps through the city like wildfire, people of Carbondale can expect to see a slight change in celebrations Friday night. Residents from all of southern Illinois will come to watch the fireworks and celebrations that are set to take place at 9 p.m. in Carbondale’s SuperBlock located behind University Mall and North Street. Minor changes will be made to this year’s fireworks according to its sponsors, The Carbondale Convention and Tourism Bureau.
Changes made will consist of the direction of fireworks and installing more traffic patrol. Cinnamon Smith, Carbondale Tourism executive director, said the changes are mostly because of budget cost. “We are mostly trying to have fewer low line fireworks [this year] and more higher up ones because we know that some people like to sit higher to watch them,” Smith said. City Manager Kevin Baity said that parking will be limited in some areas but everyone should be able to enjoy the celebrations. “There will be areas you wont be able to enter but places such as Carbondale Middle School and
Carbondale Community High School will be available to park in,” he said. It is recommended that people come early for the fireworks as traffic will build up quickly and there will be some parking that will be closed off. Baity said he hopes that next year the fireworks will be moved to the new water park, which is planned to be completed in May 2015. “The entire display should last from 25-30 minutes so it should be a nice time for everyone,” he said. Marcus Gruwell can be reached at marcus.gruwell@dailyegyptian.com
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Upcycling to waste less and create more STOREY MAYER Daily Egyptian Upcycling can turn old trash into treasure. Ron Dunkel, coordinator of the Student Center Craft Shop, said “Upcycling is taking waste or old materials and transforming them into something new or better than the original.” The Craft Shop offers an upcycling class throughout the year, which primarily focuses on upcyling of jewelry. Shawn Vaughn, assistant coordinator of the Student Center Craft Shop, teaches the two-hour class. Vaughn said upcycling is now a common activity and used in a variety of ways. Jewelry, clothes, furniture, instruments and art
‘‘U
pcycling is taking waste or old materials and transforming them into something new or better than the original — Ron Dunkel Craft Shop coordinator
are just a few examples of the multitudes of ways upcycling can be used. “You take an antique or something you already have and make it into something completely different or wearable again,” he said. Dunkel said upcycling has many uses. Not only is upcycling a way to express creativity and get use out of the junk gathering dust around the house, but also it is very “green.” Recycling actually downgrades the value and quality of materials, while upcycling creates something with greater or equal value. “It helps keep memories alive as well,” he said. “Something that takes up space, but is still precious, can be put into service again and create something valuable whether fundamental or material.” Vaughn said upcycling allows people to exercise their creativity and waste less. “When living in a world of technology where all thing go obsolete, there is something therapeutic about making and reusing things,” Dunkel said. Storey Mayer can be reached at smayer@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 254.
Facebook policy did not mention ‘research’ at time of controversial experiement BRANDON BAILEY San Jose Mercury News Fueling more debate over a controversial experiment, Facebook acknowledged Tuesday that its official data-use policy didn’t specifically list “research” among the ways that members’ information might be used at the time it was conducting a study to see how some users’ emotions were affected by subtle manipulation of their Facebook news feeds. Facebook argues it had users’ consent to carry out the test, based on broader language in the policy that was in effect when the data was gathered in January 2012. The company added a reference to research when it revised the policy four months later _ although critics say it’s doubtful many users ever read the lengthy document in any case. Legal experts said the policy highlights a broader issue: While Internet companies are increasingly using powerful software for testing human behavior and reactions to different messages, there is a large gap between private industry standards and the stricter ethical rules imposed on academic and medical research, where scientists have long wrestled with the risk of doing harm to study subjects. The gap is likely to be more pronounced as companies hire more data scientists _ and as academic researchers collaborate with private firms — to extract valuable insights from
vast stockpiles of user information, said Stanford law professor Hank Greely, who studies health law and policy. Current industry practice “allows pretty much any use of data within a company,” so long as personal identities aren’t revealed, Edward Felten, director of Princeton University’s Center for Information Technology Policy, added in a blog post this week. Facebook’s methods were consistent with industry practice, he wrote, “but they were clearly inconsistent” with standards for medical or mental health research that require informed consent, review by an ethics panel and other safeguards. Companies generally don’t have to meet those stricter standards unless they receive government funding or are seeking product approval from an agency such as the Food and Drug Administration. While legal experts say Facebook probably didn’t violate any U.S. laws, and Facebook said the study didn’t use identifying information, British regulators said Tuesday they will review the study for compliance with privacy laws. The Facebook test involved nearly 700,000 users who were not told they had been assigned to random groups for one week so data scientists could test their reactions to seeing a reduced number of “positive” or “negative” updates from their friends. The researchers said Facebook users who saw fewer positive
