Daily Titan: Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Page 1

Vol. 87 Issue 25

Multimedia

Watch the memorial for Chelsea King at:

dailytitan.com/chelseaking

TUESDAY

March 23, 2010

Greek organization Sigma Nu makes a comeback at: dailytitan.com/sigmanu

People of Vietnam aided by American volunteers Doctors and volunteers from around the country travel to provide free health and dental care. INTROSPECT, Page 6

SPORTS: The Walk-Off explores a bracket of eight one-name athletes SPORTS, Page 4

The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

A new age of health care

Some solicitors questionable By Andrew Kwok

Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

President Barack Obama prepares to deliver his first State of the Union speech to a joint session of the U.S. Congress January in Washington, D.C.

By Jennifer Karmarkar Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

President Obama will sign a historic health care bill into law Tuesday, effectively extending insurance coverage to more than 32 million Americans. While some Americans hail the new law as a necessary overhaul to a broken system and others decry it as a burden on a nation already overwhelmed with debt, nobody can deny that the bill will change the face of health care as we know it. “It’s going to change things a great deal,” said assistant professor of political science Matthew Jarvis. “There will be more pressure on insurers because they will have to insure people who haven’t been insured before and these insurers might not know how to

market the product to those people. Also – and this is years down the road – insurance companies can no longer do denial of pre-existing conditions. So they’ll have some challenges.” Students will be among the first groups to see benefits from this new law, since they are more likely to be in the age bracket where they were previously unable to remain on their parents’ insurance policies. The new law rescinds the age cutoff to 26, Jarvis said, which will “remove some of students’ fears about graduating and having no insurance in this god-awful job market.” “I think it’s a positive step for our whole government,” said philosophy major Raquel Alva, 23. “Everyone deserves to get free health care and, for myself, I’m not insured, so it’s a positive step for me and I’m looking

forward to seeing what the possibilities are and where it can go.” Business administration major Gus Garcia, 26, agrees that health care reform was long overdue. “There are a lot of people that need health insurance that aren’t getting it,” Garcia said. “It just gives everybody an opportunity to get what they deserve, which is the opportunity to have a healthy life. There’s a lot of opposition but I think (health care) is a great thing for people who don’t have it.” Experts say the no-denial stipulation will not be effective until 2014 but the extension of parents’ benefits until age 26 will take effect within the year. Ryan Dover, 25, a business administration and accounting major, hopes the changes come sooner rather than later.

“I’m at that age where I’m going to start working pretty soon,” he said. “This past year I turned 25 and I got kicked off my parents’ insurance. To be on that insurance for an extra couple years would have been really helpful for me.” Dover said his glasses recently broke and he can’t afford to buy new ones. He hopes he will be able to jump back on his parents’ policy and get some of the things he needs like dental and optical care. But he has concerns about the health care law too. “As I start going into the world, having to pay into (health care) may not be such a great idea for me.” Jarvis said students shouldn’t worry about paying higher taxes on health care anytime soon – the only taxes will be on those making more than $250,000 per year.

Students frustrated with bus availability By Michelle Tuyub

For the Daily Titan

news@dailytitan.com

As of March 14, a local manifestation of the economic downturn taking its toll on public transportation is easily visible. The OCTA (Orange County Transportation Authority) bus line has reduced the frequency of buses on certain routes as well as the night owl routes, running from 1 - 4 a.m. Some routes have been eliminated all together. Changes in service took affect on Sunday and students at Cal State Fullerton are able to see the immediate changes that have occurred. A loss of state funding for public transportation caused OCTA to have to reduce or eliminate the buses that are not used as much. Although this might not be seen as a problem to some students, it will mean a lot of change to others. Maria Montes, 19, undeclared, depends on the buses for her transportation to and from school. Living in Laguna Hills, it takes Montes two hours to get to and from CSUF. With the new changes to the routes that she usually takes, Montes has already missed a class. “(I) missed the second one, and knew I wasn’t going to make it (on time) so I went back (home).” Along with missing buses because of a new schedule, Montes said that she also had to take an extra bus. “One of my buses would go to Laguna Hills to Santa Ana. Instead of two I have

to come to campus at all. Durgabrasad Kottary, 25, electrical engineering major, lives in Cerritos and said that due to the elimination of the number 24 weekend route, he is not going to be able to come to campus at all on the weekend. Kottary also mentioned that because of the changes in the routes a lot of time is wasted; whether it’s waiting for the buses when you miss one, or waiting to catch a different bus. Kottary said that even if he had to pay more for the buses to be frequent, he would not oppose it. “(The) bus stopping at 8 (p.m.) is an issue because if you have class that is late, that would be an issue because of the bus stopping early.” Stated on OCTA’s Web site, their goal with the changes “is to preserve as much bus service as possible given the available reduced funds.” Although the changes have photo by christa connelly/Daily Titan Photo Editor caused increasing difficulty for An OCTA bus drops off passengers at the Nutwood Avenue stop in front of Hope International customers, OCTA said it is atUniversity. Many stops in the area have been reduced or eliminated due to a lack of state funds. tempting to accommodate to take three buses now.” The recent ser- route times to inform riders of the chang- its riders by reconstructvice changes were discussed last Novem- es. Despite these notices, some riders did ing and adding new routes. ber in a meeting with the OCTA com- not know of the change until recently. mittee. In the meeting many students and Zsareina Pouliot, 26, a graphic debus riders voiced their concerns pertain- sign major, said that she knew about the ing to the changes. Many of the concerns changes for a week. Bus route 24, which were of the inconvenience of people who Pouliot usually takes, was affected, leaving depend on the bus as their sole means of her to look more often for other forms of transportation. transportation. The OCTA Web site has a list of new With the weekend line being eliminatrenovations, along with a brief expla- ed from the 24 route, which is used nation for the recent changes. Notices by students attending CSUF, some marked “URGENT” were placed with students are not going to be able

