Mustang Daily - 2/26

Spen a year with ‘Frog and Toad’ ARTS, pg. 4

ARTS: Student band drops new song, music video SPORTS: After ACL injury, Jonae Ervin is back on top Volume LXXVII, Number 73

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

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WE’VE GOT SUNSHINE What do you think about this week’s warm weather?

“I’ve been sick all day, so I’ve been inside.”

“I sat on Dexter Lawn for two hours in the nice, warm sun.

— Andrew Ferrelo mechanical engineering sophomore

MUSTANG DAILY STAFF REPORT

news@mustangdaily.net

— Linnea Briggs industrial engineering sophomore

NHA HA/MUSTANG DAILY

SUN’S OUT, FUN’S OUT: Plenty of sun hit the Central Coast this week as temperatures reached the low 70s and Cal Poly students headed outside to enjoy the warm weather. Students could be seen sporting shorts and tank tops, hanging out on Dexter Lawn and hiking local trails.

This week’s weather

“I wish I didn’t have to be stuck in class all day.”

Wed: high 72, low 37 sunny

partially cloudy

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Thur: high 73, low 45 sunny

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Fri: high 79, low 43 sunny

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Sat: high 72, low 45 sunny

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Sun: high 70, low 43 cloudy

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“It was amazing, I went for a sixmile run.”

— Shoshana Young mechanical engineering sophomore

sleet

— Stefanie Notte nutrition junior

sleet

No charges for student found with rifle in dorm The student whose rifle was found in his Sierra Madre Residence Hall room more than a week ago will not be facing charges, University Police Department (UPD) Chief George Hughes said Tuesday.

“Looking at the totality of the circumstances, criminal charges will not be filed against him,” Hughes said.

Hughes said he saw no threat to the Cal Poly community and did not feel pressing charges would be beneficial to anyone involved.

“He was no threat to the campus community whatsoever,” Hughes said. “We as a police department need to balance what the letter of the law and what the spirit of the law is, and to decide what is best for campus community and for the individual. By pressing charges on this individual we did not think that we would be appropriately doing so.”

Hughes said the decision to not press charges rested with UPD. The case did not end up going to the district attorney.

“It was a combined decision between me and my staff,” Hughes said. “Ultimately, it falls on us as a police department to decide what’s best for the campus institution and the individual.”

The unnamed student did, however, leave the area following this incident.

“He has voluntarily withdrawn from the institution and has left the campus and the city,” Hughes said.

According to Hughes, university administration did not become directly involved.

“They (the administration) knew about what was going on the entire time, but ultimately the decision was mine,” Hughes said.

Laura Pezzini contributed to this staff report.

Paddle up: Cal Poly students help disabled with kayak program JORDAN DUNN

Special to Mustang Daily

Cal Poly’s course Kinesiology 407, Adapted Physical Activity, gives disabled individuals a chance to kayak on their own in Morro Bay. It also teaches kinesiology students

how to work with these disabled individuals.

Students interact with the disabled individuals on a personal level, said Kevin Taylor, head of the kinesiology department and founder of the Adapted Paddling Program.

Some students have never ex-

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perienced that before.

“But when they see it right before their eyes, and see the kid they’re working with light up at the joy of this experience, and they hear the people work with say how nice it is to be treated like a human being for a change,”

@mustangdaily Have cool Spring Break plans? Tweet us with #MustangBreaks

Taylor said, “that has an impact beyond what one can really learn from a book. That is ‘Learn By Doing.’”

Taylor started the program to offer more than just lectures to his students, he said.

They needed hands-on learning with adaptive technolo-

Tomorrow’s Weather: high Sunny sunny

73˚F

gies they would be putting to use after college. Taylor set up the Adapted Paddling Program as a way for the students to use the adaptive technologies they were learning, while providing an opportunity for disabled individuals, she said.

The program inspired kinesiology graduate student and Adapted Paddling Coordinator Anh Nguyen to continue her involvement with disabled individuals, she said. Some students change their career see PADDLE, pg. 2

INDEX

Opinions/Editorial..............6 News.............................1-3 ClassifiedsComics..............7 Arts...............................4-5 Sports..................................8

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MDnews 2

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Cal Poly ROTC responds to women in combat, front lines CRISTIAN PONCE

Special to Mustang Daily

COURTESY PHOTO

“It’s important for programs like this to exist because too many people still look at those with disabilities as being unable,” kinesiology department head Kevin Taylor said.

PADDLING continued from page 1

goals to the adapted physical therapy field after being a part of the paddling program, Nguyen said.

The Adapted Paddling Program will take participants out on the water in Morro Bay on March 2 and 3. The students will get hands-on experience by analyzing their participants’ condition and making necessary adjustments in the weeks prior to the launch. Each kayak has unique adaptations that meet the needs of the participant, Nguyen said.

