Spotlight
Sports
Fullerton equestrian team is giddy after its first season of success 8
Local residents draw thousands with extensive holiday decorations 5
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, F u l l e r t o n
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Titan’s dream made extreme Rodney Anderson wins home makeover, show visits campus By ANDREW STRETCH and DANNY CHENG Daily Titan Staff
Hoots and hollers echoed through the Titan Gym Wednesday night as “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” filmed a special ceremony to retire the No. 4 jersey of Cal State Fullerton senior Rodney Anderson. The former Titan basketball playerʼs career ended abruptly during his freshman year in 2000. While visit-
Boxes of Love relieve hunger
ing his parents at their Los Angeles home, he was shot three times in a mistaken drive-by shooting. As a result of the shooting, Anderson was paralyzed from the chest down. ABC surprised the Anderson family with its decision to feature their home on the hit television series last Saturday. “This certainly could have not come to a more deserving person or more of a deserving family,” President Milton A. Gordon said in a speech commemorating Anderson. After the accident, Anderson moved back into his parentsʼ house. “He was living in a house that was built in 1911,” the Rev. Karl
Washington said, a relative of Anderson. “There was just no way for him to get around.” Due to the narrow doorways in the familyʼs home, Anderson was confined to the front portion of the house, Washington said. The family recently planned on having the home renovated to suit Andersonʼs needs, but the contractor hired for the job allegedly left with the familyʼs money. Not long after, the family submitted their story to ABC. “There are thousands of applicants a week,” Trava Herra, a producer TV SHOW 3
TSU creates escape from studies, stress
Massages, midnight movies help reduce tension during finals
Cramming for exams has never been more rewarding than during finals week. With so many students requiring convenient places to study and eat, the Titan Student Union and ASI Productions offer plenty of solutions. The Pollak Library, which will maintain its regular hours during finals, closes at 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. For students who need a place to
study late into the night and early morning hours, the TSUʼs Food Court study area, main level lounges and the Mainframe Computer Lounge offer 24-hour operations until Dec. 17. The biannual All Night Study program was implemented back in the mid-1970s as a study option, said Sara Danner, a marketing manager for the TSU. “For the last 10 years it has evolved into the program it is now, with more options, [such as] extended hours for different areas,” she said. Games and Recreation offers free bowling and billiards. Information and Services and the lower level study lounges will also be open 24
pleted MicroMouse project to their Engineering 485 class. The MicroMouse is a complicated project designed on a computer program using a virtual maze and tweaked so a mouse would be able to sense where the walls were present and be able to complete the maze. Once the computer program was finished, it was applied using a real maze and a battery-operated mouse programmed to sense the same walls and complete the maze. While the finished product didnʼt perform exactly how they had planned, the four architects of the MicroMouse project said they couldnʼt help but feel a sense of relief once the presentation finished. “It feels great to be finished,” Kral said. “This was the most complicated
project weʼve done.” The construction of the MicroMouse took three months and the conception of it took longer. “Itʼs tough to gauge how long we have really [been] working on it because we all dream electronics,” Kral said. The MicroMouse idea is not a new one. The original MicroMouse project at Cal State Fullerton happened in 1990. That version was three times as big, which allowed it to have greater capability and required a much bigger maze than the current edition. CSUF isnʼt alone when it comes to an interest in projects like these, either. There are yearly MicroMouse competitions where schools throughout California compete to see whose
mouse is best. This team fell short in its only competition. “We didnʼt do well because the mouse broke the night before,” Tuason said. “With a better mouse we would have done well.” Whatever the FRANCIS SZYSKOWSKI/Daily Titan Asst. Photo Editor outcome of their A robotic mouse made by CSUF electrical engineering next competition, seniors Chris Tuason, Peter Kral, Sam Rokni and Tianthe students are Hwa Yang was a challenge during the semester. intent on improvEven with hope for better results ing their MicroMouse. “I am eager for the next time,” in the future, Yang said he looks Rokni said. “We are going to have a back on this MicroMouse project as newer mouse and a new processor.” a positive one.
