The Daily Ttian - March 7, 2012

March 7, 2012

Vol. 91 Issue 20

OC Music Awards The 11th Annual OC Music Awards held at the Grove in Anaheim drew in a crowd. See which popular bands won awards.

Watch the Daily Titan News in 3

ONLINE

Scan to view Get upEXCLUSIVES to-date coverage on dailytitan.com/?p=52113 top campus news stories.

dailytitan. com/?p=52116

Scan to view

dailytitan.com The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

Discontent voiced in Sacramento

MARCH FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

Thousands of students and faculty gathered around the state Capitol to protest recent tuition fee increases ANDREA AYALA Daily Titan

In an effort to draw attention to the tuition hikes that have been affecting public education institutions in California for the past few years, thousands rallied around the state Capitol in Sacramento Monday to protes.

Representatives of all sectors of public education, primarily students, were organized by the California State Student Association (CSSA), the Student Senate of California Community Colleges (SSCCC) and the University of California Student Association (UCSA).

The gathering included a representative population of students from California Community Colleges as well as students of the California State University and University of California campuses.

Many students took time away from work and school schedules to make their voices heard.

Donnie Bessom, 27, a political science graduate student at Cal State Long Beach, said he went to his campus Associated Students, Inc. and asked for a bus to go to Sacramento because he believes in “strength in numbers.”

The protest began at approximately 10 a.m. and included a walk down Capitol Mall towards the state Capitol building.

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and thousands of students protested the budget cuts at the state Capitol. Photos by William Camargo (top and bottom left) and David Le (top and bottom right).

CAMPUS | Open communication

A letter to the new CSUF president A workshop is held to brainstorm common concerns among students COLIN PENKOFF Daily Titan

Students from We! Alternative Voices for an Alternative Future gathered Tuesday night to discuss the content of a letter that would be addressed to Cal State Fullerton’s new president, Mildred Garcia, Ed.D. Among the students’ concerns were rising student fees, increased administration salaries, free speech on campus and the legacy of the university’s prestige.

In administration meetings she has spoken in, Garcia has said she maintains open communication with students. We! wants to take advantage of the opportunity she has given students and contact her to make her aware of the various concerns to see if she will address them.

Garrett York, a psychology major, said the administration has been phrasing the problem with rising fees as “caused by the legislature,” and the legislature has not funded the CSU system as it should have.

“I’d like to see a president who is willing to sacrifice her salary alongside the faculty and tuition increases toward the students when the next round of budget cuts come instead of having everyone but the administration suffer for it,” said York.

Lex Deschuytter, a history major who wants to see the prestige of the college maintained, is against privatization of the university.

“In some literature, we’ve been referred to, as students, as human capital; I take offense to that,” said Deschuytter.

He would like to put some sort of student voice in the Board of Trustees to enforce democracy in the institution that runs the campus.

“Happiness is down, prices are up,” Deschuytter said.

Jaime Wharton, a graduate student of history, wants to remind Garcia that there are CSUF students who know what is going on in the CSU and the issues on the Cal State Fullerton campus. She said the library hours do not extend far enough into the evening. It closes at 9 p.m.

Mondays through Thursdays, and when she gets out of class at 10 p.m. she is limited on resources to use for homework.

Wharton also said she feels students’ rights are violated when the campus imposes free speech zones and a free speech hour. However, the campus allows outspoken religious preachers to come onto campus and tell people they are going to hell, which can be offensive to some.

See LETTER, page 3 Contact Us at dtnewsdesk@gmail.com

See PROTEST, page 3

STATE | Escalating costs

California gas prices continue to skyrocket Californians are looking for alternatives in response to the recent rising costs of gas prices MEGA SUGIANTO For the Daily Titan

Gas prices have climbed for the seventh consecutive week; the average price per gallon of regular unleaded gas in California is now at $4.358 as of Monday, according to the California Energy Commission (CEC) website.

The price per gallon has climbed 6.6 cents since last week and 72 cents since January, according to the CEC website.

As the prices continue to rise, some analysts have said the price of gas in California could near $5 per gallon and $4.50 nationally, according to the Los

Angeles Times.

Others don’t foresee the prices climbing over the 2008 records of $4.588 a gallon in California and $4.114 nationally, according to the article.

The rise in gas prices is affecting students at Cal State Fullerton, which is known as a commuter school.

Carlin Castellano, a musical theatre major, said although her parents support her financially, “I have to really watch and be aware of what I spend my money (on) … I have to make sure to save money for gas, and I bring a lot of my food with me. I don’t go out to eat a lot so I can be frugal with my money and make sure that I’m spending it wisely.”

Another student, Michelle Gomez, who works at Titan Shops Bookstore is contemplating quitting her second job to decrease her time of commuting and driving.

“In a week, I drive a lot … I live in Garden Grove so I commute, and I have another job in Orange so I have to commute there also,” she said.

Larry Howard, Ph.D., an economics professor at CSUF, is fully aware of the increase in gas prices and how it is affecting low-income workers and students.

Howard said oil prices are based on the basic economics of supply and demand, and after considering the amount of the consumption and pollution exuded, the United States is paying less than other countries.

“Even at these high rates … they’re still very low relative to other advanced countries,” Howard said.

“I probably should have been paying $5 for the last five years now, per gallon.”

See GAS PRICES, page 3

NATIONAL | Republican primary

Super Tuesday brings victory for Romney Ohio voters decides the outcome of tight GOP candidate race MICHAEL MUNOZ Daily Titan

Mitt Romney is the clear favorite candidate to obtain the Republican Party presidential nomination after winning six states in the Super Tuesday primary sweepstakes.

Rick Santorum, another GOP presidential hopeful, is still hanging on to possible contention after winning three states. The winner of the party’s primaries will face President Barack Obama in November.

The night began heavily favoring Romney, who easily took Vermont, Massachusetts and Virginia. Romney comfortably won the latter state because he was only up against Ron Paul. Because Santorum and Gingrich were not on the ballot, Romney was able to receive the majority of the

vote: 59.5 percent.

However, Santorum fought back by winning primaries for Tennessee, Oklahoma and North Dakota.

All eyes were on the Buckeye State, as Ohio had the tightest race from all the other GOP primary races. The polls went back and forth between Romney and Santorum, hanging in the balance the state would break the tie between the two candidates. In a slight margin, Romney edged out Santorum, 38 percent to 37 percent of the majority votes.

Romney also went on to win Idaho and Alaska.

Newt Gingrich, with a home-state advantage, won the Georgia GOP primary with a majority of about 47 percent over his Republican rivals.

Georgia was Gingrich’s only victory of the day.

Yashar Sahaleh, 23, a political science major, said although Super Tuesday was thought to give a clear winner, it’s just another step in a long process.

Courtesy of MCT GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum wins Tennessee, Oklahoma and North Dakota during the Republican primary, but still falls short to rival candidate Mitt Romney who won six states.

“I think Gingrich might drop out if he doesn’t receive anything, but I don’t think so. There’s a lot to go between (Romney and Santorum). They are going to still fight it out,” said Sahaleh.

Sahaleh also believes the reason why Romney isn’t connecting with voters is his track record on key issues.

“A lot of people think he flip-flops from side to side,” Sahaleh said. “He said some stuff that might have hurt him and let (Santorum) come ahead.”

Even though Romney didn’t win as many states as he expected to win, Matthew Jarvis, assistant professor of political science, believes that Romney will still win the overall Republican Party nomination. Jarvis makes this projection based on how the overall Republican Party has reacted to Santorum’s previous victories.

See TUESDAY, page 2

2

March 7, 2012

NEWS

TUESDAY: Day of primaries bodes well for Romney, who leads with 407 delegates ...Continued from page 1 “If Romney doesn’t do well tonight, Santorum will have legs to keep fighting for a bit, at least media will cover him. If Romney does OK tonight, not even great, just OK tonight, the delegate math is just going to mean Santorum can’t possibly (catch up),” said Jarvis.

“It’s not just the delegate math; after Santorum won those three primaries two weeks ago, nobody came out and endorsed him. Nobody in the (Republican) Party has come out and said, ‘I want Rick Santorum.’”

“Romney has all the money, he’s got the polling support, and he’s got elite support

behind him with endorsements and stuff,” continued Jarvis. “The simple truth is when Gingrich had his spike in the polls … you saw everybody who ever worked with Newt Gingrich, (like) Bob Dole, come out and (were) like, ‘Really?’... He’s just unacceptable to the party elite. Santorum has made a couple good spikes in the polls and nobody has been interested; nobody has bitten on that apple.

They’re just not interested in Santorum, even if they are not actively opposed to him (like) Newt Gingrich.”

Another factor that might benefit Romney is the delegate math behind the primary election.

With a mixture of caucuses and primaries, there is no win or lose scenario. Many of the states

have moved to having a proportional system in which each candidate would receive some number of delegates, regardless of whether or not they lose the state primary.

“It’s a bit of a hodgepodge, but it’s certainly not this Electoral College winner-take-all, ‘Who got the most votes?,’ easy-to-predict thing that a lot of people tend to treat it as. It’s nowhere close to that,” Jarvis said. “It’s a delegate sort of thing and Mitt Romney is going to come out tonight … with a little over half the delegates.”

Post-Super Tuesday, Romney has 407 delegates compared to Santorum’s 169 delegates.

