HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY WEDNESday Issue MARCH 16, 2011 FRESNO STATE
COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU
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Students rally at Capitol for higher education funding
Thousands of students from all over California braved the weather in order to get their voices heard. Their demand: No more budget cuts.
By Carlos Perez The Collegian S AC R A M E N T O — T he weather was rainy and cloudy, but the message was loud and clear: Students want legislators to stop budget cuts against higher public education funding. On Monday, thousands of California college students, faculty and staff marched to the state Capitol to demand that the legislature listen to
the students and consider higher education a greater priority when finalizing the state’s budget. M a ny s t u d e nts ar rived by bus from all par ts of California at the California Au t o m o b i l e M u s e u m i n Sacramento, where a premarch rally began. Some wore T-shirts that bore their school name, others arrived with their faces painted and a few students were dressed in full costumes. Together, however,
everybody exhibited the same message: Students want better state funding for their education. “The march means everything to us,” California State University, Los Angeles student Quiana Zermeno said. “With all the cuts that are happening, [the lawmakers] are cutting our classes, professors and some of our most important educational programs.” Cur rently, the proposed budget for the 2011 fiscal year
will cut more than $1.4 billion to higher education — community colleges will see a $400 million cut, University of California and California State University schools will experience a proposed $500 million cut. “I’m also an AB 540 student,” Zer meno said, “and paying tuition is already hard enough as it is. If [tuition rates] increase again, it will become nearly impossible for many of us to afford college or
Carlos Perez / The Collegian
any type of higher education.” I ro n i c a l ly e n o u g h , t h e downpour of effects that students will face due to cuts against education funding seemed to materialize as rain began to literally pour on students just as the march itself began. The weather didn’t stop the students, however, as they marched toward the capitol. Together, they chanted, “They say cut back, we say See RALLY, Page 3
ASI candidates face off in Monday’s debate By Michael Kincheloe The Collegian
The three candidates running for Associated Students, I n c. p r e s i d e n t f a c e d o f f Monday evening in a formal debate held in the Speech Arts building. Candidates Selena Farnesi, Daniel J. Harrison and Cesar Sanchez used this opportunity to present their platforms while answering a variety of questions covering several topics. Questions were put for-
ward to the candidates by The Collegian editor-in-chief Tony Petersen, who served as moderator, as well as by several members of the audience. Harrison claimed that him being a newcomer to the ASI gave him an advantage. “I’m the only one that doesn’t have the ASI burden on myself,” he said. “Students are frustrated with ASI right now; they’re frustrated with the current administration and the scandals that have gone on during their watch.” Sanchez, the current ASI
vice president of finance, said he felt that he was the better candidate because he had more experience interacting with students. “I’ll have an easier time relating to the average student,” Sanchez said. ASI Vice President Farnesi said that one reason she saw herself as the top candidate is that she would not make promises she couldn’t keep, and that experience would be paramount in helping her accomplish her goals. “I know that I can do a good
job because of the experience that I have within the organization,” Farnesi said. “I feel I can represent the average student because I’m currently an undergraduate, and because I’m really involved on this campus.” The issue of pay cuts for ASI members elicited a variety of responses from the candidates. Harrison said that he only needed about $500 a month to pay his bills, and would be willing to take a pay cut. “I would approve a pay cut
to around $500 if that is what is necessary to cut the ASI budget,” Harrison said. Sanchez said that he, too, was open to the idea of taking a pay cut, and would take the issue a step further if necessary. “If my stipend was stopping an essential ASI program that provides a large benefit to students, then I would actually take no pay,” Sanchez said. Farnesi said that she would not take a pay cut. See DEBATE, Page 3
The
Collegian
Opinion PAGE 2
“S
THAT’S WHAT THE PEOPLE ARE SAYING...
ee because our president is so inexperienced in the private sector and in government and in actually running anything and making any kind of budget that inexperience has really made manifest in some of the statements he makes.” – Sarah Palin, possible candidate in the 2012 presidential election
OPINION EDITOR, DANIELLE GILBERT • COLLEGIAN-OPINION@CSUFRESNO.EDU
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2011
Thoughts on ASI Q & A H
ere are some random thoughts about Monday night’s Associated Students, Inc. presidential
debate. First of all, the crew at The Collegian was awesome. A lot of people worked a lot of hours to put the whole production together, and it was a success. The crew even got the video up online the same night. Students got to see a bit of who the candidates are and now have a fuller understanding about who they think is the best candidate for ASI president. ***Warning: shameless plug up ahead*** Visit The Collegian’s website and go to the “Multimedia” section to watch the debate. It’ll take only a half hour out of your day and will help you decide who you want to vote for. I thought the candidates, Selena Farnesi, Daniel Harrison and Cesar Sanchez, were extremely well prepared for the debate. Their answers were succinct and precise, and they were ready for any question. This was made all the more impressive considering they did not know the questions beforehand. The candidates seemed very polished and professional. I was extremely interested in Farnesi’s response to reader Manny’s question asking whether the next ASI president would take a pay cut from their stipend. Harrison responded that he would cut his monthly pay to $500 per month and Sanchez said he would be willing to take no pay. Farnesi, however, said, and it’s worth quoting in full, “I do not intend to take a pay cut. I believe that the
The Right Tone Tony Petersen
“Y
our vote will make a big difference. Literally, every vote matters. If you care about student government at Fresno State, you need to vote next week.”