million Americans try to quit unsuccessfully and over 90 percent of those who attempt to quit smoking fail, according to the document. Kicking the habit may seem impossible to some, but it is possible. Realizing that smoking is an addiction and knowing why one continues to smoke helps to begin the process. For some, smoking is a psychological addiction and for others itʼs purely physical. Either way, smokers who want to quit are going to have to make behavioral choices, said Mark Courtney, an American Lung Association call-center specialist.
A psychological need for smoking, Courtney said, is determined when a person smokes to fill a void. If “smoking has been their friend” through a turbulent point in the personʼs life, then that smoker continues to smoke to maintain a certain level of normalcy, Courtney said. According to the Missouri Partnership on Smoking or Health Web site. The first step to quit smoking is to set a quit date, Courtney said. “It adds validity to the whole process,” he said. “They can announce to their family and friends that they are
trying to quit and they can get support. If youʼre thinking about quitting and you havenʼt set a date, then youʼre not ready.” One way to help the process is to keep a smoking diary, Courtney said. The diary would document when and why a person smokes, as well as what a person feels when they light up. “This might be helpful because not only do they know how many cigarettes they smoke but why they smoke,” Courtney said. Jared Dannis, a junior finance major, has been smoking since he was 18. Dannis is part of the 31 per-
By LINDA HO Daily Titan Staff
Volunteer and Service Center helps to feed needy during holidays By ASHLEE ANDRIDGE Daily Titan Staff JAMES TU/Daily Titan
Love is coming in the shape of a box this holiday season. The Boxes of Love event on campus is an attempt to assist and resolve some of the hunger in the area. Students can pick up a box from the Volunteer and Service Center and fill it with select foods. The boxes are then donated to families throughout the community. “This is a very important event because there are many hungry families that count on institutions such as Cal State Fullerton to provide food for them during the holiday season,” said Veronica Ramos, the event coordinator for Boxes of Love. Ramos said the boxes are filled with foods like corn, green beans and rice, adding that each family receives one box, which feeds around six people. “I would estimate that is would take about $20 to $30 to fill one box,” she said. “I would encourage students to pick up a box and fill it as a group.” Ramos said students have shown their compassion for the hungry in other events and she knows they will come through again for this occasion. “Cal State Fullerton students have the gift of providing needy families with a holiday dinner and I have no doubt in my mind that together we can make it happen,” she said. “I canʼt imagine what it would be like not having a Christmas dinner with my family and I believe that no one should have to endure that.” The drive is running through Dec. 20 and Ramos said her “ultimate goal is that we will fill 75 boxes before the drive ends and Iʼll have to order more.” Greg Kelley of the Volunteer and BOXES 4
OANA PURCAR/Daily Titan Photo Editor
The mens basketball team cheered in front of the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” cameras on Wednesday night in the Titan Gym during a taping of the show for fellow Titan Rodney Anderson. Anderson played for the team in 2000 before he was shot and paralyzed from the chest down.
Andrew McEntyre, a criminal justice major, studies by the fireplace inside the Titan Student Union for his upcoming exam in his criminal justice class. The TSU is a second home to many students during finals week.