updates tended to write posts that were less positive, while those who saw fewer negative updates reacted by posting messages that were more upbeat. Facebook and its defenders say the study is no different from countless other tests that online companies conduct to gauge users’ reaction to different kinds of messages. But critics argue that, instead of passively observing online behavior, the researchers deliberately altered what users saw, with the expectation it might influence their emotions. “People were playing with your brain for research purposes, without giving you a chance to say no,” said Stanford’s Greely. Critics also noted that Facebook researcher Adam Kramer and two coauthors touted the study as having implications for public health when they announced the findings earlier this month. Facebook has more recently characterized the research as part of an effort to improve its services. Writing in a scientific journal, the researchers said users gave informed consent to the experiment because they agreed to the company’s Data Use Policy when they opened their Facebook accounts. Initial news reports focused on a brief mention of “research” in the current, 9,000-word policy, but a Forbes technology writer reported late Monday that the oftrevised policy didn’t mention research at the time of the experiment.
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Thursday, July 3, 2014 Editorial Policy
Notice
Our Word is the consensus of the Daily Egyptian Editorial Board on local, national and global issues affecting the Southern Illinois University community. Viewpoints expressed in columns and letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Egyptian.
The Daily Egyptian is a “designated public forum.” Student editors have the authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. We reserve the right not to publish any letter or guest column.
Staff Column
Keep boardroom out of my bedroom BRANDA MITCHELL Daily Egyptian On June 30, the Supreme Court handed down their 5 – 4 ruling that making family-owned corporations pay for contraceptive insurance coverage violates their religious freedom. What about my right to reproductive freedom? In no way, shape or form should my employer have any say or even knowledge in the type of health care I choose to utilize. “Indeed, until today, religious exemptions had never been extended to any entity operating in ‘the commercial, profit-making world,’ ” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said in her dissenting opinion of the case. “The reason why is hardly obscure. Religious organizations exist to foster the interests of persons subscribing to the same religious faith. Not so of for-profit corporations. Workers who sustain the operations of those corporations commonly are not drawn from one religious community. Indeed, by law, no religion-based criterion can restrict the
work force of for-profit corporations.” Let’s begin with the fact that this ruling states that corporations now have religious freedoms. Since when do non-human entities get inalienable human rights? And if they are now in fact allowed to practice religious freedom, why is it taking precedent over the actual human beings who work for these corporations’ rights? Additionally, this case’s weak argument further proves the hypocrisy of the majority opinion sitting on the Supreme Court. This case was so narrow by only addressing birth control. There are so many facets to religion that was not even addressed in this case, which is now causing a slippery slope. One of the long standing arguments in the Catholic church’s opposition to birth control is that they believe life starts at conception, so interrupting that natural process is against their religious beliefs. However, Hobby Lobby, who brought this case to the Supreme Court, will still pay for male vasectomies. In what capacity is that not sexist and going
against everything they say they stand for? A corporation that represents a significant amount of the American population may have brought upon this particular case, but they do not represent everyone. If a corporation owned by Jehovah’s Witnesses wanted to celebrate their religious freedoms — such as not allowing blood transfusions — in the type of health coverage they provide, they would be told it was unconstitutional not to provide that service. Yet, birth control is somehow on its own playing field. Justice Ginsburg and I are definitely not the only ones who feel this way. Ginsburg cited a brief from the Guttmacher Institute in her dissent explaining that some women cannot afford the most effective means of birth control, resulting in increased abortions and unwanted pregnancies. So even though the corporations don’t want to support abortions, they also do not want to provide the preventative care to avoid them. This is a massive step in the wrong direction for women’s rights.
