DAILY TITAN
NEWS 3
Electric charging stations on campus OPINION 4
Redefining “imminent threat” DETOUR 5
V-Day secrets: cooking, gifts, and dress
The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton T
Volume 93, Issue 5
SPORTS 8
Softball splits doubleheader
dailytitan.com
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2013
LOCAL | Manhunt
Dorner’s fate unclear after mountain siege ends in fire IAN WHEELER Daily Titan
The Los Angeles Police and Riverside County Sheriff’s departments dismissed premature reports that a body has been found in the smoldering rubble of a cabin that authorities believed
fugitive Christopher Dorner had barricaded himself in after a firefight with officers Tuesday. The cabin the man took shelter in was destroyed by a fire that burned throughout the afternoon. Authorities kept firefighters from extinguishing the building until the area was deemed
safe, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Cindy Bachman said. The cabin was still too hot to enter or investigate as of 8 p.m. Tuesday, Los Angeles Police Cmdr. Andrew Smith said. Extracting and identifying the body in the wreckage could take
days, Bachman said. The suspect took refuge in the cabin after killing one sheriff deputy and wounding another during one of at least three firefights in the San Bernardino National Forest. After the shooting, the suspect entered the cabin off Highway 38.
Both officers were transported to Loma Linda Medical Center. The injured officer went through surgery and is expected to recover, Miller said. Audio of one of the firefights was broadcasted live on several local news channels. The man believed to be Dorner was
first engaged by two California Department of Fish and Wildlife wardens on Highway 38 at around 12:30 p.m., according to Lt. Patrick Foy, a department spokesman. The suspect fired several shots at the officers after noticSEE FUGITIVE, 3
NATION | Agenda
CARNIVAL FESTIVITIES AT HUMANITIES
Obama lays out second term agenda before public RAYMOND MENDOZA & SAMUEL MOUNTJOY Daily Titan
ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan
Marzouq Alajmi, 20, an engineering major, dances with Torrance dance group Glaucia Brazil outside the Humanities Building on Tuesday for Mardi Gras.
President Barack Obama rallied the nation to a new brand of liberal politics focusing on relatively modest spending proposals outlined in his first State of the Union address of his second term in office Tuesday night. Obama focused on reforming minimum wage, education and the nation’s infrastrastructure during the annual address to the usual joint-session of Congress. Obama began by addressing the recovery America has seen in recent years, stating that “We have cleared away the rubble of crisis and can say with renewed confidence that the state of our union is stronger.” SEE SPEECH, 2
SPORTS | Season preview
STATE | Education
Titans primed to take Big West again
Association proposes financial solutions for CA education
The reigning conference champion baseball team looks toward another title
Campaign for the Future of Higher Education hopes to get system back on its feet
CHRIS KONTE
RAYMOND MENDOZA
Daily Titan
Daily Titan
After spending more than two decades as an assistant baseball coach at Cal State Fullerton, Rick Vanderhook finally was given the top job. Lessons learned from 11 trips to the College World Series offset his lack of head coaching experience. In 2012, his first year as the Titan skipper, CSUF finished first in the Big West, and he was named the conference’s coach of the year. Vanderhook, also known as “Hook,” returns to Goodwin Field with his slew of MLB hopefuls on Friday. The Titans enter the 2013 baseball season as the three-time defending Big West champions, and have been picked by many to repeat again. In a poll of all 10 of the conference’s head coaches, nine of them picked CSUF to finish in first place. One vote went to UC Irvine. Hype is nothing uncommon for the Titans, who have never had a losing season in 35 years of Division I play. The Titans have won the Big West Conference 10 times in the last 14 years. Fifty-one players in the program’s history have gone on to play Major League Baseball. “We have a target on our back, and other teams look forward to playing us,” said junior center fielder Michael Lorenzen. “They come in, they bring their best guys, they play their best games, and we enjoy that. You know, that’s our mentality. We want you to come in and play your best games, and we’re gonna show you that we’re gonna bring Titan baseball to the table. You bring your best, we’ll bring our best, and we’ll see who comes out on top.” Lorenzen, who started all 57 games in 2012, also finished 20 of them on the mound. His 16 saves in 17 chances tied him for second-most in the program’s history behind
ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan
Coach Vanderhook looks over his team from the dugout. The Titans have won the Big West three years in a row.
Scott Wright’s 22 in 1984. Despite his effectiveness on the mound, he prefers playing center field. “I love the aspect of having to be an athlete to play center field. Running down fly balls, hitting, stealing bases—all that good stuff,” Lorenzen said. Lorenzen is far from the only standout player on the team. Others include infielder Matt Chapman (2012 Big West Player of the Year), first baseman Carlos Lopez (led the team with 22 multi-hit games), and right handed pitcher Grahamm Wiest (5-5, 3.12 ERA, 3 CG). Filling over a third of the 36man roster will be 14 freshmen— three of which have already been drafted by Major League Baseball teams. SEE BASEBALL, 8
TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE
2012 Season:
Big West record: 17-7 Overall record: 36-21
2011 Season:
Big West record: 19-5 Overall record: 41-17
2010 Season:
Big West record: 21-3 Overall record: 46-18
2009 Season:
Big West record: 17-7 Overall record: 47-16
Members of the California Faculty Association (CFA) discussed possible solutions to the current dire financial straits of the nation’s education system on Tuesday. Faced with yearly tuition hikes and funding cuts, the Campaign for the Future of Higher Education is hoping to get the nation’s education system back on its feet by circulating three proposals that deal with the financial problems of California’s public colleges. Alice Sunshine, communications director for the CFA, organized the phone conference between Robert Samuels, a University of California faculty member, Stanton Glantz, a professor at UC San Francisco, and Rudy Fichtenbaum, a professor of economics at Wright State University. The group discussed specific aspects of three financial proposals, which deal with eliminating certain regressive tax breaks, “resetting” higher education funding and implementing a small tax on selected financial transactions. Samuels outlined his plan, stating that California could have free higher education by eliminating regressive tax breaks for the wealthy and re-allocating certain government expenses toward education. “If you add up how much (the nation) now spends on federal aid, state aid, institutional aid, tax credits, tax shelters and subsidizing student loans, we have more than enough money,” said Samuels. “The problem is we spend too much on tax breaks and aid for the wealthy and too much on ‘for-profit’ schools that graduate very few students.” Samuels said that studies done by the U.S. Treasury Department have found that wealthy citizens are us-
ing tax shelters to protect finances that could be used to contribute to the nation’s education system. The money that is being protected by tax loopholes, according to Samuels, can be used to help make higher education free to the public. Glantz’s proposal is that state funding for higher education should be reset to a past state funding level. His research was done by using California as an example of how resetting state funding would cost very little for the taxpayers and would yield major help for the University of California and California State University systems, as well as community colleges. Glantz stated that the financial problem of the education system lies within a lack of political push to help higher education get more funding, not with a lack of solutions. One of the major problems facing financial institutions is the feeling that budget problems are too difficult to solve, according to Glantz. “Because the problem is impossible to solve, the institutions and leadership of the institutions who should be solving it have sort of given up,” said Glantz. “I think what these three papers are showing is that it isn’t impossible.” Fichtenbaum explained in his proposal that higher education could be given more funding if the government would implement a tax on certain financial transactions. Fichtenbaum said the transactions in his proposal would include stocks, bonds and foreign exchange transactions, among others. These taxes would range from two-tenths of a percent to about a half of a percent, he said. Glantz said public endorsement is needed and hoped that their proposals would push people to ask presidents of major universities if they would be willing to back any of the proposals. SEE FINANCE, 3
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NEWS
PAGE 2
THE DAILY TITAN
FEBRUARY 13, 2013 WEDNESDAY
Who likes the President?
