DAILY TITAN The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton T
Volume 93, Issue 47
NEWS 2
Senate approves online purchase tax OPINION 4
Steps toward a better body image FEATURES 6
Titans serve all around the world FITNESS 8
The health benefits of fats
TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2013
dailytitan.com FEATURES | Student challenges
Titans persevere through learning disability barriers JULIA GUTIERREZ Daily Titan
ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan
Ryan Lee, 26, a junior, a member of the CSUF ROTC is motivated by Master Sgt. Anthony Coates while completing pushups for the Army Physical Fitness Test.
ROTC cadets complete final fitness test Trial determines what position the cadets will be assigned to once they join the Army ANDERS HOWMANN For the Daily Titan
Shaking out their legs and stretching their arms, ROTC cadets gathered in the lobby of the kinesiology building Monday morning, preparing to complete their final physical fitness test of the year. The Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) is held once a semester in order to assess the fitness of cadets. Cadets are scored on three events: push-ups, sit-ups and a two-mile run. Scores that cadets earn comprise
of a major part of their placement on the order of merit list, a grading scale that the Army uses to assign cadets to a position in the Army when they commission after graduation. “All of the PT tests in total weigh 15 percent of the Order of Merit list, which is the second heaviest weighting,” said Brian McNeilly, 21, a biblical studies and theology major at Biola and a senior cadet in the Cal State Fullerton Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program. Comparatively, school comprises of 40 percent of the rating. Abe Rodas, 22, a kinesiology
major and public affairs officer with the Titan Battalion, said that PT scores can play a major role if cadets are looking to join one of the Army’s more competitive branches such as aviation, engineering and infantry. In order to prepare for what McNeilly calls the record test, cadets complete three hour and a half PT sessions per week. During training, cadets complete a variety of cardio, strength and circuit training exercises. McNeilly, who is the master of fitness for bravo company, designs workouts in order to prepare cadets and ensure that they are im-
proving past the army standards. The Titan Battalion also conducts two diagnostics tests per semester in order to ensure cadets are prepared. Cadets who do not pass these practice tests are required to go to remedial PT sessions. For grading, cadets are given a range of repetitions to complete for each exercise based on their. If cadets complete the lowest amount of reps in the range they are given a score of 60 points. If they complete or exceed the highest amount of required repetitions, they receive a perfect score of 100. SEE ROTC, 3
Sergio Valderrama, a child and adolescent studies major, juggles a full schedule as a student at Cal State Fullerton. As an intern at Westmont Elementary School in Anaheim, he hopes to one day become a special education teacher. Valderrama was born with a folded retina, which has made him unable to read small print and see over certain distances. His visual disability has also made it difficult to see the details on people’s faces, he said. For Valderrama and many other disabled students on campus, disabilities are another obstacle on the road to a successful college experience. Valderrama said because of his folded retina, it is sometimes difficult for him to determine what a person means by what they say. For example, he sometimes cannot tell whether or not someone’s tone of voice is sarcastic or serious because he cannot see the expression on the person’s face. He said time management is somewhat difficult because he has to take the time to use a software that enlarges a computer screen. Reading takes more time than it typically would, so time to work must be planned ahead of time. However, Valderrama said his biggest challenge is dealing with the idea that he has a disability. He said he does not feel comfortable with how others may view his visual impairment. “I can say I have a visual impairment and I can talk about it, but my problem is, is being seen as a visually impaired person,” said Valderrama. “Just because of the stigma behind it. … For me I think it’s important for people to
see me that I can’t see, and to prove to others that just because I have a visual impairment doesn’t mean I can’t do many things.” He said he finds this challenging because he was raised to never use his disability as an excuse to not live and accomplish his goals. Valderrama said he fights against this mentality by helping students at his old high school get the drive to be more engaged in their lives and their education. This summer he plans to work at a summer camp called Camp Bloomfield, a camp for visually impaired children. “I’m trying to use that (the camp) as a learning experience for me—how to interact with other visually impaired people—and maybe learn some things from them in being more self confident about being a visually impaired person in the community … not being scared of that stigma,” Valderrama said. Sanjog Singh, an engineering major, said being hard of hearing has caused him to have challenges that other CSUF students may not face frequently. He said because of his hearing, he sometimes finds it tough to comprehend what professors are saying during their lectures. “When I have some professors who have heavy accents—presumably (because) they’re from foreign countries … I have a hard time understanding and deciphering their penmanships as they write on the boards because I’m (a) hard-ofhearing person,” Singh said. Singh began using hearing aids when he was 4 years old. He said the devices made him self-conscious and afraid of what others would say about him. SEE DISABILITY, 6
CAMPUS | Veterans
CAMPUS | Mental health
Student vets honored at annual event
Panel dispels misconceptions of people with disabilities Topics include social and education circumstances for deaf and autistic people
Keynote speaker served on active duty as Commanding General of Marine Corps
RAYMOND MENDOZA Daily Titan
JENNIFER NGUYEN Daily Titan
The sixth-annual Veterans Appreciation Night was held Saturday to honor and recognize Cal State Fullerton veterans who are graduating, as well as students who will soon be deployed. The event was sponsored by CSUF’s Veterans Student Services (VSS) and the Student Veterans Association (SVA). The VSS provides guidance and counseling, academic tutoring and an overall unique learning environment for veterans to help them transition from military life, according to the VSS website. Peter Weimen, president of VSA, said the association is a student-led organization that assists student veterans in successfully transitioning into university life through achieving the three pillars of SVA’s mission: camaraderie, networking and advocacy. Major General Michael Lehnert, the keynote speaker for the evening, served on active duty for 37 years as Commanding General of Marine Corps Installation West before retiring in 2009. When he was still on active duty, Lehnert worked with former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Cal State University Chancellor Charles B. Reed in an effort to get more veterans enrolled in California universities.
Lehnert spoke of the military drills he endured and the United States’ decision to invade Iraq. “I’m going to anticipate the question—what if the decision to invade Iraq was wrong? What if we should have pulled out of Afghanistan immediately after we defeated al-Qaida?” said Lehnert. Lehnert went on to discuss the impact of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq on Americans. He said one of his fears about volunteer forces is that it makes it “too easy for this nation to go to war.” “All of you know that we have paid a terrible cost for these wars in both tangible and intangible ways,” said Lehnert. “Many of you out there who were children when this war began, have ended up knowing nothing but the nation at war for your entire adult lives.” Other speakers of the evening included Catherine Ward, coordinator for VSS, and Kandy Mink Salas, associate vice president for Student Affairs.
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MARIAH CARRILLO / Daily Titan
TOP: Members of the United States military line up at the sixth-annual Veterans Appreciation Night at the Titan Student Union Pavilions Saturday. BOTTOM: Ryan Hankes, 25, stands to honor Navy veterans. Hankes resumes his studies as a civil engineer after serving in the Navy.
Salas expressed her appreciation for the men and women’s efforts in serving their country while managing to obtain a college degree and juggle other aspects of their life.
“They’ve done that with success, and in just a few short weeks, they’re about to walk across that stage and get that diploma,” Mink-Salas said. SEE VETERANS, 3
Cal State Fullerton hosted a group of individuals on Saturday called “People with Varying Abilities” to discuss changing attitudes concerning the deaf and mental health community. Speakers for the event explored a variety of topics, including the social and education situations of people with deafness or autism and the work that each speaker has done to create better lives for individuals who would normally be seen as handicapped. Roberto Cabrera, a community educator, emceed the event with the aid of two American Sign Language translators. Cabrera, who spoke from a lifelong experience of being deaf and having deaf parents, illustrated the need of having a highly visual learning environment since dynamic visuals attract attention, while bland classrooms and speech leads to poor interaction. Denise Williams, a mental health therapist and founder of Well Play, a community, spirit and team building company, spoke about her own experiences dealing with two mentally disabled foster children she adopted. Williams said that she hoped her personal experiences and guidance would help future parents raise mentally disabled children and help parents understand what to do in terms of social functions and education. “The parent is the cheerleader.
