October 13 2010

HOMECOMING WEEK Check out The Collegian online to see how Fresno State is celebrating the centennial this week

Appreciating jazz A&E Fresno State can still win WAC title SPORTS Obama equals Bush on foreign policy OPINION

WEDNESday Issue OCTOBER 13, 2010 FRESNO STATE

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SERVING CAMPUS SINCE 1922

Candidates’ final debate before election Associated Press

High numbers and the aid of shelters Megan Morales / The Collegian

A January survey showed that 3,762 people are without homes in the city of Fresno.

By Megan Morales The Collegian An average day for many students consists of attendi n g cl a s s, j u g g l i n g wo rk responsibilities and coming home to air-conditioning and a soft bed. Student life can be demanding and stressful, but for many in Fresno, simply getting enough food, finding a place to sleep and surviving the day are the only things they can afford to be concerned with.

The streets of downtown Fresno are painted with the faces of the lonely that wander aimlessly with no destination in mind. The homeless population occupies the curbs and they walk up and down

the railroad tracks, sometimes finding comfort within a makeshift tent underneath the freeways.

This way of life has become common because the amount of homelessness in the area is high.

According to the annual Point in Time Survey that was conducted in January 2010, there are 3,762 homeless people in Fresno. There were 2,092 homeless people that were visible on the street during the count and another 1,670 people sheltered in emergency and transitional housing.

Gregory Barfield, Homeless Prevention and Policy Manager for the city of Fresno, said the city has a strategy to help alleviate the

issue.

Barfield said the community has adopted a 10-year plan to help prevent and end homelessness.

“It was approved in September 2008 and it’s our road map for addressing gaps in services, providing housing, and then wrapping services around a person,” Barfield said. “We will then collect data that will better inform us on how we’re doing.”

Barfield said the major issue continues to be a fragile safety need for people experiencing short-term issues that eventually result in the ultimate breaking point—losing their homes, their families breaking apart and having to find shelter in tents on a plot

of dirt.

Deputy Director of Administration at the Poverello House in Fresno, Doreen Eley, said she has seen a significant increase in the amount of homeless people around the streets of downtown Fresno.

“Every other year the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires a count of the amount of homeless people in Fresno, but it’s difficult to pinpoint every single person,” Eley said.

“The records don’t account for those we were unable to find, and those who are doubling up in their living spaces.”

The number of people living See HOMELESS, Page 3

Police join forces during sports events

By Leonard Valerio The Collegian When the excitement of game-day arrives at Bulldog Stadium, campus crime is one thing students may not think about, but questions have arisen regarding campuspolice’s presence on campus during football games.

“Sometimes I do worry something bad will happen since people are pretty rowdy after the games,” said Vanessa Trevino, a senior at Fresno State. Although she feels there are an adequate number of officers on campus, she still has concern.

Amy Armstrong, public information officer of the Campus Police Department at Fresno State, said that on game days the university does increase police presence and contracts individual police officers from the Fresno Police Department.

“We do contract them to work for us during football games,” Armstong said. “We let them know how many we will need to handle the event and pay them to work those events with us.”

Sophomore Alex Coyle said that he is not worried about

there being more crime on game days.

“I’ve been attending the games with my family before college and the environment of the football game has always been a safe one,” Coyle said.

“S

ometimes I do worry something bad will happen since people are pretty rowdy after the games.”

— Vanessa Trevino, Student Coyle said that there may be more break-ins during games, but it won’t happen if people do the right things.

“People have to be smart and park the cars in safe areas,” Coyle said. “I wouldn’t’ park my car in some dark, unlit alley with no people nearby.”

Armstrong said that the contracted officers are sworn police officers and work with university police officers to handle any on-campus issues that may arise during the

Ana Mendoza / The Collegian

The Fresno Police Department and the campus police work together during major sporting events to better ensure safety of students and to limit crimes.

events.

Armstrong said if there are any problems that occur off-campus, students should call FPD. Though university police officers can respond to calls

on the perimeters of campus during football games, Armstrong wants to clarify that the contracted offers do not because they come from See CRIME, Page 3

Wi t h j u s t t h r e e we e k s before Election Day, the two candidates hoping to become Califor nia’s next gover nor will meet in their third and final debate Tuesday, hoping to win over uncommitted voters who might just now be tuning in to the race.

Democratic Attor ney General Jer ry Brown and Republican Me g Whitman will try to put a series of controversies behind them and move on to more substantive issues facing a state that has been ravaged by the recession.

For mer NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw will moderate the evening debate at Dominican University in San Rafael.

The most recent public opinion polls have shown the race in a virtual tie. Whitman, the billionaire former chief executive of eBay, has spent $140 million introducing herself to voters and attacking Brown, who has campaigned on his experience and received considerable help from public employee unions.

The polls were taken before two embarrassing revelations that could leave voters with questions about the candidates’ character.

T he second debate last month in Fresno, which was aimed at Latino voters, was marked by nastiness over Whitman’s acknowledgment just days earlier that her housekeeper of nine years was an illegal immigrant from Mexico. Whitman claimed she did not know the worker was illegally in the country before she fired her in June 2009 and then turned the woman down when she requested help with a case for potential legal status.

The incident was problematic for Whitman politically because she consistently has said that employers who hire illegal immigrants should be fined, but she did not turn the woman over to authorities when she learned of her status.

