BASEBALL RETURNS TO CLASSROOM BY GERARDO RECINOS | grecinos@mail.sfsu.edu
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HE SMELL OF FRESHLY cut grass, the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd as the ball flies over the outfield fences are all familiar to baseball aficionados, but will soon be the subject of lectures and exams. For the first time since 2008, University history lecturer Mark Sigmon will revive the course this coming spring semester. “Jules (Tygiel) had probably forgotten more about baseball than I’ll ever know,” Sigmon said. “They’re really big shoes to fill. I don’t know nearly as much as he did.” Tygiel, a celebrated historian and SF State professor, was regarded as an expert in baseball history and Jackie Robinson. His book, “Baseball’s Great Experiment: Jackie Robinson and His Legacy,” is ranked 50th in Sports Illustrated’s list of 100 greatest sports books. Tygiel taught the history of baseball course at SF State until he died of cancer in 2008.
Sigmon’s affinity for baseball started as a young boy in a foreign country. Growing up in Norway as the son of a U.S. Navy pilot, he was only able to get a newspaper once a week. That newspaper was the only way for him to keep up with his favorite sports team, the Boston Red Sox. He poured over the paper checking stats and calculating them himself, as a way to participate from thousands of miles away. Sigmon said he was never much of a player, but always loved the game. As an 8-year-old boy playing Little League, he wrote a letter to Red Sox Hall of Fame outfielder Carl Yastrzemski asking for tips — and to his surprise, received a letter in response. “I’ve been hooked on baseball ever since then. I’ve been a student of the game and I’ve always just enjoyed reading about the game,” Sigmon said. “I was an avid Red Sox fan until about 1980 when I switched over to the SEE A REVIVAL ON PAGE 15
PLAY BALL: History lecturer Mark Sigmon will teach the history of baseball class Spring 2013. The course was taught by Jules Tygiel until he died in 2008. Photo by Godofredo Vasquez
BY ELLIE LOARCA emloarca@mail.sfsu.edu
and
BY MATT SAINCOME
saincome@mail.sfsu.edu
// 11.28.12
VOLUME LXXXXVI ISSUE 13
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STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER PROUDLY SERVING THE SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY SINCE 1927.
Israel abroad program reopens
After almost a decade of being suspended, the Office of International Programs has opened up the opportunity to study in Israel despite recent violence in the Gaza Strip. The current semester was the first time the program has allowed students to apply to the University of Haifa in Israel for study abroad. While no students from SF State are currently studying abroad in Israel, some are eager to sign up for the chance to do so. “To be able to have our students go to one of
the major Israeli universities is a fantastic thing, and the fact that this is opened up now for spring is great news. So we are happy to see this go forward,” Fred Astern, Jewish studies department chair, said. The California State University system had suspended the program in 2002 due to safety concerns issued by the U.S. State Department. The safety concerns have been lifted as of now, but travel warnings in Israel have stayed in place. Chancellor Charles B. Reed compiled a review
of the benefits and risks of opening the program in Israel in 2011, according to David Wick, assistant director of the OIP. Reed concluded that the academic opportunities outweighed the risk factors and agreed to allow students to study there. “It was a strategic move because of the location of the university in Haifa. It is a city that is influenced by both sides — Israelis and Palestinians — and there is really a blended culture,” Wick said. “It’s like the San Francisco of Israel.” Wick explained that security issues are always
SEE PALESTINIAN-BORN ON PAGE 3
To be able to have our students go to one of the major Israeli universities is a fantastic thing, and the fact that this is opened up now for spring is great news FRED ASTERN
| JEWISH STUDIES DEPARTMENT CHAIR
2 CAMPUS SF STATE SPEAKS OUT WHAT’S YOUR MOST SCANDALOUS HOOKUP STORY?
RACHEL LARSEN, 21 MUSIC MAJOR
It was New Year’s Eve. I was at party; this guy was at another. I commuted to the Mission, got there, smoked weed and passed out.
11.28.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
Hookups dwindling among freshmen BY ERIN DAGE | erindage@mail.sfsu.edu
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RECENTLY PUBLISHED STUDY has revealed that hookups – noncommittal sexual forays – might not be as prevalent in a woman’s first year of college as is commonly thought. The Miriam Hospital’s Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine study was published in the “Journal of Adolescent Health,” “Are Hookups Replacing Romantic Relationships? A Longitudinal Study of First-Year Female College Students,” discovered that more first-year female college students are having sex in the context of a relationship rather than hooking up. Out of the 483 female students ages 18-21 surveyed, 56 percent had oral and/or vaginal sex with a boyfriend or romantic partner during their first year of college, while one-third of the women surveyed had engaged in at least one hookup. “Hooking up is one way that young adults explore intimate relationships, but it’s not the most common way, and it is often exploratory,” Robyn L. Fielder, a research intern at Miriam Hospital’s Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, said in a press release. “So while hooking up gets more attention in the media, college students continue to develop romantic relationships, which are actually the most common context for sexual behavior.” In the 2006-10 National Survey of Family Growth, 70 percent of females and 56 percent of males said their first time having sex was in a steady relationship. On the other hand, 16 percent of females and 28 percent of males say their first time was with
NISHA GUPTA, 28
HEALTH EDUCATION MAJOR
I worked in a mall and was dating one of the guys working in the mall and we would climb up to the boiler room and hook up there.
someone that they weren’t in a relationship with. Kristin Perez, a freshman computer science major, believes that the results of the study mirror the experiences of her female freshman peers at SF State. “My friends (at SF State) go far, but they hold off on sex until they’re in a relationship for a while,” Perez said. “But it isn’t uncommon for my peers to hook up with people while drunk.” Some students think the results from the study may not be an accurate portrayal of the relationship sexual activity to hookup sexual activity ratio at SF State. Brianna Williams, a certified peer sexual health educator and part of Peer Educators Advocating Campus Health, believes that the results vary from college to college. “SF State is a different type of school in (a) cosmopolitan area where many people are commuters,” Williams said. “The results would vary depending on where you would conduct the study. Social attitudes toward sex vary from campus to campus.” Focusing on sexual activity among women during their first year of college and the summer following, the average number of hookups per month ranged from one to three. Of the women surveyed, one in five hooked up with others regularly. The findings of the study do not surprise Ivy Chen, an SF State lecturer in the human sexualities department who teaches the sex and relationships class. Chen believes that the results of the study reflect female college students who are having sex for the first time. “Many people feel that sex, especially for the first time, is a special experience to be shared with a trusted familiar partner,” Chen said. “Many people remember their ‘first time’ and having sex with someone with whom they are comfortable goes a long way to make the sex a positive experience.” Chen believes that whatever sexual ventures students choose to involve themselves in, those experiences should be safe and consensual. “I tell my students in my sexuality courses that I only want them to have good sex and that includes sex that is consensual, pleasurable, safe, comfortable and often while sober,” Chen said.
