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Since 1960 Volume 84, Issue 24
Bad Boys, Bad Boys
Women’s Softball
Campus trouble makers show up in Cop Blotter NEWS, p. 2
Coverage of the team’s activities over the weekend SPORTS, p. 8
Daily Titan
New Nurse Lab in Progress
The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton
CSUF Gives “Baby” Warm Welcome By Caitlyn Collins
Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com
Working tandem with “Dead Man Walking” in the Hallberg Theatre, the cast of “Baby” could only rehearse every other night, but all their hard work has paid off. “Baby” opened on Mar. 16 and tells the story of three couples at different stages of life that all find out they’re pregnant and learn that having a baby will inevitably change their lives. It is set in 1984, which allows for some interesting and sometimes hilarious costuming, and it takes place at a college campus in the northeast. “These are real people with real conflicts – real life issues at stake,” said director Maria Cominis, who chose “Baby” to provide a “vehicle for [the actors’] talent and to give them all lead roles.” Each couple represents a different age group – 20s, 30s, and 40s – and a different outlook on what having a baby should bring to their lives. “It’s a more realistic musical.
New work space is under construction to assist in training students By April Valencia
Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com
Though no building on campus stands alone to represent Cal State Fullerton’s Nursing Department, faculty and students in the Nursing Program can anticipate a new handson laboratory that resembles an actual hospital. The Nursing Skills Lab is under construction, and once completed it will allow students to practice patient care procedures in a simulated environment, said Stephen Chamberlain, design and construction senior project manager. About 6,000 square feet of the Kinesiology and Health Science building are being remodeled for the $1.2 million project scheduled to open in Fall 2007. “It’s small in scope and dollar amount, but it’s part of a vital program,” Chamberlain said of the lab, which takes up a little more than two-thirds of what used to be the men’s locker room. “I think this program is just the beginning,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the start of a brand new nursing building.” The lab will include seven beds, each with simulated equipment and track curtains for privacy. There will also be three “sim” labs with bed stations where students can practice skills and procedures on mannequins capable of producing a heart beat and breathing sounds. For Barbara Doyer, lab coordinator, these flesh-like mannequins, or simulators, are a realistic, unique way to prepare for critical hospital situations. SEE NURSES - PAGE 3
By Aline lessner/Daily Titan Staff Photographer Playing lovers - Lauren Stevens (Pam) and Marshall Carolan (Nick) play a couple preparing to bring a new addition into their family. Staying in character the student actors perform in the Hallberg Theatre during the opening weekend of the play “Baby.”
By Florance Chung
Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com
The political activist and 1968 track and field Olympian John Carlos addressed faculty, students and community members as part of Cal State Fullerton’s Legacies event at the Irvine Campus on Thursday. “His story greatly affected me,” said Lindsay Wagner, 24, a communications major. “I’ve wanted to meet to him in person.” From childhood stories of racism at the local swimming pool to backlash in Mexico City after his famous silent protest at the podium, Carlos,
SEE PLAY - PAGE 3
CFA Vote for Possible Rolling Strikes By YVONNE VILLARREAL
Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com
Faculty union members throughout the CSU ended weeks of voting Thursday that would support possible rolling strikes if a new employment contract is not produced, union officials said. “So, far the response from faculty has been positive. They are upset with the way negotiations have been going and are ready for a change,” said California Faculty Association President John Travis in a telephone interview. “It’s unclear if we’ll need to resort to strikes. I hope we can
reach an agreement … It’s been a long process.” The strike vote comes nearly two years after the CSU and the association failed to come to agreement during contract negotiations. “I am confident it will be a positive vote to strike,” said Jade Jewett, an association volunteer and visual arts professor. “Half the campuses voted in early March and they overwhelmingly voted to strike.” Currently, both parties are in the middle of the 10-day “blackout” period of the fact-finding process, in which both parties evaluate the report – if an agreement cannot be reached, faculty are legally able to
engage in job actions, including a system wide two-day rolling strike. “I am striking because I am dedicated to my students. I have a life here,” Jewett said. “I helped build my department. Change can only come if you are willing to fight the system instead of walking away.” Before union members can proceed with job actions, a majority must vote their support for the strike. “The CSU will make sure that the campuses continue running and the students stay safe,” said Clara PotesFellow, a CSU spokeswoman. “We will make sure that things are kept as normal as possible. We will make
Olympian Visits Irvine Campus Outspoken medalist talks to CSUF students about racism and growing up
Monday March 19, 2007
61, described the ways he has continued the fight for equality and his love for humanity. “This thing called racism is imbedded in society,” said Carlos. Carlos changed history when he and teammate Tommy Smith raised their fists in the air, showing the Black Panther salute, at the 1968 Summer Olympic medal ceremony. He said it was a protest against racism and economic depression of all oppressed people in the world. Still today, he is actively pursuing this cause. Carlos said that when he was in Mexico, the people there wondered why they had to host the Olympics when the country was so poor. What they needed was food to feed the poor, not the publicity and the games, he said. Though many believed that Carlos and Smith had to relinquish their
CSU administration in reaching a settlement. They would have 10 days after the report is issued to agree to the terms. If a settlement cannot be reached, the union is legally allowed to engage in job actions, including rolling strikes throughout the CSU’s 23 campuses. “We are still hopeful we can reach some kind of resolution,” said CSU spokesman Paul Browning. “We’ll just have to see what the report says.” Voting was conducted on site at the faculty’s respective campuses in the beginning weeks of March, with the League of Women Voters announcing results on Wednesday.
