October 26 2011

IS A 32-TEAM CONFERENCE ON THE HORIZON?

Defensive line unit growing up fast SPORTS Universities need to give students more control OPINION Paranormal Activity 3 brings elevated scare factor FEATURES

Sports editor Jerry Huerta examines the possiblity of a three-conference merger

Wednesday Issue October 26, 2011 FRESNO STATE

COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU

SERVING CAMPUS SINCE 1922

promotes Prescription drugs commonly Event cultural patience abused by students and tolerance

By Ciara Norton The Collegian

By Johnathan Wilbanks The Collegian A growing number of college students have abused prescription medications such as Ritalin or Adderall.

These substances are used to treat attention deficit disorder(ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Up to 20 percent of students on college campuses have used either Ritalin or Adderall to gain a competitive edge on their coursework, according to Andrew Jacobs of the New York Times.

Full-time college students between the ages of 18 to 22 were twice as likely to have used Adderall than those who were not students, according to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA).

SAMSHA classifies Adderall as having the highest potential for dependence or abuse. Other substance abuse issues also coincide with Adderall use. Nearly 90 percent of college students who used Adderall reported binge drinking within the last month, See DRUGS, Page 3

Dalton Runberg/ The Collegian

Students promote the importance of donating

By Elizabeth Borg The Collegian Goodwill has begun its public awareness movement, which focuses on the importance of donating items and the positive impact donations have on people and the environment.

Goodwill was able to open a new store location due to the successfulness and high amounts of revenue generated last year, and has teamed up with Fresno State once again. The goal is to exceed the totals achieved in last years event.

“W

hen people see the repeated images on the news they are only hearing one side and so they tag us as violent and become ignorant. This ignorance breeds the conflicts and hate crimes that we see so often today.”

— Walid Hamud, President Muslim Student Association

“A

s students, we were just trying to get our project done but we really understood Goodwill’s goal and its contributions.”

— Kao Sheng Moua, Fresno State student The “Donate Movement” clothing drive hopes to receive thousands of donations including gently used clothing, shoes, furniture and any other household items. Monetary donations can also be made via the Internet or in person at a Goodwill store.

Large donation quantities help provide job training skills and placement services within the Goodwill industry.

Earl Brown, who deals with community affairs for Goodwill in the San Joaquin Valley, works to spread the word and get school organizations to participate. Brown explains the objective is to bring awareness about the “Donate Movement” and what it is about. “ We a r e p a r t n e r i n g w i t h t h e University Student Union (USU) and

On Tuesday night Oct. 18 about 30 students gathered in the University Student Union to hear Sheikh Ramadan, leader of Masjid Fresno, s p e a k ab o u t t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f patience in Islam.

Ramadan, who was born in Egypt and memorized the Quran by the time he was 14, talked about why it is important for Muslims to be patient in all situations.

He also spoke about common misconceptions and stereotypes that Muslims often deal with.

“We need to learn how to become patient first, so that we can apply it in all areas of our lives,” Ramadan said.

In the religious text of Islam, the Quran, Ramadan said several types of patience are mentioned and referred to in many stories involving prophets.

Some of the types of patience include patience when facing dangerous enemies, when facing accusations from people, when separated from parents, family or loved ones and patience in accepting the fate of Allah, the God of Islam.

Walid Hamud, president of the Muslim Student Association, said that events like this one are important for Muslims and non-Muslims because they encourage mutual understanding.

“There’s a lot of prejudice and fear from us as a religion,” Hamud said.

“When people see the repeated imag-

Esteban Cortez / The Collegian

Fresno State student Jadee Mejorado volunteered to help collect clothing donations at the Goodwill booth located in the Free Speech Area. She is one of several students from USU Productions who volunteered with Goodwill this week.

with the Craig School of Business through service learning and creating a clothing drive,” Brown said. “We also want to encourage people to be on the lookout for the donate icon.”

The “Donate Movement” logo features the letter “D” with ar rows around it, similar to the “recycle” logo.

Goodwill has partnered up with businesses such as Gap, Levi’s and Planet Green. The logo symbolizes what items can be donated.

This year, a USU production has helped create strategies and is planning a campaign to promote donations and participation from students and student organizations on the Fresno State campus.

Kao Sheng Moua, a senior at Fresno State, participated in the movement last fall through a service-learning project and encourages students to become involved this year.

“As students, we were just trying to get our project done but we really

understood Goodwill’s goal and its contributions,” Moua said.

Last year, a trailer was parked in lot V, on the corner of Woodrow and Shaw Avenues, and was accessible to students as a place to drop off their donations. The drive was such a success that Goodwill was able to open a brand new store.

This year, the trailer is parked in the same spot and additional Goodwill bins are located in the Free Speech platform area.

Shawna Blair, the prog ram and events c oordinator for th e U SU Productions, aims to reach Goodwill’s goals as well’ as bring awareness to students.

“We want to fill at least one trailer with clothes and household items,” Blair said.

The clothing drive began Monday, Oct. 24 and will continue to collect donations through Friday, Oct. 28.

es on the news they are only hearing one side and so they tag us as violent and become ignorant. This ignorance breeds the conflicts and hate crimes that we see so often today.”

