2001 03 13

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C A L I F O R N I A

S T A T E

U N I V E R S I T Y ,

Curly Dalke, campus missionary, spreads the word

INSIDE n OPINION: Women’s history celebration 5 should be more than a month

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F U L L E R T O N

—see News page 4

n SPORTS: At the Benny Brown Invitational, Richard Adams breaks school record in men’s 400-meter hurdles

T U E S D AY

Vo l u m e 7 2 , I s s u e 1 5

M a rc h 1 3 , 2 0 0 1

Local leaders come together nCAMPUS: Students from Southern California schools speak at CSUF sponsored conference By Sara Stanton

Daily Titan Staff Writer MAYRA BELTRAN/Daily Titan

Student leaders discuss the qualities of effective leadership.

Minimum wage increase helps nECONOMY: Student employees’ salaries brought up to par with the statewide hourly pay requirement By Vu Nguyen

Daily Titan Managing Editor Andrea Perini works three jobs to help save up for law school. The 18 year-old spends anywhere from 10 to 30 hours a week working at Titan shops. She loves the flexibility of her schedule and having people recognize her on campus, but there are other fringe benefits. “They loan us our textbooks for the semester so we don’t have to pay for our books. It’s great,” she said. Perini has been so busy with work and school that she hardly recognized the pay raise included in her check since last fall. “I noticed I am working the same hours and making more money,” she said. “It makes me feel better about working here.” Student employees who make less than $7 an hour can look forward to a pay increase of between 53 to 97 cents. The raise is due to California’s minimum wage increase hike at the beginning of the year from $5.75 to $6.25. Since 1999, all student employees have received a 2 percent pay raise each fall. Even though the state’s minimum wage increase was effective at the start of the calendar year, another 2 percent wage increase will be installed by September. “It’s just a restructured salary schedule to comply with the new minimum wage …but not everyone is affected by it,” said Marilou Encina, pay roll operations supervisor. “It was to slightly move forward so that anything below $6.25 was

put at $6.25.” According to a fax of the most current salary schedule, entry-level jobs are the most affected with the pay raises. “When you look at [the restructured schedule] and compare that with the last salary schedule, you’ll probably see there’s only a few that were affected by it,” Encina said. “This isn’t an across-the-board increase. This is only to accommodate the minimum wage.” President Milton Gordon adopted the pay raise this year based on the recommendation of E. Sue Boeltl, senior director of Financial Operations and an ad hoc committee. “There is a committee that deals with salary changes for the students. So it’s not like someone thinks of something and adopts it. It needs to be approved by the President Advisory Board,” Encina said. “So one of the newer things that they adopted has been approved by the [board] is a 2 percent acrossthe-board increase every fall semester. So that’s every September pay period,” she said. “And in between, if the minimum wage changes, the salary schedule would be restructured but it would not be across-theboard.” In an effort to attract potential personnel, Boeltl explained in a memo to campus administrators that the majority of student employees — who work no more than 20 hours per week and pay fees for at least 6.1 units — are exempt from certain tax deductions such as Social Security, Medicare and SDI. Vicky Hsu, a tour and information specialist who also works for Titan Shops for the past two years, is aware of the bigger paychecks and thinks the 8.35 percent not taken out from taxes is a nice part of working on campus. “It’s a lot,” she said. “They don’t show us where they take taxes, but I notice.”

While most Cal State Fullerton students were away from campus Saturday, more than 175 people came

to the Titan Student Union for the fourth annual University Leadership Conference. Student leaders, advisers and staff members of various local colleges met at the conference titled “A Pathway to Tomorrow’s Success” to discuss, learn and evaluate their individual and group leadership skills, enabling them to become more effective on their campuses. The conference offered workshops on topics such as resume writing, interviewing skills, spirituality and

finding a balance between academics, friends and leadership responsibilities. “Creating a Culture for Involvement” was one of the sessions presented at the conference, where a panel of CSUF leaders discussed how to maximize student and community participation in campus activities. Rhianne Bergado, chair of the TSU governing board, described the life of some students that are involved in campus activities. “Some campuses are college

By Taylor Goldman

Daily Titan Staff Writer Buddhists for World Peace, a new club to Cal State Fullerton this semester, held its first meeting on Friday afternoon in the Titan Student Union. Elizabeth Crummett, Lisa Crummett, Lindsay Crummett and Lansil Choi are members of Soka Gakkai International, an organization that teaches and applies Buddhist values. The four girls worked together to create a subset of SGI on campus. One of the founders, Lisa

Crummett, said the club already boasts about 11 members. She added that the club is open to all people who are interested in learning about Buddhism and is not limited solely to people who practice the religion. “To join our club you don’t necessarily have to be a Buddhist,” said Lansil Choi, the club’s president. “As long as you share the same goal to bring about peace and positive change in society through our own actions, efforts and through our own example is all that is required.” A short video started off the meeting, explaining the basic premise behind SGI. The video stressed that the task is to establish a firm inner world, a robust sense of self that will not be swayed or shaken by the most trying circumstances or pressing adversity. A club member spoke briefly on the history of Buddhism, beginning with its development centuries ago. He explained the derivation of one

CONFERENCE/ 8

Woman making history

Singing praises!

nHISTORY: Mary Baker Eddy was a19th century pioneer who founded the Christian Science Monitor By Darleene Barrientos Daily Titan News Editor

LORRAINE DOMINGUEZ/Daily Titan

A Christian student organization gathers in the Quad Friday afternoon to sing hymns.