Graphic by kristen hulsey/Daily Titan Design Editor

photo courtesy mct

The legitimacy of groups and organizations soliciting on campus is becoming increasingly questionable, as reports from students and faculty have raised concerns about unauthorized activities such as job recruiting. Deceptive means, such as vagueness of job description and the claim of having the authorization of the Career Center or the Dean of Students office have been used to recruit students said Dr. Esiquio Uballe, associate dean of students at Cal State Fullerton. Students have reportedly gone to the Career CenNO SOLICITING ter and to the Dean of Students office with complaints. After having gone through hiring and work processes, they find that misleading and manipulative means were used in recruitment and on the job. College Works Painting, a business which offers students the opportunity to manage residential house-painting operations, has been one such operation in question with regard to its recruiting ethics. Typical methods of operation involve making presentations in classrooms before faculty members begin instruction, passing out clipboards for students to provide contact and sometimes personal information. Oftentimes, to loosely comply with campus policies on campus solicitation, representatives from organizations unauthorized by the Career Center will ask faculty members for permission to present in classrooms. While the activities performed by College Works were considered unethical by the Career Center and by the Dean of Students office, and are generally against campus policies, they were not illegal. “It becomes a game of cat and mouse,” said Sean Gil, associate director at the Career Center. The Dean of Students office confronted representatives from College Works as early as spring 2009, informing them that their practices were against campus policy. Though it appeared that the representatives were willing to comply with campus policies, reports of their recruiting appeared again in fall 2009, Uballe said. Minor variations of College Works’ tactics were discovered. Instead of finding vacant rooms on campus for meetings, College Works recruiters migrated to venues such as the Marriott Hotel and Hope University. While CSUF has had an uneasy relationship with College Works, the company is registered with the Better Business Bureau and has a B+ rating. “The problem with this outfit is that they have not been transparent,” Uballe said. See SOLICITORS, Page 2


2

March 23, 2010

IN OTHER NEWS

INTERNATIONAL

Google attempts to go around Chinese censors SAN FRANCISCO/CHINA – With negotiations at an impasse in the high-profile showdown that has escalated tensions between China and the United States, Google Inc. has begun to redirect users of its Chinese-language search engine to uncensored results on its Chinese-language service based in Hong Kong. The Internet giant said it will maintain other operations in the country, part of its bid to continue to operate in the fast-growing Internet market in the world’s most populous country without backing down from its pledge to end censorship. The Chinese government was not forewarned about the move. It could block people on China’s mainland from connecting with the Hong Kong service.

NATIONAL Clinton urges Israelis to concede for peace WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Monday urged Israelis to make unpopular concessions for peace, warning that the lengthening reach of militant rockets and an expanding Israeli Arab population make it impossible to maintain the status quo. Speaking to a powerful pro-Israel lobby, Clinton said the militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah are acquiring more sophisticated rockets that are reaching ever deeper into Israel’s heartland. Meanwhile, the fast growth of the Palestinian population in Israel means the country may not be able to continue as a democracy if it also wishes to be the Jewish homeland, she told the annual gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. In this setting, “the status quo is unsustainable for all sides,” Clinton said.

STATE Street gang admits to being members of criminal act MODESTO – Four young followers of the underground band Insane Clown Posse admitted in court Monday to acting as members of a criminal street gang police call Juggalos when they assaulted a man strolling with his daughters through Graceada Park a year ago. Brandon Ferrell, 19, Kurt Petersen, 23, and Larry Williams, 20, all pleaded no contest to a felony charge of assault likely to produce great bodily injury in addition to a gang enhancement. Joshua Huggins, 18, pleaded guilty to the same charge and enhancement. A judge sentenced Williams, who has a previous conviction under the state’s “three strikes” law to seven years in state prison. Petersen, Ferrell and Huggins each got a year in county jail. Ferrell and Huggins will be released from jail Monday because they have already served their time, while Petersen still must serve the bulk of his year-long sentence. All four waived their right to appeal their convictions. “For me, it wasn’t an easy call,” said the Deputy District Attorney.

For the Record It is the policy of the Daily Titan to correct any inaccurate information printed in the publication as soon as the error is discovered. Any incorrect information printed on the front page will result in a correction printed on the front page. Any incorrect information printed on any other page will be corrected on page 2. Errors on the Opinion page will be corrected on that page. Corrections also will be noted on the online version of the Daily Titan. Please contact Executive Editor Sergio Cabaruvias at 657-278-5815 or at execeditor@dailytitan.com with issues about this policy or to report any errors.

