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Lawsuit for O.C. family massacre continues BRIAN DAY Daily Titan

Trial will continue Tuesday for one of three men accused of killing two members of an Anaheim Hills family and attempting to kill a third in a calculated attack stemming from a break-up between one of the defendants and his girlfriend.

Charles Anthony Murphy Jr., 27, of Mission Hills, is charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder, as well as the sentence-enhancing allegations of multiple murders, murdering during the commission of a burglary, murder during the commission of a kidnapping and murder for financial gain in connection with the May 21, 2007 killings and attack, according to Orange County District Attorney officials.

His trial began Nov. 7 in Santa Ana Superior Court, Orange County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Farrah Emami said.

Murphy allegedly took part in the crimes after being hired by the alleged vengeful boyfriend, Iftekhar Murtaza, 28, of Van Nuys.

Murphy faces life in prison without the possibility of parole

if convicted as charged, officials said. The ongoing trial is his third, as his first trial ended with a hung jury and his second trial was declared a mistrial.

Murtaza is scheduled for trial Jan. 14 in Santa Ana Superior Court, Emami said. He’s accused of the same charges as Murphy, with the exception of the special allegation of murder for financial gain.

In his case, authorities are seeking the death penalty.

On Nov. 9 in the Santa Ana Superior Court district, Vitaliy Krasnoperov, a 26-year-old friend of Murtaza from Hollywood, was sentenced to life in prison for the same charges Murtaza now faces, attorney officials said. He was convicted by a jury late last year in his second trial, after a jury was unable to reach a verdict in the first.

The three men conspired to target the family of Murtaza’s exgirlfriend, believing they were responsible when his 18-year-old girlfriend ended a two-year relationship, district attorney’s officials said in a written statement.

Killed were the ex-girlfriend’s father, Jaypraykash Dhanak, 56, and sister, Karishma Dhanak, 20, officials said. The ex-girlfriend’s mother, Leela Dhanak, 54, suffered major injuries in the incident and was left in a coma.

SEE COURT, 3

WILLIAM CAMARGO / Daily Titan TOP: Mona Bennani, a nursing major, hangs up a sign in the Quad Monday for the event “Roses for Prophet Muhammed.”

BOTTOM: Nabeel Chouche hands Vice President of Student Affairs Berenecea Johnson Eanes a rose for Islam Awareness Week.

LOCAL | Transportation

OCTA votes to hike bus fares as much as $1

Moped rider nearly collides with USPS delivery truck IAN WHEELER Daily Titan

A man sustained minor injuries after crashing his moped to evade a collision with a U.S. Postal Service truck just south of Cal State Fullerton Monday.

Emergency responders tended to Chris Brown, a former employee at Hope International University, after the accident at around 2:30 p.m. at

Board overwhelmingly supports the decision Monday in a 14-2 ruling

the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and College Place. He was able to walk away from the accident after he lost control of his moped and slid several feet along the asphalt.

Brown said he was riding about 30 mph down Commonwealth when the truck began to pull out into the intersection after stopping at a stop sign.

“She didn’t see me until I was already on the ground. I went on the ground and she pulled up and stopped right up against me,” said Brown.

SEE MOPED, 3

TIM WORDEN & PETER PHAM Daily Titan

RAE ROMERO / Daily Titan

Chris Brown talks with a Fullerton Police officer after the near collision.

CAMPUS | Cycling

ASI funds repair stations for bikers The units are estimated to cost about $900 and will offer a variety of tools including air compressors GARRET YIM Daily Titan

Those who have gone green with transportation at Cal State Fullerton now have an incentive to stay green.

Associated Students Inc.’s (ASI) Student Centers Governing Board recently partnered up with Parking and Transportation Services to install service units for cyclists called “Fix-It Stations.”

These units were set up near the Student Recreation Center (SRC) and the Titan Student Union (TSU) to aid and provide bikers with tire pumps and basic repair tools. There are also QR codes posted at each station that allow smartphone users to access online bike repair instructions.

If any further service is necessary, bicycle patch kits are available at the TSU and SRC for a small fee.

The Fix-It Stations cost about $900 each. The first two were completely funded by ASI through the Titan Student Centers Governing Board, and three more will be installed soon with funding from Parking and Transportation Services.

CSUF has seemed to step up in supporting envi-

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dailytitan.com

ROSES SPREAD SEEDS OF HARMONY

LOCAL | Accident

Disciplinary action could be incurred for Postal Service employee

Run for your health in Orange County

T U E S D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 7 , 2 0 1 2

LOCAL | Trial

Four indicted in murder case for the slaughter of an Anaheim Hills family in 2007

FITNESS 8

ronmentally friendly transportation during this past year, suggesting not only for students to bike, but to carpool as well. Incentive programs are also offered to faculty and staff through commuter rewards on the Parking and Transportation Services website.

Kurt Borsting, Titan Student Centers director, noted the desire for students and faculty to want to save money.

“I’m sure cost saving is connected with current gas prices, those interested in healthy lifestyle choices, and those with interests in being more environmentally sustainable,” he said.

SEE BIKES, 3

The Orange County Transportation Authority approved Monday an across-the-board bus fare increase, raising bus ticket prices to $2 and day passes to $5.

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Trustees voted 14-2 to approve the fare increases, which range from 2533 percent on most fares. The new rates go into effect Feb. 10, 2013.

The base bus fare, currently $1.50, is jumping 33 percent, and 30-day passes are increasing from $55 to $69, a 25 percent jump, although Cal State Fullerton’s U-pass remains unaffected.

OCTA said the increase will be used to maintain the agency’s involvement in the state-funded Transportation Development Act. The act stipulates that OCTA pay back the state 20 percent in fares received to maintain state funding, said Joel Zlotnik, a media relations officer for OCTA. Half of OCTA’s funding comes from the state, he said.

“With an increase like this, we

expect that we’ll probably lose initially about 8 percent in ridership,” said Zlotnik.v Zlotnik said OCTA will counter with a 10 percent single day and bulk discounts. In addition, social services agencies and nonprofits will be able to buy passes at a discount.

“I think that no one the board wants to have to raise fares,” Zlotnik said. “Unfortunately, because of the situation we’re in and the mandates from the state, there really is no choice.”

OCTA Deputy CEO Darrell Johnson said OCTA has struggled with the economy as routes have been cut and employees have not received raises in four years while the company has slashed 400 of its staff in the past several years, he said.

“This has been something that has been in our financial plan for six or seven years to do a fare increase every four years,” said Johnson.

At Monday’s meeting, Johnson was appointed to be OCTA’s new CEO. He will assume the role in March, when the current CEO retires.

Two of the 17-member board voted against the fare hike: Anaheim City Councilwoman Lori Galloway and Orange County District 1 Supervisor Janet Nguyen.

