Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Volume LXXVII, Number 86
SEMESTERS? YES
NO MAYBE
President Armstrong shocked campus last quarter by announcing Cal Poly would “most likely” begin converting to the semester calendar by 2020. Now, an email making the rounds through faculty has some questioning whether the controversial conversion is actually in the works. SEAN MCMINN
smcminn@mustangdaily.net
C
al Poly’s road to semesters met another obstacle this past week, as an ter conversion (without) either our President or our Chancellor backtracking on the email saying there was no official system mandate to convert made the statements written and reported in these documents,” Pierce wrote in his email. rounds through faculty, but California State University (CSU) officials The documents Pierce referred to included Ullman’s email, as well as a letter say the email does not contradict Cal Poy President Jeffrey Armstrong’s Armstrong wrote to White in February in which he recommended Cal Poly announcement of an impending switch. not convert to semesters. In the letter, Armstrong cited evidence found by the In the email, which was addressed to faculty senators at CSU San Bernardino, Aca- Semester Review Task Force — which he appointed to examine conversion demic Senate Chair and psychology professor Jodie Ullman wrote that CSU Chancel- in September — suggesting Cal Poly should stay on quarters. Armstrong also lor Timothy White would not require the school to convert to semesters and was not admitted in the letter the pro-semester opinion he held in fall, but that he had planning a mandate for the system to collectively do so. She wrote the email after a since changed positions. discussion with CSU San Bernardino President Tomas Morales, which followed comCSU spokesperson Liz Chapin also said Ullman’s email did not add new informunications between him and White. mation, but instead represented one person’s Ullman did not respond to a voicemail Monopinion on recent semester discussions. She day, and CSU San Bernardino spokesperson said White has not yet made a formal deciJoe Gutierrez referred questions about semession on semesters, but prefers the system, and ter conversion to the CSU chancellor’s office. will likely end negotiations with a mandate. Some are calling this email a departure “I don’t want to look into exactly what the I don’t want to look into exactly from the all-but-sure conversion plan Armmessage was behind that email,” Chapin said. strong announced to the campus community “But it was correct by saying there’s no manwhat the message was behind (the in March. Then, he said the university would date — as of right now.” likely convert to semesters as part of a larger The San Bernardino email was first forwardCSU San Bernardino) email. But CSU effort, originating from multiple convered to leadership in the California Faculty Asit was correct by saying there’s no sations between Armstrong and White. The sociation (CFA) — the union that represents plan, as announced, was to conclude a systemfaculty throughout the CSU — by CSU San mandate — as of right now. wide conversion with Cal Poly entering the Bernardino physics professor and local CFA planning phase by 2020. official Karen Kolehmainen. She said her camCal Poly spokesperson Matt Lazier said he pus, which is located east of Los Angeles, was — LIZ CHAPIN CSU SPOKESPERSON was made aware of the email Monday, but under the impression all CSU universities didn’t see a contradiction from the university’s would need to be on semesters by 2020, simiprevious message. It falls in line, Lazier said, lar to Cal Poly’s deadline to begin conversion. with what Armstrong told campus in March. “Last week, there was this email from our “We don’t see much difference in what’s said in the email versus the note that chair of our faculty senate, saying that she had gotten a phone call from Presiwas sent out to campus earlier,” Lazier said. dent Morales,” Kolehmainen said. “He had just spoken to Chancellor White on the Lazier explained that the language in Armstrong’s email did not definitively phone that same day, and had been told that no there was not a mandate to switch.” refer to a semester mandate, but instead informed campus of continuing discusIt is still unclear to professors at CSU San Bernardino whether they will be sions between White and other university stakeholders: “The Chancellor is … forced to convert to semesters. Kolehmainen, a 25-year CSU veteran, said Ullmoving toward a decision that the quarter-based campuses should convert to man is trusted as a reliable source of information, but said she’s received “mixed semesters in phases,” the March note read. messages” from the chancellor’s office before. Some on campus, however, disagree. Cal Poly English professor Todd Pierce, Kolehmainen said faculty at CSU San Bernardino are split 50-50 on semesters who forwarded Ullman’s email to colleagues, wrote to Cal Poly’s College of Lib- versus quarters, but some expect more confusion from the chancellor’s office eral Arts faculty and staff that San Bernardino’s situation had “obvious” implica- before an official decision is made. tions for Cal Poly. “We’re just in the situation where we’re waiting to see if this is in fact the final “At this point, it will be impossible for the administration to further pursue semes- word,” Kolehmainen said. “Or if there’s going to be yet another reversal.”
THE EMAILS CA L P OLY
S A N BERN A RDIN O
From Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong “The Chancellor is finishing his consultations with the various campuses, as well as with the statewide Academic Senate, and is moving toward a decision that the quarter-based campuses should convert to semesters in phases. In consideration of the different perspectives on this matter ... Cal Poly would not convert to semesters until the other campuses have gone forward. If all goes as expected, Cal Poly would begin the process of converting to semesters by the end of the decade.”
From CSU San Bernardino Academic Senate Chair Jodie Ullman “Chancellor White told President Morales clearly that there was no system mandate to convert to semesters. Chancellor White does believe that semester(s) would be better for our students but there is no mandate. President Morales stands by his statements to the (Faculty Senate Executive Committee) on semester conversion. Semester conversion simply is not on the table for us. We will consider semester conversion when Chancellor White states specifically that San Bernardino must convert.”
