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Pension privatization plan meets criticism Schwarzenegger’s controversial proposal is not well-received By Julie Kim Daily Titan Staff
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposal to privatize state pensions would not only affect public employees, but Cal
State Fullerton students as well, said critics of the measure. Because the controversial plan would “take away solid benefits” from public service sectors such as teaching, talented professors would go into other job industries, said Shelly Arsneault, a political science professor at CSUF. Under the current public pension system, non-federal employees are guaranteed certain monthly retirement benefits by the government.
Plan B offers a new alternative Contraception can be obtained through campus Health Center By Nadine Hernandez Daily Titan Staff
Sex can be a fantasy, but sometimes a fast-fading one the morning after. Emergency contraceptives, when properly used following unprotected sex, can significantly reduce the chances of pregnancy. Plan B, named for the fact that it is considered a “last-resort” form of birth control, is an example of one of these emergency contraceptives that is available with a prescription, Sav-On pharmacist Linh Le said. This pill, in fact, is also available to Cal State Fullerton students. Despite the fact that the Health Center faculty declined to comment on the emergency contraception, CSUF students can obtain Plan B through the school’s Health Center by enrolling in Family PACT (Planning Access Care Treatment), according to a document provided by the center. Plan B is often prescribed, however it is also available in advance without a prescription in California, said Kendra Caton, senior nurse at Barr Pharmaceuticals. Though the contraceptive might be considered a fast and easy way to inhibit pregnancy, Obstetrician Gynecologist Nancy Roberson Jasper from New York’s Presbyterian Hospital stressed that its attainability should not be abused. “Don’t use [Plan B] as a sole method of contraception,” Jasper said. “It is truly an emergency back-up.”
According to doctors, there is a narrow window of opportunity in which Plan B must be taken in order to work properly. The pill should be taken no later than 72 hours after intercourse to prevent fertilization, ovulation and possible implantation because once the implantation begins it may be too late, Le said. Le added that the contraceptive consists of two pills to be taken orally; the first prescribed pill should be taken within 24 hours and the second one 12 hours later. If taken correctly, Plan B is 89 percent effective, Jasper said, adding that Plan B is progesterone only, has no estrogen and has a high degree of safety. There is no limit to how often the pill can be taken since it is only a slightly higher dose than the birth control pill, Le said. Le emphasized that Plan B is not an abortion pill and should only be taken in instances where a condom breaks or no protection is used at all. Despite this, she said that Plan B should not be a substitute for condoms. The pill can also be taken after a woman has gone through sexual assault, Le said. A very important note to remember is that Plan B does not cause an abortion, Jasper said. “It is a contraceptive not an abortificant,” she said. Jasper said if patients want to keep the pill on hand in case of an emergency, it can be asked for in advance, which some college students may find advantageous. “The presence of the pill is good.” undeclared CSUF student Maki Okubo said. “It would be useful in an emergency but using a Plan B 3
These benefits are calculated by the number of years they have worked and the highest salary they have received. A change, however, would mean that public pensions become more like individual 401(k) retirement packages. It would make people more accountable for pension; people who might not have the expertise to do so. “Even the above-average person has no time, connections and money
to invest well,” said Alice Sunshine, communications director for the California Faculty Association. “The few who succeed got lucky.” Jim Hard, president of the Service Employees International Union, Local 1000, agreed. “You are risking it all yourself as an individual,” he said. Schwarzenegger introduced the plan last month in hopes that the pension privatization plan would curtail the state’s $8.6 billion budget
deficit, according to the Los Angeles Times. As of now, if an individual’s investments don’t produce enough money to cover the set benefits, the government must make up for the losses. California pays up to $2.6 billion in pension shortfalls. “In the long run, it will probably save taxpayers nothing,” Hard said. Schwarzenegger is making good on his promise to not raise taxes, but he should “spread the pain around
By Carolina Ruiz-mejia Daily Titan Staff
The Phi Alpha Theta National Honorary Society in History awarded Welebaethan, Cal State Fullerton’s journal of history, The Jerald Nash Award for the best yearly student
journal publication in 2004, beating out UCLA. “Welebaethan won first place; UCLA won second place,” said Scott Behen, editor-in-chief of the journal for 2005 and a graduate history student at CSUF. Welebaethan is a student-driven journal, said Behen, who has been involved with the publication for three years. According to Behen, although the journal was submitted last August, the Welebaethan’s staff just notified in January that their
‘Résumés wanted’ gives students crash course on basics By Shannin Hewkin Daily Titan Staff
