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TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2013 • OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY CORVALLIS, OREGON 97331
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Who is the Face of OSU Athletics?
VOLUME CXVI, NUMBER 130
Lulu strikes OSU n
A popular female-only mobile app that allows women to rate men gains popularity among OSU students By Warner Strausbaugh The Daily Barometer
Photo illustration by jackie seus
design by evan parcher
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
A male Oregon State University student walks into a bar. He strikes up a conversation with a female student. The two talk for five minutes. The usual questions about hometowns and majors are answered. They exchange names. The woman checks her smartphone. She opens up Lulu — a mobile application that lets women rate men on a variety of categories, which gives them a rating from 4.0 to 10. Only women can use it. She has his rating now. And it’s not pretty. Check, please. ‘Start-up fever’ Alexandra Chong had an epiphany at a brunch with a group of close friends. It was the morning after Valentine’s Day in 2009. They were discussing their dates from the night before. “The guy wasn’t for me but, while talking to these girls, I realized we all needed a place to sing the praises of guys who might be perfect for other girls,” Chong said in an interview via email. Lulu was born. Chong’s first job after graduating with a law degree from the London School of Economics was with a music listening start-up company. “That’s where I got ‘start-up fever,’” Chong said. “I loved the energy of start-up culture and the sense of possibility. I was always on the lookout for an idea of my own.” While working as the global head of marketing and public relations for Upstream, a mobile marketing company, Chong began formulating that idea. Sparked from the post-Valentine’s Day brunch, she began working on a female-only app to privately recommend and review men. The idea consumed her, and she quit her job to work full-time on achieving her goal. Luluvise Ltd. — the company’s original name — was officially registered on Jan. 19, 2010 with Chong as its founder and CEO. She raised $1 million and hired 12 staff members, and Luluvise.com launched in December 2011. The website connected through Facebook,
only allowing access to those who listed their gender as female. Users created their “inner circle” on Luluvise, which kept conversations private. The most popular feature of Luluvise.com was Wikidate, a pre-set quiz in which users could review men who have Facebook accounts. The ratings were made public, and men could not see or edit them because they were not allowed on the site. Luluvise did not gain much notoriety, but it set the foundation for something that would soon be the topic of many conversations. ‘The first ever app for private reviews of guys’ Chong found her niche: colleges. Lulu, the company’s new mobile application, had an invitation-only launch at the University of Florida and Florida State University in January 2013. In the month-long private beta, Lulu reported more than 60,000 female students downloaded the app, and 140,000 reviews of men had been created. The app went public on Feb. 7, becoming available to download on iPhones and Android devices in the United States. After downloading the app, users can anonymously join Lulu by connecting through their Facebook accounts. The home screen shows an assortment of male Facebook profiles — either Facebook friends with the user or someone with whom the user shares mutual friends. Reviewers are first prompted to disclose their relationship with the subject. The choices are: ex-boyfriend, crush, together, hooked up, friend or relative. From there, users give a rating between one and five stars for as many as seven categories: appearance, humor, first kiss, manners, ambition, sex and commitment. Then there are dozens of hashtags, ranging from hilarious to vulgar, to attach to the subject. There are positive hashtags to dole out, such as: #RespectsWomen, #SweetToMom, #SexualPanther, #SmellsAmazeballs, #NerdyButILikeit. And there are negative ones: #QuestionableSearchHistory, #IntegrityChallenged, #CheaperThanABigMac, #TrustFundBaby, #LoserFriends. “The goal has always been to create a private, trusted, girls-only space dedicated to collective wisdom,” Chong said. “We want to tap into and release the value of girl talk.” See LULU | page 2
‘Agvocating’ for change Conference takes on promise, peril of American power n
Annual Ag Day to be held in Memorial Union quad with newly introduced Ag Olympics By Lara von Linsowe-Wilson The Daily Barometer
The Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences will be hosting their annual Ag Day Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Memorial Union quad. The theme of this year’s Ag Day is “Preserving Tradition. Agvocating Today. Growing Tomorrow.” During the event, various student clubs within the College of Agricultural Sciences will join with agriculture business vendors to “agvocate” for a more sustainable future in agricultural practices. A new supplement to Ag Day this year will be the Ag Olympics, which will feature activities such as milk chugging, tractor driving, dummy roping and sack races for students and faculty. In addition, a barbecue lunch will be provided by the Young Cattlemen’s Association. This year, Ag Day activities will stretch over two days. A canned food drive dubbed “Ag in the Community” will take place tomorrow as a community service project benefitting the OSU Emergency Food Pantry. With more than 30 student and academic groups participating last year, Ag Day has come to be an anticipated event across campus. For more information on this and other events hosted by the College of Agricultural Sciences, visit their website at http://www.agsci.oregonstate.edu. Lara von Linsowe-Wilson, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
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Military and Diplomatic History Conference to take place at the LaSells Stewart Center, Memorial Union By Spencer Ingram The Daily Barometer
The American Military and Diplomatic History Conference, hosted today in the LaSells Stewart Center, will “challenge the public’s way they think about American power historically [and what that means for] the United States,” said professor and keynote panelist Christopher McKnight Nichols. There will be supplementary day sessions held in the Memorial Union Journey Room from 2-5 p.m. Supplementary sessions will cover particular subjects such as international revolutions and political discourse in antebellum America, the art and science of American diplomacy and the forgotten history of American foreign policy success. The conference and day sessions offer a critical analysis of American history over time and how its history has defined its power. Nichols, the keynote panelist, professor and session moderator, has organized the conference to present “the newest scholarly take on the history of American military and diplomacy.”