hours durStudents avoid ing finals exam anxiety News, page 3 w e e k . Round Table Pizza in the Pub will stay open until midnight on Dec. 13-14. The TSU Food Court Bakery will be open until 2 a.m., while Juice It Up! will be open until midnight during the last week of the semester. “We have been working hard to respond to student feedback that they want more food options late at night,” Danner said. Rec Sports will also be offering extended hours and late night activities from Dec. 13-16. Badminton, volleyball and basFINALS 3
Seniors complete mighty MicroMouse project Electrical engineering studentsʼ robot breaks day before competition By DENNIS OLSON For the Daily Titan
As finals week quickly approaches and the stress is relieved with each passing grade, most students can finally look back with a sense of accomplishment for making it through another grueling semester. For a group of electrical engineering students presenting their senior design projects on Wednesday, the feeling was no different. The day came for Chris Tuason, Sam Rokni, Peter Kral and TianHwa Yang to present their com-
Quitters battle smoking temptations, withdrawls Specialist says first step to kick habit is to choose start date By ERIC GOMEZ Daily Titan Staff
Itʼs no secret trying to quit smoking is hard. Sigmund Freud was able to stop his cocaine addiction but was never able to quit smoking, as described in a U.S. government document on quitting smoking entitled “Forever Free.” Perhaps itʼs no wonder why 17
cent of 15 million college students in America who smoke daily, according to the Campus Tobacco Coalition. Courtney said smokers need to find other ways to keep themselves occupied and keep their minds off cigarettes. Dannis said he finds himself smoking the most during breaks from studying. “I smoke when Iʼm studying to get my face out of the books,” he said. “I need to look at something different.” Fred Elbancol, a junior business SMOKING 4
2 Thursday, December 9, 2004
News IN RIEF
NEWS
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Weekend
Goodbye, Juice Guy
DEC. 9-DEC. 11
B
World
Thursday Free Concert: Pedro the Lion in the TSU Pub from noon to 1 p.m. Jazz Ensembles II and III and Jazz Singers will perform at 8 p.m. in the Performing Arts Centerʼs Little Theatre. Performing under the direction of Chuck Tumlinson, William Martinez and Matt Falkre. For more information and/or tickets, call (714) 278-3371.
Thousands cheer Ukrainian reforms KIEV, Ukraine – Tens of thousands of opposition supporters, many of them haggard and shivering after 17 days of round-the-clock street protests, chanted and danced in triumph after parliament approved reforms Wednesday to ensure a fair ballot in Ukraineʼs repeat presidential election. The surprise vote in parliament was part of a compromise package that also included constitutional amendments to transfer some presidential powers to parliament – but only after parliamentary elections in 2006, when backers of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko hope to win a majority.
“Anchorman,” starring Will Ferrell, will show in the TSU Titan Theatre at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Free Bowling Thursdays in TSU Games and Recreation from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
U.S. GIs ask Rumsfeld hard questions CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait – In a rare public airing of grievances, disgruntled soldiers complained to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Wednesday about long deployments and a lack of armored vehicles and other equipment. “You go to war with the Army you have,” Rumsfeld replied, “not the Army you might want or wish to have.”
Friday There will be a special presentation of the film “Africa Unbottled” at 7 p.m. in the Kinesiology and Health Science Building, Room 199. Sponsored by the university chapter of Roots and Shoots. The film is the story of playwright Nicholas Ellenbogenʼs trip through remote areas of southern African.
American combat deaths in Iraq hit 1,001 BAGHDAD, Iraq – Guerrillas carried out a series of raids in the city of Samarra on Wednesday, stealing weapons from a police station, blowing it up, and exchanging fire with police and U.S. troops. At least five Iraqis were killed, and the city police chief resigned. Also Wednesday, the U.S. military said the number of American combat deaths in Iraq since the start of the war rose to 1,001; the latest reported was a soldier slain by smallarms fire in Baghdad on Tuesday. The total number who have died since March 2003 is 1,278, according to an Associated Press tally.
Nation Congress passes historic spy agencies bill WASHINGTON – Congress on Wednesday ordered the biggest overhaul of U.S. intelligence in a half-century, replacing a network geared to the Cold War fight against communism with a post-Sept. 11 structure requiring military and civilian spy agencies to work together against terrorists intent on holy war. The Senate passed the legislation 89-2, one day after the House pushed through the compromise strongly endorsed by President Bush.
