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M o n d a y, D e c e m b e r 5 , 2 0 0 5
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HIV through the eyes of the positive Infected 19-year-old shares life, hardships of living with disease By ASHLEY MAJESKI Daily Titan Staff
Feb. 25, 2004, is a day Justin Fernandez will never forget. Sitting alone in the doctorʼs office, he waited for the information he already knew.
He was 19 years old and HIV positive. “It was something inside of me that told me. It was a gut feeling,” he said. “When I found out, I started crying, and then got so angry that I threw the doctor against the wall. I didnʼt know what to do. I found out when I was 19, and I felt like my whole life was gone” People between the ages of 15 and 24 account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide, according to Avert.org, the homepage
for the international AIDS charity. More than 6,000 young people are infected with HIV every day. Fernandez, now 21, said that it was hard telling his friends and family about his disease. “My friends were stupid about it. They wondered if they could get it from drinking out of the same glass as me. Itʼs one thing to tell them that you are positive, but answering a thousand questions can be rather embarrassing,” he said. Like any 21-year-old, Fernandez
deals with the pressures at work, with family and in relationships. However, unlike most people his age, he must also worry about how and when to disclose to a new partner that he is HIV positive. “I feel like itʼs my responsibility to tell them right away,” Fernandez said, who added that many HIV positive men never disclose the fact that they have the disease to their partners. “You could be putting somebodyʼs life in jeopardy.” Fernandezʼs boyfriend, Fernando
Paper’s methods questioned Tables turn for Daily Titan during Reverse Press Conference USC to play for national title at Rose Bowl, top game among four BCS matchups 8
Opinion
It’s the worst of times for behavior of holiday shoppers, one-time-a-year churchgoers 5
News Officials consider tunnel to relieve congestion on 91 Freeway, approve further study 3
Surf Report Huntington
2-3 ft. knee- to waist-high and fair conditions.
San Clemente
1-3 ft. ankle- to waist-high and fair conditions.
Compiled from www.surfline.com
By BRYAN BARNETT Daily Titan Staff
An angered Cal State Fullerton student attending Thursdayʼs Reverse Press Conference on campus, accused the Daily Titan of writing “lame” stories to fill quotas, sparking a short, heated debate questioning the point of some articles and columns in the newspaper. Professor Ed Trotter moderated the event to give communication majors a chance to question a panel of three Daily Titan editors and two members of the Daily Titan advertising staff about the workings of the stateʼs No. 2-ranked student newspaper. Trotter fueled the difficult questions by pointing out a Word on the Street column in which all of the students interviewed were communications majors. “Now is this really fair and balanced reporting?” Trotter asked the panel. Executive Editor Nikki Smith replied by blaming the mistake on a miscommunication. “Some reporters are lazy. Some arenʼt going to take the extra step,” Smith said. “There was a miscommunication and unfortunately the only people they could find were … [communications majors]. Next time we have to find a more diverse representation.” Trotter seemed satisfied with the panelʼs answers, but his short line of questioning put the editors on the defensive and opened the door for more penetrating
By LYNELLE LUND
Weather Today Sunny 70º/40º Tuesday Sunny 70º/44º Wednesday Partly Cloudy 67º/45º Thursday Partly Cloudy 67º/44º Friday Few Showers 70º/46º Compiled from The Weather Channel
For the Daily Titan
Cal State Fullertonʼs Middle Eastern Student Association, in conjunction with the Muslim Student Association and the Hip Hop Congress, presented Cultural Soundtracks: Rewriting the Linear Notes of History at the Becker Amphitheatre on Thursday evening. “This hip-hop, spoken-word event is intended to promote understanding about where the Palestinian people are coming from in the struggle against Israeli occupation,” said Rashad Aldabbagh, the 24-year-old founder of the Middle Eastern Student Association. Aldabbagh collaborated on the show with Mark Gonzales, an HBO Def Poet and a spoken-word activist, who uses poetry and hiphop to decry global oppression and political hypocrisy. Gonzales, who visited Palestine in 2003 and tells the story of the injustices he witnessed there in his
HIV 4
Charity weathers flooded facilities Veterans march on with toy drive after water heater mishap By VICTORIA LURYE For the Daily Titan
STEFANIE SHORT/For the Daily Titan
A student panel including Daily Titan Advertising Sales Director Can Sengezer and Executive Editor Nikki Smith responded to readers’ criticisms during the Daily Titan Reverse Press Conference on Thursday. questions from students in the audience. One student, sounding doubtful, asked about the accuracy of quotes published in the newspaper. “We go out and ask a person a question and write it down the best we can,” Managing Editor Kim Orr said. She also pointed out that spoken words donʼt always translate smoothly to paper and that sometimes the transition can make normal sentences look ridiculous. After these responses the interrogation intensified when a student referenced low readership figures. Another student said it seemed that many Daily Titan stories were written to meet a
Clubs preview film about Mideast rap Documentary clips paired with hip-hop, spoken-word show
Alvarez, is also HIV positive, which makes having a relationship a lot easier. “Being with an HIV positive boyfriend makes if easier because he understands when I get sick because he knows exactly what itʼs like,” Fernandez said. Getting sick is a major threat to people with HIV. “Itʼs bad on the mornings when I wake up and feel like Iʼm get-