New club spreads the values of Buddhism, world nCAMPUS: The organization welcomes any students who are interested in learning about the teachings

towns,” she said. “Advisers become your parents, the cafeteria becomes your kitchen and your office becomes your bedroom.” Bergado explained that extra effort often means extra time, which means extra hours. This is often an attempt to expand and improve a group or organization. Kandy Mink, assistant vice president for student affairs, was the moderator of the session. She spoke on

Photo by Mayra Beltran

Buddhist member speaks on Friday.

of the oldest religions practiced and explained how it had evolved into the form it exists in today. “Each individual has the potential to overcome the suffering of life,” the member said. Lisa Crummett explained the daily practice of Buddhism, highlighting

the meaning behind a special chant that is the key to becoming “indestructibly happy.” Nam-MyohoRenge-Kyo is the name of the mystic law that permeates everything within the universe. Lisa said that this chant has helped her study for a test, solve relationship problems and resolve conflicts with a boss in the past. “When you are chanting you are tuning your own life rhythm to the rhythms of the universe,” Lisa said. Lindsay Crummett, another founding member of the club, then spoke of the 10 levels of consciousness that humans can achieve, ranging from hell to Buddahood, leading into Elizabeth Crummett’s discussion of karma. Elizabeth explained that, contrary to popular belief, karma can be both positive and negative, and can materialize as a result of past lives. “Karma is the storage of eternal life,” Elizabeth said. Once all of the founders had spoken, questions from the group of

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about 15 at the meeting were welcomed. Lisa said that members were drawn to the group through exposure at Club Fest, fliers that were posted around CSUF or because they are members of SGI. Choi said that the club will hold a Victory Over Violence seminar in the future. They plan to explain that passive violence such as stereotyping or name-calling can lead to more active violence that is seen in so many schools today. In addition, Buddhists for World Peace plans to have an Earth Charter seminar and take members on a trip to the Museum of Tolerance, Lisa Crummett said. Choi said other Buddhists for World Peace clubs have been founded at Saddleback College, UCLA, USC, Cypress College, UC Irvine, UC Berkley, Orange Coast College and Cal State Long Beach. “Our goal is to create positive venues to bring about positive changes in our society.”

She went over and above the expectations of society in her accomplishments in education, religion and health. However, only seven people came to the Tuffree A room on Monday in the Titan Student Union to learn more about her, as a part of the series of events held in honor of Women’s History Month. Mary Baker Eddy is a woman who thought and behaved beyond her time. Criticized by figures like Joseph Pulitzer and Mark Twain as being a “woman out of her place,” Eddy established the Massachusetts Metaphysical Center, founded the First Christian Church, Scientist, and launched national newspaper Christian Science Monitor, a publication which still exists and is highly respected to this day. All to the astonishment of her critics and to the society in which she lived during the 19th century. Marceil DeLacy, a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship, traveled to Cal State Fullerton from Seattle, Washington to speak on the life and achievements of this notable figure in history. Calling to mind a family anecdote, DeLacy told the small but attentive audience of the hope that Eddy’s teachings gave to her grandmother, who had been told she would only

SPEAKER/ 3

TITAN

extras online Check out the Daily Titan online this year at http:// dailytitan.fullerton.edu. New features and sections will be available this year!

d ow n l o a d Need to announce an event? Visit our Web site to download our NEW events calendar form. Get your club’s events noticed!!


2 Tuesday, March 13, 2001

NEWS

two

A GUIDE TO WHAT’S HAPPENING

BRIEFS Volunteers needed for Shadow Day The Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists (MAES) are hosting Shadow Day on Wednesday, March 21. It is an event in which Cal State Fullerton Students spend time providing visiting high school students a glimpse into college life. MAES has invited four high schools, and each CSUF student will be paired up with a high school youth to be his or her mentor. The event aims to motivate them to attend college after graduating. About 250 students are expected to be present, so volunteers are needed to make sure that the pairings are complete. The event will begin at 9 a.m. in the Engineering and Computer Science Quad. Each high school student will then accompany their mentor to their class. A lunch is scheduled at noon after classes. After lunch, the high school mentees will be taken to the Titan Student Union, where a motivational speaker will be present. In addition to the speaker are activities that are related to the disciplines of engineering and computer science. Those interested in volunteering can get more information from Mike Silva at (714) 2783879.

Mrs. Globe 2001 Telecast held by Orange County’s Women In Need Foundation A tribute to women will be made by Mrs. Globe 2001 on Tuesday March 12. The event is made responsi-

Denise Smaldino Vu Nguyen Joel Helgesen Collin Miller Gus Garcia Darleene Barrientos Marlayna Slaughterbeck Samantha Gonzaga Darla Priest Raul Ascencio Damian Calhoun Magda Liszewska Jamie Ayala Lorraine Dominguez David Rivera Lori Anderson Caeser Contreras Rita Freeman Debra Santelli Darleene Barrientos Gus Garcia Kari Wirtz Robert Kelleher Jeffrey Brody Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Sports Main Photo

278-5815 278-5693 278-5813 278-3149 278-2128 278-2991

ble by Orange County’s Women In Need (WIN), an outreach program for women and children who are victims of abuse. It will take place at the Marconi Museum at 10 a.m. The broadcast will be aired on the International Channel as a Mother’s Day special. Thirty countries from all over the world will be represented by 40 delegates who will share their culture with WIN and Orange County. This is the first time that such an event will be held in Orange County. Various companies and organizations will be participating in the event. Among them are the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Newport Beach’s Dolce and Quicksilver’s The Raisin Company. The Marconi Museum is located at 1302 Industrial Dr. in Tustin. For any additional information, call the museum’s main line at (714) 258-3001.

Working in the movies Independent films from around the world will be showcased in Newport Beach’s Newport Beach Film Festival. It coincides with Cal State Fullerton’s spring break, taking place on March 29 and ending on April 5. The event offers more than competition between film-makers. Aside from the film screenings, the event will also have a gala and a series of seminars. In addition, movie-watchers get the opportunity to participate in question-and-answer sessions with film-makers. Volunteers are needed to assist with the post-screening parties and other events. Those interested in working in the festival can get more information at (949) 253-2880.

Editor in Chief Managing Editor Business Manager Advertising Sales Manager Advertising Production Manager News Editor News Editor Asst. News Editor Asst. News Editor Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Detour Editor Opinion Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor Internet Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Production Manager Production Manager Production Manager Associate Editor Faculty Adviser Advertising 278-3373 Editorial Fax 278-4473 Advertising Fax 278-2702 DT online: http://dailytitan.fullerton.edu e-mail: dailytitan@yahoo.com

The Daily Titan is a student publication, printed every Tuesday through Friday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSU system. The Daily Titan and its predecessor, the Titan Times, have 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 mail subscription price is $45 per semester, $65 per year, payable to the Daily Titan, College Park 670, CSUF, Fullerton, CA 92834. Copyright ©2001 Daily Titan

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Campus A 24-hour study hall is now available in the Titan Student Union at the West Food Court. It is open Monday through Thursday. An outdoor concert is scheduled for Wednesday, March 14 at noon in the Becker Amphitheater. A Coed Volleyball Doubles Tournament is scheduled for Wednesday, March 14 at 6:00 p.m. in the Titan Gymnasium. Register no later than 5:45 p.m. A Jazz concert is scheduled for Wednesday, March 14 at 8 p.m. in the Little Theatre. Tickets are $8 at the door and $5 with Titan discount. A blood drive is scheduled for Thursday, March 15 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in TSU Pavilion C.