Divorce Rates Rise and Affect Children By ALEKSANDRA WOJTALEVITCZ Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com
Photos courtesy of arleene paparsons Olympian speaks - 1986 Olympic track and field medalist and activist John Carlos spoke to a group of CSUF students at the Irvine campus Thursday.
medal, it is actually a fallacy. Even if they did, Carlos said his message is more important than the medal. “It killed me that for so many years we were taught that they had their medals taken away from them,” said Wagner. “We only had a tiny blip of it in our history books growing up in our white classrooms and it was all propaganda, all junk. We were lied to.” After the games, the medal was simply stored in the garage. Carlos said that after his wife found it in
the garage years later, he used it to crack ice. Carlos was not always aware of racism. Even when he would go with his friends to the pool, he never wondered why other parents would tell their children to immediately get out. “As a youngster, you want to watch TV, and see someone you identify with,” said Carlos. He asked
Tomorrow Sports
ONLINE www.dailytitan.com
fencing students make nationals
MULTIMEDIA
ON GUARD Two CSUF students to compete in NCAA national championship.
sure that no students get hurt and that campus life will continue to go on as normal as possible, if the faculty chooses to strike.” Strikes could begin as early as April, Travis said. “We need to put some pressure on the administration,” said Chuck Marchese, an association regional representative. “The larger battle is fixing what we think is a broken CSU system.” The previous contract ended in July 2005 and has since been renewed each month. After the fact-finder gathers evidence, a panel submits a series of recommendations to union and the
SEE LEGEND - PAGE 3
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Business finance major Felix Tam, 27, still remembers the time of his parents divorce. Although he was only 8 years old, he remembers the adjustments made to his life, such as living with only one parent, and the effects that it had on his mom who raised him. Luckily, Tam said, his dad still supported him and his brother and paid for his private high school. Currently, about one in every four children lives in a divorced household, according to Naoko Akashi, assistant professor of economics. “Divorce is becoming more common,” Akashi said. According to Valerie O’Kent, lecturer in the Departments of Child and Adolescent Development, Secondary Education and Women’s
weather
TODAY
Studies, divorce is so common that the divorce rate in the United States has reached a little over 50 percent. Although there are a variety of reasons why divorce occur, one of the most common reasons are economics, O’Kent said. According to Akashi, divorce is less costly today than it was years ago. Today, women earn more money “and are not locked into marriage. They can raise kids independently,” Akashi said. There is also no more social stigma about getting divorced, as there was in the past. “Women are not as dependent on their husbands as before. When you are dependant on the husband, you can’t get divorced,” Akashi said. Although today’s women earn more, making it easier for them to SEE DIVORCE - PAGE 3
TOMorrow Partly Cloudy High: 69 Low: 53
Cloudy High: 66 Low: 52
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March 19, 2007
Page two
IN OTHER NEWS
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
COP BLOTTER: Stolen Lawnmower, Fights and Campus Disturbances
Sunni Insurgents Kill Four U.S. Soldiers BAGHDAD (AP) - Sunni insurgents, resilient despite the five-week security crackdown in the capital, killed at least six more U.S. troops over the weekend. A Sunni car bomber hit a largely Shiite district in the capital Sunday, killing at least eight people. The American military said four U.S. soldiers died and one was wounded when the unit was struck by a roadside bomb in western Baghdad. During the ongoing security sweep in the capital and surrounding regions, the battalion had found eight weapons caches and two roadside bombs and helped rescue a kidnap victim, the military said. A fifth soldier was killed in an explosion in Diyala, an increasingly volatile province just northeast of the capital. A Marine died in fighting the same day in Anbar province, the vast, largely desert region that sprawls west of Baghdad to the Saudi Arabian, Jordanian and Syrian borders.
STATE NEWS US Airways Still Trying to Recover From Northeast Storm PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Thousands of weary travelers faced a third day waiting to reach their destinations Sunday as US Airways struggled to recover from the ice and snow storm that paralyzed airports in the Northeast. The airline was still trying to find seats for 100,000 passengers systemwide whose flights were grounded by Friday’s storm, spokesman Andrew Christie said. Computer problems, airline staffing rules and other problems slowed US Airways’ attempts to clear the backlog. In addition, the airline’s flights on Sunday were already nearly sold out with 275,000 passengers booked, the airline said. “Now we are in the process of repositioning our crew, our planes and I am trying to re-accommodate roughly 100,000 customers who didn’t make their final destinations on Friday,” Christie said.
LOCAL NEWS Nude Protesters Hug Trees as Publicity Stunt to Save Grove BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - Scores of protesters shed their clothes and hugged trees this weekend in a publicity stunt aimed at saving a grove of oaks slated to be chopped down to make way for new buildings on the University of California’s Berkeley campus. On Saturday, 78 bare-bottomed activists _ some first-time nudists, others lifelong exhibitionists _ joined a half-dozen protesters who have been living in the trees since December. University administrators want to cut down more than 30 oaks near Memorial Stadium to make way for a $125 million sports training facility. After activist groups sued to halt the project, and a judge issued a preliminary injunction Jan. 29 that prevents the university from breaking ground or removing any trees. A trial is expected later this year. “This is an activity I am proud to support,” said Debbie Moore, co-founder of a local nude theater troupe called X-plicit Players.
For the Record It is the policy of the Daily Titan to correct any inaccurate information printed in the publication as soon as the error is discovered. Any incorrect information printed on the front page will result in a correction printed on the front page. Any incorrect information printed on any other page will be corrected on page 2. Errors on the Opinion page will be corrected on that page. Corrections also will be noted on the online version of the Daily Titan. Please contact managing editor Joe Simmons at (714) 278-5693 or at jsimmons@dailytitan.com with issues about this policy or to report any errors.