SEE FARES, 2

NEWS

PAGE 2

THE DAILY TITAN

NOVEMBER 27, 2012 TUESDAY

DAILY TITAN QUESTION OF THE WEEK

DTBRIEFS

Illinois moves to replace Jackson

Do you think Republicans and Democrats will be able to make a deal before the U.S reaches the fiscal cliff?

73%

YES

27%

NO 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

VOTES 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 Anders Howmann at 657-2785815 or at dteditorinchief@gmail.com with issues about this policy or to report any errors.

Brief by ARJUN MALHOTRA

Chairwoman steps down

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Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn announced Monday that a special election to replace former Democrat congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. will be held Feb. 26.

Jackson held the seat for nearly 17 years.

The general election is currently scheduled for March 19th but Quinn stated that he will speak with the Illinois state officials in hopes to have it postponed to April 9.

Officials of Cook County have also requested the dates in February and April because they correspond with the local election.

Quinn has temporarily set the general election date in March.

This was influenced by the state law requiring general and primary elections to take place within 115 days of each other.

Jesse Jackson Jr., undergoing treatment for mental health issues, announced his resignation a week ago. Democrats are considering running for his position and among them are Democratic Rep. Debbie Halvorson, who unsuccessfully challenged Jackson earlier this year.

Courtesy of MCT

OCTA officials estimate the fare increase will cause them to lose 8 percent of their ridership.

FARES: Riders cry foul

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“I think it’s the worst time of the year to do this; I mean, it’s Christmas time, it’s the holiday season, and I don’t think it sends a positive message,” said Galloway, who has served on the board since 2011.

While Galloway said she understands the fiscal pressures to increase the fare, she said the focus should be on helping riders who will get hit the hardest: those with low income and the disabled.

“I don’t think there’s any good time to raise fees to that level, I just don’t think that, but certainly not at Christmas time, certainly not, it’s just the worst time and it sends an awful message,” Galloway said.

Galloway cited a 2011 OCTA customer satisfaction survey that found almost 50 percent of bus riders earn less than $10,000 a year and 29 percent earn less than $20,000 a year.

“I still think there are ways in which we can help our bus riders. I think we should have taken a step back and worked harder at it,” Galloway said.

Concerned about the residents of Orange County who are already struggling with finances, Nguyen also dissented.

“She voted against it because she believed that the most vulnerable in Orange County can’t afford it,” said Christy Delp, Nguyen’s policy advisor. “While OCTA’s revenue has reduced, so have families incomes as well.”

Delp said the 25 percent cost increase would spell devastation for

OCTA COSTS

Mary Schapiro, 57, of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will step down as chairwoman on Dec.14 after she was found to be connected to an array of financial scandals, including the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme and the bankruptcy of the Lehman Brothers.

Schapiro was the first woman to serve as non-interim chair of the agency. During her four-year tenure, she passed strict enforcement and examination programs and also added restrictions to Wall Street.

“I want to express my deep gratitude to Mary Schapiro for her steadfast leadership at the Securities and Exchange Commission,” President Barack Obama said in a statement Monday.

Obama appointed Schapiro as chairwoman in January of 2009.

It had been speculated since October that Schapiro had plans to step down from the SEC after the presidential election this year.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Commissioner Elisse Walter is likely to be the agency’s next chair.

Cash fare

To $2, from $1.50

Brief by JAZMIN SANCHEZ

Day pass

To $5, from $4

Record space flight planned

7-day pass

To $25, from $20

30-day pass

To $69, from $55 SOURCE: OCTA

low income families who depend on buses for transportation to get to work and buy groceries. Nguyen said she will look for alternative solutions to help these people.

“She did ask OCTA a number of things to look into ... so she’ll be following up on that,” Delp said.

Ted Nguyen, manager of public relations at OCTA, said the board’s decision was hard.

“We don’t relish the fact that we had to raise fares,” he said. “It was a decision that was absolutely necessary.”

Zlotnik said paying back 20 percent to the state through the Transportation Development Act farebox payback program is a small price for the service. Since half of OCTA’s funding comes from the

state, he said it subsidizes the cost for passengers so they only pay 20 percent of the real price.

“Something that we hear over and over from passengers is that while they don’t want to pay more for using the bus, they understand, many of them, that they would rather pay a little bit more than having the service significantly cut,” Zlotnik said.

While the fare increase will not affect CSUF students who own Upasses, it will affect them once they graduate.

Jaqueline Daniels, 20, a kinesiology major, disagreed with the proposal to raise fees.

“I don’t think it’s necessary,” said Daniels. “I feel like everything is already (expensive) enough.”

Captain Scott Kelly, a veteran astronaut, will set the record for the longest single space mission for an American, NASA announced Monday.

Kelly and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko will embark on a one-year mission to the International Space Station in 2015 and will launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, traveling aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

“The one-year increment will expand the bounds of how we live and work in space and will increase our knowledge regarding the effects of microgravity on humans as we prepare for future missions beyond low-Earth orbit,” said William Gerstenmaier, a NASA spokesman, to CNN. The research will contribute to future, lengthy missions to distant worlds such as Mars.

Only four humans have spent a continuous year or more in space at a time.

Brief by NICHOLAS RUIZ

NOVEMBER 27, 2012 TUESDAY

NEWS

PAGE 3

THE DAILY TITAN

BIKES: Fix-it stations offer basic tools for quick repairs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan

Fix-It Stations are set up near the Student Recreation Center and the Titan Student Union to provide bikers with tire pumps and basic repair tools. The units cost about $900 each.

COURT: Accused attempted to flee CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“The Dhanaks disapproved of the relationship partly because they were practicing Hindus and Murtaza was a non-practicing Muslim,” according to the district attorney’s office statement.

“Murtaza is accused of becoming angry about the break-up, believing that Shayona Dhanak’s parents were responsible because they did not approve of the relationship and had pressured her to end the relationship.”

Murtaza and Krasnoperov allegedly enlisted the help of Murphy by offering him $30,000.

The men ambushed, beat and stabbed the parents at their home in the 6000 block of E. Camino Correr, officials said. Leela Dhanak was left outside the home, which was set on fire and largely destroyed, while Jaypraykash and Karishma Danek were placed into a van and kidnapped.

“Five hours after fleeing the Dhanaks’ Anaheim Hills home, the defendants are accused of taking Jaypraykash and Karishma Dhanak to a bike trail at Mason Regional Park in Irvine,” according to the district attorney’s office statement.

“They are accused of murdering the victims and setting their bodies on fire with gasoline. The defendants are accused of then fleeing the scene. Officers responding to

calls reporting the early-morning fires discovered the bodies.”

Anaheim police arrested Murtaza May 25, 2007 in Arizona while he tried to board a one-way flight to India, district attorney officials said. The subsequent investigation led to the arrests of Krasnoperov in June 2007 and Murphy in August 2007.