Hamud, a Fresno State biology major, thinks that the best way to put an end to this ignorance is events like this one.

“Events regarding our religion and increasing the awareness about Islam will only help people,” Hamud said.

“Interfaith dialogues and student panels are also very helpful.”

A few weeks ago, Hamud attended an interfaith dialogue event at Fresno State.

“It was really helpful because I spoke for the Muslim Student Association and there were all of these other religions there as well,” Hamud said.

“There were Jewish and Catholic students present and we all engaged in a healthy dialogue that helped us to put aside our differences.”

Michelle Marquez, a Fresno State undeclared major, did not attend the See EVENT, Page 3

The

Collegian

Opinion PAGE 2

“N

THAT’S WHAT THE PEOPLE ARE SAYING...

ot only are organic and sustainable farming methods better for the environment, not only are the foods they produce better for our bodies, but the forms of economic exchange they enable tend to be ones in which ‘authentically human social relationships’ can take root.”

– John Schwenkler & David Cloutier, Commonweal

OPINION EDITOR, TONY PETERSEN • COLLEGIAN-OPINION@CSUFRESNO.EDU

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2011

Give us more control

By Maddie Shannon The Collegian

A

little over a month ago, Professor X, an education columnist for Newsweek magazine’s website dailybeast.com, evaluated a study recently released

by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce. The study drew all but obvious parallels between earning at least a bachelor’s degree and earning more money over the course of a 40-year career in various industries, compared to people who have only some college experience or less.

Although the numbers presented in the study may be anything but subtle — “What possible economic interest could the folks at Georgetown University have in promoting everincreasing levels of college attendance?” Professor X asked — the most interesting part of the project, as X pointed out, was that it was possible to earn good money in specific careers without an undergraduate degree.

This resonated with me because of the disgruntled attitude toward school I’ve observed from friends of mine, as well as fellow classmates. A select few have gone so far as to quit school completely, because they knew they could earn good money doing what they wanted to do without a bachelor’s, without even reading any fancy educa-

tional study.

The project highlighted, inadvertently, a problem that students are facing at universities across the country — including those at Fresno State.

The problem is a lack of relevance and flexibility in the established educational system at postsecondary schools in every part of the United States, public and private. If students had the chance to choose the subjects they learn about, beyond picking out a class from a list that may not even teach them anything they need or want to know, academia in general would be a lot better off. Students who have a choice in choosing what they learn will be more incentivized to take an active role in what they learn and how they are educated.

If universities gave students more control in writing the curriculum for their program or major, not only would students be more willing to learn what their professors have to teach them, but they would be better prepared for whatever their postgraduate or professional goals happen to be.

Some schools have already figured this out. The Johnston Center for Integrative Studies at University of Redlands has let students form special majors and write the curriculum for their program since 1969. Drexel University recently instituted a selfdesigned major program for students who find a more traditional curricu-

NOTES & ASIDES

By Tony Petersen The Collegian

lum boring or irrelevant. And while Fresno State has the option for students to design a special major, maybe we need to take it a step further.

Fresno State has always prided itself on being the people’s university.

And with our Centennial year just behind us, the administration and faculty of this school have pushed to make Fresno State a twenty-first century university.

With these two values in mind, it’s necessary to actively involve students in preparing the curriculum of the various majors we have on campus to become one of the nation’s leading universities. If students on this campus, specifically, get involved in forming academic plans for their majors by working with the faculty and staff who teach us, then Fresno State would be well on it’s way to truly becoming a university for a new century.

That, without a doubt, would give schools like Georgetown a run for its money.

Maddie Shannon is a former columnist and Arts & Entertainment editor for The Collegian.

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COMMENT: The Collegian is a forum for student expression. http://collegian.csufresno.edu

After my column praising Ron Paul’s efforts at solving America’s debt crisis, commenter joshua4234 asked, in so many words, for me to take a look at the Congressional Progressive Caucus’ budget, which eliminates the deficit in 10 years.

Though there is much I disagree with in the plan, I do agree with some of it.

The budget includes removing American troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, which is a good thing, both for foreign policy reasons and budgetary reasons.

It also significantly raises taxes on the rich. It is reasonable to think that higher taxes are necessary, but raising the rate for millionaires to 45 percent would be counterproductive.

Such a drastic tax increase would inevitably hurt our economy and job creation. The best way to raise revenues would be something akin to what the Simpson-Bowles commission proposed: close loopholes while lowering the rates a tad.

However, as far as entitlements go, the Caucus just kicks the can down the road. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid all have the structural problem that there are more old people receiving benefits than there are young people paying in to the system.

This is the main problem with our ballooning debt, and the Progressive Caucus refuses to address it.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear editor: I understand the good-natured intent of the activities on Monday and Wednesday morning/afternoon outside the USU; what I don’t understand is how poorly it was executed. I know people who had classes in Speech Arts during that time and I work in McLane Hall during that time.