Hanney, adding that same-sex couples in the armed services already enjoy equal pension rights. The new act does not use the term “marriage,” but among other benefits it grants same-sex couples rights to their partners’ pensions; gives them next-of-kin status; and exempts them from paying inheritance tax on a partner’s home. It also will require partners to provide
Eager, well-dressed, folder-toting students braved the rain Tuesday morning for a chance to get their résumés reviewed and critiqued by over 50 career professionals at “Résumés Wanted,” an event sponsored by the Cal State Fullerton Career Center. The event began with a presentation by Angie Menendez, a recruiter for Ernst & Young, who stressed the importance of being clear, focused, error-free and, most importantly, concise when writing a résumé. “Résumés are a snapshot of you,” she said. “You will have the opportunity to tell stories and elaborate, but the résumé isn’t the place to do it.” Employers, who often sort through hundreds of résumés, spend about 20 to 30 seconds on each résumé before deciding if the candidate attached to the résumé is worth interviewing, Menendez said. She also said action verbs such as plan, organize, manage and coordinate should be included in job descriptions to help résumés get flagged by scanning machines used by many larger businesses. Billie Sims, a CSUF liberal studies graduate who finished her teaching credential during the spring 2004 semester, is one of many students concerned about the effect scanning machines will have on their chances of getting a job this year. “That’s why I’m here today,” said Sims, a substitute teacher who said she is looking for a full-time job. “I’ve heard that if you use italics or boldface type, a lot of scanning machines will not read your résumé. “I just created a very basic résumé and I’ll revise it now that I know what I need to add,” she said. Menendez’s presentation was followed by one on how to survive and thrive during the first six months of a new job. “When somebody takes a new position, they are basically saying, ‘Hello, I’m incompetent’,” Ann Marie Hermanson, director of local accounts at Coca-Cola North America, said during her speech, emphasizing that most new jobs will require an adjustment period. “Accept that fact and embrace it.” Asking questions and observing coworkers in the same or similar positions will help newly-hired individuals’ transitions to go more smoothly, said Hermanson, who is two months into a new position at Coca-Cola North America. Following the presentations, the
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The Associated Press
Surging water fills the Los Angeles River where it runs alongside Interstate 5 in the Los Angeles area Tuesday. Waterlogged Californians braced for even more rain Tuesday as they struggled to recover from storms that have left at least nine people dead. See full story on page 4
publication took first place. The award-winning journal includes research essays, historiographical essays and book reviews. “We advise students. They do the layout, cover design, writing and research,” said Gordon M. Bakken, history professor at CSUF and one of the five faculty advisers for Welebaethan. A board composed of advisers and students from the history department selects the articles that will appear in the publication, Behen said.
According to a statement in the journal, the Welebaethan, as it is presented today, represents the result of the past 31 years of learning experiences, advances in technology and commitment on the part of the History Department students, staff and faculty. These improvements have allowed Welebaethan to compete against California’s top universities. “We have not only beaten UCLA, we’ve also beaten Berkeley,” Bakken
said. According to Bakken, CSUF students create work at very high levels. Associated Students Inc. supports this “high-quality” work and is the main financial provider. The 32-year-old journal is the final product of the class, History Editing 494, taught by CSUF history professor Wendy Elliot-Scheinberg, Behen said. “The fact they [CSUF students] award 3
British Parliament passes bill, recognizes civil partnerships
UK government says same-sex partnerships will begin Dec. 5 The Associated Press
LONDON - Same-sex partners in Britain will be able to enter into civil unions beginning December, joining gays in parts of Europe and the United States in obtaining
many of the rights enjoyed by married people, the government said Monday. The Civil Partnerships Bill passed by Parliament last year gives same-sex couples the right to form legally binding partnerships and entitles them to some of the same tax and pension rights married couples have. Starting Dec. 5, couples will be able to notify the register office at their local council that they intend
pension 3
Expert advice helps Titans
A river runs through it
CSUF history journal places first in competition
Welebaethan wins award over other top California universities
instead of forcing the burden on one group of people,” Arsneault said. She added that the state tax rate isn’t as high as many citizens believe; it is about in the middle when compared to the rest of the nation. “Our property tax is ridiculously low,” she said. Sunshine suggested that the governor cut out extensive loopholes in
to form civil partnerships. After a 15-day waiting period, they will sign an official partnership document in front of witnesses. “This legislation is going to make a real difference to these couples and it demonstrates the government’s commitment to equality and social justice,” said Deputy Minister for Women and Equality Jacqui Smith. “It opens the way to respect, recognition and justice for those who have been denied it for too long.”