They become the attorney, they become the motivator and the doctor,” said Williams. “Because when you have a child that needs help, you’re going to do all that you can for that child. So you may have to diagnose, you may try to have to understand the law because of what their needs are.” Williams suggested that educators should also exhibit empathy for the providers of mentally disabled children, since caring for these individuals can be stressful.
“When you have a child that needs help, you’re going to do all that you can for that child.” DENISE WILLIAMS Founder of Well Play
She said to assess the specific needs of each group of parents based on education, culture and background while remaining realistic to a child’s diagnosis. Williams said parents are ultimately looking for partnerships through active listening. They need reassurance that they are being heard. SEE PANEL, 3
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NEWS
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THE DAILY TITAN
MAY 7, 2013 TUESDAY
ONLINE SALES TAX APPROVED BY SENATE
DTBRIEFS
If the tax existed in 2012, the following states would have collected (in millions):
Former professor charged in felony
CALIFORNIA $1,904.5
NEW YORK $865.5 TEXAS $870.4 Source: USA Today
The U.S. Senate approved a bill Monday that will allow states to collect sales tax on purchases made online, according to USA Today. The bill now heads to the House, but some uncertainty from Republicans may cause it to fail there. Although Obama said he supports
the bill, Congressional Republicans view it as a tax increase. Only businesses that make more than $1 million a year and do not have a physical presence in the state will be subject to the tax, which may affect online business strategies. Consumers often buy
online to avoid sales tax, according to USA Today. “It’s going to make it harder for small businesses to compete, because it will raise the price of their product,” said Brian Bieron, eBay’s head of global public policy. Small online sellers are predict-
ing that they may have to downsize to avoid the tax, and that ultimately the sales tax will make it more difficult for their business to grow. Brief by MICHELLE TUYUB
FOR THE RECORD It is Daily Titan policy to correct factual errors printed in the publication. Corrections will be published on the subsequent issue after an error is discovered and will appear on page 2. Errors on the Opinion page will be corrected on that page. Corrections will also be made to the online version of the article. Please contact Editor-in-Chief David Hood at (805) 712-2811 or at editorinchief@dailytitan.com with issues about this policy or to report any errors.
Brief by ANDY LUNDIN
Bomb suspect’s friend out on bail Robel Phillipos, a friend of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokar Tsarnaev, was released on bond to his mother on Monday after being accused of helping cover up Tsarnaev from his alleged crime, according to CNN. Phillipos, who left the federal courthouse after a judge set a $100,000 bail, will stay at his mother’s home while being electronically monitored. The FBI said that on April 18, Philipos made false statements to bombing investigators while two other friends of Tsarnaev went into Tsarnaev’s dorm room at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and removed items. According to the court document, Phillipos had not spoken with Tsarnaev for at least two months before the bombing and that his presence on campus was “sheer coincidence and bad luck.” Friends and family of Phillipos filled the courtroom during Monday’s hearing. If Phillipos is convicted, he could face up to eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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A former UC Irvine professor appeared in court Monday on charges that he received over $400,000 in secret payments to fund research on advanced computing and networking, according to the Orange County Register. Tatsuya Suda, 59, who left UCI in 2010, is being charged with several felony counts for not revealing that he was a paid consultant for a Japanese telecommunication company while working at the university between 2006 and 2009. State law requires public university researchers to reveal if they have financial stake in research that is funded by private industry. “It’s important for people, no matter what public field they’re in, to understand that their obligation is to the people and to not enrich themselves,” said Ann Ravel, chairwoman of the California Fair Political Practices Commision. Suda, known for being an expert in computer networking, was once described by the university as “one of the world’s leading authorities.” Suda was arrested last November and released from jail last month on $50,000 bail.
PANEL: Research centers on bullying CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Special education professor Erica Howell spoke at the event on behalf of her department and CSUF’s new Center for Autism about the misconceptions of autism, the social problems that burden autism and how educated environments can have a lasting impact on autistic individuals. According to Howell, one of the themes of their research centered around the school experiences prior to the university-based studying, and the amount of bullying that was experienced throughout their school. “What we found was that a lot of times the behavior problems that these adults of autism exhibited within a school campus; it really influences their peer perception,” Howell said.
“The parent is the cheerleader. They become the attorney, they become the motivator and the doctor.” DENISE WILLIAMS Founder of Well Play
Individuals with autism have spoken out about the amount of mistreatment they have received due to some of the uncontrollable aspects of living with autism,
Brief by ANDY LUNDIN
JOHN PEKCAN / Daily Titan
RIGHT: Emcee and community educator Roberto Cabrera signs with the video camera operator about camera placement before the start of the event. BOTTOM: Denise Williams explains the social stigma with autism and the lack of information that the general public has.
which then lead to poor treatment during their pre-college education. However, she also said that these same individuals found college was more comforting and accepting due to a more mature and educated student body. Howell also urged CSUF students to treat autistic students with the same courtesy as any other individual and that striking up casual conversation or other friendly gestures can have a major positive effect. Lee Nattress, Ph.D., executive director for Services Center for Independent Living, has been working with disabled people since his first apprenticeship making artificial limbs for disabled soldiers coming back from World War II in 1947. Nattress now works for the center by providing disabled individuals by providing peer counseling, personal care assistance and independent living skills training that has yielded positive results. One of the programs offered at the center called is empower autism now. According to Nattress, it is a self-help group that is run
by a number of high functioning autistic youngsters. “This is a program that they are planning for themselves and trying to build on their socialization skills and this is something I would encourage you to support wherever it might be,” she said. Nattress said that the two biggest disabled populations always in danger are the homeless (and those who struggle financially) and former convicts with disabilities. Nattress also mentioned that the conditions of the homeless centers in California are “abominable” and incapable of providing adequate care for people with mental health problems and disabilities. “I want you to know that most of the prisoners coming back to us from the early release program are persons with disabilities and what is it that we are doing in the community to make them successful and not just send them back to prison,” Nattress said. “Think about that because this is a responsibility we have as a community and as a society and as people working with persons with disabilities.”
Court gives local cities power over pot dispensaries The California Supreme Court ruled that local cities and counties can prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries from operating, according to USA Today. According to the Supreme Court, neither California’s law that legalizes medical marijuana nor a companion measure adopted by the Legislature can prevent local governments from using their land use and zoning capabilities to prevent storefront dispensaries. More than 200 jurisdictions statewide have also made prohibitions to retail pot sales, according to the advocacy group Americans for Safe Access. Many were enforced when a boom of retail medical marijuana outlets occurred after the U.S. Justice Department revealed they were unconcerned with prosecuting pot sales Advocates of medical marijuana have disputed that allowing local governments to make the prohibition hinder’s the state’s medical marijuana law that makes it accessible for those with doctor recommendations to use it. Several cities and counties were waiting for the Supreme Court’s decisions before enacting their own bans.
