The Puyallup Post | Volume 12 | Issue 6 | March 2007

Same-sex marriage debate See page 24

VOLUME 12

ISSUE 6

Raiders get a second shot at championship

Women’s history See page 16

Staying healthy See page 15

MARCH 2007

Leprechaun’s Quest II See page 13

SERVING THE STUDENTS OF PIERCE COLLEGE PUYALLUP

Just when you thought the sun wouldn’t shine

Sharon Coward

Appriel Lance

Reporter

Pierce College Raiders guard Scott Halasz has a message for the Raiders' opponents in the NWAACC championship tournament.

“Hey, to anybody who stands in our way at the (NWAACC) championships: watch out (because) the MICROWAVE is coming!”

The team opened the first round of the tournament with a decisive victory over Skagit Valley on March 1, 69-51.

The Raiders qualified for the NWAACC tournament on Feb. 17 following a dominating, 81-54 win over long-time rival Tacoma Community College.

Players wrapped up their regular season with a loss to Gray's Harbor on Feb. 24, but reflections on their successful 124 season must be set aside as they prepare for their appearance in the tournament.

“I'm excited,” said freshman guard Andrew Boykin following the TCC win.

“I've never been to the championships before.”

Boykin isn't the only player preparing for his first playoff experience.

“This is my first time going to the championship, and I'm very excited,”

Reporter

Photo by Michael Beers

It’s one for the net as forward Michael Wright (no. 32) shoots one more in.

The Raiders are competing in the NWAACC championship. said freshman guard Norman Brown.

“Hopefully we'll win it. Hopefully.”

This year, as with the Raiders' first playoff appearance two years ago, the theme is making history and blazing new trails. The Raiders took a step in that direction by winning the Western Division title, along with Highline Com-

munity College.

“We finish as co-champions of the Western Division,” explained Duncan Stevenson, director of district athletics.

Still, it is an accomplishment that no Pierce basketball team has achieved See Champions on page 23

Sex 101—it’s often a hands-on experience Students had the opportunity recently to learn more about safe sex and condom art. Students who went though the entire event not only got an education on safe sex but also received gift bags filled with all kinds of goodies such as candy, keychains and personal lubricant. See page 4 for more information.

Photo by Tim Guy

Recently, Evergreen State College invited Maya Angelou to come speak, not only to their student body but also to the community of Washington.

If there was any doubt in my mind before the event that she was one famous woman, it was put to rest by the sheer volume of people who came to watch her speak—volume ranging in the thousands. Nor could I explain the energy of a mass of people so devoted to seeing one person speak, but it was incredible and worth the wait.

The event was provided with seating, but quickly became a standing room event; which was nearly impossible to walk through.

Dr. Maya Angelou is a woman of many honorable and noble accomplishments.

She began her journey as an important figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, since then she has established herself as a poet, best-selling author, actress, educator, historian, playwright, producer and director.

Dr. Angelou’s most famous work includes her autobiographical writings of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969) and All God’s Children need Traveling Shoes (1986). She has also published many books of poetry and verse.

She once again made history in 1993 as the second poet in the history of the United States to read a poem during the Presidential inauguration.

She presented her poem On the Pulse of Morning at Bill Clinton’s inauguration, second only to Robert Frost who was the first poet to speak at such an event during Kennedy’s inauguration.

See Angelou on page 16

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Editor’s Corner

OUR OPINION

Please don’t club the baby clubs

Rebecca Watkinson Editor

Hey Everybody!

It’s been a really great quarter for us at The Puyallup Post, and we hope you have had a good time here at Pierce College Puyallup too. The quarter is almost over, so get ready for finals and then a nice, relaxing spring break.

I don’t know if you noticed, but our last issue was 20 pages long—a first in Puyallup Post history! (There actually have been a few 20-pagers previously, but those were special graduation issues where nearly four pages were dedicated to names of graduating students. The February issue was our first solely content-based 20-pager.) Interestingly enough, we hadn’t planned for it to be so long, it happened basically by accident.

And it just so happens that we have had another happy accident in this

The Puyallup P O S T

Tim Guy

issue of The Puyallup Post—our first ever (really ever) 24-page issue!

We are exhausted but excited to present to you the March issue.

We have some fun Saint Patrick’s Day stuff for our feature pages, and on the back page we are all about the issue of gay marriage.

Because it’s Women’s History month, we dedicated our reviews to inspiring women writers and powerful movies about strong females. We also decided to profile some very cool women who work on campus.

March is also National Nutrition month, so we created a page with information about eating right and staying active during these cold winter months.

Have a really great St. Patrick’s Day and spring break, and we’ll see you again in April for spring quarter!

Correction: Tony Chung’s name was misspelled in the February issue. We apologize for the error.

Comic of the issue

Managing Editor

As many of you will have noticed, especially since the free food is almost unavoidable, the school has done a great job hosting Clubs Fest, a seemingly quarterly event that tells students about the clubs available here on campus, of which there are two. Scratch that, there are five, I think.

Regardless, many who attend the event are sincere, but the free food does help, and it would seem that the lack of clubs is truly beyond the capacity and means of the leaders of Student Programs alone. After all, it is students that are needed in order to form clubs and asking the student governing body to fulfill such a request is almost impossible.

How did this happen? When did forming a club become a chore? Why are there so few, if any, clubs at all? Questions like these, and several others on a similar train of thought, have crossed my mind on more than one occasion here at Pierce College. I guess the real issue is how clubs have impacted students.

For me, I had been apart of, helped create, and even ran clubs, but this was while I was in high school. But here at Pierce, my involvement is more of a trilogy.

First, in a bygone age it seems, I was a member of a club known as the “Popular Culture Club” and it was started during a spring quarter by individuals who failed to tell the lower members, like myself, that they were going to graduate that very same quarter.

In less than four meetings, it seemed that the club was already starting to wane. Those in charge seemed to

The Puyallup Post

The Puyallup Post is produced by students attending Pierce College Puyallup. This publication is intended as a public forum.

Published materials are the sole responsibility of the editors, reporters and photographers, and are not intended to represent the college’s policies.

For information on advertising rates, or how to submit letters to the editor or story ideas, call 840-8496 or email

by Albert Latham

become less and less available and the overall purpose of the club seemed of little importance to others, even to people who knowingly had something to say about popular culture.

At first, I blamed the system. Then I blamed the graduating students. And finally, I blamed the students who refused to join, thinking they were just being lazy or even apathetic.

About a year later, I discovered that wasn’t the case at all. In fact, almost all my reasons were deeply flawed at the time.

This is when I discovered the unofficial, almost secretive invite-only, math club. The club itself is a gathering of students really into math, that doesn’t see the need, let alone the logic, behind filing for official club status. In fact, all they want to do is math, deeming everything else as unnecessary.

Obviously, the system had little to no effect, let alone involvement, in this club’s creation. Also, the members, although many did graduate and continue to graduate, believe the very idea of inviting others they meet that they feel are interested in math or have something worth saying about math is what has kept the club going. Lastly, it didn’t matter if students didn’t join this club, and when it came down to it, many of the pressures an official club faces, this club avoided all together.

However, prior engagements with other activities outside of school prevented my short involvement with the math club from becoming a longer one, but at least now I knew the blame I had held onto wasn’t right.

Then, about a year ago, a club was See Clubs on page 17 puypost@pierce.ctc.edu.

The student newspaper office is in room 218 in the College Center.

Editorial staff: Rebecca Watkinson, Tim Guy and Cody Turk

Reporters: Sharon Coward, Matthew Hartmann, Appriel Lance, Albert Latham, Svetlana Nozdrina and Erin Stockton Contributing writers/photographers: Megan Beck, Michael Beers, Brad Jones, Haley Lindsey, Anna Peterson, Stephanie Start and Kim Titus.

3

OUR VIEWS

MARCH 2007

The terror, torment and tyranny of a speech Tim Guy

Managing Editor

Once again, Student Programs has invited a speaker to the Puyallup campus that was worth Pierce students’, and the public's, time and money to see.

This speaker happened to be the former executive director of Amnesty International, Dr. William Schulz. He served as executive director of Amnesty International for 12 years and is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister.

Schulz is known for his support for woman’s rights, gay and lesbian rights, racial justice and for his staunch opposition to the death penalty. The speech, however, would not be known for such.

The event itself was unanticipated, certainly unexpected and obviously not what it should have been.

This should not be interpreted as a bad event, but what was said was certainly not very helpful regarding the topic of “Terror, Torment, and Tyranny” and how the real state of human rights on the global scale is.

In fact, this was a great event, however, what Dr. Schulz had to say started out strong, with passion for humanity, but ended on what could only be described as a weary, moderate position that questioned doing anything at all, not only for amnesty, but for human rights overall.

In the beginning, Schulz started out with good well-fashioned humor, and continued with this attitude, strongly, for sometime, without fear of admitting to the audience that the U.S. has made some mistakes and that the welfare of non-Americans does, in fact, affect the welfare of our own.

He touched upon the decline of American favoritism across the globe since the year 2000, and he brought how words like “Abu Ghraib” and “Guantanamo Bay” were extremely common in a world that, actually, exists outside of the United

States and how so many Americans are still ignorant of such words, let alone the situations they are related to.

Eventually, Schulz threw in more examples, some historical, and some personal, to explain the situation, that is, on human rights, especially regarding how the problem with being a leader when your followers no longer wish to follow, which is the case with the U.S. And from this, he defines Neoconservatism and the two premises that make up their beliefs: First, the world has lost it’s way ethically and the United States is here to free them from the darkness of immorality and second, every country needs an enemy, because without one, your country has no meaning. The laughter that ensued was well earned. Schulz than stated that we, as the U.S., are losing respect from the international community at a radical rate and this is only going to hurt the championing of human rights elsewhere in the world.

Then he started the other half of the speech, where everything seemed to lose the passion, dedication, and the overall, decisiveness that seemed to exist in the beginning. Suddenly, we’re talking about how to fix the problem the U.S. had started, Iraq is brought up, and how neither side of the political spectrum knows what they are talking about, and the real clincher: the “you break it, you buy it” response as the solution to Iraq. No explanation, no justification behind why what the political talking heads, on both sides, have decided we should do, is wrong.

He talked about how attention needs to be placed upon Darfur, Pakistan, and various other places where human rights are being violated, as if Iraq could just be dropped and ignored all together, with or without troop withdrawal (which he said was not the right course either). And Schulz even went as far to say the Bush Administration is doing a good job addressing such issues, with the added

A lesson in economic truth Haley Lindsey

For The Puyallup Post

Did you go on the Halloween cruise? Did you go to speed dating?

Ride the inflatable slide? See Dr. Drew from Loveline?

Perhaps you should have.

After all, you paid for them.

Your tuition and fees—$975.75 for 15 credits at Pierce College Puyallup— go to a lot of things. They pay faculty and staff salaries. They pay for maintenance and the computer lab. They pay for student services, disability services, clubs, and the tutoring center.

They pay for speed dating and movie nights.

The speakers and musical guests you didn't go to see. The cruises and ski trips you didn't go on. The wall you

didn't climb. The bouncy room you didn't play in. The student lounge by the cafeteria that no one uses. A free poker tournament with a cash prize.

Laser tag you could have played at a mall. "Free" food that you would have never bought yourself.

Only you did.

At some point we have to ask: is our focus here at Pierce academics or is it entertainment?

Were you really planning on funding all these frivolities with your tuition and fees?

Think about that when you write that $1,000 check for your spring tuition.

And the next time you see a table full of complementary goodies outside Student Programs, just remember, there's no such thing as a free lunch.

bonus of not telling us how.

Next, he started talking about the universal declaration of human rights, without explaining at all what it truly is, and how the war on terrorism, which has as he says “only put Edward Kennedy and a 78-year old nun from Wisconsin” on a no fly list, as being good. What he claims and states almost seem contradictory, but he does explain, this time, what he means. He talks about the balance between security and liberty, and how sometimes, giving up liberty (or even limiting it) is justifiable, and he talked about how the supporters of human rights truly oppose this and how the government side, especially in combating terrorism, do not.

This is when Schulz went as far as to define terrorism as the “antithesis of human rights” without actually telling us what terrorism is and who is committing it. The logic that terrorism is the “antithesis of human rights” seems logical, especially when you think of all the human rights violations, let alone constitutional and judicial violations, that the United States has committed in its efforts to squash terrorism. It’s at this point that the humor stops, the examples become emotionally thought provoking, but are in turn used to moderate himself, politically, away from the audience.

He claimed that human rights stem from a common misery, but failed to address the common misery that the world is currently having, let alone who the common misery really is.