INTIMATE: Maria Duong sits on Matthew Grath’s lap (above) in the Cesar Chavez Student Center. Annie Statnaro (right) Jonas Kaneborg Vinter-Jensen watch a show at the Depot. Photo by Debbie Svoboda
SARAH KRAMER, 21
CRIME BLOTTER
SOCIOLOGY MAJOR
I was 17 and had a threesome with my then-girlfriend and another guy who was too old for us. It was technically statutory rape.
Comedic interpretations of criminal events at or near SF State
11.14 through 11.27
Urine, you’re out!
DAN GUERRA, 27
MASTERS IN LITERATURE
I was housesitting for a wealthy friend. I brought over a girl and with the help of wine, fornicated all over the couch and throughout the kitchen. We cleaned up after. Photos by: Virginia Tieman Reporting by: Gerardo Recinos and Brad Wilson
Officers observed a women’s restroom window that someone had attempted to open in the Gymnasium Nov. 22. After some serious investigating, it was determined that access was not gained by this bathroom bandit. In all fairness, sometimes controlling your bladder is just not an option. When there is a window of opportunity, you take it, even if it includes minor breaking and entering. Just as long as you tip your bathroom attendant for giving you a hot towel, you’re square.
Shoplifter? I Hardly Know Her! There were reports of a subject being held at The Bookstore for allegedly shoplifting Nov. 15. Officers responded, cited the subject and advised him to leave. With the prices of textbooks on steadily rising, it is no wonder that this hooligan wanted to stick it to the man known as Follett Corporation. This young rascal was probably just trying to snag a book to catch up with the recent release of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2” by reading the book before partaking in the cinematic adventure with young teenagers who aren’t bright enough to read “The Hunger Games.” Reporting by Brad Wilson
Grand Theft Uh-oh Officers viewed a suspicious unoccupied vehicle Nov.17 at Lot 19. It was reported that the vehicle had been stolen. The registered owner was notified and eventually responded to recover his property. We’re sure that self-made millionaire of Night Rider fame, Michael Knight, was thrilled to be reunited with his justice-seeking, crime-fighting and artificially intelligent vehicle, KITT. We can all sleep a little more soundly knowing that the Hoff is out there protecting us from an unforeseen harm instead of making solo albums that sell really well in Germany.
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Palestinian-born students denied opportunity CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
being watched and that the safety of students remains a top priority. The escalating tension and violence in Israel is very real to those in the General Union of Palestinian Students, an on-campus organization whose goal is to build social awareness of the Palestinian struggle. Abdula Harara, civil engineering major and treasurer of the organization, explained that living in the U.S. doesn’t separate him from the violence in Israel. “My family is from Gaza; 30 of my family members have been injured and five of them have died due to the air strikes,” Harara, 20, said. Benjamin Meis, a psychology major, plans to apply for the study abroad program in Haifa. After going on his birthright trip, a free program that allows Jewish people to spend 10 days in Israel during the summer, he has no concerns about his wellbeing. “It’s actually much safer than the media makes it out to be,” Meis, 19, said. Astern believes that studying abroad in Israel, especially at a top university like Haifa, is an amazing opportunity for students of all racial and religious backgrounds. “People within the Jewish community and the broader community often discuss how safe it is to go to Israel. There is a lot of concern about that, especially when it makes the news, like it has recently. But in general, the statistical risk you take getting on the freeway every morning is greater than the risk of something happening to you when you are in Israel. The University of Haifi is not near any border or any areas that is contested or has a long history of trouble,” he said, getting up from his desk and pointing to Haifa’s location
on a map hanging on his wall that is vastly different in appearance to the one GUPS uses, which makes no mention of Israel. Although the program is open to all students, members of GUPS said that the opportunity is not available for Palestinian-born students. Zachariah Rabah, co-president of GUPS and international relations major, was born in the West Bank of Israel and faces this exact obstacle. “I am an American, but because I am also Palestinian that trumps my American citizenship,” Rabah said. “I would love to go and I would hope that our school or our program would reach out to Palestinian universities.” Rabah explained that those who are born in certain areas of Israel, such as the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, are barred from attending Israeli universities. Those who are Palestinian but are born outside these areas can identify as Israeli Arabs and gain access to certain universities. “Host countries always have the opportunity to approve and deny someone a visa to their country, but we are willing to work with students and make sure we can address any concerns they might have,” Wick said. “If a student expresses these concerns, I can pick up the phone and call the consulate. Also there have been several advocacy groups who are willing to support them.” More students are still planning to apply. Cherish Hope, 27, agrees on the importance of this opportunity and plans to apply for the program. “I believe that Israel among all nations are rich with culture and perspective that is unique and unifying at the same time. To experience this firsthand
WINTER SESSION
Pave Your Path toward Graduation Earn up to 4 units toward your degree. Winter Session Registration is Open Now. Visit: www.cel.sfsu.edu/winter
through academia is a treat and an opportunity that should be exercised,” the junior anthropology major said. Sarah Guthrie, recent graduate and online specialist for the University’s study abroad program explained that although the program has opened up this opportunity, students did not sign up last year and signups for this year have been lacking. “We show the program to all students and let them see the opportunities they have but because of the political situation going on in Israel, advisers recommend having a backup choice,” Guthrie said. Wick is confident in the safety of SF State students planning I am an American, to study abroad but because I am and believes in the also Palestinian program. that trumps “This campus my American is committed to citizenship equity and social justice, what I Zachariah Rabah, hope is that stuCo-president of GUPS and dents here at State international relations can contribute to a major better world in the U.S. and abroad,” Wick said.
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New job site offers grads hope
BY BRAD WILSON | bradw949@mail.sfsu.edu
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OLLEGE GRADUATES have come to understand the stress and competitiveness of the job market all too well, and bridging the gap between college grads and companies has become a job in itself. Gradspring, an online job board and career resource for new graduates, might be the solution for students seeking post-graduation employment. More than 3,000 users have signed up for Gradspring since its launch this past May, and about 300-500 new jobs are posted daily from CoreLogic, Lovell Communications and Alliance Bernstein. The site is designed to match recent college graduates with entry-level jobs and seeks to simplify the job search process. “More than 53 percent of current college graduates are either unemployed or underemployed so the misconception is that there are no jobs,” Sean Clem, president of Gradspring, said. “The truth is, companies actually have positions to offer but the two audiences haven’t had a good matchmaking resource. We work with recruiters in every industry to provide the best entry-level opportunities available to our users.” The project began a few years ago when Clem heard stories from friends and family who had graduated and had difficulties finding work, according to
Kimberly Kump, senior account executive at Lovell Communications. After some research, Clem found that companies were having difficulties finding qualified entry-level job candidates with a college degree. Applicants were either overqualified in job experience or underqualified in education. He then founded Gradspring. According to Clem, the site reaches out to recruiters to expand its reach and the number of students the website comes into contact with. It also features video resume hosting, resume critique and job recommendations depending on the job seeker’s preferences and webinars. Unlike some other job boards, Gradspring has a stringent screening process for companies and users in order to prevent scam postings and save companies time wading through unqualified applicants. The company has workers that verify each job posting instead of computers, according to Clem. The same thing goes for verifying users. Clem said that Gradspring declines more jobs than are accepted and is very particular about what it offers to students. John Baker earned his bachelor’s degree from Humboldt State University in 1998 and his master’s degree in public administration from SF State this past May. Even after attending grad school to expand his employment options, the recession is impeding Baker’s opportunities to find steady work.