Daily Titan Editorial

Executive Editor Managing Editor News Editor News Editor News Editor Opinion Editor Detour Editor Sound-Off Editor Features Editor Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor Design Editor Design Editor Design Editor Multimedia Editor Multimedia Editor Online Editor Editor at Large Adviser Main Line (657) 278-3373 News Line (657) 278-4415

Sergio Cabaruvias Jeremiah Magan Katelin Paiz Donald C. Stefanovich Laura Barron-Lopez Skylar Smith Brittny Ulate Meghan Alfano April Ehrlich Simon Liang Gilbert Gutierrez Ashleigh Johnson Adrian Gaitan Danielle Flint Christa Connelly Nick Marley Kristen Hulsey Shiori Nakamura Bianca De La Rosa Isa Ghani Anne Beck Damon Lowney Christine Amarantus Jason Shepard Editorial Fax (657) 278-2702 E-mail: news@dailytitan.com

Advertising Director of Advertising Production Assistant Production Assistant National Sales & Promotion Classified Manager Webmaster Account Executive Account Executive Account Executive Account Executive Account Executive Advertising Dept. Asst. Distribution Business Manager/Adviser Main Line (657) 278-3373 Advertising (657) 278-4411

Adrian Gaitan Mandi Braga Sidney Cumbie Katie Hennessey Rachel David Chris Ullyott Liz Hernandez Amber VanOrman Hayley Toler Rebecca Krantz Monzerrath Gonzalez Kassia Azimioara Santana Ramos Robert Sage Advertising Fax (657) 278-2702 E-mail: ads@dailytitan.com

The Daily Titan is a student publication, printed every Monday through Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSUF System. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. The Daily Titan allocates one issue to each student for free. Copyright ©2010 Daily Titan

CIA recruiters tell the truth By Deyja Charles and mi tran For the Daily Titan

news@dailytitan.com

The men in black were nowhere in sight yesterday afternoon at the Titan Theater when CIA recruiters gave a presentation on career opportunities related to international affairs for business students. The event was sponsored by the Finance Association (FA) and held to debunk the Hollywood clichés students had of the CIA and provide a better understanding of the National Clandestine Service (NCS), a branch of the CIA that focuses on collecting information needed to defend the security of the United States. Cal State Fullerton junior Kimberly Lucero attended the event to find more information about the advantages she will have with her finance degree. “Because our major’s really broad, I want to know what opportunities I have because I don’t know what I want to do yet,” Lucero said. CIA agent and NCS recruiter, who referred to himself only as Michael M., has been working in the field for 19 years. Michael, who graduated from San Diego State, emphasized to students that motivation is the key to working in the field. “If you have interest in world events, strong teamwork and communication skills, this could be the career for you,” Michael said. Although most students in the room were business majors, Michael insisted that the NCS finds purpose in all majors. “I’ve had friends who were theater, history and philosophy majors who worked in the field,” Michael said. “Their going to look at the work experience you possess and place you based

photo By Mi Tran/For the Daily Titan Michael M, Natioinal Clandestine Recruiter for the CIA, talks about what it takes to intern for the agency at the Titan Theater March, 22.

on that.” “I want to see all my options. I would consider working for the CIA,” said Allen Hsu, a computer science major who expressed interest in the NCS. The FA which partnered with the Latino Business Student Association (LBSA), wanted to broaden the opportunity students have and give them a chance to prepare for their futures. Claudia Cabral, vice president of LBSA, never really considered a career with the CIA.

“This was a perfect presentation,” Cabral said. “Their thorough background about the CIA really opened my eyes.” Though job positions are not available for those who do not hold a bachelor’s degree, the presentation discussed the Undergraduate Internship Program which offers paid internships and free airfare to and from headquarters located in Washington D.C. and the Virginia areas. “Internships require 90 days of commitment which can be broken up

into two summers or a summer and a semester before graduation,” said Sharon Cordero, another Student Internship Program recruiter for the CIA. Students who are interested in applying for the Student Internship Program should apply online at Cia.gov at the beginning of November for summer internships. It takes 6-9 months for applications to process. In order to be eligible for the student program, students must be U.S. citizens and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Moaddeli’s concern was that one or two incidents may have been blown out of proportion, causing a long-lasting misunderstanding between College Works and campus officials. College Works claims to have knowledge of only two occurrences at CSUF. The first involved a CSUF student, who no longer works for the company, recruiting by giving presentations in front of classrooms. After learning that making the presentations was against campus policy, students resorted to passing clipboards around classrooms, before learning that their new methods were also unwelcome. “We are one of the largest residential painting companies in the country,” Moaddeli said, noting that College Works has had a positive relationship with campuses such as University of California, San Diego. Stewart said he felt College Works didn’t get the support and under-

standing from the Career Center that they are trying to foster with campuses nationwide, even after prior incidents were explained. Most reports of classroom solicitation involve lower-division, general classes, where there are likely to be more new students, Gil said. Other solicitors are also known to stop students who are walking through campus. Recently, a group posing as CSUF students was attempting to sell “magazine subscriptions.” The group’s legitimacy or identity could not be verified. Students and faculty have filed complaints about various organizations, many nameless and claiming to be affiliated with the Career Center, which give presentations in classrooms promising appealing career and internship opportunities, said Jim Case, director of the Career Center. “Any group stating they have been authorized by the Career Center to solicit on campus is lying,”