“People are coming from England, Essentially, the book and the conference Australia and [other countries]” to the attempt to get at the question of the “uses conference, Nichols said. Also, CSPAN will of history,” Nichols said. be taping the event and the Oregonian will As a moderator of the supplementary be there. sessions, Nichols said the difficulties of Nichols further continued that the confer- presenting in a conference format include ence is a “great time to have a dynamic dis- “catering to different audience levels of cussion, showcase the great work at Oregon historical knowledge.” State University” and also an opportunity to “Helping [the] speaker and launch his new book. audience in framing questions” is “I have chosen to focus on the essential to “facilitating efficient theme of weakness of American debate,” Nichols said. power because it upsets the apple“It’s a unique opportunity [for cart,” Nichols said. people to see scholars] at the The ultimate aim of the confertop of their game that have put ence is to “challenge conceptions together the most comprehenof power, how we define it and the sive encyclopedia” on American ways American power has been Military and Diplomacy, Nichols negotiated,” Nichols said. said. Nichols — along with professors David Milne and Timothy Lynch All conference attendees Christopher McKnight — recently co-authored “The will have an opportunity to Nichols Oxford Encyclopedia of American obtain discount vouchers for Military and Diplomatic History.” the volumes of “The Oxford The book will be used to provide discus- Encyclopedia of American Military and sion and framing for the conference. Diplomatic History.” “[The] book covers the sweep of American Nichols emphasized there is “no betcolonial history through 2012,” Nichols said. ter topic than the promise and peril of More than 450 authors are in the ency- American power to understand the U.S.’s clopedia, including contemporary scholars role in the world’s past and contemporary such as George Herring and Jeremi Suri. times.” The encyclopedia is written for laymen Spencer Ingram, news reporter and offers biographical, thematic and historical analyses of American history. news@dailybarometer.com
2• Tuesday, May 7, 2013
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“We believe that by the end of 2013, one about one person to a friend who knew him. in every four college girls will be on Lulu,” It’s a place that has all the answers that I would wonder about someone.” Chong said. Lulu is lewd lewd Lulu does not have a write-in compoCatching fire at OSU Chong knows her app can be inflamma- nent. The multiple-choice answers to the Lulu has traveled 3,000 miles. questions avoid providing users with an Four months after its debut in Florida, the tory. It’s what she expected. “Of course there is an element of Lulu opportunity to anonymously use Lulu as a craze has hit Corvallis. Becca Dryden, Ryan Kutter and Mackenzie that is quite controversial and provocative, forum to publicly shame an ex-boyfriend or Flanagan were all independently introduced but we believe we have created some- a person they dislike. thing ground-breaking,” Chong said. “We Flanagan said if she does rate someone, to Lulu three are pushing it is to give a positive rating to a good guy weeks ago. boundaries.” friend. Dryden, Friends a junior in Like Flanagan, the women Kutter knows At first we all [used it]. But have told who use it are only reviewing their guy speech comI feel like it’s kind of Kutter what friends, but he is also aware of people abusmunications, shallow and mean. his rating is, ing the app. was told about but he hasn’t Lulu by a “I haven’t seen a whole lot of anger being seen for himcoworker. put toward it, but I’ve heard about ratings Mackenzie Flanagan self. He has “It just kind that were not very positive and not truthful Sophomore, exercise and sport science been rated of blew my either,” Kutter said. four times mind,” Dryden There are plenty of superficial categories for a score of said. “My face attached to the app — looks, kissing ability, 9.4. The positive feedback doesn’t warrant was red when I was reading it because I talent in the bedroom — but the other charshouldn’t know these things about people.” acceptance, though. acteristics make it a valuable commodity for “I don’t want people to form opinions of Chong said Greek life at universities was those who use Lulu. me based upon supposed truths, half-truths one of the main target groups for the initial “It’s an affirming app because you see and complete, utter lies,” Kutter said. launch in January. that these are things other people actually Flanagan, who admits she’ll browse Lulu Oregon State has been no exception. Kutter, a senior in finance and the presi- when she’s bored, called it “unreliable,” look into,” Dryden said. “They want to know dent of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, first heard because the lack of accountability that about ambition or manners. Those are about Lulu from a group of friends from a comes with anonymity in the reviews takes things actually being graded on, and people think they’re away from its sorority. important.” “When I first saw it, I thought it was kind credibility. Like it or not, Erik of a novel thing,” he said. “Immediately Lulu isn’t going People are pretty harsh you’re like, ‘Oh, what’s my score?’ But then Hokkanen, away you realize really quickly that it’s either an a senior in on it. I didn’t feel like finance, was Chong is Dr. ego-booster or it creates drama.” there was any good to it. Frankenstein Many members of the Alpha Gamma nervous to to some and Delta sorority have become aware of the see his score the next Mark app and have been using it in recent weeks. when he first Stephanie Rood Zuckerberg to “At first we all [used it],” Flanagan, a heard about Junior, new media communications others. sophomore in exercise and sport science it. He’s conand an Alpha Gamma Delta member, said. tent with Lulu Numbers “But I feel like it’s kind of shallow and mean.” if people use it for fun. don’t lie, though. The monster Chong cre“If people take it seriously, it could be ated is in its infant stage, and it is only going Greek life or not, OSU students are increasingly cognizant of the new app and pretty dangerous,” Hokkanen said. “One to continue growing. bad experience, if people take it seriously, its rising popularity on campus. Lulu received an additional $2.5 million “I think it’s spreading a lot,” Dryden said. it could definitely impact someone’s social investment in February. Facebook’s initial “I think a lot of people know about it, and life.” investment was $500,000. The app may be teetering on a moral level, a lot of people are afraid to say that they Men who don’t want their name on know about it. It’s a touchy subject with a but it isn’t breaking Facebook’s privacy pol- Lulu can have that wish granted by using icy. All of the information from a Facebook lot of people.” LuluDude to delete themselves or by Spreading is exactly what Lulu is doing. profile is publicly available, including to emailing privacy@onlulu.com to have Lulu other apps. Like wildfire. Stephanie Rood, a junior in new media remove their name. According to Chong, more than 90 million For the men who raise concerns about communications, deleted the app from her profiles have been viewed, and the averphone after the app being nonconsensual, or suggest an age user spends app with the gender roles reversed, Chong one day. upwards of 45 begs to differ. “People minutes per If people take it “I think we can all agree that men have are pretty week on the harsh on it,” been rating and objectifying women for seriously, it could be app. Fifty perRood said. thousands of years but without nearly as cent of new pretty dangerous. “I didn’t feel much humor as girls on Lulu,” Chong said. users return to like there Most men hate Lulu. Many women are the app on a was any unsure. weekly basis. Erik Hokkanen good to it.” Lulu has Senior, finance But many are talking about it now. Thank marketed the “We get hate mail, and we get love letters, you, Lulu app at variand that’s how we know we are doing someThere are those who see the positives in thing right,” Chong said. ous college campuses, ranging from the University of Southern California to the Lulu. Photos by Vinay Bikkina “The more I looked at it, the more I was University of Kentucky. But word of mouth Warner Strausbaugh, managing editor like, ‘OK, this actually makes sense,’” Dryden has made it popular among female college On Twitter @WStrausbaugh said. “I would never ask all those questions students across the country. news@dailybarometer.com
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Calendar Tuesday, May 7 Meetings ASOSU Senate, 7pm, MU 211. Weekly meeting. Educational Activities Committee, 5:30-7pm, Student Media Conference Room, 120 MU East/Snell Hall. Discuss funding requests and policy changes.
Wednesday, May 8 Meetings ASOSU House of Representatives, 7-8:30pm, MU 211. Weekly meeting.
Events Pride Center, 3-5pm, MU 206. Make your own sex toy. Come learn to make your own sex toy in a fun and safe environment. Materials provided.
Thursday, May 9 Meetings Baha’i Campus Association, 12:30pm, MU Talisman Room. Universal Language. Devotions and discussion. Educational Activities Committee, 5-6pm, Student Media Conference Room, 120 MU East/Snell Hall. Discuss funding requests and policy changes. OSU College Republicans, 7-8pm, StAg 132. Come join us for fun events and friendly discussion.
Events
Pride Center, 10pm, MU Quad. Queer Camp Out! Join us for games, music, performance and friends. Bring your tents and sleep in the Quad with us! Pride Center, 6-10pm, Pride Center. Game Night. A fun and social event to meet new friends, play games and enjoy some snacks. SOL: LGBT Multicultural Support Network, 7pm, Native American Longhouse. Crossroads Within: Performances at the intersections of identity. A multimedia event featuring people’s impressions of their multiple identities.
Friday, May 10 Meetings OSU Chess Club, 5-7pm, MU Commons. Players of all levels welcome.
Saturday, May 11 Events Ettihad Cultural Community, 5-8pm, MU Quad. Celebrate the grand opening of Ettihad. Free food, cultural booths and performances.
Tuesday, May 14 Meetings ASOSU Senate, 7pm, MU 211. Weekly meeting. Educational Activities Committee, 5:30-7pm, Student Media Conference Room, 120 MU East/Snell Hall. Discuss funding requests and policy changes.
Wednesday, May 15 Meetings ASOSU House of Representatives, 7-8:30pm, MU 211. Weekly meeting.
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Native American Longhouse Eena Haws, Noon-3pm, MU Quad. 15th Annual Salmon Bake. A cultural celebration with traditionally cooked salmon, other free food, drumming, singing and dancing.
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Saturday, May 18 Pride Center, 10am-1pm, Finley Wildlife Refuge. Wildlife excursion. RSVP at Pride Center. International Health Club, 8am-5pm, Milam Auditorium 026. 3rd International Health Conference. Theme: Upstream Global Health. Breakfast and lunch provided.