This is when the lecture on respect and the importance of respect begins, kind of back-burnering the whole issue of human rights, and, in general, terror, torment, and tyranny. In the words of the quote from Lao-tzu that Schulz used, “conduct all your triumphs as funerals” certainly does make sense, especially since he turned his triumphant speech into a moderate dirge. The entire respect issue that he brought up focused on the respect the

Childcare Center: It’s no fairytale Tim Guy

Managing Editor

Many students probably do not know that Pierce College will be opening its Child Development Centers soon.

The buildings themselves are not all that ominous, but rather inviting.

At least, it should appear that way on the surface. But what is really behind this so-called center of “Child Development” is, perhaps, more disconcerting than people might want to realize.

In fact, this entire investigation began with two little words: “No fantasy.”

Essentially, the childcare program will be teaching children with a philosophy of no fantasy—only natural realities.

See Speech on page 10

When people say fantasy, the definition varies. Personally, I think of dungeons, dragons, knights, wizards, and stuff like that. However, it turns out that “no fantasy” does, in fact, mean “no fantasy.”

At first, during the tour of the Childcare Center, it became quickly obvious that Piaget was involved.

After talking with those in the administrative sector, they really meant no fantasy, but not a limiting of a child’s imagination. What’s the difference?

No Bernstein Bears, My Little Ponies, Richard Scarry, and sadly, no Dr. Seuss. Basically, a penguin in a fire truck is a huge no-no. Seriously, this is like the difference between “Happy See Childcare on page 18

4

The Puyallup P O S T

MAKING NEWS

Sex 101: a hands-on experience Appriel Lance Reporter

If you missed the Sex 101 event, then you missed the chance to test your knowledge and learn fun new facts about sexual activity.

Recently, Planned Parenthood made a guest appearance to the campus to spread the message about safe sex.

Students were rewarded with free refreshments if they knew certain facts about intercourse and other aspects of sexuality.

Apparently this was a topic that appealed to many students because the Connection Café was packed with students looking to fill their heads with knowledge about sexual education and with more advanced students who were looking to check their facts.

The facts were provided by six stations each led by Planned Parenthood Representatives.

Every topic was assigned a table with a teen representative from the Planned Parenthood Puyallup Council of Sexual Education.

The six topics of the stations were

Photo by Tim Guy

Students created unique pieces of art using materials like condoms and lubricant.

STIs, advocacy, child sexuality, birth control methods, condoms and condom art.

Representatives stressed the message of communication between partners and safety while being sexually active.

The representatives really conveyed the view of Planned Parenthood that

says, “in order for young people to take responsibility for their behavior, including the prevention of unintended pregnancy, they must have access to comprehensive, medically accurate sex education, information and reproductive health care.”

Unfortunately, everyone does not share the view of Planned Parenthood

and the education is left to the parents or other educational institutions, which often fail to properly prepare young adults for sexual activity. It is important to educate Pierce students because it will give them a base of knowledge to work with even if they are abstaining from sex.

The condom and birth control methods demonstrations that were presented at the stations may have been the first time some people have ever seen the correct way to use a condom. Using protection the proper way when engaging in sex will highly increase your chances of avoiding an unwanted pregnancy or STI. Sex 101 was fun for students, as well as educational because the information that was provided to students was presented in a non-biased manner within a relaxed environment.

This event would have made anyone blush, but it was worth the time to stop and listen to what the representatives had to say.

Plus if you made it through the first five stations you could relax and get your hands messy (literally) with condom art.

Students raise issues, concerns at roundtable Sharon Coward Reporter

The Student Issues Roundtable sponsored by Student Programs drew quite a crowd this time.

Perhaps it was the friendly, stand-up comedian antics of Diversity Coordinator Gabe Johnson.

Armed with a microphone and amplified speakers, Johnson used this phrase to invite students to the tables: “Come on in—get intimate with Student Programs.”

Perhaps it was the level of preparation of Secretary/Treasurer Daphne Stamaris and previous Publicity and Promotions Coordinator Heather Soto.

They presided over the roundtable with a list of questions and prompts to get students to open up.

Or perhaps it was the students present, who were willing and open to share their thoughts and concerns.

The 45-minute affair followed the basic format of

question and answer sessions.

Student leaders Stamaris, Soto, Johnson, Entertainment Coordinator Kara Dobsa, Outreach Coordinator Chelsea Starr and Director of Enrollment Services and Student Life Mari Kruger kept students thinking with questions such as: what was your favorite event at Pierce College? What events would you like to see in the future? What type of advertising works best for you? Any concerns?

Present among the student attendees was a Green River Community College student, who suggested that Pierce follow the counterpart in the north and have comedy nights, guests speakers with “inspiring” things to say and a band every Monday.

Other students suggested video game week, and hosting a business convention.

“We can have business representatives come in, and tell us about jobs they offer,” said the student.

One student was concerned with the “sandwich” boards scattered throughout the campus that advertise upcoming events. Another suggested more

advertising in the library and computer lab, where students frequent. A well-received idea was to advertise upcoming events on the college website.

As for suggested events, concerts were on one student’s mind.

“What kind of concerts?” asked Dobsa.

“Something that most people would like to listen to… something local,” suggested the student.

Another student suggested playing oldies music in the College Center building, similar to the way music was played at the beginning of winter quarter.

An employee from the college bookstore encouraged Student Programs to host more lectures, debates and special speakers on current events.

Johnson ended the event by encouraging students to come to their leaders with questions.

“If you ever have any issues… don’t hesitate to talk to Student Programs,” he said.

“Don’t be a stranger; come and visit us.”

Puyallup president wins bragging rights in shootout Sharon Coward Reporter

Give it up to your Puyallup’ student body President Sean Cooke.

Cooke made Pierce College Puyallup history on Feb. 21 by outshooting Ft. Steilacoom President Matthew Roberson in the Pierce College Associated Students Annual Presi-

dential Shoot-Out during half-time at the final home game for the Pierce College Raiders.

“It was tough for me because I've never been a big basketball fan and I had to get up in front of so many people and compete in a sport that I don't play,” says Cooke. “I was happy to win.

It was a lot of fun.”

Cooke was cheered on by a small

contingent from the Puyallup campus, who were unfortunately drowned out by the Ft. Steilacoom group.

Nonetheless, Cooke triumphed over Roberson and restored some Puyallup pride.

“We were basically competing for bragging rights,” Cooke said.

Athletic Director Duncan Stevenson explained the purpose of the presiden-

tial shootout.

“It's an activity that the Athletic Department sponsors each year,” he says. “It's a fun way for us to get the student leaders involved with the program and promotes a little competition between the two groups.”

The plaque that Cooke brought to Puyallup will remain on campus until next year's contest.

5

MARCH 2007

MAKING NEWS

Pierce alum is going places Matthew Hartmann Senior Reporter

There are certain people who attend Pierce College who eventually become very influential individuals.

Pierce County Commissioner Calvin Goings is certainly no exception.

He is a charming fellow that is just beginning to raise his family, and despite his youthful appearance, he has already done many things that most people can only imagine.

Goings attended Pierce College from 1991-1993 and served as the vice president in the student government at the time.

“That experience has served me very well in the elected offices that I’ve held,” Goings said.

After Pierce College, Goings transferred to Pacific Lutheran University and majored in Political Science He eventually became the youngest elected Fire Commissioner, State Senator and now serves on the County Council.

Goings suggests that people interested in becoming public servants should do volunteer work and become more active in the community so that they can see how things are first-hand and know what they like as well as what they would like to see changed.

“The more time you volunteer, the better prepared you are,” Goings said.

That is the ultimate message that he has to offer to students.

If a person wants to make a difference, they might have to start from the bottom and slowly work their way higher and higher just as Goings has done over the past few years.

Goings has recently announced he is running for Pierce County Executive, a position at the head of the County Council.

Photo by Cody Turk

You call that a fence?

Along the second entrance, here covered in snow, there was the littlest fence of all, all the other fences made fun of it, and rightly so.

Tim Guy

Managing Editor

For those of you who haven’t already wandered onto the second entrance to the Puyallup Campus, you might want to know a bit about the fences.

It’s quite obvious that upon saying the word “fences” that even those who have seen the second entrance are going to be a bit confused. This is because there really isn’t any fencing.

In fact, the odd part is that many will come to this conclusion, but there actually is a pair of fences along the second entrance. Two, barely 8’ long, almost 4’ tall black chain-link fences, on both sides of the road and across from each other, exist, but their purpose is seamlessly beyond the comprehension of the passer-by.

At first glance, especially from a car window, the fences are not going to be all that noticeable. For those who have already encountered them, mere curiosity has led to many different conclusions.

Some have questioned if the fences serve to mark off the trails, which many who bike use, in order to make sure they know a road is there ahead. However, if one were to stand along the trails from afar, the road of the second entrance is visible, both during the day and at night, quite clearly. Thus, the fence is unnecessary.

Others will notice that the fences are not tall enough, let alone long enough, to block/keep anything out. In fact, bikers and all manner of other passer-bys have taken to going around the fences with little difficulty.

Overall, in light of all practical purposes, it might be concluded that the fences serve no real purpose at all.

The catch to the fences is that they do serve a purpose.

Clearly, these purposes are certainly not the general concerns of either the students or the public that will enjoy the use of the second entrance.

According to Dr. Tana Hasart, the president of the Puyallup Campus, the purpose of the fences is to separate the second entrance’s road from two important things: property and storm water runoff.

First, along and adjacent, to the second entrance is property that belongs to private homeowners. In complete respect to these homeowners, the fences are to ensure the property is protected.

Second, the fences serve to ensure the safety of others regarding storm water runoff areas. In many cases, you do have to walk downhill, in a very minute manner, when transversing onto the trails by going around either side of the fences, so the idea of excess runoff from heavy rain or whatnot is definitely going to flow the same way.

Furthermore, the fences are complete and any manner of future expansion has already been decided as hypothesized fancy, as there is no intention to expand, nor add, to the fences, ever.

Overall, the purposes that many have proposed regarding the fences are no more as obvious as the ones that the fences truly serve. Whether any of the reasoning, both legitimate and hypothesized, are really all that valid or logical, is simply irrelevant.

When it comes down to it, a tiny enigma that many are sure to overlook upon the opening and rapid transition into the use of the second entrance, it can only be said of the fences that there they shall stand, and there they shall serve.

What really, is anyone’s guess.

Student council in process to approve purchase of mascot costume Svetlana Nozdrina Senior Reporter

Puyallup’s student council recently approved the discussion of the purchase of a costume to be used as an athletic mascot.

The costume–a raider bird—will be used to promote athletics on the Pierce College campuses and at district events.

The council allocated the amount to not exceed

$1,000, if the costume purchase is approved.

Student body presidents Sean Cooke from Puyallup and Matthew Roberson from Ft. Steilacoom are in the process of deciding if the athletic mascot costume should be pursued. If so, then a design for a Raider bird will be chosen.

Puyallup student leaders raised some concerns at the council meeting. If most of the sporting events are at the Ft. Steilacoom campus, why is Puyallup funding a mascot that will not be in its use as much?

Is it worth it? Eventually, will half of the sports department migrate to Puyallup? Where will the mascot be kept? Will this increase attendance at sport events?

Student leaders are looking for answers to these questions and more before approving the purchase.

For an opportunity to voice an opinion, stop by the Student Programs office to chat with the student body president or you can even leave him a note about this issue.

6

The Puyallup P O S T

PROFILES

Pierce is blessed to have Mayorga Svetlana Nozdrina Senior Reporter

“I always wanted to teach somewhere in Seattle,” Victoria Mayorga tells of her first dreams of being an instructor. However, for reasons unknown, her interviews fell through and it was not long until Mayorga realized that her destiny lay here at Pierce.

“Amazing! I feel so blessed!” Her face shines as she talks about her faith, how that faith brought her to the acknowledgement that she needed to be at Pierce for a purpose.

“I am here for the students… to serve them. That is my job.”

Mayorga has been teaching at Pierce College since January 1996 as a part-time instructor at Fort Steilacoom. When a full-time position for a Spanish instructor opened in Puyallup, she took the advantage.

By Mayorga’s evaluation, Pierce has a “very positive atmosphere.” Those of us who have met this extraordinary personality know that a large part of that atmosphere is Senorita Mayorga herself. Her attitude towards her career and students inspires students to do better and put in more effort to please those teachers who really care.

Besides teaching Spanish 101 and 102, Mayorga is also the advisor of a newly formed club on campus.

The Front Runners is a Christian club that gathers every Friday at noon in A155 or the adjacent room.

(If no one is around please proceed to Mayorga’s

Photo by Cody Turk

Victoria Mayorga in her office office in C290L). This club was formed in the Spring of 2006.