“Last quarter, we worked with someone who was paraplegic, we had worked with someone who had no movement on just one side of their body, just a variety of things,” Nguyen said. “We have even worked with someone who was blind.”

The Adaptive Paddling Program falls under Cal Poly’s Activity 4 All organization, along with the Friday Club and EyeCycle. These programs offer other opportunities for students to use adaptive technologies.

Taylor has enjoyed kayaking for many years. His wife, a physical therapist, had been looking to start a paddling program, so Taylor contacted a paddling instructor to get something started. Taylor first used the paddling program as a tool to study working with disabled individuals, but then it grew into what it is today, he said.

“I started it because I wanted to embrace ‘Learn By Doing,’” Taylor said. “This class is about studying how to work with people with disabilities to make physical activity more accessible.”

Daniela Schirmer, a participant in the Fall 2012 quarter’s Adapted Paddling Program,

got involved by contacting Taylor directly, she said. She is a high-functioning quadriplegic who is also a Cal Poly English graduate student.

“For me, the best part about it was the way it brought together a community of people,” Schirmer said.

Schirmer’s kayak was given extra back support because of her lack of core strength and balance. She also used a specialized oar she could hold on to despite her poor dexterity.

Many of the students became very good friends with the participants, which shows the great connections made in the program, Schirmer said.

The relationships that are built can leave a lasting impression on those involved, Taylor said.

“It’s important for programs like this to exist because too many people still look at those with disabilities as being unable,” Taylor said.

There is no difference in standards between men and women in combat jobs, according to Cal Poly ROTC faculty and staff. This comes after the military lifted a ban on women performing on the front lines in January.

The change has drawn criticism from those who question women’s ability to perform the same physical tasks as men in combat. But women can and have gone beyond what males do, ROTC instructor Master Sgt. Joshua Nieratko said.

“Push-ups, sit-ups (and a) two mile run is the physical standard,” Nieratko said. “I have seen an 18 to 21 year old male soldier maximize the physical fitness standards in push-ups, to 71. I personally saw a female do 85 pushups, 97 sit-ups and run two miles in 13 minutes.”

The standards for military fitness have been the same for both men and women for quite some time now, but the standards would obviously be higher for certain positions, ROTC instructor Maj. Christine Mediano said.

“Whether it’s a male or a female that’s going to be doing that job, then that’s the standard that needs to be met by any person,” Mediano said.

“They have a good system in place right now for women in the military.”

The standards will not drop as a result of the change, journalism sophomore Cadet Heather McBirney said.

“There are definitely women now that could meet those standards, and as long as they continue to do so, I don’t see a reason why it would change,” McBirney said.

The decision to officially lift the ban on women in combat in the military was established in January by Defense Secretary Leon E. Pannetta and will open up numerous front-line jobs for women.

In 1948, U.S. Congress mandated women should be limited to 2 percent of the force.

Since then, women have expanded to cover 15 percent of the military.

Women have been serving in combat positions in the

There are definitely women now that could meet those standards ... I don’t see a reason why it would change.

HEATHER MCBIRNEY ROTC CADET

Middle East for some time now, with 1,000 being wounded in the nation’s two most recent wars, and more than 150 dead. But they were barred from combat positions until this past January.

Even before the lift on the ban on women in combat, Mediano was performing just as well as the men, and even outperforming them, she said.

There were no physical difficulties upon entering the military, she said.

“I was outscoring the guys on the physical fitness tests,” Mediano said. “The physical side, I mean, well it was fun, but not too difficult for me; I like that part of it. I was always trying to better my score. I was trying to exceed the standard, not meet it.”

Women have proven to be just as capable on the front lines as men, Nieratko said.

“When I was in Iraq in 2003, I had two or three females in my squad. We were out every day, patrolling the streets of Baghdad,” Nieratko said.

“They were either the drivers for the vehicle, or they were controlling the turrets. They were on raids with me. They did everything we did.”

Going into the military as an ROTC student requires Physical Training (PT) three times a week. That was the biggest challenge for McBirney, she said.

“I’m still improving every week,” McBirney said. “I’ve seen females outperform other females and even males.

The standards for guys and girls is the same. The biggest difference I would say is upper body strength.”

Women have been integrated for more than 40 years in the San Luis Obispo Fire Department. Women have taken the time to condition their bodies to meet the demands of the job, Fire Marshall Rodger Maggio said.

“When you’re already start-

ing off on a smaller stature and have to carry one of your firefighters who may have become disabled during an incident down a ladder, it becomes much more challenging,” Maggio said. “But then again as they step up to it, they do the conditioning they need to do, they have the job.”

The change raised some questions about sexual assaults in the services. These types of situations already face women more than men in the military, but it is not any different anywhere else, Nieratko said.

“I think the Army does a good job in training and education in taking care of their soldiers,” Nieratko said. “I don’t think it happens any more in the military than it does in the civilian world.”