work I do is worth being paid [for]: I do a good job, I serve students, I work more than 20 hours a week, more than what is required for ASI. I’m the first one in and the last one out, and if elected I intend to quit my second job so that I can focus completely on what this school and what the student
government needs. So I do intend to do a good job and to be conscious of student dollars, but I don’t intend to take a pay cut.” It was a very honest answer; we’ll see if that honesty works in her favor. I was impressed with the amount of students who attended the debate. There were about 40 students in the studio, which was nearly at full capacity. The students were all respectful, and all were engaged — three students even asked questions, and more would have asked, but we ran out of time. This bodes well for the voter turnout of this year’s election. Speaking of which, students should vote in the upcoming ASI elections. The elections will be held Tuesday, March 22, Wednesday, March 23 and Thursday, March 24. This isn’t like a nationwide election, or even a statewide or local election. Here, your vote will make a big difference. Literally, every vote matters. If you care about student government at Fresno State, you need to vote next week. Seriously, voting is important. It will be interesting to see how the fallout of current ASI President Pedro Ramirez’s disclosure to The Collegian that he was an undocumented immigrant plays out in the current election. Sanchez, the most identifiable candidate with Ramirez, may win many votes because of support for the embattled president or he may lose votes over the uproar over that news and Ramirez’s car accident. Keep reading The Collegian for more ASI election coverage.
WEB-SPE@K Culled each week from discussions on The Collegian’s website.
Response:
‘Decrease funding for Planned Parenthood’ ‘dumbassidiot’: “If Pence is a psycho, then I guess you’re calling 240 other representatives psychos. And since the American people voted them to office I guess you could call them pychos too. And yes I do believe this was the right decision to cut the funding to Title X, because we, the American taxpayers, shouldn’t have to pay for others to get tested for STD’s and pay for condoms, plan B, birth control and all the other bogus they get for free. If you don’t want to have a kid then you should think before you get in bed with someone and two, you should probably know them first so you don’t get an STI. If you want the government to provide everything for you then go to a socialist country. I also believe they should drop welfare while they’re at it.”
Response:
‘Decrease funding for Planned Parenthood’ ‘marianfarrell14’: “Companies will be barred from instituting caps on coverage when your costs for treatments goes up due to sickness. You can now get insurance with out caps on coverage at ‘Health Insurance Wise’ or health insurance facts. Search them online.”
Response:
‘Criminology department deceives grad students’ ‘yallen28’: “I don’t know how you became aware of this information, but this is a news article that is an example of something that is newsworthy and it is important to not only crim majors, but other students who need to be more cautious when applying to programs at Fresno State.”
Response:
‘Criminology department deceives grad students’ ‘student1001’: “I would like to see The Collegian do a story on the variety of classes offered in the University Catalog, and the actual variety of classes that are available to take every semester.”
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Collegian
The Collegian is a student-run publication that serves the Fresno State community on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Views expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or university.
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Letters to the Editor (collegian@csufresno.edu) All letters submitted to The Collegian must not exceed 250 words in length, must be type-written, and must be accompanied by a full name and phone number to verify content. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all material for length, content, spelling and grammar, as well as the right to refuse publication of any material submitted. All material submitted to The Collegian becomes property of The Collegian. Each member of the campus community is permitted one copy of The Collegian. Subscriptions are available for $25, on a semester basis. Staff positions at The Collegian are open to students of all majors. Contact the Editor in Chief for details. All content Copyright © 2011 The Collegian.
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2011
THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS NEWS EDITOR, DANA HULL • COLLEGIAN-NEWS@CSUFRESNO.EDU
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RALLY: Thousands gather in DEBATE: Students Sacramento to protest budget cuts are offered a chance to ask questions before next week’s election CONTINUED from page 1
Carlos Perez / The Collegian
CSSA organized the march at California’s state capitol to fight for a stop in education funding.
CONTINUED from page 1 hear the change you want.” dents build the skills they fight back!” The crowd chanted: “Less need to blossom into the docAs the rain fell harder, the fees, more degrees! Let us tors, lawyers and lawmakers students chanted louder: “No vote! Let us vote!” that they want to become,” cuts, no fees! Education must Following the rally, some Ramirez said. “It’s so hard to be free!” students entered the Capitol do this, however, when our If cuts continue against itself to higher eduperform a cation funde are not fighting for a change that will hapshort sit-in ing, colleges while others could soon pen in five or 10 years — we’re fighting for a attempted to see a decrease change that will happen now. talk with their in the amount specific legisof classes — Lillian Taiz, lators. Overall, offered in Califor nia California Faculty Association President a t t e n d e e s were left with a n d a n mixed emoi n c re a s e i n tions of hope and doubt. budget continues to be flushed students vying for a limited Trisha Rodriguez, a Fresno down the drain.” amount of seats. City College student, said that As students arrived at the “Students are our future,” she believes that the state legwest steps of the Capitol, they Olgalilia Ramirez , California islature heard students but listened as officials spoke and State Student Association isn’t sure how they’re going to rallied for students against director of government relarespond. budget cuts. Among the offitions, said. “We cannot pro“I saw a few of [the legislac i a l s p re s e n t , C a l i fo r n i a vide them with any less of tors] peering out of windows Faculty Association President an oppor tunity than they from the Capitol, and I know Lillian Taiz addressed the deserve.” they heard our voices loud and crowd. CSSA organized the march, clear,” Rodriguez said. “We’ve “We are not fighting for a along with the Student Senate been saying it all morning and change that will happen in five for Califor nia Community we’ll continue to let the legisor 10 years — we’re fighting Colleges in hopes to get the lature know that ‘higher edufor a change that will happen focus of lawmakers aimed cation isn’t a cost to California now,” Taiz said. “Raise your toward the future of students. — it’s an investment.’ ” voices and let these lawmakers “We want to help our stu-