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3•Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Editorial
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Warner Strausbaugh Managing Editor Jack Lammers News Editor Jackie Seus Photo Editor
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Telling jokes depends on content, context, audience
Lulu degrades E men, women he cell phone application, Lulu, is a disgrace. Let’s preface this editorial: The editorial staff is made up of men and women. As a gender, women have been fighting successfully for equal political, economic and social rights since the 19th century. Now that we’re in the 21st century, women in America have come a long way. Women can vote, earn a degree, work side-byside with men, join the U.S. military, own their own property and divorce a man. The list goes on. Feminists worked tirelessly to earn these rights. Lulu takes what feminists and women’s advocates worked so diligently toward — equality — and flushes it down the toilet. If there was a man’s version of Lulu, women would absolutely not stand for it. We can only imagine the male version would be proclaimed as belittling, degrading or insulting. We agree, it would be. But what, then, is Lulu? Anonymously “rating” men on aspects of their livelihood — like appearance, sex, manners — is not OK. Nor is it representative of equality. The argument that men can handle it, or that women “need” this app — in order to see if a guy is really as nice as he seems to be — is bogus. Though statistically men may not display feelings of insecurity or hurt as outwardly as women do, men are still subject to belittling, degrading or insulting ratings. Men might want to be tough, but they are still human. If women “need” this app to see if the man she is interested in is as charming as he seems, or isn’t a jerk like the last guy she hooked up with, then we suggest dating a different type of man. What happened to a woman being able to fend for herself? What happened to women arguing for a better world where people are not talked down to, where people are not subject to demeaning review or scrutiny? We know feminists were fighting for the repressed women of America, but shouldn’t equality extend to everyone? It seems the women who created this app, and those who use it, have forgotten how they arrived at this state in women’s history. It almost seems as if a women’s studies course might greatly benefit these women. It could be argued that Lulu does empower women by giving them the ability to rate men. To this we counter: The app might give women the upper hand, but it also berates men. The crude criteria women have to choose from to describe men is not fair. Even if Lulu wasn’t a degrading app, it would still be inaccurate. The anonymity might seem appealing for those who rate their Facebook male acquaintances, but it does not account for how that anonymity might be used to skew the ratings. If an angry hookup rates her one-
Editorial Board
van Gottlieb, associate professor of English at Oregon State University, believes humor can play a role in the classroom. “If I can engage students, and part of that engagement involves humor, then that’s all good,” Gottlieb said. Since the revival of the phrase, “That’s what she said,” first popularized by Mike Myers in the 1992 hit “Wayne’s World,” I find myself frequently applying those four words to virtually any conversation. Innuendos are everywhere. “The allure of the taboo is that what is socially unacceptable often exerts a kind of fascination, precisely because we know we’re not supposed to go there,” Gottlieb said. The groundbreaking psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud believed that an element of aggression is present in joking, by forcing someone to involuntarily think about sex through the description of a situation. With jokes, there are certain formulas that make them work. They often have a familiar set up, such as, “A man walks into a bar.” There is frequently repetition, as well as play on words. Patterns, making up the different genres of jokes, are usually followed by a surprising deviation from the predictable, and the punchline of a joke has to be unexpected, but it also must make sense. There is a shared “aha!” moment that unites the audience when the joke is fully understood. Without certain elements, jokes wouldn’t make sense or be funny. Humor is a powerful thing. Laughing is not easy when you’re having a bad day, but it’s often the best solution.
empathy, and an ability to ‘catch the vibe.’ So knowing your audience is a big part.” On the other hand, certain jokes But what makes certain jokes more can give you a level of social standing in certain groups. acceptable than others? “I’ve earned a lot of ‘bro’ points “The cutoff for jokes that involve race, religion or sexual orientation with my fraternity friends for telling comes a lot sooner than for sex, horrible jokes,” Kohlenberg said. The types of jokes taking place in because the potential for students to feel singled out or embarrassed is too and out of the classroom vary widely. “I think it’s really a matter of what great,” Gottlieb said when discusskind of rapport has ing his humor in the been established,” classroom. Gottlieb said. “There Humans are sexneeds to be a shared ual beings. Sex creJust because understanding that ates us, and almost a person finds the joke is taking everyone will have place in a perforan awful joke sex, in his or her mative — and not lifetime. Sex is an funny doesn’t literal — context, so all-inclusive topic, mean they’re an everyone is comfortwhereas subjects able. I’ve probably like race, religion awful person. offended students and orientation, to sometimes, but name a few, are sigKaitlyn Kohlenberg often in the humaninifiers of diversity. Freshman at Oregon State University ties [department], if They should be celyou’re not making a ebrated rather than few students uncomfortable, you’re mocked or torn down. Certain subjects, like violence, not doing your job right.” Professional humorists also strugthe death of children and any sort of sexual assault, should be avoided gle with context and appropriateas jokes altogether. They stop being ness. Comedian Daniel Tosh issued funny if you have a personal, or an apology last summer for a rape even removed, experience with the joke aimed at an audience member. Some fellow comedians came to his subject. It’s important to be aware of the defense, saying that comedy is a difcontext of a joking situation, as well ficult profession and he shouldn’t be judged for one act. as any unintended audience. Racial jokes can cause a lot of “Within the home, it’s fine,” said freshman Kaitlyn Kohlenberg. “In conflict in communities as diverse public, and when you’re in audible as OSU. Oftentimes, people forget distance of others, you’re telling a the word “white” didn’t always mean joke to make people laugh. It requires skin color. Before the 1900s, people
Aimee Wright
The Daily Barometer
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Aimee Wright is majoring in English. The opinions
expressed in her columns do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Barometer staff. Wright can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.