Gil said. The presence of unauthorized solicitors is one of the reasons that the Career Fair will be moved from the campus quad into the Titan Student Union. College Works representatives have been escorted off campus for attempting to participate in past Career Fairs without registering, Gil said. While the university protects and promotes free speech, commercial activities are more heavily regulated and enforceable by campus policies and authorities, Uballe said. Lieutenant John Brockie, from the CSUF Police Department, said he has known of unauthorized solicitors as a problem since he joined the department 12 years ago. Though unauthorized solicitors are not a new problem, recent economic hardship may be a factor in the higher profile activities performed by organizations such as College Works in the past two years, Case and Gil said.

solicitors: attempt to hire students From Page 1

Misunderstandings between College Works management and its recruiters may have been responsible for sour relations with the Career Center, said Matt Stewart, cofounder of College Works Painting. Brian Moaddeli, vice president of College Works’ Southern California region, said College Works has ceased recruiting at CSUF since last year, when the company discovered that an individual recruiter had broken both campus and College Works’ recruiting policies. College Works later attempted to establish itself on campus by abiding by the Career Center’s policies, but was denied access. “I would love to work on our relationship,” Moaddeli said, regarding College Works’ prior conflicts with the Career Center. Last year, a 94 percent rate was achieved by College Works with 8,000 houses painted, Moaddeli said.

Path to immigration reform dicussed in Washinton D.C. By Lina Norena

For the Daily Titan

news@dailytitan.com

Pressured by immigration advocates, President Barack Obama met with senators Lindsay Graham and Charles Schumer, who provided him with the outline of an immigration reform bill. The bill, not yet complete, is said to be a combination of tougher border enforcement and a pathway to legalization for the estimated 12 million people who are in the United States illegally. After meeting with Graham and Schumer, Obama said he “looked forward to reviewing their promising framework.” Obama also said he remains committed to fixing a broken system One of the many concerns of immigration advocates is the time it will take for the effort to actually get moving. In their discussion, Graham shared this concern with Obama and pointed out that if the health care bill moves forward, under a special process known as budget reconciliation, it could stall the immigration effort in Congress. Under the current immigration laws, illegal immigrants are not eligible to drive or work legally. They are also not allowed to at-

tend a university, though there are some exceptions. For example, when illegal immigrant students are applying for college, they are able to file an AB 540 form, allowing them to be exempt from the payment of non-resident tuition. The exact number of students requesting this form is kept confidential. To qualify as an AB 540 student, immigrants must have attended high school in California for at least three years and received a high school diploma. “While AB 540 allows for some attendance now, legal citizens/ aliens have a much easier time getting financial aid,” said Mathew Jarvis a professor of political science at Cal State Fullerton. “The lack of financial aid makes going to school more difficult for nonresident students, as they do not qualify for work.” “The immigration effort is definitely a concern for illegal students at Cal State Fullerton,” said senior Syed Zaki Haider. Coming from a foreign country himself, Haider, who is now a U.S. citizen, said he believes that everyone deserves the right to an education, and there should be some sort of arrangement made in order to facilitate attendance

Graphic courtesy MCT

for those non-residents aside from the AB 540. “I think the issue matters to everyone, because it all affects our wallets,” said junior Trevor Rabone. “Illegal immigrants do get benefits and aid in places like education, in which I’ve seen figures ranging from 7-8 million that California loses every year in educating the children of illegal immigrants. Someone eventually has to pay for that, and it’s the taxpaying citizens.” Immigration advocates are planning to march on Washington D.C. March 21, to apply more pressure on lawmakers to take action on the immigration efforts. They also want to see a blueprint for the bill from Graham and Schumer before then. With presidential commitment and leadership, advocates are expecting results in the next couple of weeks.


3

March 23, 2010

Nerdgasm “Exploring the highs and lows of nerd culture.” Would CSUF banning laptops in classrooms, like schools on the east coast, be a good thing?

By Brian Zbysenski

Daily Titan Staff Writer opinion@dailytitan.com

In a recent article published in the Daily Titan, a story stated that laptops have been banned from a few different colleges in the east coast. While it may just be the beginning of a laptop-banning movement across the school systems, I hope that it is not. Judging off the original research from the Washington Post, 17 students that utilized a laptop in the classroom were studied. Of those 17, they averaged a 71 percent in the class. They also added that this was the same result for students who often didn’t show up to class. This is quite an assumption. First of all, if students are passing classes without showing up, then laptops are not as big of a problem as we think. But in all seriousness, a study with 17 test subjects can’t be all that accurate. We don’t know where these students were coming from. Seventy-one percent may have been a great grade for them, and without the use of the laptop, they may have scored worse. There are many great uses and distracting ways to use a laptop. Many do use their laptops to follow instructors’ PowerPoint

presentations and type follow up notes. There are those who surf Facebook, MySpace, read the news and play games while in class. But let’s let those people suffer the declining grades. In this day and age, we are all making an effort to be a little more “green” in our lives. The use of laptops can drastically cut down on paper and help reduce the massacre of our beloved forests. Google has a great way to share papers without having to print anything out. Google Docs, which is available through everyone’s Gmail and campus e-mail accounts, is a way to upload your work online. You can then invite whoever you wish to view and/or edit your work without touching a piece of paper. When professors begin to realize how powerful this software really is, classes can operate through this alone, all without having to cut down a precious tree. It seems as though the internet is what the true distraction is, and not laptops themselves. So maybe we can find a way to temporarily disable the Internet within a classroom. However, the Washington Post also stated that disabling Internet access entirely might create a raft of new complaints from professors who routinely ask students to go online in class. But assuming we can find a way to disable Internet connections, I would imagine we could enable it when needed. Laptops should not be banned, but perhaps internet capability should be looked at more sternly throughout the school system. Schools should look into modifying our technologies, rather than restricting them. This way those who abuse them won’t ruin this privilege for the rest of us.