There has also been more support for programs already in place, Mediano said.

“We have the Sexual Harassment Assault Response and Prevention program and it is one of the goals to support this shift to provide equitable treatment for all of our soldiers,” Mediano said.

“That program is already embedded and they’re going to be doing further training with it with the introduction of these new positions.”

In combat, women have the same dangers as men, McBirney said.

“If a male and female are in the same situation or role, I think the dangers are pretty similar,” McBirney said.

More of the population must be prepared for the new policy to come into effect, though. A certain old-school mentality, which has been in place in the public’s minds for quite some time, is the key factor, Nieratko said.

“It has always been an old cliché that the sons go to war, and I don’t know that America is ready to send their daughters to war,” Nieratko said.

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MDnews 3

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

WORD ON THE STREET If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Chuck Hagel named new secretary of defense MICHAEL A. MEMOLI Los Angeles Times

“Time control, obviously, so I can sleep more. Every day when I would wake up, instead of hitting snooze, I’d just stop time.”

• Evan Borgeson materials engineering sophomore

The Senate voted Tuesday to confirm Chuck Hagel, a Vietnam War veteran and former Republican senator from Nebraska, as the 24th secretary of defense after a brutal confirmation process that saw members of his own party question his capacity to lead the Pentagon.

Just hours after a vote to end the first-ever filibuster of a defense nominee, Hagel was approved 58 to 41, by far the narrowest margin for a successful appointment going back to the Carter administration. Hagel could get to work at the Pentagon as early as Wednesday.

President Obama announced his choice of Hagel to lead the Pentagon on Jan. 7, calling him “the leader that our troops deserve.” A sergeant in Vietnam and twotime Purple Heart recipient, Hagel becomes the first vet-

eran of that war and the first former enlisted man to become Defense Secretary.

Hagel’s 2008 trip to Iraq and Afghanistan with Obama, then the Democratic presidential nominee, in part drove Republican opposition to installing one of their own former colleagues in the Pentagon. In the weeks that followed, critics also pored over his past speeches and other public statements to question his views on Israel, Iran and other international hot spots.

Democrats also had concerns, including Hagel’s objection to the appointment of an openly gay man as ambassador to Luxembourg during the Clinton administration. The former senator apologized for his comments even before Obama officially nominated him.

Opposition to Hagel’s appointment grew after a dismal performance at his confirmation hearing. Two days after

the Senate Armed Services Committee moved his nomination on a party-line vote, Senate Republicans mounted a filibuster to delay a final confirmation vote, saying they needed additional time to review his record and get answers to questions.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (RS.C.) also used Hagel’s nomination as leverage to press the Obama administration to answer his questions about the terrorist raid on a U.S. diplomatic facility in Libya that led to four AmerMCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE ican fatalities, including the ambassador.

President Barack Obama announced Chuck Hagel (above) Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, a as his choice for Defense Secretary in January. The Senfreshman and outspoken con- ate voted Tuesday to confirm the position. servative, went so far as to suggest that Hagel may have Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chair- guiding the military through received income from hostile man of the Armed Services looming cuts to the defense states such as North Korea.

Committee, said the “over the budget — 13% in the current No new bombshells emerged top” opposition from some fiscal year, according to the during a 10-day Presidents’ Republicans ultimately paved Office of Management and Day recess, however, and 14 the way for confirmation.

Budget — because of the auRepublicans switched their Among Hagel’s most im- tomatic budget cuts scheduled votes to end the filibuster. Sen. mediate challenges could be to take effect Friday.

“To be able to time travel, because it would be cool to live in a different era.”

• Kiersten Demmond liberal studies sophomore

MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE

Hot-air balloon accident kills 18 JEFFREY FLEISHMAN Los Angeles Times

“Wouldn’t it be cool if you could make food come out of your fingertips?

Say you’ve got some bread, but don’t have any peanut butter, boom, spread some peanut butter.

Feed My Starving Children? Done.”

• Josh Barkhimer materials engineering sophomore

“To fly, so I wouldn’t have to pay for a parking pass.”

• Carl Lind software engineering sophomore

A hot-air balloon exploded over the ancient city of Luxor on Tuesday, killing at least 18 people and adding fresh turmoil to Egypt’s beleaguered tourism industry, which has been struggling since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak two years ago.

Authorities said the balloon was drifting at about 1,000 feet when it caught fire and the basket plummeted into sugar cane fields outside a village shortly after dawn. Officials said the dead included nine passengers from Hong Kong, four from Japan, two from France, two from Britain and one from Belgium.

The pilot, one British tourist and one Egyptian survived, officials said.

Egyptian media reported that the pilot jumped from the basket immediately before it hit the ground near the Nile River.

Balloon rides over Luxor’s Valley of the Kings and pharaonic temples have been popular with tourists for years.