Harrison Pride
The Daily Barometer
Develop good reasons for morality G
ay penguin sex is immoral. See, arbitrary declarations of what is moral and what is immoral look ridiculously stupid. Stephen Lucas’ guest column in Monday’s issue of the Barometer was filled with half-baked moral arguments or ideas, which led me to scratch my head in a mixture of outrage, confusion and pity. Lucas regards homosexuality as immoral, but has no issues with homosexuality, or gay marriage, being legal. While I applaud Lucas on not forcing his morality on others, I really take issue with his arguments. Morality is a nebulous concept. It is a driving force in how we act and how we determine what is right and wrong. However, we can make judgments on moral codes. Lucas asked in a guest column, “Is any specific moral code more or less correct than others? Well, no. Not really.” Yes actually, there is. We can all see that a moral code that allows slavery or the moral code of a murderer is wrong. They are immoral for very specific, good reasons. Slavery is wrong because one person should not be able to own another, and force them to do things against their will. Murderers are wrong because no person has the right to take the life of another. Despite the nebulous nature of morality, we can use very definitive and concrete reasons to explain things. This is the issue with Lucas’ arguments. He never states any evidence, logic or reason for why he considers
See EDITORIAL | page 7
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Letters to the editor are welcomed and will be printed on a first-received basis. Letters must be 300 words or fewer and include the author’s signature, academic major, class standing or job title, department name and phone number. Authors of e-mailed letters will receive a reply for the purpose of verification. Letters are subject to editing for space and clarity. The Daily Barometer reserves the right to refuse publication of any submissions. The Daily Barometer c/o Letters to the editor Memorial Union East 106 Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331-1617 or e-mail: editor@dailybarometer.com
of Irish and Italian descent were in a group of their own, not categorized under the umbrella term “white.” Jews were also considered lesser, and, until the 1900s, were only allowed in certain small communities. Some stereotypes may exist for a reason, but they don’t always apply across the board. “If it seems like they’re judging an entire race based on the stereotypes that they are joking about, that’s one thing,” Kohlenberg said. “If they seem like they’re actually crossing the line and having racist ideas in their head, then that’s another.” Jokes based on gender can cause a lot of harm as well. Men’s bathrooms are littered with misogynistic and homophobic graffiti, according to Gottlieb. “People use their anonymity to express themselves in ways they wouldn’t feel comfortable with if they had to be held accountable,” Gottlieb said. He refers to bathroom graffiti as the “old-fashioned form of the Internet troll. It’s an outlet, and a place where one doesn’t have a lot of responsibility. “You can be really disturbed by it, or you can think, ‘better to get it out that way than act on it in a way that could be really harmful,’” Gottlieb siad. For those that laugh at the jokes some people find offensive, Kohlenberg says, “Just because a person finds an awful joke funny doesn’t mean they’re an awful person.”
Ryan Mason is a sophomore in graphic design.
See PRIDE | page 7
4• Tuesday, May 7, 2013
sports@dailybarometer.com •
WHO IS THE F 1
JORDAN POYER
8 MARTIN FORDE 5
ERIC MORELAND
?
4 TAYLOR MEEKS 6 SEAN MANNION/CODY VAZ 3
JOE BURTON
7
KHIRY SHELTON
2
MICHAEL CONFORTO
1
MARKUS WHEATON
8 NICK SHERWOOD 5
SCOTT SAKAGUCHI
ABOU COMPET
The Barometer sports Who is the face o
There are the obvious cho sports — football, men’s ba the answer to that question
We decided to make this into who truly is the face of the B
4 TYLER SMITH 6 3
MATT BOYD
BRANDIN COOKS
7
JOSH SMITH/OBUM GWACHAM
2
ROBERTO NELSON
The field of candidates is a We seeded the athletes ourse array of people to determin since everyone loves filling would be the best way to fin
Here’s what you The Field • At least one athlete from every sport is included • Any athlete who played at OSU this school year was considered, though some (like Emery Welshman) were left out of the field because they’re no longer in Corvallis • Athletes who missed most or all of their season due to an injury were not considered Criteria The primary thing we based the seeds on was each athlete’s individual athletic achievements, but that was not the only thing taken into consideration. We want this to be an “all-around” honor, so we considered various other factors, such as popularity, how recognizable and likeable they are around campus, versatility with other sports (two-sport athletes) and success in the classroom. When it’s time to vote on a matchup, we will feature it in the Daily Barometer and provide an explanation as to why each athlete got that seed.
To vote, go to dailybarometer.com and vote on our polls, or our Facebook page: facebo
• On Twitter @barosports
Tuesday, May 7, 2013 • 5
FACE OF OSU?
?
UT THE TITION:
MAKAYLA STAMBAUGH
1
ANNA TAYLOR
8
SAMMY HARRISON
5
MOLLEE SCHWEGLER
4
SARA ALMEN/STEPHANIE McGREGOR
6
LIZ SANTANA
3
KINSEY GOMEZ
7
JENNA RICHARDSON
2
JAMIE WEISNER
1
ANICA YOO
8
BRITTANY HARRIS
5
JACY DROBNEY
4
DANI GILMORE
6
CAMILLE SAXTON
3
NATALIE MEIGGS/MORGAN KENNEDY
7
KELSI BLALOCK
2
s staff had a question: of OSU athletics?
oices from the three major asketball and baseball — but didn’t come right away.
o a tournament to determine Beavers right now.
at 36 — 18 men, 18 women. elves, but we wanted a wide ne who the winner is. And out brackets, we thought it nd our answer.
u need to know: Voting The voting is broken down into thirds: • 1/3 fan vote — on the Barometer website and the Facebook page • 1/3 athlete vote — two representatives from each sport who aren’t in the field • 1/3 media vote — media members of different news outlets who cover OSU athletics (See Page 6 for a list of all media and athlete voters) Matchups will be featured, complete with breakdowns, in the Barometer sports section every Wednesday and Thursday, starting this week and lasting until the end of dead week. Results of the previous week’s voting will appear on the updated bracket on Tuesdays, and the winner will be announced during dead week. Online voting opens the day the matchups are featured, and closes at midnight that night (except for the play-in round).
ook.com/DailyBarometer. Voting for the play-in round closes at 5 p.m. Tuesday night.