Celebrating our Independence Day BRITTANY PETTIFORD Daily Egyptian “We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We’re going to live on! We’re going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!”- President Thomas Whitmore This memorable quote from the 1990s film “Independence Day” is what I always think about on the Fourth of July. What started out as a solemn day of recognition of our independence for 2.5 million new Americans is now a national holiday for 318.4 million citizens who enjoy one of the most jubilant and lavish celebrations. For centuries, many Americans have taken the opportunity to commemorate the day we became independent to the fullest. In 1777, a year after the Declaration of Independence was signed, Americans celebrated by hosting parades, giving speeches and prayer, official dinners and salutes to the 13 free colonies of the United States. Americans also decorated ships in our countries colors red, white and blue. The Fourth of July celebration is pretty much the same today except on a much larger scale. Friday the nation will unleash its massive array of everything patriotic from cakes and cookies, flags, clothes and decorations galore. A parade is always in store with patriotic floats, candy and confetti. Fireworks imported into America during the fourth are at a whopping
$203.6 million, a lavish investment to provide for all the best shows across the country. As a child, they were my favorite part of the fourth, aside from picking out a cute red, white and blue outfit. The brilliant colors shooting in the sky and the thrilling booms and crackling sounds were amazing to me. Eating the Georgia barbeque and hearing the “Star-Spangled Banner” topped off the experience as the firework finale began. But some of the best fireworks I’ve ever seen were at Navy Pier in Chicago. To watch sparks of so many different colors hovering over Lake Michigan is simply mesmerizing. An essential part about this national holiday has ultimately become the barbeque. I can smell it now, the hickory smoked sausage and beef ribs, just teasing my nostrils. In my family everyone plays a role in the cooking the food, but I always enjoyed eating the food much more. An estimate of 6.1 billion pounds of meat will be shipped all over the U.S. from Texas. So, prepare your seasonings and fire up your grills. Where there’s food, there are also family and friends hungry for the most delicious part of the holiday. Amongst the celebration of our independence, is laughter. No matter where I go, my fellow Americans are always laughing and enjoying the day. The most important thing is to remember that this holiday is to remember the spirits of those Americans who came before us to fight for the freedom of our country. Remember the men who later proclaimed “We the people”. And those who demanded that freedom should ring. Independence Day is a celebration of freedom throughout the course of our American history. Happy Independence Day!