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“I believe that the work I do is worth being paid,” Farnesi said. “I do a good job. I serve students, I work more than 20 hours a week — more than what is required for ASI. I’m the first one in, and the last one out.” Students in the audience were given the opportunity to ask questions. Recreation major Neil O’Brien asked if any of the candidates had an affiliation with the student group MEChA, and, if so, what the word “Aztlan” meant. Farnesi said that she was not a member of the group. “I don’t have any affiliation with MEChA,” she said. “That said, I believe the tag line [Aztlan] refers to taking back what those individuals believe was theirs, meaning this country, this land, this state.” H a r r i s o n s a i d t h at h e, too, had no affiliation with MEChA whatsoever, and that he was unable to define the term “Aztlan.” Sanchez said that he had been involved with MEChA, and that the term “Aztlan” was “a way for Chicanos in the United States to identify with each other.” Political science and public administration major Manny Moon asked about accessibility for students with disabilities, and what the candidates would do to improve matters. Harrison said that he would contact those students and to ask them what their concerns are, and would look at each concern individually to see what ASI could do to make the university as accessible to them as possible. Sanchez said that while he had no past experience on issues concerning disabled students. “However, in recent months I have spoken to various students who have disabil-
ities, and they have informed me of the current treatment they are subjected to.” Sanchez said that a disabled student had to pay $300 just to register as a student with a disability, and that he would work to see if that fee could be cut. Farnesi also pulled for students with disabilities. “I took a social work class two semesters ago in which we were challenged to step into the shoes of someone with disabilities, and I spent an entire day on campus in a wheelchair,” Farnesi said. “It was, honestly, the hardest day in my college career.” Far nesi said she would work with the resident’s housing association to provide access for disabled students in campus residence halls, which currently does not have access for disabled persons. After the debate, students had their own opinions about the candidates. “It was good,” public health major Tiffany Jepson said. “I liked Cesar.” Jepson said that she didn’t care for Harrison, however. “He just seemed too young.” O’Brien said that he enjoyed the debate. “I’m actually a little surprised with the answer that Cesar gave,” O’Brien said. “ I ’ ve b e e n d o i n g a l i t t l e research about what Aztlan means when it comes to being a member of MEChA; the idea that the southwestern United States are land stolen from Mexico.” Approximately 40 students attended the debate. ASI voting is March 22-24.
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COMMENT: The Collegian is a forum for student expression. http://collegian.csufresno.edu
PG&E missing 8 percent of gas line safety records By Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A California utility under fire for a deadly natural gas explo-
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sion near San Francisco is missing 8 percent of key safety records required for high-pressure lines running through the state’s most densely populated areas, the company said Tuesday after an exhaustive document search. Califor nia regulators immediately ordered Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to provide detailed safety updates, including information about whether the utility was prioritizing work on high-risk lines during the next three years. The Califor nia Public Utilities Commission also was expected to decide late Tuesday if PG&E should be forced to conduct expensive, time-consuming tests on lines for which records could not be found. The testing could be required unless PG&E can
otherwise prove pressure levels were safe. The results were released after PG&E staged a massive operation during the past two weeks, with employees sorting through mountains of paper records inside a hulking concert venue the company rented for the job. Company engineers, estimators, mappers, information technology specialists and managers — as well as a number of outside contractors — went through more than 1.25 million individual gas transmission records hauled out from branch offices and storage facilities. PG&E found 10 percent of records were missing for aging gas lines installed before 1961, and 3 percent were missing for lines laid from 1961 to 1970. “While we have made good
progress on our records validation, we are not satisfied with the results to date and will continue to search for and review our files for additional pressure test records and provide regular updates on our efforts,” PG&E president Chris Johns said in a prepared statement. He did not respond to a request made through the company for further comment. The Sept. 9 blast in San Bruno sparked a massive fireball that killed eight people and destroyed three dozen homes in the quiet suburb overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Three months after the accident, federal investigators revealed the company’s records about the ruptured 1956-era pipe had been wrong. The pipeline was riddled with
seams, defects and inferior welds, although PG&E records had inaccurately identified the pipe as being seamless, which is considered safer. In January, the commission directed PG&E and other California utilities to produce paperwork documenting the safety of all their lines. State rules require pipeline operators to keep up-to-date records about pressure tests and to document any leaks to ensure the pipes don’t pose any risk to surrounding communities.
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THE COLLEGIAN • FEATURES FEATURES EDITOR, JANESSA TYLER • COLLEGIAN-FEATURES@CSUFRESNO.EDU
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2011
Entrepreneurs find a way through the tough economy By Michael Robles The Collegian The videos are uploaded and the contestants await the judges’ decision. Many students who par ticipated in the Lyles C e n t e r S t u d e n t Ve n t u r e Challenge wait to hear whether or not they’ve made the final cut. The idea was to create a video, also known as an elevator pitch, which is a short description explaining what the business is and why an investor should fund the plan. The deadline to submit a video was Feb. 15 at 11:59 p.m. Students were required to submit a 90-second video t o Yo u T u b e e x p l a i n i n g their idea and it’s moneymaking potential. With so many schools competing, the competition was stiff. “We got 175 submissions which is just leaps and bounds over what we’ve ever gotten
State to make the top 20 contestants. “I'm totally stoked that I made it into the top 20,” Quillin said. The 20 finalists will move onto the next round in which they will participate in three workshops this month a n d p re p a re a 1 0 - m i nu t e PowerPoint presentation. The 10 judges will select five students who will submit a 15-minute presentation to compete for the grand prize, which shall be awarded on Saturday, April 30 to one lucky person. While the semifinalist portion is over, the public can still cast their vote for “People’s Choice” award until Friday, April 29 at noon. The results will be named the following day. The winner for “People’s Choice” award will win $1,000 cash prize. Contestants had the option to upload their video to
“W
e got 175 submissions, which is just leaps and bounds over what we've ever gotten before.” — Genelle Taylor Associate Director at the Lyles Center