DTBRIEFS Hagel approved by senate committee
Obama’s approval rating before and after his State of the Union address Obama’s approval ratings have classically stayed flat before and after his annual State of the Union address. Gallup Poll projected the trend is likely to remain unchanged even amid the tense political atmosphere around Washington, D.C. From 2010 to 2012, his approval ratings have held steady around 50 percent. In Gallup’s latest poll, the President’s rating maintained a 52 percent direction. “Generally speaking, these addresses have had little effect on how Americans view the president, despite the widespread media coverage of them,” stated Gallup. Source: Gallup Poll
The Senate Armed Services Committee approved former Sen. Chuck Hagel to be Secretary of Defense, setting the stage for a heated debate in the Senate, according to the Los Angeles Times. Hagel, a Republican from Nebraska, won the support for his nomination by the committee with only Democratic votes. All 11 Republicans present voted against him. The Senate will begin to review Hagel’s nomination Wednesday, with a decision expected to be reached by the end of the week. Hagel was nominated by President Obama in January. However, several Republicans questioned his stance on Pentagon spending and criticized his previous statements towards Iran and Israel. Sen. Lindsey Graham told the Los Angeles Times that she and other Republicans vow to obstruct the Senate’s vote on Hagel. However, a spokesman from the White House said they believe he has enough support to ultimately be approved.
Brief by ADRIAN GARCIA
FOR THE RECORD
North Korean nuke tests cause anger
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Courtesy of MCT President Barack Obama gives his State of the Union address before Congress on Tuesday night.
SPEECH: ‘Now is the time to get it done’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
While Obama’s first campaign banked on hope and change, the theme of this state of this union address was not about the possibility of hopeful changes, but instead a statement of “Now is the time to get it done.” “It is our generation’s task, then, to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth—a rising, thriving middle class,” said Obama. “It is our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this country—the idea that if you work hard and meet your responsibilities, you can get ahead, no matter where you come from, what you look like or who you love.” Members of the nation’s armed forces sat with members of Congress as the president revealed his plan to end the war in Afghanistan, putting forth a promise that “by the end of next year, our war in Afghanistan will be over.” The president also supported other controversial wartime issues, such as women in combat and gays in the military. Obama also called for several actions to come into effect, such as creating an energy security trust to move away from the use of gasoline, cutting energy waste in homes and businesses and implementing a “fix-it-first” program set on repairing structurally deficient buildings and bridges. Addressing the topic of energy, the president offered an incentive of more federal support for energy efficient buildings for businesses, which is meant to cut down the effects of global warming.
Commenting that the minimum wage rate was the only subject that both he and presidential candidate Mitt Romney agreed on, Obama proposed the increase of the national minimum wage to $9 an hour. “Let’s tie the minimum wage to the cost of living, so that it can finally become a wage you can live on,” Obama said. An assortment of attending members of Congress, guests of honor and others, including Vice President Joe Biden, wore green ribbons in support of the president’s recent push for gun control. These ribbons signified that the wearer was close to a victim of gun violence, or a victim themselves. Retired Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and husband astronaut Mark Kelly were among those wearing the green ribbon. Giffords herself was the victim of a shooting in Arizona in 2011. Obama noted that both Democrats and Republicans are working together to pass legislation to prevent the sales of high capacity ammunition magazines and of firearms to criminals. North Korea’s nuclear test on Monday night was also discussed, with Obama pushing for a scaled back global nuclear armament, citing an engagement by the U.S. and Russia to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in their arsenals. “Provocations of the sort we saw last night will only isolate (North Korea) further, as we stand by our allies, strengthen our own missile defense, and lead the world in taking firm action in response to these threats,” Obama said.
Since 2011, the Tea Party Express has also delivered their own address in response to the president. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul delivered the address this year on behalf of the tea party caucus of Republicans. He accused both parties of dirty political meandering. “Both parties have been guilty of spending too much, of protecting their sacred cows, of backroom deals in which everyone up here wins, but every taxpayer loses,” he said Tuesday. Paul pointed a finger at “big government,” and promised to deliver his own five-year balanced budget next month. Following the address by Obama, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio gave the official Republican response and rebuttal. A relatively new tradition, the opposition address has been given by the party out of the White House every year since 1966. Rubio spoke out against the Obama platform of clean energy expansion. He pushed forward the belief by Republicans that clean-energy is not the solution to the current energy situation faced by the nation. Rubio stood alone in a draped room rebutting many of the initiatives pushed forward by the president just minutes before. He blamed the president of trying to raise taxes and increase borrowing and spending. Rubio also accused the president of painting Republicans as a party out of touch with the middle class. “I hope the president will abandon his obsession with raising taxes and instead work with us to achieve real growth in our economy,” said Rubio.
In defiance of the United Nations Security Council, North Korea conducted a third nuclear test Tuesday, according to the New York Times. The long-threatened test goes against efforts by the Obama administration and other world powers to prevent the Asian nation from developing nuclear capabilities. James R. Clapper Jr., an official in the office of the director of national intelligence, told the Times that the explosion yield was approximately several kilotons. Officials from Russia, Britain, South Korea, China and the United Nations condemned the action. The UNSC held an emergency meeting to device a resolution in response to the test. United States ambassador to the United Nations Susan E. Rice said Tuesday that the Security Council “must and will deliver a swift, credible and strong response.” Official North Korean news sources called the nuke a “miniaturized and lighter nuclear device with greater explosive force than previously.” President Barack Obama addressed the nation last night, expressing worries of nuclear proliferation.
Brief by SAMUEL MOUNTJOY
Senate votes to extend violence act
FOR THE RECORD: In “Titan crowned at local pageant,” (Feb. 11), Salisha Thomas will be competing in the Miss California pageant, not the Miss California USA pageant. Also, Kathi Hikawa was incorrectly named as “Kathy Hikawa.”
The Senate voted to extend the power of the Violence Against Women Act by strengthening the power of Native American courts and protecting gay victims of abuse, according to the New York Times. The Violence Against Women Act was first passed in 1994 to protect women against domestic and sexual abuse by increasing the likelihood that an offender will get prosecuted. The law was approved in the Senate by a vote of 78-22, but the reauthorization of the law to include Native American courts remains controversial in the House. The main question of concern in the House is how much power Congress should afford Native American courts. Under the new rendition of the act, tribal courts are allowed to prosecute non-Native Americans who abuse Native women in their land. Many Republicans see the expansion of the tribal court as unconstitutional because it will deprive non-Native Americans of their fundamental constitutional rights. Social conservatives object the expansion of the act to include domestic abuse cases involving same-sex couples. However, senior Republican leaders are encouraging their party members to approve the act to prove that both parties can work together towards a single goal.