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PULSE
‘Heatstroke’ is a lukewarm desert survival thriller ROGER MOORE McClatchy-Tribune A veteran cast not given to overplaying, a competent director and striking desert Africa settings are the chief recommendations of “Heatstroke,” a survival thriller with murder, poaching, gun-running and hyenas as its active ingredients. Paul, a hyena expert (Stephen Dorff), reluctantly drags his insolent teenage daughter (Maisie Williams) along on safari as he heads back to Africa to track his beloved laughing predators. Dad, the iPad addicted teen complains, is all about “hyenas, hyenas hyenas.” Complicating matters is dad’s girlfriend, Tally, a crisis-hardened Russian search-and-rescue specialist used to being dropped into the world’s disasters to help out. Josie is spoiled, rude and acting out, especially against Dad’s paramour. “I wouldn’t mess with Tally, Jo,” he dad warns. “She’s tough.” How tough? Since we’ve seen Tally, played by Svetlana Metkina (“Slingshot”, “Bobby”) in the opening scene, battered and
bloodied and being chased across the desert by a Cessna, we’ve already figured that out. Events conspire to put the teen and Tally on their own, with almost no water, in a desperate trek to survive. Gun runners led by the movies’ favorite Nordic villain, Peter Stormare (“Fargo”), are after them. But Tally is no pushover. Like Liam Neeson in “Taken,” she has “particular skills” that could serve them well. Director Evelyn Purcell, whose decades of credits include “Borderline” and the romantic comedy “Nobody’s Fool” and whose ex-husband is Oscar winner Jonathan Demme, would have been better served doling out more examples of Tally’s survival skills — little “Survivorman” tidbits about getting water, how to ride out a sandstorm, what to do if a scorpion bites you and you have no first aid kit, etc. The few times she does, “Heatstroke” becomes more interesting. The annoying, accident-prone and headstrong kid wants to rest more. “Each hour we walk,” Tally snaps, “we are widening the (villains’) search area.” But the film is far more
PROVIDED PHOTO
conventional than that, relying on a leading lady without a lot of charisma or acting-in-English chops to enlist our empathy and make us her partner as she thinks and hikes her way out of this tough spot. With villains cribbed from the generations of cheap thrillers that precede it and action scenes that have no novelty to them, “Heatstroke” starts looking like Adam Sandler’s “Blended” more by the minute — a movie the cast signed up for to get a free working African vacation.
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Kidnappers turn the War on Terror against America TISH WELLS McClatchy Washington Bureau In Jonathan Holt’s first book, he introduced readers to Capt. Kat Tapo of the Venice Carabinieri (police). She and 2nd Lieutenant Holly Boland make two interesting sleuths, along with the reclusive Daniele Barbo, creator of Carnivia, an elaborate online world that reflects Venice itself. His newest novel, “The Abduction” deals with the kidnapping of an American girl, interrogation techniques used by the United States in the War on Terror, drugs and, in a side plot, the aftermath of World War II in Italy.
This book is not for the weakstomached. While the plotting is not as strong as the previous “The Abomination,” the visual imagery of torture and sadism are unsettling. Most of the novel deals with the kidnapping of 16-year-old Mia Elston, daughter of a U.S. officer, and her torture (or “enhanced interrogation,” a la Guantanamo). The kidnappers videotape each brutal interrogation session, saying to the United States such actions are “not torture,” then broadcast it on the Internet. At one point, they start live webcasting their sessions, starting with a recreation of the famous image from Abu Ghraib using a
hooded Mia holding electrical wires. Finally, it culminates. “A title appeared. WATERBOARDING IS NOT TORTURE. AT 9 P.M. TONIGHT SHE WILL NOT BE TORTURED. “There was a moment’s stunned silence, followed by a sound that came from the throats of every single person in the room _ a kind of murmured gasp, a collective groan of despair that was also an acknowledgement that this had been always going to happen, if they failed to find her. “And now they had failed, for it was upon them.” The police and the world watch it live.