“I’ve applied for about 20 jobs since May, but I’ve only managed to snag three interviews,” Baker said. “There’s been such a cutback in my chosen field lately that I’m competing against people with a lot more specialized experience. And employers are rarely advertising entry-level jobs, knowing that they have plenty of candidates with experience.” Clem said Gradspring’s success rate in finding graduates jobs is so high that he has only had to give three refunds to people saying they didn’t feel it worked. All complaints go directly to Clem and More than 53 he takes pride in how percent of current they are attentive to college graduates their users’ concerns. are either Gradspring will supunemployed or ply users with surunderemployed so veys soon to collect the misconception data on the website’s progress and the site is that there are will feature online no jobs job fairs in the near Sean Clem, future.
“ President of Gradspring
College graduates hit a wall In June, the unemployment rate for persons 25 and older with at least a bachelor’s degree was 4.1 percent Less than a high school diploma
14
Unemployment rate (percent)
12
High school graduates, no college
10
Some college or associate degree
8
Total, age 25 and older
6
4
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2
0 0
20
40
60
80
100
Percent share of the labor force age 25 and older, June 2012
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics GRAPHIC BY ELISSA TORRES
Students and teachers sell their crafts at the annual ceramics sale in Room 192 of the Fine Arts Building. See the Xclusive story online at
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Professor’s achievements recognized BY VIKRAM SINGH | vpsingh@mail.sfsu.edu
For some scholars, receiving a lifetime achievement award means the hard work is over. But not for philosophy professor Bas van Fraassen. “(I) don’t plan to take it as saying that now I can stop working,” he said. Van Fraassen was awarded the Hempel Lifetime Achievement Award by the Philosophy of Science Association at a conference in San Diego, which ran from Nov. 15 to 17. “Learning philosophy of science not only prepares students to live lives that will change because of science, but also for how science itself can change,” Anita Silvers, the chair of the philosophy department, said. “When we spoke initially about news of this award, professor van Fraassen’s first words were about other philosophers he thought were equally worthy of it.” It was Plato’s work that launched van Fraassen’s quest for knowledge. “It really started when I was working part time in the local library while in high school, and came across Plato’s dialogue ‘The Phaedo,’ where Socrates argues
with his students about whether we are immortal,” van Fraassen said. In 1970, van Fraassen tackled complex concepts in his first book, “An Introduction to the Philosophy of Time and Space,” and since then, coined terms like ‘constructive empiricism’ and wrote several more books, like “Quantum Mechanics: An Empiricist View,” which was published in 1991 on the philosophy of science. Modern empiricism is the belief that we can only know what we experience through our senses. Van Fraassen, who has been at SF State since 2008, is also a founding member of Kira.org, an institute that hosts a virtual reality website where people discuss topics like philosophy, technology and law. He served as president of the Philosophy of Science Association, professor of philosophy emeritus at Princeton University and co-editor of the “Journal of Symbolic Logic.” The field of the philosophy of science applies to many occupations, such as law, business administration and journalism. van Fraassen is interested in the pursuit of knowledge, regardless of intended occupation.
“What I value in teaching is to be involved in the students’ research and progress,” van Fraassen said. Van Fraassen’s involvement with the local community of philosophers has also provided new avenues of growth for SF State students. “Professor van Fraassen has revived the Bay Area Philosophy of Science Group (which is organized by Stanford, USF and SFSU) and thereby given our SFSU students exceptional opportunity to participate in enjoyable and challenging philosophical conversation,” Silvers said. Aaron Bentley, a former pupil and current SF State graduate student, said van Fraassen’s open demeanor makes him one of the more accessible teachers on campus. “His ability to take the complexity of the issues he deals with, formal logic, paradox, formal epistemology and probability theory, issues with quantum mechanics, and describe them and his understanding of them in a way that even one completely unfamiliar with the topic could grasp,” Bentley said. “He is an important defender of the empiricist tradition in philosophy.” Silvers echoed the sentiment. “Our students can have the experience of learning philosophy of science, logic and history of 20th century philosophy from the person who arguably is the best philosopher of science in the world,” she said. Jeuel Wilkerson, a graduate student who will complete a degree in philosophy this fall, cites that with this fame, there is still an air of modesty. “Professor van Fraassen’s fame has made him a sort of legend around the graduate students at SFSU,” Wilkerson said. “What is most shocking is how professor van Fraassen is able to balance his fame with his kind and humble personality.”
LOVER OF KNOWLEDGE: Professor Bas van Fraassen, who recently won a lifetime achievement award, became inspired to study philosophy after reading Plato’s “The Phaedo” and soon started tackling complex concepts. Photo courtesy of Matthew Slater
CATHOLIC CAMPUS MINISTRY NEWMAN CLUB St. Thomas More Church Father Labib Kobti, Pastor 1300 Junipero Serra Blvd. San Francisco, CA 94132
(415) 452-9634
www.stmchurch.com/newman email: newman@stmchurch.com Weekly Meeting, For Current Activities: Cesar Chavez Student Center: St. Thomas More: (415) 452-9634 Mondays: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Close to campus! Please call Verbum Dei: (415) 573-9062
6 CITY BY ALEX EMSLIE
aemslie@mail.sfsu.edu
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11.28.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
Preparing for immigration reform
TUDENTS AND IMMIGRANT rights organizations plan to capitalize on the momentum from the 2012 election in which Latino voters favored Barack Obama over Mitt Romney 3-1. Lawmakers are beginning to discuss reforming an immigration system that has decades of backlogs for legal immigration, exploitative working conditions and limited pathways to citizenship for the estimated 11.5 million undocumented people living in the U.S., according to Department of Homeland Security statistics. The youth-led immigration reform network, United We Dream is hosting a national congress from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 in Kansas City, Mo. More than 550 DREAMers plan to attend and set advocacy goals for federal legislation that would provide undocumented students and military veterans with pathways to citizenship. The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2011 was defeated by a small number of votes. SF State biology major Emmanuel Valenciano, whose Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals application was accepted Oct. 29, said DREAM Act advocates are not going to sit back and wait for the federal government to act. Valenciano said his deferred action approval helps him be at ease, but joining the immigration reform movement changed his life. “We have the momentum right now,” said Valenciano, who is a member of the SF State group Improving Dreams, Equity, Access and Success and another group called Asian Students Promoting Immigrant Rights through Education. “We’re going to try to keep that momentum and try to organize for reform next year. Right now we’re strategizing.” To students like Cindy, an undocumented SF State student who asked to keep her last name private, immigration reform is deeply personal and her experience is marked by uncertainty.