Those proved responsible for the accident will receive severe punishment.

HISHAM ZAZOU EGYPTIAN TOURISM MINISTER

Egypt’s state news agency said a fuel line ruptured as the balloon was attempting to land.

A fire erupted and wind lifted the balloon back into the air before it crashed. The General Prosecutor’s office has called for an investigation, and balloon flights have been suspended.

“Those proved responsible for the accident will receive severe punishment,” said Egyptian Tourism Minister Hisham Zazou, who was traveling in Iran.

The incident comes as the new Islamist-led government has been struggling to prop up Egypt’s image as a tourist destination despite road and train accidents, kidnappings, deadly protests and political strife. Tourism is one of the nation’s leading industries

but the number of visitors has fallen sharply.

Estimates suggest nearly 15 million tourists visited Egypt in 2010, the year before an uprising toppled Mubarak.

That figure dropped to about just under 10 million in 2011.

Officials said tourism increased in 2012, but the number of visitors remains far below earlier levels.

Violent demonstrations in Port Said and other cities killed more than 50 people in January. Days later, tourists in Cairo were alarmed when thugs ransacked and looted the Intercontinental Hotel near Tahrir Square. Bedouin clans in the Sinai Peninsula have often kidnapped foreigners and temporarily held them to negotiate the release of jailed tribesman.

MDarts 4

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

‘A Year with Frog and Toad’

brings childhood out of the woodwork HANNAH CROFT

theater next week, Losey said. The set and costume Childhood friends Frog and design are also sights to be Toad are getting ready to seen. They’re painted by deemerge from hibernation, partment head Tim Dugan’s with the help of Cal Poly Thedaughter, Teresa Shea, whose atre and Dance Department. scenic paintings have received For the next two weeks, Alex Los Angeles Ovation Awards. and Faye Spanos Theatre will “The sets are incredible,” turn forested for Tony AwardLosey said. “And the costume nominated “A Year with Frog designers have really outand Toad.” done themselves.”

The musical is based on the But all visuals aside, Anderchildren’s books son said the best

by Arnold Lobel part of the whole and follows best show is the mesWe’ve been having a lot of friends Frog and sage it conveys. fun with opportunities Toad through the “In light of evyear after they erything that for interactions with the emerge from hihas been hapbernation. pening in the audience, too.

Directed by world, there was VIRGINIA ANDERSON theatre and something that ‘FROG AND TOAD’ DIRECTOR dance professor I found so wonVirginia Anderderfully centerson, “A Year with ing about being Frog and Toad” is described lected, Losey was excited for reminded of the wonderful as “heartwarming” and “fam- the opportunity to get closer to color of friendship, of human ily friendly.” four students she already knew. connections,” she said. “To The family fun, however, only “We knew each other going kind of have that celebration lasts an hour, and only features into this,” she said. “But this of meaningful relationships is five cast members. has definitely been a bonding really exciting.”

Theatre arts sophomore experience.”

After teaching a children’s Brigitte Losey plays a bird, The cast has been hard at theater class, Anderson said it a mole, mother frog and a work since the first Monday was especially exciting to put turtle. The original play was of the school year and has into practice what she and her written for five cast mem- spent roughly 15 hours each students had been working on bers, and Losey said they week rehearsing. in class. For many of them, it’s wanted to stay true to the But the acting isn’t the only a new opportunity. original script. reason to pay a visit to the “What’s different about children’s theater is you have to play it from a point of sincerity,” she said. “We’ve been having a lot of fun with opportunities for interactions with the audience, too.”

While the play is categorized as children’s theater, Anderson and Losey both urged that it isn’t just a child’s play. The cast has spent its rehearsals thinking of ways to subtly allude to other musicals, Anderson said, and musical theater aficionados may have extra laughs in store for them.

But most importantly, everyone can relate to the friendship Frog and Toad have, Anderson said.

“Grab your best friend, even if you know nothing about the show, grab your best friend and go see the show,” she said. “It will be such a wonderful affirmation of friendship and why your best friends are your best friends.”

“A Year with Frog and Toad” opens Thursday at 8 p.m. and closes Saturday at 7 p.m. Ticket information can be found on the PolyTix website.

• PHOTO CREDIT David Jang • “It’s only an hour,” Anderson. “Take a study break. It really is delightful.”

hannahcroft.md@gmail.com

COURTESY PHOTO

The cast consists of three men and two women, and Losey said she was surprised she was selected for the cast.

“There was so much talent at auditions,” she said. “I was blown away.”

The hopeful cast members were put through singing and dancing auditions and a round of callbacks before the decision was made, Losey said.

And when the cast was se-

“Set forth”

MDarts 5

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

COURTESY PHOTO

Local reggae-rockers Louder Space performed in the University Union Plaza as part of ASI’s Concerts in the Plaza series in October.