before,” Associate Director Genelle Taylor from the Lyles Center for Leadership and Entrepreneurship said. Students from colle g es such as Fresno City College, Porterville, Madera Center, Merced and a few others were allowed to compete. The challenge pays $5,000 for the first place winner, $2,500 for second and $1,000 for third. The Lyles Center Student Ve n t u r e C h a l l e n g e w a s created to inspire and assist entrepreneurs to take the steps needed to begin a business. Those that already have an operating business are happy to compete for free money. B u s i n e s s e n t re p re n e u r major Lyle Quillin is the operations manager for Cal Services. Cal Services started last April with the purpose to simplify the lives of people by taking case of the most important household services. “I’d really like to invest in the field and marketing efforts as well as supplies and equipment to really bring the business to the next level,” Quillin said. Cal Services specializes in cleaning cars, windows, pools and rain gutters. Pressure washing and lawn services are also available. “I entered the challenge to win the $6,000 to expand my company,” Quillin said. “I need to buy another truck and equipment for expansion, and also I need cash for sales and marketing efforts.” The top 20 contestants were announced March 1 on the website www.lyleschallenge. com, 16 of the 20 semifinalists are Fresno State students. Quillin is one of the 16 semifinalists from Fresno
YouTube and list it as public or unlisted. Fresno City College student Rick Castaneda is an inventor and didn’t disclose the product information fearing he would give somebody a head start as he is in the process of patenting his idea. Castaneda is one of two semifinalists from Fresno City College to land a top 20 spot. Two semifinalists are students at the College of Sequoias. “I really don’t want to g e t i n t o s p e c i f i c s, t h at ’ s why I listed it as unlisted,” Castaneda said. The challenge is to make it sound interesting with only 90-seconds time and convince the investor that the idea will generate big returns on their investment. According to the Entre preneur Daily Dose, P re s i d e n t B a rack O bama said that the United States will overcome the economic adversity and entrepreneurs will be a major factor. The Lyles Center helps develop business owners and will provide mentoring for elementary school children to college students. “ A n y b o dy w i t h i n o u r student hatchery or a student that wants to start a business
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experience it... MPH
Photos courtesy of Lyle Quillin
Cal Services was one business that was entered in the Lyles Center Student Venture Challenge in February. The winner will be announced April 30.
has a good idea and is coachable,” Taylor said. Students are welcome to stop by the Lyles Center to fill out an application, take part in a workshop or apply for an internship.
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2011
THE COLLEGIAN • FEATURES FEATURES EDITOR, JANESSA TYLER • COLLEGIAN-FEATURES@CSUFRESNO.EDU
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Party-goers find a new meaning to wear green this St. Patrick's Day
Ty-ing It All Together Janessa Tyler
March 17 of every year is dedicated to a religious holiday where people across the world wear shamrock
accessories and green attire in fear of getting pinched by peers. But the elementary tradition is now old news, and the showcasing of green attire has a whole new meaning. St. Patrick’s Day 2011 follows Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday. Easter Sunday follows St. Patrick’s Day on April 24, closing the 40 days and 40 nights of the Catholic tradition, Lent. Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, precedes Ash Wednesday — the last day to indulge before Lent takes effect until Easter. I turned 21 years old in 2008, and I participated in my first St. Patrick’s Day outing last year. My boyfriend at the time took the day off from work, and being the nice girlfriend that I am, I volunteered to stay sober and
be the designated driver for the evening. This was the first year that I decided to celebrate Mardi Gras, and I quickly regretted my decision soon after arriving at the Tower District. My jaw dropped after arriving at Grogg’s Traditional Irish Pub at the early evening hours on March 17 last year. The line to enter the establishment was at least an hour wait. It wasn’t even considered the appropriate time to drink yet, the sun was still out and mothers picking up their children from school were still in route. There was no way that I was going to wait in the huge line. Kody Cole has been working at Grogg’s for four years under numerous positions. His current position is a cook. That’s
four St. Patrick’s Days to be working at the only Irish pub on the northside of Clovis! Cole said the establishment reached capacity, approximately 500 people indoor and outdoors in the beer garden, by 6 p.m. last St. Patrick’s Day. Cole said Grogg’s is expected to accommodate more people for Thursday. Instead of waiting in the three-hour line at Grogg’s, my boyfriend and I went to Red Wave Inn. The line to enter Red Wave Inn was long, but not too bad considering it was St. Patrick’s Day and just about everyone I knew was going out to get a cold glass of green beer. Girls were dressed in green knee-high socks, glow-inthe-dark shamrock antenna headbands and homemade
shirts. I observed men and women chugging beer, and taking shots of hard alcohol. Since I was sober, I couldn’t help but look and observe the crowd-goers. Similar to Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day is commonly used as a day for some people to partake in drinking alcoholic beverages and having fun with others with the same idea. It seems that nowadays people are using religious holidays and seasons, like Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s Day, as an excuse to go out and get drunk. I’ll be sure to wear my annual green shirt tomorrow in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, but only so I don’t get pinched.
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PAGE 6 • THE COLLEGIAN • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2011
(Northeast corner of Willow and Barstow)
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Arts & EnterTainment ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR, MADDIE SHANNON • COLLEGIAN-FEATURES@CSUFRESNO.EDU
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2011
Royal wedding a business boom or drag? By Jane Wardell Associated Press
AP Images
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding is causing both positive and negative economic effects in Britain’s economy.
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NORTHAMPTON, England (AP) — Surrounded by boxes in a rickety old warehouse above the family shop, Joe Church hurries to wrap plates adorned with the faces of Prince William and his bride Kate Middleton for a customer in Australia. The Church’s business, a 152-year old china and ornament seller specializing in memorabilia, has plenty of reason to celebrate the upcoming royal nuptials as its cash register chimes with the wedding bells. “It’s good for the royal couple, it’s good for everyone in the U.K. and it’s certainly good for business,” beams Joe’s Dad, Stephen Church, in front of a display of goods ranging from heart pillows to lookalike William teddy bears. But just an hour down the road on a rainy building site outside Cambridge, it’s a very different story. For Dick Searle, the owner of a small eponymous digger rental service, the royal wedding — and an extra public holiday — couldn’t come at a worse time. As Britain struggles to pull out of an economic downturn that has
“A tive.”