A Symphonic Band will perform on Thursday, March 15 at 8 p.m. in the Little Theatre. Tickets are $8 at the door and $5 with Titan discount. A Wind Ensemble will perform on Friday, March 16 at 8 p.m. in the Little Theatre. Tom Lee from UCLA will be conducting in Mendelssohn’s Overture for winds and Frank Techili’s An American Elegy (dedicated to the students of Columbine High School). Tickets are $8 and $5 with Titan discount. A.S. Scholarship Applications will be available Friday March 16, in TSU 207. Applications are due the same day by 5 p.m. For more information call (714) 278-3295. A Coed Tennis Doubles Tournament is scheduled for Friday, March 16 at noon on the Tennis Courts. Register by noon. An Office 97 Workshop is

scheduled for Saturday, March 17 in the TSU Mainframe Lounge at 2 p.m. A Saturday gardening class on Scented Geraniums is scheduled for March 24, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Fullerton Arboretum. For more information call (714) 2783579.

Community A St. Patrick’s Day concert with the Irish-American Group Solas will perform at the Irvine Barclay Theatre on Saturday, March 17 at 8 p.m. For more information call (949) 8544607. For Arbor Day the city of Fullerton will sponsor a treeplanting program at Gilman Park from 9 a.m. until noon. For more information call (714) 738-6897. Eifman Ballet Of St. Petersburg presents Russian Hamlet: The Son of Catherine

the Great on March 16 through 18 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Segerstrom Hall. It combines the best of Russian classical ballet and contemporary theatrical vitality. Tickets are $20 to $ 60. For more information call (714) 556-ARTS. Assad Duo will perform on Wednesday, March 21 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center at 8 p.m. in Founders Hall. Through their concerts and recordings, Sergio and Odair Assad have a unique place on the international classical guitar scene. Tickets are $46. For more information call (714) 556- ARTS. Wild and Wacky Michel Lauziere performs at the Orange County Performing Arts Center on March 24 at 11 a.m. Tickets are $8. For more information call (714) 740-7878.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS COP BLOTTER Monday, March 5 Obscene phone calls to the University Hall were reported at 12:54 p.m. A male was unable to locate his gray Toyota Camry in the Fullervale Lot at 10:10 p.m.

Tuesday, March 6 A male disturbing the peace in Cypress Hall was reported at 4:09 a.m. A girl reported that her boyfriend had been drinking and kicked in a door across the hall from her residence. The police arrested the subject after he had returned to his home. At 8:39 a.m. a professor reported that a female student threatened suicide because of her grades. The student said that it would be the professor’s fault if she died.

Theft from a motor vehicle was reported at 11:28 a.m. in Lot F. A white Honda with expired registration was reported at 2:38 p.m. in Lot D. At 5:24 p.m. a white Nissan was pulled over at Imperial and the 57 freeway. The car was towed by Fullerton Tow. Theft of a black Honda Civic from Lot G was reported at 5:26 p.m.

Wednesday, March 7 Misuse of personal identifying information was reported to public safety at 11:01 a.m. Two to three people were handing out unauthorized flyers by the ATM machines at the

TSU at 11:15 a.m. At 12:09 p.m. one warning and one citation were issued at the crosswalk at Langsdorf Drive and Nutwood Avenue. Police assisted two males in finding a blue Chevrolet Astro Van in Lot E at 5:17 p.m. Theft of a pewter Blazer was reported from Lot E at 6:46 p.m.

A person was arrested at Moonracker Apartments for a drug violation. He was later taken to a friend’s apartment. A suspicious man was reported at 8:00 p.m. in the Titan Gym. A vehicle was stopped at 12:07 a.m. A prisoner was taken to Orange County Jail at 12:42 a.m. and a tow truck was needed.

Thursday, March 9

Sunday March 11

A black Chevrolet was stopped at 1:47 a.m. in Lot C. At 2:11 a.m. the officer brought a prisoner back to the station and a tow truck was called.

A woman in an office in the Physical Education building reported loud banging from the wrestling room at 2:50 a.m. She said that the door had been broken and then heard the noise coming from the fencing area. The lights were on and then off. Two adult males were cited for trespassing. A third was treated for a diabetic seizure.

Saturday, March 10 A subject was arrested for drunk driving at 1:09 a.m.

Planned Parenthodd 2*3

University Villiage 2*5

College Media Gurl’s 2*8


NEWS

Tuesday, March 13, 2001

3

Japan in shock over Navy’s nGOVERNMENT: The accounts of two civilians at the controls of the submarine that sank the Ehime Maru on Feb. 9 weakens relations between America and Japan By Marlayna Slaughterbeck Daily Titan News Editor

Reacting to pressure from Japanese government officials and family members of the nine missing crew members, U.S. officials are expected to announce the go-ahead later this week for a Dutch company to lift the 185-foot Ehime Maru from 2,000 feet of water near Pearl Harbor. The vessel sank on Feb. 9 when a Navy submarine with 16 civilians on board, two of them at the submarine’s controls, crashed into the fishing vessel during routine emergency ascent drills. The Japanese fishing vessel, along with its crew of 35, plunged beneath the waves— leaving nine Japanese unaccounted for and presumed dead.

SPEAKER n from page 1 have two months to live. “My family certainly appreciates the influence of Christian Science practitioners,” DeLacy said, also adding that her grandmother lived to a ripe old age. DeLacy detailed the era before Eddy’s time. She cited Catherine Beecher, a 19th century reformer, who once commented that of all her female acquaintances of the time, invalids outnumbered those in good health seven to one. Once an invalid herself, Eddy was born and raised in New England on a farm in Bow, New Hampshire. Eddy has published, among other things, the book “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” a book that has sold 9 million copies worldwide. The Spanish translation to this book “Ciencia y Salud” recently received the Grand Eagle Award in Argentina for promoting peace and understanding among people.