Brief by ANDY LUNDIN
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NEWS
MAY 7, 2013
TUESDAY
ROTC: Cadets aim for a perfect score CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
In order to earn a perfect score in their physical fitness test, cadets must complete the highest amount of pushups and situps and finish a two-mile run with a time equivalent to or faster than the lowest required time. McNeilly said that only around 5 percent of cadets earn a perfect score. While it does not factor into their rating on the order of merit list, CSUF’s program provides incentives for receiving a perfect score. “We have this thing called the ‘300 Club,’ and in order to be a part of that club, you not only have to
score a 300 on the APFT, but you have to also conduct events like 15 pull-ups, bench your bodyweight 15 times ... and do the stadiums, both sides and then run to the other side and then run back to where you started in eight minutes and 30 seconds,” Rodas said. Cadets who successfully complete these extra events are granted a place on the 300 Club plaque. Rodas said that cadets value membership for bragging rights and pride within the Titan Battalion. Brian Lee, 26, a political science major at Chapman and junior cadet with the Titan Battalion, was confident that he would receive a perfect
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THE DAILY TITAN
ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan score after he completed 87 push ups in two minutes. The amount required for a perfect score in his age group was 75. “I’m a little older so I have to do a little more,” said Lee. Like many cadets, Lee trains more than the three days of PT required by the Titan Battalion program. A CrossFit competitor, Lee does far more than is required. Other cadets attend remedial PT sessions by choice to ensure they are prepared. Due to different body types and talents, cadets all have different opinions on which event is the most challenging. For Lee, the sit ups and
run are the more difficult of the three. “I weigh 195 pounds, so it takes a lot of energy for me to lug my butt down a two-mile track and throwing up my upper body to do sit ups,” Lee said. While most cadets may not receive perfect score, Rodas said most experience drastic improvements after training with the battalion. “Some of these cadets, when they first came to the battalion, they were doing about one to two and now at the end of the semester they are doing about 42 and pretty much maxing their event,” he said. “They have come a long way.”
LEFT: Ryan Lee, 26, a junior, catches his breath after completing the pushup phase of the Army Physical Fitness Test Monday morning. RIGHT: Cal State Fullerton ROTC cadets run during the two-mile phase of the final fitness test in preparation for the ASVAB.
“I weigh 195 pounds, so it takes a lot of energy for me to lug my butt down a two-mile track and throwing up my upper body to do sit-ups.” BRIAN LEE Political Science Major
DTCRIME
CSUF student reported missing A Cal State Fullerton student and former Army officer has been missing since Thursday, authorities said. Maribel Manriquez Ramos, 36, of Orange, was reported missing on Friday. The circumstances surrounding her disappearance are suspicious, according to a statement by the Orange Police Department. Ramos, a criminal justice major, served eight years as an Army officer in South Korea and Iraq, according to the university. She gave a presentation on transitioning from the military to student life at a conference by
the College Board to promote diversity in education in Chicago on Wednesday afternoon. Ramos was also a member of CSUF’s Veterans Student Services, where she was given counseling to treat her posttraumatic stress disorder, according to the university. On Saturday, Ramos was recognized as a graduating veteran at the university’s annual Veterans Appreciation Night. She was scheduled to give a speech on behalf of the graduating class but was not present to give the lecture. She is described as Hispanic,
5 feet 2 inches and 130 pounds, according to police. She has a star tattoo on her shoulder and an Aztec symbol on her back. According to a post on CSUF’s Student Veterans Association Facebook page, Ramos was last seen at her home Thursday afternoon. Students are told to call the Orange Police Department with information regarding Ramos or her whereabouts at (714) 7447403.
Brief by TIM WORDEN & JENNIFER NGUYEN
VETERANS: CSUF honors soldiers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Certificate of Achievement awards were given throughout the evening to graduating veterans. Hoang Pham, 31, a kinesiology major, was one of the recipients. Pham served in the U.S. Army as a utilities equipment technician from 2000 to 2005. He said he was surprised to have received the award Saturday night, mostly because he did not see his name on the event program under the list of recognition. “To be honest with you, I didn’t know about this program until this semester actually. I always thought it was a part of veterans certification ... so I started showing up, and it was cool,” he said. “I wish I had known about this longer.” Pham’s first tour was in Alaska for two and a half years, before coming to Fort Irwin, Calif. He was later deployed to Kuwait in 2004. Special recognition was also given to individuals who will be deployed later this year. Thanh Bui, an English major, will be deployed to the Republic of Georgia. Marco Salazar, a criminal justice major, and Yu-Ting Chiu, who will graduate this month
“I didn’t know about this program until this semester actually ... I wish I had known about this longer.” HOANG PHAM Kinesiology Major with a master’s degree in psychology, will both be deployed to Afghanistan. Megan Griffin, a human services major, will be graduating this
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month. Griffin was honored for her work with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. Her husband passed away while serving in the military.
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OPINION
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THE DAILY TITAN
Plus is more with self-image
It might seem silly, but sometimes states need to guard their inner workings RICARDO GONZALEZ Daily Titan
Daily Titan
Courtesy of MCT
A plus-size model takes to the stage as television personality Clinton Kelly speaks about plus-size clothing at Macy’s.
writer Elise Sole in a recent article about the new line. In addition to this, H&M has featured Beyonce (another woman with healthier proportions) in a commercial where she models swimwear and flaunts her curves as she dances freely on the beach. Body image is how people see and feel about themselves. It is not something that is based off facts and figures, but an idea that is created over time and influenced by things surrounding us, like media and other people’s opinions. According to the Center on Media and Child Health, body image becomes closely related to self esteem once a child reaches his/her teen years. Having a negative body image can lead to damaging health risks like depression or eating disorders. “Having positive body image leads to a feeling that inner beauty is more important than how one looks, which is necessary for teens
to feel confident about themselves and their abilities,” says the center’s website. The media has created an unachievable perfection for men and women across the country. Women are made to think that the ideal body has no imperfections—no blemishes, no stretch marks, a thin waist and big breasts (to name a few)—in order to be acceptable in society. This leads them to go to extremes in order to achieve these things. They exercise excessively, create unhealthy eating habits and even begin considering cosmetic surgery. At times, it feels like I have been working toward this “unattainable perfection” my entire life. As a young girl, I would look at music videos and posters of my favorite celebrities, wondering how I could possibly be what they are: perfect. I would look in the mirror pointing out my flaws, disappointed by my differences. But growing-
up, I have learned that the images portrayed by the media are unrealistic and unhealthy. Perfection is an intangible word, because ultimately, everyone has a different idea of what it is, making it unattainable. It’s our imperfections that make us unique and special in every way. If other clothing companies and media outlets could see and care about the negative, unhealthy ideas that they are engraving in the minds of young boys and girls, perhaps they would change their approach to advertising. H&M’s move toward spotlighting healthier, normal bodies has made me even more willing and excited to shop at its stores. It feels great to know that there are companies out there that are daring enough to take a step away from what has profited the entertainment industry for such a long time, and a step toward making healthy body image the norm.
Reckless prescribing leads to hazardous health care AMANDA ZIVE Daily Titan
When you were a child there was probably a list of people who were safe adults to talk to. On the list would probably be teachers, police officers and doctors. As you get older, you learn that teachers are often biased and police officers can be corrupt. While each of those scenarios poses an amount of risk, there could be no greater threat than putting one’s life in the hands of a doctor with an agenda. “20-30 percent of all procedures, tests, medications and health care are unnecessary,” according to Dr. Martin Makary, M.D., MPH, lead surgeon at John’s Hopkins in Baltimore. In an interview Sunday on ABC’s 20/20, he revealed the reason for this happening was bottom-line profit. The surgeon admitted that both the hospitals and doctors profit from longer, more complicated stays for patients, adding that hospitals actually make the most when there is an accident or mistake because they collect more from insurance claims. Even more troubling, in January, ProPublica released how much money doctors receive as donations from drug companies. The breakdown includes how much each company reports donating in which state and who the
TUESDAY
Information is a most valuable commodity
CHRISTINA BENAVIDES
In the midst of intense editing, photoshopping and narrowed model choices, the media has created a delusional image for society of what a normal, healthy body is. At times, it is frustrating for women like me who do not have a model-like, slender, tanned body to walk into a department store and see every fashion mannequin displayed as a size zero, or to pick up a women’s magazine only to find models who look nothing like me, edited to perfection in the advertisements. Because of this, it was refreshing to log onto H&M’s website and see that the retail clothing company used 23-year-old model Jennie Runk as the face of their new swimwear line. The six-foot tall, curvy model has a 31-inch-waist and a body that American women today can associate with. What is revolutionary about H&M doing this is that they did not box the model into a plus-size section—a section that at times seems like a forbidden secret tucked into the corner of shopping websites. They instead integrated Runk onto the front page, simply making her the face of the swimwear line without creating a big fuss about it. “There’s not a mention of the suits being plus-sized—it’s just a woman wearing some bathing suits and she happens to not be super skinny,” said Yahoo! Shine staff
MAY 7, 2013
individual payees and companies are. Large companies like Pfizer (which makes Zoloft, Lyrica, and Celebrex) and Eli Lilly (which makes Cymbalta and Zyprexa) shell out the most to medical professionals. It seems a coincidence their drugs’ side effects are among the most severe. The Los Angeles Times launched a full investigative report in 2012 that included a series of disturbing articles about prescription drugs and the medical professionals that prescribed them. Included in their findings was that prescription abuse has surpassed the fatality marker of both heroin and cocaine. Another key factor that leads to complications for patients is that hospitals, doctors’ offices and all medical staff run a self-policing industry. Some industries thrive in these situations. The medical field, on the other hand, has seen far less success. The medical field does a poor job of enforcing regulations; generally a doctor under investigation has every privilege of one that is not. The LA Times reported last December that a dozen doctors from 2005-2011 wrote multiple fatal prescriptions while under investigation for reckless prescribing. The responsibility of checking out doctors continues to fall onto consumers. Before checking in, a patient should check out the professional’s background with resources like An-
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Courtesy of MCT
Prescription drugs have overtaken heroin and cocaine in number of fatalities.