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Sherbert by Ryan Wiggins
C O M I C S
207 West Main Street Carbondale, IL 62901 Ph. 1-800-297-2160
Level: 1
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Best in Show by Phil Juliano
Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 7 — Travel at your own risk. Make a good impression with your quiet discipline. Take the time you need. Maintain objectivity. Put your money into home and family. Leave yourself a secret message. Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 7 — Invest in home, family, land and real estate. Prepare a foundation. Strengthen your infrastructure without overspending. Boldly assert your affection. Postpone travel, and work from home. Apply discipline towards a fun game. Gemini (May 21-June 20) Today is a 7 — Stick to your budget, and only buy what you love. Cinch a great deal. Anticipate disagreement if you spend too much. Handle a job at home you’ve been putting off. Catch up on reading. Cancer (June 21-July 22) Today is a 7 — Go for substance over symbolism, and simplify your daily routine. Find creative ways to communicate your ideas visually. Consider expenditures, and spend what you budgeted on household improvements. Someone considers you wise. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is a 7 — Keeping your word remains your priority. Reschedule if necessary. Keep others on course. New evidence threatens old assumptions. Save up for a big
purchase. It’s not a good time to discuss finances. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 7 — Listen to the latest about a change you’re contemplating. New evidence threatens complacency. Your reputation for good sense grows. Don’t over-extend, though. Romance could interfere with a deadline. Imagine a happy outcome. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 6 — Take advice from elders. Draw upon experience. Keep a secret, patiently. Being thrifty takes practice and concentration. Go slow to avoid a possible misunderstanding. Determine the final choice. Provide motivation to the team. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 7 — Go out with friends. Consider long-term goals, and ask deep questions. The truth gets revealed. Don’t discuss money, or pick up the bill for everyone. Some imported items appear on the list of ingredients. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 7 — The numbers work out in your favor. Don’t fall for a sob story. Try to get your feet back under you. Postpone buying toys. Work more to pay a debt. Challenge authority, if necessary. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is an 8 — Postpone a planned expansion. Re-consider an idea or method that isn’t working. Discuss possibilities, and dreams. Consider an older person’s advice before acting. Refine the presentation. Polish for sparkle. Stay cool. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is a 7 — Don’t be talked out of your safety zone. Meet with an advisor. A communications breakdown would slow things down. Confirm that instructions are clear. A financial shortage could inhibit. Do the work in-house and save. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 7 — Invest in your equipment. Your sweetheart agrees. Minimize risk. Seek stability, and ignore gossip. Talk is cheap. Figure out what you can do without. Get expert opinions and collate the information.
7/3/14
SOLUTION TO WEDNESDAY’S PUZZLE
FOR RELEASE JULY 3, 2014
Presents the...
0.5x 7.5 ad space for sale can be for a coupon or related to xword
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 Just the right amount of tight 5 Hip-hop’s Run-__ 8 Significant 14 *Approach 16 *Overly ornate 17 Beef at the dinner table 18 Provoke 19 Sports drink suffix 20 Healing aid, briefly 21 Some August babies 22 Cyrus the Great’s domain 24 *Messing with one’s head 28 Right in an atlas 29 Author Dahl 31 Cease, with “off” 32 High-tech debut of 1981 34 Butcher’s offering 36 What the answers to starred clues are comprised of 40 Dressing vessel 41 “Oh, yeah!” 42 Minor concern, maybe 43 In a way, informally 45 Cries of pain 49 *Tom Wolfe coinage for the 1970s 52 “60 Minutes” first name 54 Choice usually made secretly 55 Minute measures: Abbr. 56 Rehab concern, familiarly 57 Like old videos 60 Zealous to the extreme 62 *Drink of the gods 63 *Simple forecasting aid 64 Eucharist plates 65 Suffix for Brooklyn or Manhattan 66 “Lemme __!” DOWN 1 Tough spot 2 “I’m stumped” 3 Earthy colors