Treasury secretary to stay on with Bush WASHINGTON – Treasury Secretary John Snow, an aggressive champion of the administrationʼs economic policies, accepted President Bushʼs offer Wednesday to remain in the Cabinet. Bushʼs decision kept an important member of his team in place as he seeks to promote his second-term priorities of simplifying tax laws and overhauling Social Security.
State Van plunges 200 feet off wet road, kills 3 LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, Calif. – A packed commuter van heading to NASAʼs Jet Propulsion Laboratory plunged off a wet, winding mountain road Wednesday and tumbled 200 feet, killing three people. Ten people were inside the van when it went off Angeles Crest Highway and tumbled down a rugged, densely forested mountainside in the Angeles National Forest. Reports compiled from The Associated Press
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The Daily Titan is a student publication, printed every Monday through Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSUF System. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. The Daily Titan allocates one issue to each student for free. Copyright ©2004 Daily Titan
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Jeff Abbott, more popularly known as “the juice guy,” will retire after five dedicated years with Juice It Up! Abbott was hired in 1999 and soon managed the Juice It Up! on campus. He has developed a reputation for his great attitude and friendly service.
Sound
BITES
“Big news out of Washington. President Bush announced today that Condoleeza Rice will replace Colin Powell as Secretary of State. When asked why he was leaving, Powell said, ʻI want to know what itʼs like to be ignored in the Private Sector.ʼ” -Conan OʼBrien, from his late night television show “This week, an antique furniture store is suing Michael Jackson, claiming he owes them $200,000. After hearing this, Michael said, ʻI wouldnʼt shop at an antique store, I hate anything older than 12.ʼ” -Conan OʼBrien, from his late night television show “I believe that, as quickly as possible, young cows ought to be allowed to go across our border.” -George W. Bush Ottawa, November 2004
Did you
KNOW?
ʻGirly menʼ wear condoms too big for themselves BERLIN - Most German men wear condoms of the wrong size, a condom distributor said on Wednesday after asking more than 2,500 men to measure their erect penises. “People measure their feet when they buy shoes. Why shouldnʼt they measure their penises? A man would not wear childrenʼs shoes,” said Jan Vinzenz Krause of Vinico, which released the studyʼs findings on World AIDS Day. Most condom boxes in Germany indicated size but men, due to embarrassment or vanity, rarely checked and just bought those marked “extra large,” he said. Vinicoʼs survey recommended various brands to be used — depending on the endowment of the wearer. The study found the average erect penis size was 14.7 cm (5-3/4 inch-
es), with 40 percent of participants reporting lengths between 12 and 15 cm (4-3/4 and 5-7/8 inches). When compared with the condoms normally used by the participants, the results showed only 18 percent wore the right size, with nearly half squeezing into condoms that were too small and 34 percent trying to use those that were too big. Policeman drove wrong way down motorway An Italian policeman who was arrested after driving almost 20 miles the wrong way down a busy motorway said he thought everyone else was going the wrong way. The 23-year-old officer, who has not been named, admitted he had been drinking but had believed everyone else was in the wrong when he turned onto the Autostrada del Sole between Florence and Rome. Traffic police who were informed of the drunken driver by alarmed motorists only managed to stop him by blocking the road with sandbags. Compiled from Bizzarenews.com
Titan wrestling grapples with Northern Colorado at 7 p.m. in the Titan Gym. Saturday Carol Candlelight Dinner, featuring a performance by the University Singers under the direction of John Alexander, takes place at 7 p.m. in the TSU Portola Pavilion. Sponsored by Music Associates. Tickets by reservation only, call (714) 278-3511. All events are free and on campus unless otherwise indicated. If you would like to have a specific entry put in the calendar section, please send an e-mail to news@dailytitan.com.