gie’s list, Rate MDs and Health Grade. Consumers can effectively hinder harmful experiences for others. Things like this have gotten so out of control, partly in thanks to fund cutting. Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown pulled funding from medical investigators which resulted in fewer working days and less staff for these facilities. The next time your doctor prescribes you something that you have heard in a commercial before, be wary and ask questions. The highly-advertised drugs are often the ones paying the most to doctors and pharmacists. Also, if your practitioner of choice is quick to write multiple prescriptions at once, one should ask why or even get a second opinion.
According to the LA Times, nearly half of reported overdoses are credited to drugs that were prescribed to that individual. Some of these individuals were prescribed multiple prescriptions from one or multiple doctors. The only way to prevent more deaths like these is to stop letting the medical field govern itself. As consumers we must demand transparency. Doctors in question must have their doctor privileges suspended or overseen during investigation. While an argument can be made that restricting what a doctor can do may prevent a possibly innocent doctor from working and collecting a salary, this should be an assumed risk of the profession. Risking the lives of those dependent on care can’t be the answer any longer.
Because of the very nature of our country, sometimes we forget just how independent America’s 50 states are from one another. Though we are tied through a single Constitution and a single governing body, the vastly different laws and often heated hostility of interstate relations is evidence that there are limits to our unity. In matters of money and resources in particular, we are as stingy as any family. Last week the Supreme Court reiterated that non-residents of a state have no right to a plethora of that state’s information. This comes from two cases of out-of-staters attempting to get information from Virginia that the state reserves for its residents (and, more importantly, its taxpayers who actually pay for the information to be recorded). The court’s decision was unanimous. At first blush, this looks like much ado about nothing. After all, here in California, so much of our records are open to anyone who takes a quick jaunt over to CA.gov. The records aren’t unlimited, no, but among the searchable databases are audits, budgets, grants, businesses and contractors. That’s a lot of information to give away to people and businesses who aren’t necessarily based in the state.
Leaving a state’s information for the people in that state (is) a viable and legitimate leg-up... But this makes sense, as California is one of the largest states in the union and thrives (well, I guess we’re not really thriving at the moment) off of interstate commerce and business. To other states, the thought of giving away the innerworkings and dealings of their state to those who might dilute them or don’t have the state’s interests at their forefront is madness. To better illustrate this, I would like to take something that attorney Deepak Gupta said following the court’s decision on April 29. “We have a national information economy, and all sorts of ac-
tivities depend on data from all 50 states,” Gupta told the Los Angeles Times. While Gupta was representing the two men who sought the information from out-of-state—prefacing the situation as “unfortunate”— his argument might actually be the biggest argument in support of the Court’s decision. Think of it this way: You, as a student, are tired of taking notes with pen and paper. You want to be able to chronicle and organize your assignments in a more compact and convenient space, so you purchase a laptop computer. As anyone can imagine, this constitutes a significant investment for you, but it marks a significant boon for you and your studies. Now imagine that someone wants to borrow your laptop for some time. Naturally, although you could function without it, it would significantly hamper you. Furthermore, though you will be compensated minimally, the benefit lost because sharing your laptop is more significant than any kind of recompense. Thus, you say no. Then that person attacks you because, as a fellow student who also could benefit from a laptop, your failure to share supposedly hurts all other students. This might be a broad simplification of the cases at hand, but what I’m trying to illustrate is that information to a smaller state—like a laptop to a starving student—is an important commodity. Going back to what Gupta said, “we have an information economy.” If all states were required to allow any person from any other state, regardless of motive or purpose, to view all their recorded inside information, then they would lose a valuable asset in the process. Leaving a state’s information for the people in that state just seems a viable and legitimate leg-up for certain states. Yet, of our 50 states, only three (Virginia, Tennessee and Arkansas) practice this completely closed records sharing. While other states charge more for information for non-residents, they are more willing to deal and cooperate with fellow Americans. It definitely creates an atmosphere contrary to the warm and fuzzy unity an idealist would like to see within our country. However, before you look too harshly upon this practice of jealously guarding an immaterial product like information, just remember the old adage that “knowledge is power.” Although, “knowledge is money” is probably more appropriate here.
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OPINION
MAY 7, 2013
PAGE 5
DEVIL’S TUESDAY
THE DAILY TITAN
ADVOCATE Phone carriers must do more to prevent thefts
Photo Illustration by JOHN
PEKCAN / Daily Titan
As cell phone technology improves and products become more costly, thefts become much more prominent. Law enforcement is looking to cell phone distributors to adapt to the changing climate.
The technology exists, so implement it
Your cell phone is your own problem
PRO: TIFFANY JOHNSTONE
CON: STEPHANIE MERCADO
Cell phone theft is on the rise and carriers are doing little to combat the problem. The current software that is in effect to deter thieves from stealing phones and to locate the stolen devices are ineffective. Stolen cellphones shouldn’t be chalked up to the consumers responsibility to keep their phone safe as accidents happen and mugging is can hardly be ignored as a cellphone carrier’s fault fact. If my cell phone was snatched up, I would want every resource available to prevent it from happening again and to be compensated for the theft. I called Apple’s support line and was told that if my phone is stolen, I would have to purchase a whole new one. Additionally, there is no insurance I can through the company purchase if I want to get some sort of discount or replacement for my phone in case it gets stolen. The only option Apple offers in case an iPhone gets stolen is Icloud, a system made to track a stolen phone’s location. However, this only works if your iPhone is turned on and if the Internet services are enabled. If not, you’re out of luck. IPhones are expensive and replacing them isn’t something I can afford. Furthermore, people keep personal information on their cell phones which would devastate their secu-
rity. Even if a phone was located, it wouldn’t fix the breach of privacy. And say one was able to track their phones location, there is still not much they can do to retrieve it, unless you desperately look around at everyone who has an IPhone out and call the police to search each person in the vicinity. There is a new nationwide database set in place to try to prevent a stolen phone from being activated. This is done by entering a cell phone’s unique ID number into the system’s database. Still, there is a flaw in this system because if a phone is taken overseas, which happens often, the database no longer works. Another flaw is that the unique ID numbers can be changed or altered. Some phone carriers like Verizon say it is taking independent steps to reduce theft. The company has its own private database that makes it impossible for thieves to reactivate cell phones on its network that have been reported stolen. Certainly a step in the right direction, but one that remains untested at this point. Some police believe that cell phone companies are profiting from phones and handsets being stolen, which would why the carriers aren’t taking harsher measures to combat theft. This makes sense since consumers of stolen phones have to pay
to replace their phones. In San Francisco, the resale market for stolen phones is increasing. According to the New York Times, iPhones are going for $400-$500 in cash for thieves. Last year $69 billion profit was made on handsets in the U.S. And in San Francisco last year nearly half of all robberies involved cell phones. In Washington 42 percent of all robberies were cell phones. Obviously the current technology offered to sway thieves from stealing phones isn’t doing its job. Carriers need to provide a system that prevents a phone from working after it is reported stolen. Kevin Mahaffey, chief technology officer for Lookout, a mobile security firm, told the Times that this type of security is possible. He added that although there are ways to work around software and the like, it would be expensive to reactivate the stolen cell phone, thus creating a solid deterrence. Other solutions would be for carriers to provide an effective system that remotely wipes out the consumers personal information immediately after the device is reported stolen, so thieves cannot take advantage of consumers private information. Consumers are getting played from carriers who don’t take the initiative to make better antitheft equipment.