Complete Answersthe grid so each row, Complete the column and grid so each 3-by-3 box row, column and (in boldbox borders) 3-by-3 (in bold borders) every contains contains every1digit, digit, to 9.1 to 9. For strategies For strategies on on how to solve how to solve Sudoku, visit www. Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk Puzzle www.sudoku.org.uk
© 2014 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
By Greg Johnson
4 Angela Merkel’s country: Abbr. 5 *Sell weaponry 6 Like the days of the week, in Span. 7 Old PC component 8 Transgress 9 __ insurance 10 Asian menu assurance 11 Gold or silver source 12 Pie holder 13 D.C. summer setting 15 “The Little Red Hen” denial 21 Short, for short 23 Michael of R.E.M. 24 Gruesome 25 Hand lotion ingredient 26 __ best friend 27 Major TV logo 30 Go (for) 33 AI game competitor 34 Play (with) 35 Annual celebrations, casually 36 Impulse
07/03/14 7/3/14
Wednesday’s PuzzleSolved Solved Wednesday’s Puzzle Monday’s Puzzle Solved
(c)2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
37 Took to court 38 Housing plan unit 39 *Appalachian resource 40 Rotating piece 43 Half-goat creatures of myth 44 Lines of praise 46 Dated 47 Sloppy kiss 48 Nervous __ 50 Cybernotice for a party
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51 Late-night host O’Brien 53 Business sign abbr. 55 IOU 57 Econ. yardstick 58 “In Dreams” actor Stephen 59 Fake being 60 Doughboy’s conflict, briefly 61 Actress Mendes
SPORTS
For live updates of all Saluki sports follow @DEsalukis
Page 8 DE Thursday, July 3, 2014
Tony Gwynn’s death and baseball’s dirty habit DANIEL BROWN San Jose Mercury News S A N F R A N C I S C O — Bruce Bochy had his first taste of chewing tobacco at age 18. He thought he was doing something smart. “We thought it was a safe alternative to smoking,” the San Francisco Giants manager said last week. “We didn’t realize how dangerous it was.” Bochy spoke from the Giants dugout. A few hours later, he took the field to eulogize his friend, Tony Gwynn, during a somber pregame ceremony at AT&T Park. Gwynn, the eight-time batting champion from the San Diego Padres, died June 16 at age 54. The Hall of Famer blamed his cancer of a salivary gland on his decades of chewing tobacco, a claim not everyone supports. Even a consulting physician on Gwynn’s medical team said the parotid cancer that killed Gwynn is “not likely to be associated” with tobacco. Still, Gwynn’s story was enough to rattle a culture in which chewing tobacco is as established as peanuts and Cracker Jack. Two pitchers who had been coached by Gwynn at San Diego State have sworn off the stuff. Addison Reed of the Arizona Diamondbacks threw away seven cans from his locker and junked two more from his car before a game against the Giants on June 21. Not long afterward, Stephen Strasburg of the Washington Nationals told MLB. com he was quitting. “Bottom line,” he said. “I want to be around for my family.” Bochy last week was asked whether Gwynn’s death would serve as a wake-up call for other tobacco users. “I certainly hope so,” Bochy said. “I
think if there is somebody who can make a difference, he certainly can.” A THIRD OF PLAYERS USE For every Reed and Strasburg, though, there are legions of ballplayers with no intention of quitting. Studies reveal that about one-third of all major league players use spit tobacco. Though banned in the minor leagues, the substance is permitted in the majors by the collective bargaining agreement that extends through 2016. In the meantime, MLB has tried to downplay its usage in the public eye. A’s catcher Stephen Vogt remembers “watching games as a kid, and back then it was way, way, way more rampant. “I remember being a kid and putting my bubble gum in my lip and pretending to be a player. So it’s a cultural thing.” He applauds baseball’s efforts to heighten awareness but doesn’t envision Gwynn’s death creating a culture change. “I mean, we get talks about (tobacco dangers) all the time,” Vogt said. “It’s definitely something that’s talked about, and I know that it’s a big effort for baseball. But at the same time, it’s still going to be part of the game for a long time.” Chewing tobacco and baseball have been linked for more than a century. A Newsday story last week recounted how chew was first brought to baseball by an influx of farm boys who had found that chewing, rather than smoking, was more conducive to completing their chores. Only over time did the dangers become apparent. Spit tobacco users are four to seven times more likely to develop cancer of the oral cavity, according to Oral Health America.