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To report on-campus crimes please call 714-278-2515. For immediate emergencies call 911. March 8 9:55 a.m. Grand Theft A lawnmower was stolen from North State College and Ranch Road. A report was taken. 3:07 p.m. Suspicious Vehicle A vehicle with lost or stolen plates was seen at McCarthy Hall. 6:58 p.m. Medical Aid Call A female fell and hurt her ankle at Lot F. No further medical aid was required. March 9 1:37 a.m. Agency Assist A fight was reported in the Off Campus Pub parking lot. 2:48 a.m. Agency Assist A disturbance was reported at Denny’s on East Nutwood Avenue. People in the restaurant were possibly getting ready to fight. 1:56 p.m. Traffic Accident An accident at University Police involving a state vehicle and a fire hydrant caused minor damage to the community service officer’s truck. March 10 3:40 a.m. Agency Assist A disturbance resulting from a party was reported at the Pines Apartments on Topaz Lane. 10:25 p.m. Agency Assist People were fighting behind the alley on Milton Avenue. A report was taken.
March 11 4:08 a.m. Agency Assist Five males were possibly behaving mischievously or were breaking into vehicles on Madison Avenue. The reporting party heard glass breaking.
FREEWAY CLOSURES
March 12 4:39 a.m. Suspicious Mail/Package An open backpack was reported by custodial staff as being on the first floor of the library in an open area by the windows. 1:02 p.m. Disturbance Two males holding religious signs at the Quad on North State College were disturbing the flow of studentpedestrian traffic. A warning was given. 4:23 p.m. Disturbance A tall male wearing a hat and green pants was screaming and holding a camera at the Humanities building.
Northbound I-5 closed from 91-/ I-5 connector to Artesia Use: Westbound 91 to Northbound 605, north to I-5 Southbound I-5 closed from Artesia Boulevard to Beach Boulevard Use: Artesia Boulevard exit, south Knott Avenue to east 91, east to southbound I-5 Westbound 91 to northbound I-5 Connector Use: westbound 91 to northbound 605, north to I-5 Northbound I-5 Orangethorpe Avenue on-ramp. Use: Orangethorpe Avenue west,
March 13 10:22 p.m. Blue Phone Emergency Calls A person reported that his vehicle may have been stolen from the Humanities building. March 14 6:50 p.m. Agency Assist A possibly mentally disturbed female was carrying a knife around earlier. A report was taken.
ALL WEEK
north on Dale, west on Artesia, north on Firestone, to Valley View northbound I-5 on ramp. Northbound I-5 Beach Boulevard on-ramp Use: Auto Center Drive, north on Western Avenue, west o Artesia Avenue, norh on Firestone, to northbound I-5 Valley View on-ramp. Southbound I-5 Artesia Boulevard on-ramp. Use: Travel east on Artesia Boulevard to Beach Boulevard. Take Beach Boulevard south to the southbound I-5 on-ramp. Limited lanes on northbound I-5 from Brookhurst westbound 91/northbound I-5 connector. Use: Alternate open lanes.
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NEWS
Legend: Talks at CSUF
Play: opening weekend From Page 1
You believe most of the show,” said assistant director Amy Grace, 19, a directing major. “Having the actors that close to you – it really works in this setting, but it’s definitely harder.” The difficulty is acting in the “rounds,” where the audience sits all around the stage. Cominis said the hard part about acting on this kind of stage is “playing to all four sides [and] opening it up and playing three-dimensional characters.” Sharing this stage with another show introduced another challenge, which set designers overcame by creating a mood with pieces that are easy to take down. They made the set look sort of like a baby’s crib with mobile-like decorations hanging from the ceiling. By using furniture on wheels, many of the scene changes brought the actors in at the same time as the set pieces, which made the viewer feel like the scene was already going on before he or she was watching, making each scene seem more real. Convincing the audience that the characters and conflicts are real is
usually a struggle in musical theater, especially in a show that focuses on real-life issues. “You have to try to justify why you’re breaking into song and keep reality,” said Jeff Leatherwood, 26, who plays a 21-year-old father-to-be in the play. “They’re real people with real struggles, but they do things that real people don’t do.” Leatherwood’s favorite part of the show is singing “Fatherhood Blues” because “it’s a testosterone-laden, fun song,” he said. “[The show is] a good excuse to get to wear leather pants that are tighter than my skin and knee-high socks.” The age difference is another challenge for the actors playing older couples. They must struggle to find the balance between acting that age and making a stereotype out of that age. “[Pam] really, really, really wants to have a baby, and at this point it my life, that’s a little hard to grasp,” said Lauren Stevens, 21, who plays a 30-year-old, named Pam, struggling with trying to get pregnant. “The challenge for young people is to play 40 without playing 40,” Cominis said. “It’s finding the depth
From Page 1
me so much?” He is still humble years later. his mother why no one looked “I am not here for applause,” he like him. It was not until later on said. “I am here to spread a mesthat his father said some things sage.” weren’t possible because of the Even empty seats did not faze color of their skin, like profession- him. al swimming. “I take from it That’s when that I can stand Carlos knew on my own,” said things had to Wagner. “You You don’t need five change. don’t need five people to stand behind people to stand Carlos ascribed much behind what you what you believe in. of his strength believe in. More More people need to to his mother people need to learn from him. and father, learn from him.” – Lindsay Wagner and said that After his talk, CSUF communications student as a child, he the audience realized many asked Carlos children in several questions his predomithat had to do nately black with whether he neighborhood did not have either regretted his actions, and whether parents. When he stood with his his life was ever in danger. Carlos fist in the air, he said his thoughts said that he will never regret what he were of his father and the strength did and still does because it is all for he exemplified. Years later, his the right cause. medal resides with his mother. “He told a story that was a turn“Why did God bless me with ing moment for a lot of people,” said all these abilities?” asked Carlos as Anthony Hargrave, 28, a communia child. “Why did God shine on cations major.