We use it constantly, show it off to our friends and will never admit our addiction to it. It has changed the way we communicate with each other, the way we work, and it even has become a safety blanket for some. When we walk, we stare at it. When there is nothing else to look at or talk about, we seek our cell phones for help. Yes, I’m talking about our cellphones, their capability is just short of extraordinary in our world today. There have been a great number of hypothetical worst-case scenarios in which an individual has lost their phone and cannot contact their friends or family, because nobody bothers to memorize phone numbers. Many can’t even find their way because who knows how to read a map anymore? And, without access to Facebook, how can we cry for help? It’s upsetting how attached we are to our technology, and as much as it would give us a reason to cry if we lost it, imagine how one would cope if it were stolen. Cell phone theft is a pretty serious crime considering how often it occurs. Years ago, before even flip-phones or QWERTY-keyboard cell phones were out, my grandma had her single-function and barely mobile device stolen
right out of her hands. Twice! The second time she chased the guy down. Then just last year, my best friend had his stolen on a night out and another friend found one lost, locked and incapable of being returned. George Gascon, San Francisco’s district attorney, told New York Times that cell phone theft, “is a crime that could be easily fixed with a technological solution.” With all the apps and advancements, there should easily be something to help alleviate the pressures on police officials and cellphone carriers to reduce the amount of theft cases. Yet, for something so personal as a cellphone, it should be left to an individual’s responsibility if such a thing goes missing. If violence is involved in the theft, then yes, of course the police should make it a priority. Just as with a laptop, camera, or address book, a cellphone is one of those things that is somewhat irreplaceable, so law enforcement still needs to have a strong investment in its reclamation. However, as important as a cellphone is to an individual it is not a transferable responsibility once stolen. Passcodes, serial numbers and carriers can only do so much
to discourage a potential robber. The best way to stop a theft, is to keep your phone on your person or within eyesight. Simply, know where you’ve put it! Otherwise, legislation could be put in place. Rep. Eliot Engel of New York proposed legislation that would make it illegal to modify a phone from its original settings. Essentially, this would mean that a phone’s International Mobile Station Equipment Identity, that is unique to every device, cannot be erased, as it would be difficult for authorities to prove it stolen if there is no traceable evidence of the original owner. Making the crime of stealing cell phones even more illegal by reusing it or reselling it doesn’t guarantee an overall better rate of reduced theft. For whatever ways there are to discourage a thief or stop a stolen cell phone from working, there is no better way to prevent this than keeping your phone close, locked, and accounted for. It’s one thing to expect law enforcement or carriers to be responsible for phone theft. It is a much more realistic expectation to put that burden on yourself or to put more preventative measures in the first place.
Drugs are made for treating disorders, not for improving grades Crackdown on abuse of ADD and ADHD medication is necessary on campuses MIMI HUNG Daily Titan
One, just one. This will be the first and last time. This is how the downward spiral towards the abyss of drug abuse and addiction starts. Numerous universities are tightening their regulations on the distribution of medications for ADD and ADHD, including many schools in the CSU. “Study drugs” such as Adderall are prescribed to those who have ADHD, attention-deficit disorder, with or without hyperactivity. These drugs have been commonly used by college students who need an extra boost to focus on their academics. Several outlets report that as much as 35 percent of students take such medications despite not suffering from either ADD or ADHD. Furthermore, pill-sharing is rampant in many universities despite it being a felony to do so. Students who are in need for the ADD and ADHD treatment now need to sign a formal contract for the sole purpose of deterring them from sharing the pills with others. In addition, patients need to go through the long process of paperwork and tests before a school can approve their prescription, and students are no longer permitted an early refill for stolen medication. “We get complaints that you’re making it hard to get treatment,” Dr. Jon Porter, director of medical, counseling and psychiatry ser-
vices at UVM, told TheFix.com. “The counterweight is these prescriptions can be abused at a high rate, and we’re not willing to be a part of that and end up with kids sick or dead.” So yes, it is true that the new rules may be a bit harsh for those who really need the medications, but such rules and laws are not made lightly. Adderall allows the students to focus and study hour after hour, non-stop, but the likelihood of side effects such as anxiety, depression, weight loss and psychosis. The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University’s magazine, ran a feature last May about Adderall’s abuse with students. One anonymous student went as far as to equate the use of Adderall to cheating. And prescribers even acknowledge the dangers; It is no longer possible to be prescribed ADHD after a single diagnosis, especially after an incident that lead to the death of the former Harvard student Johnny Edwards. The combination of four medications for ADD and ADHD without correct prescription were said to lead to the suicide of Edwards who received the prescription with only one meeting with school nurse. Edwards committed suicide six months after the meeting, and Harvard is being sued for the medical malpractice. Thankfully, tactics like faking symptoms of ADD/ADHD no longer work on the campus. For those who are taking Adderall illegally, other than the side effects that may harm the body permanently, the drug’s addiction and the risks involved in obtaining the drug are good enough reasons why
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Courtesy of MCT It has been notoriously easy for students to obtain a prescription for Adderall or similar drugs from school facilities, often only requiring one visit to a school nurse.
not to take the drug. Even worse, when buying Adderall illegally, you face the risk of buying something much more dangerous (and illicit) than the prescription medication. For most of the students who are taking the pill regularly for study might easily just choose to ignore this new rule, however, with all the sticking requirements, it is going
These drugs have been commonly used by college students who need an extra boost to focus on their academics. to be more difficult to gain access to this drug. The pills can bring efficiency in study time and result
in better grades, particularly if the student actually does suffer from the ailments they cover.
Yet when its grades wager against people’s health, the exchange is simply not worth it.
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FEATURES
PAGE 6
THE DAILY TITAN
MAY 7, 2013 TUESDAY
Alumni volunteer to serve overseas through Peace Corps Former Titans take skills acquired at CSUF into the field of social service JENNIFER NGUYEN Daily Titan
JOHN PEKCAN / Daily Titan
Bryan Humburg specialized in building the shocks and suspensions for this year’s Formula SAE Race Car.