The Ehime Maru, named for the town from which many of the passengers and crew originate, was on a scheduled fishing excursion for tuna. Aboard were 13 students and two teachers from a fisheries vocational high school located in southwest Japan. After learning that civilians operated two of the U.S.S. Greeneville’s control stations at the time of the accident, Japanese government officials and civilians alike responded with shock and disbelief. Their reaction was soon replaced by rage upon realizing that this information was initially withheld. “I cannot accept the U.S. military’s negligence and deception — it is unforgivable,” said Asako Yokoyama , a conversational English teacher in Kawasaki, Japan. “I have many American friends but Because Eddy was a woman in an era when women were not regarded with much respect, DeLacy notes that Eddy endured much negative press during her time, but also enjoyed positive press by publications like “Human Life,” “The Nation,” and “New York American.” Diana Lang, a Fullerton resident and a member of the Christian Church, Scientist, was visibly disappointed at the low turnout. “I know it takes prayer, and I guess we just hadn’t done enough,” Lang said. Students who did attend were pleased with the presentation and interested in the subject matter. “I’d heard bits and pieces here and there about her,” Mariah Cockrell, a 23-year-old women’s studies major said, regarding Eddy’s life and accomplishments. She thought there would be more people, but was glad to have attended the event to learn more about Eddy. “I had no idea she founded the church,” Cockrell said.

I am quickly learning that my trust in them cannot be extended to their government.” Yokoyama’s sentiments are echoed throughout Japan, as the latest breach comes amid strained relations between the U.S. military presence and Japanese citizens, particularly on the southwestern island of Okinawa, site of the heaviest U.S. military presence. Several arson attacks on the island last month were linked to a U.S. Marine, but until recently, the Marine Corps refused to turn the suspect over to Japanese authorities. Marines were also convicted of the rape of a 12-year-old Okinawan girl in 1995. In that case, as in the current one, the military also initially resisted turning over the suspects to Japanese authorities. Worsening that situation, a U.S. Navy admiral made disparaging remarks about the case and was forced to retire as a result. Coincidentally, the same Navy admiral was responsible for arranging the presence of the civilians aboard the submarine.

Yokoyama said that while it is crucial not to minimize the importance of the recent U.S. military cover-up, strained relations between Japan and America are the sociopolitical tip of the iceberg when it comes to how Japanese citizens feel about corporate and governmental institutions in general. “It seems every day in Japan, there is some new scandal about this politician or that bank executive,” she said, explaining that the latest example with the U.S. military just proves to Japanese people that bureaucratic and political corruption is a global issue, not merely national. “We look up to Americans in many ways — we admire your pride and your faith in democracy,” Yokoyama said. “But unfortunately, it seems the Americans — like us — are also being deceived with these same kinds of scandals and cover-ups.” Yosuke Chikamoto, assistant professor of kinesiology and health promotion, has a somewhat more moderate perspective. “Because Japanese people are so

used to their own government’s dishonesty, it really is no surprise when other governments do the same thing,” Chikamoto said. Over the past few years, Japan, long considered one of America’s most important military allies, has trended toward a more independent defense approach and is rethinking its stand on the restriction of military force. As witnessed by the Okinawan Governor’s recent joining of the long-standing effort to reduce the number of troops from the island province, the recent debacle has strengthened the country’s widely held notion that the United States cannot be trusted with Japan’s security interests. Japan’s Post-World War II Constitution, written mostly by the victorious United States, prohibits any military activity except selfdefense. Despite this, it has long boasted one of largest military budgets in the world. Additionally, its Self-Defense Forces, more than 200,000 strong, are ranked among the world’s most capable.

Despite its constitution, however, the days when its military is strictly self-defense are slowly coming to an end, according to Japanese parliamentary officials. In a recent public statement, Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi, a member of Parliament said that Japan can no longer depend solely on Washington and must do more to ensure its own survival. While a cooling off of military ties is possible, Chikamoto is doubtful there will ever be a complete severing of military ties between the United States and Japan. “There could be a reduction in the number of troops in Okinawa and elsewhere in Japan, but I really doubt there will be any major military changes,” Chikamoto said. Yokoyama, though slightly less certain than Chikamoto, is hopeful that trust and friendship between the people of both nations will not further erode. “Even with the significant cultural differences and a good amount of bad blood in our past, I believe that Japan still has its greatest ally in America — and I for one want to make the relationship even stron-

Vacation scams target college stunCONSUMERS: Spring break packages often end up costing students more than the sales representatives say they will By Danielle Hannahan

The Badger Herald The Univ. of Wisconsin As spring break creeps around the corner, many people will be looking forward to tons of sun and of course tons of fun. But what these people won’t see coming is the threat of spring break scams. Every year, thousands of college students escape the stress of exams and cold weather by heading south for spring break. But many students are tricked into buying deals on spring-break packages and end up being the victims of scams. “Sometimes searching for the best deal can land students far from para-

dise and cost them more than they bargained for,” said Jack E. Mannix, president of the Institute of Certified Travel Agents. “That’s why it is so important they proceed with caution as an educated consumer.” Student Travel Association, the only full-service travel agency on campus for students, is taking more precautions this year by being more selective with the spring-break companies they do business with. Deanna Schuppel, branch manager for STA travel, assures students that STA is doing its best to prevent potential spring break scams from happening this year. “We are taking more precautions this year so students are informed about what could go wrong,” she said. “We’ve narrowed down the spring-break companies we are using to eliminate the problems we’ve had in the past.” Schuppel said the biggest issue in spring break scams is charter flights. “Charter flights are a big concern because they are cheaper, so students will buy them, but at the same

time these are the same flights that cause students’ trips to be delayed,” she said. According to ICTA, charter flights operate under very different rules than traditional commercial airlines and can change schedules at the last minute with no mandated compensation or alternative transportation. This year, to forewarn the students about the potential risks of charter flight trips, STA is letting them know the precautions ahead of time and requiring students to purchase travel insurance. UW students who have experienced problems during spring break say these scams are a growing concern. UW juniors Brittany Klaus and Andrea Spaetti went through STA travel for their trip to Negril, Jamaica, last spring break and experienced problems that took up a day and a half of their vacation time. “The company STA was using fell through the day before we left and they didn’t even know where our tickets were,” Klaus said. “The best advice I have for students is to do

Brains 3*2

Kaplan 3*8

your homework before you go.” Spaetti said the biggest problem with spring break is that college students are so naïve. “I think this is a big problem because we are vulnerable and therefore are easy targets for spring-break companies,” she said. UW junior Jim Weber, another victim of spring-break scams, is preparing for yet another tropical getaway; he did his homework this year. “I would never have even thought of going through another springbreak mess, but after talking to several friends about the company, I feel really confident in my trip,” he said. ICTA recommends students take precautions before choosing a spring-break company, like performing a background check on the company and the airline. Schuppel tells students to be wary and careful about choosing a springbreak operator. “Do your research ahead of time,” she said. “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”