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IN THIS ISSUE
WEATHER
Be greek for a week pg. 2 Pluto’s hits downtown SLO pg. 4
high
Opinions/Editorial..............6 ClassifiedsComics..............7 Sports..................................8
News.............................1-3 Arts...............................4-5
low 52˚F
Sports editor runs the SLO Marathon SPORTS, pg. 8
75˚F
INDEX
sunny
partially cloudy
cloudy
foggy
windy
light rain
rain
thinderstorm
MDnews 2
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Greek life preps for week of competition, games AMANDA MARGOZZI
amandamargozzi.md@gmail.com
More than 3,000 active members of Cal Poly’s fraternities and sororities are scheduled to participate in Greek Week at the start of next month. Houses will face off March 4-11 in three different categories of events in hopes of winning the Greek Week trophy, winners’ shirts and bragging rights for the rest of the year. Greek Week committee representative for the Sigma Pi fraternity, Dean Wampler, said houses will compete in beach day activities, sports and philanthropy events to accumulate points for their teams. Teams typically consist of one sorority, two fraternities and one cultural fraternity, and points are awarded for participation or for winning events. Beach Day will take place at Pismo Beach and will include a sand volleyball tournament, limbo, tug-of-war and an obstacle course. Sports include arm wrestling, sumo wrestling, basketball and more. Alpha Phi sorority president Rachel Savas said Alpha Phi members tend to take the soccer event extremely seriously. “My favorite event is by far the soccer tournament because it brings back fond memories of playing in high school,” Savas said. “The majority of us played soccer and have competitive edges.” One of Greek Week’s major pillars is philanthropy. Savas said throughout the week, teams will volunteer at local philanthropies such as Growing Grounds and the Maxine Lewis Memorial Shelter. Last year, a restaurant fundraiser was held at The Habit Burger Grill and all proceeds were donated to the homeless shelter. “Philanthropy plays a pivotal role in greek life as a whole,” Savas said. “This year, we are planning on expanding this fundraiser to encompass multiple businesses on multiple days in order to donate even more and maybe add another beneficiary.” A new philanthropic event that will be incorporated this year will be “like wars.” Savas said in this competition, five to 10 local philanthropies which are not already beneficiaries of Greek Week philanthropic efforts, will compete for donations by submitting a picture representing their organization to the Greek Week 2013 Facebook page. The picture that receives the most “likes” by the end of the competition will receive
PHOTOS BY ALLISON MONTROY/MUSTANG DAILY
Greek Week 2012 included games such as the “hamster race” (pictured above) where participants raced in giant plastic hamster wheels, and “gladiator jousting” (below). This year’s events include paint wars, a canned food drive bowling competition and a SLO Donut Company eating competition.
Since the teams are different every year, you get to meet new people every year. DEAN WAMPLER SIGMA PI FRATERNITY GREEK WEEK COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE
a check donation from Cal Poly Greek Week. Wampler said events are always pretty similar to the previous year, but there are some new events or new ways that the competition is organized. In addition to “like wars,” the Greek Week committee is looking to add paint wars, a canned food drive bowling competition and a SLO Donut Company donut eating contest. “Greek Week is important because you get to meet and make connections with other greeks who you may not have before,” Wampler said. “Since the teams are different every year, you get to meet new people every year.” History junior and Chi Omega member Emmalee Austin said she takes pride in her chapter for winning Greek Week 2012. She said the purpose of the week is to bring together the greek community and build friendships. “I loved cheering on my sisters during ‘lip sync’ last year,” Austin said. “Each Greek
Week team performs a song and dance that they choreograph themselves and it’s usually to a theme.” Savas said Greek Week is crucial for Alpha Phi because it allows its house to unite and fight together for a great cause. “Our house thrives in these situations, and our pride and love for greek life, and each other in general, really shines through,” Savas said. “Greek Week is important for greek life because it builds camaraderie and strengthens our relationships with other houses, which consequently fortifies the power of greek life as a whole.” The Greek Week mission statement composed by the Greek Special Events Council of 2013 states the council is “dedicated to creating and fostering an environment of healthy competition, mutual friendship and respect.” Events are meant to showcase greek involvement to demonstrate unity and philanthropic value to the local community.
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MDnews 3
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
WORD ON THE STREET Do you know who Margaret Thatcher is?
“It sounds familiar, but not off the top of my head.” • Matt Philley mechanical engineering junior
“Yeah, the ex-British prime minister. She died today, didn’t she?” • Aaron James business administration junior
“No, I don’t know who she is.” • Lauren Gallogly business administration senior
Margaret Thatcher dies at 87 HENRY CHU PATT MORRISON Los Angeles Times
Margaret Thatcher, the grocer’s daughter who punched through an old-boy political network to become Britain’s first female prime minister, stamping her personality indelibly on the nation and pursuing policies that reverberate decades later, has died. She was 87. The BBC read out a statement early Monday afternoon from Thatcher’s friend and former adviser, Tim Bell, saying: “It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announce that their mother, Baroness Thatcher, died peacefully following a stroke this morning.” Prime Minister David Cameron, the current leader of Thatcher’s Conservative Party, said that his country had lost “a great leader, a great prime minister and a great Briton.” The woman many regard as Britain’s most important peacetime leader of the 20th century shook her country like an earthquake after moving into 10 Downing St. in 1979. In nearly a dozen years at the top, she transformed the political and economic landscape through a conservative free-market revolution bearing her name, Thatcherism, which sought to reverse Britain’s postwar decline and the welfare state that she felt accelerated it. Her policies ushered in boom times for go-getter Britons but also exacerbated social inequalities. Such is her legacy that every prime minister since has had to deal with aspects of it, toiling in the shadow of a woman worshiped by her fans and vilified by her foes.