‘NO CERTAINTY IN LIFE’ A’s outfielder Kyle Blanks came up in the Padres organization and spent some time around Gwynn. But Blanks, like Vogt, doesn’t subscribe to the theory that Gwynn’s death will serve as a wake-up call. He said players’ eyes have long been open to the choice they’re making. After all, tobacco is a legal product. “There are warnings on anything that is bad for you. It’s always at any person’s risk,” Blanks said. “You get in a car, you’re taking a risk. You walk down a street in the city and you’re taking a risk. There’s no certainty in life. “There are definitely things you can do to help have a great, healthy life, but at the same time it’s case-to-case. I watched a documentary about this guy who said he drank beer and smoked cigarettes all his life. He’s like 103 and runs marathons. There’s no formula for having just that incredible genetic makeup and being able to outlast.” Three out of four people who use chewing tobacco have noncancerous or precancerous sores in their mouths, according to the American Cancer Society. It was the appearance of such sores that spurred Bochy, 59, to quit, with the help of a hypnotherapist, in 2011, after nearly 30 years chewing. At his most addicted, Bochy would chew before the game, in the first, fifth and eighth innings, and then again after the game. “It’s such a tough habit, whether it’s smoking tobacco or doing the chewing or dipping,” Bochy said last week. “It’s one of the hardest habits to break. . . . I have two boys. I wouldn’t let them do it.” Bochy’s progression — from experimentation to full addiction
— is common for ballplayers, said Sue Schmitz, a spokeswoman for Oral Health America. GARAGIOLA’S MESSAGE OHA’s anti-tobacco program, NSTEP, is a descendant of the effort begun years ago by Joe Garagiola, the former big league catcher and broadcaster. Garagiola’s message, as he once explained to The New York Times, is that “with oral cancer, you die one piece at a time. They operate on your neck, they operate on your jaw, they operate on your throat.” One of Garagiola’s tragic examples was onetime high school star Bob Leslie, who began chewing tobacco at age 14. In a documentary aimed at young players and still available on YouTube, Leslie wipes away tears as he tells Garagiola about looking at his wife and newborn baby before going to bed because “I don’t know how many times that’s going to be possible.” Leslie was 31 when he died. He was also Jonny Gomes’ coach at Casa Grande High in Petaluma. Gomes, now of the Boston Red Sox, was in town last weekend to face the A’s. Asked whether Leslie’s death left an impact, Gomes said: “It’s a fine line. I’ve played with coaches who are in their 60s and 70s who have (chewed tobacco) their whole lives. Bob was in his 30s. Tony was 54. What you do and how much you do, is it irrelevant?” Gomes said he “occasionally” chews tobacco. And he envisions it remaining part of the baseball culture, even in the wake of Gwynn’s death and other warnings. Gomes pointed to a tattoo on his left arm that says, “In the Arena,” taken from a Theodore Roosevelt quote
about the men “whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood.” “You have to be in the arena,” the outfielder said. “This is how I explain it to people who have never played. What’s the biggest adrenaline rush you’ve ever felt in your life? Bungee jump. Sky dive. Birth of your child. Wedding night. You name it. What’s the biggest adrenaline rush, OK? “And when that was over was your heart rate up? Or did you just go to bed? That’s every single night for us. “People don’t realize that because they think it’s just a job. (Chewing tobacco) calms some guys down. It takes the edge off.” ‘HELPS PASS THE TIME’ A’s reliever Dan Otero said he doesn’t chew at all — not tobacco, not sunflower seeds, not even bubble gum. His aversion to tobacco started with the unofficial ban he faced way back in school in Coconut Grove, Fla. “My mom told me that if she ever saw me on the field with a dip in she was going to drag me off the field,” he said. But the right-hander has seen the way it starts. Baseball can be a game of standing around. Doing something — even spitting things — becomes part of the routine. “Guys quit in the offseason. And then the season starts and they’re around it again. They’re standing around for an hour and a half shagging balls,” Otero said. “It just helps pass the time.” Gwynn’s death, though, might result in a few new routines. “I think it should alarm everybody,” Vogt said. “Obviously, anybody who chews tobacco knows it’s bad for them. We know what the risks are. And everybody just says, ‘I hope it’s not me.’ “
25 years after Berlin Wall fell, Germany’s best soccer players still come from the west MATTHEW SCHOFIELD McClatchy Foreign Staff B E R L I N — As the Berlin Wall was chipped into souvenirs, what used to be known as West Germany won a World Cup soccer championship. It was to be a last great separate accomplishment, as East Germany and West Germany were at the time in the process of becoming simply Germany. The coach of that championship team, soccer legend Franz Beckenbauer, looked at that victory, then voiced what Germans and soccer fans around the world were thinking: Part of a divided Germany had just been crowned world champions. How much greater would a united one be? “The German national team will be unbeatable for years to come,” he said. And it was clear to those here and many abroad that while he was talking about sport, much more was implied about this no longer divided house. West Germany, already an economic power, would add the potential of the East and be better for it. So this summer, as Germans celebrate both the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and their soccer team’s appearance Friday in the quarterfinals of this year’s World Cup, more than a few are scratching their heads over the fact that the team representing this unified nation still hails mostly from the old West Germany. The concerns go far beyond a game. The unemployment rate remains substantially higher in the East than the West. In a recent deal to establish a minimum wage, unions and employers agreed it should be lower in the East. Old eastern cities that grew with the industries of a planned economy now spend their budgets ripping out block after block of apartments so that they won’t look too deserted.