To say myself, the people who attended class, the professors I spoke to afterward, and the people I work with were distracted, annoyed or downright angry would be a gross understatement. The short-sightedness and ignorance of blasting music when people are in class or working is only topped by the short-sightedness and ignorance of the people who continually approve to carry out these wayward ideas.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions and it was hell being in class or working while this was all going on. I would hope that some thought to the people who are actually in class or working (professors and office staff alike) during this time would be taken into consideration next time, but excuse me if I’m extremely doubtful of that.

Christopher Moss Communication *** Dear editor: Ambrose Bierce, in his 1875 satirical reference book “Devil’s Dictionary,” defines patriotism as: “Combustible rubbish ready to the torch of any one

THE

ambitious to illuminate his name.”

William Flores-Lemus’ letter underscores a major contemporary issue, immigration, yet it is short-sighted because of its sentimentalism.

In a time when most countries in the world have been forced to redefine their ideas of Nationalism and Citizenship due to pressures from the international community, why shouldn’t the United States be asked to do the same, however minimal, when the pressure comes from internal communities?

The challenge is: Where does the discourse on Citizenship and American identity start? The rebellion from English rule? Genocide of Native Americans? Enslavement of Africans?

Indentured slaves? America hasn’t fully reconciled these contradictions, even with the country’s celebration of the erection of Dr. Martin Luther King’s statue. Contemporary issues of immigration only highlight this dilemma, especially once the mass exodus of Eastern Europeans, South East Asians (who sought refuge after World Wars I and II and Vietnam to America) is considered.

Who better to begin America’s reexamining of its laws on immigration and citizenship than neighboring countries?

W.E.B Dubois in his “Souls of Black Folk” said the problem of the 20th century was the color line. I think we can further his claim and say the problem of the 21st century is the color line and the geographical citizenship line.

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.

The Collegian California State University, Fresno 5201 N. Maple Ave., M/S SA42 Fresno, CA 93740-8027 News Line: (559) 278-2486 Business Line: (559) 278-5735 http://collegian.csufresno.edu

Dalitso Ruwe Cultural Anthropology

*** Dear editor: Objectivity is tough to maintain when Fresno State habitually gets embarrassed on national TV. Sure, Coach Hill has “resurrected” Fresno State’s football program, but is the trend onward and upward? Or alarmingly stagnant?

The Fresno Bee’s Bryant-Jon Anteola’s article published Oct. 19,

2011, made it difficult for me to keep my recently eaten turkey sandwich out of my trash bin. I was not upset about local recruits playing for a rival school; rather, I was sickened to hear how Mr. Hill simply offered most local recruits who grew up wearing cardinal red the cold shoulder.

What is more disheartening is these recruits annually beat Fresno State on the football field (0-3 vs. Nevada since 2008). Mr. Hill needs to learn about hospitality. How long must the Valley settle for cold shoulders? How long must the Valley settle for mediocrity? As the BSU game on Oct. 7 painfully highlighted, how long must Bulldog fans hope to see a “sea of red” at Bulldog Stadium instead of blood baths?

Sure, Mr. Hill made Fresno State football relevant last decade. But what has he done for the fan base lately?

In an attempt to remain truly objective, what better way to gauge Mr. Hill’s on-field performance than bowl games (neutral field, evenly matched opponent, weeks to prepare)? Mr. Hill is 4-7 in bowl games. Losing to a “directional” school (e.g. Northern Illinois)on national TV was humiliating. Perhaps Mr. Hill has done something for fans lately — high blood pressure.

Matthew St. Germain

Illustration by Rebekah Franklin / The Collegian

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.

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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.

Multimedia Director Webmaster Videographer Videographer Online Reporter

Local Advertising Manager Ben Ingersoll Local Advertising Manager Ana Mendoza-Santiago National Advertising Manager Thomas Pearson Johnathan Wilbanks Account Executive/Special Projects Account Executive/Special Projects Jerry Huerta Art Director Tony Petersen Assistant Art Director Esteban Cortez Distribution Manager Accountancy Assistant

Vanessa Flores Dan Koenig Mitchell Canizalez Bertha Gil Linda Kobashigawa Brandon Ocegueda Kevin Gordy Savannah Brandle Anthony Samarasekera

Sergio Robles Dalton Runberg Garrett Horn Ezra Romero Rachel Waldron

Virginia Sellars-Erxleben Roberta Asahina Reaz Mahmood Dr. Tamyra Pierce

Business Manager Advertising Faculty Adviser Editorial Faculty Adviser MCJ Chair

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2011

THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS NEWS EDITOR, ANA MENDOZA-SANTIAGO • COLLEGIAN-NEWS@CSUFRESNO.EDU

EVENT: Religion tolerance promoted at event CONTINUED from page 1 event but thinks that it is very important for people to be aware of other religious beliefs.

“If you don’t understand the way that somebody thinks, the best thing to do is learn about them,” Marquez said.

“That’s really the only way that you can come to terms with your differences.”

Toward the end of his presentation, Ramadan briefly talked about the killing of Muammar Gadhafi.

“Gadhafi shouldn’t have been killed,” Ramadan said. “That’s not Islam to kill someone after they are captured. They should have presented him to a judge instead because that is what the religion calls for.”