The formidable persona she crafted also earned her a string of unflattering nicknames, such as “Attila the Hen” and her best-known moniker, the “Iron Lady.” The latter, from a Soviet newspaper, was meant as an insult. But Thatcher characteristically wore it as a badge of honor, a compliment to her conservative mettle, and it was the inevitable title of a biopic starring Meryl Streep, who won an Oscar in 2012 for her portrayal of a once-fearsome political leader debilitated by Alzheimer’s disease. Thatcher’s increasing dementia meant infrequent public appearances in recent years, though new prime ministers still stopped by her home to pay their respects and invited her to glittering state occasions. In 2011, she was said to be bitterly disappointed at being too frail to attend an unveiling of a statue of her political soulmate, President Ronald Reagan, outside the U.S. Embassy in London. Thatcherism proved a potent brew of capitalism, patriotism and business-driven individualism that helped Britain throw off its reputation as “the sick man of Europe” — despite producing mixed results. Thatcher said of her unyielding methods: “After any major operation, you feel worse before you convalesce, but you don’t refuse the operation when you know that without it you won’t survive.” Her capacity for hard work and little sleep was legendary. “She was very macho,” Sir Bernard Ingham, her longtime press secretary, told the Los Angeles Times. “She was absolutely determined to demonstrate that she could beat the men.” She became prime minister
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
She was very macho. She was absolutely determined to demonstrate that she could beat the men. SIR BERNARD INGHAM THATCHER’S PRESS SECRETARY
in May 1979. In all, Thatcher led her Conservative Party to three election victories, in 1979, 1983 and 1987. But by the end, her imperious style as prime minister and party leader had sown serious dissent among her Cabinet members and in the parliamentary ranks, and her disastrous experiment with a new kind of local tax, quickly dubbed the “poll tax” because it charged everyone the same amount regardless of income, ignited protests across the country and
Kerry to resolve conflict in Middle East HANNAH ALLAM Sheera Frenkel
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that the “festering absence of peace” between Israelis and Palestinians only fuels extremism and that the time is right for renewed efforts toward resolving the decades-old conflict. Kerry, speaking to a small group of reporters during his third trip to the region in a month, said he was embarking on a “quiet strategy” to wade through the deep reservoirs of mistrust on both sides in hopes of restarting serious negotiations. However, he emphasized that he’s fully aware of the difficulties of reaching an enduring Israeli-Palestinian resolution and said he refused to be pinned down by guidelines or timetables. “I understand it is a complicated, well-trod path of disappointments and/or moments of hope followed by breach of agreement or process,” Kerry said. “And that mistrust is very high, and that one of the reasons for these early interventions is to get right at the issue of mistrust.” While the State Department plays down talk of a new shuttle diplomacy, it’s clear that a Middle East peace deal is inching its way up the Obama administration’s foreign policy agenda. The Obama administration was thrilled with its tentative success in thawing the icy relations between ironclad ally Israel and Turkey, a rising regional player that aspires to a leading role in the peace process. And the fact that Kerry already is back for a third time, not quite a month after accompanying President Barack Obama to the region,
signals that the administration is willing to devote real effort toward getting the parties back to the negotiating table. Both Israeli and Palestinian officials told McClatchy Newspapers last week that Kerry was interested in dusting off a long-ignored Arab initiative — called the Arab Peace Initiative — that would grant Israel full normalization with Arab states across the region in exchange for a final status solution and an independent Palestinian state. Kerry landed in Jerusalem on Sunday evening and went straight to the Ramallah compound of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas; he saw Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Fayyad. On the Israeli side, Kerry met with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres. “My dear friend, there is a new wind of peace blowing through the Middle East,” Peres told Kerry as he greeted him just before their private talk. “A belief in peace is possible, is needed, is real. And peace is possible ... I believe that the gaps between us and our Palestinian neighbors can be bridged and I speak out of experience.” Palestinian officials told Kerry on Monday that they would take part in the new U.S.-led peace initiative if Israel agreed to a series of goodwill gestures to help empower the Palestinian Authority government in Ramallah. A release of Palestinian prisoners and bolstering Palestinian security forces in the West Bank were mentioned as two possible gestures that Kerry would discuss with Netanyahu. Still, officials from both sides remained skeptical about
a riot in the heart of London. In November 1990, Heseltine decided to run against her on an internal Conservative Party ballot. Thatcher was in Paris when she learned that she had only barely outpolled Heseltine, not by a strong enough margin to be the uncontested leader, in the first round of voting. In spite of her pledge to “fight on — I fight to win,” she went home to discover that support from her colleagues was crumbling. On Nov. 22, 1990, Thatcher announced
China condemns North Korea BARBARA DEMICK Los Angeles Times
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
these nascent U.S. efforts. “With the track record being what it is, the Palestinians feel that a goodwill gesture, a serious one, is needed. We are not just a plaything that the Americans can pick up and play with and then drop when they are bored,” said one senior Palestinian official, who took part in a meeting with Kerry in Ramallah who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to discuss the talks. “We need a serious process with serious and significant gestures.” Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat has confirmed that Kerry has been floating the Arab Peace Initiative as a way out of the current deadlock. Kerry had proposed key changes in the plan to lighten the language on borders, among other issues, to make the deal more attractive to the Israelis. “Kerry asked us to change a few words in the Arab Peace Initiative but we refused,” Erekat told the Voice of Palestine radio station on Sunday. Palestinian officials said, however, that if Kerry were able to secure goodwill gestures from the Israelis, they would agree to discussions over the language of the initiative. Palestinian officials have
long maintained that Israel must agree to a full freeze in settlement building before sitting down at the negotiation table. Current talks ground to a halt almost four years ago, and previous mediation efforts have failed to move the parties forward. White House press secretary Jay Carney wouldn’t confirm a McClatchy report that quoted officials as saying Obama had won a two-month cooling-off period during which Israel would stop announcing settlement activities and Palestinians wouldn’t press their case before the United Nations or the International Criminal Court, allowing Kerry to work his diplomacy without absolute deal breakers. But Carney said those are actions the U.S. government has long championed as helpful to reviving talks. “I can simply confirm that it is our position and it is a position the president reflected in his conversation that it is counterproductive for either side, whether it’s the Palestinians through the U.N. or the Israelis through settlement construction, to take unilateral action that makes it more difficult to engage in constructive negotiations towards peace,” Carney said.