The government said some register offices have already started receiving inquiries from same-sex couples. Separately Monday, the armed services said they will allow samesex couples with registered partnerships to share family quarters. “We will be complying with the law. We are obliged to give equal treatment to gay and lesbian partnerships” under the new act, said Royal Navy spokesman Anton
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Feb. 23, 2005
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In honor of African Heritage Month, Wacira Gethaiga will be teaching a seminar titled “Mentoring: the Road to Faculty Development.” The program begins at noon in Humanities 222. “A Jamboree of Black Voices” will be taking place in the TSU’s Portola Pavilion tonight at 4:30 p.m. The event will feature speakers, poetry, dance and a special guest performance by The Twinz.
Al-Jaafari likely to be next Iraqi PM BAGHDAD, Iraq – Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the head of a religious party who fought Saddam Hussein and took refuge in Iran for a decade, was chosen Tuesday as the dominant Shiite ticket’s candidate for prime minister _ making him the overwhelming favorite for the post. Al-Jaafari’s selection came after former Washington ally Ahmad Chalabi dropped out of the race following three days of round-the-clock bargaining. Al-Jaafari has been seen as having close ties to Iran’s ruling clergy, though he denies any links to a government that President Bush has said is part of an “axis of evil.”
Today is MESA day. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. students from various high schools will take part in different contests showcasing their mathematics, engineering and science skills. The event will be taking place on the ECS lawn and quad.
Iran earthquake death toll surpasses 400 SARBAGH, Iran – Under a cold, driving rain, survivors wailed over the bodies of the dead and dug through the ruins of mud-brick houses searching for their loved ones after a powerful earthquake flattened villages in central Iran on Tuesday, killing at least 420 people. The toll was expected to rise, because rescue teams did not have a final count from the three most isolated villages in the mountainous region. About 30,000 people were affected, many left homeless when some villages were reduced to piles of dirt and stone by the magnitude-6.4 earthquake. The number of injured was estimated at 900.
Learn how to build Titan pride at the Titan Tusk Force meeting in the Hetebrink room of the TSU at 4 p.m. Cal State Fullerton’s Family Business Council will be sponsoring a workshop at the Ayres Country Inn and Suites in Costa Mesa. The event will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and will discuss how decisions made today about eventual retirement will effect business strategy, leadership development and family harmony. Reservations are required and can be made at (714) 278-4182.
Bush warns against lifting arms embargo BRUSSELS, Belgium – President Bush and European leaders settled simmering differences about Iraq but plunged into a troublesome new dispute Tuesday over the lifting of an arms embargo against China. Bush warned Congress might retaliate if Europe revokes the 15-year ban. Bush said lifting the embargo, imposed after the bloody 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on pro-democracy activists, “would change the balance of relations between China and Taiwan and that’s of concern.” But French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said the ban should go. “It will happen,” Schroeder said.
Nation
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Texan man charged with double homicide NORTHLAKE, Texas – A man told police he suffocated his pregnant exgirlfriend and her 7-year-old son after an argument over his refusal to leave his wife, according to documents released Tuesday. Police said Stephen Dale Barbee was charged with capital murder Tuesday after confessing to the slayings of Fort Worth bagel shop owner Lisa Underwood and her son, Jayden. Barbee, 37, was the father of the unborn daughter, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.
Judge issues stay in right-to-die case DUNEDIN, Fla. – The case of a severely brain-damaged woman remained locked in a legal stalemate Tuesday after an appeals court cleared the way for her husband to remove her feeding tube only to see a judge promptly block the removal for at least another day. The 2nd District Court of Appeal offered no specific instructions in a one-page mandate issued in the case of Terri Schiavo, who was left brain damaged 15 years ago. That meant her husband, Michael Schiavo, could order his wife’s tube be removed.