Student rock band on the rise with new single and video MUSTANG DAILY STAFF REPORT

arts@mustangdaily.net

Four Cal Poly seniors with a love for music and a multiplying fan base: This is the studentcomprised band Louder Space.

Originally created in October 2011, the band describes itself as “alternative rock with a taste of reggae and funk” and has had increasing success since its first EP, titled “Signs of Life,” was released in February 2012.

The band has since released the single “805” as well as an accompanying music video.

“The song ‘805’ is really connected to our time here, at

the Central Coast and at Cal Poly,” bassist Oren Ben-Joseph said. “We wanted to have a music video that exemplified that. It’s all self-produced, self-directed, with just us and the help of friends.”

Mechanical engineering sophomore Emmett Ross played a part in the making of the “805” music video, doing a majority of the recording.

“We used only GoPro cameras, which is pretty cool,” Ben-Joseph said. “As far as the storyline goes and kind of the directing and production, that was really a combination of efforts from the band and good friends.”

Days after the video was re-

leased, the band played a soldout concert at SLO Brewing Co. (SLO Brew) on Feb. 21.

“It was an incredible experi-

SLO Brew. We had a fantastic time, the crowd was all into it.”

One long-time fan and supporter is environmental engi-

It’s all self-produced, selfdirected, with just us and the help of friends.

OREN BEN-JOSEPH LOUDER SPACE BASSIST

ence,” Ben-Joseph said. “The release of our music video being a few days before really helped people to see us and be like, ‘Hey, I want to go to that show.’ It was definitely our best show ever at

SLOCAL BOYS: Local band Louder Space — made up of four Cal Poly seniors — plays Red Hot Chili Peppers-like pop rock with a ska tinge. The band’s new single, “805,” was released this past week with an accompanying music video. The video was filmed at various locations on campus and around San Luis Obispo. The song is available to download on iTunes.

neering senior Michelle Kolb.

“I go to most of their shows,” Kolb said. “It’s not like I’m going to (the shows) and seeing anything new, (but) it’s still so much fun every time. (Louder

Space) really brings everybody into it. They’re just amazing musicians and you can tell that they love to play.”

As far as the future, BenJoseph said the band has two more songs titled “Jerusalem Tree” and “Lifted,” though he doesn’t know the release order or when the songs will release.

“Definitely within the upcoming months,” he said. “We’re hoping to pair each of them with another music video as well.”

Though the band members are seniors, they will continue to keep the band alive and stay in the San Luis Obispo area. “(We’re hoping to) just continue writing new material, sat-

urating the market in San Luis Obispo and the Central Coast and continue to build our support here,” Ben-Joseph said.

This is a support he hopes to see grow.

“When we have our fans listening, I really hope that they just feel the emotions that we feel when we are playing the music and that we put into the music,” Ben-Joseph said.

“I think that’s the most important because playing music and making music (is) what makes us happiest and that’s why we’re so passionate about it.”

Kassi Luja contributed to this staff report.

MD op/ed 6 MUSTANG DAILY Graphic Arts Building Building 26, Suite 226 California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93407

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Crowd funding: A new direction for democracy Zachary Antoyan is a political science junior and Mustang Daily liberal columnist: Strap in, I’m about to make taxes awesome.

Functionally, we pay taxes to fund our government and its works. Federal, state and municipal taxes provide the necessary sum of money to each level of government for whatever shenanigans it is involved in.

What amount each individual pays into this pile of cash is a matter of heated debate. And for the record, side effects often include but are not limited to: fiscal cliffs, stagnation, partisanship and stupidity. Our taxes should be proportional to our income, blah, blah, blah. No, we should just have a flat tax, blah, blah, blah.

We’re addressing the wrong problem with these supposed solutions. Rather than focus on who should pay what, we should be examining our inherent hatred of taxes.

People don’t hop out of bed on April 15 (when taxes are due) stoked on their lives because they’re about to drop hard earned money into a huge pool of even more money the government may or may not waste. The source of numerous unfortunate tarand-feather incidents, and probably a good number of revolutions, taxes seem to be a persistent issue throughout history. There was never a “friendly neighborhood tax-collector.”

This is all, however, completely understandable from a historical perspective. Monarchs, despots and authoritarians have routinely squeezed

their citizens dry for the personal luxuries of whoever is in power or to fund the the next big war. We should be skeptical of taxes and what they are used for, and voting for representatives was supposed to fix this — democracy was supposed to fix this.

If the issue of sequestration within Congress is an indication of anything, it’s that we are nowhere near knowing what to do with our budget.

I can’t help but think that if we were to shift society’s perception of taxes from negative to positive, we would tap into something unprecedented for a democracy. But to do this, we need to create a closer relationship with our tax system.