By Juliana Campbell

Daily Titan Staff Writer opinion@dailytitan.com

When walking around campus, it’s common to see students carrying laptops along with an armful of books and folders. When in class, as soon as a student sits down, their laptop screen flips open with a glow that can be seen from across the room. Along with this glow, the tapping of keys can be heard while students look at Web sites that don’t pertain to class. Laptops in class are nothing but a nuisance to the people behind and/or on the side of you. Some lecture topics can be extremely boring to some, but for others, it may be intriguing. If a student with a laptop knows a lot about the topic being lectured, then it’s a given that they will most likely browse the Web or log onto their Facebook account when they feel it’s not important to listen, all while distracting the student behind them who is trying to take notes and pay attention. Not only is the glow and the size of a laptop irritating, but the tapping of the keyboard is also distracting to hear when others are trying to concentrate on the lecture.

More often that not, the student frantically tapping on the laptop keyboard is trying to finish his/her homework before the class is over. Some students feel that they take better notes while typing instead of writing, but some instructors lecture fast and have a lot of information to go over. At the end of class or midspeech, the student is checking for grammatical issues and some sentences they write do not even makes sense. It is better for a student to write information down rather than distract the person next to them with the hard tapping of the keyboard. Writing down notes with paper and ink also helps to retain information better. What is the real point of bringing a laptop to class? Honestly, I never see any students following along per page with the instructor or researching what the chapter is about. If a student needs to use a computer, there are computer labs available to them. The university has close to a thousand computers for students to utilize. Many students have computers at home or at work they can use and do not have to bring to class their laptops just to Tweet, MySpace or Facebook their friends. Understandably, instructors can not spend the whole time in class to peak over students computer screens to see exactly what they are doing, so they have become passive about it. It is a shame that students cheat themselves out of a greater education that few are able to obtain by surfing the Web and not paying attention during class.

Awesome ‘Bloodlines’ by Ashleigh Johnson

Daily Titan Copy Editor opinion@dailytitan.com

Hey there everyone (all two of you). So I don’t suppose that you’ll mind if I sort of clock out early, would you? I mean, I’m super busy with writing essay things on topics that are of the academic nature. There’s also examinations in which I am to be examined… in my native habitat. For signs of mange. And polio. And AIDS. PolAIDSange. You believe me, right? Wait! No! Don’t look at the computer screen! No! It’s just spreadsheets and porn! I swear it! Aw, damn. Fine. The truth is, I just got this game off of Steam called Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. Bloodlines is an older game, having been released in 2004, but it’s become a cult hit over the years – mostly because it’s amazingly fun. In the game you play a vampire who must masquerade as a human to get blood. Lines. So your bloodsucker can be from one of seven clans, each with their own strengths and weaknesses: Brujah (who are all like, “Fight the powah!”), Gangrel (wannabe furries who like the idea but just can’t commit), Malkavian (aka the awesome class), Nosferatu (they’re as ugly as sin! And they live in the sewers like that clown in that one movie), Toreador (winners of the Most Likely to Sparkle award), Tremere (they can make people explode with magic! It’s pretty sweet) and Ventrue (snobs). You start the game off as a newly-created vampire who narrowly escapes getting his or her head lobbed off and then are tasked with proving your worth by becoming the prince of the vampire’s proverbial bitch. As the story unfolds, you’re forced to choose your allegiances, as you traverse a nightmarish version of Los Angeles whose living population

can be used as fleshy juiceboxes. Over the course of the game, you’ll deal with vampire hunters and werewolves, hunt down ancient artifacts, fight gangsters and rival vampires, stop a snuff ring, bring an end to a creepy cult and … AHHHH! IT’S JUST SO AWESOME! Maybe it’s just because I’m jaded from “Twilight” being hailed as an epic saga for the ages, maybe all those hours spent playing Grand Theft Auto have turned my brains into mush, or maybe it’s because I never take my medication before I play (the voices tell me things), but there’s something oddly satisfying about playing an undead creature of the night who sneaks up behind an unsuspecting hooligan with a fire ax and then lobs their head off. It’s also fun to jump on people and start sucking away like no one’s business. “Suck on this, Edward!” I’ll shout gleefully, causing my mom to privately wonder where she went wrong. But I think the most amazing part of this game are the dedicated fan communities I found while doing research. The fact that Bloodlines became a cult favorite is nothing short of mindboggling. As excellent as the game is now, when it was first released it was so riddled with bugs that it was deemed virtually unplayable. A single official patch was released and then Troika, the company that developed the game, went under. Since then, fans across the world have worked to create new patches, restore old content as well as adding some new stuff, and generally just better the game. And they’ve done a hell of a job, because playing Bloodlines with the fan-made patches has produced a game that’s unlike anything else I’ve played. It’s called teamwork, folks, and it gets stuff done. Cue “The More You Know” music.