At Krasnoperov’s sentencing earlier this month, Murtaza’s former girlfriend, Shayona Dhanak, reportedly addressed the court with a victim impact statement.

“What baffles me is that he had the power to do the right thing and instead of destroying lives he could have saved lives,” she said, according to the Orange County Register. “He did not show my dad and my sister mercy when he allowed them to be beaten, stabbed and burned. I only ask my family gets the justice they deserve.”

According to county booking records, Murphy and Murtaza were being held without bail as the proceedings moved forward.

Records described Murphy’s profession as a salesman. Murtaza was listed as a loan agent, while Krasnoperov was listed as a loan officer.

The case was investigated by the Anaheim Police Department and is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Howard Gundy of the OCDA’s Homicide Unit.

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Borsting also noted that his impression of the commuting situation is that “there are more cyclists on campus than ever before.”

But despite increased bicycle usage and efforts to aid those who cycle to school, many students are still unaware of the efforts being made.

Kevin Lam, 21, an art major, bikes to school five days a week from his apartment complex about a mile away from campus, but has only used the monthly bike check-up on campus once and was unaware of the Fix-It Stations.

“The Fix-It Station is one of those things I didn’t know I needed until it was there,” said Lam. Until these bike options were available, some students would go to

Jax Bicycle Center, which is only a short distance away from campus on Chapman Avenue.

“The Fix-It Station is one of those things I didn’t know I needed until it was there.”

KEVIN LAM Art Major Jimmy Pablos, an employee at Jax Bicycle Center, noted that the clientele of the store is typically “a

lot of college kids.” He said these sorts of customers typically just come in for minor check ups, such as tire pumping, and often don’t need much else.

Ultimately, Pablos said he hasn’t noticed a significant drop in business but did mention that there have been fewer college students coming lately, though he said he wasn’t sure whether or not to attribute it to the free programs that CSUF now offers.

Although students may only need minor assistance for their bicycles, resources continue to be provided on campus and will likely draw in a larger crowd as CSUF continues to push forth aid for commuters and the environment.

“My roommate and I both think (Fix-It Stations are) a neat idea and plan to use it in the future,” Lam said.

DTCRIME

Two Fullerton men to face molestation charges Wednesday Two Fullerton brothers accused of luring and molesting two young neighbor girls over a period of more than a year are due in court this week, officials said.

Cristobal Ortiz Rodriguez, 37, and Eduardo Ortiz Rodriguez, 34, are scheduled to enter pleas at an arraignment Wednesday in Santa Ana Superior Court, Orange County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Farrah Emami said.

The crime took place as the brothers were living in a converted Fullerton garage and lived nearby the two victims, ages 3 and 7, OCDA officials said in a written statement.

“Between May 2010 and August 2011,

the defendants are accused of molesting the two little girls while the defendants were together, one after the other, and on their own at separate times,” according to the district attorney’s office statement. “The sexual conduct included touching, masturbation, digital penetration, oral copulation and showing pornographic images to the victims.”

Additionally, the statement said, “The defendants are accused of grooming the victims and bribing them not tell anyone about the molest with candy and ice cream.”

Fullerton police arrested the Rodriguez brothers in late August 2011 after the older of the two girls told a family member about

the abuse, officials added.

Each is charged with two felony counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration of a child under 10 years old, six felony counts of lewd acts on a child under 14 years old and the sentence-enhancing allegation of committing sex crimes against more than one victim.

If convicted as charged, they each face a maximum sentence of 120 years to life in state prison. County booking records indicate they are being held without bail at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange.

Brief by BRIAN DAY

MOPED: Close call near campus

RAE ROMERO / Daily Titan

An officer takes notes as injured Chris Brown describes losing control of his moped while trying to avoid colliding with a truck.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Brown said the driver of the truck stopped briefly to ask if he was OK, but did not remain on the scene.

“She asked if I needed to have an ambulance called and when I responded that I was OK … she said, ‘OK’ and got back in her truck and pulled off,” he said. “If she hadn’t

stopped, she would have run me over when I went over my bike.”

Fullerton Police Sgt. Jeff Stuart said the truck driver could be cited once fault is determined, which could result in other disciplinary action to a U.S. Postal Service employee.

Ryan Slayton, 21, a mechanical engineering major who witnessed the accident, said Brown had to slam on his brakes to avoid the

truck and that there was not enough time or space for him to stop safely.

“This is definitely her mistake—she pulled out in front of me. But I see stuff like this all the time,” Brown said. “I think there needs to be a (traffic) light here … there’s just not enough control here.”

David Hood and Tim Worden contributed to this report.

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OPINION

PAGE 4

THE DAILY TITAN

NOVEMBER 27, 2012 TUESDAY

Blurred Youth JULIE NITORI

Putting people first is part of television’s modern LGBT family There is a wonderful place where brash unyielding conservatism and openly atypical sexuality meet at a harmonious middle ground. That place is not something of a science fiction plot or a secluded utopia; it’s actually only a few feet away from you, and that place is in front of your television.

While television is far from being the most accurate assessment of reality, sitcoms have played a powerful role in guiding the views of those who are typically opposed to the LGBT community, and its presence has only grown stronger.

However, there are still things that need to be changed.

Many may be surprised to hear that sitcoms such as Modern Family, which depicts a same-sex couple, was named “Best Television Show” by Catholics In Media Associates (CIMA) earlier this year.

Such a prestigious title goes beyond simple entertainment value.

The CIMA acknowledges TV shows which “[make] clearer the Word of God” and “help us better understand what it is to be part of the human family.”

Along with the CIMA’s approval, Modern Family has also been ranked highly amongst conservative viewers, ranking as their “3rd favorite show” according to a 2010 census.

Although this may not mean that conservatives are particularly embracing the LGBT community more, it does show a shift in what may be acceptable to some. Adam Serwer from Mother Jones noted Modern Family to be “subversive conservatism,” and I would have to agree.

The show, even in its representation of same-sex couple Cameron and Mitchell, displays a very “traditional” sense of family values. They even have an adopted daughter, further displaying values of “commitment.”

Cameron and Mitchell are surrounded by other traditional families, even where the man is shown as the dominant breadwinner and the wife stays at home.

But mixing this “conservatism” with an LGBT lifestyle shows a degree of normality to viewers which can only serve as a snowball effect in accepting the LGBT community. The traits of Cameron and Mitchell may be very well typical of society’s perception of homosexuals—they possess a slight lisp, are innately light hearted and quarrel in playful ways—but they’re still completely safe in their characters and possess no negative connotations besides a few slight traits stereotypical of a “common” gay man.

Still, we have a long way to go.

Until LGBT characters can be fully integrated into shows and be seen as a person first, rather than a lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans-

gender, we will still carry the mentality that separates the “normal” from the “LGBT.” While it is important to display both internal and external struggles as an LGBT person, it is also important to not overly victimize every single LGBT individual either, something that I believe disconnects the viewer. LGBT characters in shows should be able to come from normal accepting backgrounds and live within an environment that is equally supportive, rather than always being cast in a dim light of peer taunting and family issues.