4 Tuesday, March 13, 2001

NEWS

Rain or

Shine

He’ll be there Cal State Fullerton staple Curly Dalke’s many hardships have deepened his personal beliefs and led him to share his faith with others By Ashton J. Maxfield Special to the Titan

“I have a gun, you’d better not come to school tomorrow.” If you heard this over the phone after midnight, would you come to Cal State Fullerton the next day? You would if you were Curly Dalke, the man known for saying

“Jesus Loves You,” while sitting on the corner between the Pollak Library and the Performing Arts Center. For a scrawny boy like Curly, growing up in a part of northwest Whittier called “Barrio Sunrise” came with frequent beatings from gangs. The Whittier High School princi-

Dalke routinely informs passing students that “Jesus loves you.”

pal forced him to leave for causing all of the violence and sent him to Sierra High. In 1975, Curly graduated from high school and found out he had a brain tumor leading him to undergo radiation treatments and surgery for water on the brain. As a living survivor of cancer, Curly continued to walk through

CHRIS TENNYSON/Daily Titan

life until the spring of 1999, when a massive stroke forced him to use a wheelchair. At 4 years old, Curly said he first committed his life to Jesus after his mom spanked him for disobedience. He responded to the spanking by asking, “can I ask Jesus to forgive me too?” Every day since then Curly has had a strong relationship with God. While studying photography at LA Trade Tech College in the fall of 1975, his life changed forever one afternoon in the darkroom. “I was waiting and praying, and I ask God a question,” Curly said. When he asked God about why he was not satisfied with photography, he said God answered in an audible voice: “You don’t have to be doing this.” Taken back by the fact that he heard God speak aloud, Curly exclaimed, “What did you say?” God repeated his answer once more, and Curly dropped out of school that afternoon, wondering what action he should take. Curly attended Grace Bible Institute and Graduate School of Theology, where he studied for five years before receiving his bachelor’s degree in biblical studies. He enrolled at Rio Hondo Community College where he studied photography and speech communications and received an associate’s degree in each field. Curly said he had a need to learn more about the ancient Hebrew peo-

CHRIS TENNYSON/Daily Titan

Curly Dalke shares his faith at the corner between the Pollak Library and the Performing Arts Center. ple, and Cal State Fullerton is the only state school that offers a Jewish studies program. In 1999 he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in speech communications with a minor in Jewish studies, but wasn’t able to walk at graduation — or ever again — due to a massive stroke during that semester’s finals week. When asked why he has been on the corner every day since 1982 rain or shine, Curly responded, “This is how God asked me to serve him.” Curly believes with all of his heart that God told him to come to Fullerton, and has provided for him every step along the way. A huge step was finding a place to live in the area, because Curly was living on very little financially and the landlords would send him on his way the instant they found out. When the manager of the The Point Apartment complex asked how he planned to pay for the apartment, Curly stated, “God asked me to live here!” She replied by saying, “Praise the Lord” and let him have the apartment without checking his credit.

ABC Bartendering 2*2 Lamppost Pizza 4*5

Togo’s 2*3

Folgers 2*5

Western State 4*5

Curly’s persistent effort to make his way to our campus, rain or shine, has sparked reactions in people — like three death threats, an Islamic man physically attacking him and an enraged Satanist kicking his table. On a more positive note, Curly said he has shared the love of his God with thousands. During a conversation with an Atheist, Curly discovered she had never heard the story of Jesus. With her permission, he began to tell the story to her. However, Curly said that halfway through the story she shouted, “It is true!” and that her life was changed immediately when she prayed and received Jesus as her Savior. Curly said he believes he heard God’s audible voice while developing film in a dark room almost twenty-six years ago. This led him to become a part of CSUF by being a consistent presence at his corner and sharing the God he has structured his life around.


6 Tuesday, March 13, 2001

NEWS

First black woman in space encourages stunCULTURE: Mae Jemison speaks to Stanford University students about her personal triumphs By Andy Argyrakis

Benedictine University The cliché of making a dream a reality gets pounded into students’ heads from the moment they step foot in pre-school. Perhaps it’s over used, but the small line of advice seems to work for countless world leaders who’ve broken past gender and racial barriers to reach their goals. Such is the case for Mae Jemison, an African-American woman who blazed a trail of success from Stanford University to the outer limits of the universe. “At Stanford, I was a chemical engineering major, and not only was I the only female, but I was the only African-American female in my classes,” said Jemison before addressing the student body of Benedictine University on a tour of college campuses. “I could have let that work against me, but I was stubborn and wanted to get through the program. Other people have been in that major and finished it out. Even if I had been the first one to give it a try, I would have had the first chance to succeed.” Despite the challenge of college classes, Jemison was able dream of her future and develop outside interests, including her desire to travel in space. That dream came true when she joined the NASA. For several years, she studied the necessary elements to understand space

travel and on September 12, 1992, she blasted into orbit aboard the space shuttle Endeavor, becoming the first African-American woman to go into space. “The planet is very fragile and you get to see the thin, shimmering layer of blue atmosphere in a slow motion-like manner,” Jemison said in regards to her historic flight. “Everybody’s seen what a map looks like, but I got to see those same images in brilliant color with my own eyes. It was like there was a symphony playing in the background as I was just starting at how beautiful the scene was.” As amazing as the experience was, Jemison notes that those eight triumphant days in space were just a portion of her life, and there is much more to her existence than her days at NASA. She looks back at all of the constant support her family and close friends who built up the selfconfidence she needed each time someone told her she would fail. “People always want to tell you that you can’t do something,” she said. “If you listen to them, you won’t achieve what you want, but if you have a lot of self-confidencebelieving that you can- you will.” Currently, this go-getter is the director of the Jemison Institute for Advancing Technology in Developing Countries and a professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth College. Working with students on a frequent basis allows her to understand what it’s like to be caught between dreams and studies. She is a primary example of someone who used her college experience to broaden both her personal life and career path. “Universities are filled with wonderful ideas,” she said in her evening presentation to the room of college students. “Those ideas come out when you go back to that child

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Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space, addressed a crowd at Benedictine University on a tour of college campuses. you once were and get rid of all the notions that hold you back.” One important campus issue that Jemison seemed to leave out of her speech, oddly enough on the last day Black History Month, was that of diversity. Instead she simply spoke

of everyone in the world having equal rights to achieve their desired goals. “We all have the right to decide what to do with our time,” she said. “That right is not something that is given to us. It’s something that can-

not be taken away.” However, Jemison stressed the importance of time management for those attempting to live out their aspirations. “When I was up in space I realized how fragile the earth is, but

how fleeting we are,” she added. “There are 86,400 seconds that pass everyday and each one is precious because we’ll never get them back. The way we live now will shape the world that we will someday leave behind.”