“I can’t explain it,” she said while talking about friends who received California identification cards through the Obama administration’s DACA program. “We’re always living under that shadow. We get asked for identification, and we always go to our student ID. Then we get questioned, or not questioned, but we get that look — ‘Is this all you have?’” Cindy applied for the DACA program and is confident her application will be accepted. The program is temporary and grants the possibility of a two-year work permit. “The Obama move to do the (DACA) for undocumented students had a huge impact,” Belinda Reyes, associate professor of Latino/Latina studies, said. “Immigration was a big issue that hurt Romney and helped Obama.” More than 53,000 DACA applications were approved as of Nov. 15, and about 250,000 more applications were still being processed, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data. One undocumented SF State student, who asked only to be identified as E.Z., said he hopes reform won’t stop at the DREAM Act and will extend to help many hard working undocumented immigrants who are too old, not in college or otherwise wouldn’t qualify. “(The DREAM Act) would be a good way to protect the younger generations, but I’m still worried about the older generations,” he said. “I’m contributing to the U.S. by going to college, and they are contributing by working really hard. These people work the whole day without taking a break.” Reyes said the U.S. economy depends on immigrant labor, but the immigration system functions to ensure that block of labor is powerless. “It’s like slave labor in a way,” she said. “We create policy to pretend that we’re doing something about it and maybe regulate the flow, but in the end we really want them to be here. So it creates a second-class citizen and a vulnerable population with no power.” In a local example, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 union is currently embroiled in a dispute
NO EN MI PUEBLO: Top: Claudia Arroyo used a speaker to urge people to stop shopping at Mi Pueblo Food Center during a protest outside the store in Oakland, Calif., Nov. 21. Bottom: Approximately 50 people gathered to picket the supermarket after the store’s owner decided to use E-Verify, a federal program that checks employees’ backgrounds. Right: During the protest Patricia Fernandez, top, was dressed as a luchadora and portrayed Mi Pueblo Food Center owner Juvenal Chavez in a staged wrestling match against “Super Mojado” (Super Wetback). Photos by Godofredo Vasquez
with a California chain of grocery stores over protections for the undocumented labor force. About 50 protesters gathered outside an East Oakland Mi Pueblo market Nov. 21 to protest the company’s participation in E-Verify, a federal program that checks employee immigration statuses. Demonstrators said the company started participating in the program to intimidate grocery workers who were considering joining the union to improve working conditions at Mi Pueblo. Perla Rodriguez, Mi Pueblo’s vice president of public affairs, said the grocer only agreed to participate in E-Verify because it was pressured by Immigration Customs Enforcement and became the target of an I-9 audit. This allows federal enforcement agents to audit the immigration status of a company’s employees. Immigration rights advocates call I-9 audits “silent raids.” “The only response to an audit is looking at immigration reform,” Rodriguez said. “We need a visa program that would support people in the service industry.” Almost 400,000 people were deported in 2011 under the Obama administration’s expansion of the program, the highest number in decades. More than half were noncriminal, according to DHS statistics. “Papers for all,” Claudia Arroyo, a member of the Dignity and Resistance Coalition, said during the Mi Pueblo protest. “This is the way the world is changing. DACA, that helps the youth. We don’t reject it, but it’s not enough.” According to Reyes, for any comprehensive reform to have a positive outcome, the whole conversation about immigration in the U.S. needs to change to reflect an increasingly globalized world. Instead of arguing about fences and blaming immigrants, politicians should recognize the changing makeup of the country. “Some of the problems with dialogue about immigration is that immigrants have been scapegoated for every problem in the United States,” she said. “It’s about time that something is done to embrace this population and not continue to vilify it.”
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7
THE INS & OUTS
Banging basics: the holiday quickie
A WEEKLY SEX COLUMN BY CASSIE BECKER cassbeck@mail.sfsu.edu
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HE HOLIDAYS AND FInals are coming up fast and the stress is enough to get to anyone. Stressed out students can turn to tried-and-true methods of drinking more caffeine until they can push through and chain smoking, but here’s a healthy alternative: a quickie. Quickies, brief and usually spontaneous sexual encounters with little or no foreplay, are the perfect solution to defeat typical holiday worries. The perfect lovemaking session should last between 3 and 13 minutes, according to a survey of sex therapists published in the May 2008 edition of the “Journal of Sexual Medicine.” The average session is widely regarded as 7.3 minutes. Sounds like a quickie to me. But most men disagree with the experts, Cosmopolitan magazine recently reported. According to the magazine’s survey, more than 50 percent of men wanted sex to last roughly 30 minutes, while just more than 25 percent were interested in more than 15 minutes. Although longer sessions can be fun, the spontaneous and mildly public nature of quickies allow you all kinds of options without the usual fuss. As long as you keep it simple and quick, you can’t go
wrong! There’s no foreplay, no props. You can be as aggressive and playful as you’d like! Remember to practice safe sex and keep all activities consensual regardless. Quickies are no excuse to be reckless. Why am I taking your mind off of presents and holiday parties to make you think about quick and dirty sex, you ask? Because it’s so good for you. Let’s start with the obvious. Sexual arousal stimulates blood flow throughout the body and delivers oxygen to internal organs and cells, which makes sex healthy for the body. It also awakens the mind and helps burn fat. If there’s any time to be alert and active, it’s the holidays. But one of the nicest fringe benefits of a quickie is the rush of endorphins — natural chemicals that make you feel like you’re floating on cloud nine — that happens right after an orgasm. Orgasms aren’t essential during a quickie, but they are quite nice if you manage to get one out in 7 minutes. Even if you don’t get the chance to orgasm, the rush of blood during a quickie will help release stress and induce happiness so you can walk back Since breaking up with her inner prude, Cassie Becker has done it all. Her interest in sexual exploration has led her to write several blogs and break even more beds. She’s extensively researched and written about it — all with a sexy smile.
out to that holiday party with a dirty little secret and a smile on your face. What could be better? Upping the risk factor can heighten the rush experienced during a quickie, but try to stay indoors and away from windows as much as possible. Exhibitionism means you run the risk of getting arrested, jailed, fined and labeled as a sex offender if you get caught in the state of California engaging in sexual activities in public. All the endorphins in the world won’t save you from that buzzkill. It’s easy to get caught up in all the work to be done at this time of the year, especially when life is already full of endless to-do lists — sex never seems to be at the very top. A Durex study reported that 67 percent of adults have sex once a week, while 8 percent said they had sex at least once a day and 9 percent only once every few months. Quickies can dramatically increase that frequency and help get your sex life back on track. Quickies also have the power to spice up your sex life, whether alone or with a partner. This time of year is the perfect excuse to up the excitement — you’ve got holiday parties galore. So grab your significant other, find one or get cozy with yourself at any family or work function. Remember to lock the doors and be discreet! Oh, and happy holidays.