“LGBT characters...should... come from normal accepting backgrounds...”

A normal LGBT character can still be a positive one.

Lastly, characters need to be not so explicitly his or her role.

Enough of the tender homosexual, the seedy lesbian or the frantic transgender. Characters always seem to be cast as extremes, where they are perpetuating a stereotype or they are so removed from a general personality that it is noticeable that LGBT conflict is trying to be avoided.

LGBT people come in all forms, just like any other person. You cannot ascribe a certain personality type to what an LGBT person is like or how they act, nor does the fact that they are LGBT need to be constantly informed to the audience.

People are more ready now to accept the LGBT community as entertainers and people who are removed from the viewer’s personal lives. One may find an LGBT person acceptable within the context that they are present in somebody else’s life, but I feel as if the struggle of accepting an LGBT person into one’s own world, someone very close, is still a situation which most would rather not be cast in. “It’s okay, but not in my home.”

So the struggle continues, and with that we can only wait and continue to approach things in a positive manner and watch as that snowball effect continues. Sitcoms certainly should be congratulated for efforts made so far, and they have helped. But ideally, things can still change.

While the television screen emanates its powerful glow onto families across the country, let us only hope it is displaying a sense of fairness and accuracy to what LGBT people are: human.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR 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.

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Courtesy of MCT

With the closure of Hostess last week, approximately 18,500 workers find themselves out of a job. Hostess will be selling off its remaining assets including snacks like Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Cupcakes and Donettes.

Twinkies vs. tragedy

Rather than crying over spilled cupcakes, sympathize with those out of work IRMA WONG Daily Titan

November 16, 2012 will to go down in the books as the day Hostess, one of the most popular bakeries, announced its closure and massive employee layoff.

I first heard of the news when I scrolled through my Facebook page during my lunch break at work.

As I saw post after post, the only concern being sympathized on my timeline was the loss of Hostess’s iconic pastries.

Instead of focusing on the thousands that would lose their job right before the holiday season, the loss of Twinkies, HoHo’s, Ding Dong’s, Zingers and countless other sweet treats is much more important for some to mourn, I suppose.

Later in the day the posts continued, this time with pictures of stashes people were compiling of the Hostess treats.

All I could think of since the day Hostess announced its closure is that over 18,000 workers will be left without a job. According to an article on CNN’s website the company will shut down 33 bakeries, 565 distribution centers and 570 outlet stores nationwide.

In a day and age where the economy is not the greatest and unemployment is a prominent issue, it is unfortunate that thousands more will now be forced to join that struggle.

The Hostess layoffs will “represent a deep cut in mid-wage jobs that often came with benefits. Many production workers earned up to $20 an hour, plus had access to medi-

cal benefits,” according to CNN. For the reported 18,500 employees now left without a job, it will be difficult to find a new one with the same pay rate and benefits.

Honestly, it will be difficult to find a job at all.

This unfortunate situation thousands of fellow Americans now face is sadly not the concern of many. Instead, stocking up on Twinkies and Ding Dongs- emptying numerous stores inventories of Hostess products- is more of a priority.

Even more alarming is the fact that these

“It is unfortunate that thousands more will have to join (unemployment).” edible products are now being sold at inflated prices by those who made it a goal to hoard as many of the treats as possible. It is unbelievable how people are paying as much as $50 for a box of 10 Twinkies. There’s even a listing on eBay for five boxes of the famous golden cream-filled sponge cakes for $25,000.

It’s horrible that people are using this unfortunate event as an opportunity to make money.

Not only is the price totally unreasonable, but the fact that you can already buy the

treats on eBay and Amazon is just ridiculous.

I won’t miss the overly sweet snacks, even if they could survive an apocalypse like everyone else has been saying. The loss of some sweet pastries is not the most tragic thing I have heard about, especially given the fact that they are unhealthy.

Realistically, the fear that the iconic Hostess goodies should most definitely not be a concern since reports have stated that the company will sell its assets to those interested and willing to pay the most money.

Rumor has it that fellow big brand company Bimbo will be the new home for some of the pastries, according to Forbes.

Thus the sympathy should go to the workers, who will not find a new home as easily as the products.

CNN also reported that employees were sent a letter stating they would receive no severance pay or have their vacation time cashed out. Continuance of medical insurance is another issue pending.

As for those employees who went on strike the day before Hostess declared its closure, they cannot rely on unemployment benefits because they will not be able to apply for them. It isn’t fair that these people are getting punished for exercising their First Amendment rights.

We should all calm down and take a second look at what’s truly important here.

I hope that the 18,500 employees will be able to sustain their daily lives and get through the holidays. This is what we should feel bad about, not at the loss of some unhealthy snack foods.

Super seniors shouldn’t be punished

Prop 30 passed, yet some students could still be hit with even more school fees CALEB STRANO For the Daily Titan

Year after year, college tuition has gone up. California is having a difficult time deciding where the taxpayers’ dollars should be going.

Unfortunately, the people who are paying for this are the same students who hope to afford a college education.

With tuition prices at Cal State Fullerton rising and extra fees possibly being added, many students will continue to have trouble with their finances. Students are paying more than enough already and should not have to pay the extra fees that the school has come up with.

Three main fees of concern are as follows: A “Super Senior” fee that would add a fee to fifth-year seniors, a course repeat fee that would penalize people for retaking a class, and a third-tier fee that would penalize people for taking

more than 16 units.

These fees are unacceptable and suggest that CSU leaders are not looking as highly upon the education of the students as they should; students who can’t afford the tuition could be forced to drop-out of college and fail to get a higher education.

According to the PublicAgenda. org, only 42 percent of students graduate when they have to pay for college themselves. That means the majority of the students who pay for school themselves will not have the chance to graduate.

It is unfair to raise the tuition to its current height, add additional fees and expect students to be able to pay for college. In order to pay for school, students will be expected to have a job that can pay for these high prices.

The administration talks about how it values education as the top priority for the students, but with these type of actions, they have a funny way of showing it. It is ignorant for the administration to think that raising the prices won’t

affect CSU students.

A study done in the Journal of Education Finance showed that for every hour of work a student does to pay for school his or her GPA goes down 0.007 points.

That means if a student works 35 hours a week will lose a quarter of a point in GPA. With these rising prices, many students will have to become full-time students as well as full-time employees.

Not only will these tuition hikes affect current students but they will affect college hopefuls. With competition growing for scholarships, many students are left to have to pay for college without help. This can discourage potential applicants from applying.

A story done by the Los Angeles Times showed that California is behind the national average for college applicants by a total of 6 percent. This has to do with the increase in tuition, as California does not put enough money into education and more people are unable to attain higher education.