Whitman accused Brown and his Democratic allies of pushing the story and manipulating the housekeeper, while Brown accused Whitman of not living up to her corporate rhetoric of holding employers accountable for mistakes.

After days of unflattering stories about Whitman’s association with the maid, the mudslinging came Brown’s way.

A Los Angeles police union See GOV, Page 3

The

Collegian

Opinion PAGE 2

“T

THATʼS WHAT THE PEOPLE ARE SAYING...

his is the most important thing I have done in my work life and probably the most important thing I will ever do.”

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OPINION EDITOR, ANNA JACOBSEN • COLLEGIAN-OPINION@CSUFRESNO.EDU

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2010

Obama’s foreign policy like Bush’s CAMPUSSPEAK

The Right Tone TONY PETERSEN

I

n Nov. 2008, Barack Obama handily defeated Sen. John McCain to become president of the United States, winning 365 electoral votes to McCain’s 173 and 53 percent of the popular vote to McCain’s 46 percent. It was the type of victory that American presidential politics hadn’t seen since George H.W. Bush was swept into office in 1988 on the strength of the popularity of his old boss Ronald Reagan.

In other words, it was as close to a mandate as we get in today’s political world.

Two short years later, Obama is on the cusp of losing his huge majorities in the Senate and the House, his approval ratings have plunged twenty points since his inauguration, and in a recent CNN/ Opinion Research Corporation survey, Americans say Obama is a better presi-

dent than George W. Bush, who had a 34 percent approval rating when he left office, by the slim margin of 47 percent to 45 percent, well within the margin of error.

What can account for this huge shift among the electorate? Did Obama misread his mandate?

Since Obama has been in office he has been a liberal’s dream domestically— the U.S. government has nationalized parts of the auto industry, bailed out Wall Street, appointed two liberals to the Supreme Court and passed a new health-care reform law.

The result? Obama’s efforts to improve the economy have failed, with employment at 9.6 percent thought, the administration promised it would never rise above eight percent, the Supreme Court’s approval rating is down ten points from last year and, according to a Sept. 20 poll by Rasmussen Reports, 61 percent of likely voters favor repealing the health care law.

From the looks of it, the American electorate did not, to the chagrin of Obama and the democrats, intend to elect FDR part deux.

Who, then, did they elect?

First, a history lesson. From 19952007, the Republican Party had a stranglehold on the Congress, controlling both the House and the Senate every year except the Senate from 2001-2003.

George W. Bush was, of course, president from 2001-2009. In the 2006 elections, however, Democrats took control of both houses while Bush’s approval ratings hovered in the mid-30 percent range.

Why? It wasn’t the economy—unemployment in Nov. 2006 stood at 4.3 percent. It wasn’t a massive switch in ideol-

ogy—since 1992, the highest percent of the American population that classified itself as liberal has been 22, in 2008, while the lowest number calling themselves conservative has been 36 percent.

Why, then, did Republicans get kicked out of the Congress?

Answer: the Iraq War. That is what put Democrats in power of Congress and what drove moderates to Barack Obama in droves in 2008.

Might this have been Obama’s mandate?

The American people repudiated the neoconservative foreign policy of George Bush and Republicans twice, yet how has Obama changed that? Combat troops were removed from Iraq on the same schedule as Bush’s and 50,000 “support troops” are staying in Iraq; the war in Afghanistan has been escalated with no end or sense of victory in sight; the U.S. government has started a proxy war in Pakistan, culminating in their apology to the Pakistani government for mistakenly killing Pakistani soldiers.

This is where President Obama should have differed from Republicans.

Obama should have immediately removed all troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, declaring victory in both areas while acknowledging that the U.S. is not in the business of nation building. He should have removed U.S. bases in places like South Korea and Japan, whose peoples don’t want us there anymore, and stopped subsidizing Western Europe’s defense. He should have announced that America would no longer have an imperial presence around the globe.

Alas, he didn’t. Now Obama, and the American people, will pay the price.

How will you celebrate the centennial homecoming?

Paulette Alatriste History Senior “I’m going to celebrate homecoming week by going to the football game and participating in some of the activities that they’re having here.”

Steve Smith Enology Sophomore “I will be making wine all day Saturday.”

David Tegtmeier Enology Senior “I’m going to be working.”

Elizabeth Herr

With tech, tables turn for aged

Things That Matter PHONG LY

A

s technology rapidly increases in the 21st century, many senior citizens feel left out. From the cassette tape in the early ‘90’s to present fiber optic connections and Blu-ray players, the gap of understanding between the old and the new has widely grown.

The most devious technological enemy of the geriatric is none other than the personal computer. Generally, old people will steer clear away from the PC like they do rap music. Some elderly people only know how to turn on the PC, and beyond that they are at a total loss.

They press every key with surgical pre-

THE

cision and care like a high-stakes bomb disposal specialist. God forbid should they press a wrong key—the motherboard may explode and release toxic neurologic chemicals! Even basic functions like word processors and spreadsheets are treated as rocket science to the children of past generations.

Similar to the PC, the Internet is a source of confusion for the old. The most commonly asked about site is Facebook, and for the younger generation, questions from their parents and grandparents about its functionality never cease.