In “Asbestos-filled buildings deemed inhabitable,” (Feb. 11), the headline should read “Buildings containing asbestos deemed inhabitable.” The map title should read, “2012 asbestos removal jobs.”
Brief by ADRIAN GARCIA
FEBRUARY 13, 2013
WEDNESDAY
NEWS
PAGE 3
THE DAILY TITAN
Use of electric vehicle stations grows around campus 19 ChargePoint stations are located throughout CSUF parking lots and structures ERINN GROTEFEND Daily Titan
Five more electric vehicle (EV) charging stations were installed at the College Park North Lot late last semester, bringing the total stations on campus to 19. The charging stations are located throughout Cal State Fullerton parking lots and structures including two at Corporation Drive and 12 on top of the Eastside Parking Structure. ChargePoint is the largest network of independently owned EV stations. Michael Jones, director of strategic accounts for ChargePoint, said CSUF utilizes the charging stations frequently and this use is growing steadily from month to month. By the end of 2012, the campus had just under 1,500 charging sessions at the stations. “(This) is indicative of more and more cars coming into the market and finding this service valuable,” said Jones. ChargePoint is partnering with Charge Harbor LLC, which assists universities and large office buildings to integrate the EV charging stations on their property. Charge Harbor works with the equipment costs of the stations, while the university works with electrical contractors to complete installation needs. The cost of an individual charging station is about $5,000-7,000, depending on the model, said Ryan Grady, President of Charge Harbor LLC. Grady added that plug-in vehicles represent a whole new market and a new opportunity within the automobile industry. “There are lots of campuses that
are interested in supporting the plug-in vehicles that their employees, students or work venders are driving,” said Grady. A variety of ChargePoint station models are sold including those with wall mounts, pedestal mounts and pole mounts.
“(This) is indicative of more and more cars coming into the market and finding this service valuable. ” MICHAEL JONES Director of Strategic Accounts for ChargePoint
Buyers can choose from a single or dual port station; CSUF locations have both. Though the EV market is in the early stages with few models, Jones said there will be more than 40 different plug-in hybrid cars available in the U.S. by between 2014 and 2015. “You’ll see a growing and consistent move to electric vehicles as the market and consumers become more aware and more educated of what their choices are,” said Jones. As far as cost, operating an EV is roughly eight times less expensive than a comparable gasoline powered vehicle, Jones said. Other benefits of going electric include no smog checks and no oil changes. He added that maintenance for EV are quite a bit cheaper in the long run.
VANESSA MARTINEZ / Daily Titan ABOVE: A driver of an electric car uses one of the charging stations installed in the College Park North Lot at Cal State Fullerton.
LOCAL CHARGEPOINT STATIONS
Map source: Google & Charge Point
ChargePoint has seen consistent and solid growth within the EV market. With the decrease in cost of the vehicles and the overall positive effect they have on the environment, Jones is not surprised that more campuses and businesses are installing the stations. “It is exciting to see a campus take the first step in making charging stations available to the students and public that use the parking lots,” Jones said.
FUGITIVE: LAPD debunks initial reports of Dorner’s death CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Courtesy of MCT An officer walks past the house where fugitive Christopher Dorner was suspected of hiding from police.
Those officers were not hit. Foy said the wardens were convinced that the man was Dorner. Authorities believe the suspect first stole a vehicle after tying up two women in another residence and holding them hostage for an unknown amount of time. The suspect allegedly carjacked a second vehicle before passing the wardens, who pursued him, Foy said. He abandoned the vehicle before firing on the officers. Several news organizations reported that various law enforcement officials confirmed that Dorner’s body was located and identified in the ruins of the cabin. These initial reports were contradicted by comments made by the LAPD and San Bernardino County Sheriff ’s spokesmen at two press conferences. “I have no idea why they confirmed that,” Bachman said.
Dorner is wanted for the murder of four people, including two police officers. The LAPD has received more than 1,000 clues relating to the case after offering a $1 million reward for information leading to Dorner’s arrest and conviction.
“I have no idea why they confirmed that.” CINDY BACHMAN San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Spokeswoman Police believe Dorner, 33, has been targeting law enforcement personnel as revenge for being terminated by the LAPD in 2009 following a disciplinary hearing.
Dorner recently published threats toward Los Angeles officers and their families on his Facebook page. Dorner is accused of killing Monica Quan, daughter of LAPD Capt. Randy Quan, who represented Dorner in the hearing. Quan was a women’s assistant basketball coach at Cal State Fullerton. Her fiancé was also killed. Dorner is also wanted for the shooting death of a Riverside police officer. Two other officers were injured, one critically, in two shootings early Thursday in Riverside County. Smith said the LAPD will maintain protective details to guard officers named as targets in Dorner’s manifesto until Dorner is in custody or confirmed dead. After closing all roads in and out of the Big Bear area for the majority of the afternoon, San Bernardino County Sheriffs began allowing residents back into their neighborhoods Tuesday evening.
FINANCE: Fundingproposed solutions CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Fichtenbaum also commented on the possibility of passing his proposed taxes, but said there is always a chance for his proposal since there have been similar tax laws proposed in recent years. Fichtenbaum cited the Let Wall Street Pay for the Restoration of Main Street Bill of 2009 as a piece of legislation that is similar to his current proposal to fund higher education. “It’s really just a question of beginning to build some public support for saying that some of these kinds of taxes are going to begin to provide funding for some of the
“The problem is we spend too much on tax breaks and aid for the wealthy. ” ROBERT SAMUELS UC faculty member (countries’) priorities and higher education being one of those,” Fichtenbaum said.
Photo illustration by JOHN PEKCAN / Daily Titan
Members of the California Faculty Association (CFA) discussed possible solutions to the current dire financial straits of the nation’s education system on Tuesday.
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OPINION
PAGE 4
THE DAILY TITAN
FEBRUARY 13, 2013 WEDNESDAY
An inconsiderate neighbor Plans to expand LAX are not taking into account local residents’ needs. JULIA GUTIERREZ Daily Titan
Courtesy of MCT A White House internal memo has lead to a broader definition of what actions and affiliations constitute “imminent threat.”
The real ‘Imminent Threat’ Changing philosophies in usage of drone strikes lead to a dangerous mentality REBECCA LOPEZ Daily Titan
A memo from the Obama administration was released Monday of last week containing alarming information that is a cause for concern for American citizens both here in the states and abroad. In the document, there were details on the executive policy for the use of drones—also known as unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs—to attack suspected alQaida members, as well as other terrorists, who are also citizens of the United States. The conclusion of the memo stated, “The threat posed by al-Qaida and its associated forces demands a broader concept of imminence in judging when a person continually planning terror attacks presents an imminent threat.” To put things in simpler terms, the White House is saying there should be more freedom in deciding when it is okay to send drones to kill suspected American terrorists whether the threat they pose is timely or not, also targeting those who are propagandists for terrorist groups. This is a disturbing ideology that should not be supported. Namely, concept of “imminent danger” or “imminent threat” and the protection of the homeland is one that has been grappled with for hundreds of years in this country. In the New York Times Co. v.