“We are there for all students that need encouragement, support, any questions or problem,” she says.

The advisor’s face is completely sincere as she invites every student to be a part of the current small gathering. Even if you want to stop by and simply talk or find out what The Front Runners are all about, feel free. They will embrace you wholly.

Mayorga has an amazing grip on reality and her personal habits.

Growing up with a mother who studied nutrition at home, Mayorga grew up knowing how to take care of her body, and to this day, observes her nurtured habits.

Mayoraga insists that during childhood she, “...never craved candy because I got lots of fresh fruits and veggies from which I received all my minerals and vitamins.”

For students, this can be difficult. Mayorga admits that the fast pace of college life many times even forces her to divert from her preferred choice of snack or meal. Nevertheless, she sticks to healthy choices.

“I have observed how bad choices in eating habits effect people,” she says. These choices do not only effect people physically, Mayorga explains.

Mayorga speaks zealously about how eating habits affect the whole body.

“I am not radical.” She is rational. “I walk the talk.”

The University of Alabama is where Mayorga acquired her teaching degree after strenuous studies in Spain. Her extended studies have enabled her to teach, not only in Spain for a time, but in Florida State, where she instructed ESL students.

Mayorga grew up in Southwest Spain very close to Portugal where her family still abides.

Currently living quietly with her husband, John, Mayorga is content with occasional travel abroad to visit her beloved family.

To serve and protect—Rickertsen supervises student safety Sharon Coward

she said.

“Mail arrived once a week. We were Despite these only allowed to leave the island once a ex p e r i e n c e s, year for our vacations,” she recalls. “No Rickertsen has Years before Maureen Rickertsen children were allowed on the Island long held an became the supervisor of campus securi- since we had no schools or hospitals interest in law ty at Pierce College Puyallup, she was there.” enforcement, “It was fun!” she sums up, laughing. one of four females in a population of and when she Rickertsen is no stranger to island liv187 on Wake Island. to returned “It was… interesting,” she says, ing. Before Wake Island, she lived in Washington in remembering. Wake Island is a small Hawaii for 10 years on the island of 1985, she decided atoll in the Pacific Ocean, situated near O'ahu.

Rickertsen to pursue it.

“I went over right after high school, the Marshall Islands, and Rickertsen “Law enforcement has always lived there for two years while working and I got a job… at (the) navy base… and I worked for the Navy exchange,” intrigued me,” she says. as a postal clerk.

“When I moved back to this state…

Clover Park Technical College was holding a class… for security that you can get a degree in.”

MAY 1, 2007 is Pierce College’s Two years later, with her degree as a priority processing deadline date. security law enforcement prevention specialist in hand, Rickertsen began workBe early and apply now. ing at the Ft. Steilacoom campus of Apply at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Pierce College as a security officer.

Must have a completed application (which includes fully completing “I worked there for five years, and I any additional items requested by our office) by May 1, 2007. got transferred out here (to the Puyallup FAFSA forms are available at the Financial Aid Office or online at campus)… in '92 or '93, and I've been www.fafsa.ed.gov. here since,” she said.

Rickertsen has seen the changes To receive financial aid for Summer quarter all forms must be received by the priority processing deadline date of May 1, 2007.

Pierce has experienced in her 20 years of If you meet the priority-processing deadline, you will receive a service to the college, and has witnessed Summer Application from Financial Aid in early May 2007 that must be completed and returned as well. the growth of the Puyallup campus.

“The Puyallup Campus wasn't even here at the time (I started working). We used to be in a small building right off of

Reporter

Apply 2007-2008 FAFSA Now!

PIERCE COLLEGE

112th and 94th,” she says.

“When I got transferred to Puyallup from the Steilacoom campus, we only had the one building here. We had a serious parking problem. We ended up using the Microchip parking lot next door and shuttling students back and forth.”

Puyallup has expanded to three buildings and more extensive parking since then, and Rickertsen has seen it all.

“I've seen each building come up,” she says. “I've seen the changes.”

With the added buildings came increased responsibilities for Rickertsen, who was updated to supervisor of the Puyallup department a year and a half ago.

“There's such a variety (of responsibility),” she says, attempting to describe the wide range of her job. “Any situations that come up where (campus security) has to be involved… we get called on, we take matters in hand, and find out what's going on.”

From first aid to unlocking cars, issuing tickets and handling a crisis, Rickertsen is informed of it all.

“We do a little of everything,” she says.

Despite the heavy workload, though, Rickertsen enjoys her job, and when she's not busy working, she's at home with her husband and four cats.

MARCH 2007

PROFILES

7

Math teacher or mad scientist?

Behind the scenes with Linda Rogers Haley Lindsey

For The Puyallup Post

Linda Rogers is an energetic 50-something tutor and former math instructor at Pierce College. She is all smiles and laughter and enthusiastic hand gestures.

Talking with her, one probably wouldn't guess she used to be a weapons analyst.

She analyzed infrared missiles, the IR Maverick AGM65, specifically. The job of her team was to create combat scenarios and environments and schedule tests for the weapons.

In such scenarios, combat aircraft would fly overhead and release the missiles, which would lock onto tanks by the heat in their engines and blow them up, Rogers says, mimicking the explosion with her hands and giggling.

She has worked in several states and on two continents, but her favorite place to blow things up was Germany.

There, her team worked with the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army and Hughes Aircraft, the manufacturer of the missile.

Because the team members had limited time in Germany, they worked around the clock.

"We were there for two months and we had three days off," Rogers says. "We worked seven days a week between 12 and 16 hours a day. You work as long as the body will take, basically."

This was serious work, too. The U.S. Air Force representatives briefed the results of the first program at Congress.

Naturally, the scientists and soldiers developed ways to deal with the stress.

"There were a lot of pranks because you have to do something or people go crazy," she says, leaning in confidentially.

While in Germany, personnel often went to the Officer's Club after work.

One night, one of the U.S. Air Force pilots walked her back to her room.

Pranksters pushed her companion and her into her room, and taped the door shut.

"We're trapped in there and everybody's going by, making fun of us. So we tied the bed sheets together and he went out the window, came back in and let me out," she says, laughing.

"I'm surprised he didn't fall. When I think about it now it was kind of scary."

Rogers wasn't completely innocent herself. Once while she was working in Kansas, she had the misfortune of rooming next to a particularly noisy couple.

"They were having a little wangotango, and they claimed they weren't," she says,

"We tied them in the room.

They were so mad!"

In Utah, Rogers was part of a multinational test with participants from NorRogers way, the Netherlands, the United States, Belgium and Denmark.

"Because my grandmother was from Denmark, I thought it would be fun to learn Danish," she says.

One of her co-workers, a Danish mathematician, was kind enough to teach her some Danish phrases.

"I asked him how to say 'Good morning' and he taught me to say 'I love you,' but I didn't know that, so I proceeded to love everyone," says Rogers, giggling with embarrassment.

"We had a Danish pilot who looked like Robert Redford and he would send me over to him to practice."

Everyone was polite about it, she says, except for another pilot who kissed her after she tried out one of her new phrases.

"I thought I asked him whether he was going to lunch or something. But, evidently, I asked him something else," says Rogers, tilting her head and looking into the distance pensively.

She met her husband Danny shortly after leaving her job as an analyst. He was in the U.S. Air Force and was transferred to Alaska shortly after they were married. Rogers started teaching at the University of Alaska mainly because she was bored but soon discovered she had a love for the work.

Her husband was transferred several more times and Rogers took teaching jobs in every town they moved to.

Part-time work was easy to find, especially with Roger's experience and education.

Rogers has a master's of science in mathematics with an emphasis in statistics and abstract algebra. She says she had instructors in college who would hoard their knowledge, not giving their students all the information they needed, a trait that Rogers detests. She wants to share it all.

In New Mexico, she taught sixth- to eighth-grade math and computer science at a private Catholic school. Her boss was a 5-foot-tall, 75-year-old nun.

"She had us all scared," she says in a serious voice.

She moved to a better paying job at a

public school in a run-down part of town.

"It was a gang school," she says. "I took over for a teacher who had a nervous breakdown. The students gave her one."

Her students were fond of her, however, and used to invite her out to drink beer and smoke cigarettes with them.

When Rogers moved to Washington, she became a math instructor at Pierce College. She stopped teaching last year after not receiving an interview for a full-time position, but she still comes back to work in the tutoring center.

The school was one of her favorite places to teach.

"There's just something about the students at Pierce," she says.

She is sitting in the tutoring center now. Windows completely line one wall of the small room, which is filled with circular tables, computers, and math students. The place has an open,

relaxed atmosphere. With her sneakers, hoodie and Rosie the Riveter T-shirt, Linda blends right in.

"I love this place," she says of the center.

"Everyone here works for much less than they're worth and it's truly for the love of doing what they do. There has been so much positive feedback from the students. That's where the reward is: helping these kids get through school."

Rogers is a passionate teacher who both enjoys learning and believes in its practical value.

"Academics are so important. Without a college education it is so much harder to succeed."

Working in the tutoring center also keeps her current on her foundations, which has helped her as a returning student at Pacific Lutheran University.

"One thing about going back to school is that you realize you can do it.

You haven't lost anything."

8

Teaching queen: Tara King Megan Beck

For The Puyallup Post

Tara King is not a typical college professor.

She has long, blond hair, wears trendy clothes, and enjoys having a friendly discussion with students. She even plays video games when she can find the time. When students refer to her as “Mrs. King” she looks around for her mom. At first glance, she could easily be mistaken for another student.

She is friendly, worldly and hilarious. Never afraid to be blunt, she always tells it like it is. She likes controversy and is never at a loss for an opinion.

Once in class, students were discussing an essay about women’s role in marriages. King said that her ex-husband believed marriage to be legal prostitution.

When a student wanted to write her research paper on the topic of “abortion on demand,” King asked if that was a channel on pay-per-view.

She is drawn to controversy. She doesn’t assign controversial readings just for the sake of shock value though. She likes it when students interact and share opinions.

“I actually pick controversial essays on purpose so that people talk,” King Said.

“If I pick the most mundane things that everybody’s already talked about to death, then no one talks in class. It’s not a lively discussion—there’s no debate, there’s no opening of your mind to different ideas.”

In fact, that’s part of why she dresses in such a

fashionable manner. When she began teaching the BUS 250 class, she wore business attire as part of an experiment, “My students would not talk. They just sat there and stared at me. I felt like I had to lecture and, you know me, I don’t do that. So I went back to dressing my normal way.

King Suddenly my class started to open up and things were expressive,” she said.

While she is extraordinary now, King grew up in a fairly average household. She lived in Tennessee as part of a middle class family with both parents working. She has a close relationship with her mother, but always struggled in her relationship with her father. He was the president of a bank and was consequently stressed out a majority of the time.

“Coming home to three teenagers didn’t really work for him. He spent a lot of time playing poker with his friends at the Elks Lodge. I’d say we’re closer now than we were when I was growing up” She attended a public school through high school and then attended Queen’s College. A marriage and a birth later, she decided to take a break from college to care for her son and return to Tennessee. She then graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin and got her masters degree at Murray State.

King originally wanted to be a pediatrician but found she couldn’t get though medical school because of her aversion to blood. Her second choice

The Puyallup P O S T

was a career in psychiatry, but that too required medical schooling.

“Me and blood don’t go well together,” said King.

She says her English teachers were terrible in high school and the idea of becoming an English teacher herself didn’t even occur to her until college.

After becoming friends with an avid writer, King decided to be a writer herself. A professor and mentor made her realize that she wanted to teach writing as well as be a writer herself.

“I fell in love with what she was doing and it became what I wanted to do,” King said.

She has taught for three years at Pierce College and enjoys working here as opposed to a University, where everyone is fresh out of high school. She values the variety of people attending community colleges.

When asked what influenced her political beliefs, she jokingly asked, “You want to know what made me a pinko commie?”

Growing up in a small town, she didn’t care much for politics. Later, college exposed her to new ideas and caused her to see how politics affects everyone.

“I never have liked people telling me what to do.

I don’t believe in censorship. I would say freedom of speech was the catalyst for my beliefs,” King said.

For Tara, eliminating barriers between students and teachers is important.

“I do try to be on the level of students because I think when you put a podium or titles between us it just doesn’t work for a composition class. I’m not a judge; I’m just someone who’s here to help.”

MARCH 2007

9

F O R Y O U R I N F O R M AT I O N

It’s frustrating applying to 4-year colleges Brad Jones

For The Puyallup Post

Recently I've been getting everything ready to apply and transfer to a four-year University.

I’ve kept up my GPA, gotten involved in extra curricular activities and have done anything else that could help me get into the best possible school.