that she would step down from the Tory leadership and, hence, from the prime minister’s job. Fighting back tears, she moved out of 10 Downing St. less than a week later. In her memoirs, she fondly recalled her years at the pinnacle of British politics and the cut-and-thrust of parliamentary debate, when “the adrenaline flows (and) they really come out fighting at me.” Even as her health weakened, her influence endured. In 2007, a 7 1/2-foot-tall bronze statue of Thatcher — unveiled, unusually, in her lifetime — was placed in the House of Commons, opposite that of her fellow Tory leader Winston Churchill. Despite her obvious frailty, Thatcher was on hand for the ceremony. “I might have preferred iron,” she told a delighted crowd, “but bronze will do.”
In a sign of exasperation with rogue ally North Korea, newly installed Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday condemned nations that throw the “world into chaos.” Without mentioning North Korea by name, Xi told delegates at an international forum in Boao, in the southern province of Hainan: “No one should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gains.” Xi advised turning “our global village into a big stage for common development, rather than an arena where gladiators fight each other.” The warning came as South Korean intelligence warned of an imminent missile launch from North Korea, which moved an intermediate-range missile into position for what is most probably a routine test but one that could possibly target Guam. Adding to the urgency, a Japanese official was quoted Monday as saying that Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera had ordered armed
forces to shoot down any North Korean missile that comes near its territory. Pyongyang has been trying to whip up hysteria for weeks. Its propagandists have issued daily warnings of a coming war, and it has said its nuclear weapons are “treasures” that will never be bargained away. Embassies in Pyongyang have been advised to evacuate personnel by Wednesday. The United States is looking to Beijing to take an active role in pulling Pyongyang back from the brink. In a rare break with its communist ally, China sided with the United States in imposing United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea after a nuclear test in February. “This is the first foreign policy test for Xi Jinping,” said Lee Chung-min, dean of international studies at Seoul’s Yonsei University. “I think the Chinese leadership is realizing that the North Koreans are more of a liability than an asset and that if they don’t control North Korea there will be consequences.”
MDarts 4
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
PHOTOS BY ARYN SANDERSON/MUSTANG DAILY
Pluto’s moves into SLO’s orbit
ARYN SANDERSON
asanderson@mustangdaily.net
College students know just how they like it. Louis Kimball and Gerry Bugas, the founders of Pluto’s, a restaurant chain based in the San Francisco Bay Area, know this. After all, completely customizable, made-to-order salads and sandwiches are the reason for their restaurants’ success in college towns such as Davis, Chico and Palo Alto. They’re hoping that college town success spreads to San Luis Obispo. “We actually came to San Luis over five years ago, and it
reminded us of other college towns that we’ve done well in, except even more vibrant and with such beautiful weather,” Kimball said. “We knew then that we wanted to be a part of the neighborhood and be a part of this community.” So Kimball and Bugas opened Pluto’s ninth location last week in San Luis Obispo’s Wineman Hotel building at 1122 Chorro St. Pluto’s claim to fame is its create-your-own salad station. Customers tell their server their choice of lettuce, mix-ins and dressing, and the server tosses together a customized salad. The variety of ingredients ranges from
grilled fennel to roasted bell peppers to flax seed. The sandwich station also uses Pluto’s signature madeto-order protocol. Pluto’s has set salads and sandwiches for the indecisive and offers sides and desserts to complete the meal. The restaurant aims to fit a niche between fast food and full-service restaurants, Kimball said. Patrons order at the counter and do not tip, but food is fresh and served on glassware in a contemporary atmosphere. As for the local competition, Kimball says Pluto’s tri-tip is unparalleled. “I got to admit it, although San Luis has some incredible
tri-tip sandwiches, some it’s really well-known for, we still think nothing can beat our Big Bang Lunar Dip tri-tip sandwich,” he said. Pluto’s opened in the roughly 2,200 square-foot space across the street from Black Sheep Bar and Grill on March 26. The space was vacant for years after earthquake retrofitting, Daisy Sharpe, office assistant at Anderson Commercial Real Estate Services, said. Stan Carpenter, owner of the FedEx Office building across the street from Pluto’s, is excited to see the restaurant continue the ongoing revitalization of the Chorro Street area. Other recent restaurant
openings near Pluto’s include The Habit Burger Grill, Raku Japanese Fusion Cuisine and Chipotle Mexican Grill. “I love Pluto’s because it’s fresh — and it’s on Chorro Street. I own the building across the street, so I want to see this street do well,” Carpenter said. “I think Chorro has the potential to be just as desirable of a location as Higuera.” Pluto’s is attracting lots of foot-traffic, Kimball said. The San Luis Obispo location has roughly 25 employees, and although the exact number of customers was unavailable, Kimball confidently says Pluto’s patronage is growing daily. “It keeps building and
building,” he said. “It’s definitely one of our best openings, even compared to the other college towns.” In the San Luis Obispo location alone, diners go through 15 to 20 20-pound roast turkeys a day. “They love that turkey straight off the bird in San Luis,” Kimball said. Other bestsellers in San Luis Obispo so far include the “big, bountiful salads” and comfort foods sides, such as macaroni and cheese, garlic fries and sweet potato fries, he said. Pluto’s is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.