6• Tuesday, May 7, 2013
sports@dailybarometer.com • On Twitter @barosports
Play-in round The tournament starts today with four play-in games. The athletes chosen for the play-in games are chosen for different reasons than just athletic achievements. They’re the wild cards, and the specific matchups were chosen for a reason.
To vote: dailybarometer.com or facebook.com/DailyBarometer. Voting for the play-in round closes at 5 p.m. this evening.
WHO IS THE FACE OF OSU? 7. Natalie Meiggs | Women’s Soccer | RS Freshman Midfielder Credentials: • Appeared in 19 matches for OSU last season, starting nine • Received votes for OSU’s “most desirable bacheloretteâ€? • Very popular on social media (484 Twitter followers, 1,032 Instagram followers) Why she’s a 7-seed: Meiggs’ social media stats speak to her popularity. A frequent recipient of “Tweet of the Dayâ€? in the Barometer sports section, the Clackamas native is one of the most recognizable athletes at OSU. By placing her in the play-in game, we’re giving those who voted her for “most desirable bacheloretteâ€? the chance to vote her into the field of 32.
7. Morgan Kennedy | Women’s Soccer | Junior Defender
VS.
6. Stephanie McGregor | Gymnastics | Senior
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Credentials: • One of three OSU players to start all 20 games last season • Received votes for OSU’s “most desirable bacheloretteâ€? • Fairly popular on social media (341 Twitter followers, 417 Instagram followers) Why she’s a 7-seed: Much like her roommate Meiggs, Kennedy is included in the field because she’s, well, popular. But she’s no slouch on the field, as she’s developed into the staple of the Beavers’ backline since transferring to OSU from UNC-Greensboro in 2011. 6. Sara Almen | Volleyball/Track | Freshman
Credentials: • Competed in 53 career meets • Three-time Pac-10/12 All-Academic First Team • Recipient of an NCAA postgraduate scholarship • Took part in 2012 Beavers Without Borders trip to Ethiopia Why she’s a 6-seed: After suffering a torn Achilles in 2012, McGregor was voted the team’s “most inspirationalâ€? gymnast in 2013. But it’s what she does in the classroom that gets her in the bracket. A bioengineering major in OSU’s Honors College, McGregor may be OSU’s most acclaimed student-athlete.
Credentials: • Volleyball: Played in 23 of OSU’s 32 matches, starting nine • Track: Qualified for NCAA Regionals with a high jump of 5-10 • Former two-sport standout at nearby Santiam Christian High School
7. Josh Smith | Men’s Soccer | Junior Midfielder
7. Obum Gwacham | Football | Sophomore Wide Receiver Credentials: ¡ Appeared in 25 career games ¡ Two-sport athlete, competing for the track team from 2010-12 ¡ Will co-MC “The Bennysâ€? alongside his play-in game opponent, Josh Smith Why he’s a 7-seed: Gwacham isn’t as distinguishable as Wheaton and Cooks on the field, but his versatility and overall athleticism gets him in the bracket. He’s won multiple first-places finishes in high jump in the last three years. Gwacham also entered spring football camp as the starting split end on the depth chart.
VS.
Why he’s a 6-seed: Although he’s been the starting quarterback for most games in the last two years, Mannion lost his starting job to Cody Vaz after throwing four picks against UW on Oct. 27, 2012. Mannion was at the helm for OSU’s 4-0 start before undergoing surgery on a torn meniscus in his knee.
Credentials: ¡ Appeared in 41 career games ¡ Chemical engineer with a 4.0 GPA ¡ First Team Pac-12 All-Academic in 2011 and 2012 ¡ Will co-MC “The Bennysâ€? alongside his play-in game opponent, Obum Gwacham Why he’s a 7-seed: For a guy who’s only taken seven shots in his soccer career, it may come as a surprise that Smith made the cut. Beyond his academic achievements, Smith plans to run track next year, may run for ASOSU president and was voted “most desirable bachelorâ€? in the Barometer’s Valentine’s Day issue.
6. Sean Mannion | Football | Sophomore quarterback Credentials: ¡ 18 career starts at quarterback ¡ 5,774 passing yards and 31 touchdowns in two years ¡ Currently in a competition for starting quarterback with Cody Vaz
Why she’s a 6-seed: A six-seed might be selling Almen a bit short considering what she could become if she continues to both high jump and play volleyball at OSU, but she’s not too well known — yet. We suspect that will change, because the 6-foot-3 local product has the look of a future legitimate two-sport star.
VS.
6. Cody Vaz | Football | Junior quarterback Credentials: ¡ 5 career starts at quarterback ¡ 1,480 passing yards and 11:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 2012 ¡ Currently in a competition for starting quarterback with Sean Mannion
VS.
Why he’s a 6-seed: Vaz started his first career game on Oct. 13, 2012 against BYU, and threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns. He replaced a healthy Mannion in the seventh game of the season and started three more games the rest of the year, including the Alamo Bowl.