I present a solution for those unfortunate young people in this predicament.

Remember when you were young and your parents lied to you about Santa Claus? Remember all those hours toiling in the kitchen, baking cookies for the jolly old man, in the hopes of getting a BB gun? And in the morning, inside the biggest box there was NOT a pony, but rather a new shovel and your mom told you to go play with it outside? Well, we are older now, and how the tables have turned! Yes mom, Facebook knows everything! It knows when you are sleeping, it knows when you’re awake... it’s the ultimate Doomsday Book.

When the elderly discover a way to operate social networking sites like Facebook, they are immediately compelled to add their children to their “friends” list. I don’t care how

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old you are, having your parent doing the same thing as you, such as have a Facebook profile, automatically makes it uncool. Having your mom or dad on your friends list makes you lose your “street cred.” There is a certain sense of awkwardness when your parent asks you to become their virtual friend and asks you for your screen name. There is absolutely no un-awkward way of telling your mom that your screen name is “The_Italian_Stallion87.”

Not all old people are the same.

Stemming from the vast pool of the aged arise those few who possess an unnatural ability to understand technology. Like “daywalkers” branching from “gingers,” these people are indeed a rare breed.

From cassette tapes to Blu-ray, there have been many changes in tech over the years. In making light of the conflicts between the old and the new and pointing out the humor, we have more understanding of the situation. It is said that laughter is the best medicine, and through humor we can reveal the struggles faced by the older generations.

It is important to address this issue of generational difference and struggle, because in the near future, we will be the old ones, and our children and grandchildren will laugh at us for not knowing where to put a Flux Capacitor.

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Undecided Freshman “I was disappointed by the previous game against Hawaii, so I’m not going to go.”

Alejandro Avila Biology Freshman “I’ll be on the quad doing the bike races.”

Gerhard Kruger Mechanical Engineering Junior “What is homecoming? I’ll probably be doing what all the other engineers are doing— homework!”

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THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS NEWS EDITOR, ANDREW VEIHMEYER • COLLEGIAN-NEWS@CSUFRESNO.EDU

PAGE 3

HOMELESS: The grim realities GOV: Candidates race for final meeting

CONTINUED from page 1

CONTINUED from page 1 leaked an audio tape in which a Brown campaign aide — apparently a woman — can be heard calling Whitman a “whore” as campaign staffers discussed her proposal to exempt some public safety unions from her plans to cut pension benefits for public employees.

Whitman on Sunday asked reporters to move on to more pressing issues facing the

“I Megan Morales / The Collegian

Despite a high amount of poverty within the city, shelters have not experienced overcrowding, said Jim Classen, director of community care at the Fresno Rescue Mission.

on the streets of Fresno is near the equivalent of two average high schools in Fresno.

That’s 3,000–plus people cluttering the city’s streets, many of them in downtown Fresno, trying to make it through the day just hoping to survive the night with no bed to sleep on, no kitchen to cook in and no shower to bathe in.

Although Eley said the

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Poverello House provides as much aid as possible, she knows they can’t help everyone who is without a home.

“It’s definitely an issue we’re dealing with in Fresno, but thankfully we’re not having any problems with overcrowding in the shelters.”

Homelessness in Fresno is an issue that too often goes unnoticed. It is an adverse matter that desperately requires attention—not only for the sake of the individuals living in it, but also for the sake of the community as a whole.

Individuals can at least find solace in knowing the shelters in Fresno are successfully providing a stepping stone to a new life.

Director of Community Care at the Fresno Rescue Mission, Jim Classen, said his shelter has conveniently provided assistance to those who need it most.

“We haven’t had any issues with overcrowding at all since I’ve been here,” Classen said.

“They come to us for help, and are typically out fairly quickly.”

Classen said one-fourth of the men who stay at the Fresno Rescue Mission within the year only stay one night.

Three-fourths of the men stay

30 days or less, and one-half of the men stay just seven days.

“We normally see 77 to 78 men a night,” Classen said.

Although the number of homeless people roaming the streets of Fresno is high, there are means to assist all of them.

The Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission is another option for those in need that provides a safe place for youths and adults to come.

Deputy Director of Administration at the Poverello House, Doreen Eley, said her shelter offers extensive aid for the homeless, and although she knows it’s not the answer to the problem, it is a temporary fix.

“We have established tough sheds that we’ve provided in the Village of Hope that provide temporary shelter to them,” Eley said.

The “Shantytown” houses 66 individuals and accommodates them with a place to sleep given its hours of operation, 4 p.m. – 6 a.m.

Eley also encourages people to take advantage of Naomi’s House, a home that provides overnight shelter for homeless women. Since October 2002, Naomi’s house has provided shelter 365 days a year while providing other needs including hot meals, medical and dental care and day shelter.

The homeless in Fresno are most noticeable on the streets downtown, and Eley believes they purposefully stay within the area for a reason.

“A lot of the public services are downtown,” Eley said. “So I think they like to be near the places that could assist them in a time of need. Not to mention, downtown turns into a ghost town after 5 p.m., but I think they like it where they are and being near the shelters.”

More to come in this Friday’s issue

think the media needs to turn the attention back to the issues that are in front of every Californian between now and Nov. 2.”

— Meg Whitman

state, even as her campaign operatives continued to push behind the scenes for greater coverage of the story.