4

March 23, 2010

The Walk-Off: Battle of the one-namers

By brian whitehead

Daily Titan Staff Writer sports@dailytitan.com

What’s in a name? Well, behind the defining letters, strategically-placed accent marks and distinguishing hyphens, there’s personality, recognition and pride. There’s no denying the fact that some names are cooler than others, just like there’s no denying the fact that names are getting stranger by the day (i.e. “Pilot Inspektor,” “Sage Moonblood” and “Jermajesty.”) In sports, your fate can often times be determined by the simplicity of your name. Peruse the NBA Hall of Fame and you’ll see names like “Jordan,” “Magic” and “Bird.” Stroll through the NFL Hall of Fame and you’ll see names like

“Montana,” “Elway” and “Aikman.” The success of one-name athletes should come as no surprise. The confidence that it takes to assume a single name undoubtedly fuels great success. How else can you explain Prince turning himself into a symbol in ’92? The ultimate name is one that’s short, easily recognizable, representative and fun to say. Naturally, only one athlete can be crowned “The Greatest One-Name Athlete of All-Time,” and in honor of March Madness, here’s a bracket to help settle the score. Elite 8 (1) Tiger v. (8) Favre The Pantheon of One-Name Athletes starts and ends with Tiger Woods. “Tiger” is not only a nickname, it’s a brand. Kids want to grow up and be just like Tiger (well, at least they did before Thanksgiving). His nickname not only cements his status as a global icon, it also cements his place in the Final Four. (4) Magic v. (5) Sweetness Two silky smooth nicknames that couldn’t be more representative of the athletes who inherit them. While both nicknames infer an effortless dominance of their respective sport, when it comes down to it, “Magic” is a much better alternative to “Earvin.”

Ali celebrates after defeating Sonny Liston in 1965 to retain his heavyweight title.

photos courtesy mct Muhammad Ali taunts Sonny Liston after his “phantom punch” knocked out Liston just one minute into the first round on May 25, 1965. With the victory, Ali retained the WBC heavyweight championship that he was stripped of in 1964 after beating Liston. Ali retired in 1981 and ended his boxing career with a 56-5 record and 37 knockouts.

(3) Jordan v. (6) Ruth Behind Trump, Jordan is the most recognizable single-name in business. Like Tiger, Jordan’s name has transcended sports and catapulted him into the world of enterprise. His Airness has done quite well as an entrepreneur and his on-court accomplishments speak for themselves. If this were Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, the Babe would have a better chance, but it’s not. (2) Ali v. (7) DiMaggio Anytime “Dated Marilyn Monroe” is part of your career resume, you’re going to have a fighter’s chance to stay alive. However, Ali is just that, a fighter.

With fights that defined a genera- women (well, except for Tiger). tion and a charisma that will never Tiger moves on. be seen again, Ali KO’s DiMaggio. (2) Ali v. (3) Jordan Fi n a l Sitting Four on my I’m the most recognizable man headboard (1) Tiger v. (4) Magic that ever lived ‘cause there weren’t no is a book Ti g e r called “Ali p u t t e d satellites when Moses and Jesus were Rap.” against Bob around, so people far away in the vilWhat it Hope when is is a book he was 2 lages didn’t know about them. of Muhamand has mad Ali’s been in the reatest – Muhammad Ali gquotes. public eye Boxer ever since. In it he Ever y says, “I’m child has the most a nickname they like to call them- recognizable and loved man that selves, but finding one that sticks can ever lived ‘cause there weren’t no be as hard as balancing 20 different satellites when Moses and Jesus were

In a bracket of eight candidates, there is only one winner - boxing’s greatest

around, so people far away in the villages didn’t know about them.” You can’t make this stuff up, Ali advances. Championship (1) Tiger v. (2) Ali When evaluating athletes’ greatness, they all must pass one simple test: The Standing Ovation test. When Athlete X enters a room will he get a standing “O”? I’m not quite sure about Tiger, especially after what transpired over the last few months, but Ali definitely, undoubtedly, without question will. In the closest match-up to date, Muhammad Ali claims “The Greatest One-Name Athlete of All-Time” title. What can I say, he’s the greatest.


5

March 23, 2010

Misce

Crossword

1600

White ous RoseA naheim Great re . dents s search tool f c o m tudying or stupolice m duct an d i Follow related legal sconissues. active p case in olice b ru include Anaheim. W tality eb site s public city council video, police comments, report and mo actual re!

Rese

arch

S

brought to you by mctcampus.com

llane

1900 cts ubje

O N WH E M WO ONS TED: ORTI WAN B A HAD ion ormat f HAVE n i te s ntribu Thesi y to co g polo s nthro A affect r n o fo i t abor s. how t u ymou o n o ab n A u en. m ton.ed r o e l w l u su.f rel@c t s e k j c

view our

ay: D e of th e t o Qu some h t i w

online

Classifieds,

g velin a r t s of n e e s h o d “W large e k nce ta olera t one, nd .” e a c n e offee c pati g in morn r s u o y Haye with elen

visiT

dailyTiTan.C

om

-H

Horoscopes

7 1 9 2

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2010. All rights reserved.