Weather
FORECAST
Thursday, Dec. 9 Sunny Low 50°
71°
Friday, Dec. 10 Sunny Low 53°
81°
Saturday, Dec. 11 Partly Cloudy Low 51°
80°
Compiled from The Weather Channel
Whatʼs your worst finals experience? Compiled by Nick Allen, Daily Titan Staff
“For biology, we had a final and I had to pee so bad because I was so nervous.” Veronica Legarreta sophomore, biology “My first semester, I missed my final because I thought it was on a different day.”
Kelly Thomson senior, kinesiology
“I always stay up late studying and never remember anything the next day.” Victor Estrada senior, kinesiology “I studied the wrong information and on the final I had no idea, so I didnʼt answer any questions.”
Yesenia Rieas junior, liberal studies
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Thursday, December 9, 2004 3
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Students avoid exam anxiety Professor gives advice on how to reduce stress during finals By NOURA AL ANBAR For the Daily Titan
As the fall semester comes to an end, some studentsʼ lives might be turned around by the overwhelming chaos that comes with the last weeks of school. From one assignment to the next and from one final to another, some students tend to forget how to create a less stressful environment for themselves. “I forget how to relax because at that moment when Iʼm stressed out, I see nothing but darkness and feel nothing but frustration,” said Tracy Mifflin, a Cal State Fullerton student. Stress is the physiological and psychological reaction to a stressor, said David Chen, a stress management professor at CSUF. “If we canʼt control our stress-
FINALS
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ketball games will be held from 9 p.m. to midnight in the Titan Gym to provide stress relief. Two dropin fitness classes, kickboxing on Tuesday and Hip Hop dancing on Wednesday, begin at 10 p.m. in the Kinesiology and Health Science Building in Room 203. The Fitness Lab, also in the Kinesiology and Health Science Building, will also close at midnight. “Itʼs amazing how many students are here throughout the night,” Danner said. “This is a program that people really appreciate.” Megan Boxberger, a member of ASI Productions Union and Special Programs, said students have been very receptive to the program. “We always run out of stuff,” she said, referring to the goodie bags
ors, at least we can control how to react to them and we can process these stressors differently,” Chen said. “Change the way you look at a stressor … how you look at a problem can help or worsen the problem.” Signs and symptoms can show that a person is stressed. “There are indicators that might include behavioral, cognitive, emotional and motivational symptoms and signs from your body telling you that things arenʼt going right,” said Joanne Stohs, an abnormal psychology professor at CSUF. Financial and relationship pressures, as well as pressures to succeed, are some of the common causes of stress, Chen said. “One of the main reasons I feel stressed is because of my irregular sleeping habits that are caused by my constant worry about school work,” Mifflin said. Even though students deal with stress every day, whether itʼs driving to school in traffic or cramming for a
test, some tend to be too busy to find ways to manage their stress levels. “If a student is stressed out, feeling helpless or hopeless, there is a tendency for some to get depressed. These people should challenge their maladaptive thinking, make a schedule, sleep and eat right,” said Stohs. “Stress and depression do overlap, but not always.” Stress management is exercised differently in a number of ways. There are body, mind and soul exercises that are designed to help minimize the occurrence of stress. “When I get stressed out, the way I breathe becomes a major factor in determining the physiological response my body undertakes when experiencing a stressful situation,” said Romeo Sison, a CSUF student. “By slowing down my breathing, Iʼm able to control my bodyʼs physical action, which assists in controlling my mental state of mind.” Other relaxation techniques can also help minimize stress levels. Some of the relaxation techniques
are meditation, yoga and Tai Chi, Chen said. “Humor is also a good approach. Change the way you look at the world with humor,” Chen said. Both Mifflin and Sison agreed that students who donʼt manage their time well are more likely to feel stressed, frustrated and restless. “Procrastinating is one of the main reasons why us students get stressed out,” Mifflin said. “We leave things to the last minute and get overwhelmed by all our responsibilities piling up at one time.” With finals around the corner, some students might feel that hard times are on the way, but by finding ways to manage time, students can also find peace of mind, even during finals. Stress can be managed by understanding our stressors, taking care of ourselves by dieting and exercising and by managing our time well, Chen said. “Stress canʼt be eliminated, but it can be controlled,” Chen said.