Ryan Garant, 19, a business administration major, said he hopes Romney will secure the nomination.

“Romney has a good set of ideals and belief system similar to my religious beliefs, so in that I feel that he knows where he’s going to take this country and he has a clear vision in that people can relate to,” said Garant.

Jarvis also said if Obama’s approval ratings continue to go up and the economy continues to improve, the Republican Party doesn’t have a shot in November. However, Jarvis does believe if the economy gets worse, anybody who comes out with the Republican nomination has as chance against the incumbent president.

Candidates need 1,144 delegates to secure the Republican Party nomination and face off against Obama in November. The California primary election will be held June 5.

Model UN team prepares for New York CSUF team of 18 will compete using real-world scenarios EZEKIEL HERNANDEZ Daily Titan

The Cal State Fullerton Model United Nations delegation is back in Southern California after its conference at Harvard, and is preparing for the U.N. conference next month in New York City.

Every year, the club attends Model U.N. events that give students a chance to grasp and recreate the inner-workings of the real-life 193-member council.

Conferences are held throughout the United States as well as internationally.

The club is made up of 18 CSUF students from a variety of majors.

Choudhury Shamim, Ph.D., a political science professor at CSUF, has been the club’s adviser since 1990. Before coming to Fullerton, Shamim served as an ambassador to the U.N. from Bangladesh, and while working on his Ph.D., he coordinated the Model U.N. delegation at University of Southern California.

“Cal State Fullerton has been going to New York for the National Model U.N. Conference,” said Shamim, “I’ve had students

FOR THE RECORD It is Daily Titan policy to correct factual errors printed in the publication. Corrections will be published on the subsequent issue after an error is discovered and will appear on page 2. Errors on the Opinion page will be corrected on that page. Corrections will also be made to the online version of the article.

Please contact Editor-in-Chief Michelle Wiebach at 657-278-5815 or at dteditorinchief@gmail.com with issues about this policy or to report any errors.

from the theatre department, the engineering department and computer science.”

Over the past several years, Model U.N. conferences have become increasingly popular with college students all over the world. Today, more than half of the delegates who attend the New York conference are international students.

“Since 1990, it has expanded so much that there are now 5,000 students involved. Of these 5,000, more than half come from the rest of the world,” Shamim said.

Shamim said the conferences are giving CSUF students the opportunity to interact with other students from all over the world.

“We met students from Italy.

Schools in Germany, Russia and Venezuela had a very big presence there as well,” said Danny Gavilanes, president of the CSUF delegation.

Gavilanes has participated in Model U.N. events throughout his career as a student and is now working on his teaching internship as a faculty adviser for the club.

Shamim shares his extensive

experience with his students to prepare them for the conferences.

In 1979, he was a diplomat in the U.N. during a volatile time in world affairs.

“The Soviet Union had invaded Afghanistan in 1979, so I was involved with trying to get Soviet troops out of Afghanistan,” Shamim said. “There was this attempt to have a resolution.”

Shamim also served on the Committee on Disarmament in the U.N. He said the world’s only superpowers, the Soviet Union and the United States, were the only countries with nuclear stockpiles, so there was intense international pressure applied on these countries.

That year, the U.S. and the Soviet Union reached a bilateral agreement to reduce their nuclear arsenals.

At Model U.N., the student delegates must study real-world policies of the countries they are assigned, and then mirror those policies when drafting resolutions with their colleagues from other delegations.

Gavilanes said the ultimate goal of the Model U.N. is to pass

unanimous decisions by resolution.

“You basically make an alignment with different countries so that you can get a voting bloc,” said Paul Rosentrater, a political science major and CSUF delegate on the Model U.N. delegation.

CSUF was assigned to represent the small island of Malta at the Harvard conference. Rosentrater said it’s hard to get resolutions passed by such a small country, so the trick is to find co-signers from the bigger countries. He said he was able to get Britain and France to adopt some of his resolutions on universal education.

“Britain used to occupy Malta, so we were close,” Rosentrater said.

Gavilanes feels this year’s club is talented and well-prepared for New York.

“We seem to excel at a continual basis,” Gavilanes said. “There’s somewhat of a cohesiveness that I didn’t see the year before last when I was involved in it. We have kids on our roster this year that have an impeccable ability to take charge of a room, and their speaking skills are quite good.”

Sinkhole hinders Fullerton traffic Editorial Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor News Editor News Assistant News Assistant News Assistant Features Editor Features Assistant Detour Editor Detour Assistant Opinion Editor Opinion Assistant Sports Editor Sports Editor Sports Assistant Sports Assistant Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Assistant Photo Editor Photo Editor Photo Assistant Photo Assistant Photo Assistant Layout Editor Layout Editor Layout Assistant Multimedia Editor Multimedia Editor Multimedia Editor Multimedia Assistant Multimedia Assistant Multimedia Assistant Web Editor Webmaster Adviser Main Line (657) 278-5815 News Line (657) 278-4415

Michelle Wiebach Gilbert Gonzalez Maribel Castañeda Ian Wheeler Lance Morgan Yvette Quintero Sean Viele Joey Becerra Andrea Ayala Jaryd Lucero Stephanie Mercado Charlotte Knight Amber Stephens Rick Gomez Clark Pagaduan Blake Fogg Greg Woodson Nuran Alteir Gillian Hadland Danny Chau William Camargo Anibal Ortiz Robert Huskey Camille Tarazon Allan Xu Alvan Ung Mike White Vanessa Martinez Marlena Coelho-Sousae Joseph McHale Cara Seo Erinn Grotefend Zachary Romo Jose Chamu Santana Susana Cobo David McLaren Holly Rizzo Editorial Fax (657) 278-2702 E-mail: dteditorinchief@gmail.com

Advertising Director of Advertising Asst. Director of Advertising &/AE National Sales & Promotions Asst. National Sales & Promotions Production Assistant Production Assistant Account Executive Account Executive Account Executive Account Executive Account Executive Account Executive Adviser Main Line (657) 278-3373 Advertising (657) 278-4411

Amber VanOrman Amanda Fessenden Daniel Zamilpa Jerry Kou Liz Hernandez Tiffany Le Director of Advertising Advertising Director Eric Van Asst.

Raalte Cindy Ang Production Assistant Production Assistant Sepideh Nia National Sales & Promotions Kimiya Enshaian Classifieds Manager Una Korac Senior Account Executive Jessica MartinezAccount Executive

Account Executive Account Executive Account Executive Account Executive Editorial Fax (657) 278-2702 Account Executive E-mail: ads@dailytitan.com Webmaster Distribution Business Manager/Adviser Robert Sage

The Daily Titan is a student publication, printed every Monday through Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSU. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. The Daily Titan allocates one issue to each student for free.

Contact Us at dtnewsdesk@gmail.com

City estimates pipe construction will take about two weeks SHEILA DEL CID Daily Titan

A section of road where a sinkhole formed near Gilbert Street on Rosecrans Avenue in Fullerton is currently undergoing construction and repair.

Late last week, police and fire officials were notified about the 10 to 15-foot sinkhole after three motorists’ vehicles received damage.

“Actually, the actual hole in the asphalt itself is only about a 3-by-3 area,” said Ron Bowers, senior civil engineer for the city of Fullerton.

“When we looked into the hole, we can see an area about 3 feet deep and 10 feet long that the dirt had sunk.”

Sinkholes can be confused with potholes. A pothole is a surface failure of the asphalt and moisture underneath the soil. Moisture, like rain, seeps into the subgrade and the asphalt will pop out, creating a hole.

Bowers said a sinkhole can be caused by dirt going somewhere into a pipe and forming emptiness underneath the asphalt, which gets bigger and bigger over time. If more dirt goes into a pipe, the road above will eventually collapse.

“The metal pipe deteriorated over time and found some holes in it; that is what happens,” Bowers said. “The dirt gets up in the pipe and increases a void underneath the asphalt.”

While the city’s Maintenance Services Department worked, a section of Rosecrans was shut down,

ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan Sinkhole damage at a section of Rosecrans Avenue near Gilbert Street in Fullerton prompted the repair of a 50-year-old drain pipe, which will cost about $54,000.

causing congestion for Fullerton and neighboring cities.

With one lane open westbound on Rosecrans, Cal State Fullerton business major Faye Priddy, who frequently uses the street, said the closure has impacted her commute.

“I drive up Rosecrans for school and the traffic is so unpredictable because of the lane closures,” she said.

“It usually takes me 20 to 30 minutes to get to school from my house. On multiple occasions, it has taken me up to an hour to get to school.”

According to a press release, the plan is to remove two storm-drain pipes and replace them with two reinforced concrete pipes, which will cost approximately $54,000, including the asphalt pavement on the damaged area.

A video inspection was done by city engineers who located the 50-year-old drain pipe. They established that the metal pipe had decayed, causing the surface of the roadway to fall. It was determined that there was too much damage to replace only one section, so the entire drain pipe needs to be replaced.

“All drains should be yearly checked; however, it all varies from city to city and county by county,” said Humberto Rodriguez, a Hillrise

Development and Construction employee. “Due to insufficient allowance or lack of man power, some areas may not be checked at all.

In some cases, only high-use areas are checked yearly and usually other areas that aren’t that common may never be checked.”

Construction is estimated to take about two weeks. Rosecrans Avenue will be open with one lane in each direction during construction, which began Friday. Construction will take place between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, and between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekends.