Local Muslim paper looking for more employees ANAHEIM – A new newspaper aimed at Muslims around Southern California so far has one full-time employee. But the creator of In Focus said she hopes to soon form a staff that will offer Muslim and non-Muslim perspectives in the monthly newspaper. Reports compiled from The Associated Press
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Mike Ferrera holds tightly on to the ball while being tackled by Shane Mcewan, his coach, late Tuesday afternoon during the heavy rain. The rugby team will be playing a home game against Azusa Pacific on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Events
in history
Feb. 21
1989: U.S. bust Chinese ring, capture record 820 lbs heroin ($1 Billion street value). 1974: Yugoslavia adopts constitution. 1971: Series of tornadoes cuts through Mississippi and Louisiana killing 117. 1970: Jackson 5 make TV debut on American Bandstand. 1878: 1st telephone book issued, 50 subscribers (New Harbor, Connecticut).
Feb. 22
1991: Bush & U.S. Gulf War allies give Iraq 24 hrs to begin Kuwait withdrawal. 1967: 25,000 U.S. & South
Vietnamese troops launched Operation Junction City, offensive to smash Viet Cong stronghold near Cambodian border. 1935: Airplanes are no longer permitted to fly over the White House. 1924: 1st presidential radio address (Calvin Coolidge). 1900: Hawaii became a U.S. territory.
Feb. 23
1998: Supreme Court lets Megan’s Law stand. 1994: Indians owner Richard Jacobs announces he will pay $10 million to name baseball field (Jacobs Field at Gateway becomes official 3/23). 1979: Frank Peterson, Jr. named 1st black general in Marine Corps. 1958: Five-time world driving champion Juan Fangio kidnapped by Cuban rebels. 1940: Walt Disney’s animated movie “Pinocchio,” released.
Feb. 24
1998: Elton John knighted. 1989: 150-million-year-old fossil egg found. 1977: President Carter announces U.S. foreign aid will consider human rights. 1868: House of Representatives vote 126 to 47, to impeach President Andrew Johnson. 1803: Supreme Court 1st rules a law unconstitutional (Marbury vs. Madison).
Feb. 25
1981: NHL most penalized game; Bruins vs Northstars, 84 penalties (392 mins). 1973: Juan Corona sentenced to 25 life sentences for 25 murders. 1945: U.S. aircraft carriers attack Tokyo. 1919: Oregon is 1st state to tax gasoline (1 cent per gallon). Compiled from brainyhistory.com
Longevity Crew will put on a hip-hop concert today from noon to 1 p.m. The event will take place outside at the Becker Amphitheater. If it’s raining, grab a beer and catch the show indoors at the Pub in the TSU Underground. Are you self-conscious about your gut, butt or thighs? Get a complete workout on your lunch break. Go to KHS 203 from 12:10 to 12:55 p.m. for Express Fitness. The Guts, Butts and Thighs class is free for all CSUF students and is a great workout for beginners and advanced participants. 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
Wednesday, Feb. 23 Scattered T-Storms Low 48°
64°
Thursday, Feb. 24 Partly Cloudy Low 48°
66°
Friday, Oct. 6 Partly Cloudy Low 48°
67°
Compiled from The Weather Channel
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Daily Titan
Volunteer to pay off student loans Non-profits assist with financial aid, offer ways to pay By Reina V. Slutske Daily Titan Staff
If you’re having problems paying off student loans, you’re not alone. “When I get out of school, hopefully I’ll have a job,” said Jacqueline Repich, a speech communications fourth-year student, referring to her subsidized Stafford loan. “My main concern is getting that paid off.” According to Financial Aid, last year 6,874 students at Cal State Fullerton applied for financial assistance. The office, however, has no repayment options and only authorizes awarded money. “It’s the lenders who take care of that,” said Deborah McCracken, the director of financial aid. Despite this, she said there are other options for paying off student loans. The best way to do this, according to AmeriCorps, is through volunteering. AmeriCorps gives vouchers to help students pay off student
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industry professionals were then separated according to their job categories and seated in various meeting rooms in the Titan Student Union. Students lined up for a chance to get helpful hints and honest criticism on the effectiveness of their résumés, as well as a possible interview. Senior entertainment studies major Johnathan Wright received both from Melissa Robles, a publicity coordinator for Nederlander Concerts. Robles emphasized the importance of being detail-oriented when making a résumé. “We send everything out to the
loans, however it often requires a long-term commitment. AmeriCorps is operated through the federal government and was established by former president Bill Clinton in 1994. Currently, it is expanding to 9,489 new positions, and an additional $25.6 million will go toward the payment of student loans. “We are excited about the quality and diversity of these grantees, and the powerful contribution the AmeriCorps members will make to improving education, preserving the environment and meeting other critical needs,” said corporation CEO David Eisner in a press release last Thursday. This is not the only program of its type. Carlos D. Fearn started Student Loan Eliminators, which allows students to volunteer for a few hours over the weekends for a month, and can give relief grants for up to $5,000. “People already engage in volunteer efforts on numerous levels,” he wrote in a press release. “But I am quite sure that they would be very grateful if their goodwill could be