spoken word performances, shares Aldabbaghʼs interest in spreading the Palestinian view of the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. Gonzales and Aldabbagh built Thursdayʼs show around a preview of Jackie Salloumʼs documentary, “Slingshot Hip Hop: The Palestinian Lyrical Front,” about the emergence of Palestinian rap groups. “Slingshot Hip Hop” is a documentary film focusing on the daily life of Palestinian rappers living in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel. The film spotlights voices of resistance within the Palestinian struggle and explores the role their music plays within their social, political and personal lives,” said Salloum, a filmmaker from Michigan. The preview of her documentary was shown in a series of clips highlighting the poverty of Palestinian youth and the solace they profess to have found in the world of rap. Salloumʼs documentary tells the story of lives lived in the shadow of violence and destruction. In the film, a young man leans against a crumbling brick wall in Gaza and hints that were it not for rap, he might find other more destructive HIP-HOP 4
quota, missing the stories that are genuinely interesting or that have newsworthiness, citing a particular story about how students relieve stress during midterms. “Readership isnʼt going to affect our ranking when we take our paper to competition,” Smith said about low readership numbers. In response to the quotas, she said, “Weʼre a small community, and itʼs not like weʼre going to have bloodshed every day. We have students who are writing what we are dealing with.” “Those stories are important because we are a university and we are trying to tell people how to relieve stress,” News Editor
Courtney Bacalso said. “This is a student newspaper. We give students the opportunity to learn.” Emily Alford, classifieds manager, praised the Daily Titan for not imitating bigger papers such as UCLAʼs Daily Bruin. “I think we should get some credit for having more students write than just [using Associated Press stories],” she said. Students also directed questions toward the two advertising staffers on the panel, questioning the decency of an ad for a topless bar that features a barely clothed woman, and the target market of the advertisements for the Daily Titan. CONFERENCE 4
Higher education
AARON BONK/For the Daily Titan
Josh Bach flies through the air on his skateboard outside the Humanities Building on Sunday. Many local skateboarders take advantage of the campus on weekends to practice their tricks.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars didnʼt let a flood keep them from holding their annual Toys for Tots event. On Nov. 23, a faulty water heater burst at the groupʼs building. Water seeped into the drywall, said Colin Scot Andrews, a Senior Vice Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10694 in Santa Ana. “We were fortunate in that this being the only oldest post in Orange County, that there was no damage done to the historical portions of our post,” Andrews said. “We have had to replace the water heater, and there was significant damage done to our post. Treatment has been done to minimize the mold, but itʼs still unclear exactly how much damage has been done. Once the moisture settles it will be easier to tell.” On Dec. 2, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10694, together with the Marine Corps Reserve, participated in Toys for Tots to bring a little cheer to their community. Andrews has participated in the Toys for Tots for four years. “We are committed in assisting fellow veterans reach out to their community,” he said. “Itʼs important we do these kinds of functions. Itʼs noble, and it really goes to kids that really need it.” Once the toys are collected, the Marine Corps Reserve stores them in a local warehouse. “The toys are distributed to organizations and families who ask for help during the holiday season via e-mail or telephone calls,” said Sgt. Alan Stern, an eight-year enlisted Marine. “Over 110 toys along with $100 were collected for kids who are in need of some Christmas cheer.” Stern has participated in three Toys for Tots events, and has nine more ahead of him, including a few at Disneyland and Knottʼs Berry Farm. He said he has volunteered for them all. “I do this to build rapport between the United States Marine Corps and the community,” Stern said. Among the toys donated, there were Edward McKeeʼs G.I. Joes. McKee is a sophomore at Tustin High School. He gave away his G.I. Joes that he has held onto for the past 10 years. “I always help out the post as much as I can,” McKee said, who also acts as a Sons of the American Legion commander for the post. “I donated a fire truck a couple years ago, and I like to give as much as I can so deserving kids can have a nice Christmas.” The veterans hold a local community dinner with turkey, ham TOYS 3
2 Monday, December 5, 2005
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NEWS
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Today: Tired of finals? Stress got you down? Try the Melt Away Stress Workshop presented by the Associated Students Inc. The workshop is in the Student Health Center East Group Room and goes on from 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. For information, call (714) 278-3040
U.S. missile, al-Qaida death may be linked
Today thru Thursday: Volunteers are needed for the Orangewood Childrenʼs Home Holiday Party. The party will be Dec. 8, from 5:45 to 8 p.m. For information, call the Volunteer and Service Center at (714) 2787623.
MIRAN SHAH, Pakistan – Shrapnel that appeared to be from an American-made missile was found Sunday at the house where Pakistan said a top al-Qaida operative was killed in an explosion, although President Bushʼs national security adviser declined to confirm the death. U.S. and Pakistani officials would not verify an NBC report that the attack on the house where Hamza Rabia reportedly died was launched by a U.S. drone.
Prime minister attacked at Shiite shrine
Today thru Saturday: Cal State Fullerton Grand Central Theatre presents “Two Original One Acts.” Tickets are $10. For general admission and $5 for advance Titan Discount. For information, call (714) 278-3371.