While I’m working on looking good to potential colleges, I’m involved in the messy steps of choosing a university to transfer to and then applying.

That’s where the problems begin.

I would think applying to a university would be a fairly simple task. However, if students are not told about the small but important details of the application process, it can become hectic and expensive.

There are tons of books available at local bookstores and libraries on what exactly to say to each college.

Each college administration wants to hear something different and what is said can make the difference in a student being accepted or not.

All this can become overwhelming; not to mention tedious because if a student fills out one item incorrectly the application will not be accepted and they will have to start the process all over again.

For students who are undecided as to where they

want to go, this can become an expensive process as well.

These students will apply to several colleges and the cost to apply can be great.

The fee to apply to each college has risen to an average of $50-$60, according to Business Week Online.

Ten years ago, the average college application fee was $20-30.

Also, tuition for a public university, full-time, instate college student on average in 1996 was $9,258, now it’s an average of $12,796 according to College Board.

Private Universities are priced at an average of $30,367; in 1997 it was $23,795. If you want to go out of state for your education, be ready to tack on at least another $5,000.

These increases can have a devastating effect on exactly where you want to go to school.

I’ve always wanted to go to Syracuse. The application fee for that school is $60, not to mention a $38,000 tuition. Also, the acceptance rate is only 65%. These three factors have made me reconsider my options, and I will consequently not apply to Syracuse due to the fact that more than likely I will lose money.

Fellow student Ashley Reda spoke on what she thinks about the increased college prices, “(It’s) very

discouraging. It can be hard enough to pay for tuition and books in community college. Then you triple the tuition price and make me pay up to $60 just to see if I can get accepted! It seems like these Universities do not want us to go to their school. It’s very discouraging!”

This is not good for the schools, or the students.

Students are more than likely to sell themselves short; they figure the acceptance rate is too low and they will probably not be accepted. If the application fee wasn’t as expensive, they might apply to that long-shot University. But instead they apply to smaller schools with a higher acceptance rate and smaller application fee.

There’s nothing wrong with going to one of those schools, but there is a problem if a student wanted to go to a more prestigious University but didn’t give themselves a shot at being accepted due to these factors.

It’s not good for the schools either because fewer students are trying to get into these Universities.

It seems to be all about the money instead of education, and for that reason alone it’s a rude awakening and extremely frustrating! I know the famous saying, “You can’t put a price on education,” but this is getting ridiculous. Universities are definitely making it harder and harder for our generation and the next generation to go to college.

Every single thing you do helps out Anna Peterson

For The Puyallup Post

There are many problems this nation faces that can be addressed at the root: your community. If you want to roll up your sleeves and do something, you don't need to have money or power to change the world you live in—all you need to do is volunteer.

In addition to the obvious altruistic payoffs, it looks great on a resume and you will be networking and creating relationships with people who can be an asset to you professionally in the future.

You will be challenged and empowered to learn new skills by doing and not just studying, drawing attention to your ambition and broadening your network of contacts.

Do yourself a favor and serve your country by serving your community, Volunteer, and put your hands where your heart is.

volunteers, the Habitat crew leader and with the family who will live in the house.

Learn about all of the volunteer opportunities we offer and how you can get involved.

Adopt-a-trail maintenance program Program officials are continuously recruiting volunteers and groups to assist the Pierce County Parks Department in providing trail maintenance services throughout the system, thus creating a better place to live, work and play for all of us.

The Pierce County Native Plant Salvage Volunteers who seek to salvage plants or work with local organizations offering habitat restoration activities. In support of the region's unique natural legacy, the Pierce County Native Plant Salvage Program collaborates to preserve, restore and teach about native flora.

Opportunities in the area: Habitat for Humanity Welcoming people from all walks of life to join in the building of simple, decent, affordable houses in partnership with families in need. Volunteers are involved in most phases of construction, even though most have no construction experience or building skills.

Volunteers work side-by-side with other

The YWCA Generation YW Remann Hall Mentoring Volunteer: Generation YW is a program for at-risk teenage girls, aimed at improving self-esteem and resistance skills, and encouraging positive gender identity for those incarcerated or under the supervision of Pierce County Juvenile Court's Remann Hall. Adult female volunteers support these young women

as Mentors. Training is provided.

Transportation Volunteer: The YWCA relies completely upon community volunteers to transport food and other items to the shelter. If you have access to a truck, SUV, van or station wagon, we'd love to hear from you!

Childcare Volunteer: The availability of childcare is essential to several YWCA programs. Volunteers provide an invaluable service through interacting with and caring for children and assisting in learning projects and activities. Opportunities are available on weekdays and on selected evenings.

Document Translation Volunteer: Several documents used by the YWCA are currently available only in English. Volunteers fluent in a second language are needed to translate these documents, allowing the YWCA to reach a greater number of Pierce County residents.

Shelter Activity/Workshop Volunteer: Using their unique interests, skills and talents, volunteers develop weekly or monthly activities for shelter residents.

In the past, volunteers have organized a reading rally for children, led a career exploration workshop for women, taught singing lessons, provided craft hours and offered drawing workshops.

They are always looking for creative new ideas for activities to offer our residents.

Shelter Housekeeping Volunteer: Volunteers help the housekeeper and residents

maintain the organization and cleanliness of the Shelter. Volunteers clean the residential and common rooms and help bring donations to the shelter. This is a perfect opportunity for those who love to make a room shine!

Office Support Volunteer: Volunteers provide basic office support to the many programs of the YWCA. Tasks may include administrative projects such as photocopying, filing, compiling packets or contributing to creative projects such as making invitations for a special event.

The Humane Society You too can be a part of the mission and join a team of compassionate animal lovers, “to protect and promote the well-being of animals and foster positive relationships between animals and people.”

The Humane Society offers a wide variety of volunteer positions such as: Special Events: Assist with planning and conducting events such as the annual Dog-A-Thon fundraiser.

Bath Brigade: Bathe and groom shelter animals to improve their health and make them more adoptable.

Foster Program: Nurture and socialize underage puppies and kittens in your home until they are ready for adoption.

Adoption Outfitters/Retail Store: Assist See Volunteer on page 17

The Puyallup P O S T

10

Speech

Continued from page 3

world, beyond the safe comfort of the Midwestern mindset, no longer has for the United States. But instead of telling the United States that it needs to get its human rights record back on track, or at least on the right track, Schulz declined. He could have quot-

ed Emma Lazarus from our own beloved, French-made gift, the Statue of Liberty, but he chose to step down and enter into the question and answer period.

Q&A, like the speech overall, did not yield any major insight beyond what one browsing the Amnesty International webpage would discover. However, it is worth noting that he did state that the Evangelical commu-

nity does dictate what the Bush Administration does, and how the recent liberal-esque concerns they are demonstrating may yield some promise, if any at all.

Also, Schulz believes no eminent actions will be taken against Iran in the next 6-12 months, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be surprised if something is done.

Without this being an intentionally

scathing critique of the speech given

by Schulz, or whether he represented the topic of human rights well, is a matter that only the audience could truly recognize and decide.

Perhaps Schulz is not the best representative of Human Rights? That is, without a doubt, for you to decide, as the terror, torment, and tyranny that this speech turned into, sadly, continues worldwide.

MARCH 2007

11

F O R Y O U R I N F O R M AT I O N

Budgeting the truth, downsizing rumors Tim Guy

Managing Editor

As we all know, many rumors are going around about how the budget works, or in more scandalous terms, who the budget works for.

However, the truth of the matter is not as far-fetched as the rumors. In fact, most people think that money is being spent on things that it shouldn’t be. And that slippery slope leads to thoughts that the College, Student Programs, or basically anyone above the status of students, are not budgeting well or wasting money on frivolities.

Of course, if this is true, why isn’t more being done about it? Perhaps, this is a misconceived notion by those of the “no free lunch” variety. Well, it’s actually has to do with both, and most importantly, how the budget works.

There are, actually, two budgets: the College budget and the Student Budget.

However, the one that really concerns students is, obviously, the Student Budget. The Student Budget can be divided into three budgets: S&A (Services and Activities), Technology Fee, and HEC (Health and Education Center). Each of these budgets has a committee that over-

seas them, which are made up of mostly students and a few non-students, (usually faculty). These committees are the ones that address proposals and changes in and for the budget. So, if you want to know how the budget works, Student Programs, or even the administration, could probably help you.

But overall, they are not the one’s truly deciding the budget. This seems to be one of the most serious, and major, misconceptions most have about the budget.

Regardless, each of the three budgets in the Student Budget covers different things.

First, S&A deals with four major areas: Student Life, Auxiliary Programs, Institutional Support and Instructional Support.

Student Life covers a huge list of things, from funding for clubs to The Puyallup Post to the various entertaining events you see on campus. This is not to be looked at as a short list, because as we all know, Student Life is a broad term that requires and even broader budget. $321,500.00 does sound like a lot to spend on Student Life, and most critics of this are going to point out one thing: Free Food. However, this covers

everything, from being able to host speakers like Arianna Huffington and Dr. William Schulz to movie nights and poetry readings. For some, paying for these events might seem like a waste, but perhaps people have forgotten the true meaning of a community?

Regardless, the next three budgets should be the focus of students’ attention.

The Auxiliary Programs budget is what pays for Athletics and SLAM, the student literary magazine, and that is around $48,600. Even Athletics isn’t a extremely vital part of the Puyallup campus community. After all, few here recognize the existence of sports, not because we don’t want to, but because so little of it exists here. Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily, but it can have impact on the more athletic-minded student potentials when deciding a college to go to, especially during Running Start and after.

Next, is the Institutional Support budget, which is currently covering the Childcare center, which we can all see, and soon, use, if we need to.

The last budget, Instructional Support, is a topic of interesting note. This is because it’s had the most recent and

largest increases. This budget covers the students who work in the Learning Center, the Library, in the Music program, in the Tutoring Center, and even, the Writing Center. Well, the Tutoring Center, with its $32,000, recently received an additional $3,000, prior to the preliminary budgets for 07-08, meaning they received a total of $35,000. The Writing Center, started with a mere $10,000 received an additional total of $35,000 prior to the preliminary budgets for 0708, meaning they received a total of $45,000, which students from Fall Quarter will notice as the reason behind why, this quarter, there are so many more English tutors.

Of course, all the money given out is directly presided over by it’s committee and for a chance to give input about how some of this allocated money is being spent: Go to the student issue Roundtables! They host them every quarter, and it is a place where the officials can finally ask students what they think about things. And that wraps up S&A budget.

The last two major budgets, the Technology Fee and HEC, really serve few See Budget on page 17

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The Puyallup P O S T

12

SHOUTOUT

“Do you have a lucky charm? How about a charm for ‘finals week’?”

“I play with my necklaces. One is a cross, and the other one is a Mother’s Heart with my children’s birthstones on it.”

—Carol Newton

“My pillow.”

—Julia Caz

“I have a few… this pencil. I’ve done well on every test I use this pencil on.”

—Hallie Humlick “I have a little Buddha man that I take with me whenever I have a final.

(Did it work?)… sometimes—depending on how he felt that day.”

—Brittaney Hewitte

“My necklace that my sons gave me.”

—Brenda Poston

“I used to have this braided necklace that my girlfriend gave me. I thought if I wore it every day we would stay together… but we broke up.”

—Jonnathan Wight

“… um, chocolate covered peanut M&Ms.” —Joan Aguilera

“In fact I do, and I am wearing it right now!”

-Jerry Scherer

—by Svetlana Nozdrina

Erin Stockton Reporter

This month The Puyallup Post staff decided to see what gives certain lucky charms (no, not the cereal) their luck. We also decided to see what scholarly information Pierce College students could give us on the topic at hand. So the question posed was: Why do you think ______ is considered lucky?

Shamrocks (four-leaf clovers):

Pierce said: Shamrocks are lucky because you can’t find them; they are very rare.

History said: The significance invested in fourleaf clovers pre-dates Christianity, going back to the Pagan period, when fourleaf clovers were Celtic charms. Celtic dominance once extended across Ireland and much of Western Europe. It was the Druids (Celtic priests) who elevated four-leaf clovers to the status of Celtic charms, allegedly potent against malevolent spirits. Their status as Celtic charms is the origin of the modern belief in their power to bestow good luck.

Horseshoes:

Pierce said: No idea.

History said: One reputed origin of the tradition of lucky horseshoes is the story of Saint Dunstan and the Devil. Dunstan, who would become the Archbishop of Canterbury in 959 AD, was a blacksmith by trade. The story relates that he once nailed a horseshoe to the Devil’s hoof when he was asked to re-shoe the Devil’s horse. This caused the Devil great pain, and Dunstan only agreed to remove the shoe and release the Devil after the Devil promised never to enter a place where a horseshoe is hung over the door.