The argument in support of tuition hikes and fee raises is that the college system needs the extra money because our economy is in trouble. This may be true, but there are so many things being funded that aren’t as important as education. There needs to be a greater focus on higher learning so that people can have a chance to succeed in the world.

All the state needs to do is switch its focus to education. The state can also focus on other things but education has been pushed to the side for far too long and the students are paying for it.

It doesn’t look good for current and future college students. Rising prices and fees are making it very difficult for students to attain a higher education. However, there is a glimmer of hope.

With lower tuition there will be more students, and with more students there will be smarter people.

With smarter people comes a better economy for both the state and the nation.

NOVEMBER 27, 2012 TUESDAY

OPINION

PAGE 5

THE DAILY TITAN

No success in secession

Illustration by ALVAN UNG / Daily Titan

Rather than throw a temper tantrum, state secessionists should rethink their plans

DEANNA TROMBLEY For the Daily Titan

Well, it’s happened. Thousands of United States citizens are petitioning to secede from the nation.

“Let’s be honest, red states want to secede because the white guy didn’t win,” reported Rmuse from liberal news site PoliticusUSA.com. It feels like an awkward and undoubtedly drastic tantrum from the right side. Petitions have even surpassed the necessary 25,000 signatures to be placed in a queue for review and a response from the administration. These petitions include advocacy from Louisiana, Georgia and Texas.

What are the chances that the states would receive approval to secede anyway, right?

Up to 30 states have petitioners angrily signing their names away at We The People, the White House’s website for petitions. We The People was created by the Obama administration “to give all Americans a way to engage the government on issues that matter to them,” as stated on the homepage of We The People.

Oh the irony; Obama is offering a voice to the people and they use it against him.

Still, it’s a universal truth that whenever someone is given an opportunity to voice his or her opinion online, that opportunity will often be taken advantage of. YouTube comments are the prime example of this phenomenon. If the petitioners are

just cyber bullying the rightful president of our country, there is always the good news that even the trolls are being trolled.

“In addition, there’s a petition in support of deporting anyone who signs a petition to secede from the Union,” reported the Standard Examiner. “And someone, perhaps from one of Texas’ more liberal cities, has posted a petition seeking signatures for Austin to withdraw from the Lone Star State but remain part of the United States.”

“...petitioners can sign away, but their rights haven’t been obstructed.”

It’s good to see people are exercising their rights.

Many states have followed the outline and pattern of Louisiana’s petition that reads as follows: “We petition the Obama administration to: Peacefully grant the State of Louisiana to withdraw from the United States of America and create its own new government.”

It is written in the Declaration of Independence and has been quoted in the petitions, “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever

any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it and to institute new Government”.

These rights that the Declaration of Independence are referring to are the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In short, these angry petitioners can sign away, but their rights haven’t been obstructed. These people are just angry because Mitt Romney lost to Obama.

Still, Romney lost fair and square by both popular and electoral vote.

Obama hasn’t done anything to keep these citizens from life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

It’s debatable on the obstruction of their pursuit of happiness, but is the election of Romney really the sole product of happiness? If the petitioners are really using the Declaration of Independence as a source, they need to understand the meaning of these written words.

President Obama has not even had the chance to be destructive in the first several days of his second term.

Speaking of destruction, the secessionists would best take a look at their own state budgets before hastily signing a petition to break away from the nation to form their own little government.

“The states that have received the most signatures on petitions to secede from the union were also some of the largest recipients of federal funding in 2010,” ABC News reported.

How well would these states really do on their own without proper funding?

Now, I’ve always been one for the postapocalyptic style of governments—they always make for an interesting storyline in shows and films—but that’s for entertainment purposes only.

With jokes aside, it has also been reported by ABC News that “six of the seven states that received more that 25,000 signatures on petitions to cut ties with the federal government received more that $10 million from the federal government that year.”

These seven states include Alabama,

Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. These states combined took more than 23 percent of all federal revenue in 2010.

If Texas was to succeed in their cause, I have a feeling that the state would revert to the old Wild West days. On second thought, perhaps the union should let Texas be its own nation; after all, Hollywood definitely needs more material to work on to create original movies. I have a feeling this would turn out to be a knee-slapping comedy starring Will Ferrell.

The thought’s pretty humorous, actually.

SIGNATURES FOR SECESSION BY STATE Texas

117,510

Louisana

37,000

Florida

34,811

Georgia

32,062

Tennessee

31,084

North Carolina

30,412

Alabama

30,280

The unfortunate and unforseen consequences of ‘Obamacare’ Through some sloppy lawwriting, legislatives have only shifted the costs to us DANIEL BARBEAU For the Daily Titan

With the re-election of President Obama, the last gasps of the efforts to overturn the president’s signature piece of legislation, the Affordable Care Act (pejoratively called Obamacare and officially the ACA) expired with the failed candidacy of Governor Romney’s presidential bid.

After conservatives’ high hopes of judicial rejection dashed by the Supreme Court’s affirmation and the clown show of the Republican primary candidate slate outdoing each other in their calls for repeal, the ACA will remain the law of the land and soon join other entities

such as Social Security and Medicare in the pantheon of untouchable entitlement programs.

Again, unforeseen consequences raise their ugly heads with its implementation.

Amongst other dictates contained within the ACA’s 2,801 pages are mandates that force employers to provide company health care insurance for workers over 30 hours a week, or face a $2,000 per employee fine.

Our governmental handlers clearly used linear and simplistic reasoning when deciding such mandates, since in their models, government dictates never alter individual behavior in unexpected ways, and businesses will continue to hire regardless of higher costs and provide health insurance to all over thirty hours a week workers irrespective of higher costs.

Unfortunately, behavior is not

static, but evolves when incentives are manipulated. When businesses are faced with prohibitive insurance mandates, instead of taking the hit, they often adapt; a lá employers limiting part-time workers to 29 hours a week in order to fly under the ACA radar.

Essentially, if a company needs 400 hours of work a week to operate, the ACA incentivizes employers to hire 14 part-time workers at 29 hours a week instead of 10 full-time workers at 40 hours a week in order to avoid providing healthcare insurance.

Another unintended consequence results from the law’s cap on the number of employees that a company might hire in order to be excused from the health care mandates.

Under the ACA, companies which employ less than 50 people are exempt from the health care law. At 49 employees, they are not forced to provide

health insurance, but once a fiftieth employee is added to payroll, costs will jump as every employee must be provided with health insurance. Thus small businesses have a vested interest to limit their hiring to remain at or under the 49 employee limit.

Finally, the ACA is essentially a tax on consumers. Much like the corporate tax in general, by increasing the marginal costs of doing business the law passes higher business overhead to the consumer through higher prices.