Voting breakdown Athletes
@Thedailybarometer
1. Josh Andrews, football 2. Devon Kell, football 3. Ryan Barnes, baseball 4. Dylan Davis, baseball 5. Angus Brandt, men’s basketball 6. Daniel Gomis, men’s basketball 7. Will Seymore, men’s soccer 8. Matt Bersano, men’s soccer 9. Pat Rollins, wrestling 10. Drew Van Anrooy, wrestling 11. David Fink, men’s golf 12. Scott Kim, men’s golf 13. Justyne Freud, women’s soccer 14. Erin Uchacz, women’s soccer 15. Haley Clarke, volleyball 16. Allie Rogers, volleyball
Media
17. Thais Pinto, women’s basketball 18. Quortni Fambro, women’s basketball 19. Chelsea Tang, gymnastics 20. Erika Aufiero, gymnastics 21. Ocean Trail, swimming 22. Erica Brannon, swimming 23. Maggie Doremus, softball 24. Bailee Niehus, softball 25. Emily Wheeler, track 26. Whitney Pitman, track 27. Lauren Fischer, women’s golf 28. Melissa Gibbons, women’s golf 29. Gillian Cooper, women’s rowing 30. Elizabeth Lewis, women’s rowing 31. TBA, men’s rowing 32. TBA, men’s rowing
1. Lindsay Schnell, Oregonian 2. Ken Goe, Oregonian 3. Stephen Nelson, KEZI 4. Brandon Sprague, 1080 The Fan 5. Cliff Kirkpatrick, Gazette-Times
YOU Go to the dailybarometer.com or facebook.com/DailyBarometer to vote on each day’s matchups. Polls will be open until midnight on the day of the matchup.
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Tuesday, May 7, 2013 • 7
PRIDE n Continued from page 3
EDITORIAL n Continued from page 3
world, and is as natural as heterosexuality. Additionally, your sexual orientation is not a choice, much like the color of your skin. In homosexuality immoral. The only real per- order for something to be a moral choice, a sonal opinion I found in his piece was pros- person has to actually make a choice, and titution and polygamy are immoral because we can’t choose who we love or what gets our people “would cringe at such ideas as being rocks off. flat out wrong.� You may also find gay sex icky. Gay sex If what makes us cringe is a basis of morality, is just the same as straight sex, with the then the column you wrote is one of the most exception of penile-vaginal intercourse. This immoral things I have ever read. Your argu- means a whole world of sexual activities, ment is not immoral, however, it is just bad. many of which straight people enjoy as Yes, our morality is relative and subjective, well. Additionally, homosexuality is not just but we use reason to explain why we believe about sex, it is about love. For that reason what we do. You stated you love alone, homosexuality is gay people, and homosexuality worthy of respect and causes no harm to others, but it admiration. is still immoral. I can only spec- People are equal, their So what are your reaulate on what reasons Lucas opinions are not. The sons, Lucas? For all of bases his morality on since he your talk that all opintrue equality of never explains so in his writing, ions have worth and value, opinions is the but allow me to try some blind you didn’t actually give an stabs in the dark. deployment of reason, opinion in the first place. You may consider homodiscussion, review and Sure, you made a statesexuality immoral because but it lacked eviintrospection to try ment, an authority figure, such as dence, and, more impora parent, priest or the deity and capture the most tantly, it lacked reason. It you worship, said homosexuaccurate worldview. does not matter if you’re a ality is immoral. An appeal to straight, Christian, repubauthority is a horrible basis for lican, NRA member or morality. You should not place any permutation thereof. something as valuable as your Anyone could have said what you have said, moral compass in the hands of another per- and I would be telling them the exact same son. Furthermore, what makes this authority thing. figure decide what is right and wrong in the You spoke of the “the need to work on: [an] first place? Are they arbitrarily deciding what is right and wrong, such as my arbitrary equality of opinion.� I will protect your right to decision to make gay penguin sex immoral? say anything you want, but by God and sunny Then this is not a moral argument, this is a Jesus, if it is stupid and ridiculous, I will call it such. I do not have any obligation to respect it. metaphorical dice roll. Alternatively, does this authority figure Likewise, you are under no obligation, socially consider something right or wrong because or morally, to respect my views. they consider the intrinsic nature of the probPeople are equal, their opinions are not. The lem, and apply reason, logic and empathy to true equality of opinion is the deployment reach a conclusion? Then the very tools your of reason, discussion, review and introspecauthority figure uses to make a moral decision tion to try and capture the most accurate are available to you, and you should grab said worldview, and to utilize that worldview to tools and start thinking for yourself. put forth the most compassionate solution Perhaps you think homosexuality is immor- to improve it. al because it is “cringe-worthy.� Aside from this t being a preposterous reason to place morality Harrison Pride is a senior in microbiology. The opinions expressed in on, it is close-minded. Homosexuality exists his columns do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Barometer in hundreds of animal species all over the staff. Pride can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.
night stand after a week of not hearing back from him, we doubt she’d calmly assess the situation, performance and overall mannerisms of her date. If a girlfriend rates her boyfriend, how could she not skew the ratings to show she wouldn’t date anyone below a 10? Plus, if you’re in a committed relationship, then why the heck would you be putting your boyfriend’s rating on Lulu? If a disgruntled ex-girlfriend rates her ex-boyfriend — which might be considered a poor form of catharsis — the rates would still be skewed, in this case, negatively. Then there are the friends. Women who are rating their friends are naturally going to reinforce more positive feedback and hashtag descriptors. Why else would they be rating their friends? Plus, it’s not difficult to create an alternate, female Facebook page. If men really cared that much, they could use this alternate profile to excessively boost their rating. A man could also use this profile to skew his friends’ results — positively or negatively — depending on how he feels that day. After experimenting with the app, without ever saving a rating, we agree it should not be used. Stop rating men on Lulu.