United States, better known as the “Pentagon Papers” case, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the right of journalists to publish government plans to support military involvement in Vietnam. The U.S. argued that the publication of this information would pose an “imminent threat” on the lives of military personnel, but the Times’ actions were found to be lawful.
“This is a disturbing ideology that should not be supported.” Of course this case dealt with the First Amendment, arguably the most important set of citizens’ rights outlined in our Constitution. The Supreme Court has historically upheld the right of free speech over other rights, including speech that was “against the norm” or considered to be radical or offensive. Now today, the government seeks to attack and exterminate its own citizens, arguing that their behavior is justified to protect the nation. If free speech, our most valued right, is upheld Constitutionally even when an “imminent threat” was suspected, it’s hard to understand how the Obama administration fails to see the flaws in logic with this new policy. The Associated Press reported
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that White House spokesman Jay Carney advocated the use of drone attacks by arguing that “it is a matter of fact that Congress authorized the use of military force against al-Qaida.” Perhaps Mr. Carney finds the American public naive, but it is a well-known fact that just because Congress says it’s okay, it is not lawful or substantiated. Many may feel it is important to prevent terrorist attacks by any means necessary, using any and all technology and power that we have at our disposal. However, they fail to understand the consequences brought on by the use of drones as a go-to option. Georgetown University national security expert Christopher Swift said that although drones are effective, they also breed and broaden anti-U.S. sentiment. “To the extent that our use of force in somebody else’s country creates political resentment ... or to the extent that it reinforces this notion that the United States is at war with Islam, it is highly problematic for us,” said Swift in an interview with VOANews.com. While I’m not a national security expert by any means, I believe it’s feasible to say that if we were to take measures less drastic and less proven to increase anti-U.S. convictions, there would be a decrease in terrorist plans against us. Regardless of one’s political ideology, we Americans value the lives of others highly, and that alone should be a reason to pause and evaluate exactly what this memo is suggesting.
It seems that everyone dreads going to the airport. The traffic, the noise, the immense amount of people standing around waiting to catch their flights. It’s all just so loud and stressful, but this is definitely a place of obligation. Imagine having to deal with these all these frustrations day after day in your own backyard. For the residents of the neighborhoods surrounding Los Angeles International Airport, the loud whoosh of airplanes and the treacherous traffic are constants in their lives, alongside the ever-present brown cloud of smog above the skyline. Even though this is just an average day near the runway tarmac, these problems may get worse. Recently the neighborhood has become disgruntled about the approved Environmental Impact Report for the LAX Specific Plan Amendment Study. According to Dan Weikel of the Los Angeles Times, people in the area are concerned about increased pollution, noise and traffic. I agree and sympathize. Many might say, “No one forced you to live by an airport,” and this may be true, but when looking at the facts, it can be determined that these changes are somewhat frivolous. A press release by Los Angeles World Airports states that a study has evaluated prospective changes to the LAX Master Plan. These changes include new ground transportation facilities which will feature a people mover and rental car services, as well as a light rail and the moving and expanding of certain runways. “The most controversial project is the 260-foot separation of the two northern runways to make room for a taxiway between them … proponents say the runway plan would increase safety and make it easier for the airport to manage the largest commercial jets, such as the giant Airbus A380,” wrote Weikel in his article. Of course, those in favor suggest this is a safety issue, but based on research this is an excuse to bring in more dollars, more planes and more people. Does LAX really need a people
Courtesy of MCT In order to stay competitive, LAX has proposed several changes to the airport for both convenience and safety. Those living nearby have expressed opposition.
mover or light rail? Sure, it would be convenient, but convenience is not always necessary. My high school economics teacher used to always say, “there are only wants, not needs,” and convenience does not constitute need. This appears to be the case in this particular situation. From the perspective of LAX, however, I can understand the desire for luxury and ease in a place that is so exhausting. Conveniences would make the airport a little less horrible for those actually using it, but for those stuck next to it every day, the changes would make life a lot more difficult and that is a big problem. As for the runway plan, a study by NASA Ames Research Center debunked the belief that LAX needs safer runways. In fact, according to Weikel’s article, the current northern runway complex is considered safe by NASA Ames’ standard. This means the $750-million separation of the runways would be somewhat pointless. But let us play devil’s advocate
and say NASA was wrong. Other alternatives could still be explored before jumping into such an expensive project and if not that, LAX could at least nix the plans for the expensive transportation services. This could possibly cut back on the spending and prevent the major traffic congestion, pollution and noise that homeowners are worried about. According to an article by Scott Weber for NBC Los Angeles, the Federal Aviation Administration supports the claim that the northern runways are unsafe. “A federal report two years ago said LAX had more close calls between planes on the ground than any other U.S. airport,” said Weber in his article. Unlike the FAA study, NASA’s study on the runways’ safety was done fairly recently. All in all, it would be best if LAX did not go through with these changes. The economic climate and surrounding neighborhoods’ disapproval are reason enough to skip these big renovations. Frivolous spending at this time is not the right choice.
Every second counts before a quake KRISTEN CERVANTES Daily Titan
How prepared are you for the next big California earthquake? I’m slightly prepared; I have a backpack in my living room filled with a few bottles of water, food for my dogs, a jacket and some canned food. I remember from elementary school days to drop and cover my head under a table or desk. But if you are like me and are only somewhat prepared, there is good news. Sen. Alex Padilla is suggesting an $80 million upgrade to an early warning system, QuakeGuard, that will be used statewide in California. According to the Los Angeles Times, the system utilizes underground sensors to detect P-waves in an earthquake. Within seconds, an alert is sent out to a person’s computer and mobile device. As of now, the only way most people know that an earthquake occurred is by feeling it themselves or through social media posts. The state will benefit from a safer way to alert the public and, with the enhanced system, thousands of lives may be saved. QuakeGuard was developed by Seismic Warning Systems. The company’s website says the alert system will give most people a 20-second warning that an earthquake is about to occur depending on the location of the quake. You might think 20 seconds isn’t that much time to prepare, but actually, it is. In 20 seconds,
an elementary school would have enough time to make sure children are inside and covered under a desk. Twenty seconds also gives hospitals enough time to move critically ill patients and gather supplies. It’s difficult to imagine what would happen if a massive earthquake struck California since such quakes are rare, but if the “Big One” were to hit California without any type of initial warning, the state could be left with a noticeably greater amount of destruction and death. Reuters reports that in 2008 a group of engineers and geophysicists developed a damage forecast for if such a quake were to ever occur. The report that found a 7.8 earthquake on the San Andreas Fault near Los Angeles would cause about 2,000 deaths and leave roughly 250,000 people homeless. Even though California is in desperate need of funding programs, the state should have a large amount of money going towards disaster alert systems. The $80 million that scientists and Padilla are asking for to upgrade QuakeGuard will be well spent. Several hospitals in California have already installed the system. The technology from QuakeGuard secures equipment, protects patient information stored on computers, helps elevators operate smoothly and allows hospitals to transfer over to emergency generators. However, the company needs additional funds in order to establish these alterations in more
hospitals. Padilla is aware of how much money the alert system would be using, but understands the potential of QuakeGuard. “Think of the lives we could save,” he said to the LA Times. “The injuries we can reduce. And the billions upon billions of damage ... If we can just reduce that by a small percentage, or a fraction, the system would more than pay for itself.” Some people have a problem with the early alert system, such as how all of the money will be spent and if it will actually work. There is no way to know for sure if QuakeGuard will work until California has a large earthquake. However, the state will be better off having the system in place than not having it at all. Thomas Heaton, a Caltech professor of engineering seismology, said it best; “Once we get another large earthquake, I’m certain everybody would say, ‘We should’ve had it.’” Experts believe California is long overdue for a colossal earthquake. The not knowing when the quake might occur can be scary, but the situation is a reality Californians must think about and prepare for. For the most part, I enjoy living in California, but if the state is able to progress with the early warning system, I would feel a lot safer here. Until then, I will keep my backpack stocked and cautiously wait for the next big earthquake to strike.