Hamud said that the Muslim Student Association will continue hosting events like this throughout the semester in the hopes of increasing awareness about their religion, teaching of the importance of patience and what Islam really is versus what the media portrays it as.

Princeton Review praises business college

DRUGS: Drop-off center at Fresno State CONTINUED from page 1 according to SAMSHA. The California Health Collaborative is making an effort to combat drug use with the Lock It Up Project. The project is a community-based substance abuse prevention program designed to increase awareness about illicit use of prescription drugs in the young adult population of Fresno County.

The Lock It Up Project offers informational and educational presentations, community-based outreach services and in-service training for schools and professional personnel.

“The objective of the Lock It Up Project is to reduce illicit use of prescription drugs among 12 to 20-year-old youth in Fresno County,” Fresno State student and youth services specialist Michelle Alcantara said. “These drugs are a growing problem in college.

Twenty-four percent of college students use prescription drugs illegally.”

“We are finding that a lot of people actually are abusing prescription drugs through surveys and evaluations,” program manager of the Lock It Up Project Rolando Valero said. “I encourage people to find out the risks

and consequences of these drugs before trying them.

“Many individuals who use these drugs are mixing them with alcohol, which can lead to respiratory failure and can eventually cause death,” Valero added.

The project includes drop zones for unused prescription medications and illegal drugs. Two of the drop zones are located in the University Police Department office and the Fresno Sheriff’s department.

The Fresno Sheriff’s Department drop-off center last month collected between 60 and 80 pounds of unwanted drugs, including prescription and illegal drugs.

“The top six drugs that are popular right now are Oxycontin, Vicodin, Valium, Xanax, Ritalin and Adderall,” said JD Garza of the Lock It Up Project.

Garza added that about 2,500 of teenagers between the ages of 12 to 17-yearolds per day are experimenting with an opiate for the very first time.

Students struggling with prescription drug addiction may contact JD Garza at (559) 244-3618 for additional resources on study aids and opiate addiction.

PAGE 3

Princeton Review College Ranking Best Business Schools

8

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona California State University, Chico California State University, East Bay California State University, Fresno California State University, Fullerton California State University, Long Beach California State University, Northridge California State University, San Bernardino Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo Chapman University Claremont Graduate University Loyola Marymount University Monterey Institute of International Studies Pepperdine University

San Diego State University San Francisco State University San Jose State University Santa Clara University Stanford University University of California - Davis University of California - Berkeley University of California - Irvine University of California - Los Angeles University of California - Riverside University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of Southern California University of the Pacific

source: http://www.princetonreview.com/business-school-rankings.aspx Kevin Gordy / The Collegian

PAGE 4

THE COLLEGIAN • FEATURES FEATURES EDITOR, THOMAS PEARSON • COLLEGIAN-FEATURES@CSUFRESNO.EDU

WEDNESAY, OCTOBER 26, 2011

Paranormal Activity 3 proves more terrifying and entertaining than its predecessors

T

h e o r i g i n a l Paranormal Activity film began a trilogy of movies that held a simple, yet entertainingly terrifying premise.

The third installment promises even more jumps and screams than the previous films and offers the perfect Halloween fright for moviegoers.

In the original film a couple sets up a camera to record a ghost they believe is haunting their house. We the audience, along with the couple, watch the footage to witness what happened.

T h e c o u p l e, K at i e a n d Micah, were right about being haunted.

Now in Paranormal Activity 3, we witness how the terror began.

The movie starts in 2005 as we see Kristie (Sprague Grayden) eagerly awaiting the birth of her baby. Her sister, Katie (Katie Featherstone), comes to visit.

While visiting, Katie found a couple of boxes filled with old family memories. Inside the box are old videos. These videos contain footage of the happy memories of Katie and Kristie's childhood. It also possesses terrifying footage of something else.

Back in the late 1980s, Julie

(Lauren Bittner) got married for a second time with a man named Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith), who was a we d d i n g p h o t o g r ap h e r.

Dennis was a great dad to young Katie (Chloe Csengery) and young Kristie (Jessica Tyler Brown).

Dylan Patton He even takes it in stride when Kristie mentions her imaginary friend, Toby.

As Kristie continues to insist Toby is real, Dennis and Julie begin to worry and hear weird noises.

Dennis then decides to install three cameras to find out what is going on. One camera is installed in the living room, another in his room and

the final camera is installed in Katie's and Kristie's room.

T u r n s o u t t h at To by i s more than just an imaginary friend. He's a ghost. Initially he appears to be friendly, only pulling the occasional trick on the family. He doesn't do anything too threatening.

However, as the movie goes on, it becomes very clear that he wants something and he will do anything to get what he wants. Toby begins to show that he has ways of letting others know what will happen if they defy him.

The first Paranor mal Activity film was dreadfully slow. Yes, I will even go as far as to say it was boring.

In the third installment directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman decided to take a more thrilling approach to the script and it pays off with fantastic results.

They start the film out with some simple scares, just doing things to make the audience jump a little bit. As the movie progresses, however, Joost and Schulman decide to increase the fear level and show the audience just how terrifying they can be.