Another theory concerning the placing of horseshoes above doorways is to ward off Faeries (the Celtic kind); the theory being that Faeries are repelled by iron and as horseshoes were an easily

available source of iron, they could be nailed above a door to prevent any unwanted otherworldly guests. One can see how the custom, as people began to forget the stories concerning the Fair Folk, eventually morphed into a simple good luck charm.

Leprechauns:

Pierce said: When you find one you get a pot of gold.

History said: The Leprechaun is an Irish fairy.

He looks like a small, old man (about 2 feet tall), often dressed like a shoemaker, with a cocked hat and a leather apron. According to legend, leprechauns are aloof and unfriendly, live alone, and pass the time making shoes. They also possess a hidden pot of gold.

Treasure hunters can often track down a leprechaun by the sound of his shoemaker’s hammer. If caught, he can be forced (with the threat of bodily violence) to reveal the whereabouts of his treasure, but the captor must keep their eyes on him every second. If the captor’s eyes leave the leprechaun (and he often tricks them into looking away), he vanishes and all hopes of finding the treasure are lost.

Rabbit’s foot:

Pierce said: It makes you relax so you do better.

History said: The belief that a rabbit’s foot is lucky seems to have become commonplace in American popular culture, but at one time in the past this belief was considered a Southern superstition, specifically one of strictly AfricanAmerican origin.

In earlier decades, it was only the left hind foot of the rabbit that was considered lucky and the bearer had to rub it to activate the luck. In addition, some people believed that the rabbit’s foot was a source of protective magic in addition to bringing good fortune.

13

MARCH 2007

Campus Security has received several reports of Leprechaun sightings around the campus. The Puyallup Post has been given photographic evidence that was collected by investigators, but we need your help to determine just where exactly the mischievous Leprechaun has been hiding his magic shamrock.

Carefully study the eight photographs above and try to locate those specific points on campus.

All eight spots fall within the boundaries of this map. Indicate on the map where you think the Leprechaun has left his lucky shamrocks.

We will draw one lucky winner from those entries received before Noon on March 16, and a special St. Patrick’s Day gift will be awarded.

Name:

Good Luck!

Phone or e-mail: After you have marked the map at all eight locations, submit the completed map and your contact information to The Puyallup Post’s office (C-218) or in our suggestion box outside the Connections Cafe.

(for contacting winner)

The Puyallup P O S T

14

Fit for winter fun: things to do in the cold Jonathan Feucht For The Puyallup Post

Being it's now officially past middle of the winter quarter, most students are suffering from information overload and physical inactivity due to long hours of intense studying for classes.

Many students are failing to maintain the recom-

mended minimum of an hour a day in strenuous activity, perhaps due to the cold winter weather or to extremely burdensome loads of homework. But it’s very important to stay active because physical inactivity has been linked to a growing endemic of cardiovascular disease and obesity in the United States.

During this time of year, what better way to spend your weekends than up in the mountains enjoying the

benefits of the November to mid-April snow season, making up for physical inactivity during the week, relieving yourself from the symptoms of information overload, enjoying the scenic beauty of the state of Washington and having fun at the same time? If this sounds good to you, try skiing.

See Activity on page 15

MARCH 2007

15

S TAY I N G H E A LT H Y

This food is positively negative—no joke Svetlana Nozdrina Senior Reporter

As America rages in its never-ending battle against obesity, full-time Pierce students are constantly dieting after long hours of studying imaginary numbers and the psychology of children.

During those long hours of studying, their only companions happen to be peanut M&Ms, white chocolate mochas, Hershey’s chocolate, pretzels, Doritos, soda… you get the picture.

How about this time around, we carefully prepare ourselves for the oncoming wave of stress, frustration, and cramming?

This time, we shall protect ourselves from those desperate, homeless calories with the fruits and vegetable in the graph (see above).

This is no joke fellow students! Let’s come to Cram n’ Jam loaded with apples, oranges, radishes, green beans, carrots, broccoli and whatever item from the given list. All these foods are known as “negative foods.” Not in a

‘“negative” concept however. The negative calorie phrase refers to the list of foods (shown above) which contain such little energy that the body uses more energy to digest and absorb the energy and nutrients. This means just from eating these foods there is potential for a net loss of calories from the body or a negative calorie balance, and this is required in order to lose weight.

All negative calorie foods allow you to burn calories and possibly lose weight faster than normal. This negative food may have a positive impact after all. So you’ll feel full and create a

Activity

Continued from page 14

Unfortunately, the price of ski lift tickets has reached an astonishing $53 per adult at Crystal Mountain for a full day, although the price varies depending on what time of day you ski.

“That's ridiculous,” said Pierce College Puyallup student Kirk Ramsden. “I don't understand why it costs that much; it's not like it really costs that much to run a ski lift when there's like a thousand people a day.”

Some students know how to save on lift tickets.

“I prefer to snowboard at night, since it's much cheaper and there's a lot less people,” said John Johnson, who snowboards at Snoqualmie.

Ski lift tickets are most expensive in the morning, only going down to $28 at nighttime at Crystal. (http://www.skicrystal.com/) Discounts on lift tickets are also provided for beginners attending ski or snowboarding school.

If ski lift tickets are out of your price range, there are other cheaper alternatives to enjoying the outdoors than downhill skiing. Take for instance, cross-country skiing or snowshoeing—these activities provide an affordable alternative, with benefits of being a more strenuous activity and not having to wait in long lines for ski lifts.

Cross-country sports are more leisurely but require more endurance.

With cross-country skiing, one can still attain some of the rush of downhill skiing, but many don't like the idea of first having to ski uphill.

“That's too slow for me,” said Kirk, “although telemark skiing looks pretty fun.” (Telemark skiing is a technique used to ski downhill with cross-country skis.)

A snow park permit costs $8 a day or $21 for the entire season. An additional groomed trail permit for certain ski areas costs $21 for the season, making cross-country skiing and snowshoeing cost at most $42 for an entire season not counting gas and equipment expenses, juxtaposed to a range of $110 to $160 per month in lift tickets at Crystal Mountain. Cross-country equipment also is more affordable to rent or own than downhill equipment. Snow park passes and trail guides are available at the nearest G.I. Joe's, REI or other sports equipment stores.

Finally, inner tubing is another widely popular snow activity, and can be done at a few locations in Washington including Snoqualmie, Steven's Pass, and Paradise.

negative calorie deficit to lose weight while hitting the books! Is this not great news?

Though there is much controversy about a negative calorie diet and some experts believe it to be total rubbish, conducted research supports the claim that eating these foods assists in weight loss. Others believe the amount of energy used may be relative to the amount and complexity of the meal ingested.

If you understand the concept correctly, you know that there is no food in existence that contains negative

calories; every food has some caloric content, however minute it may be.

However, certain foods, when eaten, require more energy from your body to digest than the calories that they contain. Negative calorie food offers great nutrition, as well as the possibility of helping you lose weight simply by eating.

A negative calorie food diet is based on the idea that certain foods, mostly plants, are difficult to digest because of their cellular composition, for example-cellulose. Everything that you do— sleeping, breathing, blinking your eyes —requires a certain amount of energy, and eating is no exception. This energy is created by burning calories.

So, this quarter, when finals knock us down, we shall prevail! We shall withstand the temptation and craving to overcome!... maybe?... possibly… if you have enough willpower, because no matter how inspiring this news is…

I do not believe myself strong enough.

Though those of you who have been lifted up with this inspiration—good luck!

How to eat right on a budget that’s tight

Stephanie Start

For The Puyallup Post

Students find with their hectic schedule that eating right and finding food within their budget is a constant challenge.

Many students that eat in between classes don't always exercise good eating habits. The challenge is putting little thought and little money into building a healthy eating schedule at home and on the go.

Students that carry a full credit load of three classes in their first year are not afforded the luxury of picking optimal times for their curriculum. Without credit seniority that second year students have, some freshmen have classes that start in the early morning and finish late at night.

Thus, they feel they are stuck with pizza and potato chips in the cafeteria, or other fast food options. Healthy choices are not an option as you are standing in front of the vending machines with a fist full of change and only five minutes to make it to your next class.

A couple students have reported that their typical on-campus diet consisted of a cup of coffee and pizza. Some students said that they just stop for fast food on their lunch break. When asked why they make these choices the students seem to gravitate towards the same answer: it's quick and easy to eat when you're in a hurry.

The secret to a smart and affordable diet as a student is recognizing the importance of

the five basic food groups and making simple substitutions.

Instead of soda, opt for bottled water.

Instead of using ranch or other creamy dressing on your salad, substitute the calories for a little bit of salt, vinegar and sugar to really bring out the flavor of fresh vegetables.

Snackable fruits and vegetables and other whole foods are your best bet. They're the basic building blocks of a nutritious diet and they're a lot less expensive than processed foods. Add peanut butter to sliced apples or celery sticks for additional protein.

Buying in bulk is another great way to save (as long as you don't eat in bulk). If done right, you can shop at the beginning of the week and have 21 square meals planned out. By planning ahead, it helps you eat right by having easy meal options and limiting the urge to cheat.

One last option students have is a bit more involved. Some places now offer a do-ityourself cooking facility where you can cook meals, take them home and freeze them to be cooked later. This eliminates the hassle of menu planning, kitchen cleanup and ingredient preparation. High quality ingredients are provided to make delicious healthy meals.

Sessions typically run about two hours and usually have to be scheduled. All you have to do is cook the meals while they do all the dirty work saving you huge cash and huge hassle.

The Puyallup P O S T

16

SHOUTOUT

“Who’s the most important historical woman figure to you, and why?

“Virginia Woolf. Because I love her writing… she was a very strong writer and she changed ideas.”

—Naomi Korchonnoff “Joan of Arc. Because she was... a leader, and she proved everyone wrong… and she died for her country, which is pretty cool.”

—Savannah Martin “Hillary Clinton because she’s pretty tight.”

—Nathan Douville

“Harriet Tubman. Why? Because she helped free the slaves (and) started women’s revolution.”

—Debbie Martin “Harriet Tubman. I just think that the work she did was really important and she risked a lot (to help people).”

—Kylie LaPlant “Eleanor Roosevelt. She was one of the first women to actually use the position of First Lady to instill power in herself… rather than just be an image.”

—Paul Daneker

“Joan of Arc. She stood up for her beliefs.”

—Anna Lathrop

“Oprah… because she is the most… successful woman in history and uses her success to better the lives of others.”

—Anna Reed —by Sharon Coward and Cody Turk

Heads held high: women who made history Sharon Coward Reporter

Take a walk down the hall of fame in women achievement, and behold the faces of the honored.

There's Susan B. Anthony, who was instrumental in the women's suffrage movement. Standing next to her is Jane Addams, who fought to better the plight of the poor in the early 20th century. Betsy Ross is beloved for creating the first American flag, and Harriet Tubman for helping slaves escape bondage in the South.

Wander down the hall of heroes who achieved political aspirations, and you'll see Victoria Chaflin Woodhull, the first female presidential candidate in 1872. Belva Ann Lockwood, in 1879, became the first women to practice law before the Supreme Court. And what of the first female mayor? That would be Suzanna Madora Salter, who in 1887, became mayor of Argonia, Kansas. Jeannette Rankin was the first female in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the state of Montana in 1916. Florence E. Allen, in 1920, became the first woman judge, and four years later Hallie Ferguson had the honor of representing Texas as the first woman governor. A few steps from her sits Ruth Bran Owen, the first female foreign diplomat in 1933, and Georgia Nesse Clark, who in 1949 became the first female treasurer of the United States. More recently, Sandra Day O'Connor holds the distinction of being the first woman justice on the Supreme Court, while Madeleine Albright became the first women Secretary of State in 1997.

How about achievers of the 21st century? They're standing over in that corner together. There's Hillary Rodham Clinton, the only First Lady senator; Condoleezza Rice, the first African-American woman Secretary of State; and Nancy Pelosi, the first female Speaker of the House.

Take a left and you'll enter the halls of women who achieved new heights in medicine, education and military. In 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to receive a medical degree. Helen Magill, shortly after, became the first woman to

Angelou Continued from page 1

Many academic institutions throughout the entire span of her career have honored her with numerous awards and praises. Maya Angelou has also been nominated for the Tony Award and won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album. If there ever was a woman who could claim to have come close to accomplishing it all, it would be Dr. Maya Angelou.

Thomas L. Pruce, the President of Evergreen State College, did the initial introduction to the event, but the introduction of Dr. Maya Angelou was left to the Executive Director of the Tacoma campus of Evergreen and long-time friend—Dr. Joye Hardiman.