Hands-on courses enhance learning JENNIFER NGUYEN Daily Titan
Students go out into the back country of places like the Sierra Nevada and collect environmental data such as stream flow, vegetation density and species composition. Meteorological data, like temperature, relative humidity levels and wind speeds are also obtained. Trekking through fields, conducting research and collecting environmental samples all for a classroom project is just part of what students enrolled in Geography 483, Mountain Field Geography, do for their capstone course. At the end of the trip, students compile collected data into a scientific report about what they found and why things varied from location to location. The capstone course is taught by James Miller, Ph.D., a geology professor, and is offered during one of the five-week summer sessions. Miller said the fundamental part of the course is to introduce and expose students to the realities and difficulties of doing research in the backcountry. “You can’t just decide, ‘I’m tired, I’m going to McDonald’s,’” he said. “You have to carry everything in and carry everything out. And sometimes the weather isn’t always cooperative.” Aside from geography majors, students from very different disciplines, from criminal justice to psychology, have also joined in on the trip, Miller said. Throughout the university, capstone courses are a requirement for
many majors. Throughout the semester, students in Mechanical Engineering 414 and 419 work on designing and constructing various prototypes, including robots, assistive devices and racecars. The main goals of the courses are to promote innovation in engineering design and educate CSUF students about competent mechanical engineering in the industry. The classes revolve around handson activities by “targeting real-life mechanical engineering problems and seeking innovative solutions,” said Nina Robson, a mechanical engineering professor. It’s a year-long course in which students break into five teams. Each team is responsible for their own project. In the fall, students focus on the design aspects of their projects, which includes performance modeling, design drawings and component selection. In the spring, students work on constructing the devices and prototypes, emphasizing on manufacturing techniques, 3D design and testing. One of the five projects this year is an iron knee—an assistive walking device for people who are missing a leg. Other projects include the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), which has to be able to take off and land on its own; the Multifunctional Automated Turret (MAT), a robotic device that sprays paint; and an M2J2, a light-weight robot manipulator.
Another major project is the Formula SAE Race Car, which is being built for the 2013 FSAE competition that takes place in June in Lincoln, Neb. Bryan Humburg, a mechanical engineering major, is one of the many students working on the Formula SAE Race Car. He’s responsible for designing the hub, wheels and locking system. “It’s a really good experience to take into the workplace, because the club in general is so much like the actual workplace,” said Humburg. “You’re collaborating with people, everybody’s designing separate parts and it all has to fit together in the end. There’s not a whole lot of time to mess things up.” Robson, who teaches the two courses, has been pushing to keep the projects multidisciplinary so students can be familiarized with working in multidisciplinary teams in the industry in the future. “Until now, the classes had been not so multidisciplinary,” said Robson. “Now I’m working with collaborators from the computer science department. I have two students from computer science working on one of the projects.” There are also eight students from the Electrical Engineering Department working and assisting the Formula SAE team, she said. Students from EGME 414 and 419 will be giving their final presentation on May 16, where they will be speaking about their projects and demonstrating how their devices work in front of several collaborators and industry partners.
Shortly after graduation, Brittany Kuhn volunteered for the Peace Corps. She served as a seventh and eighth grade English teacher on the volcanic island of Fogo in Cape Verde for two years. “It was just an idea, an adventure, that I couldn’t shake,” she said. Since its establishment on March 1, 1961, the Peace Corps has had more than 200,000 volunteers; 352 of them, including Kuhn, have been Cal State Fullerton alumni. Currently, there are 23 volunteers from CSUF serving in the Peace Corps. In April, the independent U.S. government agency ranked CSUF No. 2 on a national list of Top Volunteer Producing HispanicServing Institutions.
“During the course of the time, we built a bridge together.” BRITTANY KUHN Peace Corps Veteran
Kuhn did not speak Kriolu, a local dialect, and resided in a country where there were strong language and cultural barriers between her and native residents. Kuhn said she found teaching there both “unnerving and rewarding.” “We had some clear barriers to overcome. Yet, over the course of two years, I watched them grow from hesitant children into courageous adults,” said Kuhn. “And during the course of the time, we built a bridge together.” After her time in the Peace Corps, Kuhn went to graduate school for international studies at the University of Denver.
She currently works at the Boeing Company as an advocacy and communications specialist, supporting global corporate citizenship. For Miki Shaler, a French and international business alumna of 1994, the inspiration to join the Peace Corps was a Peace Corps organizer. When she attended Claremont Graduate University, Shaler had a class with Nathaniel Davis, who helped former president John F. Kennedy start the Peace Corps in 1961. Shaler said Davis would tell stories about his career in the U.S. Foreign Service, and would also talk about how he would join the Peace Corps if he could. “I was actually in the middle of taking the oral part of the Foreign Service exam when I was hit with the thought, ‘Why am I doing this? I should join the Peace Corps instead!’ So I did,” said Shaler. She later served as a small business development volunteer in Romania from 1999 to 2001. Shaler’s primary assignment was to teach American accounting and business English at a private college in the city of Galati. Her secondary project was working with a non-governmental organization that introduced AIDS and HIV education in elementary schools and group homes. Shaler also held a workshop on how to write business plans, where she was introduced to grant writing and grants management. Shaler said some of the highlights during her time in Romania included traveling around Romania and the neighboring countries, such as Turkey, Hungary and Bulgaria. She also made new friends with whom she still keeps in touch with to this day. “My two years in Romania, while not always easy, were a very special time in my life and an experience that I will never forget,” Shaler said. Olenka Langen graduated from CSUF with a degree in child and adolescent development. She joined the Peace Corps because she wanted to make a difference in the world, and the experience would allow her to follow her dreams of becoming a teacher. “I wanted to travel and really learn what life was like in another
culture, so that when I taught in the U.S., I could share those experiences and open the eyes of my future students to the global society they would become a part of,” said Langen.
“While you are in the midst of it, you will struggle, but the payout is worth every hardship.” OLENKA LANGEN Peace Corps Veteran
She served as an Environment Education Promoter in Ecuador and Nicaragua, teaching environmental and science classes in schools, as well as conducting training workshops to help prepare teachers for the classroom. While in Nicaragua, Langen worked with a youth group of 15 students, ranging in ages from 10 to 15, to create a world map. Ever since she saw it done in Peru four years earlier by a Peace Corps volunteer, it became a dream of Langen’s to create this map herself. “The youth group never knew this, but they wanted to make this map for their community and for the school to learn more about the world,” she said. She said they worked tirelessly, and struggled to get supplies and support. The map was completed two weeks before Langen left. Today, Langen works as a second-grade teacher at Edward B. Cole Senior Academy in Santa Ana. On her return visit, the town would tell her about the map they had finished. If one wants to do something outside of the box and make a difference in the world and for themselves, then the Peace Corps would be ideal, Langen said. “Two years may seem long, and while you are in the midst of it, you will struggle, but the payout is worth every hardship,” she said.
DISABILITY: Students push for success CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“I often felt ashamed and embarrassed when I wore hearing aids … (I was afraid) to speak to anyone … (fearing) that I’d be ridiculed, belittled and (made) small,” Singh said. This discomfort slightly subsided after Singh was given a cochlear implant to replace the hearing aid. “It really affected me knowing that I could have succeeded much more in college if I hadn’t let that fear cloud my mind in classes,” he said. Paul Miller, director of the Office of Disabled Student Services (DSS), said “the sky’s the limit” for all students receiving a public education. Miller said DSS has helped disabled students overcome their trials by providing various kinds of services. According to the DSS website, accommodations provided include interpreters, test-taking facilitation, note-taking services and much more. Miller said any limitation on a major life activity—including learning, speaking, seeing and even reproduction—is, under the law, qualified as a disability. “Having a limitation in a particular life activity is what, generally, is going to be a qualifying factor for … being regarded as and protected as a person with a disability,” Miller said. These limitations may include psychological disabilities, learning disabilities, physical disabilities CONTACT US AT: FEATURES@DAILYTITAN.COM
and others, Miller said. The DSS’ responsibility is to offer services to students who need them, but it is the professors’ duty to allow students to utilize the services available. While professors on campus are not directly trained to teach students with disabilities, orientations and faculty meetings are held to help show them what to expect and how to deal with common problems that may arise. Online training courses for professors are another method that is being explored for future use. Miller said. Overall, professors have seemed to do well in understanding their students’ needs. Although accommodations are offered, disabled students are given the same workload required of any other student. DSS students are required to learn to be advocates for themselves, Miller said. He said they should also be helping others understand and learn to accept people with disabilities. “Students with disabilities are ... being expected to become independent, self-sufficient adults,” Miller said. “They’re being expected to contribute; give back to society by getting the training or the education needed in order to be able to work in something that they find meaningful and interesting,” he added. Miller said many DSS clients at CSUF have graduated and become
JOHN PEKCAN / Daily Titan
Sergio Valderrama has overcome a visual disability while pursuing his degree.
very successful alumni. This includes Karen Wheeler, an alumna and an accomplished artist. Wheeler was born with a form of muscular dystrophy called spinal muscular atrophy. She completed her education with assistance from DSS. She successfully graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 1981 with a master’s degree in art and a 4.0 GPA. Wheeler said her experience with the Visual Arts Department is what made her pursue an artist career. Before her attendance at CSUF, Wheeler said she attended a community college where professors were not as helpful or as openminded as they could have been. She said her academic experience changed after she made an appointment to meet with a professor in the art department.