that will supply sugar boosts for studying students. ASI Productions is also sponsoring free screenings of “Old School” in the Titan Theatre on Dec. 13 at 9 p.m. and midnight. Free massages are also offered to students who need help relieving their prefinals stress. From 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., professional masseuses from an Anaheim-based company called Soul, Heart and Hands will provide massages in the Fireside Lounge. Boxberger said the massages are quite popular and that some students have even been turned away in the past. With so many activities being made available to students, some might even forget the main reason why they are still on campus late at night—to study. Catherine Van Riette, an Adult Reentry coordinator and psychology professor, recently spoke at a work-
shop on how to prevent procrastination. Although it may be too late to begin forming good study habits, Van Riette suggested students take a look at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Web site, www.ucc.vt.edu, which offers comprehensive studying tips including strategies for improving test performance. “Donʼt read the textbook like a novel,” Van Riette said, reciting some of the tips offered by the site. “Read the topic titles, boldface headings and look at the graphics and charts.” Some other helpful tips on the site included beginning each study session by studying different material from what you studied first during the previous study session. For example, if you read materials from chapter one of your textbook first, then you should read chapter two first on the next study session.
According to the site, a person remembers best the materials read first and last, so students should avoid reading the same materials in the middle of their study periods. The site also advises students to arrive on time for an exam in order to avoid the “brain pickers,” which are students who ask questions right before the test. Whether or not a student knows the answers, such questions cause needless anxiety that may have negative effects on his or her test performance. Although many students have learned to study in various environments, the Web site claims finding an environment that is distractionfree and choosing conditions conducive to studying such as lighting, temperature and furniture is key to improving a personʼs concentration level. However, according to the Web site, relaxation is also important since it increases blood flow to the brain, thus allowing a person to think more clearly. With the many activities occurring on campus to help students study and relax, students should be able to better prepare for final exams.
OANA PURCAR/Daily Titan Photo Editor
Preston Sharp, a designer for ABC’s show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” films his co-workers and the CSUF crowd in the Titan Gym Wednesday.
TV SHOW
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ofthe show, said. “ABC makes the final decision on who is picked for the show.” Most of the family missed the ceremony because the Andersons were whisked away on a week vacation to the Bahamas after the surprise announcement. “His mom and dad, his fiancé and his sister [went on the trip],” said Demetriss Anderson, Rodneyʼs sister. “I had to stay back for [the ceremony].” During the ceremony, images of Andersonʼs childhood and youth were displayed in the background. After speeches from President Gordon, family members and other CSUF staff, Andersonʼs jersey was added to the collection of retired Fullerton greats, such as Cedric Ceballos, Bruce Bowen and Leon Wood. This season, Fullerton transfer forward Jamaal Brown wore the No. 4 jersey, but in honor of Anderson, he will now wear a different number. “I have my own personal mean-
ing for wearing No. 4, but I know Rodney and how much it meant to him,” Brown said. “I will wear No. 32 now. Iʼm just glad everyone is here to support Rodney.” The cast of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is in the process of building the Andersonʼs new home. While not much is being said about the project until itʼs completed on Saturday, family members did reveal that the old house was completely torn down. “The only secret Iʼll give you is that everything is voice activated,” Demetriss Anderson said. “Thereʼs no comparison between the old and new houses. Rodneyʼs house was created by expert technicians especially for him.” Demetriss credits Cal State Fullerton for Rodneyʼs success. “We couldnʼt have done it without Cal State Fullerton, especially the coach that taught him everything – [from] how to stay in school to survival skills – [and] Cal State Fullerton students as a whole — the cards, the letters. You guys have been amazing,” Demetriss said. “You guys really are our guardian angels.”