“It makes me want to find another route to school,” Priddy said. “I definitely think (the sinkhole) could have been prevented if the city was doing proper routine inspection.

This sounds dangerous for a street with high traffic. I hope this issue is properly fixed.”

For more information on the project, contact the City of Fullerton Engineering Department at 714-738-6845. To report a clogged storm drain or sinkhole, contact the Maintenance Service Department at 714-738-6807.

Maintenance requests can also be made at www.CityOfFullerton. com/depts/maintenance.

DTBRIEFS WASC Holds Open Meetings The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) team will be visiting the campus Wednesday to Friday.

There are scheduled open meetings for students, faculty and staff in order to provide an opportunity for informal input from all members of the campus and their experiences with the institution. All the meetings take place Wednesday in Steven G. Mihaylo Hall Room 3230.

The open meeting for staff will take place from 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., for faculty from 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m., and for students from 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

An email from the Office of Academic Programs stated that students are encouraged to comment on issues of academic rigor and consistency, availability of student services and other manners related to the quality of educational experience.

The WASC team is interested in hearing from students enrolled in distance education courses and programs in addition to students at off-campus sites.

Brief by Justin Enriquez

Former Detective on Trial for Murder The murder trial centered around Detective Stephanie Lazarus, the woman accused of killing Sherri Rasmussen, is now waiting for the end of jury deliberation, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Sherri Rasmussen was beaten and shot in 1986, and was married to a man that Lazarus had once been romantically involved with. The prosecution has made the case that Lazarus was driven to kill the man after he decided to marry another woman, making her extremely jealous.

At the time, Rasmussen was believed to have been killed by burglars and Lazarus was overlooked as a suspect. When the case was reopened in 2009, detectives named Lazarus, 51, as a suspect after new evidence was found.

The current DNA sample taken from Lazarus was compared to the saliva retrieved from a bite mark on Rasmussen’s arm which was examined at the 1986 crime scene. This DNA sample was the prosecution’s main piece of evidence in the current trial. Lazarus’ defense attorney has raised questions as to the quality of the sample after being stored for so many years.

Lazarus had served for the Los Angeles Police Department for more than 25 years before she was arrested in 2009.

Brief by John Sollitto

Ex-Hacker Leads FBI to Arrests The FBI arrested five people Tuesday who are apparently connected with the hacker collective known as Anonymous, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The men arrested were charged in New York for various hacking crimes related to efforts of Anonymous and its offshoots LulzSec and AntiSec. The FBI did so in collaboration with Hector Xavier Monsegur, known online as “Sabu,” a former member of Anonymous LulzSec. Monsegur, 28, who was arrested and pleaded guilty in August 2011, was persuaded by authorities to help track his fellow hackers, leading to their arrests.

The U.S. District Court in New York has filed indictments against all the men, claiming their involvement in the cyber crimes against the government and various corporations.

Brief by Matt Atkinson

3

March 7, 2012

NEWS

Customers mad over extra costs Cellphone industry receives more than 27,000 complaints ANGEL MENDOZA Daily Titan

With spring break less than three weeks away, students are looking forward to some downtime and maybe even some traveling. But many cellphone users fail to realize that their data is still in use as they travel outside of their coverage area or outside of the United States.

In 2011, the Better Business Bureau received more than 27,000 complaints against the cellphone industry, primarily concerning high cellphone bills for making international calls and sending text messages. While traveling, roaming charges are one of the most common ways a cellphone bill can become inflated.

Wireless roaming occurs when a user is using a cellphone tower that is not owned by his or her cellphone service provider. Many cellphone carriers let their customers know if they’re roaming. Some even have “roaming guards,” which prevent users from accidentally switching to roaming.

Vinnie Nguyen, 24, a business entrepreneurship major traveling to Las Vegas during spring break, said it’s ultimately up to the individual to be aware if they’re incurring outstanding roaming charges.

“Common sense would say to

just check your phone. If it says you’re roaming, then you should know you’re roaming,” said Nguyen. “On the plan that you bought you should have already known whether roaming is covered or if it’s not covered.”

AT&T Wireless has free U.S. wireless roaming on all nationwide AT&T plans. While there are no fees during roaming, the minutes used are treated like regular AT&T minutes.

International roaming minutes vary depending on the country. According to the AT&T Wireless website, roaming rates for calls are 79 cents per minute for Canada, 99 cents per minute for Mexico, $3.49 per minute for the British Virgin Islands and $2.29 per minute for Jamaica and the Bahamas. For text messages, AT&T’s rate is 50 cents per message sent.

Some tips offered by AT&T for its customers traveling outside the U.S. are to determine if their cellphones will function in the country they are visiting; visit an AT&T retail store or call customer service to make sure international roaming service is activated or blocked and to learn how to call home when calling abroad.

Verizon Wireless also has free U.S. wireless roaming on all of its nationwide plans, and its roaming minutes are treated like regular Verizon Wireless minutes as well.

Art Costello, store manager of a Verizon Wireless retail store in Fullerton, said Verizon and almost all major carriers have free

CSUF indicator shows economic growth in US JOHN SOLLITTO Daily Titan

Photo Illustration by CAMILLE TARAZON / Daily Titan When abroad, text messages cost 50 cents per message sent with AT&T, according to AT&T’s website.

nationwide roaming included in their plans.

“All of our newer plans that have come out, I would say, in the last six years are all nationwide plans, meaning there’s no additional roaming or long distance fees anywhere within the U.S., and that includes Alaska and Hawaii,” said Costello.

When it comes to international roaming, Verizon’s rates are not as high as AT&T’s.

According to the Verizon Wireless website, roaming calls are 69 cents per minute in Canada, 99 cents per minute in Mexico, $1.49 per minute in the British Virgin Islands and $1.99 per minute in Jamaica and the Bahamas. For text messages, Verizon’s rate is 50 cents per message sent.

Costello said for any Verizon Wireless customer traveling internationally, getting in touch with Verizon would be the best way to avoid unwanted charges.

“They can start by coming into

the store and we can look up the roaming rates depending on the country that they’re going to.

Then we would actually give them the number to our global support number to add that feature on,” he said. “For places like Mexico or Canada, we do offer specific plans for those countries that will help keep down the roaming costs.”

Recently, Vonage announced a new app to help with the high cost of making international costs and sending text messages: the Vonage Mobile application. Offered at no cost on the iTunes App Store and the Android Marketplace, Vonage Mobile lets users make free calls and send free text messages to all users of the application worldwide.

It works over 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi networks.

“This app seems kind of too good to be true,” said Ryan Galano, 22, a biochemistrry major. “I’m definitely downloading this if I go somewhere over spring break.”

PROTEST: Students, faculty and others rally for a stop to budget cuts ...Continued from page 1 Protesters held up signs urging government officials to reinvest in higher education and pay attention to the struggles faced by students as a result of budget cuts.

ASI Board Chair Aissa Canchola, 22, a double major in American studies and political science at CSUF, and chair of CSSA, was one of the hosts for the rally. Canchola said she has had to extend her graduation date and raise her debt because of a lack of resources. Regardless, she is still dedicated to her studies.

“The way I see it, it’s an investment not only in myself, but a degree is better for everyone in society,” said Canchola. “I hope that we make a lot of noise.

I hope that we not only make noise to the legislator, but to the public.”

The protesters also asked other students and the public to become aware of the issue of budget cuts for higher education public systems in California and to contact their representatives to demand an end to budget cuts, reminding them that investing in higher education is an investment in the state’s future.

Speakers at the rally included CSSA President Gregory Washington, a political science major at Cal State Fullerton, who urged all members of the rally to use social media as a method of bringing the rally to the attention of Californians and to Gov. Jerry Brown.

Washington asked students to post on Facebook and Twitter: “Jerry Brown, ‘Why don’t you support the future?’”

Among the speakers at the rally was Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who congratulated students for attending the rally and encouraged the public to work towards improving public higher education in the state.

“We built the envy of higher education for the world 50 plus years ago,” he said. “And it’s time to read our own history.”

State Assembly Speaker John Perez (D) also spoke to students.

“California is watching you, and the people in our state agree with you. We need to fund higher education. We need to commit ourselves to future generations,” he said.

In the final months of last year, the economy saw a slight improvement, according to the Southern California Economic Indicator (SCEI) based at Cal State Fullerton.

Adrian Fleissig, Ph.D., a faculty member in the Economics Department, manages and oversees the indicator.

“The Southern California Leading Indicator projects economic activity three to six months ahead,” said Fleissig.

In an Orange County Register article published at the end of February, Fleissig explained what the results from the indicator meant for Southern California’s economy.

“There doesn’t seem to be any sign of going back into recession or slowing down,” he said. “It certainly looks like we’re having an improvement in the employment conditions — not huge improvement, but a gradual improvement.”

According to five of the seven pieces that make up the SCEI, the economy showed good signs in the last quarter of 2011. Each of the divisions contributed to the economic prosperity of the last year. Among these observations was a decrease in regional unemployment and the interest rate spreads change.

While Fleissig said in The OC Register that regional employment conditions might be improving, local powerhouse Blizzard Entertainment recently laid off 600 employees in Irvine.

Lucas Kinney, 20, a business and marketing major, said he thinks that the boost shown by the SCEI is just part of the economy’s cycle.