FEBRUARY 13, 2013
WEDNESDAY
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THE DAILY TITAN
How to impress your Valentine
Chef ’s tips on how to cook from the heart
Stumped and need some guidance? Follow this road map to a successful date
PETER PHAM
KYMBERLIE ESTRADA
Daily Titan
Daily Titan
Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and let’s face it guys, if you’re running out of ideas you better figure something out fast. Luckily, Chris Koetke from The Live Well Network has the recipe to set the romantic mood for all the lovers out there. Koetke’s show, Let’s Dish, aired a Valentine’s Day episode specifically tailored to those in dire need of some creative recipes. “The Valentine’s Day menu was all about the idea of cooking with the sexiest, most romantic foods I could think of,” said Koetke. “Oysters, smoked salmon, truffles, mascarpone, almonds, honey … these are a combination of decadent, sometimes pricey and luscious.” In chef Koetke’s Valentine’s Day episode, he shows viewers how to cook oyster beignets, caviar-smoked salmon pancakes and truffled risotto with mushroom, prosciutto and mascarpone. Finally as a treat for those with a sweet tooth: almond tuile cookies and honey ice cream. “I think it communicates to your loved one that they are special enough to get these foods,” Koetke said. “And of course, being seductive ingredients, it is a great start to a Valentine’s romantic evening.” Like every passionate chef, Koetke’s cooking comes directly from the heart. The seasoned artist cooks as much as he can for his wife, special romantic holidays or not. “The fact is, I really love to cook for my wife,” Koetke said. “What I like to do is to make a late, late night dinner after all the kids are sleeping and when we can enjoy some great food together, just the two of us.” “Delicious food, champagne
Legend has it that Valentine’s Day started during the third cen-
Gift
2: Perfume:
Courtesy of Live Well Network
According to the romantic ideals of Chef Koetke, the simple act of taking time to prepare a home-made dish can show a loved one how much you care.
and great conversation,” he added. “That is romantic.” Koetke was drawn to his wife more than 24 years ago by an indescribable fascination with her. “It’s really hard to explain as love typically is, but we have been married for 22 years and I still am captivated with her beauty, humor and well, just about everything about her,” Koetke said. “What can I say—I am a hopeless romantic.” Koetke’s perfect comfort meal when at home with his wife is roasted whole veal sweetbreads with morel sauce. “Sweetbreads (thymus glands) are one of those love it or hate it ingredients,” Koetke said. “For us, we love it and the addition of morel mushrooms is heaven.” Let’s Dish gives Koetke the opportunity to do what he loves most in front of a camera.
“For me, cooking in front of an audience is simply fun and one of my favorite things to do,” Koetke said. “I really like to teach people about cooking and watch their faces light up as they learn things. That is so rewarding because I know I am making a difference.” Lastly, chef Koetke has some advice for all the boyfriends, husbands and fiancees out there scrambling to give their loved ones a perfect Valentine’s Day meal. “Cook from your heart,” said Koetke. “Don’t try to do something too over the top. “Instead, cook something that your loved one will enjoy,” Koetke said. “The simple fact of taking the time to cook what she likes is romantic. It shows you care.” The Valentine’s Day episode of Let’s Dish can be found at LiveWellNe t w o rk . c o m / L e t s - Di s h / Ep i sodes/Valentines-Day/8982657 .
INSTRUCTIONS: Melt chocolate in a small bowl over simmering water | When melted, pour into a zip lock bag | Cut the corner off the bag to make a small opening | Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper | Carefully make a heart shape with the chocolate from the bag | Fill in the center of the heart with more melted chocolate from the bag until it is completely filled in | Place in refrigerator until needed | To make the sundae, fill a bowl with a couple scoops of honey ice cream | Top with a couple of chocolate hearts and a piece of honey comb | Serve immediately with tuiles on the side.
Quartet keeps it classy(cal) The highly respected Meng Concert Hall at Cal State Fullerton will be hosting the Talich Quartet this Friday beginning at 8 p.m. The quartet, which was formed in Prague more than 50 years ago, comes to campus as a result of the hard work of Ernest Salem, music professor at CSUF. “I thought it would be a good opportunity for our students and for the school for the quartet to be in residency here,” said Salem, who is a former concertmaster of the Wichita Symphony. Salem has performed with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Mozart Orchestra among others, and has himself given recitals and concerts all over the world including South America and Europe. Salem studied with the quartet’s first violinist and toured in Prague where the quartet is based. He has worked with them to organize a visit to CSUF. In 2009 the quartet visited and
ideas from him to her:
1: Chocolates:
INGREDIENTS: • 3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate • Honey ice cream • Almond tuile cookies • Honey comb (optional)
Daily Titan
thus created, and is now celebrated in the form of heart felt letters, boxes of chocolates and expensive dates. If it’s not obvious by now, Valentine’s Day is a girl’s holiday. Sorry guys, but a word to the wise, drop the ego and give your girl her heart’s desire.
While it is the thought that counts, girls expect you to go the extra mile on Valentine’s Day. Don’t be that guy who makes a last minute trip to the drugstore to buy a $5 box of chocolates. Plan ahead and swoon her with chocolate covered strawberries.
SUNDAE FOR YOUR SWEETHEART
ANDIE AYALA
tury in Rome when Saint Valentine was sentenced to death for wedding young lovers. The story goes that while in prison, Valentine secretly wrote letters to his lover which he signed “From your Valentine.” Valentine was beheaded Feb. 14 in 269 A.D. Valentine’s Day was
performed a concert with the university orchestra. This year the quartet will be giving individual lessons to students on campus.