Enter stage left: the website Kickstarter.com. It’s a place where ordinary people can go and help crowd-source projects. The projects range from independent movies to video games and product manufacturing. Essentially, someone with an idea for anything can create a Kickstarter.com campaign and get their idea funded by a ton of people, only paying a little bit of money each.

No major publishing company, no billionaire investor, no risk assessment.

The project either gets funded by the masses or it fails and gets nothing. It stands to reason then, that if a person sees their contribution to the fruition of an idea, then they will feel as if they were a part of something bigger.

All right, now that I’m done blatantly promoting, let’s apply this to our tax system.

What if when we went to pay our taxes, we had a choice where our money went? What if there was a list of all the

projects that needed to be funded locally, and the individual could direct what their tax dollars specifically funded? Perhaps the good tax isn’t only the evaded one, but the one in which you dictate where the money goes.

Say the amount you owe in taxes is the amount you can divvy up between different local projects. You want to help build a park in the abandoned lot near your house, so you send some money that way. And all those damn potholes in the street, the city wants to go and fix those, so you give a portion to that cause.

Projects would be created by city officials and need a minimum amount of money to get going (without a stringent time constraint). Once the project is funded, work could begin.

Politicians could use this data, looking at where people put their money, to see what their constituents are truly interested in. In all honesty, I’m not entirely sure how the system would work, or even if it could be ap-

If Congress can’t bring prosperity to democratic society, who can?

TRUDY RUBIN

The Philadelphia Inquirer

Any member of Congress who refuses to compromise on the budget sequester this week should be given this mandatory assignment: Read “Democracy in Retreat: The Revolt of the Middle Class and the Worldwide Decline of Representative Government.”

Author Joshua Kurlantzick examines the spate of retreating democracies over the last two decades and finds something startling. The middle classes — supposedly the bulwark of democracy worldwide — are often turning against it. As our governmental paralysis continues, the same thing could well happen here.

Two decades ago, Francis Fukuyama famously argued, in “The End of History and the Last Man,” that the world would inevitably evolve toward liberal democracy and market economics. Yet 2013 represents the seventh consecutive year that declines in freedom outweighed gains, according to the Freedom House index.

Kurlantzick offers keen insights into what has gone wrong.

After 1991, the Soviet economic model was discredited. Former communist states turned toward democracy, along with many developing countries. Yet too often they assumed that embracing democracy would confer instant wealth.

“It was a widely held belief in East and Central Europe, and in most emerging democracies,” says Kurlantzick, “that democracy would bring prosperity.

Printed by UNIVERSITY GRAPHICS SYSTEMS ugs.calpoly.edu ugs@calpoly.edu Mustang Daily is a member of Associated Collegiate Press, California Newspaper Publishers Association, College Newspaper Business and Advertising Managers and College Media Advisors.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013 Volume LXXVII, Number 72 ©2013 Mustang Daily “Rest and digest, that’s my motto.”

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE

When the first years brought slow growth, that was a real disillusionment.”

Absent a culture of democracy or strong leadership, many new democracies struggled; the high expectations of poorer citizens were shattered. But what accounts for the growing frustrations with democracy evinced by its supposed middle-class bulwark — in countries as diverse as Venezuela, Thailand, Egypt and the Philippines?

Much of the problem can be ascribed to the Three C’s — chaos, corruption and the crash.

Democracy can open the door to irresponsible populists such as Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, who appeal to the poor (and often wreck the economy). The middle class feels its well-being is threatened.

Moreover, when dictatorships fall in countries with no rule-oflaw tradition, a political vacuum often breeds lawlessness and chaos. A prime example is Egypt, where much of the middle class, and many urban poor, now yearn for the stability they had under Hosni Mubarak, though they once rallied against him in Tahrir Square.

Corruption has also become associated with newly open societies. “Rising corruption can lead to popular alienation with democracy,” writes Kurlantzick.

In autocracies, corruption is usually controlled at the center, but the collapse of such regimes provides much broader opportunities for graft.

One of many examples: In post-communist Russia, Boris Yeltsin’s fire sale of state-owned natural resources to private “oligarchs” convinced ordinary Russians that democracy equaled theft, and fueled the yearning for a new strongman.

Middle-class anger has also been stoked by the 2008 financial crash, which resulted in huge economic pain yet let most of the bankers who caused it off the hook.

Little wonder that much of the world began to question the validity of the Western liberal economic model. All the more so when the European Union can’t resolve its postcrash financial crises, and Washington can’t get its fiscal act together. As one State Department official quoted

by Kurlantzick puts it: “How can

we with a straight face be telling countries in Africa and the Middle East that they need to develop better systems for governing when we can’t even pass a budget?” Indeed.

With the Western model in decline, little wonder, too, that many Asian, African and Latin American nations look with new interest at the Chinese model of undemocratic development, mixing capitalism with continued government control of key sectors in an authoritarian state.

However, let me stress this: Whatever the risks to U.S. interests posed by the growing gravitational pull of China, the biggest threat to global democracy lies within the West itself.