For example, Papa John’s Pizza plans to raise prices up to 15 cents per pizza to recoup losses resulting from higher payroll costs mandated by the ACA. While the pizza chain’s CEO John Schnatter is facing public ire for his forthright admission of higher prices to protect often thin profit margins, all other businesses will follow suit, albeit in ways which

the average customer is ignorant.

John Metz another businessman who owns dozens of Denny’s, Dairy Queens and other restaurant franchises, is tacking on a 5 percent surcharge to his customers’ bills to compensate for increased business costs mandated by the ACA. While his methods perhaps imply political undertones, every other business in this country will also raise prices in order compensate for lower profitability, but most will simply disguise price hikes in ways opaque to consumers.

Once again, our central planners failed to take individual agency into account when crafting their behavioral modification schemes.

What makes great soundbite headlines in the marble halls of Washington often begets many unforeseen consequences when implemented on Main Street. However, do not despair; once

our leaders realize how their altruistic efforts have fouled up the marketplace and disincentivized production, they will again rescue us from our oblivion through more legislation, price controls, taxes and mandates to correct the previously unforeseen consequences of prior legislative fixes.

A better solution would be to repeal the market distortions enacted over the past decades and allow free enterprise to reward producers who deliver those products that consumers want at the lowest prices with as little government interference as possible. Lifting government controls from the healthcare industry and ending government induced healthcare inflation would do more towards affordably insuring every American than the 2,801 pages of the Affordable Care Act. After all, there is no free lunch.

VISIT US AT DAILYTITAN.COM/OPINION

FEATURES

PAGE 6

THE DAILY TITAN

NOVEMBER 27, 2012 TUESDAY

Service center hosts week of awareness An event was held in the Quad tackling the issues of hunger and homelessness CHER TOBIASSEN For the Daily Titan

ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan

Jacqueline Estrada, 21, a third year biochemistry major and Sal Espinoza, 23 a sophomore radiology major, study in the Titan Student Union. The TSU is open for late night study with extended operation hours until 2 a.m.

Titans stay up all night to get ready for exams All Night Study will be held Dec. 10 at the Titan Student Union to help students prepare for finals ASHLEN DOMINGUEZ For the Daily Titan

The soft glow of a Macbook illuminates the fresh, young face of Christopher Harow. He sits amongst a few of his peers, his left hand propping up his head as he stares intently at the screen full of class notes.

Fueled with coffee and Red Bull energy drinks, the Cal State Fullerton sophomore hunches close to his laptop, willing the information to stick.

Harow is still on campus, even though his classes were over several hours ago. He has work to finish.

Like many of the students on campus, Harow is attempting to stay on top of his course load before finals arrive.

The holidays are just around the corner and the end of the year is creeping up.

For some, the end can’t come soon enough.

But for others like Harow, the 2011-2012 school year all seems to blur together.

“This is the first time that I’ve been a full time student ever,” said Harow. “Coming to the Cal State has been hectic. I’ve been completely busy, but it’s going by fast.”

Harow recently transferred to CSUF from Fullerton College and has been adjusting to life on campus.

He said he was surprised to learn of the many things offered to students, including the late night study sessions offered by the Associated Students, Inc. every year during midterms and finals week.

The “Midterm Madness” event held in October had a nice turnout, said David Velasquez, a student worker.

Typically, the event lasts the first few days of midterm or finals week.

During that time both the Titan Student Union and Student Recreational Center have extended operation hours until 2 a.m., to help accommodate students that need a quiet and safe environment on campus to study in.

“I go to the study rooms here throughout the year,” said Alex Mishreki. “The extra hours are nice but it can get crowded.”

Velasquez said the TSU and Student Recreational Center can get cluttered with students looking for someplace to study, and always expect a much larger turn out during finals week.

In addition to a study haven, students can find tutoring services, snacks, refreshments, entertainment, stress management workshops and other activities free of charge.

Last year during finals, massages were a

special treat for students up late studying.

Even with all that is offered, some students just enjoy the quiet, calm atmosphere that the TSU offers this time of the year.

The florescent lights brighten up the rooms, keeping students focused and awake while the absence of crowds within the main hall of the TSU gives them an opportunity to hone in on their studies.

Most services are offered in the lobby or just outside the doors of the TSU in order to avoid those unnecessary distractions.

Traffic within in the study hall is minimal and poster boards remind visitors that study sessions are taking place.

This semester, an All Night Study event will be held on Dec. 10 at the TSU. Whether seated in the cushioned armchair or at one of the tables that line the massive windows of the building, students can find a place to focus for a few hours.

“I might try staying on campus to study for finals just to check it out. It sounds cool,” said Harow.

Getting up to stretch, he gathers his book and starts to pack up for the night.

After a minute or two of adjusting his belongings he turns to leave.

Tomorrow, he’ll be back to continue his preparation for finals week.

The end of the semester approaches.

Clothing lines were strung from tree to tree with ragged clothes and posters displaying a number of stories and statistics of those affected by poverty.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it is estimated that more than 5 million people do not always have enough food in California.

On a national level, more than 38 million people, about 12 percent of the U.S. population, are food insecure.

Cal State Fullerton’s Volunteer and Service Center dedicated Nov. 13-16 to recognize National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.

This year’s event, held Nov. 15 in the Quad, was focused on the roots of the hunger and homeless status, said Kim Hamon, assistant coordinator of the Volunteer and Service Center.

Members of the group chose to concentrate on economic disparities, psychological disorders and societal views.

“We need to realize it’s a systemic issue and it’s connected to so many different facets of our community, not just like the stereotypes that are always presented about homeless people,” said Zeena Aljawad, 22, project director and a psychology major at CSUF. Among the signs and cardboard boxes displaying truths of the homeless population were two parked cars on display.

One of them appeared to be older, unwashed and filled with dingy blankets in the backseat with sign that read “stereotypical homeless car.”

The other car was a newer black Honda with fancy shiny rims.

Its sign read “non-stereotypical homeless car.”

Displays like this were shown to debunk societal views on homelessness.

The reality is anyone can be affected by poverty and it isn’t something that can always be identified on a surface level.

“In our community we see so many homeless people and we all hold our stereotypical view of them like on a corner with a sign maybe, but this event is to raise awareness that these individuals have stories they aren’t out here just because they’re lazy,” said Hamon.

The event on Nov. 15 consisted of a panel of various local organizations that serve the homeless community, including Pathways of Hope and HIS House Homeless Intervention Shelter.

Some members experienced homelessness in their own lives.

A few students took the time to hear and listen to what the panelists had to share.

“I don’t know how people can walk by and not pay attention,” said Ashley Canovas, 21, a radioTV-film major. “It’s really interesting to see a different side we don’t like to think about.”

Other students in attendance could relate to the poverty issues addressed at the event.

“It hits close to home also because my own family has gone through issues like that, so I can relate,” said Carlos Zelaya, 23, project director and a sociology major.