PHOTOS BY ARYN SANDERSON/MUSTANG DAILY
Recently opened Pluto’s offers custom salads (top photo) and Brussels sprouts with bacon (bottom photo).
MDarts 5
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
‘Sorry for partying’
Something you might say to your body Sam Gilbert is a journalism sophomore and Mustang Daily health columnist.
even though Cal Poly is not necessarily known for being a huge party school. However, mistakes often occur when under the influence of alcohol, and I think it’s important to take us back to the middle of senior year to reflect on those three hours we spent completing this dreaded-butimportant survey. According to the University
know this will: Apparently, one beer, one glass of wine and one shot of hard liquor all contain the same amount Let’s take a minute to rememof alcohol. ber the middle of senior year In perspective, just three in high school: You received shots of hard alcohol is the your acceptance letter, shed equivalent to three beers or tears of joy at the thought three glasses of wine. of living in the happiest city Binge drinking can be dein America and bought your fined as about five or more Cal Poly sweatshirt to show drinks for men and four or off to your peers more drinks for which school women on any you were going one occasion. I to in the fall. bet you’re feeling ... approximately 300,000 of like an alcoholic Sound familiar? Good. now, aren’t you? modern-day college students Remember what Hearing stahappened after tistics like these will die from alcohol-related that? If you don’t, makes you think let me spark your that our generaincidents ... memory by retion is doomed minding you of since the most the alcohol surcommon stories vey we were all from the weekend required to take before the first of Miami Police Department, normally start with, “So, I was day of school. approximately 300,000 of wasted last Friday night … ” At the time, it just seemed modern-day college students Good news: There’s hope. time-consuming and a reit- will die from alcohol-related Indiana University Bloomeration of what our parents incidents, such as seizures, ington offers tips on how to have been lecturing us on alcohol poisoning, needless be responsible when getting ever since the idea of under- injuries, drunk driving, cir- buzzed: Eating food while age drinking was brought to rhosis of the liver, cancer and drinking is a good way to their attention. heart diseases. slow down the absorption of We all know it happens, If that doesn’t scare you, I alcohol into the circulatory
wellness101 system. The best foods to eat are high in protein, such as cheese and peanuts. Even knowing the names of nice wine, whiskey and beers with certain foods can help cultivate a taste with regard to quality while remaining responsible with quantity. Not that Taaka can cultivate a taste with anything, but hey, it’s worth a shot (pun intended). Another tip courtesy of Indiana University is to be aware of unfamiliar drinks. Drinks can often taste fruity, which makes it hard to realize how much alcohol is in them. For example, the drink Caribou Lou: dangerously deceiving.
An important aspect to keep in mind is the combination of drugs with alcohol. This seems like an obvious statement, but even overthe-counter sleeping pills or cold or cough medicines can cause a problem. I know this all seems like common sense, but now that it’s spring quarter, it’s time to remember safety precautions since it’s day-party season and the booze may be flowing. According to Truestar Health, about 40 percent of all beer sold in the United States is consumed between May and August. Summed up, this is a party animal’s favorite time of the year. Alcohol generally makes
you extremely dehydrated, so if you plan on drinking in the sun, don’t forget about water. Dehydration can lead to heat stroke, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Another thing to be aware of are the possible side effects to drinking in the sun. In addition to heat stroke, hypoglycemia, defined as heart rhythm irregularities, strokes and weight gain from the calories in alcohol are also common dangers. Now that we’ve got the basics covered, keep these tips and possible outcomes in mind next time you crack open a couple of brewskis this quarter. Stay safe, Cal Poly!
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Tuesday, April 9, 2013
One nation, no longer under God Ashley Pierce is a political science freshman and Mustang Daily conservative columnist. A few Christmases ago in Santa Monica, Calif., a group of atheists became offended (how they love that word) by Christmas decorations at a local park. Then they challenged the city about it. They were told the park had lots that people bid for to put decorations on every year (Hanukkah decorations included). The atheists naturally decided to buy their own lot (even though they have no holiday to celebrate). But they did not stop at one lot, or even a few: they outbid almost all the Christian and Jewish members of the community. That holiday season the park, once full of Christmas and Hanukkah scenes, was full of anti-Christian decorations (a non-religious Santa or Rudolph would have been just fine). Today, Christianity is under attack. Readers, you can all roll your eyes and send me hate mail, but it’s occurring and the evidence is everywhere. This nation has turned against 78 percent of its own population and the mainstream media has completely ignored it. Christians in Egypt were persecuted and tortured on March 26 in Egypt for protesting the Muslim Brotherhood. They were dragged to a nearby mosque and tortured (some Muslim protestors included). But the news
Do you feel comfortable expressing your religion or nonreligion at Cal Poly?