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11.28.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
BY NOEMY MENA | mena@mail.sfsu.edu
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Muni adds new line for spring
FTER A LONG DAY OF school, business major Justin Helzberg wants to get home so he can kick off his shoes, doze off for an hour and catch up on homework. However, waiting for the 5-Fulton means it’s going to be a
HEAVY RIDERSHIP FOR MUNI About 12,000 people ride the 28 per week
5L About 2,000 people ride the 28L per week About 17,000 people ride the 29 per week There is $130 million available for bus improvements through 2040
BY NOEMY MENA | mena@mail.sfsu.edu
rough ride home. “I get on towards the end of the line,” Helzberg, 18, said. “How is it still full?” Starting in the spring, the San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency will launch a pilot rapid line for the 5-Fulton to add more buses along the corridor and connect passengers from downtown to the Richmond District and Ocean Beach faster than ever before. The idea was introduced in 2008 by the SFMTA and Supervisor Eric Mar, who represents the Richmond District, in order to combat overcrowding. “Supervisor Mar and Muni agree that the current service isn’t enough,” Peter Lauterborn, spokesman for Mar, said. “The current configuration of the 5-Fulton can not handle current ridership.” The 5-Fulton carries 19,000 passengers each weekday and is listed as one of Muni’s busiest transit lines. Overcrowding is a common issue on the line and drivers might avoid picking up additional passengers, especially during the evening commute. “By the time most buses hit 6th Avenue, they are at capacity,” Lauterborn said. “In the Western Addition, passengers can be passed one, two or even three times before a bus with room comes by. This is a massive problem.” Hetzberg moved to the Richmond neighborhood from Daly City this semester and enjoys the area, but is not too keen of the unpredictable bus rides. He said his commute could range from 25 minutes to an hour, depending on the time of day. “It’s a great area. The bus system needs to get better,” Helzberg said. This past summer, the Transit Effectiveness Project, a committee led by the Controller’s Office and SFMTA, approved the line after a series of community
meetings. Mar suggested the 5L line operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays or throughout the entire day. “By only stopping at major transfer points, Richmond riders can enjoy faster service,” Lauterborn said. Paul Rose, spokesman for SFMTA, said the line is already being tested to observe improvements and may consider keeping it permanent in the future. “Most of our passengers would like to see faster and more reliable service,” Rose said. “We are working now to ensure we move forward on a way that works for the communities and stakeholders where any of the projects would impact.” Limited lines are already offered on several of the busiest Muni buses such as the 9-San Bruno, 14-Mission and 38-Geary, which run throughout the day. Mar is also requesting to add 60-feet buses, which cost $600,000 each, along the route to accommodate more riders. Mar is seeking funding for additional buses from a development project or federal resources. According to Lauterborn, since the limited buses run faster than its local line, SFMTA would save costs because the buses could carry more people and stop fewer times. “And if this attracts new customers, some costs will be offset by more fares,” Lauterborn said. By 2018 SFMTA projects to make transportation in San Francisco more reliable, convenient and as fast as possible, Rose said. The Environmental Impact Review, a program under the city’s planning department, which inspects environmental effects to any proposed projects, will finalize the route changes. Rose said the organization has not yet determined the duration of the pilot. Riders can voice their opinions at the planning commission every Thursday at noon in City Hall or on Twitter @Munirapid.
City focuses on pedestrian safety
One of San Francisco’s busiest roads is undergoing a green transformation in hopes of improving safety. “Nineteenth Avenue is one of the most dangerous streets in the city,” Rachel Gordon, spokeswoman for the Department of Public Works, said. “It’s been under radar to make it safer.” The 19th Avenue Streetscape project aims to make 19th Avenue safer for pedestrians, which supporters like Senator Leland Yee and city supervisors agree is critical for the road’s safety. In 2008, a double-fine zone was created for drivers exceeding the 35 mph speed limit, which was reduced to 30 mph one year later. Traffic signals along the busy thoroughfare were also upgraded to allow more time for pedestrians to cross the intersection. The department is excavating and adding plants two blocks at a time to improve the landscape of the road. One lane of traffic will remain open on both sides, according to the Department of Public Works. Demolition has already begun along the avenue from Sloat to Lincoln boulevards. Workers are excavating concrete from the median and will replace it with 5-foot-wide planted plots. Drivers will be affected Monday through Thursday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m and Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. until March 2013, the estimated completion date. Money for the $1.4 million project comes from federal funding as well as local property and sales taxes, according to Gordon. “(Guerrero Street is) one of the most successful models we have,” Gordon said, as both neighbors and the Department of Public Works collaborated to fundraise and plan. Gordon said more than 85,000 travel along 19th Avenue, also known as Highway 1, the corridor that connects Highway 101 and Interstate 280. Akbar Shah, a business accounting major, rides the 28 bus twice a day for school and work. At night, he said he has to walk faster than usual when crossing 19th Avenue because there are fewer pedestrians and motorists drive faster than during the day. Shah also said he notices more accidents on 19th Avenue than anywhere in the city.
“You would think drivers would know better,” Shah, 23, said. “I’ve seen a few times drivers run red lights in the seconds before it turns green. It’s very scary.” Auto collisions on 19th Avenue have decreased in recent years. In the San Francisco Municipal Transit Authority’s annual collision report conducted in August, Sloat Boulevard and 19th Avenue was considered one of the top 10 most dangerous intersections in the city until 2011 when its traffic signals were updated. “That is an encouraging sign that this corridor is headed in the right direction,” SFMTA spokesman Paul Rose said. Walk SF, a coalition for pedestrians in the city, noticed the improvements on 19th Avenue, since the number of accidents are decreasing each year. “It helped reduce people getting hit,” Elizabeth Stampe, executive director of Walk SF, said. “It’s still not a comfortable place to walk.” The coalition is currently working with the city and has proposed reduced speed limits near residential areas and schools. Walk SF said approximately 800 pedestrians are hit and 100 people are seriously injured or killed in the city each year. The number of accidents could be reduced by half once the streets are revised, the coalition said. The Department of Public Works is hopeful that greening 19th Avenue will calm the streets and remind drivers to be aware of pedestrians. “It’s not a beautiful street bottom line,” Gordon said. “Greening it softens the streetscape.” The greenery will also reduce flooding since the plants will collect storm water, which improves the sewer system. The Department of Public Works’ next phase along the corridor is to extend the sidewalks to create a shorter distance for pedestrians. The department will continue to sprout greening projects throughout the city including collaborating with homeowners who want to transform their sidewalks into lawns. “It’s great to know 19th (Avenue) has improved, and it’s becoming pedestrian friendly,” Shah said.