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By ALINE LESSNER/Daily Titan Staff Photographer Sticking together - Cal State Fullerton student actors Lauren Stevens and Marshall Carolan hold each other in a tight embrace as Carolan sings to Stevens in the opening weekend play “Baby.”
of a person at 40 when they haven’t had those life experiences themselves.” “Basically, I get to play my father,” said Gregg Hammer, 21. “I get to play a nerdy 48-year-old who constantly embarrasses my wife.” Hammer said his favorite scene is “What If We Had Loved” because it’s the turning point in his relation-
ship with his wife Arlene, played by Jessica Gurule. This song captures the essence of a love misplaced and thoroughly conveys a feeling of disappointment and realization. It is an emotional number in the show. “Baby” has matinee and evening shows opposite “Dead Man Walking” for the next few weekends. The last show will be on April 15.
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March 19, 2007
nurses: Hands-on lab being built
Divorce: affects kids test scores
“This is a safe and fun environment for students to learn on the mannequins,” Doyer said, recalling the days when she practiced giving shots to oranges. “With the mannequins [students] feel a little more prepared going into a hospital.” The mannequins will allow students to practice everything from giving an IV to delivering a baby, Doyer said. “The whole idea is to make this like a hospital setting,” said Chamberlain. “It’s not going to be 100 percent just like it, but it’s pretty close.” In addition, a central video control room will be available to monitor student performance and can be accessed to watch live performances or recordings that can later be cri-
raise children on their own, “it is generally easier for a man to divorce,” O’Kent said. “Data reveal that while a woman’s financial situation may be reduced as much as 40 percent following a divorce, making her and her children’s recovery from this reduction quite difficult, a man is more likely to recover his economic level and do so sooner than will the divorced woman.” One of the causes for the difficulty of a woman’s recovery is child support. “A serious number of divorced fathers fail to meet this obligation, thereby putting another strain on women and children,” O’Kent said. Generally, mothers have custody of the children, and if a fa-
From Page 1
tiqued by the instructor. This room will also allow instructors to control mannequin movement, or project their voices through speakers within the mannequins in order to give students on-the-spot directions from a remote location. “This is a real opportunity for clinical hands-on training even though there are no real patients,” said Michael Smith, director of design and construction. “In a sense, it’s a virtual reality lab.” The lab will also include a patient exam room, student computer workstations, supply and storage rooms, student lounge area and a conference room. Doyer said she hopes nursing students will be visiting and revisiting the lab. “I’m really hoping to design it to be student-friendly with a comfort
level that helps [students] learn,” Doyer said. Next to the lab will be a 30-seat smart classroom equipped with computer stations at each desk, giving students even more access to resources. “This is cutting-edge high-tech stuff,” Smith said. “The Nursing Skills Lab is great for students to forage new educational opportunities.” For the Nursing Department, the lab comes at a critical time. Nurses are in critical need in California, and CSUF stepped up to help develop programs to fill this need, Chamberlain said. Despite the state shortage, Chamberlain thinks there will be no shortage in the lab. “This lab is just going to be busy all day long,” he said. “This place is going to be humming.”
From Page 1
ther fails to meet child support, the mother will have to work more to support her child, Akashi said. According to Akashi, it is all about how much money the custody parent has. “If the mother does not have enough money, the achievement level of the child will be lower due to many factors, such as time spent with the child since she will have to work longer hours.” In her current study on divorce and economics, Akashi found that the lower the income, the lower points scored by a child on the Peabody Individual Achievement Test, a mathematics and reading comprehension test. The study revealed that an average 5- to 10-year-old white male from a family that has an average income of $23,000 scored 56.69 points on
the test. When his parents divorced, the income decreased to $17,000 on average and his test score decreased to 43.07 points. When the parent remarried, and the incomes combined again to the average $23,000, his points increased to 52.56. The study also revealed that after the remarriage, the higher the income, the lower the child scored on the test. The same trend resulted in a study done on girls, yet on average they did better by five points in each category. “The mother’s bargaining power goes down because the wage ratio is in favor of the step parent, who might not care about his non-biological children,” Akashi said. Yet O’Kent said children’s behavior in a family with a stepparent depends on “individual circumstances.”
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March 19, 2007
opinion
5
Ugly Mondays BY Jeff
Titan Editorial
Lord of War
Providing insight, analysis and perspective since
LAX Means “Lax” Seattle to Tampa Bay. And it’s not the homeland security-inspired shoe removals or hairspray policies we’re talking about. We pay top dollars to fly the friendly skies. We stand in long, abominable lines where we are left to deal with lackadaisical employees who obviously never heard the phrase “customer service.” We eat in the terminals where price-gouged menus make the going rate of a burger-fry-drink combo upwards of 10 bucks. We awkwardly cramp into commercial flights like sardines, getting to know our flight neighbors in a more intimate way than we’d like. The least airlines can do is get it right where it counts the most – getting all of us from point A to point B. At what point will the cancelled flights, rude service and nine-hour circles around the runway wear people down enough to consider alternate means of transportation? At this rate, sooner rather than later.