networks were completely silent about the entire affair. After hearing about it, I tried to find out more so I Googled “Christians persecuted Egypt.” The Internet findings were disappointing. Fox News and unheard-of news websites were the only sources that came up on the first page of the search, besides one article in the Wall Street Journal. With any other huge catastrophe, CNN, Los Angeles Times and The New York Times would all have been on that first page of searches. Why weren’t they? They have no articles about it. CNN and Los Angeles Times have no articles currently covering that story. The New York Times does have one article that came up about Christians being targeted in Egypt — but it’s from 2011. CNN should have been all over that. Am I right? Am I wrong to think that Christians being tortured in Egypt should be news? Doesn’t
CNN cover big stories like that? Yes, they do, but apparently this wasn’t newsworthy enough. The media ignoring a story that is newsworthy horrifies me. The mainstream media, much like Hollywood, frowns upon Christianity and it is seen time and time again. Our country seems to be headed in the same direction. An InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at the University of Michigan was recently denied approval from the school’s board for breaking its non-discrimination code. The code was put in place to be sure that campus clubs welcome all types of students. The Christian club apparently broke the school code by not allowing members who were non-Christians to run for club leadership positions. Another branch of the InterVarsity club has since been kicked off another college campus in Florida for the same reasons. That would be the equivalent of demanding an on-
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Tuesday, April 9, 2013 Volume LXXVII, Number 86 ©2013 Mustang Daily “He’s not watching the game, I swear.”
WORD ON THE STREET
For a country and a younger generation that have become so obsessed with tolerance and accepting all people, Christians don’t seem to be on that list.
campus Democrat club to allow its leadership roles to be given to anyone: Republicans, Libertarians, that one guy in your class that still thinks George Bush is president and so on. It would be a silly rule. I cannot even begin to fathom why the school’s board would even begin to think this is a logical reason to remove the club. While the majority of Americans affiliate with some denomination of Christianity, those in charge of the media, the school systems and Hollywood (but that’s a whole other discussion) don’t seem to understand that. They ignore a huge majority of the population and it seems to be getting worse every day. Christianity isn’t forced upon Americans — it’s not the national religion and would never be stated to be — but Americans are forcing it out and lashing out against it as though it were an oppressive dictator. For a country and a younger generation that have become so obsessed with tolerance and accepting all people, Christians don’t seem to be on that list. So listen up mainstream media, and practice what you preach. Tolerate Christians and actually cover stories that are important — such as a group of people being tortured and targeted in Egypt or an on-campus club being unfairly and ridiculously accused of discrimination.
“Yes. I feel confident in my views, and that I will not be attacked for it.” • Brian McAllen biological sciences junior
“Yeah. I feel more people aren’t as judgemental here than all other places.” • Patrick Michniuk mechanical engineering freshman
“I do, yeah. I’m proud of my faith.” • Alyssa Eszlinger biological sciences junior
Republicans take swing at the polls leased last week, the freshman senator from Florida turned up in first place, with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., Rep. Paul Almost four years ago, long before the D. Ryan, R-Wis., New Jersey Gov. Chris 2012 presidential campaign heated up, Christie and former Florida Gov. Jeb CNN took a poll to learn who Republi- Bush fairly close behind. cans might choose as their party’s next Rubio won his first place status with the nominee. There were two clear front- support of about a fifth of Republicans runners: former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Republican-leaning voters. Pundits and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Hucka- will call him the front-runner because bee. The former governor of Massachu- they like to pin that label on somebody, setts, Mitt Romney, limped in third. but it’s a tenuous perch. Just ask Michele By the time the campaign arrived, of Bachmann and Herman Cain. course, Palin and Huckabee were pursuSo why pay attention to polls that ing careers as television pundits and af- amount to little more than beauty ter-dinner speakers, not presidential can- contests? didates. It’s in that spirit that we should Because even though they can’t predict contemplate last week’s burst of poll- the winner three years from now, these ing on the 2016 presidential campaign. surveys tell us something about the mood Three years before the New Hampshire of Republican voters today. primary, these surveys aren’t predictions; A closer look at the results tells us that they’re exercises in fantasy baseball. it’s a wide-open race. Republican voters With the consumer safety warning are looking for a new face, not a familiar out of the way, here’s what you wanted figure. But they’re also looking, it seems, to know: The front-runner at this point for a reliably conservative face; no moderfor the 2016 Republican nomination is ates need apply. Marco Rubio. Here are the numbers from last week’s In two polls of Republi- Quinnipiac University poll: Rubio was can voters refirst with 19 percent, followed by Ryan (17 percent), Paul (15 percent), Christie (14 percent) and Bush (10 percent). In a survey from Public Policy Polling, a respected Democratic firm, the results were similar: Rubio (21 percent), Paul (17 percent), Christie (15 percent), Ryan (12 percent) and Bush (12 percent). So Rubio’s in first place, but he doesn’t have anything like the commanding lead that Hillary Rodham Clinton has in similar polls of Democratic voters. At 64 percent in the Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey, Clinton really does merit the title of front-runner; no non-incumbent MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE in memory has ever held so wide