DETOUR: Construction has begun on 19th Avenue’s median at the intersection of Santiago Street. Workers are planting aloe and other small plants in hopes to beautify the avenues and increase pedestrian safety. Photos by Andy Sweet
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Activist speaks out on gender, sex BY KIRSTIE HARUTA | kharuta@mail.sfsu.edu
I
SHARED EXPERIENCE: Gina de Vries — SF State graduate student, writer and activist — launched “Girl Talk: A Trans and Cis Woman Dialogue,” a spoken word performance for transgender and cisgender women, in 2009. Photo by Jamie Balaoro
N A TINY BEDROOM FULL OF books and trimmed with pink Christmas lights, writer and activist Gina de Vries’ experience melds with her talent for fiction. While much of de Vries’ work is confessional and autobiographical, she incorporates fictional devices as well, from combining characters, putting real people in places they’ve never been, or just plain making things up. “At the end of the day, I kind of don’t care if a story is true or not. I care about whether or not it moves me,” de Vries, an SF State graduate student, said. At 29, de Vries has come a long way from the crayon-drawn newspapers she created and distributed in her neighborhood as a child. Her work has largely been about creating spaces and generating discussions that are needed in the queer community, but not happening. Dedicating her knowledge and creativity to performances, workshops and even the classroom, de Vries’ work is always progressing. In 2009, she started a performance series called, “Girl Talk: A Trans and Cis Woman Dialogue.” And ticket sales warrant the need for such a show – this year, the performance sold out nine days in advance. “I’ve always done a lot of my political and activist work in alliance with trans women, and I was just wanting to start a conversation about real, actual inclusion of trans women in dyke spaces and in queer women’s communities,” de Vries said. The performance, co-curated by Elena Rose and Julia Serano, celebrates a sisterhood that is working to overcome the issue of trans-misogyny. “I’ve always been impressed by Gina’s activism, and writing and performances at local queer spoken word events,” Serano, author of “Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity,” said. “So I was excited when Gina first approached me about the possibility of working together on ‘Girl Talk.’”
CHECK OUT COVERAGE OF AN SF STATE PRODUCTION, “LORENZACCIO”
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Colleagues and friends of de Vries are indeed moved by her work — the fictionalizing of things does not take away from the reality of emotions and experience. “Her writing in general is really powerful,” Marlene Hoeber, a board member of the Center for Sex and Culture and performer at “Girl Talk,” said. “It’s emotionally engaging in a way that queer community writing isn’t always.” Along with “Girl Talk,” de Vries started the Sex Workers’ Writing Workshop at the Center for Sex and Culture. As an undergrad, she faced backlash from academic departments when she wrote about her own experiences in the sex industry. “I was just wanting for there to be a space where I could write about my own experiences in the sex industry and hear from other sex workers about their experiences,” de Vries said. “Sex workers have amazing stories, we really do.” Her own work in pornography and erotic modeling, which she began at age 19, has always been strategic and connected to her activism in terms of empowerment. “It’s been my approach to just be out about everything, and as At the end of much as possible, the day, I kind to not have to of don’t care if a hide,” de Vries story is true or said. “I strongly not. I care about believe that if whether or not it you’re already moves me out about being dirty, they’re not Gina de Vries, able to dig up any Graduate student in dirt on you.” creative writing As a graduate
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student at SF State, her knowledge of sex work and her work with queer communities has not been subject to scrutiny, but rather an asset in the classroom. Dodie Bellamy, a lecturer in creative writing and de Vries’ thesis adviser, asked her to be a teacher’s assistant for her writing on the body class because of the perspective de Vries can provide. “I wanted a queer presence in the class and how she brings her experience, like teaching writing workshops for sex workers and working with making writing about desire and the body kind of a normal experience rather than some kind of weird freaky experience,” Bellamy said. In other classes Bellamy has taught, de Vries has been helpful in educating students about issues, but never in a humiliating or condescending way. “She’s been a really good energy in terms of opening the class up as far as subject matter, and also just about creating a wide range of people and giving them the humanity they deserve,” Bellamy said. Currently in pursuit of her master’s degree in fiction writing at SF State, de Vries has been hard at work on her thesis, a work of experimental fiction called “The Record.” “In a lot of ways, it’s this love letter to San Francisco circa 1998-1999,” said de Vries, who had been 16 and engaged in the Riot Grrrl movement and the zine scene during that time. “The city has changed a lot since then, just in terms of the various waves of gentrification, and the dot com boom and bust, but there are neighborhoods that feel largely the same to me.” De Vries has had an expansive career so far, from writing a column for Curve magazine at age 14 to her many contributions to queer anthologies. She is currently focused on completing “The Record” and will resume her Sex Workers Writing Workshop Jan. 12. For a list of her published writing, visit Ginadevries.com/writing.
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A R T S A N D E N T E R T A I N M E N T 11
The Fashion Blueprint Designer empowers damsels with dress
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Fashion connoisseur Bryan Vo outlines ways to avoid the fashion walk of shame. It’s true, you are what you wear and for him, every day is a runway.
BY BRYAN VO | bryanvo@mail.sfsu.edu
AIRY TALES ARE a part of everyone’s childhood, but the Fashion Network Association’s leading designer Iris Chu has turned it into reality. Chu’s collection will feature a dark color palette based on Grimms’ fables, especially Little Red Riding Hood, in FNA’s upcoming winter show, Revive. BV: What inspired you to choose this particular theme? IC: I actually saw a painting inspired by Red Riding Hood where “Red” is holding a machine gun, and strangely it inspired me. It gave me the idea to modernize
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the old fairy tales, where the “damsel in distress” doesn’t need Prince Charming to save her — she can kick some ass herself! BV: What’s your favorite creation in this collection? Please describe it. IC: My favorite piece would have to be the navy blue and burgundy houndstooth dress with zipper detailing at the neckline and hem. BV: What makes you feel confident about your collection? IC: I love the inspiration and the clothes reflect the woman I would like to design for, and I’m sure women would actually wear the garments I create. BV: Is there anything else you would like to add about the show or your experi-
ence as a designer? IC: It’s a very special show to me. Not only is this featuring my first collection, but I am also the merchandising director of the fashion show. All the members in Fashion Network Association and I have been working so hard to make this show amazing, and I have made so many great friends from the FNA, and I’m excited for the show! Chu plans to work for a designer or become a creative director for a fashion magazine after graduation. Catch her at the FNA fashion show Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at Jack Adams Hall in the Cesar Chavez Student Center. To get more fashion action, head on over to GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG for exclusive coverage of Revive.