Have you ever noticed how Christians talk about becomfundamentalist Christians are ing martyrs for their faith, Musjust weak Muslim wannabes? lims actually become martyrs for Recently I have had to deal their faith. Fundamentalists talk with a lot of fundamentalist about devoting their lives to JeChristians and as a result I have sus and go to church down the thought a lot about their ideol- block on Sundays, Muslims pray ogy. I know this is what they are to Mecca five times a day, every hoping for, but my thought pro- day, and attempt a pilgrimage to cesses have only strengthened their holy land. my distaste for the “fundos” and You see what I’m getting at? their brand of Jesus. Everything about fundamentalIt is no secret that I dislike ist Christians is just a weak vertheir practices – they once held sion of a more serious religion. an anti-Jeff Klima rally because What’s nice about the Muslims, in print I decried their misap- and I never thought I’d see propriation of eye-to-eye on the Superanything from man® logo for Muslim-town, F u n d a m e n t a l i s t is that they Jesus’ sake. I also think the Christianity is just a don’t track me fundos cast a weak version of a more down in public lot of darkness to inform me on such joyous serious religion. that I’m going public events to Hell if I don’t as parades. adhere to their One year I ways. decided to play tourist and go Guess what, fundos? If heavsee the Rose Parade live. Well, en includes having to be around right at the ass-end of the pa- you and people like you, count rade, all these fundos came me out, I’ll go to Hell! Now walking down the street carrying leave me the f**k alone! I have a signs that blamed gays for 9-11 feeling that by and large, I have and other s**t of that ilk. to put those asterisks between One guy in particular had the f and the k because a funfashioned a life-sized cross which damentalist couldn’t stand to he was wheeling down the street. read the word … just a theory. Yup, he had attached a bike But here’s another, better wheel to the bottom of his cross theory: to make it easier to carry. In my Why don’t we send the funmind, that perfectly exemplifies dos to fight the Muslims? Men, the fundamentalist Christian women, children, all of them, faith. For as hardcore and as can be shipped to Iraq. I know nutty as they come across, they what the children are capable of are just a sort of a Jesus-lite or saying and doing, I’ve seen “JeDiet Jesus group. sus Camp.” Maybe when they Muslim fundamentalists, on come up against people with real the other hand, represent Jesus faith, the fundamentalist Chrishardcore. tians will learn a thing or two.
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Remember back on Valentine’s Day when JetBlue passengers were heartbroken after spending eight hours in a plane that never left the runway due to snow problems? Well another holiday, another snowstorm and the airplane industry did not fare so lucky on ye ol’ Irish weekend. Thousands of travelers were stranded in airports nationwide due to complications arising from a Northeast snowstorm that included computer problems, short staffs and subpar equipment. A Cathay Pacific flight from New York to Vancouver spent as many as nineand-a-half hours in the air, while 3,600 US Airways, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and – you guessed it – JetBlue flights were cancelled with no viable replacements. While acts of nature will understandably wreak havoc at times, this past weekend’s flurry caused a domino effect of dysfunction, exposing the inefficiencies that plague airports everywhere from
Klima
Rebecca Hartness/Daily Titan Illustrator
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Daily Titan welcomes letters to the editor. Any feedback, positive or negative, is encouraged, as we strive to keep an open dialogue with our readership. The Daily Titan reserves the right to edit letters for length, grammar and spelling. Direct all comments, questions or concerns, along with your full name and major, to executive editor Adam Levy at alevy@dailytitan.com.
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March 19, 2007
gaming
Games are not Just for Boys Anymore Women are becoming a visible demographic in the male-heavy market By Caitlin Clift
Daily Titan Staff Writer maneditor@dailytitan.com
Next time you’re playing World of Warcraft and a character runs across the screen, there is a good chance that the character might be run by a woman. Statistics show that women play puzzle games, role-playing games like World of Warcraft and Second Life, and simulation games like the Sims, Erica Kubik, 26, said in a phone interview. Kubik is writing her dissertation on women and video games, including how women relate to games and how gender identity is strengthened through gaming, for her doctorate in American culture studies at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Kubik herself said she plays console games such as Resident Evil 4, Sonic the Hedgehog and Pikmin. World of Warcraft is Cal State Fullerton communications Professor Genelle Belmas’ current game of choice. She began playing online games, such as Dark Age of Camelot, in the late ’90s. “I’ve always loved fantasy. The appeal for me in playing massive multiplayer online role-playing games is meeting people and playing with people I’ve met in real life. I’ve met a number of people I’ve played with in the game,� Belmas said. Role-playing games also appeal to women because players can choose to be either male or female characters and retain this anonymity through the game, Belmas said. CSUF communications Professor Diane Witmer said some players use anonymity and gender to their advantage. In World of Warcraft female characters might flirt with
male characters as part of a larger game strategy. Witmer said that, since she does not flirt or use gender as a game strategy, she has been asked if she was a female. Players who flirt during the game are less likely to be asked about their gender, even though the player behind the flirtatious female character may be a male. In games such as World of Warcraft, Belmas said it is difficult to create an unattractive female character, while the male characters are not as attractive. “I play a paladin, which is a warrior. The higher level she gets and the more armor she wears, the skimpier it gets. She has been known to wear brass bras and things that would be really uncomfortable to wear in real life, like metal thongs with leggings and big parts of her body naked,� Belmas said. “And you put the same outfit on a male character and it’s full coverage.� Although some women may believe semi-nude representations of women are examples of female empowerment, in some cases it is actually reinforcing pre-existing pressure that women face to conform, CSUF women’s studies Professor Marjorie Jolles said. “There is escape that can be politically valuable: the kind that challenges the dominant gender expectations, and there’s escape that affirms these gender expectations,� Jolles said in a phone interview. Jolles said despite this, there can be value on pushing back on the constraints of life and constructing places where women feel free and powerful. Sometimes the line is blurred between female empowerment and perpetuating a stereotype. While the game Tomb Raider, and its wellendowed lead character Lara Croft, is marketed toward a male audience, women may be able to relate to Croft as a capable and confident woman, Kubik said.
Screen Captures courtesy of Genelle belmas fits a little differently - Cal State Fullerton Professor Genelle Belmas has her World of Warcraft character, Dylyn, model some armor on the left. Her husband’s character, Whitby, models the same armor on the right. Such in-game visual differences between the genders is common, Belmas said.