BAGHDAD, Iraq – An angry crowd confronted Iraqʼs former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi at a Shiite shrine south of Baghdad on Sunday, forcing him to flee in a hail of stones and shoes. Allawi called the attack an assassination attempt. In Baghdad, one of the five judges in the trial of Saddam Hussein stepped down because one of the co-defendants may have been involved in the execution of his brother, a court official said Sunday. Another official said police had uncovered a plot to fire rockets at the courtroom when the trial convenes Monday for a third session.
Today thru Sunday: The Cal State Fullerton Department of Theatre and Dance presents “Bus Stop” by William Inge. Tickets are $9, $8 with advance Titan Discount. For information, call (714) 278-2434.
Gaza militants fire rockets at Israel
JERUSALEM – Palestinian militants fired two rockets from Gaza into an Israeli village Sunday evening, despite Israeli air strikes earlier in the day launched in response to previous attacks. There were no serious injuries, but the exchanges carried the danger of sudden escalation. The rockets hit an Israeli village four miles from the Gaza fence, demonstrating a longer range than usual for the homemade rockets.
Today thru Dec. 15: Titans can donate toys to children as the Camp Titan Toy Drive starts. For information, call (714) 2782468.
Worldʼs first partial face transplant
Thursday: The Omicron Mu Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho is throwing a fundraising Skate Night at Skate Express in Chino. The cost is $9; skates are included. The address is 12356 Central Ave., Chino, CA 91710. For more information, call Kristina Fleming at (714) 773-5196.
PARIS – The recipient of the worldʼs first partial face transplant was thriving medically and psychologically a week after her groundbreaking surgery, one of her doctors said Sunday. The woman, whose face had been partially disfigured by a dog, appeared relatively normal after the operation and doctors were pleased with her mental state, Dr. Jean-Michel Dubernard said in a telephone interview. Doctors had been worried about the potentially negative psychological effects of receiving part of someone elseʼs face. GABRIEL FENOY/Daily Titan Photo Editor
Nation Former 9/11 commissioners: U.S. at risk WASHINGTON – The U.S. is at great risk for more terrorist attacks because Congress and the White House have failed to enact several strong security measures, members of the former Sept. 11 commission said Sunday. “Itʼs not a priority for the government right now,” former chairman Thomas Kean said before the groupʼs release of a report Monday assessing how well its recommendations have been followed.
Mother to visit slain childrenʼs graves
CONCORD, N.H. – The mother of two children who were shot to death and buried by their father 2 1/2 years ago plans to visit the shallow Ohio grave where their bodies were finally found last week. The remains of Sarah Gehring, 14, and her brother Philip, 11, were identified Saturday by the medical examinerʼs office in Summit County, Ohio. The discovery of their wrapped bodies, each marked with a ducttape cross, as their father had said, ended Teri Knightʼs long search but renewed her mourning. 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 ©2005 Daily Titan
Visitors see a clear view of Los Angeles from the heights of the Getty Center on Saturday. Meteorologists are predicting a chance of rain in Los Angeles and Orange counties by Friday.
Cop
BLOT TER
Nov. 27, 9:50 p.m. A traffic ticket was issued by an officer during a traffic stop at Associated Road and Yorba Linda Boulevard. Nov. 27, 10:13 p.m. An officer arrested a man during a traffic stop at Madison and Placentia avenues. Nov. 28, 2:22 p.m. A traffic accident between a Toyota Corolla and another car of an
unknown model occurred in Lot C on North State College Boulevard. Nov. 28, 4:27 a.m. A sculpture was stolen from the Visual Arts building on North State College Boulevard. An officer took a report. Nov. 28, 5:22 p.m. A traffic accident occurred on North State College Boulevard and Corporation Drive. The two cars involved were a Chevrolet and a Ford. Nov. 29, 11:07 a.m. Smoke was coming out of a white truck parked in the structure on North State College Boulevard
and Nutwood Avenue. An officer checked the vehicle and deemed everything OK. Nov. 30, 3:58 p.m. A dog was left unattended at the parking structure on North State College Boulevard and Nutwood Avenue said the reporting person. When officer arrived, he was unable to locate neither the vehicle nor the dog. Dec. 1, 8:06 p.m. An armed robbery occurred at Mervyns on Yorba Linda Boulevard and Sapphire Road. The robber fled the seen and got into a green Honda Civic heading south on Sapphire Road. Officers were unable to find the robber.
Friday: This is the last day of class before finals begin. Saturday: Join ASI for Bowling Family Night. Children under 6 bowl free with a paying adult, and children from 7 to 17 bowl free every other game with a paying adult. For more information, call (714) 278-2144. Sunday thru Dec 16: Join ASI and other insomniac students for TSU All Night Study. The TSU will be open 24 hours a day to accommodate end-of-the-year cram sessions. There will be special events and promotions. For information, call (714) 278-2468. All events are free and on campus unless otherwise indicated. To have a specific entry added to the calendar section, please send an email to news@dailytitan.com.
NEWS
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Counties look to relieve congested 91 Freeway Officials decide to continue studies for better flowing traffic By MARIE O’NEIL Daily Titan Staff
A committee of Orange and Riverside county officials unanimously decided to continue a study that includes researching whether a tunnel should be built to improve traffic congestion on the 91 Freeway in the area connecting Orange and Riverside counties.