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CONFERENCE n from page 1 the duty that leaders have to encourage involvement by their peers. “You want to create a culture to where it’s a normal thing [for students] to attend a club or organization everyday,” she said. “A big issue is apathy among students, where it’s just a commuter campus and no one wants to be involved.” She also said that it is important that clubs and organizations focus on the benefits of membership, rather than just having fun. While many students commute to campus to only attend class then return home, a small percent of the population embraces CSUF’s golden opportunities through their membership in campus activities. This small percent struggles with trying to encourage the “commuters” to care about what happens on

campus. Increasing communication through newsletters, word of mouth and by meeting new people everyday allows students to see more opportunities than just showing up to campus for class. “It’s not who you know, but who knows you,” said Associated Students President Mary Grace Cachuela. A leader is only as effective as those who support him or her, Cachuela added. “The most important thing is personal contact,” said Linda Luna, vice president for AS. Students should feel that they have a say on issues, and leaders need to be available to hear them out, she added. “It’s important that members feel that they have a sense of community, something that they can look forward to going to,” Luna said. Another issue that was addressed was the personal side of being a busy

leader. A leader often struggles with their emotional and personal time conflicting with leadership responsibilities. Evan Mooney, director of administration for AS, offered some advice for personal time management. “You need to recognize what you have going on in your life,” he said. Listing goals and priorities will help determine the things that need to be completed first and which things can possible wait. Often leaders can see the benefits and effectiveness of their tasks once their lists are completed. Juanita Razo, coordinator of leadership development programs, said that the conference was a success. “It’s important because there was peer-to-peer contact,” she said. This allowed leaders of different campuses to exchange ideas and learn from each other. “Every person had a different perspective which made the session more

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Leaps and bounds made at Ben Brown nTRACK: Sophomore Richard Adams dismantles school record in the 400 m hurdles at CSUF’s own Benny Brown Invitational. By Raul Ascencio

Daily Titan Sports Editor

DAVID RIVERA/Daily Titan

From the 4 x 400 relays to the high hurdles the Titans ran rampant in the first home meet of the season.

Rain forces Titans to prep for Klassic By Caesar Contreras

Daily Titan Staff Writer While the weekend saw minor rain, it was just enough to cancel the Cal State Fullerton softball team’s weekend games against San Diego State and Florida State on Saturday at the San Diego State Invitational. The Titans (20-6) will attempt to reschedule the game with SDSU but will not reschedule the Seminoles’ game. CSUF will now focus on the upcoming Klassic, the 16-team tournament begins Wednesday and bring many of the top softball teams around the nation. Included in the field are eight teams ranked in the latest USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25including Arizona, Arizona State, Fresno State and the Oklahoma Sooners, the 2000 national champion. The 16-teams will be divided into four pools with pool-play taking place on Wednesday through Friday. Results

from those games will result in the 16teams being seeded in a single game elimination bracket. The championship game will be played March 18 at 2:00 p.m. CSUF begins play on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. against the University of North Carolina Tar Heels..

USA TODAY/NFCA Coaches Top 10 Rank Team Record 1 UCLA 26-0 2 Arizona 27-0 3 Alabama 18-0 4 California 19-0 5 Oklahoma 17-3 5 Stanford 21-1-1 7 Fresno St. 8-2 8 LSU 17-4 9 Arizona St. 15-5 10 CSUF 19-6

Over half a thousand speedsavvy contestants bustled into Titan Stadium over the weekend for the annual Benny Brown Invitational. The event served as the Titans initial home competition and showcased Southern California talent from 31 universities and track clubs. “The level of competition was extraordinary,” said Head Coach and Coordinator John Elders. “We consistently enjoy an increasing number of participates from year to year which adds to the event’s competitive atmosphere.” Mother Nature, however, did not share the participants’ enthusiasm, as hovering clouds rendered chilly temperatures. “The cold temps did not provide the ideal environment for the athletes,” Elders said. “It is especially difficult for sprinters to perform at their peak when the conditions are not optimal.” Titan tandem, Kevin Howard and

Nicholas McCullom, however, did not heed to their coaches assertion, as the pair of speedsters darted to top finishes in the 100 and 200m events. Howard, the stalwart senior, blazed through the frigid air, earning a solid second in the 100 m (10.73) and a formidable forth in the 200 m (21.90). Junior teammate, McCullom edged out Howard in the 200 m (21.81) to claim the third spot and posted a forth behind Howard in the 100m (10.90). “Both fought hard to stay warm and I’m pleased with where they placed,” Elders said. “But they’re capable of running a lot faster under better conditions.” Also conjuring up a sweltering performance amidst the 50 degree temperatures was CSUF hurdler Richard Adams. Adams’ 52.11 second mark in the 400 m hurdles shattered the Titan record and earned the sophomore a first place finish. “Richard’s performance is a very positive precursor of what he is capable of doing,” Elders said. “His time would’ve been even more impressive if he hadn’t banged his leg on the eighth hurdle—he will break the record again.” The Titan 4 x 400m relay team tacked on another first place for CSUF, tearing the tape in a stellar 3:17:23. Not to be outdone were the longjumping students of world-record boasting coach, Mike Powell.