The video game Metroid Prime also features the strong-but-sexy female character Samus Aran. But players do not know that the bounty hunter is a female unless they reach a certain level in the game because the character is wearing a helmet and full-body armor, Kubik said. “In some ways there’s a sexualization going on because if you beat it fast enough you get to see her in a bikini. But at the same time, while you’re playing the game you’re not seeing a jiggle factor – you’re not seeing boobs and things like that,� Kubik said. Tyson Claffey, 26, leads the World of Warcraft guild Brute Force. “It’s very obvious that they put these characters in there to target the 15to 25-year-old male demographic. Basically this age group is interested in video games and girls. I wouldn’t
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really buy a game because of [female characters]. It doesn’t really add anything to the game,� Claffey said. Some of these expectations may be changing, though. Kubik said she believes there is a shift in the way video games are being marketed, particularly for the Nintendo Wii. “You see commercials where there’s not only men playing, but there’s women, there’s older women – people you think of as moms and grandmas,� Kubik said. “I think that’s a way for the video game industry to broaden their market and make more money, but also it’s a chance for the video game industry to start marketing games towards women much more than before.� CSUF marketing Professor Matthew Lancellotti said some video game companies are starting to real-
ize that males are no longer the main demographic target. “Depending on how we design the games, and depending on how we market the games, we can actually appeal to a much broader spectrum of consumers including women, including different age groups. They’re realizing that there’s certainly a potential for that market, and they can grow considerably,� Lancellotti said. Even with the popularity that gaming has, Kubik said that stereotypes still exist for female gamers. “Within mainstream culture you have this perception that video-game playing is for nerds. There may be a stereotype that women who play games aren’t as serious about playing as men are about playing games. They might be in the top echelon of the game, but they [women] still have to sort of undercut themselves and say, ‘well, it’s good for a girl. I like to play games, but I’m not very serious about it. I only pick them up every once in a while,’� Kubik said. Another misconception is that women who play video games are anti-social. The stereotypical female gamer is very quiet, does not have a social life and is overweight, Claffey said. Female gamers on TV, however, are often portrayed as cool and sexy, such as Morgan Webb on the TV show “X-Play,� Kubik said. “You see these super-cool women playing video games, and that’s contrasted with the dorky guys eating Doritos and playing all night. Why are they allowed to be slovenly pigs and women still have to be beautiful while they’re playing video games? I think that’s where we see some of the double standard coming in,� Kubik said. Witmer said she does not believe that stereotypes necessarily exist for gamers in general. “It’s so much part of our culture now that I really don’t see that there’s any particular type that’s attracted to it,� she said.
New Releases This Week Multiplatform Ubisoft’s “TMNT� will be available for every system including the Xbox 360, PS2, PSP, Wii, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance and the PC. The game is based on the new CGI movie “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles� and will feature some teamwork-based strategies as well as solo missions. “Armored Core 4,� a giant-robot-based game, will be available for the Xbox 360 and PS3. It puts both systems to the test with some amazing and diverse 3D landscapes for players to plow through as they play the short-butsweet missions. Sega will serve up “Virtua Tennis 3� for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PSP. The latest installment in the popular sports franchise features beautiful new graphics, more powerful serves and players that have the attributes of their real-life counterparts. Raphael Nadal, for example, is lightening quick while James Blake has a booming serve.
Xbox Live On Wednesday, fans will see the release of “Castlevania: Symphony of the Night,� arguably the best in the Castlevania series, on the Xbox Live Arcade for only 800 points, or $10. New features include enhanced sound, widescreen support and altered visuals that let the game be played on high-definition screens. Unless otherwise noted, all games are released on Tuesday.
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SPORTS
Nittany Lions Claw Past Titans in 6-5 Win
SOFTBALL: AN UPHILL BATTLE (From Page 8)
home runs in the second and third innings to make the score 3-2 Blue Demons. It took until the bottom of the fifth for Fullerton to get back on the board. With one out, second baseman Crystal Vieyra legged out an infield single and Baker crushed a fly to left field. Kate Sheaks, the Blue Demons’ left fielder, misplayed the ball, allowing Vieyra to score and tying the game at three. The Titans would regain the lead in the sixth inning. With Van Boxmeer on base, Lauren Lupinetti hit a Tracie Adix fastball over the left-field fence, for what seemed to be the game winning home run. DePaul didn’t let the two run deficit faze them, however. Blue Demon hitters added two more in their half of the seventh off singles by Marcy Wilus and Sandy Vojik. The Blue Demons continued to threaten in the seventh, but with bases loaded and no outs, Baker was able to get her Titans out of the inning with no more damage done, striking out Jackie Tarulli-Fisher and inducing groundouts for the next two batters. Baker, having pitched the tail five
March 19, 2007
CSUF softball team falls against Penn State by the narrowest of margins BY CHRIS RAMIREZ
Daily Titan Staff Writer sports@dailytitan.com
By CARLOS DELGADO/Daily Titan Staff Photographer ON THE MOVE – Cal State Fullerton’s Whitney Kroh rounds second base. innings Thursday night in a nine-inning loss, ended the game with eight innings pitched, six earned runs on 13 hits and seven strikeouts. Lupinetti went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in, keeping the Titans in the game. DePaul came into the classic ranked No. 21 in the nation and had
improved to 15-5 on the season with their win Friday. They won 4-1 against Fresno State on Saturday but lost 3-2 to No. 6 Oklahoma in the semifinals. Oklahoma would take the Judi Garman Classic on Sunday with an 11-0 win against Arizona. CSUF is currently 15-13 overall.