Not that we have to remind you, but these days, college isn’t exactly cheap. Fortunately for you, getting back and forth to campus doesn’t have to be so spendy– just take Amtrak . With our 20% Off California Colleges and University student discount, traveling all over Cali is way thriftier than driving. Just be sure to book your trip 3 days in advance and present your current Student ID. ®
Amtrak San Joaquin can take you to some pretty awesome places. Get wild in Yosemite or enjoy more civilized activities in San Francisco. Of course making tracks throughout the Central Valley from the Bay Area to Bakersfield, all the way to Sacramento is doable too. When you feel the need to feed, you can partake of some serious snacks, meals and beverages in the Café Car. We think you’ll agree it gives “joy ride” a whole new meaning.
of many workers taking extra vacation time — or a few unauthorized sick days — to extend their time off. Tour companies have reported gleefully that bookings are up from Good Friday until the Monday after the wedding — an 11-day block that makes it possible to go for a trip, say, to the Caribbean. But giving workers extended leave is an unappealing prospect for many small businesses at a time of rising unemployment, surging inflation and harsh government spending cuts. “It will be a difficult time for a lot of small businesses that had been looking for improvement at Easter,” says Andrew Cave, the FSB’s chief spokesman. Still, supporters of the nuptials, are hoping that the feel-good factor generated by an extra day off will be worth the inconvenience and lost economic revenue in the longer-run. “I think it’s more about consumer sentiment,” says Chris Simpson, marketing director at online shopping comparison site Kelkoo. “England as a country gets behind big events.” “At a time when the headlines seem to be dominated by bad news, the nation is rightly seizing the opportu-
t a time when the headlines seem to be dominated by bad news, the nation is seizing the opportunity to celebrate something posi— Chris Simpson, Kelkoo marketing director
®
To receive your discount, visit AmtrakCalifornia.com/StudentDiscount/.
AmtrakCalifornia.com • 1-800-USA-RAIL VALID FOR 20% OFF THE REGULAR (FULL) ADULT RAIL FARE. VALID FOR SALE AUGUST 1, 2010 - JUNE 9, 2011. VALID FOR TRAVEL SEPTEMBER 7, 2010 - JUNE 12, 2011. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED A MINIMUM OF THREE DAYS PRIOR TO TRAVEL. VALID FOR TRAVEL ON THE SAN JOAQUIN, PACIFIC SURFLINER, CAPITOL CORRIDOR AND ASSOCIATED THRUWAY SERVICE INCLUDING MERCED TO YOSEMITE. VALID FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING THE FOLLOWING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ONLY: CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY (FRESNO AND BAKERSFIELD), FRESNO CITY COLLEGE, CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNICAL STATE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (MERCED, IRVINE, SANTA BARBARA AND LOS ANGELES), UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC, UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO, SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY AND SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE. VALID STUDENT IDENTIFICATION MUST BE PRESENTED FROM ONE OF THE APPLICABLE COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES UPON REQUEST. UP TO TWO CHILDREN AGES 2-15 MAY ACCOMPANY EACH ADULT AT HALF THE REGULAR (FULL) ADULT RAIL FARE. VALID FOR COACH SEATS. UPGRADE TO BUSINESS CLASS IS AVAILABLE UPON PAYMENT OF APPLICABLE ACCOMMODATION CHARGES. SEATING IS LIMITED; SEATS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE ON ALL TRAINS AT ALL TIMES. NOT VALID TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF MULTIRIDE TICKETS. SUBJECT TO ANY RESTRICTIONS, BLACKOUTS AND REFUND RULES THAT APPLY TO THE TYPE OF FARE PURCHASED AND UPON WHICH THE DISCOUNT IS BASED. BLACKOUT DATES: NOVEMBER 23 - 24 AND 27 - 29, 2010 / DECEMBER 17 - 23 AND 26 - 30, 2010 / JANUARY 2 - 3, 2011 / FEBRUARY 18 AND 21, 2011 / APRIL 22 AND 24 - 25, 2011 / MAY 27, 2011. FARES, ROUTES AND SCHEDULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. NOT COMBINABLE WITH ANY OTHER DISCOUNT OFFER. ONCE TRAVEL HAS BEGUN, NO CHANGES TO THE ITINERARY ARE PERMITTED. OTHER RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY. PACIFIC SURFLINER AND SAN JOAQUIN ARE REGISTERED SERVICE MARKS OF THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION. CAPITOL CORRIDOR IS A REGISTERED SERVICE MARK OF THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY.