There was some concern that the tunnel would be built near an earthquake fault. Years of geological study remain, said John Standiford, spokesman for the Riverside County Transportation Commission, and the tunnel is just one possibility being considered. “Right now itʼs still conceptual, but [building the tunnel] will be more narrowly defined as the study progresses,” said Ted Nguyen, media relations manager for the Orange County Transportation Authority. “That level of detail will take place in future studies. Right now weʼre just looking at
the big picture.” The committee is also considering adding one new lane in each direction of the 91 Freeway and may also consider encouraging drivers to use the Foothill Toll Road by bringing down the price of the toll and adding new lanes there as well, according to an OCTA news release. Tunnels are frequently built in areas with active faults, said David Bowman, an associate professor of geological sciences at Cal State Fullerton. He also said that where you see tunnels, you see mountains; mountains are formed by earth-
quakes. In countries such as Japan, Germany and Switzerland, tunnels are generally considered safe, Bowman said. However, according to a report from the Railway Technical Research Institute, damage to mountain tunnels can be caused by large earthquakes – especially if they are near earthquake faults. In fact, a 6.0 earthquake or greater could cause a tunnel close to an epicenter to become impassable, but that is a fairly remote possibility, said Jeffrey Knott, an assistant professor of geological sciences at CSUF. He added that it is perfectly reasonable to build
‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy could hurt military recruiting High court to decide if law schools can bar military on campuses The Associated Press
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court confronts a gay rights issue this week, in a case that asks whether law schools can bar military recruiters because of the Pentagonʼs “donʼt ask, donʼt tell” policy. Each fall, recruiters of all types jam law schools seeking top students in job fairs, receptions and interview sessions. Justices will decide whether universities that accept government money must accommodate the military even if the schools forbid the participation of recruiters from public agencies and private companies that have discriminatory policies. It is the first time that the court
has dealt with a gay-rights-related case since a contentious 2003 ruling that struck down laws criminalizing gay sex. In 2000, the court ruled that the Boy Scouts have the right to ban leaders who are openly gay. The latest appeal pits the Pentagon against a group of law schools and professors. The justices hear arguments Tuesday. The government contends if it provides financial support to a college – with grants for research, for example – then in exchange it should be able to recruit “the very students whose education it has supported.” In this case, that means having the ability to recruit students, a tool made more essential since the Sept. 11 attacks. Federal financial support of colleges tops $35 billion a year. Law schools say they would welcome military recruiters if the Pentagon dropped its policy against openly gay personnel. Gay men and women may serve only if
they keep their sexual orientation to themselves. The outcome turns on the First Amendment and whether schools can be made to associate with military recruiters or to promote their appearances on campus. “Part of the cultural meaning of the case is bound up in questions about gay rights,” said Cornell Law School professor Trevor Morrison, a former clerk to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. “Indirectly, itʼs about the ʻdonʼt ask, donʼt tellʼ policy.” The Supreme Court often splits 5-4 in free-speech cases, so it is hard to predict the outcome, as well as how the impending retirement of Justice Sandra Day OʼConnor may affect the case. If Samuel Alito, President Bushʼs nominee to succeed OʼConnor, is confirmed by the Senate before the case is decided, then Alito could be called on to break any tie vote. The ruling will likely take months to complete.
OʼConnor has been a moderate in gay rights cases, voting in 2000 to prevent states from making the private sexual conduct of gays a crime. Justice Antonin Scalia wrote a blistering dissent, saying that the court had “largely signed on to the so-called homosexual agenda.” A federal law, known as the Solomon Amendment, mandates that universities, including their law and medical schools and other branches, give the military the same access as other recruiters or forfeit public money. Congress passed the Solomon Amendment in 1994, the same year that lawmakers approved the “donʼt ask, donʼt tell” policy. “In order to recruit the most talented men and women into the armed services, the military must be able to recruit students on college and university campuses, just as other employers do,” justices were told in a filing by Paul Clement, the Bush administrationʼs top Supreme Court lawyer.
The study, which was authorized by the Legislature in 1999 and completed in 2002, was initially kept from parents and only given to school districts by request. After it was made public several weeks ago, The Times reviewed the list and found the errors, the newspaper said. State officials acknowledged the flaws last week. Matt Bender, spokesman for the office of the state architect, which conducted the survey, said parents and teachers should check with local districts for information about schools.
But officials at some districts, including Los Angeles Unified, said the flaws in the study leave them with no idea what buildings might be at higher risk. An accurate list would give parents, teachers, and school officials a tool to urge that older, less-safe buildings be retrofitted. Upgrade money could come from billions of dollars in statewide and local school bond measures approved in recent years. Most of the money has been allocated for building new schools instead of retrofitting old ones.
“Itʼs very disappointing,” said State Sen. Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara), who co-authored the law requiring the state to create the list. “We expect that when we send our children and grandchildren to school that theyʼre going to be in a safe environment, and thatʼs not true today.” After learning of the flaws, Alquist said she planned to introduce another bill that would require the state to develop an accurate accounting of vulnerable buildings that would be available to parents in a user-friendly form.