Powell’s pupils performed impeccably, attaining a quartet of top spots in the men’s and women’s long and triple jumps. Outstretching his spikes to secure the top spot in the men’s long jump was Senior Stanley Whitley. Whitley’s bound measured a sterling 7.21 m and proved ample enough for the first place position. In the women’s event, Junior Tosha Thomas nabbed the top CSUF position with a 5.23 m third place. Titan teammate Anna Doty, contributed with CSUF’s fourth and final first place finish in the women’s triple jump with a 12.07 m mark. Joe Thomas’ chipped in with a 14.83 m effort that earned him a third place in the men’s triple jump. “Our long jumping and triplejumping crews are extremely solid,” said Elders. “We can attribute their success, first to the talent that they possess, and second to the experience shared by coach Powell,” Elders added. Elders, his Olympian assistant, and his 95-member squad will take the week off in preparation for their first quad-meet of the season at Sacramento State. The meet is scheduled for March 24 and competitors will consist of Fresno State, Portland State, and host Sacramento State. “Our objective is simple—we our going out to win it,” said Elders. “If we continue to improve and better our marks, that is just what we will

CSUF declaws Cougars in nBASEBALL: Titans receive timely hitting and effective pitching in the three-game sweep over Houston By Damian Calhoun

Daily Titan Asst. Sports Editor The Cal State Fullerton baseball team brought the out the brooms and swept the Houston Cougars over the weekend. CSUF (11-8) used three solid pitching performances from the weekend starters Jon Smith, Darric Merrell and Kirk Saarloos to cruise to the three-game sweep. With the sweep, the Titans moved up one spot to 24th in the latest Baseball America poll. Smith (4-0) started the series in grand fashion for the Titans. The senior left hander pitched his second complete game of his career and the first in two years as the Titans defeated the Cougars 5-2. Smith allowed nine hits, but only

one over the last three innings. Smith’s last complete game was March 13, 1999 against New Mexico State. Titan junior outfielder Robert Guzman led the offensive charge with three hits and scored the insurance run in the seventh inning on an Aaron Rifkin RBI single. In the second game of the series, freshman right hander Darric Merrell got his first win of his Titan career, pitching seven and one-thirds innings and scattering five hits and two runs. For the second consecutive game, the Titans jumped on the Cougars first. CSUF led 3-0 after their first two at-bats. The onslaught continued with a three-run fifth and a two-run seventh inning to win 8-2. David Bacani, Rifkin and Shawn Norris each led the Titan charge with two hits apiece. Bacani scored three runs, Norris had two doubles and designated hitter Matt Belfanti had two RBI. The Kirk Saarloos watch continued in the series finale on Sunday. Saarloos entered the game with a consecutive scoreless streak of 28

innings, the Cougars took care of that in their first at bat. Houston scored first, but the Titans more often, en route to a 9-2 win. The game was shortened to eight innings to allow the Titans to keep their scheduled flight arrangements. CSUF scored three runs in the first inning on a Rifkin sacrifice fly and two-out RBI singles by Mike Rouse and Norris. Rouse added a RBI double in the sixth inning as the Titans coasted to their third consecutive win. The Titans scored six runs off of starter Gene Flores (1-3) and chased him after only two and one-thirds innings. The loss was the Cougars’ (6-16) seventh in a row. Rouse had three hits, scored two runs and drove in two. For the second consecutive game, the troika of Bacani, Rifkin, and Norris each had two hits and freshman Shane Costa also added two hits for the Titans. Bacani went five for 12 for the series with six runs scored, Rifkin was also five for 12, with two runs scored and four RBI and Norris finished the series five for 10 with two runs scored and two RBI.

Sunday’s game wrapped up a weekend that saw that Titans’ offense come to life and score 22 runs on 35 hits and increased their team batting average to .271. But the marquee again belonged to Saarloos. For the third time this season, Saarloos recorded double-digits in strikeouts, with 10, and he passed Ted Silva for sixth place on the CSUF all-time strikeout list with 260. However, the accolades do not stop there. Saarloos (4-2) also pitched his third complete game of the season. Saarloos has struck out 55 batters and has walked only five in 48 innings this season. With the stellar weekend performances of the starting staff, CSUF’s pitching staff lowered its team ERA to 3.15 and opponents’ batting average dropped to .230. The starters only allowed six runs and two walks in the twenty-four and one-thirds innings that the starting trio of Smith, Merrell, and Saarloos pitched. CSUF’s next game is against Hosei University from Japan, today at 5 p.m. at Goodwin Field.

With team effort Titans break nine records and claim victory at nGYMNASTICS: Mathiasen, Francia, Kasson and Snell contribute to highest team score of season By Melanie Bysouth

Daily Titan Staff Writer Cal State Fullerton claimed five first place spots and earned a 195.075 against Illinois and Sacramento State in a home meet Saturday. The Titans dominated the meet with strong performances that resulted in seven personal records and two team records. “We did our best ever,” freshman Sharon Snell said. “As a team we were more focused and more excited and we wanted to do a good job.” As the final team score is the highest of the season, the Titans will keep their 195.050 (previous high team score) and maintain a season average of 194.017. This makes the win that much more valuable to the team. “We did really well,” sophomore

Jenny Halloran said, “I was happy with our total score.” What CSUF enjoyed most about the victory was that it amends the loss to Sacramento they endured earlier in the season. “Knowing their rankings [Sacramento State], I felt we did a really good job,” senior Stephanie Vittorio said. “We’ve gone against them, in Sacramento, and lost. This time we beat them at home.” With a score of 9.850, junior Katie Antolin took a first place standing on the uneven bars despite a shoulder injury sustained during practice. Assisting the team with their solid two-point win was sophomore Kelly Mathiasen. Mathiasen took first place on three apparatus with a 9.775 on the vault, a 9.900 on the floor and a 9.925 on the balance beam. Also enjoying success with the floor exercise was junior Kellie Francia who took second place and broke her personal record with a score of 9.850. With her strong routine on the beam Mathiasen impacted the current team record by beating the top score of 9.900, held since February of 1998. As a result of her efforts, Mathiasen took the top spot in the all-around with

a commanding scoring of 39.375. Taking the second spot in the allaround was Snell whose score of 39.000 set a new personal record. Snell also enjoyed personal record scores on the uneven bars and the balance beam. Personal record scores were also broken by sophomores Jamie Moody on the beam and Nicole Kasson on the beam and the floor. To close the meet, Stephanie Vittorio offered the home crowd an exhibition on the floor as part of Senior Night, the theme of Saturday’s meet, which honored Vittorio and co-team leader Natalia Acosta, who will both graduate in May. Yet the time to celebrate must be brief as regionals are only three weeks away and the Titans must give all they have in the two remaining meets of the season. “We are fighting for the sixth spot with Boise [State],” Vittorio said. “We want to show them, and everyone else behind us, that we are going to regionals.” In less than a week, CSUF will travel to their last out-of-state meet of the season where they hope to once again beat their highest team score.