If Western citizens lose faith in their own systems, new democracies are bound to do likewise. In Europe, postcrash austerity has aggravated job loss and impoverished many middle- and working-class citizens, especially in southern Europe. The post-World War II social contract that ended a century of European conflict is fraying. Right-wing fringe groups are attracting more of the vote.

Meantime, middle-class Americans feel threatened by rising inequality and permanent job loss — and their fear leads to disillusionment with government. Congress is paralyzed, with Republicans pressed by their hard-liners to reject any compromise on revenue and spending. Irresponsible fringe groups proliferate, fueled by billionaire backers.

Conspiracy theories go viral on the Internet, like the one I just received, proclaiming: “Secret Obama plot to stay in power until 2020.”

America’s deep democratic roots and strong civic organizations remain a bulwark. Yet relentless right-wing efforts to demonize government undermine our democratic institutions. Washington’s meltdown convinces the world that our democracy can no longer deliver.

And when the world’s paramount democracy can’t function, why would developing countries want to follow our lead?

plied at a national or state level. But I do know our options for this could be endless.

Adopting a system where people have a more active role in the spending of public money makes the bond between government and citizen more cohesive.

It could pave the way for citizen-initiated local projects, encourage greater efficacy and knowledge of issues and help government see where the people want their money to go.

For so long, we have seen taxes as a negative aspect of life under any sort of rule, but if we were to effectively give the power of spending to the people, it may be that taxes become a method of political activism. They would be crowd-sourced contributions to the public good, instead of the burden of the nation.

This is Zachary Antoyan, trying and failing to not eat the whole box of Girl Scout Cookies. And I’m apparently a walking advertisement for Kickstarter. com. Have a fantastic week.

The World Wide Waste Why some are running late to the social networking party K.C. COLE

Now I have a nifty set of new tools to accomplish everything digitally I never much enjoyed I recently hired a student to in real life, and what have I done help me get wired into what with them? So far, not much.

I’m told is the minimum But, once I got wired, I also needed to survive in today’s stopped feeling guilty about my digital world. So now in ad- lack of constant exposure. Afdition to Facebook, I am ter all, it’s not so different from able to link in, tweet, Google the old days, when getting “out Plus and other things I can’t there” mostly meant collecting remember because I haven’t contacts, rubbing shoulders used them yet. with the “right” people. Joining.

I’m hardly a technophobe; Somehow, I managed back in fact, I tend toward geek. then with a minimum of Where else but Facebook schmoozing. Now I’ve decided would I have found Ellen that the minimum, digitally, will Degeneres’ delicious take on serve me once again. There’ll alBic pens for women? NASA ways be a place for those who Gangnam Style? Talking cats prefer to sit in the dark — at playing patty cake? During least some of the time. the election, political humor But I’m abstaining, not reon Facebook kept me sane, jecting. and articles shared by smart I can already hear Instagram friends kept me informed. calling. Tweeting will no doubt Mostly, I like seeing what fast become addictive, like gosformer students and old sip and potato chips. I will keep friends are up to. looking in from the outside, Still, I’ve been more than mostly, on Facebook, occasionhesitant to dive head first ally announcing some crucial into the rest of the social me- upcoming event — Pi Day, for dia thing, and I was not clear example. (Mark your calendars why. And then it came to me: now: March 14, at 1:59 p.m., eat I’m just not that social. pie and behave irrationally.)

I delight in small groups I’ll certainly use the whole tool of friends — even kit to flog my own work better, one on and that of my friends. one. I rarely anBut to get work swer my phone “out there” requires (“KC! Are you producing the there?

Pick work, and there’s a up!”) I’ve been lot less time for that called a vampire when we’re presbecause I often sured to be conMCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE sit in the dark. stantly social netIn school, I working (or as a flunked Girl Scouts (loved the friend calls it, “social notworkcookies; hated the uniform ing”). That’s not a new observathing). I dropped out of the tion, but it’s also not trivial. one sorority a friend was able Like a lot of writers, I do my to shoehorn me into. I watched best work when I’m not doing my generation’s revolutions much of anything. Hiking, digmostly from the sidelines, ging in the dirt, reading novels, supportive but rarely on the dancing around the house, lisstreets. I never much wanted to tening to music. If I connect on join professional organizations social media instead, I may be because I didn’t care about be- more “out there” but a lot less ing a member of the national will be going on “in here.” And association of anything. When then I’ll have nothing to share. the brilliant (and autistic) writThe most productive part of er Donna Williams described my day is often close to sunset, groups of normal folks as Red on the beach or near a window, People — after a while, just sitting in silence, listening to “noisy, vibrating colors” — I the night fall, with my love, or understood perfectly. my cat, or alone. I can hear myAnd until the push to be “out self think. I can let the world there” socializing digitally, all in. So when I do get out there, I that seemed more or less OK. may have something to say.