Errors found in state earthquake study At least 2,000 faults discovered in building vulnerability research The Associated Press
A state study designed to identify school buildings vulnerable to earthquakes contains at least 2,000 errors, including listing schools that have been repaired and assigning schools to incorrect or nonexisting districts, the Los Angeles Times reported.
TOYS
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and all the trimmings every December, but a few years ago McKee, a Senior Vice Commander of Orange County for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, formalized the Toys for Tots event. McKee overseas 22 posts, including one in Fullerton. “We provide assistance in education and patriotism to our community,” McKee said. “Its fantastic to give toys to kids who donʼt have much; we try to give back to the community as much as we can.”
a tunnel in a region with earthquakes. Roughly 300,000 cars travel on the 91 Freeway each day, and there is definitely a need to balance the traffic or take traffic off of the 91, Standiford said. The study will also address this problem by starting with improvements between the 15 Freeway and the Foothill Toll Road, according to an OCTA news release. With the Elsinore fault on the Corona side of the Santa Ana Mountains, there was some question about whether the tunnel should even be considered. The Santa Ana Mountains are
made of hard rock, a good and safe material to build with, said John Foster, a professor of engineering geology at CSUF. Also on the agenda of the study is a continued evaluation of the costs and effects of adding a fouror six-lane elevated highway to a stretch of the 91 Freeway. Researchers are studying the possible dangers of an elevated highway. “Double-decker freeways have not sustained seismic vibrations very well in California,” Foster said. “Tunnels are very sustainable, though, because of the way tunnels are built.”
Student falls to death at SFSU Pleasanton man lands on walkway near residence hall The Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO – A 21year-old man died after falling from a stairway at a residential hall on the San Francisco State University campus late Saturday. Ivan Zimmerman of Pleasanton apparently fell from an exterior stairway in the Village at Centennial Square at about 10:50 p.m. and landed on a walkway, university spokeswoman Ellen
Griffin said Sunday. He was pronounced dead on arrival at San Francisco General Hospital. Police still were investigating the circumstances that led to Zimmermanʼs fall. It was unclear which floor of the five-story building he fell from. There were no reports of parties, which are banned by campus officials, in the residence hall Saturday night, Griffin said. Zimmerman wasnʼt a resident at the Village, but rented university housing nearby, Griffin said. He had been a student at the university since 2002, although he wasnʼt enrolled in the current semester.
NEWS
4 Monday, December 5, 2005
HIP-HOP
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means of venting his anger. The film hit home for CSUF English major Noor Higley. “I think itʼs about time people should hear the other point of view, the view not on CNN. Thatʼs usually anti-Arab, that Arabs are anti-Semitic and thatʼs just not true,” said the19-year-old. “Showing Palestinian culture, that Palestinians are real people who dream of peace and a regular life, is important.” For Noe Feldman, a 58-year-old Fullerton resident from Mexico, the message was not so clear. He said he didnʼt understand what the
rappers in the film were complaining about. “Israel is ending their occupation of Palestine. I try to understand it, and I cannot,” Feldman said. After the filmʼs showing, Gonzales acted as master of ceremonies backed by DJ Undfind at the turntables, introducing a variety of acts including: Arab rap group Nomads; Korean rapper Skim; Cuban poet Gabriella Garcia Medina; and singer and poet Jade Ross. Each of the performances covered different ethnic and social territories, however all expressed their abhorrence toward social injustice and what they feel is world indifference through the voice of hip-hop.
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HIV
from page 1
ting a cold. When we get sick, our immune systems shut down,” he said. “A simple cold can make the HIV slam on your body, and shut down your immune system. Then the AIDS can take over and you die. We need to do anything we can to keep our immune systems going.” For Alvarez, also 21, having HIV has been rough on his self-esteem. “Iʼm very uncomfortable with myself,” he said. “I feel dirty, as if Iʼm not good enough to be with someone who is HIV negative.” Both men must visit the doctor every three months to get checked.
Fernandez said prescriptions get very expensive. “The pills Iʼm supposed to be taking now cost $17 a pill, and Iʼm supposed to take two pills, three times a day,” he said. The pills, a drug called Marinol, are designed to help him maintain his appetite. But because he doesnʼt have health insurance, he hasnʼt been taking them. For an HIV positive person, holding a job can be hard as well. “When I was at one of my jobs, I was getting really sick, and they wouldnʼt give me time off to go to the doctor,” Fernandez said. “I couldnʼt just tell my boss that I was HIV positive and thatʼs why I had to see a doctor. So I had to quit.” Alvarez said that his biggest
worry is the possible day that his HIV will become full-blown AIDS. “If it turned into full-blown AIDS, I would have to tell my family,” Alvarez said. “How do you tell them that you have a life-threatening disease that you have been hiding from them for years?” Alvarez said that he would feel more comfortable telling people that he had HIV if more people were informed about the disease. Thursday was World AIDS Day, a day meant to promote knowledge of the disease and to help find a cure. Fernandez, who has told most of his family and friends, tries to remain positive about his future. “I donʼt think about death and
I donʼt think about getting sick,” he said. “Iʼm not afraid of death or anything. I just hope that the sickness doesnʼt get the best of me. I donʼt want people to say that I died of AIDS. I want to be able to die of something else.” Alvarez, too, looks forward to the future. “I have high hopes that someday very soon there will be a cure for HIV and AIDS. Iʼd like to become a social worker,” he said. Having the disease has caused Fernandez to look at life a little differently than most people his age. “I donʼt care about a lot of things that I did care about. I donʼt care what people say about me,” he said. “Iʼm HIV positive; Iʼve got other things to worry about.”