Rounds of applause greeted the legendary poet’s arrival on stage.

Angelou quieted the roaring audience with her deep alto voice by singing: “When it looked like the sun wasn’t going to shine anymore, God put a rainbow in the clouds.”

receive a doctorate degree, and Frances Elizabeth Willard became the first female college president.

Lucy Brewer reached these halls by becoming the first woman marine in 1812, and Mary Clarke joins her as the first female major general in the U.S. Army in 1978.

There are some stairs in the corner; at the top you'll find achievers in performing arts and literature. Pearl S. Buck is here for winning the Nobel Prize for Literature, the first ever for a woman. But she wouldn't have been able to do so without Hannah Adams, sitting beside her. In 1784, Adams became the first woman professional writer, paving the way for hundreds of women who followed her footsteps. As for performing arts, note Halle Berry standing below the window. She became the first African-American woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress. Her achievement would not have been possible, however, if not for Hattie McDaniel, who became the first African-American to win an Oscar. She won a Best Supporting Actress award for her work in Gone with the Wind.

It's time to go back downstairs and into the Discovery hall. There's Ann Teresa Mathews, whose claim to fame came in 1715 when her invention was patented—a first for women. Ann Bancroft became the first woman to walk the North Pole in 1986, and Amelia Earhart is adored for her achievements in aviation during the 1930s. Without Blanche Scott, however, Earhart would have stayed grounded her entire life. In 1910, Scott became the first woman to fly an airplane. Together with Earhart, she paved the road for Lt. Col. Eileen Collins, the first American woman to pilot a Space Shuttle in 1995.

There are others, countless others, whose efforts and achievements we remember once a year during Women's Achievement Month.

But women's achievement didn't start with Betsy Ross, and it doesn't end with Nancy Pelosi. Look around you. Women are achieving every day. And they will continue to achieve, and continue to fill the Hall of Fame. History is living, and it is happening now.

Rainbows in the clouds, which symbolize hope for humanity in times of hardship, became the underlying theme throughout her speech.

Throughout the hour-long lecture, Angelou interwove memories of her childhood with bits of light-hearted humor and astounding wisdom; she illustrated artfully with words pictures of the people who were her rainbows in the clouds, such as her grandmother and her uncle.

Angelou said she grew up in a small village in Arkansas that was half the size of the Evergreen Recreation Center.

When she was seven, she moved north to St. Louis to live with her mother’s family, where she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. The experience was so traumatizing to her that she stopped speaking for five years, which is when she said her grandmother became a significant influence in her life.

“Even though I was mute, I was always told by her that I was very, very intelligent. She even predicted that I would become a great teacher,” she See Angelou on page 18

17

MARCH 2007

Volunteer Continued from page 9

adopters and other shelter visitors in selecting pet supplies and help fund the Humane Programs.

Humane Education: Teach kindness, compassion and dog bite prevention skills to children. Assist users of the Educational Resource Library, prepare printed materials for distribution or help maintain the website.

Matchmaking (Pet Adoption): Assist potential adopters with the selection of a new companion animal, the adoption process and general use of resources.

Spay/Neuter Project: Assists lowincome Pierce County residents with the spaying or neutering of their pets.

Senior Pet Adoption: Match seniors with the right shelter pet in this special adoption assistance program.

Paint Tacoma-Pierce County Beautiful Organizes groups to paint houses of low-income elderly or disabled. The paint is provided, groups provide time and paint brushes. Houses are assigned in mid-June and painting typically concludes in mid-August. Exterior painting only.

Pierce County Ombudsman Program Ombudsmen are trained to check on the well being of residents in nursing homes, assisted living homes and adult family homes. They provide friendly visits for the residents, and help families to keep an eye on their family members, act as a disinterested third party negotiating between the nursing home and the family when there are disagreements, and contact DSHS to investigate suspected cases of abuse or neglect.

Pierce County Library System Homebound/Community Outreach Services Assistant: Be a delivery driver providing delivery service of library materials to homebound library patrons.

Program Assistant: Assist library staff in arranging for and effectively publicizing a variety of adult programs.

Youth Services Assistant: Assist Youth & Children's Services staff with room setups by arranging furniture, materials, name tags, etc., and to help clean up the meeting room or activity area when the

Budget

Continued from page 11

purposes.

In fact, the Technology Fee is spent on proposed Projects and few, if anything, else. Most of these projects were decided upon in the very beginning, to make sure the money is going directly towards things like supplies and equipment.

The HEC is actually the budget for Health and Education Center (formerly known as the exclusively rumored “Fitness Center”) that will be built.

program has concluded.

Human Resources Support Volunteer: Assist HR Assistant and department staff with clerical needs. Volunteer will be required to sign confidentiality agreement.

Audio Visual Materials Maintenance Assistant: Assist in maintenance of assorted audio visual materials.

Clerical Support Assistant: Assist branch or department staff with clerical needs.

Graphics Assistant: Assist in a variety of graphics and bindery tasks in a print shop environment.

Housekeeping Assistant/Branch Services: General light housekeeping Landscape Gardner Aide (Grounds Maintenance): Keep the outside building grounds neat and orderly and the live plants inside watered and trimmed.

Learning Disabled Student Volunteer as Library Assistant: Establish work experience and life skills within the Library environment and to assist library staff as necessary within program guidelines.

May be accompanied on site by school or program staff person.

Materials Maintenance Assistant: Assist in maintaining the good physical condition of assorted library materials, to include cleaning and repair of both printed and non-printed materials.

Movers & Packers: Assist Pierce County Libraries with moving Branch and Processing and Administrative Center (PAC) materials, furniture, and equipment.

ESL Services (English As A Second Language): Provide structured time slots for immigrants and refugees from foreign countries, with opportunities to practice conversational English. They enable participants to feel comfortable speaking English by creating a nonjudgmental and supportive environment.

Research Assistant: Assist in organization and maintenance of assorted printed materials.

Internet/Catalog Tutor (for on-line automated systems): Provide instruction for the public in the basic use of Internet and in the use of the library's on-line catalog system. In this position, the volunteer teaches basic computer skills to adult learners, including how to navigate the Web and use a Web-based email account. They assist students oneon-one or in small groups.

Like all buildings prior, most of the buildings being built in the future are funded by students that will probably not use them, but that is part of what it means by helping your community to grow.

So, when it comes down to it, money is being spent where it was approved, by students and by the student responses received. Some may say that this is not the way money is being spent.

However, no matter what disapprovals students offer, they only really have themselves to blame.

Photo by Kim Titus

Kiara and Christopher Sparks get help decorating their Valentine’s cookies from Daphne Stamaris during the event hosted by Student Programs.

Clubs

Continued from page 2

starting to be formed known as the “Geopolitical Society” and the person behind it all was extremely passionate.

However, without going into too many details, I, as with many others, never did get to see the club in action, but that was okay. The fact is, I saw firsthand the enthusiasm and dedication needed to form a club and realize that it can be done. And I felt, this was a club I would not mind being apart of, wouldn’t mind dedicating hours of time that would force me to stay up a bit later working, whether it be on work or homework.

When you’re willing to put time away for something else, like a club, that’s real spirit, real dedication and I know stu-

dents have what it takes.

Of course, some wonder if all the pressure or promoting or whatnot done to help get students to take part or to form clubs is really necessary. Others think it’s a waste of time.

To me, forming a club, whether official or not, is an effort that can only be matched if the enthusiasm exists for it.

People talk about how they don’t have time or their life is too busy. In some cases, this is true.

But when you think about it, all that time you spend staying up late, wasting away doing nothing truly productive… well, it could be spent building a community of interests, helping others, and overall, committing yourself to something you feel passionate about.

That is what a club is all about, so don’t sweat the small stuff!

The Puyallup P O S T

18

Childcare Continued from page 3

Photo by Kim Titus

Top right: Kara Dobsa reads her poem at the Valentine’s Day reading.

Top left: Jeff Pisetzner reads his frog poem.

Above: Nancy Bolle gets the crowd excited by cheering them on.

Angelou

Continued from page 16

said, laughing.

Angelou also described her Uncle Willie, who was “black, poor, male and crippled,” and how he overcame a number of life’s difficult challenges.

Throughout his life, he influenced multiple people, including the very first black mayor of Little Rock and a white lawyer who later became a member of the state Legislature.

Both of these men attributed their success in their lives to her Uncle Willie.

“Who would have looked at him and thought that he could be a rainbow in the clouds?” Angelou said, recalling memories with warmth in her voice.

Angelou also stressed the importance of poetry in everybody’s life, because she claims that it has always been a great source of inspiration and motivation in her life.

“During those years that I didn’t speak, I memorized Shakespeare,

Langston Hughes, Longfellow, Countee Cullen and Paul Lawrence Dunbar.

We look to poetry for encouragement.”

She said that poetry will offer support to those who are going through hard times, because they can read it and have the satisfaction of knowing that someone before them has already experienced something just as hard as they have and made it through it.

“Everyone needs to know that someone was there before you—castigated, raped, brutalized, left, abandoned before you. And miraculously, they made it over. They not only made it, but thrived.”

Angelou reminded us that we are all humans and because we are all humans nothing others do can be alien to us.

She concluded with her poem A Brave and Startling Truth and urged everyone to make the most out of life, since, “it’s given to us to live but once.

The noblest cause in the world is the liberation of the human mind. Know that you all have the privilege of becoming a rainbow in the clouds.”

Feet” and “March of The Penguins,” and to deny children both sides of the picture may not be as good as people think. Few psychologists advocate so strongly for all natural education, which then leads into whether, truly, psychology was involved.

After in-depth investigation, three things have been discovered: Criticism from those in the Psychology field toward those in the educational field, a difference between daycare and child care, and lastly, but certainly not least, “two programs with a common vision” as Greg Brazell of Fort Steilacoom’s Early Childhood Education Program stated.

For those who don’t know, there is a lot of fighting between the fields of psychology and education, mostly in regards to how education tries to take psychological theories, concepts, and whatnot, and apply them, not in a psychological sense, but in an educational sense.

This criticism is very apparent, especially with individuals like Piaget, Erikson, Goleman, and Gardner. It seems to stem from the fact that Psychologists and others within the field of psychology believe that those in the field of education are applying psychology only in the vision of Montessori, which many believe leads to the idea of “no fantasy.” It might be worth noting that many in the psychology community do believe the idea of “no fantasy” is an extreme misunderstanding, especially of Piaget, by the educational followers of Montessori.

Not so much criticism is actually found in the use of Vygotsky, Maslow, Bloom, Pratt, Parten and Smilansky.

On top of all this, many psychologists feel that the educational community that relies on their work while claiming to use Froebel is being hypocritical.

In fact, some question if you could possibly mix the ideas of Piaget with the ideas of Froebel at all.

How does this affect the childcare center or the students of Pierce? Well, for those who don’t realize it, the psychologies and educational programs that these individuals listed here in will have a major impact on how things are done. Many of us were not raised on these theories or beliefs, and did we turn out fine? Some say yes, others might argue not. This is why the importance between daycare and “child care” is being stressed.

Daycare and child care are probably two of the most mistakenly associated words to exist. Does this mean that Pierce College has done a better job of not associating them together? No. In fact, Pierce College, on an administrative error (so, its not yet too serious), continues to call the facilities “Childcare” centers, when those in the education field feel they fall a bit short of being child care. Mary Kay of Fort

Steilacoom’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) says that, “you don’t care for the day,” but you care for the children, and that’s a major difference.

The ECE program did, of course, as well as the Psychology departments, provide input in the design and overall idea that the centers were to be, especially in the beginning. But by the end of architectural design, they had almost no control or influence on what the child development centers were supposed to be. In fact, most of them didn’t know they were going to dub the centers “childcare” as one word. The ECE program feels that the child development centers are, in the most traditional sense, a form of daycare, even if those on the administrative level stress otherwise. The problem really relates to the fact that, although ECE may share commonalities with the center, they have no control over it, thus separating the two programs.

On a trip to Fort Steilacoom in order to complete this investigation, an entire world unknown to Puyallup campus was discovered: The ECE program. Many feel that what I’m about to say will be identical with the socalled childcare center is, but the truth is they really are not. The ECE program has quite a lot to offer, its staff is well connected with each other and a strict understanding of constructivist theory, resulting in an entire system that is very effective. Add on a very resourcefully built and developed lab/teaching environment, and you have it made.

Of course, the ECE lab opened in 1976, giving it quite the “running start” over the childcare centers, which are anticipating being open by next quarter. It is also worth noting that the ECE program provides students with the hands-on experience of working with children that may greatly differ, and not be as effective, as the hands-on experience that parents and volunteers will receive in the childcare center.