rewarded in some way.” Student Loan Eliminators is a non-profit organization, but there are limits to how much money they can give. There are other types of financial assistance that are available to students. Federal Perkins loans are operated through the campus. These loans are part of a revolving program, where students pay off their loans with money that is then reused for future loans that are based on financial need; 627 students received them in the 20032004 school year. According to Joyce Croff from the Perkins Loans Collection office, these loans are different from Stafford loans because there is no recurring interest and there is a nine-month grace period. The interest rate is fixed at five percent for these loans. Grants make up a substantial part of the financial aid offered. According to McCracken, there are 7,400 students who have Federal Pell grants, or money from the government that does not need to be repaid.
press, so if a résumé has an error in it, what will a press release written by that person look like?” she said. “It shows that you don’t care about the details or about our company.” Robles said that even a student who is not an entertainment studies major like Wright has a chance at a job if the résumé is well structured and the student does his research. “Read about the company you are interviewing for,” she said. “If you go in for an interview and say, ‘Well, I don’t really know anything about your company,’ why should you be hired? It’s very important to do your homework and be able to talk about what the company has done and how you can improve upon it.”
The addition of professionals to this year’s résumé workshop added excitement to the event. “We thought that instead of just doing a résumé workshop this year, we’d engage professionals in business, government agencies and nonprofit organizations for a more focused effort,” said Jim Case, director of the Career Center. Some professionals were easier to contact than others, said Laura Matz, an industry specialist in the Career Center. “Sales, marketing and accounting professionals were much easier to find than entertainment professionals,” she said. “It’s the law of supply and demand, and they’re in demand.”
Puddle of mud
Eric Tom/Daily Titan
A deep footprint was left behind in the mud in front of the Engineering Building. After five days of rain, students were relieved to have a slight break in the storm Tuesday morning.
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tax laws instead of going through with this proposal. But the governor along with Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, and Stephen Moore, president of the Free Enterprise Fund hopes that other states will follow suit with pension privatizations once a California voter-approved constitutional amendment passes. “Just 115 people control $1 trillion in these funds,” Norquist said. “We want to take that power and destroy it.”
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beat UCLA makes me feel good,” said Elliot-Scheinberg, the journal’s adviser. “It’s a great feeling to know that the students did so well.” The articles printed in Welebaethan are not limited to those written by students enrolled in the history editing class. “We accept papers from every single history class on campus,” ElliotScheinberg said. The name Welebaethan tells a story. The journal was named in honor of Shirley Weleba, a CSUF professor whose concentration was AfricanAmerican history, Bakken said. Weleba arrived at Fullerton in 1970 and died three years later from hypoglycemia, according to a statement in the journal. The name Welebaethan
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maintenance for each other and any children in the case of a break-up. Partners will be able to dissolve the agreement in a form of divorce settlement. Officials at the Department of Trade and Industry estimate there
Plan B
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condom is better.” Common side effects for women who take the pill include minimal headaches and nausea, and depending on the woman’s menstrual cycle, menstruation can be expected within two weeks. “As a general rule, there is no abdominal pain,” Jasper said. Caton said that only 23 percent
California has the first and third largest pension plans in the nation: the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), respectively. CalPERS alone manages more than $180 billion. “Despite the governor’s claims, his pension privatization proposal won’t save money for California,” said Rob Feckner, president of CalPERS. “This proposal is merely the latest attempt by corporate interests and their allies to silence CalPERS’ abil-
ity to advocate for reform,” he said. Critics of the plan, such as California State Treasurer Phil Angelides and North Carolina State Treasurer Richard Moore, believe that it will take away from public employees in their later years and that job recruitments will decrease because of depleted benefits. “We think people will leave for other jobs because the cost of living is so high, salaries so low – and the great benefits were what balanced things out,” Sunshine said. If the proposal passes, it would affect non-federal workers hired after July 1, 2007.