crippled the building industry, the last thing Searle needs is to pay his staff for a day with no work and leave expensive equipment idle. “They didn’t ask us about it, did they, and we are having it hard,” says Searle as his crew lay a new driveway in the drizzle. “Good luck to people selling rubbish plates, but for us it’s nothing but bad news.” Prime Minister David Cameron made the day a national holiday to allow everyone in the country an opportunity to celebrate. But the union of the photogenic young couple is proving a boon only for some British businesses — the cold statistics suggest it is actually a drag on the rest of the economy. Analysts predict the April 29 wedding will provide a boost of up to 1 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) to the economy, largely through retail sales, hotel room bookings and the hospitality trade. But each public holiday also typically costs the economy 6 billion pounds in lost productivity — leaving a 5 billion pound shortfall at a time when fears of a double-dip recession weigh heavily. The Federation of Small Businesses, a leading lobby group in a country where the average business employs just four workers, is worried about the timing of the wedding. A public holiday to celebrate the event so soon after the Easter break increases the chances
nity to celebrate something positive.” Cameron made the event a public holiday to ensure “that most people will have a chance to celebrate on the day.” The hope is that the feel-good factor of an extra day off at a bleak time will offset any hits to the economy. In defense of the one-off holiday, his office noted businesses tied to leisure — like hotels and pubs — should do well. National holidays were declared to mark the wedding of both Charles and Diana in 1981 and Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee in 2002. One is also planned for the queen’s Diamond Jubilee next year. The pressure group Republic, which campaigns for an elected head of state, said it was “absurd that the whole country gets a day off for something most people are not interested in.” “At least 20 percent of the population are opposed to the monarchy, many more simply don’t care about it,” said spokesman Graham Smith. Among the clear winners are retailers, led by grocers who are banking on a boost to champagne and food sales over the weekend as people celebrate at home or at street parties, and sellers of wedding merchandise like Church’s. More general retailers are also expected to see a small uptick as many people hit the shops on their extra day off. In research for Kelkoo, the Center See WEDDING, Page 9
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2011
THE COLLEGIAN • FUN & GAMES ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR, MADDIE SHANNON • COLLEGIAN-FEATURES@CSUFRESNO.EDU
The daily crossword ACROSS 1 Father Time’s garb 5 Symphony venue 9 Young chap 14 Narrative poetry 15 Bay ___ (San Francisco’s locale) 16 Opposite of cool 17 Tableland 18 Bottle or guitar feature 19 They often feast on wildebeest 20 Continuously 23 Jim’s wife on “The Office” 24 Yell for a toreador 25 “And ___ what happened?” 26 Charades “little word” 27 Fingerboard feature 28 Dastardly dude 31 Japanese immigrant to the U.S. 34 Lotion additive 35 Chip’s chum, in cartoons 36 Continuously 39 Cooking grease 40 “While” attachment 41 Valuable possession 42 Caustic agent 43 Campaigner’s stand 44 Calligrapher’s purchase 45 Social misfit 46 Little red soldier 47 More, south of the border 50 Continuously
Edited by Timothy E. Norton Universal Press Syndicate
Puzzle by Cliff Reed
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PUZZLE SOLUTION: http://collegian.csufresno.edu Copyright 2011. Universal Press Syndicate.
54 “Rosemary’s Baby” author Ira 55 Dub 56 Logician’s word 57 Mixed with 58 Tool for fencing 59 France, formerly 60 Barbecue tool 61 Divide by tearing 62 “Did ___ and gimble in the wabe” (“Jabberwocky”)
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DOWN 1 Draw new borders 2 What the fat lady sings? 3 Kind of buddy 4 Twin to Jacob 5 Take care of 6 Alpine crest 7 Poland’s Walesa 8 Superior catch? 9 Ammo unit 10 ___ Jack (Brits’ flag)
11 Popular ice cream flavor, for short 12 Twisted section, as in a hose 13 Covert ___ (army assignment) 21 Pitcher’s favorite kind of game 22 “Huzzah!” or “Hurray!” 26 Man the bar 27 Dental care item 28 Cleveland hoopsters, informally 29 “Hard ___!” (captain’s order) 30 Bit of hail damage 31 “___ put hair on your chest” 32 Dance movement 33 Desertlike 34 What a Boer! 35 Classroom furniture 37 Be filled with longing 38 He gets the sack in December 43 Social page fodder 44 Word of agreement 45 Subsiding (with “down”) 46 Madison Avenue workers 47 Tropical eel 48 Soothsayer 49 Pilfered 50 Aspiring musician’s handout 51 Mary Kay rival 52 Back of the neck 53 Vault cracker 54 Long. crossing
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Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively. SOLUTION: http://collegian.csufresno.edu
Word of the Day
St. Patrick’s Day The one day of the year when it is socially acceptable to be sh**faced during the day, whether you’re at school, work, etc. Source: UrbanDictionary.com
History of Fresno WEDDING: Royal union affecting State in Pictures economy In honor of Fresno State’s Centennial
CONTINUED from page 8
Archives photo by Matt Keithley/ The Collegian
Members of The Blue Key Honor Society, a campus service club, gear up for a charity drive to benefit the campus community. Almost 30 clubs pledged money to support that year’s drive. This photo ran in the Wednesday, Jan. 27, 1962, issue of The Collegian.
for Retail Research forecast the wedding to provide a 530 million pound ($856 million) boost to British retailers as around 4 million locals join the celebration in some way. Many retailers have been quick to spot the opportunity in the biggest royal event since William’s dad Charles married Diana in 1981. Within hours of the couple’s engagement announcement on Nov. 16, Wal-Mart Inc.-owned Asda supermarket was selling 5 pound commemorative mugs and Tesco PLC, the biggest retailer in the country, was sewing up versions of Middleton’s royal blue engagement dress. You can buy anything from tea towels to bargain-basement versions of Middleton’s sapphire and diamond ring — famously first worn by Diana. T h e N e w We s t E n d C o m p a n y, w h i c h r e p r e sents 600 retailers in central London, expects an extra 500,000 tourists over the royal wedding weekend to add some 50 million pounds in both retail and accommodation. Many hotels in the capital are fully booked, leading enterprising Londoners to offer private rooms for rent, with some charging as much as 2,000 pounds ($3,200) for the week.
Vi s i t B r i t a i n , t h e m a i n inbound tourism association, launched a new “Royal Britain” website last week to cash in on the wedding, giving potential visitors tips about where to go, what to see and what to buy. There’s also plenty of interest — and cash — coming in from people overseas who can’t make it here for the first royal event of the internet era. Church’s online site, theukgiftcompany, has taken orders so far in excess of 100,000 pounds — 80 percent of those coming from the United States — and Stephen Church expects to hit seven figures before the big day. “The level of interest from overseas has been quite staggering,” he says. “This is really going to provide a bridge over the stormy waters that the recession is proving to be.” Searle still isn’t convinced as he faces the likelihood of shutting down business for an extra week. He has a simple message for the happy couple: “Wills and Kate, I’m not against you, but you should have done what most people do and got married on a Saturday.”