“I think the media needs to turn the attention back to the issues that are in front of every Califor nian between now and Nov. 2,” she said.

A public that has been battered by the steepest economic decline since the Great Depression is likely to welcome such a change in tone.

Polls show creating jobs and tur ning around the economy top California voters’ list of concerns. Official unemployment has been stuck above 12 percent for more than a year, but the unofficial rate is much higher because many Californians have simply given up looking for work.

At the same time, millions are underemployed in part-time or temporary jobs.

The state also has been hard-hit by home foreclosures, much of its K-12 education system is struggling and the

state government has faced years of multibillion dollar budget deficits, leading to across-the-board cuts to core services and skyrocketing college and university fees.

All three debates between Brown and Whitman will have been at universities.

The previous forums were at the University of California, Davis, and California State University, Fresno.

Tuesday’s will be at a 2,000-student private university that was founded

by Dominican nuns but is now independent. Many of Dominican University’s programs focus on the humanities.

The earlier debates provided voters with a sharp contrast in tone and style: Whitman hued closely to her campaign talking points about job creation, cutting government spending and fixing schools, while Brown demonstrated his understanding of government.

He also has made self-deprecating remarks about his age and experience, allowing voters to see a personal side that has so far been missing from Whitman’s responses.

Brown has had few campaign appearances in recent weeks while Whitman has hosted a series of prominent Republican surrogates at campaign events, most recently former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Brown w i l l ap p e a r w i t h fo r m e r President Bill Clinton this weekend.

W h i t m a n ’ s eve n t s a l s o come with a much higher price tag. She has given her campaign more than $122 million from her personal fortune, while Brown has spent more cautiously, although the unions that support him have spent $19 million on his behalf during the general election.

CRIME: Police coverage during games CONTINUED from page 1 different districts all over the city and are often not from the northeast district where the university resides in.

Some students are confused as to what the exact jurisdiction of the university police officers is and what is considered off-campus. Coyle said he was told by some of his friends that Fresno State police officers respond to problems up to a mile away from campus.

“I thought they covered

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areas like the apartment complexes past the stadium,” Coyle said. “If something was to happen to me there I would have thought to call university police.”

Armstrong said the jurisdiction for university police officers ends west at Millbrook, south at Shaw, east at Chestnut and north at Barstow unless it is the farm property that extends all the way up to Sierra Ave. “Anything that is beyond the property of the campus the FPD will handle, but the California Education code does give the university police jurisdiction there as well,” Armstrong said.

“We do communicate with Fresno Police on a frequent basis when there is activity on the campus perimeter. We do communicate with each other and work together to handle any issues.”

PAGE 4

THE COLLEGIAN • FEATURES FEATURES EDITOR, JANESSA TYLER • COLLEGIAN-FEATURES@CSUFRESNO.EDU

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2010

Big Fresno Fair secures safety of guests

By Janessa Tyler The Collegian The Big Fresno Fair is notorious for large crowds, crammed venues and limited parking. More than half a million people visit the fair each year, keeping security on their toes for 12 days.

“Any day during the fair we have probably between 30 and 60 officers inside the fair and probably a hundred total throughout the day working inside and outside,” said Sgt. Dave Gibeault of the Fresno Police Department.

Gibeault has been working at the FPD for 22 years and monitoring the fairgrounds since he can remember, but this is his first year in charge of policing the whole fair.

“The goal is to have a safe and fun fair for everyone,” Gibeault said.

The Fresno Police Department isn't the only agency keeping guests safe at the fair. Others include the Fresno County Department of Public Health, Fresno County Private Security, California F a i r S e r v i c e s Au t h o r i t y, American Ambulance, State Fire Marshall's Office and Fresno City Fire Department.

T he livestock and race horses at the fair are also kept safe with on-site licensed veterinarians. The horse racing track veterinarian ensures each horse is injury free and

healthy to race. The livestock veterinarian inspects the animals before arrival and continues to monitor them throughout the fair.

“The fair goes out of their way to make sure that you're safe,” Gibeault said.

While guests are extremely safe at the fair, everyone can still practice simple safety tips. Gibeault said guests could start with being aware of their surroundings and staying alert.

There's a lot of money being exchanged at the fairgrounds through gambling on the horse races, buying food, using the ATM and more.

Gibeault said it's important to report any suspicious activity you see.

“Keep your eye on your wallet and your purse,” Gibeault said.

The fair has a small division of the Fresno Police Department on-site to allow guests to come in and speak to an officer if they have a concern. It's located next to the Brian I. Tatarian Grandstand, hidden behind the MADD display.

“As long as the fair is open, this office is open,” Gibeault said.

Officers are not only on foot, but also on motorcycles, bicycles and horses. This helps officers get to the scene faster and more efficiently if there's a problem.

“By far the fights are few,

the lost children are probably more significant,” Gibeault said. “That's probably our more frequent response.”

Jenny Newquist works at the Found Child Center, the big gingerbread house located next to the West America Bank Gate on Chance Avenue.

“This was formulated so if a child is lost they are brought here,” Newquist said. “It's a safe area for them to be in.”

Newquist said children could color, play games and watch movies until their parents come to find them. The Found Child Center has bunk beds, a bathroom, refrigerator, couch and tables to accommodate children of all ages.