Wr i t e r s C h r i s t o p h e r B .

Landon and Oren Peli set out to make Paranormal Activity a trilogy.

Both had done work on the

previous films. Peli wrote and directed the first film and was on hand to help write this script.

In this film, with help from Landon, the story flowed much better. The third film really tests to see if the audi-

“I

n this film with help from Landon, The story flowed much better.

The third film really tests to see if the audience was paying attention to the other two”

ence was paying attention to the other two.

In the first one, a scene is depicted in which it is revealed that the spirit wants Katie. Now we know why it wanted her.

I was really surprised by this movie. I thought it would lame and boring like the first one.

However, it is f ar more exciting. The pace of the film begins a little slow. As the film progresses, however, the terror becomes more and more intense, making you wish it

was still boring.

The acting of both young actresses, Chloe and Jessica as the two young sisters, is worth applauding. It actually felt as though they were not acting, but were actually scared.

The camera work improved dramatically from the other films. It is far clearer and much more precise.

In this installment, Dennis is an actual videographer. So he's able to use his skills to capture every terrifying moment.

He even has the smart idea to install one of the cameras on a swivel mount that rotates back and forth.

Not only does this look cool, but it adds to the suspense as you fight to pay close attention to both sides of the screen.

Most sequels are terrible.

They bring shame to their predecessors. Paranor mal Activity 3 shatters this belief.

It is scarier and more entertaining.

If the first two films scared you, be careful. If you think the spirit was scary before, it's more powerful. Just be thankful it wants the people in the movie and not you.

C

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SPECIALS FROM 9 - 11 PM

RESTRICTIONS APPLY

AUTO RENTERS

MOTORCYCLE

FIND OUT WHAT’S GOING ON AT OUR CAMPUS: The second Tuesday of every month the Fresno State Farm Market (Chestnut/Barstow) gives out free ice cream samples of two selected flavors.

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Located on the west end of the Speech Arts Building

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CROSSROADS PROMOTES RESPONSIBLE DRINKING.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2011 THE COLLEGIAN • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PAGE 5 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR, JOHNATHAN WILBANKS • COLLEGIAN-FEATURES@CSUFRESNO.EDU

With ‘The Rum Diary,’ Johnny Depp seeks ‘closure’ with an old friend

Hahn-Khayat / McClatchy-Tribune

Johnny Depp, pictured here at the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles, California, portrays a version of Hunter S. Thompson in “The Rum Diary,” which opens this Friday.

By Roger Moore McClatchy-Tribune ORLANDO, Fla. — Like everyone who knew him, Johnny Depp collected Hunter S. Thompson stories.

The first one is how the alreadyfamous actor first met his fellow Kentuckian, the notorious hell-raiser, gadfly and popular author of “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” in the Woody Creek Tavern near Thompson’s adopted hometown of Aspen, Colo., in December 1994. “I was sitting in the back of the place, and I saw the door burst open. I saw sparks! Literally!”

Depp recalls. “Then I saw people leaping left and right, getting out of the way. He ‘parted the sea’ with a threefoot cattle prod in his left hand and some sort of Taser in his right!”

Depp laughs. “That was the beginning of the romance.”

Depp’s tales of Thompson, the inspiration for the ever-stoned Uncle Duke in “Doonesbury,” include the occasional near-death experience — usually involving firearms or explosives — all the way through to the funeral Depp ensured Thompson got after his death in 2005. “At a cost of $2.5 million, Depp gave Hunter the send-off he wanted,” Thompson biographer William McKeen wrote of that (literal) final blast: Thompson’s ashes, blown up in a shower of fireworks.

“Hunter was never the guy who was going to slump down in his soup,” Depp says of his friend, who committed suicide with a pistol at 67 as his body began to break down. “That wasn’t going to happen. He was going to make (darned) sure of that.”

But even after having played a version of Thompson on screen in 1998’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” and even after the funeral, Depp says he felt a need “for closure.” At 48, at the peak of his fame, Depp still turns into a fanboy when talking about Thompson.

And when you’re a fanboy who is the biggest movie star on the planet, closure can be a film based on Thompson’s novel, “The Rum Diary.”

The movie, starring Depp and inspired

by Thompson’s early stint as a brilliant but boozy journalist in San Juan, Puerto Rico, opens Friday.

Thompson “was already a hell-raiser” when he arrived in Puerto Rico in the early 1960s, Depp says. “In his youth, he was a ‘drape’ (a term from Depp’s movie ‘Cry-Baby’), a ‘greaser.’

He was a bit of a juvenile delinquent.

“Puerto Rico was maybe the catalyst that melded that man who despised authority into this chivalrous journalist. He began to acquire the voice we would get to know later, the voice of a man who would not stand for injustice, would not stand for ignorance, especially in the upper echelons of society.

I think Puerto Rico was Hunter finding Hunter.”

“Rum Diary” puts the journalist, a version of Thompson, in the center of the action, surrounded by bizarrely colorful characters.

“I promise you, NONE of these people were made up,” Depp says with a chuckle. “The scariest things are the details he left out about them. That’s what’s most frightening, because the guy attracted people like that.”