“There’s kind of an art here in predicting the economy,” said Kinney, “and it’s not a finite thing.

You can’t qualify and quantify it. It’s cyclic because people are cyclical and think in trends.”

The Commerce Department stated the gross domestic product

grew by 3 percent. The Los Angeles Times confirmed what The OC Register had stated. The article also mentioned that job creation, manufacturer activity and the confidence of consumers have made progress.

David Wong, Ph.D., chair of the Economics Department at CSUF, said it was definitely possible for this good fortune to carry over into 2012. However, Wong said there might be one factor that could sabotage this.

“The big problem right now, in the global economy, is that there’s a buildup of fiscal deficits and government debts,” said Wong.

Wong also said this might be a problem because if our importing and exporting suffers due to the issues of international economy, the U.S. economy will fall again because there would be no one to buy the products that we have to sell.

Last quarter the European economy went down while the U.S. had a boost, Wong said.

Europe is one of the U.S.’s big export consumer, and if they suffered financial hardship, society would feel the repercussions.

“Maintaining economic growth in the United States depends very much on being able to export to Europe,” he said.

He explained that if our exporting went down, but our importing went up, we would be paying for more than we would be selling and our economy would then suffer.

“In fact those are two big problems right now, I think,” Wong said. “The possibility of raising oil prices due to problems in the Persian Gulf, which would tend to push up U.S. imports, and the decline of the European economy.”

Wong said hopefully the troubles of Greece, Ireland and other nations in Europe’s economic situation begin to sort themselves out soon. If not, it is more than possible that our nation will feel the backlash just when we are starting to turn our own fortune for the better.

LETTER: Students air grievances ...Continued from page 1

WILLIAM CAMARGO / Daily Titan A man stands next to a sign that reads, “Don’t Cut Education.” Nearly 10,000 students were expected to have marched to the Capitol in Sacramento Monday in protest of budget cuts and spikes in tuition.

Tuition hikes have affected not only students, but recent graduates of public higher education institutions as well. Chirag Bhakta, 24, a CSUF alumnus, has had to deal with debt because of higher fees. Bhakta said he was at the rally to tell Sacramento politicians to start valuing public higher education.

“It’s about time these cuts stopped,” said Bhakta.

“It’s about time funding gets restored and these politicians in Sacramento actually understand that students have power, and if they don’t start putting energy and focus back on higher public education then … we’re not going to take it anymore.”

In order for students to see a change in public higher education in California, different institutions need to come together, like they did at the rally, said John Joanino, a sociology major at University of California, Los Angeles.

“What we need to do is all come together as one collective education system,” said Joanino.

“Education is a right, not a privilege, and it’s a right for all students.”

“We may all be (in) different systems, but we all need to work together. The same issues affect

us,” he said.

He added that proactive stances need to be taken by students in defense of their education.

“We haven’t seen the legislators take any real concrete political stances to raise revenue (for public higher education,)” Joanino said.

Reacting to rising costs, students have had to make adjustments in their lives. Ray Edmondson, 22, a biochemistry major at CSUF, said his best friend had to live on his couch to pay for college.

“Our student fees have been increasing steadily, and I have a lot of friends that are having a lot of trouble paying for school,” said Edmondson, adding that he was glad to represent public higher education students since not all could attend the rally.

If tuition fees made life difficult for students today, students hope that at least they can be changed for future students.

“I’m here because I stand in solidarity with public education,” said Jennifer Quebedo, 19, an urban studies and planning major at University of California, San Diego. “We are students. We are here to ensure that public education and free access to education is possible for future generations.”

“This guy is spewing hate speech; he can use amplified sound, and he can come on campus whenever he wants to. He makes point-blank accusations, but students are not allowed to do that,” said Wharton.

Students who have complained to the administration about the use of money on campus are told to contact the legislature, and are told that the CSUF presidents do not have a say in the issue, Wharton said.

Deschuytter said We! is writing the letter to Garcia, which they will call “Be Heard,” to give students a voice.

Garcia, former president of Cal State Dominguez Hills, is an advocate for online education, which students involved with We! see as a problem with quality higher education.

I’d like to see a president who is willing to sacrifice her salary ... when the next round of budget cuts come.

Garrett York Psychology Major

We! is not officially recognized by the university, but has faculty and staff associated with it.

We! Alternative Voices for an Alternative Future meets every Tuesday night in the Humanities Building Room 125 at 7:30 p.m. to discuss issues for CSUF students.

Any student can attend the meeting, and they encourage people to come because they want students to care about the university.

GAS PRICES: Jump has students looking for new ways to get around ...Continued from page 1 “We know that at the world level the supply of oil is fixed for the most part. In terms of the long-run strategy, it’s self-interested. You’d rather consume all other sources of oil in the world before your own sources, because when it runs out for everybody else, you still have some and you’re in a better bargaining position,” he said.

In addition to school, extracurricular and club affiliations are causing Rosemarie Enriquez to commute to school every day.

She said she has been transitioning and adapting to different methods

of saving money, like walking to nearby restaurants, staying at school longer to save gas, spending more time with her friends at school and renting movies from Red Box. Enriquez, 23, said the price increase is promoting a healthier lifestyle, and rather than depending on social media for connections, the time on campus helps her connect with friends.

To be more “green” and conserve energy, Howard recommends students be creative with their alternatives. CSUF has a Commuter Rewards program, where they will provide incentives to those who choose to cycle or walk to campus.

STEPHEN McGLADE / Daily Titan The average price per gallon of regular unleaded gas in California is at $4.358 as of Monday, according to the California Energy Commission (CEC) website. dailytitan.com/news

4

March 7, 2012

OPINION

Brace yourself for Elección Day

Frisk Me

Latinos have no better chance of reelecting our next president than any other American demographic

by CHARLOTTE KNIGHT

“Let’s get personal”

RICARDO GONZALEZ Daily Titan

‘S’ stands for ‘statutory rape’ We hear about sexual predators preying on minors all the time in the media, but a whole new level of terror is reached when that predation is uncovered right in your own backyard.

With that, let me drop two names: John Hirsch and Justin Wallin. Either one of those sound familiar? It does to everyone in my neck of the woods.

Hirsch was a Chino Hills High School science teacher in his early forties who pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and committing a lewd act upon a child last year.

When former principal Carl Hampton discovered romantic emails exchanged between Hirsch and a 14-year-old female student, he chose to transfer the girl to another class and issue a “stay away” order to the pervert instead of firing his ass right on the spot.

Later, the girl’s neighbor spotted Hirsch using a ladder to attempt to climb through her bedroom window late one evening, and then fled with the ladder when the neighbor confronted him. He was arrested at the high school the next day. Hirsch’s punishment was a serving a year in prison and getting registered as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Wallin, the Chino Hills High School band director, was in his early thirties when the parents of a 16-year-old female student reviewed a cellphone bill containing 8,000 text messages (some more explicit than others) between the two. He pleaded guilty last year to two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, in which the agreement with prosecutors would mean a year in prison for him. In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to drop three counts of oral copulation, one count of sexual penetration with a foreign object and a misdemeanor for annoying or molesting a child.

It’s not the fact that both of these teachers were arrested from my alma mater only weeks apart that makes the hair on the back of my neck bristle. It’s not the fact that during my time there I had actually checked out Wallin’s backside.

It’s the fact that they were teaching while my 15-year-old sister was still in enrollment, and I’m grateful she wasn’t a student of either one.

As a good majority of you will agree, there is no excuse for legal adults, particularly teachers, to have sexual relationships with anyone underage.

I wouldn’t be up in arms about a 17-year-old copulating with an 18-year-old, but a 25-year difference between a middleaged man and a girl who just hit puberty? Absolutely not. In an environment where children are supposed to be protected, that situation just screams predation.

And I hope the sex was worth the girls being the center of Chino Hills gossip and the teachers being branded as pedophiles for the rest of their lives.

“But wait! We’re a different case!” say 41-year-old James Hooker and 18-year-old Jordan Powers of Modesto, Calif. “We once had a teacher-student relationship, and are now involved in a legal, consensual, physical relationship.

The age difference doesn’t matter; we are both very much in love. We can’t believe how much negativity we have attracted nationwide!”

Bull freakin’ crap.

This lovely story goes a little something like this: According to the Modesto Bee, one Powers met a Hooker (hah!) when Powers was a freshman at James Enochs High School. She was in Hooker’s virtual business class and a member of one of three clubs that he supervised until his paid administrated leave early last month. They claimed to have had a strict teacher-student relationship until they started really getting to know each other in mid-December, when she had been 18 for three months.

Hooker ended up resigning a little shy of three weeks after his suspension, left his wife and three kids in the dust, and moved into an apartment with Powers.

Powers is now in independent study and no longer attends classes at Enochs, but still plans to walk in May. Hooker remains unemployed.

This controversial relationship has the entire nation in an uproar,

Contact Us at dtopinion@gmail.com

not excluding supermom Tammie Powers, who is vowing to find evidence that sexual relations occurred before her little angel turned 18 and to see the little swine thrown in prison.

Will such evidence ever be found? My educated guess is, probably not. Just because Hooker is a filthy pig doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a dumbass.

But Momma Powers apparently has plenty of evidence that Hooker had predatory intentions to compensate for his lack of predatory actions.