Newquist said the Found Child Center was introduced to the Fresno Fair in 2007 as a dedication to the late Rick Fatland, known as the “voice of the fair.”

“At first it was just a box trailer and we had a few tables and chairs,” Newquist said. “It has evolved over the years and this is dedicated to him.”

In addition to the Found Child Center, parents have an option of putting an index card in their child's pocket once they enter one of the gates. Parents are advised to write their cell phone number and their child's name on the card for a quick return, if their child is to get lost.

Newquist said about 75 to 100 children are found on average in a 12-day run of the fair

Matt Weir / The Collegian

Guests are inspected by a police officer at each gate before entering the fair.

The police officers check for weapons, metal, illegal substances and more.

and one year they had 86 kids found in one day.

Gibeault said officers are circulating at all times so guests can enjoy an exciting and safe fair. The fair runs until this Sunday, Oct. 17.

“We keep officers moving and we don't let them group

up,” Gibeault said. “They work in pairs to make it safe for them, as well as for the patrons.”

C

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Collegian

Arts & EnterTainment WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2010

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR, MADDIE SHANNON • COLLEGIAN-FEATURES@CSUFRESNO.EDU

PAGE 5

Angela Salinas / The Collegian

Mike Dana directs the Fresno City College Jazz Composers Orchestra at a jazz concert on Monday night. The concert is part of the Department of Music’s Centennial Concert Series.

Two jazz ensembles perform original compositions

By Maddie Shannon The Collegian It takes a different kind of person to appreciate jazz.

In a world dominated by technology-enhanced music resulting in the likes of Ke$ha and Far East Movement, listening to music that isn’t essentially catchy isn’t interesting to many avid music listeners.

Watching it being played, however, is a completely different experience.

The Fresno State Jazz Orchestra and the Fresno City College Jazz Composers Orchestra took jazz music to a

new level in the ten pieces they performed in Monday night’s concert.

The Fresno State Jazz Orchestra perfor med three songs during the first part of the program. Their first piece, “Jumpy Blues,” was appropriately titled, as the song itself was a fun, fast-paced tune with an energetic flair and had more than one audience member tapping their foot.

“Warm Valley,” the orchestra’s second piece, started out with a mellow, slow sound before picking up the tempo.

Their last piece, “Madcap,” was also an energetic, enthusiastic composition at its’ core.

The end of the song, though sudden, adds to the songs’ intensity.

The last seven songs were p e r fo r m e d by t h e F re s n o City College Jazz Composers Orchestra, which consisted of Fresno State and Fresno City music faculty members, alumni of the music program at both schools and one Fresno State student. The most notable composition the ensemble performed was “The Lower Kings River,” an original piece by local composer Kevin Shigeo Yokota. The song seems to follow the flow of the Kings River, and starts in a slow rhythm before quickly picking up the

beat. The tempo rises and falls as the song embodies certain stretches of the river.

Another prominent piece is “A Day in Night Town.” The song has a wonderful sense of place and gives the audience the feeling of walking through town while experiencing the sounds of a time gone by. The sound of the band’s trumpets in this composition lends itself to the depiction of traffic in an old Jazz Era town.

One of the most memorable pieces of the concert was a composition that jazz trumpet professor Joe Lewis wrote for his wife and daughter, aptly titled “Emily and Jennifer.”

The song is fairly mellow, and increases in tempo in some parts. The piece evokes a very sweet, calming sense fitting of Lewis’ wife and daughter, who slept through her father’s performance.

Each piece the Fresno State Jazz Orchestra and the Fresno City College Jazz Composers Orchestra played were well performed, and those in attendance thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Although jazz isn’t a popular form of music in today’s pop-saturated music scene, attending any jazz concert at Fresno State is an experience that is sure to be enjoyable.

A sly ‘Simpsons’ opening by graffiti artist Banksy

By Frazier Moore Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The always clever and often subversive opening sequence for "The Simpsons" took a darker-thanusual turn with Sunday's episode, depicting the animation process for the Fox cartoon series as sweatshop drudgery perfor med by an exploited Asian underclass.

Created by the street artist and activist Banksy, the sequence began with the sight of hometown Springfield covered with graffiti — and tagged

by Banksy himself.

Then, when the Simpson family gathers on their living room couch, that image becomes a reference shot for legions of workers in the grim industrial complex where they paint cartoon cells and churn out Simpsons merchandise

(including Bart dolls stuffed with the fur of kittens tossed i n t o a wo o d ch i p p e r, a n d DVDs whose center holes are punched by a forlorn-looking unicorn's horn).

The entire enterprise is housed in a dreary-looking factory sprawl surrounded by barbed wire and identified by the looming 20th Century Fox logo and searchlights.

Through its long history, "The Simpsons" has never hesitated to lampoon its network bosses and other Fox programming.

But Sunday's self-inflicted jab was inspired by the fact that much of the rote production work for each "Simpsons" episode is indeed outsourced from the series' L.A. creative hub to studios in South Korea.

The sequence's mastermind, Banksy, is an international figure in street art who is known

for traveling the world and anonymously leaving his signature pieces in public areas while refusing to reveal his real name.

On Monday, "Simpsons" executive producer Al Jean said he had hit on the idea of inviting Banksy to create a so-called "couch gag" after seeing the film he directed, "Exit Through the Gift Shop," which was released earlier this year.