combines the professor’s name, Weleba, and the Latin suffix “ethan,” which means “in honor of.” Since the competition began 10 years ago, Welebaethan has almost always placed first, Bakken said. “The worst recognition has been an honorable mention,” Behen said. “The year we don’t win is infrequent.” The journal was founded in 1974, but it is during the last 20 years that the Welebaethan has made major improvements, Bakken said. “In 1992, under the tutelage of Dr. Lawrence B. DeGraff, the Welebaethan staff began an effort to professionalize the quality of the copy, editing and layout of the journal,” reads a statement in the 2004 publication. Among the 20 research essays that
appear in the 2004 award-winning issue is Behen’s essay, “Inter-Service Rivalries During the Early Cold War Period.” “It is gratifying [to beat UCLA],” Behen said. “We did better than the other journals submitted.” More important than beating UCLA is that students get their first paper published as history writers and the journal is sent to universities nationwide, Behen said. Professors Bakken and ElliotScheinberg said they believe in their students. “Students who are involved are motivated, develop tremendous skills and are really outstanding people,” Bakken said. “I love working with the students,” Elliot-Scheinberg said. “It’s fascinating to see how much they grow.”
will be more than 42,000 same-sex partnership agreements in place by 2050. “This is the moment we fought so hard for,” said Ben Summerskill, chief executive of the gay rights group Stonewall. “At last, lesbian and gay couples can begin to plan their future lives together.” Nine European Union mem-
bers allow same-sex partnerships, beginning with Denmark, which legislated for the unions in 1989. In the United States, more than a dozen states recognize some form of domestic partnerships or civil unions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, but 11 states voted in November to ban gay marriage.
of women experience nausea as a side effect. According to Barr Pharmaceuticals’ Plan B fact sheet, the least common side effects are vomiting and diarrhea. Plan B does not protect men and women from HIV infections or other sexually transmitted diseases, so alternative birth control methods are encouraged and the pills should not be taken if the woman is already pregnant.
Clinical trials have shown that following the act of intercourse, expected pregnancies dropped from eight percent to one percent with the use of Plan B, according to the press release. Plan B is not recommended for women under the age of 16. For more information on Plan B and Family PACT enrollment, contact the CSUF Student Health Center at (714) 278-2800 or Family PACT at 1-800-942-1054.
4 Wednesday, February 23, 2005
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Suit seeks to invalidate stem cell research Conservative group alleges Proposition 71 provisions illegal The Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO – A politically conservative public interest group with ties to at least one Christian organization filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to invalidate the $3 billion stem cell research funding institution passed by California voters in November. The lawsuit alleges that provisions in Proposition 71 exempting California Institute for Regenerative Medicine members from some government conflict-of-interest laws is illegal. The suit also alleges that the ballot language violated a California election law that requires each propo-
sition to address a single subject. Proposition 71 was passed by 59 percent voters after supporters waged a $34 million campaign in advance of the election. The lawsuit was filed by a newly created nonprofit called Californians for Public Accountability and Ethical Science, which is supported by at least one person who originally opposed Proposition 71. David Llewellyn, the Sacramento attorney representing the plaintiffs, would identify only two of the people behind the new nonprofit: Dr. Vincent Fortanasce, who was president of the No on 71 campaign, and Joni Eareckson Tada, a paraplegic who founded Joni and Friends Ministries in Agoura Hills. “People need to get the message that this proposition is an enormous expenditure of money in a financially strapped state for human embryo research that is increasingly seen as
problematic and hypothetical,” Tada woman Julie Buckner said. “The said in a statement. voters have every right to expect the The lawsuit was filed directly with work of this institute to proceed and the California Supreme Court, a rare- it’s critically important that the work ly used - and rarely successful - legal of the institute does move forward gambit. to meet the manLlewellyn said date of the voters he and his clients of California to Nearly 60 perbypassed the lower find treatments and cent of the voters courts because of cures for disease.” agreed and felt the issue’s urgency: B u c k n e r that there was The institute will declined to discuss ample oversight soon begin to dole specifics of the out the $3 billion lawsuit. and accountability in borrowed money “We’ll be built into the over the next 10 reviewing the program. years. Institute offimatter,” she said. cials said they hope “These groups are Julie Buckner to award the first well known special Institute Spokeswoman grants by May. interest opponents “Nearly 60 perof the initiative.” cent of the voters agreed and felt The institute is governed by the comfortable that there was ample Independent Citizen’s Oversight oversight and accountability built Committee, which has 29 members into the initiative,” institute spokes- who were appointed by various