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COMMENT: The Collegian is a forum for student expression. http://collegian.csufresno.edu
THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS
PAGE 10
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2011
SPORTS EDITOR, BEN INGERSOLL • COLLEGIAN-SPORTS@CSUFRESNO.EDU
NCAA: Fresno State, North Carolina will face off in Albequerque, N.M. CONTINUED from page 12 seed. Louisiana Tech, the WAC regular-season champion and tour nament runner-up, drew an at-large No. 10 seed and will play in Shreveport, La., despite losing to Fresno State on Saturday afternoon. Shreveport is just a little over an hour drive from where the Lady Techsters play in Ruston, La. North Carolina has been ranked in the AP Top 25 every week since the preseason. The Tar Heels sported a 22-3 record before dropping four straight ACC games in the final two weeks of the regular season. Still, North Carolina, led by senior guard Italee Lucas, was never ranked any worse than No. 15 and as high as No. 8 around mid season. Fresno State, despite posting its sixth winning season in seven years, was never ranked in the 2010-11 AP Top 25. The Bulldogs received just three votes in the latest AP Poll. While the Bulldogs are predominantly a perimeter team after leading the WAC in three-point percentage, the Tar Heels bring a wealth of size in the frontcourt that the Bulldogs have rarely seen this season. North Carolina boasts five players 6-feet or taller, including 6-foot-5 Chay Shegog and 6-foot-3 Jessica Breland, both starters. The Tar Heels topped the ACC in defensive rebounding (28.9 per game) and blocked shots (5.5 per game). Fresno State has just two players over 6 feet tall who have recorded sig-
nificant minutes this season in Hayley Munro and Rosie Moult, the two shooting threats with the best three-point percentages on the roster. But size disadvantages in the NCAA Tournament are nothing new to Fresno State in recent years. Last year No. 13 seed Fresno State was forced to game plan against No. 4 seed Baylor and its 6-foot-8 center Brittney Griner. The Bulldogs were down six at half, and eventually lost by 14, but held Griner to 18 points on 37-percent shooting despite rotating in 6-feet-tall Joh-Teena Filipe and 5-feet-11 Taja Edwards. Although North Carolina presents a noticeable size advantage on paper, the Tar Heels finished dead last in the ACC in three-point field goal percentage (25 percent) and the bottom half in turnover margin (-7.07). The winner of Saturday’s game will advance to Monday’s game and will play the winner of No. 4 Kentucky and No. 13 Hampton. If Fresno State is to advance to the Sweet 16, it will not only have to win its first NCAA Tournament game in school history, but will also have to win one more tournament game before the final 16 teams square up on March 26-27.
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"Misak Medzarents: Songs of Freedom, Defiance, and Joy" by Dr. James Russell Wednesday, March 16, 2011, at 7:30PM University Business Center, Room 191, Fresno State Free and open to the public.
The Western Armenian poet Misak Medzarents, who died of consumption in 1908 at the tender age of twenty-two, was in his linguistic and imaginative genius the rightful successor to Bedros Tourian, who had invented modern Armenian verse almost single-handed and died in 1872 at twenty of the same disease. Tourian raged against his cruel and untimely destiny, Medzarents foresaw the same; and neither ever enjoyed reciprocal love. But Medzarents' poems, layered in the complex cadences and imagery of some two millennia of Armenian poetics, explode with a pantheistic vision of nature. They are suffused with a deep inner delight. His palette is bright and vivid, and can remind an English-speaking reader of William Blake or Walt Whitman. Why is this? What made him so different a man and an artist? I think part of the explanation is to be sought in his native village, a remote, fortified, hidden place where, mysteriously and almost miraculously, Armenians preserved their freedom for a thousand years. Dr. James R. Russell is the Mashtots Professor of Armenian Studies in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. Professor Russell has authored over one hundred scholarly articles, many of which have been collected in his Armenian and Iranian Studies (2004). In addition to seminal investigations into the pre-Christian Iranian heritage of Armenian culture (Zoroastrianism in Armenia, 1987), Professor Russell has pioneered research into Armenian epic (The Heroes of Kasht, 2000), medieval Armenian poetry (Yovhannēs T‘lkuranc‘i and the Mediaeval Armenian Lyric Tradition, 1987), and modern Armenian poetry (The Book of Flowers, 2003). He is most recently the author of a study on and translation of the collected poems of Bedros Tourian entitled Bosphorus Nights (2006) This event is partially funded by
Congratulations to Club & Organization Advisor of the Month Winner for February 2011
Dr. Charles Arokiasamy Advisor, Rehabilitation Student Association
Dr. Arokiasamy was nominated by his students within the Rehabilitation Student Association. Below are some of the comments they made about Dr. Arokiasamy as part of their nomination:
"He inspires members to broaden their scope of what the association can be, and what the members can do within the association." "Dr. Arokiasamy has challenged the RCSA members to change their view of a student association." "Having been in other clubs, it is easy to see that Dr. Arokiasamy by far puts more effort than other advisors." In receiving this award Dr. Arokiasamy will receive an automatic nomination for the Club & Organization Advisor of the Year Award, which will be announced at the Leadership Recognition Ceremony taking place Thursday, April 28th. In addition, Dr. Arokiasamy will receive a $25 gift card to the Kennel Bookstore.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2011
THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS SPORTS EDITOR, BEN INGERSOLL • COLLEGIAN-SPORTS@CSUFRESNO.EDU
PAGE 11
SNOW: Pair fund nationals trip on own CONTINUED from page 12 “You see these kids that trained super hard and all this, and you beat them and you’re like ‘Wow, I think this is pretty cool,’” McClintock said. “I competed against racer girls, like hard-core girls from the east coast that like do racing their entire lives. I’m racing in like park gear looking like a hoodlum, and they’re all out there serious: aerodynamic helmets and super cool poles. So, it was cool to beat them.” Since the pair’s trip was funded completely out of their own pockets, they were not afforded the same luxuries as most of their fellow athletes. “Everybody out there was funded by their schools,” Alexander said. “Everybody had team jackets, matching jackets with their names and mascots on the back, paid coaches. We pretty much felt a little underprivileged. We felt like the stepchild.” However, what Alexander, McClintock and their Fresno State teammates lack in funding they find in camaraderie from others schools.