The "Simpsons" casting director managed to track down the famously hard-toreach artist, and a few months later his work was submitted.

Although Jean said the segment was "toned down a little" for airing, "there was nothing unusual from the network in terms of notes or delays.

"Fox has a remarkable ability to make fun of itself and be gracious," he said.

PAGE 6

THE COLLEGIAN • FUN & GAMES ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR, MADDIE SHANNON • COLLEGIAN-FEATURES@CSUFRESNO.EDU

The daily crossword ACROSS 1 Loads 6 N.J. clock setting 9 Launches sky-high 14 What a roller derby queen throws 15 Scone go-with 16 Lamebrain 17 Follower of Virgo 18 Carpet fuzz 19 In a slow tempo, musically 20 Group living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue 23 It might be bridged 24 Palindromic response to a revelation 25 Cliffhanging descents 27 Throws back from a mirror 32 Source of Samson’s strength 33 Chicken ___ king 34 Capital of South Korea 36 Cartoon duck 39 Full of ribald humor 41 Jean material 43 Babe in the stable 44 “Abandon hope, all ye who ___ here” 46 Be nosy 48 It’s pursued in vein 49 Arctic ice mass 51 Working together 53 Turnkeys 56 Hothead’s emotion

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Edited by Timothy E. Parker

PUZZLE SOLUTION: http://collegian.csufresno.edu Copyright 2010. Universal Press Syndicate.

57 Vessel in an alcove 58 Alluring woman 64 Legendary Western city 66 ___ Lady of Fatima 67 Car seat attachment 68 Islamic ruler (Var.) 69 Carp from Kyoto 70 Drab color?

71 Out of ___ way (safe) 72 L.A.-NYC flight path

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2010

73 Apartment renter’s contract DOWN 1 Word with “addressed” or “control” 2 152, to Cato 3 Tues., for Tuesday 4 Like a fish’s main fin 5 Wraps in bandages 6 Volcano in Italy

7 Joining stitch 8 Long-snouted critter 9 Frog’s raft 10 “___ to Joy” 11 Buffalo wings, e.g.

12 Bottom line amount 13 Train terminals 21 Batted against 22 “Well, ___-di-dah” 26 Edith dubbed “The Little Sparrow” 27 T-bone specification 28 Dash of panache 29 Investigator 30 Podiatry subject 31 Islam’s largest denomination 35 Tarzan movie menace 37 Cab charge 38 Primordial substance 40 Cheerleader’s offering 42 Artistic theme 45 Workers that provide high-level coverage 47 Lightweight umbrella 50 “... ___ he rode out of sight ...”

52 Annoy 53 David was king of it 54 A bottle’s bouquet 55 Burning evidence 59 Subatomic particle 60 Superior relative?

61 Certain solo 62 Restrooms, in Britain 63 Weapon with a bellshaped guard 65 Birth-month symbol

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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

Tongue typo What happens when you know perfectly well what you want to say but it comes out wrong.

Source: UrbanDictionary.com

World Premiere “Totem” Cirque Du Soleil at the Amsterdam ArenA in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on October 11, 2010.

Sven Hoogerhuls / Associated Press

News briefs

Brief news for the brief attention span LOS ANGELES (AP) — Christina Aguilera and her husband of nearly five years have separated.

The "Beautiful" singer says in a statement released Tuesday that she and husband Jordan Bratman's commitment to their 2-year-old son remains "as strong as ever."

The Grammy Award winner's statement did not indicate when the couple split or whether either would file for divorce.

Court records in Los Angeles do not show any filing by either Aguilera or Bratman.

The couple married in November 2005. Their split was first reported by US Weekly.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A rock band will have to face the music after blocking a Los

Angeles freeway and performing atop its trailer. California Highway Patrol spokesman Rick Quintero said a big box van decorated with Imperial Stars’ logo stopped on the southbound U.S. 101 near Sunset Boulevard at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, blocking four of the five lanes.

The driver took the keys and fled in another car, then three musicians climbed on top of the van and began to perform.

Quintero said they were arrested and the truck was finally towed away around noon after causing a mile-long traffic jam.

Quintero said the musicians could face charges of obstructing traffic.

The group, whose credits include “Traffic Jam 101,” said on its website it is dedicated to

helping homeless children.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Taylor Swift’s “Fearless” concert tour is starring in three TV specials.

“Taylor Swift’s Journey to Fearless” will air on The Hub network that launched this week, replacing Discovery Kids.

Swift’s 2009-10 “Fearless” sold-out tour was based on the album of the same name.

The shows about the making of the tour will debut Oct. 22, 23 and 24 at 7 p.m. EDT and include previously unaired footage, The Hub network said Tuesday.

“The ‘Fearless’ tour was an amazing journey, from the fun we had behind the scenes to the shows themselves,” Swift said.

“Fearless” was the top-selling

album of 2009 and earned Swift every major award, including four Grammys. Her third studio album, “Speak Now,” is set for an Oct. 25 worldwide release.

The Hub, backed by toy maker Hasbro, focuses on a 6-year-old to 11-year-old audience. Hasbro Studios produced the Swift concert series.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Eminem and Lady Antebellum lead nominees for the 38th annual American Music Awards with five nods each.