9 4 7 8 5 2 6 1 3 3 6 8 9 7 1 2 5 4

9 4 7 8 5 2 6 1 3 3 6 8 9 7 1 2 5 4

2 5 1 4 6 3 8 9 7 5 9 3 6 2 4 7 8 1 1 2 6 7 3 8 5 4 9

4 3 6

4

1 9

2 6 7 8 5 4 7 1 6 2 2 1 5 3 6 8

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2010. All rights reserved.

7 8 4 5 1 9 3 6 2 8 7 2 1 9 5 4 3 6

td 2010. All rights reserved.

Daily Sudoku: Sun 14-Mar-2010

5 9

2

1

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Get in the mood to break the ice at a social gathering. Others may mask feelings, so prime the pump by engaging them with questions about themselves.

9 8 4 6

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You get a lot more work accomplished when you dip just below the surface of consciousness to grasp creative images and language.

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.

8 7 5 3

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) One of your favorite people tells you how to run your life. Put them in charge of your appointment calendar only if you want changes.

Daily Sudoku: Sun 14-Mar-2010 (c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2010. All rights reserved.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Assert your love in definite terms. State your feelings loudly and often. Others may take time to return the favor, and they may be hard of hearing.

8 5 4 7 1 6 2 2 1 5 3 6 6 4 9 8 4 3 1

3 4 8 9

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Perhaps the biggest challenge today is to bring imaginative ideas into the workplace and make them solid. Bring the new kid up to speed.

1

2 6 7

6 2 3 1

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) If you want to get anything done today, establish structure early. Consider all the angles before you reach the completion phase.

4

4 6 7 5

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) What starts out gloomy can turn to sunshine if you ride the horse in the direction it’s going. Let someone else assert pressure.

3 8 7 2 5 4 3 8 5 9 2

1 3 6 4

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Get in gear early in the day. Review your schedule and contact a professional who has the advice you need. Full speed ahead until quitting time.

1 3

5 9 2 8

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Hard work today pays off. Don’t avoid responsibilities. Smile even if you’re not having fun. You can get through it.

7

easy

Gemini (May 21-June 21) You feel boxed in when friends and neighbors make emotional demands. You’d rather stick to the practical cash decisions.

Sudoku brought to you by dailysudoku.com

8 7 2 1 9 5 4 3 6 6 1 5 3 4 7 9 2 8 4 3 9 2 8 6 1 7 5

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Whatever balls you have in the air, keep them in motion. The flow of communication at work needs to continue. Increase intensity later in the day.

Sudoku

Daily Sudoku: Sun 14-Mar-2010

Aries (March 21-April 19) Don’t try to think outside the box today. Just get the work done. Don’t expect it to be fun. Your partner applauds your diplomacy.

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

brought to you by mctcampus.com

2 5 1 7

To


6

March 23, 2010

CSUF students aid doctors in Vietnam

Faces of a nation From Feb. 25 to March 7, communications students in Jeffrey Brody’s Specialized Reporting class flew across the Pacific to take part in a mission to provide medical care for the underprivileged PHOTO ESSAY By ANI KELOGG For the Daily Titan

features@dailytitan.com

The school children of Ben Tre, Vietnam were the primary focus of the Project Vietnam Foundation dental teams. Likely the only dental care they will ever recieve, they were all excited to be seen by dentists.

PHOTOS COURTESY JEFFREY BRODY Anesthesiologists Nathan Le and Karen Wu tend to the second day’s first patient, assisted by registered nurse Susan Ketigian. Le, Wu and Ketigan were in Vietnam as part of a medical mission led by Project Vietnam Foundation (PVNF).

Volunteers improve vision abroad Journalism students from Cal State Fullerton assist doctors in Vietnam By Mary Anne Shults For the Daily Titan

features@dailytitan.com

Five-year-old Dat Van Nguyen was born with crossed eyes. The other children in his Vietnamese village taunted and laughed at him. It broke his mother’s heart to see his self-esteem crushed. She wondered if he’d forever be an outcast, never to have a normal life, forced to live with stares and disdain. This changed when a nun told his mother doctors from the Project Vietnam Foundation (PVNF) were coming from the United States to perform free eye surgery. Her church helped finance their trip from Cà Mau – about 200 miles to the northeast. Dat is ready for surgery to correct eye muscle misalignment. “I just want him to have normal working eyes, no complications and then a normal life,” Dat’s mother, Hien, said through a translator. She was putting her trust in a medical team that had traveled 6,000 miles to offer eye muscle surgery in a country where it is unavailable to the poor. The main purpose of the procedure is to restore straight eye alignment, so that they look in the same direction. A group of 14 surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and operating room staff came from across the U.S., including some Vietnamese-Americans who wanted to help the people of their homeland. On Feb. 28, the team led by pediatric eye surgeons Mark Steele and Julie Nam screened several dozen children and young adults. Some traveled up to three hours, hoping they would qualify for corrective surgery. Dat arrived early with his mother and the nun at the Ham Luong Hotel to be one of the first in line. The team screened for eye muscle disorders in the hotel’s banquet room.