“It was seen as necessary in the higher class to know how to play music.” BEFAEL GARCIA Former music student
“The Talich Quartet is composed of very common instrumentation: violin 1, violin 2, viola and cello ... which is called a string quartet. Many quartets are made to resemble your standard vocal quartet so you have four voices of which are soprano, alto, tenor and bass,” said Befael Garcia, 23, former music education major from Anaheim, Calif. The quartet’s focus is on classical
music and consists of Jan Talich (violin), Roman Patočka (violin), Vladimír Bukač (viola) and Petr Prause (cello). “Quartets date back to the Baroque Era of music, quartets during the time were a way of socializing,” Garcia said. “It was seen as necessary in the higher class to know how to play music, as playing music was kind of like playing cards. It was what they did when they got together with friends.” Though the quartet has been around for a long time, the members of the group have gradually changed over time until an entire new cast was formed in the 1990s. “I love the sound of quartets; being a singer myself I especially love barbershop quartets. In a barbershop quartet, a voice takes the lead and sings the melody of a song while the other three voices fill in the harmonies,” said Ben Lopez, 24, a music major. “I would love to see the Talich quartet because I feel that musically it would be a wonderful experience.” Funding for the show was provided in part by the Marcy Arroues Mulville Memorial alliance as well as the CSUF music department.
This one can be tricky as every woman has a different taste. Ask for help from a fragrance sales associate and find out which scents are most popular for women her age. Don’t be shy. Women want to help clueless gift givers find the perfect gifts, especially in the spirit of Valentine’s Day.
3: Candles:
There’s nothing more romantic than lounging in a dim, candle-lit room alone with your significant other sipping on wine. Use candles to set the mood and act as a centerpiece for a dinner you created.
4: Lingerie:
This is more of a present to yourself, but still a win-win. By buying her lingerie, she’ll have no choice but to put it on. Unlike fragrances, describing your girl’s breast size can actually get you in an awkward situation with a sales associate as you try to give a visual by cupping your own hands to your chest. Search through her drawers to get her bra size, which can usually be found near the back hook.
Look
Photos compiled by KYMBERLIE ESTRADA
FROM HER TO HIM • Silk heart printed boxers • Homemade baked goods • His favorite childhood movie • Steak dinner • Tickets to his favorite sports team • Framed couple photo
your best in the perfect dress
Aside from your birthday and New Year’s, Valentine’s Day is the day when you want to look your absolute best. Pay attention to detail, right down to your fingertips. Although you’ll be compelled to buy that red dress on the window display at the mall, do a bit more searching. You don’t want to be on a dinner date and find yourself playing “who wore it better” with the red dress across the room. Don’t overdo it on red. Use the red dress as the centerpiece and finish it by playing with deeper shades of red and neutral-toned accessories. Since the dress is a statement in itself, use simple accessories and choose a romantic lace wedge. Keep accessories to a minimal and make sure they don’t steal the show, since your dress should. Oh, and it wouldn’t hurt to get your date a gift either.
CHEAP DATES Dollar theaters Beach picnic Art museums Walk around L.A. Hiking Kayaking Happy hour Ice skating
Photos compiled by KYMBERLIE ESTRADA
HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED For research study involving measurement of hemoglobin. If you are between 18-35 yrs old, healthy and weigh 220 lbs or less, you may be eligible to participate in a research study with monetary compensation for your time. Multiple blood draws and a fluid infusion are required over the 90-120 minutes study period. Please call for details. Masimo Corp. 40 Parker Irvine, CA 92618 949-297-7137 VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM/DETOUR
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FEBRUARY 13, 2013 WEDNESDAY
FILM: A fairy tale flop
Courtesy of MCT
MATTHEW PIER For the Daily Titan
Hansel and Gretel Witch hunting proves to be messy work in Hollywood’s latest fantasy film that should have been burned at the stake before it made it to theaters. Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is the latest fairy tale adapted for the big screen. It tells the story of a brothersister duo set out to rid the world of witches. The sibling tag team are extremely good at their occupation. However, the same could not be said for those who helped create this bloody and predictably boring action flick. The movie starts with Hansel and Gretel’s father leaving his two children in a forest in the middle of the night. The kids go out exploring and find a house made of candy, where they are captured by an evil witch. Hansel is forced to eat candy while Gretel is being tortured. Eventually they break free and burn the witch in an oven. An animated opening credit scene explains the two became witch hunters after that night in the candy house and are now infamous witch hunters. Their story picks up with them being hired by a town mayor to find 11 missing children. Handsome and brash Hansel, played by Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), and tough girl Gretel, played by Gemma Arterton (Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time), quickly learn they have three days to rescue the kidnapped children. The duo is introduced to an evil witch named Muriel. She is the film’s main antagonist played by Famke Janssen (X-Men). Chaos ensues and a twelfth child is taken. Through action sequences and
good fortune, the siblings learn the truth behind the witch’s motives as well as secrets to their own mysterious past. They learn that their immunity to the witch’s dark magic ties into their family history. This helps lead the story into a fairy tale ending. Many violent action and fight scenes are constructed, along with the occasional four letter expletives, to justify its R rating. There are also moments when debris and guts fly out of the screen as an added 3-D effect. The movie suffers from trying too hard with over-the-top gore while throwing in eye rolling oneliners and shoving predictable mystery down your throat. Throw in wasted story elements that come and go, like Hansel needing insulin shots for his diabetes he got from the candy house, and you have another terribly executed fairy tale film. In recent years, fairy tale movies have been adapted to become more action oriented. Disney’s animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs from 1937 looks quite different compared to 2012’s Snow White and the Huntsman. Gone are the days when fairy tales are told through song and dance, which are now replaced by stuntmen and special effects. There are also the versions of fairy tale films that keep the original story but use a modern time setting. For example, 2011’s Beastly transforms Disney’s 1991 animated feature Beauty and the Beast from a tale between a simple town girl and a hairy monster into a teen love story set in New York City. It is no secret that the film industry desperately recycles old stories from the past. Even the small screens in our homes have created programs based on the same fables. Television shows like ABC’s Once Upon a Time and NBC’s Grimm have taken popular fairy tales and put their own modern spin on them. Whether they succeed or flop at the box office, fairy tale movies are here to stay. The next fairy tale to be adapted to the big screen comes out March with Jack the Giant Slayer, which takes on popular story of Jack and his magically growing bean stock. Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters could easily be seen in the future with the number two appending the title since the movie does have an open-ended conclusion. A sequel is definitely unneeded, but then again, neither was this year’s adaptation.
RAE ROMERO / the Daily Titan TOP: Hot Water Music performs Feb. 6. at the Santa Ana Observatory during the last leg of their headlining tour, which brought them across the nation. RIGHT: Jason Black (bass) has been with the group since they started over 20 years ago. HMW released Exister in 2012, their first album in eight years.