CONFERENCE
both expressed satisfaction with the panelʼs answers and with the direction of the newspaper this semester. Trotter ended the conference on a high note. “These are the three most
exposed students on the campus. Would you want your paper published for everyone to see? What they go through every day is what mass communication is all about. We do our business in public. Most people donʼt,” he said.
from page 1
Despite the controversial turn of the conference, in the end the audience and Trotter
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OPINION
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Titan Editorial
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An eye for an eye? In 1980, Stanley “Tookie” Williams killed four people for about $220. He now awaits his execution on death row. His case has sparked controversy, with Dec. 13, his execution date, looming closer and closer. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to review his case for clemency this Thursday, and we at the Daily Titan urge him to spare Williamsʼ life, one that has shown to have much meaning and purpose in this world. Itʼs true that the former gang leader showed no mercy to Albert Owen, Yen-I Yang, Tsai-Shai Yang and Yee-Chin Lin – the four people he gunned down. Itʼs also true that his life revolved around violence and committing wrongdoings before he was finally caught. But for over a decade, this cofounder of the infamous “Crips”
gang has apparently turned his life around in prison, writing childrenʼs books aimed at keeping youth out of gang life, granting interviews to advise about living a life better than his, and garnering Nobel Peace Prize nominations. Even celebrities like Jamie Foxx and Snoop Dogg have taken notice of the case, taking Williamsʼ side for leniency. But more importantly, the real incentive is for the currently disillusioned, the “disadvantaged youth of our great nation who live with a sense of hopelessness in circumstances which test the human spirit,” words Williamsʼ attorneys used to describe their defendant as a symbol of hope. To kill Williams now would be a deterrent to the many who believe that redemption and change for the better are possible.
Editorial Board
Julie Kim, Opinion Editor Nicole M. Smith, Executive Editor Kim Orr, Managing Editor In deference to the paradigm established by venerable Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, unsigned Titan Editorials strive to represent the general will of the Daily Titan editorial board and do not necessarily reflect the view of the university.
‘Tis the season to be greedy Americans need to accept that materialism goes with the holiday season By ASHLEY MAJESKI Daily Titan Staff
Oh, the joys of Christmas. The malls overflowing with cranky, bargain-crazed shoppers; the frantic scrambling to get everything on greedy Little Timmyʼs wish list; and, of course, the sappy Christmas episodes of your favorite sitcoms that make you want to upchuck your eggnog. Yes, folks, thatʼs the holiday season for you. All of these things, though annoying, are bearable compared to the rants of people around us about how Christmas has become
true meaning of Christmas.” Another thing that we can Instead of wasting 32 cents on a expect are what can be called the stamp to send December Holy a Christmas Rollers. We all card to someknow someone one you donʼt like this: They even like drink and fornicate all throughbecause you out the year but feel like you come Christmas have to, just morning, they send it to the are preaching people you about how everydo like. Not body should too many join them in people care church because about getting JUPITERIMAGES CORP. Christmas is a Christmas really about relicard anyway, gion. so save yourself some money. Apparently, God will forget Same advice goes with buying gifts. You donʼt really like that about that weekend in Havasu guy who works in your office, so during Spring Break if you put in why buy him a gift? Save your your token two hours at church on money and buy somebody you do Christmas. To them, I say Bah Humbug! like an extra-special gift.
Hussein deserves death penalty
The former Iraqi leader must pay for his atrocious crimes against humanity By BELAL SIMJEE Daily Titan Staff
KING FEATURES SYNDICATE
too materialistic, about how we should all just make a donation to charity instead of buying gifts. Though we know that these folks are probably right, it is safe to say that they are living in a bubble. Americans like the gluttony of the holiday season. For one month out of the year, people can shout out requests for things that they want and actually have a shot of getting. Americans enjoy eating themselves into the big and tall stores and then panicking to lose the weight when January comes. It has become an American tradition to overdo just about everything come December. Americans would be much happier throughout the holiday season if they would just completely give in to their selfishness and greediness, rather than try to hide it by acting like they know “the
He claims to still be the president of Iraq. He claims he still has a loyal following. He even claims that he has never tortured or abused the lives of the innocent. Saddam Hussein, whether you like him or not, was a man to be reckoned with while he led the sovereign nation of Iraq. Hussein was captured nearly two years ago by United States forces in what was basically a hole in the ground in someoneʼs front yard. Whether you agree with the invasion of Iraq, one thing is
clear: The man who was the tyran- simple. Hussein used various nical leader of Iraq must meet his methods of scare tactics, which day in court for the crimes he included but were not limited to perpetrated on humanity. torture and murder. Now, with all that has come According to an Amnesty to light as to what Hussein has International report in August done in his time 2001, “Torture of power, comes is used systematically against the key question: At only 14, I political detainDoes he deserve was accused of ees. The scale the death penalty? being part of a and severity of My answer is resistance group torture in Iraq yes. can only result The invasion by against Hussein’s from the accepthe United States regime. tance of its use into Iraq was based Sajood Ansar at the highest on false pretenses. al-Akbari level.” However, now that Former Iraqi citizen With that type the United States of blank check to has captured one of the most ruthless leaders in wreak havoc on anyone Hussein world history, he simply cannot deemed as a threat, many innobe trusted to live the rest of his cent Iraqi civilians were imprisdays in a prison cell somewhere oned and unjustly tortured. Many Iraqis, when the opporbecause of the sizeable amount of tunity presented itself, escaped people still devoted to him. The case against Hussein is Husseinʼs outlandish rule.