At the first station, Steele measured the extent of how much the eyes were drifting. Next, a nurse put drops in the patient’s eyes to dilate the pupils so that Nam could complete the exam. Phuoc Van Pham, 12, qualified for surgery. He and his mother had driven an hour on a motor scooter in the heat, humidity and air pollution, then waited several hours for their turn to see the doctor. Excited that her son would be having surgery the next day, she said that the commute was worth it. “I’m going to grow up and make a lot of money,” Phuoc said. By late afternoon, the surgical team approved 15 patients for surgery. However, word spread across the province about the American group, and others made their way to the hotel, hoping they might qualify for the procedure. The next day, the team arrived at the hospital. Accustomed to working in high-tech, modern surgical facilities, the team didn’t balk at the minimal air conditioning and outdated equipment, such as anesthesia machines circa 1970s and operating room lights that resembled miniature

space ships. The team brought most of their equipment, supplies and medicine. Several team members came from Eureka, Calif., recruited by Tina and Keith Chittenden. A self-proclaimed “medical mission junkie,” Tina Chittenden supervised the nursing staff. Her employer, St. Joseph Hospital, allocated $1,800 for supplies that the couple brought in eight jumbo red duffel bags. “Ophthalmological surgical supplies are specialized, especially the sutures,” she said. “My employer is so supportive; all I had to do was make a list and they said if it’s not too much, get what you need.” Anesthesiologists Karen Wu and Nathan Le joined the mission to help the Vietnamese. Although Wu had done missions in Mexico, she always wanted help out in Vietnam. When co-worker Le told her about PVNF, she volunteered. The recovery room nurses monitored Mai, 3, as her mother knelt at her side after her eye surgery. Susan Ketigian and Jo Heil, both registered nurses, assisted in the oper-

Dat Van Nguyen high-fives pediatric eye surgeon Mark Steele the morning after the surgery that uncrossed his eyes. Dat’s mother smiles on.

ating room. Working together at an ambulatory surgical center on Long Island, N.Y., both had been on previous humanitarian missions. “Children have an obvious need. I think the theory is that if the eyes are not straight, these poor kids will never have a normal life,” Ketigian said. “They wouldn’t get married or have a family … They’d be ostracized.” With the first two children anesthetized, hooked up to IVs, beeping heart rate and blood pressure monitors, and oxygen, the nurses draped the sterile field and the surgeries began. The procedure lasted about 45 minutes. After they finished, the patients were sent to the recovery room. The patients’ families stayed in a waiting area outside, separated from the surgical suite by a metal gate, restless to see their children. Nurses Nita Mirsky and Amora Karolczuk monitored the children as the anesthesia wore off. Frightened and disoriented, the nurses’ kind faces and soft words calmed their fears. When stable, the mothers were allowed to come through the gate to hold and console their children. On her eighth mission with PVNF, Mirsky said that the language barrier was insignificant. “It’s the tone of the voice and the facial expressions (that comfort), not the words,” said Mirsky, Tina Chittenden’s twin. “You don’t need to speak the same language.” As a hospice nurse in Eureka, Calif., Mirsky said that care of these children, knowing she was part of providing them a better life, offers a balance to comforting the terminally ill. Assisting in the operating room, nurse Scott Morrison was on his first mission and was emotionally touched after witnessing the entire procedure, from pre-screening to discharge. “The way the kids and their moms react … you can see the love just from the expressions on their faces. Moms love their kids — it doesn’t matter if they are in Vietnam,” Morrison said.

A woman looks through a window, watching the American doctors and volunteers treat her friends and neighbors as she waits in line to be seen.

Hypertension is one of the most common ailments found in the elderly of Vietnam. Years of hard work and raising families weighs heavily on their bodies.

A grandmother waits in line with her grandson to be seen by dentists on the first day of Project Vietnam Foundation’s work. Many teeth cannot be saved and must be removed because they have been neglected for too long or there are too many patients to see.

Only so much care available for the poor and very ill By Melissa Hoon

Daily Titan Staff Writer features@dailytitan.com

It was only 8 a.m., but already close to 100 people sat waiting in sweltering 95 degree heat and humidity, eagerly hoping for their illnesses to be cured. Young mothers sat with their sick infants on their laps; the elderly sat hunched over, most likely from years of bending over working in rice fields;

teens looked nervous but hopeful while anticipating diagnoses. It was the first morning of a medical mission led by Project Vietnam Foundation (PVNF), a nonprofit organization based in Orange County. Since 1996, PVNF has traveled to poor rural areas of Vietnam several times each year to provide health care to needy people. The core of PVNF consists of three teams: dental, surgery and primary care. The purpose of the dental

and surgery teams is effective and clear – to change patients’ lives forever by performing eye surgeries to correct and improve vision, and by extracting teeth and filling cavities to permanently fix children’s dental problems.

Story continued at www.Daily Titan.com/primary-care-in-Vietnam

Multimedia For more photos, stories, videos, blogs and more information, log onto:

http://Vietnam.DailyTitan.com

Scooters are the primary mode of transportation in Vietnam. With up to four people riding on one scooter, entire families can be seen huddled together as they weave through traffic in an ocean of helmets and smog.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.