Santa Ana crowd boils over Hot Water Music SIMA SARRAF Daily Titan
Post-hardcore punk band Hot Water Music journeyed through California last week, and after a sold-out show at Los Angeles’ Echoplex, the quartet headlined yet again at the Santa Ana Observatory Wednesday, Feb. 6. Benny Garcia, 23, was anxious to see the band of 20-plus years take the stage. “They are one of my favorite bands,” said Garcia. “ I like their old stuff, like Never Ender and Moonpies for Misfits.” As a long-time fan, Garcia even had the chance to meet lead singer Chuck Ragan, something many other fans would envy. “He was a really cool guy, he was super nice and shook everyone’s hands,” said Garcia. Despite the countless devoted Hot Water Music fans like Garcia in the crowd, not everyone was there to see the Gainesville, Fla. punk rockers. Many concert goers were actually there to see the second act of the night, supporting band La Dispute. When asked why they liked La Dispute, replies generally involved the band’s amazing vocals and lyrics. Doug Schmidt, 22, was there to see La Dispute with his two friends and fellow La Dispute fans, Aaron Leavitt and Brent Burmeister. La Dispute puts on a really good performance on top of the amazing lyrics, Schmidt said. “Musically, instrumentally, everything is all on point,” Schmidt said. La Dispute can be easily compared to bands like Rise Against or Holly-
wood Undead for their “half screamed, half rapped” style of music. Throughout the course of the night, starting with The Menzingers, then La Dispute and ending with Hot Water Music, several things became apparent about the throng of bodies. Everyone came to have a good time, support the bands and above all, crowd surf. Serving the crowd surfers up first was The Menzingers, whose perfect mix of pop-punk and indie-rock could lure any young teenager into the world of punk music. Their fun pop-punk sound can be considered a beginners course in punk rock music. Their song “Good Time” pumped up the most energy from the crowd, causing all sorts of rowdy movement in the congested pit.
“Crammed audience members howled and screamed each word...” Following The Menzingers was La Dispute who gave the crowd all the more reason to jump, scream and move. Crowd surfers became a frequent and constant sight throughout the show that only dissipated slightly when the headliners finally took the stage. Hot Water Music took over
around 10 p.m. and the shift in energy was palpable. The 20-year veterans were finally on stage. Singers Ragan and Chris Wollard sporting similar shaggy hair, a possible result of being on tour and away from a barber, but the pair sounded strong and seemed comfortable on stage. Jason Black helped the energy and momentum stay strong on bass while George Rebelo held the whole thing together on drums. The band as a whole was a beast. The rough-edged vocals seemed at their absolute best. The band played old favorites like “Trusty Chords” and new songs like “Drag My Body” and “Mainline” from their 2012 album Elixer. The four members went through their set list with the comfort and obvious enjoyment that comes naturally from doing something that you love. And the audience loved it too. Although there was still an occasional crowd surfer getting caught by security after the rough tumble, the energy shifted from a type of craze to intense passion.
Crammed audience members howled and screamed each word—a thousand unpaid backup singers to the growls of Ragan and Wollard. Ragan was especially amped up, with constant movement back and forth up the stage. With leg stomps and what seemed like pure testosterone-infused singing with his friends of more than two decades. The Observatory may not have been a sold-out show, but it definitely felt like everything that went on inside was nearing capacity. For those who wish to catch this foursome in the act, visit their Facebook page: Facebook.com/ HotWaterMusic Or fans can try to see Ragan with his ensemble of musicians in The Revival Tour. This acoustic collaboration will come back to California in late April. The Revival Tour will feature musicians such as Dave Hause (The Loved Ones), Tim Mcllrath (Rise Against), Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids), Toh Kay (Streetlight Manifesto) and Jenny Owen Youngs.
FILM: Romeo and Juliet get zombified DEANNA TROMBLEY Daily Titan
Warm Bodies If you’ve ever wondered what it was like to be a zombie, now’s your chance to find out. Warm Bodies gives a quirky and compelling insight of a day in the life of a zombie. Hollywood has beaten the dead horse of paranormal romance, but thanks to Jonathan Levine (50/50), movie-goers can join in on the laughs. Warm Bodies’ storyline is relaxed enough to poke fun of the overplayed genre. The story begins with R (Nicholas Hoult), a misfit among his kind, aimlessly wandering through an airport, having a short conversation comprised of grunts and zombie moans with his best friend, M (Rob Corddry). The leading zombie characters are named after letters, because they can only remember the first letter of their names. That single letter is the only thing they remember from their previous life before the zombie outbreak. His tone of voice throughout the story is often witty and amusing, giving his character far more personality than one would expect
from a zombie. Even as a zombie, R realizes it’s awkward to watch someone as they sleep. It’s the simple and clever details that make this film a real treat. In the film, zombies are considered a society, maintaining basic human traits and thoughts. As the zombies move as a herd to find food, R comments on their walking pace, “Man we move slow ... this could take a while”. In another scene he passes by a fellow zombie who’s tearing the skin off his own face. R disapprovingly thinks, “Oh don’t pick at it, you’ll make it worse,” in his voice over. R explains in his voiceover that he yearns to be something more, to have emotion and fond memories. He takes up an unconventional hobby of collecting vinyl records, snow globes, watches and all kinds of trinkets in substitution for a simple human hobby . When R joins a hoard of zombies in attacking a group of humans, he literally experiences love at first sight when he sees Julie (Teresa Palmer) while the song “Missing You” by John Waite plays in the background. This is when R decides to make a spontaneous, human decision by taking Julie to protect her from
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the rest of his kind. Warm Bodies’ film score was excellent. It helps tell the story and adds comic relief. This is a movie that, if anything, will be remembered for its soundtrack with plenty of great 80’s hits by Guns n’ Roses, Bruce Springsteen and Scorpions, among others. There is even a point when R plays “Shelter from the Storm” by Bob Dylan, to explain to Julie how he understands her emotion. Music can seriously make or break a scene; it’s part of the story telling. With all the hype focused on 3-D and action sequences to make unnecessary inanimate objects, music has been thrown in the back burner in many flicks. Give thanks to the silver screen gods, because Levine had the senses to leave 3-D out of the equation. As R spends more time with Julie, he develops more human traits, as his adoration for her affects his heart. And it’s no coincidence that there are references to the story “Romeo and Juliet,” the most obvious one being the similarity in their names, but also the rift between the humans and zombies that the pair tries to mend. Rob Corddry’s role as M is another great element to the story. Although
Courtesy of MCT
he doesn’t have nearly as much screen time as Hoult or Palmer, he still manages to deliver a memorable and compelling character. Unfortunately, not much of the rest of the supporting cast did as well. Dave Franco has more work ahead of him to get himself out of the typical “cool guy” role because even as a cool guy, viewers don’t miss him when he’s off screen. Warm Bodies stands pretty well on its own in the zombie film genre. It’s a fresh take on zombies, even if it is recycled from other ideas. Although it’s not nearly as dark and gory as other zombie-slasher
flicks, the movie delivers in the story line and the performances of the leading roles. You get to know R and Julie well enough to care for them. The same goes for M. The film’s pace was rushed in the beginning, but the timing became more steady with story development between R and Julie. The worst thing someone can do is compare Warm Bodies to the Twilight saga. Although Warm Bodies was a book-to-film adaptation as well, it reaches to wider range of viewers. Hype is fuel to competition,
and with the Twilight series finally over there’s no need to compete. Warm Bodies brings a fun, new perspective in a clean slate of the supernatural and romance. It’s a tongue in cheek response to the zombie hype. Don’t expect it to be anything like Dawn of the Dead or Zombieland. You’ll probably be disappointed. Warm Bodies is completely different and refreshing. There’s something oddly endearing about the idea of an awkward, brain-munching zombie finding love.