DOYLE MCMANUS
Los Angeles Times
a lead. Of course, she hasn’t said for sure that she wants the job; nor have any of these Republicans we’re handicapping with such zest. GOP voters, meanwhile, are still shopping around. Two months ago, for example, Paul drew only 10 percent in a PPP poll; his filibuster on domestic drones last month appears to have made him what one GOP campaign manager wryly called “the shiny new object” in the race. But there’s still plenty of time for others, including Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, to move up. In earlier elections, Republican voters often turned to the most experienced candidate in their camp, a phenomenon known as “next in line.” Not this time: Of the five names on the list, none has run for president before, and only one, Bush, was a nationally-known figure five years ago. The average age of the top four — Rubio, Paul, Ryan and Christie — is 46. And Ryan doesn’t seem to get many extra points for serving as his party’s vice presidential nominee in 2012. “It looks as if Republicans are looking for a generational change,” noted Scott Reed, who managed Bob Dole’s 1996 presidential campaign. If the Democrats nominate Clinton (who will turn 69 in 2016) or Vice President Joe Biden (who will turn 74), the GOP will have youth on its side — at least on the ticket. But the apparent front-runners are all solidly conservative. Taken together, Rubio, Ryan and Paul win support from about half of the Republican electorate; Christie and Bush, the relative moderates, only about one-quarter. “There’s no such thing as a moderate base in the Republican primary,” notes John Brabender, who managed Rick Santorum’s second-place finish in the 2012 GOP primary campaign. “And the voters who show up for the primary are often
more conservative than the ones these polls are sampling.” That doesn’t just mean Christie or Bush would have a hard time winning. It also means that GOP voters aren’t pressing their party to move toward the center on issues such as taxes, gun control or gay marriage. After Romney’s 2012 defeat, polls found that most Republican voters took the loss as proof that their party should move further to the right. In a survey by the Pew Research Center, 60 percent of Republicans said they wanted the GOP to become more conservative, not less; only 31 percent said they wanted “more moderation.”(Strikingly, Democrats felt the opposite way about their party: 55 percent said they thought Democratic leaders should move toward the center, 35 percent in a more liberal direction.) Does a party more conservative than Mitt Romney’s stand a chance of winning a presidential election? It won’t be easy — but it’s not impossible. The GOP won in 1980 when it nominated Ronald Reagan, a conservative who was said to be outside the mainstream of opinion at the time. And in 2016, Republicans will have another factor in their favor: a Democrat will have held the White House for eight years in a row. Only once in the last 70 years has a party succeeded in holding the presidency for three terms in a row; by 2016, voters are likely to feel it’s time for a change. That’s not what the polls say, though. In the PPP survey, Clinton beats Rubio in a presidential matchup, 49 percent to 42 percent. She beats every other potential Republican candidate, too. If that turns out to be the story of the 2016 presidential election, just remember: You read it here first. And if it’s wrong — well, you know how unreliable those crazy polls can be.
THE
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MDsports 8
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
DON’T SLO ME DOWN Sports editor gives first-hand account of running the SLO Marathon. J.J. JENKINS
sports@mustangdaily.net
“You need some energy gel?” Until I hit mile 20 of Sunday’s SLO Marathon, I never would have thought those words would save me. After cranking through the most of the course at a 7:30-minutesper-mile pace, an ugly side-
cramp forced me to stop and stretch out my midsection in a feeble attempt to get back into my groove. Luckily, a kind woman walking the half-marathon asked if she could help. Unless I wanted to finish the race crawling, I was out of options, so I accepted her offer despite never having consumed the substance in my life. Then she pulled it out of her sports bra. I immediately had second thoughts. “It’s nice and warm for you,” she said. But, like I said, I was shit out of luck. I tried to open it with my hands but eventually caved to my last resort — teeth it was.
Thank God it was worth it. Now, rewind five hours. Though my alarm was set for 4:30 a.m. in order to be at San Luis Obispo High School for a 6:00 a.m. start time, I bolted wide awake twenty minutes early. The body has a strange ability to gear up for big events. So I rolled out of bed and climbed into my running attire for the day: a T-shirt, spandex, shorts and my Hoka One One running shoes. The simplicity of running always appealed to me; you don’t need much equipment to hit the road or trails, no matter the distance. The last thing I wanted to do at four in the morning was eat, but I knew I’d pay for it
later if I didn’t, so I scarfed down every runners’ secret weapon, a banana, in addition to some toast with honey. That was the pre-race meal for my father, who ran in six Boston marathons and in the Olympic Trials, so I figured there was something to it. There, sitting in the pre-dawn darkness, I flashed back to a credo he recited to me since I could understand spoken language. Even before he knew I’d follow in his footsteps and take on the task of running 26.2 miles, he told it to me over and over. “You know, there are two halves to a marathon,” he’d say. “The first 20 miles and the last 6.2.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF TRACY JENKINS
Crossing the finish line on Sunday inspired no flash of brillance or deep wisdom, it just hurt like hell.