Even pensioners note that those who did the same work in the East survive on half to a quarter of what westerners receive. In World Cup soccer, the former East Germany, which was a little less than half the size of West Germany and had about a quarter of the population, comes up short, too. Of the 24 players on the national team in Brazil this summer, only one, Toni Kroos, is from the old East. Just two other easterners were serious contenders to make the squad. In 2002, when Germany lost in the final to Brazil, there were six “Ossies,” or easterners, on the team. In 2006, when Germany hosted the World Cup and finished third, there were four. By 2010 there was one, and experts note that the youth systems from which Germany draws its national team don’t point to much change in the next World Cup cycle. In Germany, the professional game is organized in a multilayer Bundesliga. The best teams play in the 1st Bundesliga, while lesser teams compete in 2nd Bundesliga, or Liga 3 or the semi-professional leagues. Successful teams move up the ladder. Unsuccessful teams slide down it. Every team in 1st Bundesliga this year is from the old West. The highest ranking former eastern team finished ninth out of 18 teams in the second tier. A number of storied soccer clubs from the old East, such as FC Magdeburg, which was crowned European champion in 1974, now struggle in the semi-professional ranks. In the old East Germany teams didn’t work with a profit motive, and money wasn’t really an issue. Players were spotted at early ages under a comprehensive scouting program run by the communist government, then trained in the government sports program. Once a player reached the top of his game, he played for his hometown club or was assigned to a team elsewhere. Today, the last of the players spotted and reared in that system have retired. Scouting and development of talent no longer is a government function, but falls to professional
teams, the best of which are in the old West. German soccer writer Martin Schuster says many have been puzzled by the situation. “The Schere (gap) between East and West football is an open question,” he said. “Of course it reflects the fact of the economy. But honestly, I haven’t got a clean answer now.” The phenomenon worries the German Football Association, which recently commissioned sports historian Jutta Braun to figure out why there are so few easterners playing at the top leof the game. Braun cautions that she’s just beginning her research, but she has noted one aspect of German sports that seems to separate the country from others: In Germany, there appears to be no link between kids struggling to get out of poverty and success in sports. That runs counter to what the rule appears to be in much of the world, where sports stars come from the mean streets. All that’s needed for a game is a ball, and sometimes not even that. The Brazilian legend Pele famously grew up playing soccer with rolled up socks and grapefruit _ legend has it that he developed his soft touch on the “ball” because he played with a grapefruit that his family still had to eat. In contrast, Braun said, the top German players tend to come from middle-class and upper-middle-class families. Those are the kids whose parents join soccer clubs and who get access to the highest level of training and the best facilities. Braun offers another idea: The structure of soccer clubs in unified Germany, which mimics what existed in the West, may remind easterners too much of a system that in the East meant repression and steroid use. In the East, for example, important soccer clubs such as Dynamo Dresden and Berlin F.C. Dynamo were known to be sponsored by the East German secret police agency, the Stasi.