Teen heartthrob Justin Bieber has four nominations, while Katy Perry, Ke$ha, B.o.B. and Usher have three each.

Singers Demi Lovato and Taio Cruz made the announcement Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Eminem and Bieber are each

up for favorite pop/rock artist and album, and the rapper is also nominated for favorite artist and album in the rap/ hip-hop category. Both Bieber and Eminem are also nominated for artist of the year, along with Perry, Ke$ha and Lady Gaga.

Lady Antebellum is nominated for favorite band, duo or group in the pop/rock and country categories, along with favorite country album, favorite adult contemporary artist and the breakthrough artist award.

Music fans can choose winners in the show’s nine cate g o r i e s by vo t i n g o n l i n e.

Nominees were selected based on chart ratings for sales and radio and Internet play.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2010

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS SPORTS EDITORS, BEN INGERSOLL AND VONGNI YANG • COLLEGIAN-SPORTS@CSUFRESNO.EDU

PAGE 7

Hill cites lack of consistency as biggest problem

Matt Weir/ The Collegian

Junior Austin Raphael drops a pass against Cal Poly. The ‘Dogs inconsistency during games has been troubling for the ‘Dogs this year.

By Vongni Yang The Collegian Inconsistency has pla gued the Fresno State football team for much of this season.

The Bulldogs have yet to put together a complete game in all three phases: offense, defense and special teams.

“What we got to do is we just got to focus on Fresno State putting a full

four-quarter game together in all phases,” Bulldogs coach Pat Hill said.

“We’ve had some good phases. We still haven’t played our best football for four quarters in all three phases yet.”

The ‘Dogs have played well in certain stretches this year, but the team has struggled to maintain that consistency through an entire game.

“We’ve had some great runs of consistency, some really good football

played at times,” Hill said. “Just putting it all together, I think that’s what everybody is challenged with.”

Not being able to play on a consistent level has arguably cost the ‘Dogs a few wins this year. Injuries to key players, penalties and correctable mistakes are a few of the reasons why the team has struggled with consistency in 2010.

Against Hawaii the ‘Dogs fumbled at the Hawaii 2-yard line after Matt Hunt, an offensive guard, pulled and ran into quarterback Ryan Colburn, causing Colburn to fumble the ball. The fumble all but cost the ‘Dogs a sure touchdown. The offense would then settle for a field goal after recovering the ball at the Hawaii 14-yard line.

flagged, the two penalties were offset, giving Hawaii another shot at the end zone. Hawaii would then score on the very next play.

Then there was the catastrophic penalty for a block in the back following Rashad Evans’ 27-yard punt return.

Evans’ long return landed the ‘Dogs at the Hawaii 33-yard line, but the penalty negated the return and the ‘Dogs were forced to begin the drive near midfield.

“We just cannot make those kind of mistakes in football games that are going to be closely contested if you don’t make those mistakes,” Hill said.

“So from a consistency standpoint, that’s where we need to get a lot better.”

Being only five games into the sea-

“O

ur consistency has not been as good as we like it to be. I think we have time to get our consistency to where we need it and if we do, we’re going to be a heck of a football team down the stretch.”

— Pat Hill, Bulldogs head coach “Consistency is what we need to be able to do,” Hill said. “When you’re in a game where every play counts, you can’t have those kind of plays.”

Penalties have also affected the team’s consistency this year. There have been numerous plays where a penalty has been a setback for the offense and defense.

In the second half against Hawaii, the ‘Dogs had two costly penalties that effected the team’s momentum.

The defense was called for pass interference after forcing Hawaii to throw an incomplete pass in the end zone on third down. On the same play, Hawaii was also penalized for a holding call, but because Fresno State also got

son, Hill said it’s still not too late for the team to fix their inconsistent ways.

“Our consistency has not been as good as we like it to be,” Hill said. “I think we have time to get our consistency to where we need it and if we do, we’re going to be a heck of a football team down the stretch.”

The team will get the chance to work on its consistency Saturday when it hosts a struggling New Mexico State team at 7:30 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium.

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OCTOBER: Lots to watch CONTINUED from page 8

The last four Super Bowl winners have a combined record of 12-7.

Preseason favorites such as Dallas and Indianapolis have yet to prove much of anything, leaving the entire league up for grabs. The NFL’s leading rusher isn’t Chris Johnson, it’s Arian Foster of the first-place Texans in the AFC South.

Even less-popular sports like golf and hockey love their time in the October

spotlight.

The British stole back the Ryder Cup in a come-from-behind fashion earlier this month, and the puck has finally hit the ice in the NHL, stirring up excitement in the Valley for plenty of San Jose Sharks fans.

Sit back and enjoy all 31 days of October, because in this month alone we will have a new MLB champion, see a Wade-to-LeBron alley-oop and, if we’re lucky, a nice fistfight at center ice. Try saying that in June.

The

Collegian

SPORTS PAGE 8

THIS DAY IN SPORTS...

Former NFL wide receiver Jerry Rice celebrates his 48th birthday today.

Rice has the NFL career record for most touchdown receptions with 197.

SPORTS EDITORS, BEN INGERSOLL AND VONGNI YANG • COLLEGIAN-SPORTS@CSUFRESNO.EDU

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2010

October is meant for sports T

he well-rounded sports enthusiast loves life right now.