‘‘
Editorials serve as means for Barometer editors to offer commentary and opinions on issues both global and local, grand in scale or diminutive. The views expressed here are a reflection of the editorial board’s majority.
‘‘
t
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8 • 7–9 P.M.
Queer, Undocumented,
and Unafraid
This event will focus on the intersecting identities of being both undocumented and queer. Our featured guest speaker, Javier Hernandez, will discuss the obstacles that he had to overcome, and how multiple communities can come together for social justice.
Free refreshments provided.
Sponsored by the Meso American Student Association For accommodation requests related to abilities, contact Diversity Development. 541-737-6341.
INTERNATIONAL LEARNING CENTER 155 ARE YOU IN RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL OR DRUG ADDICTION? Play a role in shaping a new campus recovery program for OSU students.
Student Recovery Community To get involved and have a voice in the process, please contact Robert Reff, Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator, at 541-737-7564 or robert.reff@oregonstate.edu.
The College Recovery Community respects students’ desire for privacy. Send us your anonymous feedback online at studenthealth.oregonstate.edu/recovery.
Classifieds Help Wanted
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APARTMENT MANAGER‌This is an ideal position for an upper division or graduate OSU student couple interested in Real Estate, management and leadership. Our Managers receive free rent and bonuses in exchange for resident management responsibilities. The majority of the work is during the summer, showing and leasing apartments. We train and no prior experience is required, but we do rely on excellent references and academic work. if you are interested in more information, please contact us thru our web site www.iriproperties.com or call Glen at 541-908-2924.
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Buyer Beware The Oregon State University Daily Barometer assumes no liability for ad content or response. Ads that appear too good to be true, probably are. Respond at your own risk.
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Yesterday’s Solution
8• Tuesday, May 7, 2013
news@dailybarometer.com • 737-2231
911 call — ‘I’ve been kidnapped!’ — cops find 3 women missing for years
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(CNN) — Amanda Berry was last seen after finishing her shift at a Burger King in Cleveland in 2003. It was the eve of her 17th birthday. Georgina “Gina” DeJesus disappeared nearly a year later, in April 2004. She was 14. Michele Knight vanished in 2002, at age 21, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper. Al three were found alive in a home in a Cleveland neighborhood Monday night, police announced in a development hailed as a miracle by their families. “Help me, I am Amanda Berry,” Berry told police in a frantic 911 call from a neighbor’s house. “I’ve been kidnapped and I’ve been missing for 10 years. And I’m here, I’m free now.” Police swiftly moved in on the house where the three of them said they had been and arrested a 52-year-old man, identified as a former school bus driver. Two others, identified as his brothers, ages 50 and 54, also have been arrested, Deputy Police Chief Ed Tomba told reporters late Monday. Police believe only the middle brother lived at the home, he said. The men are being held in the city jail awaiting charges. An FBI team is collecting evidence in the house. “This is a great, great outcome that we have them still with us,” Tomba said. “It’s just truly, truly amazing and it’s a blessing to the community and to the members of the police
department and their families that they’re alive. I can’t tell you how happy we are.” Those feelings were echoed at Cleveland’s Metro Health Medical Center where the three women and a fourth person were being treated. “This isn’t the ending we usually hear to these stories, so we’re very happy,” said Dr. Gerald Maloney, an emergency room physician there. We’re very happy for them.” The three women were in fair condition. Maloney would not identify the fourth person being seen at the hospital, but witnesses said Berry, who escaped from the house with the help of a neighbor, had a young child with her. “They were crazy, screaming, ‘Help, call police, please help.’ ... They were desperate, crying, running,” said Angela Garcia, whose aunt provided the phone for them to call police. Another 911 call came in less than a minute later from a man who saw Berry busting out of the house. “She’s like, ‘This (expletive) kidnapped me and my daughter,’” Charles Ramsey told 911. DeJesus’s mother, Nancy, met with her at the hospital, cousin Sylvia Colon, told CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight.” She had never given up hope of finding her daughter alive. “She has always said that she just could feel it, a link a mom can feel, but she always believed Gina was alive and well,” Colon said. “She always believed that. I just want to say
what a phenomenal Mother’s Day gift she gets this Mother’s Day.” Brian Cummins, a councilman who represents the area where the women were found, identified the suspect in whose home the women were found as Ariel Castro. His uncle, Julio Castro, told CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” that his family had grown up in the same west Cleveland neighborhood and knew the DeJesus family. Castro used to work as a bus driver for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, according to district spokeswoman Roseann Canfora. She did not have specifics Monday night on how long he was employed, when he left, or whether he was fired or left voluntarily. Ramsey, the neighbor who helped Berry and a child out of the house, told reporters the suspect wasn’t known for anything exciting — “until today.” “We see this dude every day. I’ve been here a year. I barbecued with this dude. We eat ribs and listen to salsa music,” Ramsey said. And Garcia said neighbors “never saw nothing suspicious.” “We never saw the girls there and we were always outside,” she said. “We only saw the guy.” Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said there were “many unanswered questions regarding this case, and the investigation will be ongoing.” But he added, “I am thankful that these three young ladies are found and alive.”
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