If some 8,000 text messages, emails and late-night phone calls caught going back and forth between the two while she was still a minor don’t raise any red flags, pictures of her sitting in his lap while she was still his student might.

But quite frankly, she needs to stop trying to save her daughter.

She’s an adult. She made an adult decision, so let her suffer the adult consequences. If and when this whole mess blows up in her face, instead of picking up the pieces, Tammie needs to tell her, “I told you so,” and leave it at that.

It’s unfortunate, but sometimes people need to actually make the mistake in order to learn it.

“In making our choice, we’ve hurt a lot of people,” Hooker told the Modesto Bee. “We keep asking ourselves, ‘Do we make everyone else happy, or do we follow our hearts?’”

Since he obviously thinks we’re living in some live-action Disney movie where happily ever after happens every time, that proves he’s mature enough for an 18-yearold mistress, not a wife a couple decades older with three children.

And for him to practically make this decision on a whim while his daughter — only a year younger than Powers — is still going to the same school he taught at is proof enough that he doesn’t care enough about potentially damaging her reputation, as well as his, in the middle of her high school career.

Identifying himself with a teenager enough to consider a physical relationship appropriate is not only proof of predation, but also proves he wasn’t good enough for his own family.

But hey, who am I to judge, right? I’m sure there’s also plenty of evidence that Hooker and Powers are perfect soulmates.For example, she’s leaving high school behind for a four-year university, and he left his decent-paying job behind to find another place to work! She’s excited about going out and buying her first lottery ticket. I’m sure he’s excited about finding a gray hair on his head that he hasn’t already lost. Look how much they have in common!

And all this after they’ve been dating for only three months!

Happy-lovey-dovey-honeymoonphase-of-the-relationship all around!

The age difference isn’t a factor here. There are plenty of success stories about teachers and students of all ages getting involved in relationships and marriages, or even just simple sexual flings — at the appropriate times and places.

But no matter how hard you try, you can’t have a romantic relationship and a professional teacher-student relationship at the same time. There’s nothing wrong with befriending a teacher upon completion of school when you’re no longer a student. But when you are a student, a teacher needs to be an authority figure, not your friend, and most certainly not your lover.

Law isn’t just restricted to something that’s written on a piece of paper and enforced by the government. It’s also something we know in our heads and hearts to be true and just. It just has two different names: morals and ethics.

Just because something is not illegal, it doesn’t mean it’s the appropriate thing to do.

For those who do their best to avoid the wild and woolly political landscape, and those who may otherwise be oblivious and/or living under a rock, 2012 is an election year.

Like any election year, both the Republican and Democratic parties are on the warpath (also known as the ‘campaign trail’) in a frantic attempt to sway as many states to their cause as possible before November.

This of course means looking at potential voters, not as individuals with unique thoughts, feelings, morals and convictions, but as stratified masses with generically labeled demographics.

And apparently one of these masses is gaining more attention from both the GOP and Democrats than ever before: Latinos.

A recent article by Michael Scherer on Time.com revealed that, because of the recent heated debates regarding immigration “reform,” Latinos may hold the keys to the kingdom in 2012.

Particularly in the state of Arizona — where a 2010 state senate bill essentially legalized racial profiling for a brief spell — the perception is that Latino clout is at an all-time high.

Being a person of Latino descent, this perception is heartening.

Even if it comes from a disingenuous source whose motivation is simply a means to an end (that end being the most powerful seat in the country), it’s an empowering feeling.

But sadly, there are some considerable flaws with this assessment.

Part of this comes from grouping all Latinos into a collective consciousness and assuming that their thoughts are unified.

I will tell you now, just because a common cultural lineage is shared does not mean all Latino cultures think alike.

The Arizonian populace does, without a doubt, deserve the attention they are receiving from campaigners.

When a state is subject to the kind of controversial legislation that ostracizes an entire segment of the population, like what occurred in 2010, a bit of political bridge-building is probably in order.

However, to think that this type of campaigning will carry over to the Latino population in California, Florida, Texas or New York is to admit a level of ignorance to the cultural condition of the individual sub-cultures.

Again, we’re talking about large-scale stratification of racial demographics.

I’m not naïve enough to believe that it would be efficient for a politician to get into the subtle differences between Cubans, Dominicans, Mexicans, etc.

But blanket statements that suggest “Latinos” will band together in mass to be the deciding factor of the next election seem just as naïve.

I would also suggest that it exhibits something of a misunderstanding of how the general election works.

Using numbers from PewResearch.org, as well as a map of results from the 2008 election, one can glean just how much of an impact that a Latino-centric campaign will have.

In 2008, Obama received 56 percent of the Latino vote in Arizona.

However, Obama still lost the state and all 10 of its electoral votes by a margin of about 5 percent.

It might be assumed that if the Democrats could

Courtesy of MCT While Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney squabble over who is better and who is worse, Obama can only hope that the American populace still have their eyes set on his continued presidency.

I’m not naive enough to believe that it would be efficient for a politician to get into the subtle differences between Cubans, Dominicans, Mexicans, etc. But blanket statements that suggest ‘Latinos’ will band together in mass to be the deciding factors of the next election seems just as naive. capture an even larger percentage of the Latino vote they could walk away with the state, but considering their candidate’s loss in the state despite having the Latino majority behind him, it’d actually seem a sounder strategy to focus on non-Latino voters.

And let us not forget that Obama won the election without Arizona’s help.

Even more interesting to note is that Obama had the majority of Latino support in the United States in 2008, garnering 67 percent of the vote across the country.

Of course, this was overshadowed by the 95 percent of black votes that Obama received in said election, but regardless, the candidate backed by the majority of Latinos did walk away the victor.

So it seems that Latinos do indeed hold an enormous amount of power in selecting our president, but it also seems that this is nothing new.

Again, if we’re using these broad demographic terms, Latinos have done virtually nothing if not gained substantial prominence in most sociopolitical manners.

It is a flattering thought, then, that 2012 seems to be one that is focusing on us as a group.

However, to think that it could not have easily been some other group or demographic placed in this role of prominence would be a misconception.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Re: A ‘Fluke’ in this situation This letter is in response to the recently published opinion article by Keith Fierro regarding birth control.

As a woman, and especially as a woman taking birth control for reasons other than engaging in safe sex, I found this piece highly offensive.

It was poorly written and contained many unnecessary passive-aggressive attacks.

As a journalism major myself, I know that there are better, more professional ways to write opinion pieces that are not so inflammatory.

One of my biggest problems with this article was the stinging statement that it would be “intellectually dishonest to pretend this debate is about women using oral contraceptives to manage mild acne or treat polycystic ovary syndrome.”

As I have already stated, I am, in fact, one of those women who uses birth control for these kinds of reasons. I also have many friends who use birth control for reasons such as acne or menstruation, and some who use birth control solely for these other reasons.

Therefore, I really have to respectfully disagree with the above statement by the author of this article.

I also found the statement implying that sexually active women do poorly in school very offensive as well.

Buying birth control does not necessarily mean having an active sex life, and in any case, an active sex life does not necessarily result in “less studying” or bad grades.

The underhanded suggestion that there is a link

is, quite frankly, ridiculous and distasteful.

Finally, in typical bleeding liberal, bra-burning feminist fashion, I want to close by pointing out that this does not seem to be an issue we fight with men.

When was the last time I read an article implying that men who buy condoms constantly can’t seem to reach “that B in Civil Procedure?”

However, the fact is that unlike condoms, birth control actually does have other health benefits attached to it.

Dominique Rocker Communications Major

The Daily Titan welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must include the sender’s first and last name. Students must include their majors and other writers must include their affiliation to the university, if applicable. Letters must refer to an article published within the last week.

Once a letter is submitted it becomes property of the Daily Titan. Publication of letters is based on the validity of content and may be edited for length, grammar and spelling. Letters may be sent to dteditorinchief@gmail.com.

March 7, 2012

New split-reality show compels with complex plot AWAKE

NBC’s Awake breaks the typical CSI mold in hopes to raise ratings JAMESON STEED Daily Titan

NBC has been going through a rough couple of years. Their ratings plummeted and other than a few shows, like The Voice, nothing they put on their channel seems to be bringing people back.

Luckily, due to this situation they are becoming more daring with their programming, leading us to Awake, the most complex and compelling new show of the year.

Awake centers around Detective Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs) returning to work after a car accident that killed his wife and son. The twist is when Britten goes to sleep: When he wakes up he’s in either one of two realities. If he wakes wearing a red rubber band around his wrist, his wife, Hannah (Laura Allen), is alive, but his son was killed in the accident. If he wakes wearing a green band, he is in a reality where his son, Rex (Dylan Minnette), lived, but Hannah died.

Those are not the only differences. In the son-alive reality, Isaiah Freeman (Steve Harris), Britten’s partner before the car accident, remains his partner, because in this reality the police department does not fear Britten’s sanity. In the wife-alive reality, his partner is rookie Efrem Vega (Wilmer Valderrama), who’s been sent to monitor Britten’s habits.

DETOUR

5

Television

The backstory and most of what is going on in the pilot, is told through scenes between Britten and his two psychiatrists (one in each reality) as they both try to convince Britten that the other’s reality is just a dream.

The weight of the situation does not become apparent until he wakes one morning without his rubber band. He knows he should be in his wife’s reality, but he cannot find her and he starts to panic. This moment is one of the strongest dramatic character pieces that has been presented all year. Britten is clearly losing it, and you as the viewer are feeling as stressed out as he is wondering what he might do.