While I don’t consider myself “well-rounded” in sports, mostly because I only like NASCAR for the drive r s ’ n a m e s, I fall aslee p before the fourth inning of a baseball game,and tennis is only excitingBen there, done that when Serena BEN INGERSOLL Williams chastises a line judge. All this is available on reruns of SportsCenter, so I don’t exactly feel inclined to tune in.

But for the most diehard of diehard sports junkies, October has to feel like Christmas in the Hamptons.

Baseball? Sports have you covered. October is the month even casual baseball fans enjoy, mostly because each and every game finally matters.

Regular season baseball is a joke. A team that lost 70 games is heading to the National League Championship Series, but that’s just the nature of Major League Baseball.

But those 70 losses won’t fly in October. It’s the month where baseball parallels college football; where one loss means your team’s grave is already dug, and two losses means they are laying in it.

Speaking of college football, October has that covered too.

Not only have we hit the midway point of the season, some devastating upsets and big time players are beginning to surface. Alabama’s 19-game win streak came to a screeching halt, a player in the maize and blue looks like the latest Barry Sanders, and the AP Top 25 is once again showing it’s no guarantee.

One thing you can guarantee is the NBA season is finally upon us, and it may be the most exciting year in recent memory. The regular season begins on Oct. 26, but the preseason hype is perhaps at its highest in history, especially in South Beach where three likely NBA All Star starters have assembled on the same team. But here out West it’s all about the Kobe show and his quest for a Jordan-like number of rings.

Who knows who will get a ring at the conclusion of this NFL season? It’s the earliest in the season in recent memory that there are no undefeated teams, and it seems as though the Lombardi Trophy has no one significant favorite contender. The last remaining undefeated team was the Kansas City Chiefs for crying out loud!

By Ben Ingersoll The Collegian If recent history repeats itself, Fresno State football may be in trouble.

Clinging to preseason hopes of bringing home Fresno State’s first outright Wester n Athletic Conference title and shelving a decade of dominance by rival Boise State, the ‘Dogs took a big step back Saturday night.

With the Bulldogs falling at home to Hawaii last Saturday 49-27, a scary trend is beginning to brew once again in the Valley.

Boise State has won or shared the WAC title seven of the past nine years since joining the conference in 2001, and may have one less team to worry about when the regular season concludes in early December. Only Hawaii and Nevada have managed to interrupt the Broncos’ dominance, with the Warriors finishing first in 2007 and the Wolf Pack sharing the title in 2005.

The 2005 season marked the only time the current alignment of the WAC has seen a shared title, with both Boise State and Nevada finishing conference play 7-1. The Broncos nearly finished unscathed in the conference that season, but were upset by Fresno State in Bulldog Stadium late in the season.

Although the Bulldogs made life a lot more complicated when it comes to the WAC title chase, head coach Pat Hill insists his team is down but certainly not out.

“We still control our own destiny,” Hill said. “As amazing as that sounds, I still think that it’s got to go through Boise to get it. As long as we keep winning our conference games, we’re still in the hunt. Now the margin for error is down to zero now. You had a cushion of one game before.”

In order for Fresno State to control its own destiny the ‘Dogs must win their final six conference games. If they manage that feat, only a share of the conference title is guaranteed. Fresno State and Hill’s first outright WAC title will only come if the ‘Dogs finish 7-1 in conference play and both Boise State and Nevada suffer two conference losses, one in their head-tohead matchup and one additional loss.

Even if Fresno State does win out, however, the likelihood of a one-loss team taking sole control of the WAC by season’s end is getting slimmer with each Boise State shellacking. The Broncos are blowing opponents out by an average of 32 points per game and look poised to set up a Nov. 26 de facto confer-

ence title game at Nevada.

Hawaii now becomes Fresno State’s best friend and worst enemy.

The Warriors sit on top of the WAC with the Broncos and Wolf Pack at 2-0. If Hawaii upsets Nevada this weekend at Aloha Stadium, it both helps and hurts the ‘Dogs because while it sets the Wolf Pack back, it propels the Warriors to 3-0 and a fellow title contender.

Boise State is in a similar position to Fresno State as well. A Hawaii victory this weekend would give the Broncos some breathing room for their Nov. 26 matchup.

But by the same token, if Hawaii wins it makes Boise State’s contest against the Warriors on Nov. 6 a Smurf Turf showdown.

But Hawaii has knocked off both Boise State and Nevada in the same season just once (2007) and has just one victory over the Broncos in WAC history.

Another roadblock separating Fresno State from a WAC championship is the general makeup of college football. Last season, of the 11 conferences in the Football Bowl Subdivision, only four had conference champions with one or more losses.

“In colle ge football, at most schools, it’s one [loss],” Hill said.

“In our conference, unless it’s [a loss] to Boise State, I still feel we just got to handle our own business week after week and if we can do that we still have a chance to play for a WAC Championship.”

Hill will not let his team get distracted by thinking too far ahead, however. The 14-year leader of the ‘Do gs maintains that Fresno State has to take it one game at a time with the WAC title as an afterthought.

“I want to talk about being able to play in November for a conference championship and so do the kids,” Hill said. “But to take care of that we need to take of business on Saturday against New Mexico State.”

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See OCTOBER, Page 7 Matt Weir / The Collegian