It took extra innings for Penn State to beat the Titans 6-5 on the second day of the Judy Garman Classic. In the ninth inning, the Nittany Lions pushed across the go-ahead run on a bloop single to center, which the Titans could not answer for. In extra innings teams start with a runner on second. Titan Candice Baker, who pitched five innings in relief, got the first out in the ninth, then got the second out on a sacrifice that moved the runner to third before the game winning bloop. The Titans had their chance to tie the game again in the bottom of the ninth. Jessica Doucette, who started the game for the Titans, sacrificed the runner to third. With one out Courtney Martinez flied out to right, but it wasn’t deep enough to score Baker who was at third. With
two outs Kiki Munoz hit a grounder to first. The Nittany Lions’ firstbaseman bobbled the ball before stepping on first, just before Munoz got there for the third out to end the game. “We couldn’t hold them,” CSUF Head Coach Michelle Gromacki said. “If we hadn’t made mistakes we would’ve won. We are making mistakes that cost us.” The Titans made three errors in the game that allowed Penn State to score two runs. Penn State started off fast scoring three runs in the first two innings off Doucette. Two of those were earned. The big blow came on a two-run home run in the second. The first run came across on a close play at the plate. With the bases loaded a ground ball was hit to Baker at short. She fielded it and threw to the plate, the runner was called safe on a close play. The Titans made a comeback in the fourth getting two runs back. With the bases loaded, Crystal Vieyra hit a line-drive that went off the leaping first-baseman’s glove and into right for their first run. Baker came up and grounded to second and was thrown out at first, with a run coming across. The Titans then
had runners on second and third with two out, but Doucette struck out to end the inning. In the sixth the Nittany Lions pushed another run across to increase the lead to two. The Titans quickly responded scoring a run of their own to make it a one-run game again. With the Titans down by a run in the bottom of the seventh inning Martinez led off the inning with a game-tying home run on the first pitch she saw, to send the game into extra innings. In the eighth Penn State had the bases loaded with nobody out. Baker induced a bouncer right back at her and started the 1-2-3 double play. With two outs the Nittany Lions retook the lead on an RBI single to left. The Titans again were down a run. With two outs and the game on the line Vieyra hit a game tying single to left center driving in Ashley Van Boxmeer. With Baker up, Vieyra stole second to get into scoring position. Baker hit a line drive that took a diving play by the Penn State shortstop to rob her of the game-winning hit. “I was so bummed out,” Baker said. “I just wish I got my hands out a little bit more.”
BRYANT: SCORING FRENZY
His 3-pointer broke a 108-108 tie with 44 seconds to go, and he capped it with a pair of free throws with 17.1 seconds left. “Kobe Bryant made big shots. He made tough shots,” said Zach Randolph, who led Portland with 31 points. Portland’s Travis Outlaw, who played less than 8 minutes in the first three quarters and had only one point, scored 10 points during a 3:34 span of the fourth to help Portland grab an 83-79 lead. Bryant made eight shots from 18 feet or farther during his fourthquarter surge to keep the Lakers close, including four from 3-point range. Two came 52 seconds apart, slicing Portland’s lead to 96-95 with 49 seconds remaining. His last 3-pointer tied it at 98 with 17.2 seconds left. “If he would have missed one, it probably would have given us a chance,” Randolph said.
(From Page 8)
the hoop,” Phil Jackson said after his longest losing streak as an NBA head coach ended. “It was remarkable.” Last season’s scoring champ shot 23-for-39 from the field, 8-for-12 from 3-point range, and 11-for-12 from the free-throw line. It was the second-highest scoring game of Bryant’s career and his third with 60 or more points including an 81-point outing against Toronto on Jan. 22, 2006, at Staples Center. “I had to come out aggressive and assert myself, just because our confidence was a little shaky,” Bryant said. “We needed a breakout game. And it’s my job as a leader to kind of read what we need as a team. And sometimes, me taking over games like this instills confidence in us all.” At Los Angeles, Bryant got the Lakers going in overtime with a pair of free throws and a 14-foot running jumper.
8
March 19, 2007
SPORTS ... And One BY Jonathan Saavedra
Big Brother is Watching You, Kobe.
By CARLOS DELGADO/Daily Titan Staff Photographer A ROUGH LANDING – Cal State Fullerton’s Jenna Wheeler is tagged out at third base by Nevada’s Tyler Schafer during the Titans’ 4-1 win over Nevada earlier this season. With a win against Florida State in the Judi Garman Classic on Saturday, the Titans [15-13 overall] snapped a five game losing streak.
Titans Softball Hits Bumps on the Road CSUF gets Saturday win at Judi Garman Classic to snap a losing streak BY SHAWN TRONDSEN
Daily Titan Staff Writer sports@dailytitan.com
Despite snapping a five game losing streak with a 4-3 win against Florida State in the consolation bracket on Saturday, the host Cal
State Fullerton softball team struggled for the most part in the Judi Garman Classic, which took place through Sunday. Against Florida State, senior outfielder Ashley Van Boxmeer helped the Titans at the plate. She was 3for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Titan pitcher Brooke Weekley pitched a scoreless inning to get the win for the Titans while pitcher Candice Baker closed out the game with three scoreless innings. On Friday, wild seventh and eighth innings for the DePaul Blue
Demons helped them defeat the Titans softball team 9-6 at Anderson Family Field. With the score tied at five in the eighth inning, DePaul was given a runner on second according international tiebreaker rules. The Blue Demons capitalized with three straight singles, putting them on top 7-5. DePaul would score two more in the eighth to put the game out of reach at 9-5. The Titans made a valiant effort in their half of the eighth, scoring one run on a double by Lauren Lupinet-
ti, but the eighth inning of DePaul was too much to overcome. The loss had dropped the Titans to 14-12 on the season, and 0-3 in pool play at the Judi Garman Classic before they won against Florida State on Sunday. Aganst DePaul, Fullerton led early out the gate, racking up two runs in the second inning for Baker. The Titans lost their early lead quickly, however, with DePaul SEE SOFTBALL - PAGE 6