The newspaper’s editor in the film See DEPP, Page 6

PAGE 6

THE COLLEGIAN • A&E ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR, JOHNATHAN WILBANKS • COLLEGIAN-FEATURES@CSUFRESNO.EDU

The daily crossword Across 1 Finish using TurboTax, say 6 They have scales and keys 10 Avon lady, e.g.?

14 Pitch man?

15 Little bit of everything 16 Tip-top 17 Latitude between the South Frigid Zone and South Temperate Zone 20 Surfboard fin 21 Native of Lima 22 Novelist Kesey 23 Hindquarters 25 Arms treaty subjects, briefly 27 Tried something out 32 Cleaned one’s plate 33 Indian megalopolis 34 Copious 38 Agent under M 40 Highways and byways 42 Chimney sweepings 43 Lipstick mishap 45 Springs, in a way 47 Ref’s decision 48 Test-drove, with “in” 51 Environmental activist Jagger 54 Copyeditor’s catch, hopefully 55 Commentator Coulter 56 16th-century Spanish fleet 60 Science fiction prize

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis Los Angeles Times

Puzzle by Mike Peluso

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PUZZLE SOLUTION: http://collegian.csufresno.edu Copyright 2011. Tribune Media Services, Inc.

63 Macroeconomic theory to explain inflation 66 Faded in the stretch 67 Dust Bowl migrant 68 Denoting a loss, as on a balance sheet 69 Every twelve mos.

70 Unites 71 Napoleon, ultimately Down 1 Guesstimates at

Maryland’s BWI 2 Name on a dictionary 3 Involve oneself 4 Roughly three miles 5 Push the wrong button, e.g.

6 Candlelight visitor?

7 Et __: and others 8 Trillionth: Pref.

9 “You’re not the only one!”

10 Block

‘Beavis and Butthead’ are back

By Frank Lovece McClatchy-Tribune

Mike Judge has made his mark with two very different animated series — “Beavis and Butt-head,” MTV’s selfsatirizing ode to adolescent stupidity, and “King of the Hill,” Fox’s long-running paragon of down-home values.

Even without them, Judge, 49, would be

“F

or me it started with (MTV Networks President) Van Toffler calling and saying he wanted to bring the show back, which he had wanted to do before.”

— Mike Judge, Creator of “Beavis and ButtHead”

remembered for writing and directing the live-action “Office Space” (1999), a box-office flop whose rueful observations on workplace life have made it a massive home-video hit and a cultural touchstone.

Thursday night at 10 EDT, MTV brings “Beavis and Butt-head” back for a new generation. But the soft-spoken Judge assures us they’re still the same old “high” schoolers.

Q. It’s been 14 years since “Beavis and Butt-head” went off the air. Why revive the series now?

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2011

A. You know, I don’t know. For me it started with (MTV Networks President) Van Toffler calling and saying he wanted to bring the show back, which he had wanted to do before. They do market research occasionally and they’ll find that there’s a high awareness and a lot of people still like it. So I don’t know if there’s any specific thing other than the usual research that they do.

Q. The title’s slightly different. Now it’s “Mike Judge’s Beavis and ButtHead.” So are you now like Jackie Collins and Stephen King?

A. When (MTV) bought the characters, they said it’s going to be called “MTV’s Beavis and Butt-Head,” and I just thought: “Really? You got to rub it in like that?” So anyway, my manager a while back, when he was going over what I would want if I were to do another movie (following the successful 1996 “Beavis and Butt-Head Do America”), said, “Do you want them to call it ‘Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-Head’?” And I said, “Yeah, sure, ask for that.”

Q. Daria Morgendorffer was a breakout character spun off into her own very popular, much-beloved show. Any chance Daria will visit the series locale of Highland, Texas, for a guest appearance?

A. I’ve been getting asked that so much that I think I’m going to have to make that happen. I really liked that character. When they spun it off, some very underhanded, backstabbing things happened that I wasn’t crazy about. But I think the character’s great ... and I really like her with Beavis and Butt-Head. It was kind of nice having one girl who would actually talk to them. I might have to bring her back.

11 Is way cool 12 Coastal area 13 “The Wonder Years” years 18 Whirlybird 19 Prefix with mural 24 Near the center 26 Shady group?

27 Ties up the line 28 Element element 29 High, as a kite 30 Quay 31 Pitcher Nomo 35 “Jeopardy!” category 36 Mischief-making Norse god 37 Henry VI’s school 39 “Rosy-fingered” time of day, per Homer 41 “Counting Sheep” mattresses 44 Postgame rundown 46 “I just had an idea!”

49 __-minded 50 Egyptian with a riddle 51 Like some limericks 52 “. . . the bombs bursting __ . . .”

53 California pro 57 Karaoke prop 58 Stomach product 59 Unenviable grades 61 Highlands native 62 Merrie __ England 64 Joseph of ice cream fame 65 Diner dessert

C

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

Groutfiti A form of graffiti. It involves writing in the tiny space of grout in between tiles in public toilets.