Photos courtesy of Ty Alexander and Megan McClintock
Ty Alexander (above left, below) and Megan McClintock competed against more than 150 school representatives at Nationals in Sun Valley, Idaho, last week.
“You have a lot of interaction with other schools,” McClintock said. “The So Cal league stuck together and hung out with everybody all
week.” Alexander agreed stating, “It was pretty much So Cal versus the rest of the U.S. It was a lot of fun; we had a lot of camaraderie.” Now that nationals are over, they have one more SCCSC competition in two weeks before knowing their final standing in the conference and both are shooting for a top five finish, or higher. Alexander also plans to continue his quest to encourage more students to join regardless of skill level and plans to work on getting some help in funding. “We want some support from Fresno State, something,” Alexander said. “When we’re out there we have Fresno State stickers on our helmets. We’re representing Fresno State, why can’t Fresno State represent us?”
Wo m e n’s g o l f re t u r n s from Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational The Fresno State women’s golf team finished ninth out of 19 teams at the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational in Kailua, Hawaii.
1762 E. Barstow Ave. Fresno, CA Phone (559) 230-1292 or (559) 283-8515 Fax (559) 230-1290 At the Bulldog Plaza (on the corner of cedar)
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$5 off with a minimum of $50 purchase
Senior Chelsea Czinski tied for the tournament’s lowest final round shooting a oneover 73. Thompson gar ner s WAC honor Sophomore sprinter Breeauna Thompson earned
the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week for taking home first place in the 200-meter and 400-meter dash in Saturday’s dual with Cal Poly.
The
Collegian
SPORTS PAGE 12
TODAY IN SPORTS
Los Angeles Clipper dunking phenom and shoe-in for Rookie of the Year Blake Griffin turns 22 years old. SPORTS EDITOR, BEN INGERSOLL • COLLEGIAN-SPORTS@CSUFRESNO.EDU
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2011
Women draw NCAA No. 12 seed
Graphics by Michael Uribes / The Collegian
By Ben Ingersoll The Collegian This time four months ago, women’s basketball all-time points leader Jaleesa Ross was adamant her seniorladen squad was Sweet 16 caliber. But it took every second of the 201011 season just to ensure Ross and the
rest of the seniors wouldn’t miss out on an NCAA Tournament bid for the first time since arriving on campus in 2007. In an effort to repeat a record-setting 27-win season just a year ago, a slow start and a pair of regularseason heartbreakers to conference rival Louisiana Tech hampered the
Bulldogs’ season. But Fresno State’s 25th win on the season erased the memories of Louisiana Tech, hung another Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship banner and vaulted the Bulldogs into the Big Dance once again. The road to Ross’ goal of a Sweet 16 berth be gins this Saturday in
Albuquerque, N.M., when the Bulldogs try to live up to their best seeding in Fresno State history against Atlantic Coast Conference runner-up North Carolina. Fresno State’s automatic NCAA Tournament berth drew the No. 12 See NCAA, Page 10
Snowboarding duo make impact at Nationals in Sun Valley, Idaho Competing in whiteout weather, where athletes are unable to tell which way the snow is falling, Ty Alexander and Megan McClintock represented Fresno State at the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association Nationals competition in Idaho last week with both placing in the top 15 based on overall scores in each of their respective sports. “It was sunny the day we got there and sunny the day we left,” McClintock said. “Every day in-between wasn’t that good.” The duo is part of an unofficial competition team formed by Alexander last year. In contrast to the current Fresno State Ski and Snowboarding club, which Alexander is also a part of, he wanted a more competitive aspect than what the club was currently offering. So he began participating in snowboarding competitions on his own last year, speaking to others in the club about joining him to form a team. “I started by myself last year,” A l e x a n d e r s a i d . “ I t r ave l e d t o Mammoth and competed by myself, went to nationals by myself. Last year nationals were in Maine [and] I placed 16th overall.” The experience of competing and
participating in Nationals intensified Alexander’s passion for the competitive aspect of his sport. When school started again in the fall of 2010 Alexander again sought to encourage and recruit more students to his team and one of those new members was competitive skier McClintock. “He did a little presentation at the ski and snowboard club meetings,” McClintock said. “There’s a lot of kids there. I’m surprised more didn’t join.” The duo and their nine teammates currently compete in the Southern Califor nia Colle giate Snowsports Conference with competitions mainly held at Mammoth Mountain. In a conference that currently has 11 teams with three additional schools soon to be added to its roster, the students representing Fresno State are currently the only ones not to be school-sponsored. However, Alexander is looking to change that in the next few years. “We just want more members of the Fresno State Ski and Snowboarding club to compete with us, so we can have a bigger, established team,” Alexander said. “Half of the teams at nationals were varsity and backed by their schools.” Based on their performances this season in the SCCSC competitions, Alexander and McClintock were qualified to participate in nationals this year and go up against athletes from
more than 150 schools nationwide. The week-long event took place March 8-12 in Sun Valley, Idaho where Alexander placed 15th in the overall snowboarding scores. That score was a compilation of four events: Cross,
Halfpipe, Slopestyle and GS. McClintock placed 5th in the overall Freestyle score which included: Skiercross, Slopestyle and Halfpipe.
Don’t know the candidates? Not sure who to vote for? See the ASI Interviews/Debates on The Collegian Online
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By Brandy Flores The Collegian
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. ange h c the f to r pa DON’T FORGET TO
VOTE!
See SNOW, Page 11