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For example, in a recent phone interview with a former Iraqi citizen named Sajood Ansar al-Akbari, he said, “I came to America in 1983 when I was 14 years old. At only 14, I was accused of being part of a resistance group against Husseinʼs regime. They came looking for me, so my parents arranged for me to leave the country to live with my auntie in Jordan. Last I heard from my parents was in 1984.” Hussein has also tortured the Kurdish minority in the northern portion of Iraq. Tales of Hussein ordering military personnel for acid to be thrown in the faces of Kurds as they walk down streets to get bread for their families have been widespread. This hate and absolute disdain for those who did not agree with his policies and those who did not share the same ideologies is what drove Hussein and his madness.
SPORTS
6 Monday, December 5, 2005
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LAKERS
CHRISTINA HOUSE/For the Daily Titan
Members of the Trojans football team celebrate after a touchdown. USC plays Texas in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4.
CHRISTINA HOUSE/For the Daily Titan
Heisman Trophy front-runner Reggi Bush cuts down the field at the Los Angeles Coliseum in a game earlier this season.
GOING BOWLING
from page 8
Sure, anyone could tell you that Texas and USC should be playing for the championship. But remember, in the pre-BCS days of college football the two superpowers would be going separate ways for the postseason. “Anytime we have a matchup that is widely lauded as being a great matchup in the championship game, you can really see the benefit of a system like this in which through the bowls
weʼre able to bring together the No. 1 and 2 ranked teams that otherwise wouldnʼt have come together through the (old) bowl system,” Weiberg said. Now the Pac-10 champion Trojans (12-0) and Big 12 champion Longhorns (12-0) can determine which team is best in the Granddaddy of Them All. With Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, USC has won 34 straight games and could make history with an unprecedented third consecutive national title. “Weʼre sitting here at 19 straight wins and there is a tremendous amount of pressure on kids and coaches to keep it
going,” Brown said. “And these guys have done it now for three straight years.” Many of the Trojans got together on campus to watch the bids become official Sunday. Their reaction: “Mello,” defensive end Frostee Rucker said. “Weʼve been here before.” Texas won last seasonʼs Rose Bowl with quarterback Vince Young leading the way. As he accepted the MVP trophy he declared that the Longhorns would be back, and he came through on his promise with a brilliant season. “The problem is (the Longhorns) have a lot of other players that play really well, too,” Carroll said. USC and Texas, two of the sportʼs most storied programs, have played four times but not since 1967. The Trojans are 4-0 against UT. Bowden (359 victories) and Paterno (353) have combined for 712 career victories, ranking first and second in Division I-A. Theyʼve coached against each other seven times, but only once since Bowden has been at Florida State. The Seminoles beat the Nittany Lions 24-17 in the 1990 Blockbuster Bowl. When Big Ten champion Penn State (10-1) and Atlantic Coast Conference champ Florida State (8-4) face off in the Orange Bowl, Paterno will be 79. Bowden will be 76. “I hope it doesnʼt come down to where itʼs Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno because he canʼt run and I run slower,” Paterno said. In his rookie season as Notre Dame coach, Weis has the Fighting Irish (9-2) in the BCS for the first time since they lost the 2001 Fiesta Bowl 41-9 to Oregon State. They automatically qualified for a spot by finishing sixth in the BCS standings. “I think itʼs a great tribute to our coaching staff and our players that they were able to turn it around that fast,” Weis said.
from page 8
fouled Knight, who missed both with 11 seconds left. After a timeout, Bryant drove the basket and got fouled, setting up the winning free throws. The Bobcats extended their lead to 10 points early in the fourth quarter, with former Lakers player Jumaine Jones making consecutive baskets. The Lakers forged a tie at 86 with a 14-5 spurt, including two 3pointers and a pair of free throws by Vujacic and back-to-back jumpers by Bryant. Then Ely scored inside over Mihm, Knight hit a running jumper, and Ely slammed down an alleyoop pass from Okafor to put the Bobcats back in front 92-88 with 4:10 remaining. The Lakers opened the third quarter on an 11-2 run engineered mostly by Bryant, Odom and Mihm that resulted in a 57-50 lead. But the Bobcats answered with eight straight points and went up by one. From there, the teams traded baskets, with neither leading by more than four points, before the Bobcats ended the quarter up 73-69. Notes:@ Shaquille OʼNeal, in town for Miamiʼs game against the Clippers on Monday night, got a standing ovation when he took his courtside seat late in the second quarter. ... Lakers reserve F Brian Cook scored 11 points on his 25th birthday. ... Bobcats G Kareem Rush didnʼt play against his old team because of a sprained finger.