First there was ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage’s flying elbow. And then The Rock’s “People’s Elbow” followed shortly after. Now the most famous elbow in sports belongs to Kobe Bryant. With all of the elbows being thrown around in the league, it seems that the NBA microscope has its sights set on Kobe’s, thus making them the most talked about body joints in basketball. Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson was recently fined $50,000 for stating that the NBA has a “vendetta” against Bryant and there is a “witch hunt” going on. These swipes came after the league assessed Bryant with a Flagrant 1 foul, post factum, for catching Philadelphia 76er Kyle Korver with an elbow to the face on March 9. The Lakers organization was also fined $50,000. With three after-the-fact punishments handed to Kobe in six weeks, it’s hard not to see where Phil Jackson is coming from. Especially considering there was no whistle blown for the contact with Korver. Not to mention that both Manu Ginobili and Marko Jaric believed there was no malice behind the elbow strikes to their faces. “…I don’t think he did it intentionally, and I don’t think players should be suspended for things that happen unintentionally,” Jaric told ESPN.com. After the March 9 game in Philadelphia, Korver said to the Philadelphia Daily News that it wasn’t “that big a deal” and “it’s just part of the game.” It doesn’t seem like the recipi-
ents of Kobe’s evil elbows hold any hard feelings toward him. Not to mention the fact that the referees didn’t see these three incidents “unnatural” enough to deem them flagrant. So why does the league insist on ruling these three separate matters with Kobe Bryant’s name attached to them with an iron fist? Vendetta? Witch hunt? “Well, basically, if you want to isolate on any player in this game in the NBA and just focus on videotape and just watch a player in isolated situations, you take any of your top 10 scorers or even 15 scorers, you’re going to see a lot of activity out there,” Jackson said. “You can find that, if you follow them around. That’s the point I was making, when the focus of microscopes starts to be focused on a player, then there’s all kinds of incidents that follow. So, that’s the message that’s been delivered and we’ll sit by it.” The recent isolation and attention that has been given to Bryant is tarnishing his rebuilt reputation with fans and the media, as he is being labeled a dirty player – a term that he takes offense to. “It’s insulting,” Bryant said. “I don’t need to be a dirty player. That’s just ridiculous. I’m not a dirty player – never have been, never will be.” While he may not be a dirty player, Kobe will now have to keep in mind that not only is Big Brother overreacting, but Big Brother is watching.
Jonathan Saavedra’s columns appear every Monday. sports@dailytitan.com
NCAA Track and Field Enjoys Banner Day Kobe Dominant in Tickets 65 Point Outburst for 2008 on Sale CSUF Athletics Media Relations
CSUF Athletics Media Relations Ticket applications for the 2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball first/second-round sessions in Anaheim will be made available to the general public on Monday, March 19. Applications can be mailed or dropped off at the Honda Center Box Office. The tournament, hosted by the Big West Conference, will be held March 20 and 22, 2008, at Honda Center. Anaheim will be the site for eight of 64 teams in the first/ second-round sessions, advancing two teams to the NCAA Sweet 16. To secure a ticket application, fans can visit Honda Center’s website at www.hondacenter.com/ncaa and download an application or pick one up at the Honda Center Box Office. Applications at the box office and on Honda Center’s website will be available beginning at 10 a.m. (PDT) on Monday. Applications can be returned via mail or in person at the Honda Center Box Office. Mail Orders must be postmarked or turned into the Box Office by May 1, 2007 to be eligible for a random drawing should the number of requests received exceed the number of seats available. There is a limit of eight tickets per order. Tickets for the event, which include the first and second rounds (six games), are $153 plus applicable service charge. Game times for the 2008 Men’s Basketball first/secondround sessions will be announced the week of the tournament. This is the fourth time that the Big West Conference and Honda Center are partnering to host a NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball event. For more information please call the Honda Center Box Office at 714-704-2500 or visit www.hondacenter.com/ncaa.
Senior Jon Pratter broke the Cal State Fullerton school record in the 100 meters and he and teammate Marques Barosso qualified for the NCAA Regionals to highlight the Titans’ efforts Saturday at the Jack Rose Relays at Long Beach State. Pratter was clocked in a time of 10.46 and Barosso posted a 10.49, which also broke the previous record of 10.50 by Kevin Horward in 2000. With their times, the two sprinters also qualified for the NCAA Regional Championships held in late May. Pratter’s previous personal best
mark was set last season in 10.61 seconds. On the women’s side, two quarter milers who normally compete in the 400m ran the 100m - Kandace Wilson (12.14) and Kimiah Hudson (12.16) - and both posted lifetime bests. Hudson also ran a lifetime best of 24.98 over 200 meters. The two women will compete in their normal events next week at the USC Invitational in Los Angeles. Another runner who had an outstanding meet was Antonia Vega in the 100m, clocking a blistering 12.13 to bring home the Titans’ fastest time of the season. This was the first time in many
years the Titans had three sprinters crack the 12.2 barrier at one meet. The conference standard is 12.39 for the 100m. “The best way to describe the record setting day was that everything fell into place for those guys – the race conditions were perfect, the competition was perfect and the way Pratter and Barosso competed was a day to remember,” assistant coach Ken McDaniel said. “The most intriguing part about today’s performances is it’s still early in our overall season. Hopefully, there’s more to come within the next month and a half from the Titans.” The Trojan Invitational is set to take place all day on March 24.
Associated Press
Kobe Bryant ended the Los Angeles Lakers’ seven-game losing streak with one of the best games in franchise history. His coach gushed about Bryant’s 65-point night, as did his teammates and even some of the Portland Trail Blazers. Still, the Lakers star knew one person would be far from impressed by the high-scoring feat. “My daughter is outside waiting for me, and I’m sure she doesn’t give a damn about what just happened,”
Bryant said with a grin. “She just wants to watch Care Bears. I’m just happy we won. We needed to get this one.” Bryant scored 24 of his 65 points the fourth-highest total in franchise history in the fourth quarter and added nine more in overtime as Los Angeles won 116-111 on Friday night. “They couldn’t keep the ball out of Kobe’s hands, and they couldn’t keep him from putting that ball in SEE BRYANT - PAGE 6