SPORTS
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THE DAILY TITAN
FEBRUARY 13, 2013 WEDNESDAY
BASEBALL: Titans look to repeat in Big West CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
WINNIE HUANG / For the Daily Titan
Freshman pitcher Jasmine Antunez winds up during a sunny afternoon on the diamond of Anderson Family Field. The Titans have started 2-2 this season.
Softball splits pitchingheavy doubleheader games Titans eek out game one win before letting McNeese State take final nightcap ANDY LUNDIN & CHRIS KONTE Daily Titan
Cal State Fullerton pitchers allowed just two earned runs in fourteen innings of work Monday in a doubleheader against McNeese State University, but poor offensive production and a costly error late in game two forced the Titans to settle for a split. Continuing an early-season trend, right-handed pitcher Jasmine Antunez (1-2) started both games and pitched four innings in each—something she has now done in all four of the team’s contests this year. Her only blemish was a two-run home run surrendered to MSU designated player Emily Vincent in the fourth inning of game two. The doubleheader was originally scheduled to be played Friday but was postponed due to rain, causing the visiting Cowgirls (4-3) to spend an extra couple of days in Orange County. The Titan pitching staff made sure their guests had to wait even longer to get on the scoreboard. Antunez allowed no runs and only an infield single in her first start of the day before being relieved by freshman Desiree Ybarra, who recorded the nine-out save to extend the Titans’ winning streak to two games. Ybarra—who also pitched an inning and a third in game two—struck out three, walked none and, most impressively, didn’t allow a single batter to get the ball out of the infield. She retired 13 of 14 batters faced, allowing only one to reach on an error. “She’s just deceiving, has this big presence out there and just mixes junk,” said Head Coach Kelly Ford of Ybarra. “(Her pitch) just breaks, she’s got great break.” The left-handed Ybarra was unsolvable for the Cowgirls hitters, baffling them with her assortment of off-speed pitches. “It felt good. Didn’t think too much, just let it go basically,” said Ybarra. “I didn’t put a lot of pressure on myself and just really used my spin.” “She’s got a nice screw, a nice curve, a magnificent change,” Ford said. Despite the overpowering game
one performance by Antunez and Ybarra (one hit and six strikeouts in seven innings), the Titans (2-2) were nearly unable to put together enough offense for the win. CSUF scratched across the game’s only run without a hit in the bottom of the second, taking advantage of a pair of walks, a sacrifice bunt, two stolen bases and a throwing error. With pinch runners on first and third (Leesa Harris and Carissa Turang, respectively) and two outs, Harris dashed towards second in a stolen base attempt. MSU catcher Ashley Modzelewski’s throw skipped into shallow center field, allowing Turang to cross the plate. In game one, the Titans laid down five bunts and stole two bases, playing an impressive brand of small-ball reminiscent of Angels Manager Mike Scioscia’s famous early-2000s style. “You know what, that’s just what the game called for,” Ford said. “We had a lot more runners on and opportunities to do something on the base paths.” Game two began in similar lowscoring fashion, with the first runs coming in the top of the fourth on Vincent’s go-ahead two-run blast off Antunez, who was charged with the loss after earning the win in the first game. With the Titans trying to stay within striking distance in the late innings, a pop-up to shortstop Gabby Aragon that should have ended the top of the sixth was mishandled, allowing a run to score and the inning to continue. The next two MSU batters each drove in another run with hits to left field, extending the lead to 5-0. CSUF center fielder Ashley Carter led off the bottom of the inning with a ringing triple to center field and scored when Samantha Galarza collected an RBI groundout. No further Titans would reach base, and MSU evened the doubleheader with a 5-1 win. With the split, the Titans moved to 2-2 on the season, while the Cowgirls are now 5-4. CSUF will travel to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for a five-game tournament beginning on Friday. “My focus is to really get our bats going (in Nevada),” Ford said. “Our pitchers are throwing well enough to win, but you can’t win if you can’t score consistently. My goal is to score a run an inning, and we’ve gotta do a better job at handling that goal.”
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“They’ve learned a lot. We’ve thrown a lot at them,” said Vanderhook of his freshmen. “Now we just want them to take what they’re good at that we’ve taught them, and just do that and not worry about what they haven’t accomplished yet.” Nine of the 14 freshmen are pitchers. “They’re young, they’ve come a long way since the start,” said catcher Chad Wallace of his new battery mates. “Just gotta talk with them, just fill them in, let ‘em know how they’re doing. But they’re doing well—really well—getting the hang of it.” The Titans will open the season with four games in three days, beginning with opening night against USC on Friday and a next day doubleheader against Nebraska. The Titans will then travel to CSU Bakersfield on Sunday. Another date to take notice of is March 22 when the Titans kick off a three-game series at Long Beach State. The 49ers visit Goodwin Field May 3-5. “You almost get more amped for those games because you know how it is,” Wallace said. “It’s just fun.” “Let’s just say we’re looking forward to it,” Wiest said when asked about the current state of the rivalry.
“We don’t try to change any of the ingredients ... you know, play our brand of baseball. ” RICK VANDERHOOK Head Coach The Titans are currently preparing for the season by hitting against their own pitchers four days each week in addition to regular practice. While batters work on their swings, outfielders track fly balls, infielders turn double plays and catchers handle balls in the dirt. “We just try to go out and do what we are supposed to do and play the game good,” Vanderhook said. “We’ve been fortunate to win more games than not, so we don’t try to change any of the ingredients or anything with it, it’s just, you know, play our brand of baseball. Go out and play it for nine innings and come out on the right side at the end.” “I’m just trying to do anything I can to help the team, anything I can do to make the team better,” said Lopez. “Obviously, our goal as a team is to play one game at a time, try to win one game at a time, and hopefully it leads to Omaha (host-site of the College World Series). That’s really where we want to end up.” A sign on the right field wall reminds the Titans that Omaha waits just more than 1,500 miles away, but Vanderhook preaches that focusing on the task at hand is more important than looking far ahead. “Just play one game at a time,” Vanderhook said. “Omaha is so far in the future that we’re not going to worry about that. We can’t worry about that or even accomplish that in February.” Hook’s one-game-at-a-time philosophy will be put to the test beginning Friday at 7 p.m. when the USC Trojans pay a visit to Goodwin Field. General admission tickets start at $8 and can be purchased at the Athletics Ticket Office (657-278-2783) Monday through Friday, or online at FullertonTitans.com.
ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan
Sophomore pitcher Grahamm Wiest throws a pitch during an in-team scrimmage. Wiest was a freshman All-American.
FIRST THREE OPPONENTS OF SEASON USC Trojans Friday, Feb. 15 at 7:00 p.m. 2011-2012 overall record: 23-32
Nebraska Cornhuskers Saturday, Feb. 16 at 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. (Doubleheader) 2011-2012 overall record: 35-23
@ CSU Bakersfield Sunday, Feb. 17 at 2:00 p.m. 2011-2012 overall record: 25-30