Furthermore, ECE adheres to a philosophy that does not necessary reflect the more clerically, administrative beliefs, which some might believe when hearing what they have to say.

Overall, is the criticism from the psychology community rightly directed at those in ECE or should it be directed at those not within that actual teacher environs? Open-ended is the best policy, as this investigation questions whether the removal of the abstract, like a Cat-in-the-hat, will really harm children’s development at all, personally, no evidence can be shown.

Does a more consistent, hands-on approach in teaching children about the physical world seem like a bad thing? No. However, a balance and a better understanding is needed, especially of what each side in this whole debate about “no Fantasy” really believes. After all, information changes and what we believe to be myth today may become fact in the future.

MARCH 2007

19

20

Hailing ‘The Queen’

MOVIES

Running Time: 1 hour 43 minutes Rating: PG-13 language.

for

brief

strong

This fictional account of real events looks at the Royal Family and the British government in crisis immediately following the death of Princess Diana.

Erin Stockton Reporter

The Queen, starring Oscar winning actress Helen Mirren, is a touching film which shows a different side to the tragic event of Princess Diana’s death in 1997.

The event is seen from the perspective of Queen Elizabeth II and her family, and peacefully reveals the side of Princess Diana that the general public had never seen through a behindthe-scenes look at how she treated her family-in-law and the way she portrayed them to the public.

Though people around the world had rightfully fallen in love with the princess and believed that Queen Eliz-

Tales told: Walker’s walk Appriel Lance Reporter

Within the last two decades, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Alice Walker has emerged, both nationally and internationally, as one of the most versatile and controversial writers of African American literature.

Although extensive critical studies have attempted to assess Walker’s works, others still continue to unravel the mystery of this novelist, poet, essayist and short fiction writer.

Her work is often compared with the literary genius of Zora Neal Hurston and Virginia Woolf, but she has managed to master a path all of her own.

Her book You Can’t Keep A Good Woman Down is no exception. It is a collection of fourteen short stories that portray women rising above their oppressive confines of their environments and basking in

REVIEWS

abeth was disrespecting the memory of Princess Diana by her lack of a response to the tragedy, we see that since her marriage to Prince Edward, Diana publicly disrespected the Queen and her family.

The thoughts and feelings of Queen Elizabeth during the time of Princess Diana’s death are shown. The Queen’s wishes to keep the memorial service private are disregarded by the new Prime Minister Tony Blair, and she is left with no choice but to face the changes that modern society forced on the tried and true monarchy.

The public, after an entire week of disrespectfully mourning and pleading with the Queen, get their desired funeral.

This film won the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role and was also nominated for: Achievement in Costume Design, Achievement in Directing, Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Best Motion Picture of the Year, and Original Screen Play.

The Hours

The Puyallup P O S T

DVD

Tim Guy

Managing Editor

Of all the movies out there, very few can take three different lives and three different times, and weave them, so imaginatively, into a single strand of synonymous events, each the more heartfelt and deathly. That movie is known as The Hours. It tells the life of Virginia Woolf, unto her death, and how she wrote about Mrs. Brown, living in the pastel suburbia, and Mrs. Dalloway, living in our modern day and age.

The movie does start with death, and in death, the movie also ends. But death is not the end, in fact, it is the beginning, the beginning of a series of hours, each darker, sadder, and more imaginative than the last.

The first timeline, involving Virginia Woolf, is little more than three days, where she begins to write what anyone can guess to be one of her most phenomenal pieces, Mrs. Dalloway. As Woolf writes, the other two timelines begin to change, as if in flux, almost as if she were the hand of God, dictating all that would happen.

The second timeline, in fact,

BOOKS

the light of victory over the harder times in life.

The stories deal with a wide variety of modern and classic topics such fame, as: love, lust, cultural boundaries, rape, abortion, friends and pornography.

You Can’t Keep A Good Woman Down is uplifting and eye opening.

Walker deals with subjects that most authors would refuse to touch and she does it in such a way that you can’t help but be up in arms with her along side her cause.

She is a brilliant story teller and her words are inspirational almost beyond belief. You Can’t Keep A Good Woman Down is the perfect book to read in celebration of Woman’s History Month.

I highly recommend this book to readers who are looking for an author with a unique view on society and its happenings.

The legacy of Susan Sontag Tim Guy

Managing Editor

A few years ago, a 60s philosopher died.

However, her words would live on, in many, very different people.

This person was Susan Sontag, and her passion for what the 60s stood for, and the aesthetic revolution that it was, something she was certainly not going to let be forgotten. The best example of this is her work, Styles of Radical Will, a collection of essays Sontag had written. Each essay grapples a different issue, whether it is an ethical, logical, political, civil, metaphysical, or any problem of some sort, combating each with a fiery brand of aesthetics that the 60s is, honorably, known for. Nothing is too sacred to be spoken about, because Sontag completes the realization that the vast field known as the arts is, in fact, a world of transcendence, especially from the mediocrity of daily life and the elitist rejection of anything that is not traditional.

The book is broken down into three parts, the first two containing three essays, the last one, only two.

involves Mrs. Dalloway. Not chronol o g i c a l l y, except in the sense that the film begins each timeline.

Here, Mrs. Dalloway is throwing yet “another party” and “always throwing parties,” Woolf writes. Mrs. Dalloway, a seemingly well-off lesbian, is actually throwing a party for a gay poet, who would have, at one time, wanted to be her lover, but choose not to for many reasons, one being that he is dying of AIDS. The third timeline, involving Mrs. Brown, really seems out of place until much later, when Virginia Woolf decides who will live and who will die.

The truth is, all the characters are more interconnected than is realized.

Overall, the movie is an in depth look at what we, as humans, choose to do, choose not to do, and what happens when all the years, all the love, and all the hours come to a crashing halt, when we realize we don’t even know why we are doing what it is that we are doing. And that includes: Living.

The first part contains the essays “Aesthetics of Silence,” “the Por nog r a phic Imagination” and “Thinking Against Oneself: on Reflections Cioran”. second The part contains the essays “Theatre and Film”, “Bergman’s Persona” and “Godard.”

Lastly, the third part contains the essays “What’s Happening in America” and “Trip to Hanoi.”

Each essay reflects on her thoughts about the artist, and what the artist is truly capable of: Revolution. This will also lead the reader to notice a heavy amount of spiritualism (in the definitive, not religious, sense) in the approach Sontag uses, especially since all of her essays rely upon literature and philosophy, most of which is prior to or near the very beginning of the modern age, that helps to advocate the greatest weapon of the revolution: imagination, and how it was, single-handedly, one of the most important driving forces behind everything.

21

MARCH 2007

Play to win

Top: The Raiders know that sticking together is the key to succeeding at each game.

Alex Oliver, Norman Brown (no.

3), Quincy Garia and assistant coach Jeff Drinkwine listen to Coach Bill Mendelson’s plans.

Photo by Michael Beers

Top photo: Team leader Michael Wright (no. 32) says the team’s chances of winning the NWAACC championship are good, but players can still improve.

Above: Coach Bill Mendelson, center, believes the team can do well in the tournament if they “get a little run going.” He’s surrounded by Alex Oliver at left, Brandon Kelley and Michael Wright.

Left: Andrew Boykin (no. 22) has greatly improved in his first year with the Raiders.

22

SPORTS

The Puyallup P O S T

Women’s baseball takes it to the next level Brad Jones

For The Puyallup Post

After coming off a 23-7 regular season and qualifying for last year’s NWAACC Championship Tournament for the first time since 1995, the Pierce women’s baseball team is determined to take it to the next level and bring home a championship.

This championship for the Lady Raiders would be only the second team in Pierce’s Fast Pitch Softball history to do so; the last was in 1982.

Not only did they achieve a great record last year, the lady raiders also had seven women receive first and second team All NWAACC—the most in Pierce’s history. Plus they will all return this season!

The history of our Women’s Softball Team hasn’t always been so successful. Before Coach Demiero took over the coaching reins, the team had won only one game in a stretch of three seasons. Now they’re poised to make a run for the NWAACC Championship.

Although Coach Demiero has had only one recruiting class, he managed to make it arguably the best recruiting class in Pierce’s history.

On his recruiting philosophy Coach Demiero said, “We don’t recruit players on how successful they were in high school. We look for the kids that are willing to learn and play for the team, not themselves.”

That’s evident with players like Tiffany Qualls who had shin splints on both legs, so she used crutches before the game, and then ditched them to play. Not surprisingly her teammates awarded her with the “Raider Iron Woman of the Year Award”.

Sarah Pruitt is another good example. She never pitched in high school, but amazingly she pitched over 200 innings and managed 23 wins in last year’s season.

Anything these players can do to make this team successful, they are doing it.

Kayla Jayne, the team captain and lead off hitter, is looking to have another great season as well.

Somehow she managed more at-bats than any other player in the NWAACC and still maintained an outstanding .400 batting average. She also sports a Derek Jeter-like glove at short-stop. Yet with all the all-star players this Lady Raider team has, they really do play as a team—not individuals.

Coach Demiero told a story about last year’s team.

He brought the player’s into the gym and had them sit in an imaginary boat, he said, “Everyone is in this boat, and we all have to row to the same spot.” He then told each player to point in a different direction.

“We can’t have everyone rowing in different directions, or we wont get where we need to go.”

He then came out with Pierce’s last and only

Championship banner: “This is where I’m rowing!”

This team-oriented attitude is what’s making the lady raiders a favorite to win it all this year. Add to the mix players like Sarah Curley and Jazmin Mercardo who are very consistent both with their bats and defensive skills. Another player, Ashley Svarthumie, hit a school record 15 homeruns, drove in another school record of 72 RBI’s, and plays everything from Catcher, 2nd Base and Outfield.

Added together, you have a very dangerous team.

Even though these women had such a great season last year, surprisingly they were hit very hard by the injury bug. Jievielyn Howard, as Coach D said, is a “fierce competitor and a huge contributor.” She had a season ending injury and is going to be welcomed back with open arms due to her aggressiveness at the plate.

With these returning players, another great recruiting class in 2007, and playing at beautiful Cirque Park in University Place this season, all signs point to Coach Demiero and the Raiders Softball team doing very well this year.

The first home game of the year is on March 13 vs Skagit Valley, but some of our rival teams include Centralia, Highline and South Puget Sound. So if you get a chance, come out and see this year’s team and their quest to bring home only second championship softball banner in the school’s history.

nature of this year’s team. “(Last year’s team) doesn’t compare,” says center fielder sophomore Aaron “A.J.” Tea. “This year’s (is) a hundred times better. (There’s) a hundred percent better team chemistry.” “(Last year’s team was) horrible,” agrees pitcher James Hampson.

“No team chemistry, no dedication.” “(The) team was unorganized,” recalls pitching captain Rodney McFarlane. “This year’s (is) strictly organized.”

Much of this change is due to Coach Orion Jones and his assistant Patrick Frost. Both are beginning their first year at Pierce College, having arrived together from Missouri Valley College.

“We both coached together in Missouri,” explains Frost.

“He asked me to come out here and I said yeah.”

“I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him,” says Jones simply.

Jones and Frost support a team-first philosophy, and have worked hard to bring organization and discipline back to the team.

“You have to have structure and discipline to be able to control a team of twenty-four 18-21 year olds,” explains Jones.

One of the challenges of incorporating these elements into the team is the nature of the sport they play. “(Baseball) is one of the biggest individual team sports ever,” says Jones.

“Your personal stats and your personal talent is what gets you to the next level, but… without the other guys, you’re not going anywhere.”

“It’s not about what you have, it’s about how you can use it to benefit the team,” agrees Frost.

Frost emphasizes this philosophy when he trains

the pitchers.

“It’s not about how hard you can throw, and it’s not about the talent that you have,” he says.

“It’s about using your ability for the success of the team.”

Players who remember last year’s coaching style appreciate the changes Jones and Frost have brought.

“Last year’s coach didn’t teach us anything,” says Tea. “(He) didn’t really have a knowledge of the game, like Coach Jones (has). Coach Jones brought a lot… to our organization… he’s actually working to get people moved on and get this organization up to where it needs to be.”

Where does it need to be? The goal of any team is the top, but Coach Frost knows where the team doesn’t need to be.

“We’re not going (to be) just a doormat of the (NWAACC) like Pierce is known to be for baseball,” he says.

As much as Pierce would like to have a successful year, though, the coaches know that life isn’t just about baseball, and they make sure their team is aware of this.

“It’s not just about what happens on the field,” says Jones. “They have to be respectful adults in the community.”

“Baseball is obviously a small window in their life, and… being successful in school is going to take you a lot further than this sport can.”