The interesting things like character development or actual plot is just thrown in as something for the characters to do in between scenes or at the end of an episode. Awake is the opposite.

What keeps Awake from being a straightforward procedural similar to the likes of CSI is that the show is not about the case. For example, an episode of CSI tends to focus the majority of an episode on the case of the week or anything pertaining to said case.

The interesting things like character development or actual plot is just thrown in as something for the characters to do in between scenes or at the end of an episode.

Awake is the opposite.

It never seems that the writers

Courtesy of NBC

really care about the two cases, they are just thrown in there to give Britten something to do between all the compelling scenes of him trying to cope with the reality jumping.

The cases themselves are forgettable with the novelty of there being a connection between the shooting and the murder/kidnapping between the two realities.

Awake is far more complex than what is going on in other procedurals, but at no point did it feel like we

should be caring about these cases.

One question they never get around to answering is if he is reliving the same day twice. Say he wakes up on a Monday with his wife, does he wake up Monday again with his son?

And if he does wake up with his son Tuesday, that creates too many holes seeing that he would be probably be missing stuff that is happening in a certain reality if he is missing a day.

Not everything is great here.

Director of the pilot, David Slade,

chooses to do several 180 degree tracking shots right after another.

The effect in a show like this makes you think that when the characters pan around, the reality will be different on the other side. That wnever happens, and the expectation of it happening over and over again got annoying fast.

Also, Valderrama’s character, Vega, so far does not have much of a personality other than being the rookie detective there to watch

Britten, whereas Britten’s partner, Freeman, is entertaining for his parts. So there is much to complain about in regards to his acting since he is not present for large chunks of the show.

However, Awake is good. The premise does not seem to be something that a mainstream audience will grab on to. Too bad, because it is far more worthy to watch compared to the thousands of other procedurals on broadcast television.

YouTube Graced with laughs Daily Grace has more than 18 million views on her YouTube videos from her five-times-a-week show DANIEL ZAMILPA Daily Titan

For those who say ‘bye’ with an extended ‘e,’ have a craving for ‘Sweet Weenies’ and compete to be responded to via comment, by her, make sure they get their daily dose of Daily Grace.

Grace Helbig, also known as Daily Grace, has built herself quite a following through YouTube.

For those who aren’t into the YouTube universe, Helbig introduces herself on her Tumblr account as, “Oh, hello. I’m Grace. I make Web videos.”

The Internet celebrity has popular accounts on YouTube, Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and the website where she largely began her Internet career — MyDamnChannel.com.

Helbig is branded as a hilariously witty one-woman comedy show, sometimes showcasing other YouTube celebrities as guest.

But her mass following isn’t something that happened overnight. The New Jersey native, now New Yorker, said this journey began in college.

“At first I wanted to be a writer, and then I thought I maybe wanted to work for a magazine,” commented Helbig. “And then I wanted to write scripts and be a comedy writer and write funny, funny movies.”

During college, Helbig found her niche by going through school as a contract major, where she had almost full control of what classes her major comprised of.

“It’s like a salad bar where you build your own salad, but you build your own major,” she said through chuckles. “My major is technically contemporary arts, but it’s with a focus in writing and acting.”

After college, Helbig was house sitting for a month and said it was the perfect way to begin her video career.

“Oh, this is like the perfect catalyst to start doing these vlogs (video logs); I will document this experience at this house.”

Following her start to making what would lead up to a largely identifying choice of career, she further developed her online presence through the comedy video website, MyDamnChannel.com, which also hosts videos from Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla.

“I was doing improv and sketch comedy at this theatre in New York, and through the theatre there was an audition for this web series and they were looking for this girl to read Grimms’ Fairy Tales, but it was perversed a little bit. I ended up getting the part and the web series went up on MyDamnChannel.com,” she said.

“Somehow, the CEO of MyDamnChannel clicked a bunch of links and found the vlogs that I had been doing and thought, ‘Oh, we need her, we want a host for our website, someone to talk to her audience and interact,” Helbig continued.

And so officially began the digital force of Daily Grace. “Now it’s kinda grown and evolved into what DailyGrace is now.”

Fast forward to today, the media mogul is queen of her empire and knows very well how to run it. She now has nearly 40,000 Twitter followers, more than 18 million views on YouTube and more than 70,000 followers on Tumblr.

What’s most captivating about Daily Grace and her brand is her insane ability to engage her followers and viewers into much more of an interactive experience than just watching a video on YouTube.

The star has a weekly video schedule that keeps people coming back for five of the seven days: Miscellaneous Mondays, Commenting on Comments Tuesdays, Review Wednesdays, How-to Thursdays and Sexy Fridays.

Each segment highlights a certain aspect of giving to her viewers — whether it’s a how-to on Thursdays for “Sweet Weenies,” which is a Grace Helbig signature recipe born out of craving something sweet and something savory, or “hazing the crap” out of her viewers on Wednesdays by commenting on their comments from her social media sites and “welcoming them into the Daily Grace family.”

And on top of having very identifiable shows, she starts each show with a familiar tune specific to each day.

“Theme songs. People love theme songs,” she said.

Despite having a hugely obvious amount of love sent her way, Helbig stays grounded and appreciates the success she has received.

“YouTube is just a silly little mistress, and I’m just trying to sleep with her,” she jokes.

Her fan base spans all over the world, even to the home of the Titans.

“I like how she can be so random with her nonsensical facts, her choice in recipes (like the macaroni and cheese nachos) and her reactions to any mishaps that occur when filming,” said junior biochemistry major Liz Shipley. “She’s a one-of-a kind comedian.”

On a scale of one to five “Grace faces” (a classification Helbig often uses in her videos), theatre and Russian history double major Christopher Labrot gives Daily Grace “six Grace faces,” and adds, “Her deadpan sense of humor and penchant for awkward situations is completely relatable. She is ridiculously quotable!”

Currently, Daily Grace is staying in Los Angeles and collaborating with fellow YouTube celebrities on a project called “My Music,” headed by the Fine Bros.

But the New Yorker plans on coming back out to sunny California soon to do more work.

“I’ll be out (in Los Angeles) for VidCon (in July),” she states. There, she will be able to meet fans and further identify Daily Grace as a dominating Internet voice.

All in all, much more success may be in store for Daily Grace. As the Web changes, so does she, and that’s what’s really been a key factor to her success.

She sums up her experience as, “I love the Internet. I love being on it. Who doesn’t?” dailytitan.com/detour

6

March 7, 2012

DETOUR

The Buried Life to hear CSUF’s bucket list

Restaurant

HAILEY MORAN Daily Titan

ANIBAL ORTIZ / Daily Titan

Fullerton pizza place gets it right Two Saucy Broads Pizza

The broads are keeping it saucy with great-tasting pizza and Hunks of Burnin’ Love DANIELLE EVANS For the Daily Titan

From the name alone, one can tell that this is not going to be any ordinary pizza parlor.

Located at 757 West Commonwealth Avenue in the southern part of Downtown Fullerton Two Saucy Broads Pizza is a place that you would be silly not to try out. The food is absolutely delicious, the staff is fun and friendly, and the prices are great. Plus, they serve a wide selection

Film The Lorax

Despite being visually appealing The Lorax has too much plot JAMESON STEED Daily Titan

Dr. Seuss’ beloved story about conservationism, The Lorax, is one of his best and most interesting books he ever wrote. Sadly, the new animated adaption does not succeed

of beer and wine, along with a delivery and catering service. Perfection.

Two Saucy Broads opened about six months ago, and business has been doing extremely well. There’s no surprise as to why once you get your lips around the deliciousness that they have to offer.

Their menu is as fun as the staff, the workers are young and hip 20-somethings with style and attitude.

You can choose a lunch combo between Garlic Knots, Hunks of Burnin’ Love, a personal pizza with two toppings or any of their tasty sandwiches. Each combo comes with a choice of either a Caesar or Parlor salad. My recommendation is the Parlor salad with ranch dressing, which is the best ranch I’ve ever tasted. Oh, and did I mention it comes with a drink of your choice? For only about $6, it doesn’t get any better than that.

My personal favorite was the Hunks of Burnin’ Love, which consists of — prepare for instant salivation — cream cheese, bacon and Roma tomato wrapped in pizza dough, baked and smothered in garlic Parmesan butter served with a side of Marinara sauce. It was truly love at first bite.

Their Pinwheels are also quite tasty, which comes with a choice of pepperoni or spinach and broccoli. They are baked with garlic, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese in pizza dough.

The parlor specializes in about six baked and cold sandwiches, some that you need to try just because of the interesting names.

Some of the best ones are Fog Horn Leg Horn, Plain Jane and Straight Off The Boat — just to name a few.

Be sure to check out their wings, salads and their pizza, of course. Two Saucy Broads offers a wide variety of both traditional and unique pizzas.

You can try anything from more traditional offerings like Veggie, Supreme, BBQ Chicken and Buffalo Chicken, and Hawaiian, to more unique choices like the White Pie, which is made with Ricotta cheese, garlic, Parmesan and mozzarella, or the Pestopalooza, one of the most delicious things you will ever taste. This work of art includes pesto, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, Bruschetta topping, shredded Parmesan, feta and mozzarella cheeses.