Making a difference in the homeless community begins with creating connections and recognizing each person’s story, Hamon said.

“By helping out at our center where we go and serve at soup kitchens and at homeless shelters, they (students) can really have that interaction, like break bread with these people and learn about their stories,” she said.

The Volunteer and Service Center continues to reach out to the homeless year round by giving up their time to serve at soup kitchens, holding clothing drives and collecting donations for the Orange County Food Bank.

“Even if it’s one person that I reach, I feel like it makes a difference, it gives me a good feeling but (it’s) also helping people avoid situations that I’ve gone through,” said Zelaya.

If you would like to get involved with the Volunteer and Service Center, visit Fullerton. edu/volunteer.

Students go home to parental pressures Parents’ high expectations motivate students to work harder toward success YVETTE QUINTERO & ADRIAN GARCIA Daily Titan

Going home from college for a weekend or the holidays helps ease the stress of academics, but also brings about the inevitable questions from friends and family regarding school.

Students spend time with their families and escape their academic worries.

However, when students return to campus, they can bring back more than they bargained for.

Some students feel pressure from their parents to succeed and returning home reminds them of that pressure.

Mickie Wong, 19, a child development major, goes home about once a month.

She said upon returning to her home in Temple City, Calif., she feels pressure from her parents about her academics.

Wong said her parents sent her to study at a university because they want her to be successful and financially stable.

“I feel pressured when I go home

because my parents lecture me every time they see me because they came to America so that their kids can have a better future,” said Wong.

Wong’s parents are immigrants from Vietnam and grew up without the advantages she has now.

Because of that, Wong said her parents have high expectations for her academic career.

“They say that I should be studying everyday, going to the library, taking full advantage of this wonderful opportunity to go to college, something they didn’t have,” Wong said.

Wong is involved with the fraternity Zeta Phi Rho, and is in good academic standing.

However, she said she feels her parents set too high expectations for her academic performance.

“That’s their method of guilt tripping me. I feel like I should be doing more than I am. I should try harder,” Wong said.

Upon returning from home, Wong said she feels motivated to work harder and try to meet her parents’ high standards.

This motivation wanes away though, and she stops working as much as before.

“I usually fall back into the same routine after a few weeks. I don’t see them every weekend so they can’t remind me,” Wong said.

CONTACT US AT DTFEATURESDESK@GMAIL.COM

Kishev Navindaran, 19, a mechanical engineering major, goes home to San Diego, Calif., once every five weeks.

He typically spends a day or two during the weekend with his family and friends.

Going home gives Navindaran the chance to reflect on the opportunity his parents gave him and the importance of an education.

“I get more home sick when I

“I feel like I should be doing more than I am. I should try harder.”

MICKIE WONG Child development major visit home and it puts everything into perspective,” said Navindaran.

Navindaran’s parents express interest in his education by talking about his studies and his academic standing.

He said they motivate him to work harder in school.

“My parents always tell me to study hard and they ask me how

I’m doing in school. It motivates me to do better,” he said.

Navindaran’s brothers, who are also college students, inspire him by having conversations about each other’s experiences.

They keep tabs on each other to make sure that they are on a path to success.

“I usually talk to my brothers to see how they’re doing and it’s more of a motivation for me,” Navindaran said.

Shaan Cowasjee, 19, undeclared, also lives in San Diego. He goes home to see his family once every four to five weeks.

He said he cherishes the time he spends in San Diego with his loved ones because it helps him appreciate them a lot more.

“It’s more of a special and appreciating feeling,” said Cowasjee.

“You get to hang out with family and you appreciate them more,” he added.

Cowasjee said it is tough on his parents because he’s so far away and they cannot ensure that he is putting full effort into his studies.

However, he said, he uses this as motivation to work harder in school.

“My parents tell me to focus more, they feel like I’m slacking because I’m not there with them and they’re not motivating me 24/7,” Cowasjee said.

ELEONOR SEGURA / Daily Titan

Abracadabra: A Day of Magical events will take place at the Garden Cafe Wednesday. It is located next to the lower level of the TSU.

A taste of magic in store for Titans

Abracadabra, held this Wednesday, will feature an illusionist and free food ADRIAN GARCIA Daily Titan

This Wednesday, ASI Productions is presenting Abracadabra: A Day of Magical events, and is featuring an illusionist as well as a caricature artist. The illusionist is a student at Cal State Fullerton and will be performing several magic tricks.

The caricatures will be done on a first come first serve basis. Students who arrive early will get a

ticket ensuring they have a chance to get their caricature done.

Irvin Morales, 19, an international business major and the ASI Street Team Coordinator, said that the event will provide attendees with free popcorn, cotton candy and snow cones.

The event is free to all students and will be held in the Garden Cafe from 2-3 p.m.

ASI Productions is also hosting its annual Snow Day Thursday Dec. 6.

Students in attendance can sled through the quad and take pictures with snowmen from 10-2 p.m.

For more information on ASI Productions and upcoming events, call (657) 278-3502.

7

November 27, 2012

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Horoscope

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Aries (March 21-April 19) Don’t stop yet ... you’re so close!

Keep playing the game, and beat the odds. Watch your language, but say exactly what you think. Gather strength from love.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Love grows stronger in spite of restrictions. Be thoughtful of others. An unstable financial situation could lead to a financial revelation. Make sure you get your two-cents’ worth.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Consider another location. Stand back to let your mate express her/himself. Finances are tight. And two plus two is still four. Don’t despair, there’s always tomorrow.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Your friends are there to help you dig for the treasure. Don’t fight, or sweat, over the small stuff. Listen to an older person. Follow your schedule.

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Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) The road to great communication is paved with good intentions. Play by the rules and prosper, but don’t spend what you haven’t got. Rely on your community for what you need.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) You’re tougher than you look. Be willing to play with others. The more you learn, the better you’ll understand the strategy. Meditate on it. Make another improvement at home.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Your discipline and sense of balance come in handy now and are admired. Don’t sell yourself short. Keep checking the quality. A female joins you.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) You’re breaking the glass ceiling, or at least pushing it open. Concentrate on the moment at hand, even if the progress seems slow. The depth of love given to you is revealed. Team members come to agreement.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Listen first, carefully, before jumping to conclusions, and avoid unnecessary upsets. Follow the schedule, prioritizing the projects that you love. Don’t forget to chop wood and carry water.

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.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Love is still in the air. Take a deep breath, and let it all soak in.

Acknowledge another person’s wisdom.

Don’t let the circumstances distract you from your plan or your promises.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) For nearly four weeks, your ideas move forward rapidly. Another provides the right contacts. Be patient and understanding toward their ideas, it’s not worth the fight.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Ignore rumors. Love empowers you and opens up new opportunities among the reigning confusion reigns. Keep yourself to high standards. Voice your feelings.

universityhouse.com

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PAGE 8

THE DAILY TITAN

FITNESS

NOVEMBER 27, 2012 TUESDAY

Losing drive but still determined to finish When I first started the P90X regimen, I had ambitious and positive expectations in mind.