McClatchy-Tribune

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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

ASSISTING THE ’STANGS TO VICTORY Jonae Ervin makes her mark at point guard JEFFERSON P. NOLAN

jnolan@mustangdaily.net

Five foot, three inches.

Jonae Ervin may not be the tallest or the most vocal player on the court, but for the Cal Poly women’s basketball team, she has become a giant, and she lets her statistics do the talking for her.

Hailing from Brea High School, the junior point guard boasts the highest assist-to-turnover ratio in the nation with a 2.91 ratio.

“I think that’s amazing to have a teammate be No. 1 in the nation for having the best assist-to-turnover ratio,” redshirt sophomore guard Ariana Elegado said. “(Ervin) is a great passer, and she always finds the open person. She is always driving in the gaps and finding that open spot. It’s just an amazing accomplishment.”

Having started in all 21 games in the 2011-12 season, Ervin tied for first in the NCAA with her assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.67, dishing out 112 assists and committing just 42 turnovers.

But in the 2012-13 season, the main difference for Ervin and for the rest of the Mustangs (16-9,

SUDOKU ANSWERS

10-4 Big West Conference) is the absence of former Cal Poly forward Kristina Santiago. Santiago, the first player in program history to earn All-American status at the Division I level, finished her senior year fifth in the nation in scoring, sixth in field goal percentage and 31st in rebounding.

But without the two-time Big West Conference Player of the Year, the junior point guard knows how much her role has changed.

“Last year, we were focused on (Santiago),” Ervin said. “But this year, we’ve been playing together as a team. It feels like we can exploit our strengths. We all have different strengths, and we all share the ball. Everybody can handle the ball. Everybody can shoot. We know who to go to in a given time and who can step up and bring the team energy.”

Elegado has played with Ervin for two years, and she appreciates how much Ervin means to the team.

“Without Santiago, the ball is in (Ervin’s) hands probably 90 percent of the time,” Elegado said. “She’s more willing to take control of the game. Jonae has the confidence that no one can stop her. This year, I can tell that her role has changed.

She’s that player who can take control of any game, any time, any day.”

In addition to losing Santiago, the women’s basketball squad also bid adieu to three of its top five scorers. The loss of Brittany Woodard to a midseason injury left big shoes to fill for each member of the team.

Head coach Faith Mimnaugh recognizes how substantial of

an impact Ervin continues to have in every game at the point guard position.

“She’s always been a very good handler of the basketball and someone who prides herself in making great decisions on the court,” Mimnaugh said. “She doesn’t take a ton of risks on the court. She’s very steady with the ball; you can count on her to always go through a game almost flawless in her decision-making skills. It’s an asset that I value and I know the team values. I know that she takes great heart in trying to do that job effectively for us.”

In Cal Poly’s game against Cal State Northridge (13-14, 7-8 Big West), Ervin recorded her fourth double-double of her collegiate career with 10 points and 11 assists as she led the Mustangs to victory against the Matadors.

“If somebody isn’t on their game, someone else is going to have to step up,” Ervin said.

“We’re really good about doing that. We can read each other really well and step up and see who is and who is not having a good game.”

Ervin and the Mustangs look to continue their three-game winning streak as they travel to UC Riverside (11-14, 4-10 Big West) on Thursday.

“She was the best in the country last year, and she’s in the mix to be a repeat,” Mimnaugh said. “And she’s just a junior. Hopefully people around the country are watching what she’s doing and seeing that IAN BILLINGS/MUSTANG DAILY she can be somebody that they consider one of the top point Sophomore Jonae Ervin leads the nation with a 2.91 assist-to-turnover ratio, after finishing the 2011-12 season leading the same category. Cal Poly travels to play UC Riverside on Thursday. guards in the country.”

Big West Standings - Men’s Basketball Big West W-L

1.

Long Beach State

2.

Pacific

3.

Hawaii UC Irvine

4.

5.

6.

Cal Poly UC Davis

7.

Cal State Fullerton

8.

UC Santa Barbara Cal State Northridge

9.

10. UC Riverside

Overall W-L

13-2 9-5

17-10 15-12

9-6

16-11

9-6 8-6

16-13 13-12

7-7

12-14

6-8 4-10

14-13 8-18

4-11

13-15

3-11

6-21

Big West Standings - Women’s Basketball Big West W-L

Overall W-L

11-4 10-4

21-6 16-9

10-5

14-12

8-6

12-14

5. Long Beach State

7-7

14-12

6. Cal State Northridge

7-8

13-14

7. UC Davis 8. UC Irvine

6-9 5-9

11-15 9-17

9. UC Riverside 10. Cal State Fullerton

4-10 4-10

11-14 8-18

1.

Pacific

2. Cal Poly 3. Hawaii 4. UC Santa Barbara