The phrases always are made up of some pun using the word grout. Other examples include movie titles, like “The grout, the bad, and the ugly” or simple words, like “groutrageous.”

Source: UrbanDictionary.com

DEPP: Won’t let Hunter S. Thompson go forgotten CONTINUED from page 5 (Richard Jenkins) rails about reporters coming there to feed their alcoholism, but none heed his warning.

“It’s not called ‘The Rum Diary’ for nothing,” Depp cracks. “Hunter’s capacity was most assuredly, uh, impressive. There were substances that he might ingest, now and then, in amounts that would have put other

the ‘gonzo journalist,’ all that stuff around ‘Fear and Loathing,’ but there’s so much more that he created. I believe him to be one of the most original and greatest writers of the 20th century.”

It was Depp who found Thompson’s “Rum Diary” notes and manuscript during a rummaging session in the writer’s archive and who persuaded him to publish the long-abandoned book back in 1999. “’I will. I shall. I must!”’ Depp says,

“F

or me, he [Hunter S. Thompson] had a great command of the English language as any of the greatest poets, he found this gritty, unique, hilarious and sometimes poignant voice.”

— Johnny Depp, Lead actor of “The Rum Diary” people in a hospital or have ended up dead. To Hunter, those substances were just espresso. So I learned VERY early on with Hunter to not try and keep UP with Hunter. Never try to compete.”

But the affected lunacy, the oddball entourage, the over-the-top indulgence is not what Depp wanted “The Rum Diary” to be about. Behind Thompson’s persona was a g reat writer. The literary historian Douglas Brinkley compared him to Er nest Hemingway, Thompson’s idol who also committed suicide, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Depp adds “Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, Jack London and Nathanael West.”

“For me, he had as great a command of the English language as any of the greatest poets,” Depp says. “He found this gritty, unique, hilarious and sometimes poignant voice. OK, you’ve got

reviving the dead-on impersonation of Thompson he acquired for “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.” “But, he said, ‘you and I have to produce this as a movie. We’ll partner up on this thing.’

And I said, ‘Yeah. Let’s (bleeping) do this!’”

As “Rum Diary” finishes its “long, strange trip” to cinemas, does Depp finally have his closure? Is he finally done with the man?

“I don’t think so,” Depp says. “I think that voice is going to echo forever. It’s so original and so important that, well, as long as I’m around, I’m not going to let people forget about him or his writing. The one thing that I know is that he’s never going to leave me alone.

“And ... as much as I miss him and curse him for taking himself away from us, I understand it and I salute it.”

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2011

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS SPORTS EDITOR, JERRY HUERTA • COLLEGIAN-SPORTS@CSUFRESNO.EDU

PAGE 7

Young defensive linemen learn on the fly

By Tim Salazar The Collegian Coming into this season, it was popular opinion that the Fresno State defensive line was going to be young and inexperienced with only one senior holdover from 2010.

Since the beginning of the season, the defensive line continues to improve and has evolved into a formidable group.

The defensive line had its work cut out for it because the ‘Dogs had to replace Western Athletic Conference defensive player of the year Chris Carter, who led the WAC in sacks last season. Carter’s replacements have been junior Matt Akers and sophomore Nat Harrison, who have demonstrated that they can develop into strong defensive contributors for the remainder of this season and into the future.

Although the line has faced a different offensive scheme on a week-to-week basis, it has been able to develop its skills with each game.

The play of the defensive line has helped the Bulldogs stay in reach of a share of a Western Athletic Conference as they currently have a 2-1

WAC record after their only loss came this past Saturday against conference frontrunner Nevada.

S e n i o r d e f e n s ive t a ck l e Logan Harrell leads the team with five sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss, which are slightly down from his numbers a year ago, but he is facing more double teams. Still, he has helped Fresno State win the lineof-scrimmage battle against some of the top teams in the country.

The defense also has only allowed opponents to convert on 42 percent of their third downs. Defensive line coach Will Plemons acknowledges that the lone senior on the defensive line has helped the players around him. “Just watch Logan [Harrell] play,� Plemons said. “See how hard he plays and how hard he works. Just by watching him the players have a great example of how to become a good defensive lineman.�

After last season, Harrell finished second in the WAC with 10.5 sacks, which was only behind Carter and lear ned some things about what mindset to have on Saturdays. “I’ve tried to lead by example,� Harrell said. “Telling

guys the attitude and mentality you need every practice and in games. And making sure every practice we get better.�

The group has come together and matured with guys filling the void left by last year’s senior laden defensive line and cementing their own names in Bulldog history.

Junior Tristan Okpalaugo, a former walk-on, has made a difference along the defensive line since receiving significant playing time for the first time as a Bulldog.

Okpalaugo has recorded four sacks, two of which came in Fresno State’s homecoming victory over Utah State and also forced a fumble.

Okpalaugo has made strides since he’s been in the program and Plemons has seen the transformation. “We always knew he had talent and ability,� Plemons said. “He’s starting to catch up to the game.�

Okpalaugo isn’t the only lineman making plays on the field. Senior Chase McEntee has had a strong year logging 16 tackles. This is his first time starting since his sophomore season where he was in the starting lineup seven times.