12 O P I N I O N
11.28.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
STAFF EDITORIAL
KALE WILLIAMS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF kale@mail.sfsu.edu
ANGELA RAIFORD
PRINT MANAGING EDITOR araiford@mail.sfsu.edu
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ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR mmaxion@mail.sfsu.edu
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The right steps toward reform
The issue of immigration and how to address the nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants who currently reside U.S. has always been politically contentious, but recent shifts in demographics make us confident that reform is closer than ever to becoming reality. Our country is changing and groups that have long been marginalized are finally becoming large enough to exert some power over the politicians who dictate the policies that affect so many of us. In the recent election, Latinos voted for the incumbent by an overwhelming ratio of 3 to 1, according to exit polls. The power of the expanding Latino voting bloc can finally exert the pressure to reform the system that has left undocumented immigrants on the back burner for so long. Exactly how to change our immigration system is a problem that is better solved by politicians than us, but the fact that change is necessary is an indisputable fact. Our system is headed in the right direction with more and more legislation becoming a topic in the political dialogue of our country. The Development, Relief and Education for
Alien Minors Act of 2011 would have put certain residents on a special path toward citizenship if they had been in the United States before age 16. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a directive to defer for two years the deportation of certain law-abiding undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. Republicans recently introduced the Achieve Act to provide legal status for undocumented immigrants as children before a certain age. But this is about more than just allowing undocumented immigrants to stay in the United States without citizenship, or giving them special roads toward citizenship. Making immigration part of the discussion is just the first step of many toward true immigration reform in the United States. This country was founded and built by immigrants, and we have ignored their contributions for far too long. At Ellis Island, the symbolic gateway to the United States, there is a plaque that reads “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” It’s time to live up to that mantra.
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Myspace making a comeback
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WRITE US A LETTER The Golden Gate Xpress accepts letters no longer than 200 words. Letters are subject to editing. Send letters to Cassie Becker at:
BY MICHELE BIRD | mbird@mail.sfsu.edu
I
F YOU EVER HAD A MYSPACE ACCOUNT, THEN in the social network industry. According to a June 2008 report from TechCrunch, both Faceyou must remember the prestigious spot of being book and Myspace were drawing in similar numbers of unique placed in the top eight of your best friend, spouse or monthly visitors worldwide, with 115 million people accounting family member. You may even have a fond memory of for web traffic. The growth in traffic for Facebook, which launched having Tom as your first friend. February 2004, showed members were flocking to the new social Myspace was one of the go-to social networks network and leaving Myspace behind. when it first launched in August 2003. With features Even I made the transition from Myspace to Facebook during synonymous with the site such as bulletins, top friends the era of its boom in social networking. The layout and features and the ability to add a song to your profile, many people went wild differed greatly from what Myspace had to offer and drew me in. It for the site. was easier to connect with my friends or Myspace soon started to decline as even my favorite band using Facebook’s the social network era boomed with the comments and threads. launch of competitors such as Facebook, In March 2011 TechCrunch followed Twitter and Instagram. With so many up on its report showing that Myspace social networks out there, Myspace declined by 14.4 percent, meaning it lost became a shrinking face in the crowd. Interested in the rise of social nearly half of the visitors it had in 2010. But with a relaunch around the corner, networking? Take a At that time, Facebook had grown to be social networking junkies should eagerly look at an interactive timeline at the top social network with more than 132 be awaiting their invitations to the new million unique visitors and an exponential Myspace. growth rate of 153 percent, according to Social media is changing and Mysgoldengatexpress.org Techtree. pace is now the place to be. With those declining numbers, it is A video surfaced online in Septemeasy to see why you would not want to ber 2012 that previewed the redesigned come back to Myspace. Social network Myspace. This is what sparked my cumavens may feel wary about returning to riosity as word of a “New Myspace” the site, but why not give it a chance? The new Myspace appears to buzzed around the Web. be merging the world of all existing social networks into one space. As an investor in the company, Justin Timberlake is one of the If you still have your Myspace account and actively use it, you main stars of the promotional video, which showed a new way for should be one of the first to get invited to the new site. We’ll see if users to connect with each other, along with an updated layout and Myspace can make a comeback. To me, it looks like it is well on its fresh features. Timberlake is the man who brought “SexyBack,” way. after all, so he may know a thing or to on how to bring Myspace While an official date has not been announced, soon we’ll see back to life. who will win the ongoing social network race. You never know, The new layout screams modern with crisp and clean details. maybe Timberlake will be your first friend rather than Tom this time, From the way photos are being featured on profiles to all the pop and that may just be worth it. culture connections, Myspace has a plan to remake a name for itself
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ABOUT XPRESS The Golden Gate Xpress is a student-produced publication of the journalism department at San Francisco State University. For more information or comments, please contact Kale Williams at: kale@mail.sfsu.edu
CORRECTIONS FOR XPRESS PRINT EDITION 11.14.12
In “A new spin on rental cars” we incorrectly identified Wheelz co-founder Aaron Platshon as Aaron Plashton.
We regret the error.