You also have the choice between either garlic Parmesan butter or cream cheesestuffed crust.

See updates and more information about Two Saucy Broads Pizza on the business’ Facebook or Twitter.

If you decide to stop by and try something, or two... or three, you’ll only be doing yourself a favor!

Dr. Seuss’ film rendition about environmentalism doesn’t live up to the book in this aspect and is instead an average family film that looks pretty.

The Lorax takes place in Thneedville — seeing that this a Dr. Seuss story, you would be disappointed if it was called something normal like Jonestown.

Thneedville is a happy place where everything is fake and manufactured, causing the air to be polluted, which makes the residents resort to buying fresh air like it was bottled water. A young man named Ted (Zac Efron) goes on a search for real trees to impress his crush, Audrey (Taylor Swift).

The only person who knows what happened to the trees is the

Contact Us at dtdetourdesk@gmail.com

mysterious Once-ler (Ed Helms), who lives out of town in the nowdestroyed forest.

The Once-ler forces Ted to listen to his story of how he destroyed the forest and his time with the guardian of the forest, the Lorax (Danny DeVito). Meanwhile, Ted is being watched by Mr. O’Hare (Rob Riggles), who fears trees will ruin his fresh air bottling company The problem with The Lorax is it has two plots. The main plot involves Ted trying to find a tree to impress Audrey, while the other is the Once-ler reciting the tale of why all the trees are gone. Not that there is something wrong with a

story within a story, but generally the story being told is the main plot — not the bookends.

Roughly 75 percent of the plot is the Once-ler’s story. Now, this is faithful to the book, but there was never a love story pushing the boy in the written version.

There are a couple of pointless musical numbers where none of the songs are well written and sound like they were written on the fly. The worst part is that they do not move the plot forward and the revelations made within could have been told in 12 seconds of expositions. The only song that accomplishes anything is the one

about the trees being chopped down, but that was what the entire second act was for.

The message about conservatism is there, but it is muddled by all the goofy, cartoon-y fun that, for the most part, is forgettable. No kid is really going to take away anything other than how cute those bears were.

A saving grace of The Lorax is its 94-minute run time. Yet somehow, the film manages to feel two hours long. For a kid, that can feel like an eternity.

The blame has to fall under the second act not having been about the main plot.

“What do you want to do before you die?”

It’s the simple question that started a phenomenon and launched the careers of four guys from Canada.

The stars of The Buried Life — Ben Nemtin, Duncan Penn, Jonnie Penn and Dave Lingwood — set out five years ago to complete their own list of things to do before they die.

Visiting Cal State Fullerton will be crossed off that list this week.

The cast of the MTV show will be at the TSU Pavilions A & B Thursday at 11:30 a.m. to discuss their book, their journey to cross things off their own list and their hopes to try and help other people along the way.

The cast of the MTV show has been on The Buried Life Mega Tour since November, visiting colleges all over the country in hopes of helping people figure out what they want to do before they die.

Ally Roberts, a human services major, looks to The Buried Life as a welcomed change of pace from other MTV shows that are less classy.

“I cannot wait to see The Buried Life boys at CSUF. I’ve been a fan of theirs since the show began. They are the one show on MTV that instills inspiration in its viewers,” said Roberts.

While their goals may have seemed impossible, tasks ranging from playing basketball with the president to telling a joke on a late night show have been crossed off their list thanks to their unwavering determination.

They use that same determination to help strangers cross something off their list too. Part of their Mega Tour includes helping one lucky CSUF student accomplish their goal. Students can upload and share a picture of their dream at YouWantToDoBeforeYouGraduate. com and The Buried Life could help to make it happen.

The answer to this question can define a person.

Kelsey Rogers, an English major, has been an avid fan of the show since it began.“I really admire that on their show the guys helped someone else. I also think they are hilarious. I like how open they are and how they are not doing this for a career, but as an open forum to get their ideas out there,” said Rogers.

Melissa Rodriguez, a women and gender studies and philosophy double major, said, “I think it is great that they are coming to speak on our campus. They are entertaining guys and it is cool that they have devoted their time to living the most fulfilling lives that they can, and encouraging others to do the same.”

Rodriguez also said this is not the first time CSUF students and the guys from The Buried Life have crossed paths.

“It is also pretty cool because I remember them tweeting support about the sit-in that students hosted last year. It shows they are not only trying to live fun lives, but politicallyaware ones as well,” said Rodriguez.

So take some time and think: What do you want to do before you die?

7

March 7, 2012

Crossword Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle FOR RELEASE MARCH 7, 2012

ACROSS 1 Taj Mahal city 5 Merry 11 One doing serious crunching in 29-Down 14 Perturb 15 Hang on a clothesline 16 One of a swiveled pair 17 1981 Richard Pryor film 19 Sit-__: protests 20 Ancient Greek theater 21 Merry old king 22 In a funk 23 Managed 24 Band whose frontman passes through the audience in a plastic bubble, with "The" 27 Typical "Twilight" fan 28 Billy of "Titanic" 29 Daisylike blooms 32 Pipe dream 36 Bartlett, e.g.

37 Distress signal 38 Pop 39 Chew out 42 Chic 44 "How steak is done" sauce 45 Like a battery needing a charge 46 "Everything but" item 50 "Don't __": 2005 R&B hit 53 Dull discomfort 54 Chess ending 55 Cultural values 57 King of Spain 58 Jolly Roger fliers 60 The word, as suggested by the saying formed by the ends of this puzzle's four longest answers 61 Cab rider-to-be 62 Sheltered, at sea 63 Mimic 64 Lover of Tristan 65 Student's stressor

view our online

C lassifieds , visit

DailyTitan.com

trouble

with fiction ,” said john rivers , “ is

that it make s too much sen se . reality neve r makes sense . ” auxdous

huxley, the genius and the godd ess

2 Dutch cheese 3 Gotten up 4 Choir member 5 "The Brady Bunch" girl 6 Tin Woodman's saving grace 7 Auto race noise 8 Puts on a pedestal 9 Arms supply 10 Caustic substance 11 It's measured in alarms 12 Man cave hanging 13 Church areas 18 Suss out 22 Leading a charmed life 25 Guitar great Paul 26 Novel-sounding beast 27 Outdoor dining spot 29 Busy month for 11-Acrosses 30 Notice 31 Percussive dance 32 Homer call?

33 Charged particle 34 Like 2011, e.g.

DOWN 1 Shady alcove

3 9

4

Daily Sudoku: Sun 4-Mar-2012

1 6 8

4 3 2

9 7 1 7

8 4

5

4 8 4

6 5

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2012. All rights reserved.

4

How To Play: Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9: and each set of boxes must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2012. All rights reserved.

5

Daily Sudoku: Sun 4-Mar-2012

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You’re in the middle of a transformational cycle. Seize the day. Replenish your coffers by increasing your income and cutting costs. Dig deeply.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Surround yourself with people who love and care for you.

Adapt easily to a change of plans. When you’re in good company, nothing else matters.

6 5

3 9

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Go on a fun adventure. Be prepared for the unexpected. Bring brain food and water in a refillable bottle. Let your partner take the lead. Mental stimulation revives.

8 4

9 7

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2012. All rights reserved.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Keep distractions at bay so that you can work faster and make more money. Write your objective down and post it on the wall. Believe that you can.

5

4 8 4

8

5

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Your capacity to concentrate is enhanced today and tomorrow. It’s a perfect time to back up your data before Mercury goes retrograde on March 12.

1

2

hard

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) You’re getting compliments.

Get started on a plan for a long-term undertaking.

Find what you need in your own closets, garage and community. Take charge, and get in action.

4 3 2

9 8 7 2 6 5 1 3 4

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) The resources are available. You can get further than expected. Friends give you a boost. Take action on a brilliant idea.

Stay objective, and do what you said you’d do.

6 8

1 7

2 7

1 6 3 4 9 7 8 5 2

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) There’s another side to consider. Your well-developed conscience keeps you on the right path. There’s more money coming in, thank goodness. Move quickly to take advantage.

1

8 3

2 5 4 8 3 1 7 6 9

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Get together with teammates for your next epic adventure. Learning together grows the love. Move quickly and pay attention. Say what you want.

4

6 7 9 5 1 8 4 2 3

Gemini (May 21-June 21) You’re gaining confidence. Move quickly to finish up old business, leaving space for new. Figure out what you want, and find a sweet deal. Things line up.

(c)2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

35 Anti's cry 37 Plot outline 40 "Delightful!"

41 Causes of pallors 42 Phil Rizzuto's number 43 Fall implements 45 Tried to lose, in a way 46 Fate 47 Freeze, as a road 48 Herb in a bouquet garni

Sudoku brought to you by dailysudoku.com

5 2 8 3 4 9 6 7 1

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Go for substance over symbolism. The longer you know each other, the stronger the bond grows. Prospects are excellent, and offers pour in.

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

Sudoku

3 4 1 7 2 6 5 9 8

Aries (March 21-April 19) A little effort restores harmony. Your partner offers excellent support now. A balanced checkbook is only part of the story. Imagine the project completed.