“
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Storms rage through state California rains spawn tornadoes and landslides; six killed The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES – A deadly series of storms across California spawned tornadoes, landslides and avalanches as persistent rain flooded freeways and golf courses and sent mud roaring into homes. At least six people were killed, including a Nevada woman caught in an avalanche while on a crosscountry skiing trip north of Lake Tahoe and a 24-year-old man who lost control of his car and crashed in San Bernardino. Forecasters said Tuesday that while the strong system would bring at least another inch of rain in Southern California, it was losing strength and could move out of the region by Wednesday afternoon. “I think we’ve probably seen the worst of the storm,” National Weather Service meteorologist Ted
MacKenchnie said. “We should start seeing a decrease in the activity.” A flash flood watch remained in effect across much of Southern California on Tuesday, the NWS said. Mudslides forced Amtrak officials to suspend service from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara at least through Tuesday. Service between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo was expected to resume next Monday. In Los Angeles, a section of the Hollywood Freeway was shut down for several hours late Monday when lanes were flooded in as much as five feet of water. Crews pumped the water out of the highway. The wild weather came from a series of storms that began battering the state on Thursday, dumping 6.5 inches of rain in downtown Los Angeles. The consecutive days of rain proved too much for saturated hillsides in Southern California. Early Monday, a mudslide ripped into the bedroom of a home in the San Fernando Valley, burying
Robert Wickham, 61, under four feet of mud. And in the rural Silverado Canyon area east of Irvine, large boulders crashed into an apartment bedroom and crushed 16-year-old Caitlin Oto. Boulders also crashed into a local country store. The rain was causing problems for pro golfers. Adam Scott won the Nissan Open in Los Angeles but won’t get an official victory on the record books because the third round was called off when the wet Riviera Country Club was deemed unfit for play. In Carlsbad, the La Costa Country Club was full of standing water, threatening the scheduled Wednesday start of a World Golf Championships match play tournament. Some in Southern California made the most of their flooded streets. Young men in Huntington Beach tied ropes onto the back of a truck and surfed on skim boards as it plowed through the water. And in San Diego, Skip Stratten climbed into his ocean kayak and paddled among flooded apartments and businesses.
elected officials, including five by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The 29 members are in charge of doling out all the institute’s research grants, loans and contracts. The proposition’s language explicitly exempts the members from some of California’s conflict laws. It allows, for instance, its members to vote on awarding research grants that directly address diseases they or their family members may have. At least three members have debilitating illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Institute interim president and chairman Robert Klein’s son suffers from diabetes and his mother has Alzheimer’s disease. Ten of the committee’s members represent specific disease advocacy groups, and the lawsuit alleges these appointments will improperly lead to an inordinate amount of research
funding addressing those ailments to the detriment of other diseases not represented on the board. The plaintiffs also said the conflict exemptions will allow scientists on the committee to receive institute grants. “Self dealing is perfectly OK under Proposition 71,” Llewellyn said. That issue will be addressed directly at the institute’s committee meeting March 1 at Stanford University. At the last committee meeting in San Diego there appeared to be a consensus building to ban members from applying for institute research grants. “We shouldn’t have any ambiguity about this,” said committee member Dr. Philip Pizzo, dean of Stanford University’s medical school. Llewellyn still wasn’t assuaged. He said the committee, however well intentioned, isn’t allowed to selfpolice itself.
Studying hard or hardly studying?
Megan Dangermond/Daily Titan
Tess O’Connell , freshman theatre major, braves the wet weather Tuesday afternoon while waiting for her work shift to start at the Titan Student Union.