“I know we need to get a really good score,” Snell said, “because Boise might bump us out of regionals.” Also focused on the Broncos is sophomore Jenny Halloran. “I’m looking forward to the upcoming meet,” she said. “But we have to do our best and stay ahead of Boise.” Confident about the meet, the Titans hope to continue their run of victories which have resulted in a continuos improvement of the team’s season average. “We are going to Oregon this weekend,” Vittorio said, “and they [the Oregon judges] are notorious for high scores.” The quad meet will find CSUF facing strong competitors, third-ranked Oregon State and fourth-ranked University of Washington, with 10th ranked Seattle Pacific also attending. Although the meet will be challenging, the Titans’ toughest opponent will be themselves as they strive to keep improving their high score. Yet no matter who they face, Mathiasen says the focus remains the same. “We need to hit every routine and go 24 for 24 if we want to beat our top score.”

MICHELLE GUITERREZ/Daily Titan

Sophomore Jamie Moody breaks personal record score on beam.


Tuesday, March 13, 2001

Expanding lessons of women’s history n Educators, officials and women themselves support the month-long celebration of women’s history, but why not incorporate it into daily curriculum? By Jamie K. Ayala Women have been making achievements since the Ancient Era when Queen Nefertari ruled the land of Egypt. Throughout history women have ruled, rebelled, reclaimed, reinforced, and reproduced and all we get is a stinkin’ month? Even at that, it was women who had to push for just that much. After enduring suppression, ridicule and hardship, at the very least we could be credited more in history books. In 1978 the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women Educational Task Force created a Women’s History Week.

The week-long recognition caught on across the county and in 1987 the National Women’s History Project petitioned Congress to expand it to a month. Thus came the National Women’s History Month Congressional Resolution which designated the month of March as Women’s History month. According to the resolution Congress acknowledges women’s contributions and confirms that “despite these contributions, the role of American women in history has been consistently overlooked and undervalued, in the literature, teaching and study of American History.” After being avoided, unrecognized and excluded in certain arenas, we can thank the government for its kind gesture. Or

can we? It was 133 years after the United States declared national unity that women started to become equals to men with the addition of the 19th Amendment in 1920. Women get to vote, but heaven forbid that they actually have any influence or take part in the political arena. We showed them by electing Francis Perkins in 1933 as the first woman cabinet member and Sandra Day O’Connor in 1981 as the first woman Supreme Court justice. We also created the “Year of the Woman” in 1992 when a record number of women won public offices. Twenty-four were elected to the House of Representatives and six to the Senate. Professor Jill Anderson is involved in

organizing the month-long campus celebration of Woman’s History Month. She hopes that the concentration on women will spark interest and questions. Along with teaching about women in American study, she also teaches history and other American Studies courses. In those courses she doesn’t introduce women as a specialized topic, but as part of history as it should be. Where is it that women crusaders like Susan B. Anthony gets more than a sentence in the history books? Or what about Alice Paul and Lucy Burns whom organized the National Women’s Party? “We’ve come a long way, baby,” but there’s still so much to accomplish in order to truly be equivalent to men. According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census women outnumbered men by a little over six million in the 1990 Census of

Population and Housing. With the increase of population over the past 11 years, I’m sure that number will be far exceeded in the 2000 census results. Women have filtered into many positions, fields and forums that men once dominated. As the “Jill” of all trades we’ve proven that we can manage a lot more than a household. As the women of past times have banded to fulfill larger purposes, so must we today. Authors Myra and David Sadker summed up the reasons to do so best in their book “Failing at Fairness: How America’s Schools Cheat Girls” — “Every time a girl reads a womanless history she learns she is worth less.” — Ayala is the Daily Titan Opinion Editor and can be reached via e-mail at

Technology overload: From cellular phones to digital organizers - they consume our lives By Samantha Gonzaga I saw an old friend two weeks ago. Imagine my excitement. I have not seen her for four years, not since the overcast afternoon of high school graduation. “Nothing like seeing old friends,” she said the day before we met for lunch. The glee in her voice made tinny and hollow by a bad phone connection. Indeed– while a small group of us pondered over the longevity of old friendships, we were unprepared for her new companions. Seconds into the close of an embrace, her cell-phone rang. As arms grew lax to allow her to reach for it, one of them became entangled in the thin rope of her Walkman’s cord. This was just as well, because a small yank was enough to tug at the Palm Pilot sitting inside a pocket barely big enough to hold it. It slipped out, hung precariously on a thread and began its descent only to fall on the laptop resting by

her feet. Pandemonium. And how she dove for these little things. These little expensive things, as we would be corrected, with a hint of sheepishness on the drive home. As we ooh’ed and aah’ed over each other’s successes, I couldn’t help but look at all of these accessories, these instruments for organization. The sense of wonderment that is often in reserve for such machines soon gave way to bewilderment. The Sunday afternoon stretch was interrupted by calls –incoming, outgoing– and the bleeps of personal organizers. And as I looked around that restaurant to see if the noise in our corner was disrupting other patrons, I noticed that they too had some of these things and were too busy to heed the background noise. Then I realized how accelerated time was, how the value of this speed has been oftentimes measured by how much we are able to accomplish in one day. The wide range of functions each machine offered was a reflection of our needs. The compact size of each machine has

facilitated the dependence it has fostered in us. The consequence of finishing tasks early is another load of it. To keep everything in line, these tiny computers remind us to how much more we have to do. What had been a luxury – a miscellany– once has turned into a necessity. I once knew someone who left their cellular phone at home and spent the rest of the day checking their voicemail every other hour. Take a closer look at what cellular phones offer in addition to receiving calls. E-mails can be sent — written messages relayed to another phone. (As a casual aside, I find this fascinating. It takes more time to painstakingly punch each letter–and space– to complete a few sentences, than dialing up your roommate to say: “Hey, pick up a carton of milk from the market on the way home, will

BILL ALKOFER/Knight Ridder Tribune

ya? We ran out this morning.”) Offers of widening our horizons have been the common theme on which technological advancement ride on. The possibility of having everything within reach is no doubt tempting.

It’s even inspiring. But to have all this more and more housed within the small silhouettes of our cellular phones may not always be too good. It can lead to…more limitations. That is, the contentment in thinking that nothing is out of reach, of being leashed to each missed call. Since everything is so accessible, does this mean we needn’t really push beyond the confines of these boxes? Or will time simply continue to speed by in an endless scroll of itineraries? I suppose we have yet to see. In the meantime, keep these in mind. Oh, and I’ll be right back…after I check on my messages.

— Gonzaga is a Daily Titan Assistant News Editor and any response to this column can be sent via e-mail to dailytitan@yahoo.com


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