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4 Thursday, December 9, 2004
SMOKING
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major, also began smoking at around the age of 18 and usually lights up between classes. Both Dannis and Elbancol said they see smoking as a social activity. According to Orange Countyʼs Tobacco Use Prevention Program Web site, an urge only lasts for about three to five minutes. A smoker has a better chance of not lighting up if he or she can keep busy during these short but crucial craving periods. The TUPP Web site describes techniques to keep a smoker occupied during a craving, such as the four Dʼs: delay the urge, deep breath, drink water and do something else. Keeping cigarettes in a difficult place to reach is another trick that Courtney agrees with. He said to keep cigarettes in the trunk while driving to prevent any temptations. Some triggers that prompt people to smoke happen while driving, first thing in the morning and after meals, Courtney said. “After a good meal, youʼve got to have a cigarette. It just settles the food,” Dannis said. “Itʼs settled into my head to have one after I eat now. Itʼs [become] a habit.” Courtney recommends planning out an entire process that includes finding out what techniques a patient has previously attempted to stop smoking. Courtney said using a combination of the Zyban pill and a nicotine patch seems to be most effective. “Zyban is a mild anti-depressant and their body doesnʼt miss the nicotine as much,” he said. “The patch acts as a replacement and helps with withdrawals.” The Missouri Partnership on Smoking or Health reports that nearly 52 percent of those who are quitting for a day or longer are college graduates. Elbancol, who began to smoke because his friends were smoking, said he is confident he can quit one day. “I tell myself I should quit,” Elbancol said. “Even smoking for one day is too long.”
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Secret shoppers observe, review services Expert shares tips on how to land job that pays to eat, shop By ASHLEE ANDRIDGE Daily Titan Staff
“Can I get you started with a glass of wine or a cappuccino? How about an appetizer? Maybe calamari or stuffed mushrooms?” Within two minutes Chris Ham, a business major, returns with his guestsʼ drinks. At the restaurant where he works, Johnny Carinoʼs, it is mandatory that he suggest specific beverages and appetizers and bring them to his table within a specific time. What if he decides not to say these things? Then he risks getting caught by a mystery shopper. Ham said his restaurant usually gets shopped once or twice a month, but said there are times when he canʼt do his job the way he is supposed to
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Service Center said 55 boxes have been issued so far and that they can order more if needed. He also said that by Dec. 20 a lot more boxes will be turned in and that encourages students to get involved. “Volunteering is an act of heroism on a grand scale and it matters profoundly. It does more than help people beat the odds, it changes the odds,” Kelley said, quoting former President Bill Clinton. Scott Whan, who works for Canning Hunger, an organization that provides food for the needy, said the organizationʼs goal is to collect over 6,000 boxes of food this season. Over 5,200 boxes were already delivered during Thanksgiving, according to the organizationʼs Web site. “It is always good to have a project that awakens the servantʼs heart in us,” Whan said. “The spirit of giving is something good for our community.”