Those words were echoing through my head as ultra-marathoner and Cal Poly alumnus Dean Karnazes gave the marathon mob a brief speech before San Luis Obispo Mayor Jan Marx squeezed an air horn and sent the group on a 26.2 mile journey. The plan was simple, hang with a pace group that would average eight-minute miles throughout the race (translating into a 3-hour-and-30-minute finishing time), then break away from the group midway through the race and start clocking in low sevenminute miles to the finish. Patience has never been my strong suit, and watching a hoard of runners burst down the city streets and duck out of eyeshot put my desire to pass people to the test. I mean, when you don’t catch the dude running in a gingerbread man costume until mile five or the barefoot runner holding a miniboombox until mile eight or the guy rocking massive Beats by Dre headphones and swinging his arms at his side until mile 17, it can weigh on a competitor. “It’s a long race, it’s a loooong race,” I repeated in my head over and over. “I’ll catch them later.” So step after step, the race churned through the rolling hills of Edna Valley and the runners who once disappeared over the next hill slowly reappeared then disappeared behind me. Paradoxically, I was probably feeling too good during the midsection of the race. Each runner who I caught and each mile that slipped by faster than expected gave me a renewed confidence that I’d finish the race without a hiccup. And not wanting to mess with my vibe, I continued passing aid stations without grabbing water or food. I tried drinking once but ended up choking on the water and coughing for the next
200 yards. I didn’t want to give it another go. But as the crowd of runners thinned out between miles 19 and 21, a headwind picked up and the rolling hills that I once climbed with ease turned into mountains. The smile I sported while passing supporters on the roads turned into a grimace. As my father predicted, I was entering true the second half of the marathon. And when I needed the boost, my aforementioned friend handed me her boob-sweat coated energy gel that got me to the next water station on the run. Another energy goo got me back into a rhythm as the course headed back down Johnson Avenue where a group of supporters had set up a table of Dixi cups with a sign reading “Beer.” Having already experimented with the idea of eating and drinking while running and not wanting to introduce a new substance to my confused system (and not wanting to get carded), I declined their Pabst Blue Ribbon and continued on the homestretch. I don’t remember too much of the final four miles, other than just repeating how long I had left over and over in my head and dodging grandmas finishing the half-marathon, but at long last I finished the final hill climb at the base of Cerro San Luis and let gravity pull me to the finish line at the Madonna Inn. I’d like to tell you, dear reader, that the feeling of hitting the finish line after 26.2 miles in 3 hours and 23 minutes, and after hundreds of miles of training, was some indescribable emotional high. But that wouldn’t be true. It hurt like hell. But it’s the type of hurt that was worth every step and stumble. It’s the type of feeling everyone should experience, even just once.
Men’s tennis team splits weekend matches JEFFERSON P. NOLAN
jnolan@mustangdaily.net
As far as injuries go, the Cal Poly men’s tennis team has yet to catch a break. But despite the loss of two starters, the Mustangs split two weekend matches in San Luis Obispo, falling to UC Irvine 4-3 and sweeping UC Riverside 7-0. In their Big West Conference home opener against UC Irvine, the Mustangs (9-8, 1-1 Big West) found themselves pitted against the Anteaters (4-15, 1-1) with one final set determining the outcome of the match. After winning the first set, junior Matt Thomson battled against UC Irvine’s Shuhei Shibahara. The Anteaters pulled into a 1-1 tie in the second set, and Shibahara finished the match defeating Thomson
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6-7, 6-2, 6-2. With the loss to the Anteaters, the Mustangs realized they needed to find a way to win without the aid of senior cocaptain Jordan Bridge and junior Jurgen De Jager. Bridge felt a “pop” in his warm-up during Cal Poly’s match against Nevada and suffered a second-degree strain in his right arm. And in his last year of eligibility, the senior who has led his team on the court must find new ways to motivate the players. “It’s tough timing definitely,” Bridge said. “As a captain, I just want to come out here and get these guys fired up and do what I still can as a captain and teammate. If I can play for conference, that’d be great. It’s my last year, and I’d like to go out there and end it right.” But while there is hope for the senior co-captain to return in time to compete for a Big West title, the fate of De Jager is set in stone for the remainder of conference play. What began as a small hamstring strain turned into something much more, as De Jager also heard a loud “pop” as he attempted to smack a lob in his match against Middle Tennessee State’s Ettore Zito. Not realizing he had torn his anterior cruciate
ligament (ACL), he continued to compete in the match. “It may have been the adrenaline and the emotion,” De Jager said. “But you really just want to play for the team. You want to do well for them. That’s why I kept playing.” It wasn’t until after his match against Princeton that his doctor informed him of a complete tear of his ACL. “What hurts the most is not being able to help them play,” De Jager said. “I tried to do my best watching them, but it’s definitely the worst thing not being able to help. Especially after a full season of tough training has built up to this next month.” Now with the loss of two of Cal Poly’s starters, increased pressure has been directed to the younger players on the team. True freshman Derek Klein sees his teammates’ absence on the court as a motivational opportunity. “As a freshman, since two of our top starters are out, it just makes us want to train,” Klein said. “We won’t always be able to rely on those guys to clinch it for us, so we need to take on new roles and play even better.” Head coach Nick Carless understands the implications of his injured players, but he
knows that along with winning and losing, injuries are part of the game. “Losing (Bridge) and (De Jager) hurts,” Carless said. “But other guys have to be able to step up. Other guys have to be ready to play, be really for this moment and be ready to step in. Especially in the postseason, every team deals with injuries. It’s unfortunate, but it’s a part of sports.”
And on Sunday, a seemingly new team emerged to take on UC Riverside (3-17, 0-3 Big West) at the San Luis Obispo Country Club. After winning all three matches to clinch the doubles point, the Mustangs continued to sweep the Highlanders, winning all six of their singles matches. “I (was) just telling my guys that the ultimate goal was to win the conference tourna-
ment and get to the NCAA’s,” Carless said. “Those goals are still on the table. There’s a difference between playing and playing the right way. I thought today we did a better job of that, and today was a step forward. I was definitely happy about how the guys rebounded after a tough loss.” After Sunday’s victory, the team will take on UC Davis (69, 0-2) on Friday.
IAN BILLINGS/MUSTANG DAILY
The men’s tennis team travels north this weekend to face Big West foes UC Davis (Friday) and Pacific (Saturday) in its third and fourth conference matches of the season.
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