Wheeler said she didn’t look at her disability as a problem in the arts; her professor didn’t feel she couldn’t accomplish her goals. Wheeler credits her success partially to emeritus professor Larry Johnson, a former chair of the Visual Arts Department. His direction and attitude towards Wheeler helped her stay motivated to stay in school, she said. Overall, she said she has very fond memories of her years as a Titan. “(CSUF) was one of the best experiences of my life … It’s a period of my life that I always look back on … I loved being around school and it was so accessible there that I didn’t have to worry about what I couldn’t do. And the support system was really great. I just loved being there,” said Wheeler.
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7
May 7, 2013
Crossword
FOR RELEASE MAY 7, 2013
To
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
view our online
Classifieds, visit
DailyTitan. com
6200 Career Opportunities P/T
Part-time Warehouse Shipping Clerk Performance engine parts warehouse seeking responsible individual for packing and shipping products. Duties also include customer service and data entry. Computer experience is a plus. Great work environment. Full benefits including 401K. Ask for Pat at (714) 978-3335.
to you by mctcampus.com Edited by Rich Norrisbrought and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 Help for the poor 5 Buffalo bunches 10 Florida resort, familiarly 14 Quick look 15 German sub 16 Cowardly Lion actor 17 Old Sinclair Oil rival 18 “Throw __ From the Train” 19 Soap Box Derby state 20 Defend a position 23 Bind with a band 24 Pinup’s leg 25 Water under the bridge 28 One in a church chorus? 30 Brit. fliers 33 Walk-off home run, often 35 Horne of jazz 36 Metallic mixture 37 Homie 38 Honda compact 39 Fast-talking 40 Explodes with rage 42 PC panic button 43 Rounded hammer end 44 Filled flapjack-like food 45 Assist 46 Bow-toting deity 47 With “The,” PBS show for kids, and a hint to the ends of 20-, 33and 40-Across 55 Put in cargo 56 Swashbuckler Flynn 57 Space 58 Prepare, as rice 59 Petty 60 Swed. neighbor 61 “The Thin Man” terrier 62 Tones down 63 Before long DOWN 1 “Tarzan” characters 2 “__ we forget”
3 Colorado’s __ Verde National Park 4 Toon fry cook in The Krusty Krab restaurant 5 “Just go along with what I said” 6 WWII investment 7 “When in __ ...” 8 River projects 9 Walk drunkenly 10 Come into one’s own 11 Hawaii’s most populous island 12 Stubble spot 13 Yankee slugger, familiarly 21 Bridget Jones’s book 22 Was on the ballot 25 __ fright 26 Cultivates 27 Thing of the past 28 Soap Box Derby city 29 Ask for Friskies, maybe 30 Accelerate, as an engine 31 Licorice-flavored seed
Horoscope
brought to you by mctcampus.com
Aries (March 21-April 19) Kick back, play and think big. Ask probing questions, and don’t worry about results. Love gives you the advantage. Convince through logic. Broaden your perspective. Use all your charms. Send a positive message. Taurus (April 20-May 20) You have extra resources for a household project, if you need them. Follow a hunch. Heed advice from family. Convince your partner by addressing their concerns. Listen for the best plan.
Sudoku
Sudoku brought to you by dailysudoku.com
Gemini (May 21-June 20) You and an expert can solve a tough problem. Follow a friend’s recommendation. Love and truth get you past any tough spots with grace. People are saying nice things about you. Cancer (June 21-July 22) An through for you again. Accept a challenge, gracefully. Stick works, for a while. Continue to
important person comes more responsibility with with what you know shop wisely. It pays off.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Welcome a visitor from far away. Consider a new possibility, and make a wise move on to the next adventure. Follow a great suggestion. Public funds may be available. Green light: go. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) A dream figure shows you how to make a change. Meanwhile, accept a gift for your home. Bring out valuables you’ve kept hidden. Money for a household investment becomes available. Test a new product. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Try out a new idea and get creative. Friends offer good advice. Tell the truth, and ask probing questions. Learn new skills from a master. Dazzle them with your brilliance. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Ask for what you want, and accept a generous offer. Keep track of your promises. Work can be fun, too, you know. Don’t forget to invoice. Work faster and make more money. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Accept an honor and a great suggestion from a child. Your imagination is greatly admired. Control your personal spending. You have the innate power to do this. Friends believe you can do anything. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Keep track of your winnings. Get it in writing. Arrange financing or play with investments. You may have more than you realize. Continue a renovation project. Good news comes from far away. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Collaboration is a good idea. This could even be enjoyable. Turn down a risk. Persuade with the evidence, and let friends know what you’ve discovered. This new information causes a modification. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Consider another profitable idea. Accept a new assignment on your conditions. Confirm plans in writing. Believe you can succeed. The checks get written. You’re winning admiration, and it fills your heart.
How To Play: Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9: and each set of boxes must contain the numbers 1 to 9.
5/7/13
By Jack McInturff
Monday’s Puzzle Solved
(c)2013 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
32 Stands up to 34 Competent 35 Cradle-to-grave stretches 38 Billiards bounce 40 Doctor’s advice 41 Uses a mouse wheel 43 Poe’s “The __ and the Pendulum” 45 Amtrak speedster
5/7/13
46 Pierre’s school 47 Isle off Tuscany 48 Cambodia neighbor 49 Revise copy 50 “Joy of Cooking” writer Rombauer 51 Study all night 52 Suffix with buck 53 Emperor after Claudius I 54 Show fatigue
FITNESS
PAGE 8
THE DAILY TITAN
MAY 7, 2013 TUESDAY
Going cuckoo for coconuts MICHELLE BUI For the Daily Titan
ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan
Energy drinks like Red Bull have become a staple in society expecially for those trying to get a caffeine fix.