8 Monday, December 5, 2005
SPORTS
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Smells like roses BCS selections come with few suprises but many great matchups
the last three years, thatʼs where we want to be. Thatʼs where we want to go.” Major college footballʼs two winningest coaches, septuagenarians Penn Stateʼs Joe Paterno and The Associated Press Florida Stateʼs Bobby Bowden, will meet in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 3. A perfect championship game, a The Fighting Irish are back in classic coaching matchup and Notre the BCS after a five-year absence. Dame. Charlie Weisʼ team faces Ohio State The Bowl Championship Series in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2. couldnʼt have asked for more — a The relocated Sugar Bowl will glitzy lineup with little for crit- be played in Atlanta on Jan. 2 ics to gripe over. after being Only Oregon chased from has a case to New Orleans We’re sitting here at complain, as the by Hurricane 19 straight wins and Pac-10 has a 10Katrina, makthere is a tremendous ing it a quick 1 team left out amount of pressure and familof the marquee on kids and coaches iar trip for bowls for a second straight seaSoutheastern to keep it going. son. Conference Mack Brown “I certainly champion Texas Head Coach understand that Georgia and there are teams its fans to the that are not in these four games Georgia Dome. The Bulldogs (10that have had a great seasons, as we 2), who won the SEC title by beathave every year,” BCS coordinator ing LSU in the Georgia Dome on and Big 12 commissioner Kevin Saturday, meet Big East champion Weiberg said Sunday. “I must say West Virginia (10-1). The BCS has been hammered that thereʼs a lot of consensus that we have quality matchups among in the past for putting the wrong highly regarded teams in this yearʼs teams in its championship games. Two years ago, USC got left out BCS games.” Southern California and Texas, and college football ended up with the only unbeatens left in Division a split title. Last season, the probI-A, will decide the national title in lem was too many unbeaten teams, and many felt Auburn should have the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4. “They do have the No. 1 team played USC for the championship in the country,” Texas coach Mack instead of Oklahoma. The other common complaint is Brown said of the two-time defending champion Trojans. “Theyʼve the BCS doesnʼt create compelling just blown out people out right and matchups beyond the title game. left and that will be challenge for Well, it all worked out for this us. But thatʼs fun. season. Even before a bowl game “For Texas not to be in the nation- is played, the BCS can declare vical championship game for 36 years tory. and to see where (USC coach) Pete (Carroll) has brought their program GOING BOWLING 6
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CHRISTINA HOUSE/For the Daily Titan
USC quarterback Matt Leinart will lead the 12-0 Trojans into the Rose Bowl against Texas for their shot at a third-straight National C hampionship.
NFL Week 13 7-5-0 4-8-0
Minnesota 21, Detroit 16
2-10-0 Greenbay 7, 9-3-0 Chicago 19 9-3-0 4-8-0
Jacksonville 20, Cleveland 14
7-5-0 9-3-0
Atlanta 6, Carolina 24
1-11-0 Houston 15, 4-8-0 Baltimore 16 9-3-0 7-5-0
Cincinnati 38 Pittsburgh 31
7-5-0 8-4-0
Dallas 10, NY Giants 17
4-8-0 5-7-0
Buffalo 23, Miami 24
2-10-0 NY Jets 3, 7-5-0 New England 16 8-4-0 3-9-0
Tampa Bay 10, New Orleands 3
3-9-0 Tennessee 3, 12-0-0 Indianapolis 35 9-3-0 8-4-0
Denver 27, Kansas City 31
2-10-0 Oakland 10, 9-3-0 San Diego 34
Bryant lifts Lakers to 99-98 win Kobe scores 29 points against Charlotte and hits clutch free throws The Associated Press
Kobe Bryant scored 29 points and made two free throws with seven seconds remaining, lifting the Los Angeles Lakers to a 99-98 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Sunday night. Bryant was just 9-of-30 from the field, but he made 11 of 12 free throws, including the winning
pair after being fouled by Bernard Robinson. Melvin Ely scored 20 points, Brevin Knight added 17, and Emeka Okafor grabbed 12 rebounds for the Bobcats, who lost their ninth in a row on the road. They remain winless in eight games against Western Conference opponents this season. Chris Mihm added 21 points, and Lamar Odom tied his career high with 11 assists and 10 rebounds for the Lakers. Trailing by four with 3:26 remaining, Sasha Vujacic beat the shot clock buzzer with a 17-footer for the Lakers before Bryant was blocked
by Okafor, then missed a 3-pointer on the same possession. Keith Bogans scored and Knight made two free throws that kept Charlotte ahead 96-90. The Lakers made one final push, with Bryant passing to Brian Cook for a jumper, then Cook hitting a 3-pointer to draw the Lakers within one. Bogans made a layup for a 9895 lead, then Bryant missed a 3pointer. Bryant got fouled and made both free throws, cutting the Lakersʼ deficit to one with 17 seconds left. He LAKERS 6