because guests will already know what they want to drink or eat and sometimes cut him off at his greeting. “Then I canʼt do the stuff Iʼm required to do,” he said, adding that he doesnʼt mind making specific suggestions. However, Ham said he does not always follow all of the rules. “Sometimes you might cut something because you have learned that you donʼt really benefit from it,” Ham said in reference to outlining feature items. Although a secret shopper has never caught Ham, he said he isnʼt too worried. “Our work isnʼt too strict on that stuff,” he said. Jessica Cartie, a communications major, works at Henryʼs Market, a grocery store where employees are graded by secret shoppers based on customer service and cleanliness, she
said. Cartie said they are supposed to greet the guests and make sure they are finding what they are looking for. “Some of the time they seem annoyed, but most people seem to respond,” she said of the customers. There is no punishment if an employee doesnʼt pass a secret shopper report because “they expect us to learn from it,” Cartie said. But Ham and Cartie have to watch out for people like Ilisha Newhouse. Newhouse, who has been a secret shopper for eight years, said she has worked for over 500 different secret shopping agencies. Newhouse said a secret shopper can make up to $40,000 a year in the business. “I get paid to be the princess,” she said. Newhouse said that when she had her son she realized she wanted to stay home with him and get her
masterʼs degree in the evenings. She needed a job where she could take her son with her. Being a mystery shopper was the perfect answer, she said. “You can get what you are already getting,” she said. Newhouse said she can get her meals paid for and get paid to eat them, adding that the job is perfect during Christmastime because she gets paid to do her shopping and is later reimbursed for the money she spent. She has been paid to do her grocery shopping, get gas, go to a day spa and stay in hotels. “Itʼs been fantastic,” she said. “This is not your typical 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. job.” Newhouse said the job is for anyone who loves to shop, has an eye for detail and can fill out paperwork. On a typical morning, Newhouse wakes up and checks her email around 6 a.m. and replies to the shop-
ping jobs she plans to do. She said there is a lot of variety to her job. She has done secret shopping at five-star hotels where she stayed for a week at a time and was reimbursed for all her expenses, then paid for being there. For jobs like that, the evaluation is more in depth and may require a secret shopper to keep a journal beginning when they first arrive. However, secret shopping for McDonaldʼs may just require someone to fill out a simple yes or no survey about the experience. Another benefit to the job is that you can make your own hours, Newhouse said. In her book, “Mystery Shopping Made Simple,” Newhouse provides information on how to establish a mystery shopping business and how to stay away from phony companies. “If it costs money, itʼs a scam,” she said.
Information Technology at Cal State Fullerton, said safety is a growing concern for students and faculty. “This is going to be an even bigger issue as personal things become more prevalent,” said Bednar. “You can not be concerned enough. If you pick up any magazine, any newspaper, anything, right now this is a big deal.” CSUF values the privacy of its students, Bednar said. “If you request privacy, you donʼt exist,” Bednar said. “We donʼt send your name out if you make the Deanʼs List. If you request privacy, you disappear.” CSUFʼs IT takes two initiatives to ensure that a studentʼs privacy is being protected. First, it encrypts all files on students, as well as campus Web sites where personal information is going to be exchanged. Additionally, IT has been replacing the use of a studentʼs Social Security
number with the campus wide ID. “The only people on campus that are going to have the Social Security number are the people who have to have it for government reporting,” Bednar said. “Financial Aid has to have it. They are required to report your financial aid to the government and Admissions and Records has to have it because of federal reporting.” The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act states that schools may use directory information, such as a studentʼs phone number and address, without consent. The schools must provide a student with time to request that their information not be shared. CSUF does not disclose any information about students without written consent from that student, Bednar said. “We have only had one student in the last year with a question about
being harassed,” said Bednar. “I feel very safe and pretty confident in the companies I trust with my personal information,” said Elsa Vanessa Gaxiola, a senior public relations major. Identity theft and cyber stalking aside, people using the Internet to harass others is a growing concern. “Iʼve never heard of cyber stalking,” Gaxiola said. “But it is probably just as dangerous as normal stalking.” The university takes harassment and stalking very seriously. If students believe they are being stalked, they should take their concerns to University Police. The Judicial Affairs Office handles harassment and IT handles any reports of computer network issues. “Nothing online is 100 percent sure,” Gaxiola said. “Thereʼs always someone who can tell what you are looking at.”
University ensures student privacy
CSUF does not reveal private information without written consent By NICHOLAS COOPER For the Daily Titan
The Internet is not just a place of unlimited information for people to access. It is an online community where the possibilities seem endless. People can start anew, make friends and connect to the rest of the world. With the online community growing by leaps and bounds, the question of safety can be a top concern. “I donʼt feel really safe sharing private and identifying information,” said Alice Chow, a junior womenʼs studies major. “I only share minimal amounts of personal information, like first name, gender or simple facts. Dick Bednar, the senior director of