The rest of the young group

Dalton Runberg / The Collegian

Senior Logan Harrell has provided leadership to a young group of players.

of defensive linemen consists of redshirt freshman Tyeler Davison and true freshman Donavon Lewis, who have gotten some game experience so far this year. With so many new faces getting significant playing time this season, Harrell has seen how far they

have come since the beginning of the year. “They’ve had a little bit of experience,� Har rell said. “They’ve really grown this year up front.�

DOGS: Fresno State will be making the jump to the Mountain West Conference next season

CONTINUED from page 8

mentation of the ever-controversial BCS, it is included in the conversation. Since the

conference realignment talk heated back up, the ‘Dogs have been involved because they are going to the Mountain West next season.

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In the 22-team Mountain USA, or whatever they wish to call it, for mat, Fresno State will still play against the schools that will be in the Mountain West next season. If it runs the table then it would get an opportunity to play in the title game against the best team from Conference USA. The pending realignment would make Fresno State’s 14-year head coach’s dream of playing on the BCS national stage a reality, something the ‘Dogs have only sniffed in years past.

In this new gargantuan conference, Fresno State would still be playing some teams

that it is familiar with in the cur rent Wester n Athletic Conference foes in Utah State, Hawaii, San Jose State and Nevada. Also, for mer WAC teams Boise State, San Diego State and UNLV would be reoccurring opponents, helping the ‘Dogs continue to establish rivalries in the new division.

With these ideas in place for the teams that are going to be in the Mountain West in 2012, the real question is which plan would benefit Fresno State the most?

The answer is tough to pinpoint, but an obvious choice is the mega conference because of potential rewards by sea-

LUNCH

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son’s end. But the risk-reward lays in how Fresno State feels competing with 31 other schools for one prize.

Hill has scheduled some of the top teams in the country every year to achieve the prize of BCS consideration at the end of each season. But the challenge as proved to be too mighty in many cases.

Also, the ‘Dogs would be able to add more money to their athletic budget with the amount of revenue sharing that would take place in a 32-team conference. The added money would benefit Fresno State in recruiting and facilities, just to mention a few.

The opportunity to play in a BCS bowl game and gain money to the athletic budget should have Fresno State chomping at the bit for the three conferences to decide what the final verdict will be.

So by this time next season, the college football landscape at Fresno State and across the country could be drastically different – even more so than current realignments.

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SPORTS PAGE 8

THIS COMING WEEK...

Soccer will be making the trip to Reno, Nev. to face the Wolf Pack for the second-to-last Western Athletic Conference game of the regular season.

SPORTS EDITOR, JERRY HUERTA • COLLEGIAN-SPORTS@CSUFRESNO.EDU

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2011

More major realignment could happen in near future

Photos by Jessica Kourkounis and Max Faulkner/ The McClatchy Tribune

Mountain West Conference Commissioner Craig Thompson (left) decided a couple weeks ago to combine conferences with Conference USA Commissioner John Marinatto (right) which would make a an unprecedented 22-team conference.

I

n c o l l e g e fo o t b a l l 2 2 teams in a conference is a crowd; 32 teams bundled together could be utter chaos.

But this is how Fresno State and 31 other teams feel after the recent rumors that surfaced over the weekend. The Boston Globe reported that the Big East Conference has a plan to combine with two nonautomatic-qualifying conferences in the Mountain West Conference and Conference USA to help it maintain its AQ status and provide the luxury to the formers.

The Big East just recently lost Syracuse a n d Sports Pittsburgh t o t h e Atlantic Coast Conference and is looking for ways to save its AQ status if it wants to continue to have the opportunity to award its conference champion a shot at a Bowl Championship Series game at season’s end.

The plan for the 32-team me g a conference would include four divisions: the Big East Division, the Central D iv i s i o n , t h e M o u n t a i n D i v i s i o n a n d t h e We s t Division.

T h e B i g E a s t D iv i s i o n would consist of Louisville, Connecticut, Rutgers, Cincinnati, South Florida,

Central Florida, East Carolina a n d N av y. T h e C e n t r a l Division would consist of Marshall, Memphis, Southern Mississippi, AlabamaBirmingham, Tulane, Rice, Temple and Louisiana Tech.

T h e M o u n t a i n D iv i s i o n would include Air Force, Wyoming, Colorado State, New Mexico, UTEP, SMU, Tulsa and Houston. The West Division would include Boise State, Utah State, San Jose State, Fresno State, UNLV, Nevada, San Die go State and Hawaii.

The plan e m e r g e d just a couple weeks after the Mountain We s t a n d Editor Conference U S A announced they were going to merge into a football-only 22-team conference with there being two eleven-team divisions. The top teams in each division would have an opportunity to play in the mega conference’s championship game with the winner possibly getting an opportunity to play in a BCS bowl game.

With all this talk surrounding conference realignment, this is the perfect situation for Fresno State, because for the first time since the imple-

Jerry Huerta

See DOGS, Page 7

Dalton Runberg / The Collegian

Sophomore quarterback Derek Carr will be leading the ‘Dogs to the Mountain West Conference next year in his second year under center.