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S P O R T S 13
| 11.28.12
Yoga for the mind, body and student Free classes hosted by Campus Recreation provide an opportunity to relax in a hectic college environment
BY HEATHER ITO | hito@mail.sfsu.edu
D
EEP BREATHING, a long stretch and a well-earned “namaste” can do wonders for a person’s mental outlook. With finals looming, some SF State students have found a way to relieve stress and body tension with Campus Recreation Group X yoga classes, which enables them to concentrate on their studies. Although yoga offers a wide range of benefits — such as becoming more connected to one’s body and mind through movement, breathing and stretching, according to Group X yoga instructor Meredith Olson — one of its more noticeable benefits is shown through relaxation. “A lot of students do express to me how grateful they are for the opportunity to take classes on campus,” said Olsen, who is also the student fitness and wellness manager for Campus Recreation. “Yoga studios are expensive or sometimes difficult for students with busy schedules to get to and the Campus Rec classes make yoga really accessible to a wide range of people.” Senior Amina Semmoud, who has practiced yoga off and on for seven years, said feeling relaxed afterward helps her concentrate on her homework later on in the day. “College is really stressful so it’s nice to be able to do yoga and just relax,” the physiology major said. By practicing yoga, Student Health Services nurse practitioner Linda Meier said students can not only relieve stress while concentrating on balancing in positions, but also find ways to breathe more deeply, which is a major contributor in being able to calm down. “One of the things that happens when people get stressed is they stop breathing as deeply into their body,” said Meier, who has been practicing yoga for 14 years. “So they’re not getting as much oxygen and they feel it and they get anxious because they’re not getting as much oxygen.” Other students, including jazz piano major Mali Carter, find yoga improves their musical abilities. Carter has only been doing yoga for a few weeks and plans to continue practicing during winter break. “Well it helps me to stay relaxed and it
REACHING WARRIORS : Andrew Winthrop reaches out in a yoga pose during class alongside peers. Many students use yoga as a form of exercise in order to relieve stress and focus on the importance of breathing. Photos by Andy Sweet
strengthens certain muscles that I use when playing piano, such as my triceps, my biceps, my back muscles and my abdomen,” Carter, 30, said. The practice has grown in popularity among students of all ages, including 21-yearold Rachel Critelli, who found her love for yoga after she started taking University classes three years ago. “I was always interested in yoga,” the senior Chinese major said. “I did yoga here and there, but I started really coming (here) because the classes here are so convenient and I could just come whenever I wanted. It was free so, why not? And you know, it’s sort of addicting so I just kept coming back.” Olsen, who has taught the class for the past three semesters, emphasized that yoga is for anybody — male or female. “Yoga was actually created for men, by men; so the stereotypes in the West about men and yoga are a little ironic,” she said. “I do think it’s great that women have become such strong and empowered representatives of the practice, but people who think men don’t do yoga have probably never been to a yoga class.” Jeff Cope, two-year yoga instructor at SF State, said he had those stereotypes as a man before taking his first yoga class five years ago after an injury. “I had the same stereotypes before I really started experiencing what it could give me,” he said. “I remember the first time I actually went into a yoga class, I couldn’t stop smiling for the rest of the day. I was like, ‘OK, maybe there is something to this.’” Cope said stereotypes about yoga practitioners should be dismissed. “A lot of guys don’t want to come to yoga because they think it’s feminine or they want to go lift weights or something.They want to get muscular and they don’t want to just kind of relax or stretch out because they’re inflexible,” he said. “They always have all these reasons not to come when they really have never done it.” Critelli said yoga is addicting because of the state of mind yoga puts her in. “We learn that if all of your muscles are relaxed, your mind’s also relaxed,” she said. “So when you’re just paying attention to your body, you’re all relaxed and your mind is totally clear so it’s a cool feeling.”
DOWNWARD DOG: Karoline Hallmeyer (center) and other students practice yoga in the gym. The class is free for SF State students to attend and is led by Jeff Cope. Photo by Andy Sweet
14 S P O R T S The SF State women’s volleyball team, which is 21-8 overall, qualified for the NCAA Division II West Regionals to face Grand Canyon University Nov. 29
11.28.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
GATORS HIT ROAD TO REGIONALS
SNOOZING: Meagan Wright, left, Jaclyn Clark, center, and Kaileen Mejia, right, catch up on rest as they head to Arcata, Calif., for their match against the Humboldt State University Lumberjacks. Williams had a season high 17 kills while Wright posted 12 kills along with five service aces. Going into the match the Gators were ranked seventh in the NCAA Division II West Regionals rankings. Photo by Sam Battles
BEHIND THE SCENES: Above: Setter Iris Tolenada, right, prepares for the game with teammates Jaclyn Clark, left, and Meagan Wright, center. Right: Katie Judd draws the Gator taking down the other teams mascot as a part of a pregame ritual. Photos by Sam Battles
PLEDGING VICTORY: The SF State volleyball team lines up to sing the national anthem before their victory over the Lumberjacks Nov. 17. The Gators swept the Lumberjacks in three sets, which guaranteed them a spot in the NCAA Division II West Regionals. Following the match, four Gators received All-CCAA honors. Photo courtesy of HSU Sports Information
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S P O R T S 15
| 11.28.12
PLAYER
JAMES ALBRIGHT
WEEK
MEN’S BASEKTBALL
of the
PHOTO BY TYLER DENISTON/SF STATE SPORTS
SP OR T S SCHEDUL E
A REVIVAL OF A COURSE FORGOTTEN
THURSDAY (11.29) WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL SF STATE VS. GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY 2:30 P.M. (LAIE, HI)
FRIDAY (11.30) WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SF STATE VS. CAL STATE EAST BAY 5:30 P.M. (SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.)
MEN’S BASKETBALL SF STATE VS. CAL STATE EAST BAY 7:30 P.M. (SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.)
WRESTLING CLIFF KEEN LAS VEGAS INVITATIONAL ALL DAY (LAS VEGAS, NEV.)
SATURDAY (12.01) WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SF STATE VS. CAL STATE MONTEREY BAY 5:30 P.M. (SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.)
Senior James Albright has been chosen as the Xpress Player of the Week. Albright posted a season high 21 points and a total of four rebounds in a victory over the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Nov. 24.
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A’s; it got hard being a Red Sox fan.” Sigmon plans to teach how the politics and social constructs of each era molded the game of baseball’s policies. He said that the game shows America’s racial trends and how the shifts in the country’s demographics are mirrored in baseball. “I think the class is just going to teach itself when you get to talking, ‘Well what about this and what about that?’” Sigmon said. The momentum is there and students are excited. “By offering a class on the history of baseball, San Francisco State introduces a new generation of students to the great work of Jules Tygiel, who taught at SF State for over 20 years,” Joe Stancer, a teacher’s assistant in the history department, said. “His book on Jackie By offering a class Robinson helped legitimize on the history sports history as an academic of baseball, San pursuit, and I almost wish Francisco State that I was not graduating this introduces a new semester so that I could take professor Sigmon’s class!” generation of stuSigmon plans to go dents to the great through a timeline where he work of Jules examines and analyzes how Tygiel the evolution of the game Joe Stancer, that started more than 100 Teacher’s assistant in the years ago and how baseball history department was once considered a nonprofessional sport. The class will be available for the Spring 2013 semester, and will fulfill an upper division requirement for an upper division history class for both history majors and minors. “Many of the great themes in American history have woven through baseball,” Barbara Loomis, chair of the history department, said. “You get the big scenes of American history, but sugarcoated with the fun of baseball.” Although Sigmon is worried about registration numbers and being able to provide a solid learning experience in the class, he sees the enthusiasm and feedback his students are giving him. “I know that with Jules it was a popular class, so we’ll see,” Sigmon said. “You hit a few home runs and you strike out a few times, but it’ll be fun.”
“ CHANGEUP: History lecturer Mark Sigmon will teach the revivial version of the history of baseball course this coming semester. Sigmon, who is worried about enrollment for the course, aims to focus on the evolution of the sport over the last 100 years. Photo by Godofredo Vasquez
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