Daily Sudoku: Sun 4-Mar-2012

brought to you by mctcampus.com

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

Horoscope

8 9 6 1 7 3 2 4 5

-

3/7/12

By Erik Agard

7 1 2 9 5 4 3 8 6

“the

4 3 5 6 8 2 9 1 7

To

brought to you by mctcampus.com Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

3/7/12

49 Slot in a stable 50 Country that's nearly 25 times as long as its average width 51 Crosses one's fingers 52 Liability's opposite 56 The other one 58 Key letter 59 Before, to a bard

8

March 7, 2012

SPORTS

NFL combine is mixed bag Players’ performances aren’t always great determinants to their contract value or draft placement EZEKIEL HERNANDEZ Daily Titan

Every year, young National Football League prospects convene at the scouting combine in Indianapolis to showcase their skills in front of pro scouts, who use the results as a measuring stick for the NFL Draft in April.

This has gone on since the 1980s when NFL teams began to organize together for a thorough evaluation event that would cover a wide pool of players.

“You get to see the guys for the first time,” said Dan Shonka, general manager of Ourlads, an NFL scouting service.

“It’s good for the National Football League, and it’s good for the players,” Shonka said.

Shonka said it’s an opportunity to see if prospects measure up to what scouts see on film.

“Some guys have long, thick socks with skinny legs, and they look like they can’t hold up they’re weight while they’re running.”

Every year, scouts convene at fall meetings in which they grade players and determine who gets invited.

“If there’s this guy that’s rated high, then boom, he’s in the combine,” Shonka said.

The event has been honed over the years to include interviews, drug screening, physicals, workouts and a set of drills that are used to evaluate college players’ ability to make the jump into the NFL. However, successful combines do not always translate into successful playing careers. Inversely, there are players who have performed poorly at the event and went on to have successful pro careers.

“What they do at their college is 85 percent of it, because you don’t play football in shorts and T-shirts,” Shonka said.

The prospects participate in order to help boost their draft stock by placing high in specific drills. For example, cornerbacks and wide receivers hope to place high in the 40-yard dash, which is a measure of straight-away speed.

For linebackers and linemen, emphasis is placed on the bench press and shuttle drills, which are geared toward strength and footwork.

“It gives everyone a chance to see the prospects on an even playing field,” said Frank Coyle, publisher and scout for DraftInsiders.com “It’s a critical part, but it’s only a part,” Coyle said. “A great workout has to show up on the game film.”

Mo Streety, a speed and agility trainer who has worked with All-Pros such as Darrelle Revis, Terrell Suggs and

Contact Us at dtsportsdesk@gmail.com

Roddy White in preparation for pre-draft evaluations, says that preparation for players combine and pro days require a multifaceted approach to training.

His training program helps prospects clean up their form and get them in condition for different scouting events.

“We’ve had tremendous success,” said Streety. “At one point, our guys have held records for the drills. Darrelle Revis ran the fastest 40 time.”

Despite a training regimen that optimizes players’ performance for combine drills, Streety believes the combine is not the most important part of the evaluation process, but rather the pro days that players’ schools hold for NFL scouts.

“I tell guys that’s the most important day of your life,” Streety said. “For the rest of your career, you’re going to be judged at how you do at home. That’s what the NFL is more interested in.”

“The combine is like your first date,” Streety said.

For these players, their standing on the draft board can change with the click of a stopwatch. This is of paramount importance because the order in which they are selected in the draft can make a difference in how much money they would earn on their rookie contracts.

An easy target for criticism will always be those NFL teams that weigh too heavily on combine results when making their draft choices. This is especially true any time a high draft choice doesn’t perform once they’re in the league. Nevertheless, the time between the combine and week one is always riddled in speculation and criticism among the media, teams and their fans when it comes to draft picks.

Much criticism has been made about draft strategies under the late Raider owner Al Davis, who had a wellprofiled obsession with players with the highest marks on the 40-yard dash.

“Al Davis from Oakland used to be real big on the 40,” Shonka said. “But it’s a small piece of the puzzle.”

Jerry Rice, who holds most of the NFL’s receiving records, reportedly only ran a 4.77 in the drill, comparable to linebacker averages. Anquan Boldin, an all-pro receiver, had similar numbers in the combine.

Streety worked with Boldin while working for the Arizona Cardinals.

“I couldn’t figure it out. He’s always open in practice, and he’s always open in an NFL game,” Streety said.

Streety says that success for players like Boldin and Rice is due to a set of skills that aren’t commonly showcased in the combine. “The thing about Boldin and Jerry Rice, they didn’t have very fast speed, but they had great football speed and ran outstanding routes.”

It won’t always matter what you run, Streety said.

“If you’re NFL quality, you’re playing.”

DTBRIEFS BASKETBALL Five Men, Three Women Earn Big West Honors All five starters for the Titans men’s basketball team earned honors for the 2011-2012 Big West Conference, and the women’s team received three honors.

For the men, guard D.J. Seeley was awarded first-team All-Big West honors and Newcomer of the Year. Forward Omodi Amoke and guard Kwame Vaughn made the second team. Guard Isaiah Umipig and forward Orane Chin earned an honorable mention.

Seeley is the Titans’ leading scorer, averaging 17 points per game.

For the women, senior guard Megan Richardson got first-team All-Big West Conference honors for her third consecutive season.

Senior Lauren Chow and sophomore Mya Olivier both earned honorable mentions.

Richardson finished the regular season as the conference’s secondleading scorer at 16.2 ppg.

Richardson is the second Titan to be named first-team three times, joining All-American Genia Miller who made it in the 1990s.

Both the men’s and women’s teams qualified for the Big West Tournament this year.

Brief by Tim Worden

ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan Junior guard D.J. Seeley earned first team All-Big West honors in addition to Newcomer of the Year. Seeley is CSUF’s leading scorer, averaging 17 ppg.

Brothers doing it big Former Titans, Tyler and Brett Pill, make their way to the MLB LAUREN MARTY For the Daily Titan

Last year was a great year for brothers Brett and Tyler Pill. For both of them, it began with a phone call that opened the door to the next step of their careers.

In September 2011, Brett Pill, 27, former Cal State Fullerton baseball player from 2003-2005, was called up to the big leagues by the San Francisco Giants.

He received the phone call to pack up his stuff and get on a flight because he was going to his first Major League Baseball game as a professional player that afternoon.

Brett’s younger brother Tyler Pill, 22, a Titan baseball player from 2009-2011, would receive a call that informed him he would be drafted in the fourth round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the New York Mets.

Brett and Tyler both grew up playing baseball.

They started at a young age thanks to their father, Mike Pill.

Mike was also a baseball player who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates and would play in the minors for two seasons.

They would learn at a young age that the most important thing to know when playing baseball was to have fun.

“My dad never put pressure on us. He always wanted us to have fun. We would be outside practicing for hours having a good time and wouldn’t realize how long it had been,” said Brett.

Though both played baseball at CSUF and eventually ended up in the pros, they both took different journeys to get there.

Brett would play baseball for the Titans on a partial scholarship.

He was part of the 2004 Titan team that won the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. “Winning the World Series is something that I will never forget.

You start practicing in August and you go all the way until June, and to be able to win and take that with us makes it worth it,” Brett said.

Brett would finish his time at CSUF and be drafted by the San Francisco Giants.

While Brett was playing in the minors, Tyler would make his way to CSUF another way. Tyler was drafted out of high school, but decided to play baseball for the Titans.

“CSUF was always a top program and, with my brother going there, I got to see how the program was run and how everything worked. I liked it, and it made me want to be a part of it,” said Tyler.

Tyler would play three seasons for the Titans before being drafted by the Mets.

“It was exciting and I was nervous waiting, but when you get the call you’re just honored that you were recognized,” Tyler said.

As for Brett, he would end up playing 15 games in the 2011 MLB season for the Giants, garnering a

CAMILLE TARAZON / Daily Titan Younger brotherTyler Pill tags out the runner on a pickoff play last year. Tyler played for the Titans from 2009-11 and his older brother, Brett Pill, played with CSUF from 2003-05.

.300 batting average, 2 home runs and 9 RBIs. In those 15 games, he would get his first career start at first base and would have a memorable first at-bat in his first Major League game by hitting a home run off the San Diego Padre’s Wade LeBlanc.

“You always play that moment in your head (where) your first hit in the big leagues is a home run, but when it actually happened, it was a crazy, ” Brett said.

The Pill brothers have been able to have successful careers and both move on to continue playing a sport they love.

Even though they had different journeys getting there, it both started with having their family encouraging them.

They both continue to come back to CSUF to work out in the off-season, where they lift weights and use the batting cages.

When they can, the Pill brothers work out with one another.

“Brett took him (Tyler) under his wing this off-season and showed him how to work out and eat, and Tyler was able to gain some weight before he left for camp,” said Kelly Pill, their mother.

Both were able to play on the same team in the Cal State Fullerton

Alumni Baseball Game in February.

“It was nice being able to play with Brett on the same team, but weird at the same time to know you’re done and moving forward and starting a career,” Tyler said.

The Pill brothers have now begun

preparing

for

their

respective seasons as professional baseball players.

Tyler left for spring training in Florida to get ready for his first full season.

Brett also left for spring training and is in Scottsdale, Ariz. They’re both excited and can’t wait to keep working.

With their strong family bond, their father, Mike, feels that he has been able to help them along the way by “keeping everything in perspective.”

“They both are very optimistic about this season and just hope for the best, and Tyler feels you just got to have fun and don’t have any regrets,” said Mike. “It’s not going to last forever.”