Jones and Frost also recognize that the team’s character is important.

“The character (on this team) is extremely high,” said Jones. “(The team is) proud to be Raiders, and they show

Resurrecting the meaning of team spirit Sharon Coward Reporter

It’s another overcast Friday afternoon at Mt. Tahoma High School, and there is considerable chaos as parents wait for their children and buses idle in the parking lot.

Far from the confusion, in a baseball diamond next to the school, the Pierce College men’s baseball team chills out before practice.

The tranquil afternoon is peppered with their laughter and chatter as they ready the field for use.

Some rake the dirt. Others toss a baseball around. A few just stand around talking. Seriousness and intensity are absent as teammates laugh and joke together.

Soon, though, head coach Orion Jones exits the dugout and calls the players from the field and into a huddle around him. There is laughter and goodnatured joking as the team gathers around their coach.

A light rain begins to fall, damping uniforms and creating a light mist. The coach imparts a few words of instruction and begins practice.

Immediately the goofiness subsides, and chatter and laughter shut down as the pitcher steps onto the mound. A batter lines up at the plate. Three teammates stand at first base, waiting for the pitch. There’s a muted thump as the baseball meets the bat, and the three teammates rush to second base. Another three line up.

The head coach stands in the middle of the field, providing feedback and guidance. The assistant head coach kneels near home base, instructing the pitcher.

It’s another day of practice for the Pierce College Raiders, whose season begins in March. Optimism is high as opening day nears, and for the seven returning sophomores, much of this optimism lies in the

See Baseball on page 23

23

SPORTS

MARCH 2007

Who’s got game: Halasz and Hanson Sharon Coward Reporter

Not all community college athletes enter Pierce College directly after high school.

For Raiders forward Scott Halasz, the decision to hold off on college wasn't so much choice as it was necessity.

“It's always been a dream of mine to play college ball,” he explains.

“I took the long route after playing high school ball in Korea because my dad was in the military. There wasn't any recruiting out there, so I joined the Air Force and served 4 years in order to pay for my college. Now I'm here at Pierce where Coach Bill Mendelson gave me a chance to live my dream.”

Halasz has been playing basketball since sixth grade, and has played for two different high schools.

“I started for Ohatchee High School in Alabama… and then my family moved to Korea where I finished my junior and senior year playin' ball,” he recalls.

Coming from a military family, Halasz credits the experience for exposing him to a variety of different

basketball styles.

“The biggest influence (in my life) is my dad (for) being in the military and dragging me around everywhere with him,” he says. Halasz “I've met so many different people that way… (and) I've picked up many different styles and variations of play from this.”

“When I was 15 years old I was already playing with the soldiers that were twice my age.”

Halasz also has a younger sister who plays for Lakes High School.

“It makes me proud to see her (use) what she learned from her big brother,” he says.

Halasz' teammate John Hanson also began playing basketball at a young age, and quickly discovered that he loved it.

“I started playing basketball when I was six years old with my Dad,” he recalls.

“My Dad played basketball and I looked up to him. Plus it looked fun and competitive… which I love! So I started playing a lot… (and) I've been playing consistently for 18 years.”

Hanson was recruited by Raiders Coach Mendelson to play for Pierce, and has proven to be a valuable contributor on the court.

Hanson “I love to play basketball and I want to get better,” he says.

“Not many people get the chance to play college basketball and I know I would regret it in the future if I didn't.”

Hanson's not sure if he's going to continue playing basketball after Pierce, but he knows he's going to continue his education.

“I am planning on getting an AA and possibly an Elementary Education degree,” he says.

Education is also important to Halasz, who plans to get an associate's degree in either physical education or sports medicine.

“No matter what, I will always be involved in sports for the rest of my life,” he says.

When they're not playing basketball and attending classes, Halasz and Hanson can be found with their fami-

Baseball

Champions

it.”

“We have a great group of guys… (and there is) strong unity,” says Frost.

“They hang out with each other… (and) they’re buying into the philosophy that I’m teaching.”

The players themselves agree that this year’s team is unique.

“I like [the team]; it’s fun,” says freshman pitcher Nick Hudson.

“There’s a borderline between seriousness and having fun. I like it a lot.” “(There is) not one guy on this team that I don’t like,” says Tea, observing his teammates joke around.

“I love them all.”

A strong sense of team will carry the Raiders into their new season, and the hope is that the excitement generated by the team’s prospects will encourage students to attend games and support the team.

“In the past... I guess, people went to the games just to go,” says Frost.

“But this year, with the ability that our team has… a lot of people are excited about this season because we’re actually going to be a competing team.”

Home games are being held at Heidelberg Park for the time being, and students are encouraged to come out and show their support.

“We’d love to have fans out,” says Tea. “We don’t get enough.”

before, and its significance is not lost on the team.

“We're making Pierce history right now,” said Halasz.

“We have a chance to be one of the best teams out of Pierce, so we're really looking forward to that.”

“The whole team's excited about it,” agreed Boykin.

Much of the Raiders' success this year has been their ability to stick together as a team.

“It's been a good season; we've just been sticking together (and) working hard,” said sophomore forward Kellen McCaffrey.

The team agrees that these traits are the key to succeeding in the tournament. “(We just need to) keep on doing what we're doing.

Just play good defense, (stick) together, and work hard,” says McCaffrey.

“I think the biggest thing is sticking together, though.”

“We need to stick together… and play hard every minute,” agreed Halasz.

Sophomore forward Michael Wright defined the term “stick together.”

“Just nobody think they're better than the team,” he said. “We gotta stay together as a team like we've been doing all year.”

Wright, who was named the Western Region Most Valuable player, admits that he, too, is “very excited” about the tournament.

Other players celebrated by highlighting the efforts of their teammates. Brown explained his roommate, freshman guard Kersten Ho. “He works hard, and it's his first time too, and we're going to win it all,” Brown said.

Continued from page 22

Continued from page 1

lies.

“I spend time with my lovely wife and daughter just doing the family thing,” says Halasz.

“I mostly spend [my free time] with my wife, Stephanie,” agrees Hanson.

“She is a big support and I love her to death.”

Hanson isn't sure if he'll return next year, but Halasz knows what he has to do.

“I gotta come back and defend our (Western) Division title,” he says.

Nevertheless, both Halasz and Hanson enjoyed the experience of being Pierce College Raiders this year.

“Its a great experience,” says Halasz. “This is the best team I've ever been on as far as teamwork and dedication. We all actually get along and are pretty good friends on and off the court. We all have a good sense of humor which is what I think keeps us so close and upbeat even when things aren't going so great.”

“It's been fun playing with and getting to know everyone on this team,” agrees Hanson. “Playing here this season has really been an experience that my teammates and I will always remember.”

Ho, in turn, passed along the praise to teammate Harmeet Mahal. “(I'd like to) give a shoutout to Hodgy,” he said, referring to Mahal's nickname.

Moments like these illustrate the “sticking together” theme that Wright and McCaffrey try to keep on the diverse team.

“We came a long way,” says Boykin. “We're really playing well. Things are looking good.”

But Wright, as team leader, sees room for improvement.

“We can still do a lot better,” he said following the TCC win.

Yet coach Bill Mendelson sees signs of optimism.

“Guys are kinda jellin' right now, so it's good,” he said after the TCC game. “We (have) really good guys that get along (and) play hard, so it makes a difference.”

Based on his experience with Pierce two years ago, the coach knows what it takes to succeed in the playoffs.

“Anytime you get a little run going… anything can happen. Two years ago we were a number three seed, and… (we) won the first three games in a row, which was against higher seeded teams, he said.”

“You get a little run going… (and) you never know what happens.”

The players know what they want to happen.

“Pierce has never won a western division title (and) we never won an NWAACC title, so we might as well do it all in one year,” said Halasz.

Regardless of where they finish in the tournament this year, the 2007 Raiders have already secured their place in school history, and they are thrilled about it.

“It's really cool that they're making history,” said Stephanie Hanson, wife of freshman forward John Hanson.

24

THE HISTORY OF SAME SEX

Appriel Lance Reporter

Many fear that if gay marriage is legalized that it will put an end to civilized society as we know it and ruin the tradition of the union between man and wife, but I think many Americans are forgetting that all people, no matter how different, are entitled to equal rights under the protection of the law.

Many opponents to gay marriage believe that it will ruin the ideal family, but the truth of that matter is there are more divorced straight single parent homes in America now then there ever has been before. Allowing people who truly want to get married regardless of their partner's gender might actually raise the statistics in a positive manner. Not to mention that once again there is a minority in America being discriminated against, you think we would have learned our lessons the first few times.

The American Gay Rights Movement: A Time Line n 1924-The Society for Human Rights in Chicago becomes the country's earliest known gay rights organization. n 1948-Alfred Kinsey publishes Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, revealing to the public that homosexuality is far more widespread than was commonly believed. n 1951-The Mattachine Society, the first national gay rights organization, is formed by Harry Hay, considered by many to be the founder of the gay rights movement. n 1956-The Daughters of Bilitis, a pioneering national lesbian organization, is founded. n 1962-Illinois becomes the first state in the U.S. to decriminalize homosexual acts between consenting adults in private. n 1969-The Stonewall riots transform the gay rights movement from one limited to a small number of activists into a widespread protest for equal rights and acceptance. Patrons of a gay bar in New York's Greenwich Village, the Stonewall Inn, fight back during a police raid on June 27, sparking three days of riots. n 1973-The American Psychiatric Association removes homosexuality from its official list of mental disorders. n 1982-Wisconsin becomes the first state to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. n 1993-The “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy is instituted for the U.S. military, permitting gays to serve in the military but banning homosexual activity. President Clinton's original intention to revoke the prohibition against gays in the military was met with stiff opposition; this compromise, which has led to the discharge of thousands of men and women in the armed forces, was the result. n 1996-In Romer v. Evans, the Supreme Court

Photo courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:world

strikes down Colorado's Amendment 2, which denied gays and lesbians protections against discrimination, calling them “special rights.” According to Justice Anthony Kennedy, “We find nothing special in the protections Amendment 2 withholds. These protections... constitute ordinary civil life in a free society.” n 2000-Vermont becomes the first state in the country to legally recognize civil unions between gay or lesbian couples. The law states that these “couples would be entitled to the same benefits, privileges, and responsibilities as spouses.” It stops short of referring to same-sex unions as marriage, which the state defines as heterosexual. n 2003-The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Lawrence v. Texas that sodomy laws in the U.S. are unconstitutional. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, “Liberty presumes an autonomy of self that includes freedom of thought, belief, expression and certain intimate conduct.” In November, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that barring gays and lesbians from marrying violates the state constitution.

The Massachusetts Chief Justice concluded that to “deny the protections, benefits, and obligations conferred by civil marriage” to gay couples was unconstitutional because it denied “the dignity and equality of all individuals” and made them “second-class citizens.” Strong opposition followed the ruling. n 2004-On May 17, same-sex marriages become legal in Massachusetts. n 2005-Civil unions become legal in Connecticut in Oct. 2005. n 2006-Civil unions become legal in New Jersey in December.

In 1989, Denmark became the first country, internationally, to legalize same-sex partnerships. In the two years following Denmark's actions, Iceland, France, Sweden and Norway followed suit. In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage; Belgium followed in 2003 and then Spain in 2005. Ontario and British Columbia were the first provinces of Canada to legalize same sex marriage in 2003, multiple provinces followed their lead in 2004 and on June 29, 2005, the Canadian parliament passed the bill to legalize gay marriage nationwide.

Countries that offer a legal status, often known as a registered partnership that grants most or all of the spousal rights to same-sex couples are as follows: Finland, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

Countries that offer a legal status, often referred to as an unregistered cohabitation that allows for same sex couples to have certain spousal rights include: Brazil, Canada, Croatia, France, Hungary, Israel, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Switzerland.

The Puyallup P O S T

SHOUTOUT

“How do you feel about same sex marriage?”

"I can't say that I have a say in it. It's pretty much a decision that cannot be made by someone external to the relationship."

—Jonnathan Wight

"I don't like it."

—Jordan Rimehart

"Personally, I don't agree with it. On a larger scale, the citizens of the country should be able to decide—not the judicial system."

—Linda Nusser

"I don't agree with it."

—Kyle Jones

"I don't mind it. I don't really know much about it. I think they should have equal marriage rights."

—Katie Doyle "It changes the definition of what a traditional marriage is."

—Jason Chester

"I think it's fine. I think they should have equal rights."

—Amanda Cook

“I’m against it.”

—Aubrey Bremner

_homosexuality_laws.phg

*Homosexuality laws around the world —by Erin Stockton