The ins and outs of energy drinks QUYEN TIEN
For the Daily Titan
Students, workers and anyone on the go are always in need of more energy during the day. We rely heavily on our morning coffee and quick boost of anything that will enhance our mental and physical awareness to endure a long work day or a latenight study session. Energy drinks are defined as carbonated beverages that typically contain caffeine and other ingredients, like taurine and ginseng, intended to increase the drinker’s energy. Taurine can help stimulate the development of the brain and regulate the body’s water levels. The amount of taurine found in energy drinks is greater than the appropriate daily consumption. High doses of ginseng can be dangerous when taken with certain medicines, according to the American Cancer Society. There is a correlation between ginseng consumption and an increase in developing insomnia, headaches and hypertension. Published in the journal Pediatrics, teens and adolescents are increasing energy drink consumption around the world. On U.S. college campuses, consumption of energy drinks is a common occurrence. According to The Consumers
Union Report, caffeine is the mostly used stimulant in the world. Each energy drink product contains a different caffeine amount. For example, a caffeine-free level Liquid X Energy Drink contains 0 percent caffeine; moderate-level caffeine beverage Red Bull has 80mg per 8.46 oz. can and high-level caffeine beverage: Slam Energy Drink contains 107mg per 2 oz. bottle. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the amount of caffeine added to energy drinks. In fact, most energy drinks have higher amounts of caffeine than coffee. But what are the negative side effects of consuming energy drinks? Each person has a different limit for caffeine consumption. Among many negative side effects, studies have shown that there is a correlation between energy drinks and increased systolic blood pressure. A seven-year research project conducted by the Australian Poisons Center concluded that energy drink side effects include chest pain, dizziness, agitation, insomnia, headache and respiratory distress. Higher doses of caffeine can lead to increase blood pressure, diarrhea, nausea and withdrawal symptoms. Most energy drinks contain a high in sugar content which can lead to obesity, tooth decay and the increase risk of type 2 diabetes. Energy drinks contain 21 to 34 grams per eight
ounces of sucrose, glucose or high fructose corn syrup. In a report in March 2013, the American Heart Association stated that sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to more than 180,000 obesityrelated deaths worldwide each year. The United States has the third-highest death rate from sugary drinks, after Mexico who had the highest and Bangladesh who took second. In the United States, beverages containing high sugar content were linked to diabetes and obesity-related diseases. Any beverage containing sugar leads to weight gain. Energy drink consumption has a negative correlation with body mass index (BMI). Energy drinks create a temporary boost of energy that later results in a fatigue like feeling and should be consumed should be used in moderation. The caffeine content found in these beverages can cause dehydration. An alternative to energy drinks is consuming nature’s best energy source: fruits and vegetables. Dr. Mehmet Oz, M.D., a cardiothoracic surgeon, recommends kale, raspberries, almond milk and greek yogurt. Such ingredients can be made into a beverage and substituted for an energy drink. Ways to boost your energy can include adequate sleep, exercise, a healthy diet and water. Many energy drinks have negative side effects and should be used in moderation. Water is the best way to stay hydrated.
The trend of coconut use has been booming as of late. This fruit has been featured in Indian writings that date back more than 2,000 years ago, but its popularity didn’t start until recently. Narayana Darst, Cal State Fullerton’s interim director at the Health Center explained why this trend seemingly came so suddenly. “Research done in the 1960s and 1970s supposedly showed that coconut is possibly not as dangerous for us as we might expect and this research has been widely distributed by individuals on the Internet,” said Darst. Billboards and commercials for coconut water promoted by healthy and fit celebrities can now be seen across the country. “At my yoga studio they promote coconut water,” said Jane Nguyen, a business major at CSUF. “They have a fridge full of it and posters of fit women in yoga pants sipping on coconut water.” In fact, the successful arrival of coconut water has more to do with yoga than one might think. During the yoga craze in 2004, the vitamin water brands Zico and Vita Coco appeared on the market to target female yogis. The trend that coconut water stands as a healthier beverage alternative to soda and sports drinks has inspired brands like Vitamin Water and Pom Wonderful to emerge. Coconut water has been called “nature’s Gatorade” for its electrolyte-replacement qualities. Although the bottles of coconut water have “healthy” written all over them, there has been controversy on how beneficial this liquid really is. “Coconut water has naturally occurring electrolytes that may help muscles recover after a strenuous workout,” Darst said. “Coconut water is not better than drinking water, and in fact most individuals who exercise only need pure water to rehydrate after exer-
Photo illustration by JOHN PEKCAN / Daily Titan
Vita Coco and other coconut water brands are becoming more popular to the health conscious as the product is high in potassium and mineral content.
cise. Individuals should not choose coconut water in place of regular water.” Darst also explained that even though coconut water is a healthier alternative to other sports drinks, a diet high in saturated fats from coconut oil could increase the risk of cardiovascular heart disease. Abbey Hernandez, a long-time cyclist, has been drinking coconut water long before it became popular. She started drinking it extensively years ago when she got into cycling. “I am what they call a ‘salty sweater’, which means I lose a lot of electrolytes when I sweat,” said Hernandez. “I drink it because it’s a great natural way to get hydrated. Coconut water replaces those electrolytes you lost.” Don’t be fooled by some of the labels you see on bottles at the grocery store, however. There are pure coconut water bottles that don’t contain preservatives, but there are also many that have dyes,
sugar, and additives. “Make sure you do a lot of research and I can’t say this enough, read the nutrition facts,” said Nguyen. So is the reason for this coconut craze simply just because it’s seen as healthy? “People started discovering the health benefits of coconut products in general,” said Hernandez. “More people started to see that artificial beverages hurt them in the long run so they decided to seek an alternative.” Though it could be possible that the popularity of coconut water emerged because of media, the root of its’ existence lies in itself. The coconut craze became trendy when being healthy became popular. “I think that it will stay around because people are starting to be more conscious of what they’re eating now,” said Hernandez. This coconut craze might not stop until being healthy is no longer hot.
Distinguishing the difference between beneficial and detrimental fats LAUREN DAVIS Daily Titan
Although good and bad fats have always been prevalent in foods, understanding how to regulate and maintain these different types of fats, is important in nurturing a healthy body. Some good fats include polyunsaturated fat that is contained in vegetable oil, Omega-3 fatty acids found in tuna, and monounsaturated fat that is contained in nuts. These are all fats that are both safe and necessary to consume more frequently than not. Narayana Darst, interim director at the Student Health and Counseling Center at CSUF, explained how good fats such as unsaturated fats — both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated—have been proven to decrease a person’s total cholesterol. “Omega-3 fatty acids in particular, are related to the prevention and treatment of heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis and cancer,” said Darst. Darst explained that although good fats are necessary for a healthy body and lifestyle, the amount each person should consume ultimately varies based on a person’s height, weight, gender, and lastly, a person’s activity level. “Keep your total fat intake between 20 and 30 percent of calories from mostly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat sources,” Darst said. “An individual consuming a 2,000 calorie diet needs to consume between 55 and 85 grams of fat from healthy sources.” Michael Houser, a personal trainer
“Fats are important for your diet because a lot of hormonal functions are controlled by fats.” MICHAEL HOUSER Personal Trainer at 24 Hour Fitness, explained how important fats are when it comes to diet, and ultimately how important fats are towards maintaining a healthy body. “Fats are important for your diet because a lot of hormonal functions are controlled by fats,” Houser said. “Our endocrine system needs fats to work properly, but also a lot of our hormones in our body are lipid based, and without the proper fat in our body, we can’t create muscle.” He explained that when the body does not receive a good amount of fats such as Omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids, the body will hoard all the fat that it has because it does not know when it will receive more fats. Houser added that although saturated fat is looked down upon, he feels that based on multiple studies, adding a little saturated fat to a person’s diet may be beneficial. “For a healthy cholesterol, you still need some saturated fat in your diet to help erase your HDL (HighDensity Lipoprotein),” Houser said. “That is why when you have three eggs or so, you usually want to follow the rule of one yoke and two egg whites.” Darst explained that in regards to bad fats such as saturated fats, a
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person should limit the amount of fat to less than seven percent of their total energy. “Individuals with heart disease should take an Omega-3 supplement containing one gram per day,” Darst said. “Healthy people wishing to reduce their risk of heart disease may take a supplement of 500 mg per day.” Francesca Protano, the assistant vitamin manager at Mother’s Market, explained the importance that certain vitamins contain in regards to increasing good fats in the blood stream. “We have essential fatty acid supplements such as flax oils and fish oils, whether it be in a liquid or a pill form,” said Protano. She said that besides the supplements being beneficial for the blood stream, fish oils that contain the Omega-3 fatty acids and algae oils are also beneficial for brain functions. Houser added that although saturated fats are necessary in moderation, trans fat on the other hand should never be consumed. “Trans fats are basically unnatural,” Houser said. “They are found in nature, but very rarely and usually they are found in fast food and other companies, and their chemical structure makes it very unhealthy to eat.” VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM/SPORTS