For one, I expected to workout daily for the next 90 days to ensure a significant weight loss.

I also took to heart the promise founder Tony Horton makes about his program: it will not make you another victim of the infamous plateau effect.

My P90X journey reaches its twelfth week, and I am having some heavy doubts about my ability to accomplish the fitness goals I had initially put in place.

I have come to realize that the P90X workouts are not designed with the average or overweight person in mind. As I have shared in past entries, some of the workouts are very physically demanding making it difficult for a person like me to keep with Horton and his clan in the DVDs. Learning this was a bigger challenge than I had expected. I have tried my hardest to keep up with the program.

“I have come to realize that the P90X workouts are not designated with the average or overweight person in mind.”

In my last entry, I shared that I had to cut down the amount of days I did my workout because of my busy day-to-day schedule. Unfortunately, I have to report that I have had to continuing with the amount of workouts for another reason: they are simply just too hard.

I was thinking these workouts would get easier as I continued forward, but constantly feeling sore and in discomfort after doing them has not motivated me to keep up with the regimen every day.

The problem is not that I am lazy or unwilling to do the workouts everyday, but that I physically cannot find the strength or energy to do them when I constantly fear that I can hurt myself by

As Seen on DT IRMA WONG

spraining an ankle or pulling a muscle.

There have been several times where I am in pain after doing the rigorous plyometrics or legs and back DVDs. From what I have heard from others who have done P90X, this was a problem they had too.

Horton says on his website that “P90X muscle confusion never plateaus.” He also claims that your body will never get used to the workout.

Because of this, results are always attained.

Because my body is not getting used to the intensity of the workouts, my feelings toward the program’s effectiveness have plateaued.

A plateau effect is something that occurs when a formerly effective measure ceases to cause further change.

Formerly, I had a positive and excited outlook towards the program, but those feelings have changed to ones of uncertainty and disappointment.

Now more than half ways through the program, the only thing I can happily say is that I have lost a total of 11 pounds so far. That means I only have nine more to go to reach my initial goal.

I would not say it’s result only because of P90X but because I am only doing half the workouts required as of now. Eating healthier has really proved to be a great success. The combination of both exercising and eating right actually does work.

With finals and the holidays coming up, I hope to fulfill my weight loss goal, even if my feelings towards the P90X routine do not change.

More importantly, I hope to keep off the weight I have lost so far.

ELEONOR SEGURA / Daily Titan

As part of her weekly exercise routine, Miriam Quezada runs on a trail at Craig Regional Park on State College Blvd. on Monday. Fullerton has more than 20 miles of trails that intertwine with one another.

Keep on running in Orange County The surrounding areas of Cal State Fullerton offers running and hiking trails DANIEL HERNANDEZ Daily Titan

After stuffing my face in a plethora of saturated Thanksgiving goodness for a couple of days straight, my jeans are a bit tighter and my heart feels like it slowed a pace.

I unbuckled the top button of my pants to make room for my belly when the realization struck me in the gut with a dirty dinner fork; I need to find a place to run.

But in a community dominated by concrete and asphalt, seeking out a running adventure, like a hiking trail, poses a natural dilemma. I searched far and wide, and discovered some peaceful running environments near campus.

For those who don’t want to venture far from the college, Fullerton offers more than 20 miles of trails that all connect to each other. Each route is no more than three miles long and they are all, for the most part, dirt paths.

Close access points from school to parts of the trail can be found a bit north of campus at Craig Regional Park. With careful planning, runners can make their way to the West Coyote Hills backbone trails on the other side of Fullerton.

Strolling through the backside dirt alleyways, or otherwise horse trails, provides some seclusion from the smoggy automobile conditions of urban life. The rest of the Fullerton trails reside in mostly a city environment.

One continuing annoyance with the Fullerton trails is dealing with the crosswalks. There’s nothing worse than zoning in on a run and then having to come to a

complete halt because of a blasphemous street; however, some runners might enjoy the moment’s rest.

The Santa Ana River Trail provides a continuous journey with no necessary stops. When the water flows and the sun shines, its beauty is at its best.

The trail has plenty of wildlife, rabbits, birds and coyotes—although I’ve never encountered a coyote on the trail. I have seen a snake ... yikes.

“For those that don’t want to venture far from the college, Fullerton offers over 20 miles of trails...”

Anyone can access the trail at any point within its span San Bernardino to Newport Beach, but the best start to this adventure is about four or five miles from school.

Begin a run in Anaheim at Tustin Avenue off of the 91 Freeway.

Make way east past Imperial for five miles or so and cross an old fashioned wood bridge in Yorba Linda that takes you to the other side of the river.

Running farther will bring you to Yorba Regional Park where the trees are plenty and kids are playing, providing a pleasant atmosphere.

The run is flat and the trail is paved the whole way.

For a different running experience not far from Yorba Regional Park, venture south to Sycamore Park in Anaheim Hills.

Sometimes flat runs aren’t challenging enough for exercise enthusiasts, so they challenge themselves with an uphill run. The trail at Sycamore Park provides plenty of uphill challenges. This run is not for beginners.

I’ve done this. The run burns and feels great.

When parking at Sycamore Park, the access point of the trail is to the left, just northeast, attached to the park.

While hikers usually like to venture on this trail, running it is not impossible either.

The excursion begins straight uphill where you’ll cross Canyon Creek Road. It may seem there is no more trail—but don’t fret.

Head west on that street for about 400 feet until you hit Sunset Ridge. This is where the next trailhead starts for Deer Canyon Park.

At this point in the adventure, many options are available to partake. I like to travel west and then eventually make way south until I hit East Canyon Rim Rd. From there, I turn back and make my way back to Sycamore Park.

I’ve been lost for hours in this place, and sometimes I find the opportunity to stop and enjoy the nature. Not many places in Orange County are as secluded as this place, although a community surrounds the trail.

The park has lots of trees and wildlife. I crossed paths a raccoon in the middle of the day once.

The wilderness in Orange County sometimes seems like a 20-mile drive south towards Irvine. But near Cal State Fullerton, some secluded running environments exist. I found these places from looking at maps and driving around.

I’m sure there are more waiting to help burn off the holiday fat.

PUBLIC PARKS TO BEGIN YOUR TRAIL RUN

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Craig Regional Park

Emery Park

Acacia Park

3300 State College Blvd.

Opened in 1974

1201 Sunny Ridge Drive Opened in 1980

1910 Fullerton Creek Road Opened in 1977

Yorba Regional Park

West Coyote Hills

Hillcrest Park

7600 E. La Palma in Anaheim Opened in 1976

2100 N. Gilbert St. Opened in 1979

1200 N. Harbor Blvd.

Opened in 1922