Ka Leo issue

A K LEO T H E

MONDAY, FEB. 27 to TUESDAY, FEB. 28, 2012 VOLUME 106 ISSUE 75

Serving the students of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

V O I C E

www.kaleo.org

False hope How Obama is losing the youth vote page 4

Plus GSO’s push to bargain page 2 UH Mānoa’s top talent page 3 Wahine softball’s best start ever page 7

WILL CARON / KA LEO O HAWAI‘I

847 McCully St. Honolulu, HI 96826 (808)952-9253 www.motosourcehawaii.com

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News@kaleo.org | Kelsey Amos Editor | Emi Aiko Associate

News INTERESTED IN A MANAGERIAL POSITION IN RADIO OR UH PRODUCTIONS?

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GSO members pushing collective bargaining bill The bill was introduced at the end of January, and since then, the GSO has been seeking individuals to submit testimony.

Both the House Committee on Labor and Public Graduate student workers at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa have not received a salary in- Employment and the House Committee on Higher crease since 2004 because they cannot organize to Education passed the measure. The bill passed its second hearing and was referred to the Finance advocate for their rights.

Committee on Feb. 17.

Now, members of The UH System is the third-largthe UH Mānoa Graduest-earning company and the thirdate Student Organizahighest employer in the state, emtion are urging the ploying over 8,000 people. There Finance Committee are 5,800 graduate students, and to schedule a hearabout 20 percent of those are ing for House Bill estimated to be employed by 2859, which supports the university. graduate student em“Many of these workers ployees’ rights to colare low-paid graduate stulective bargaining. dents who are teaching and “HB 2859 offers an researching. Some are lowinvaluable opportunity er-paid lecturers,” said forfor Hawai‘i to recognize mer GSO president Sharain the value of accessible Naylor. “All of us contribute higher education while to the state economy now. upholding its constitutional And all of us pay significommitment to collective cantly more in fees, tuition bargaining,” GSO president and the cost of living, but Anjali Nath said. “Healthier have not received a proand respected graduate stuportional boost in our meadent employees can help to creger earnings.” ate a stronger and more successDue to recent budget cutful University of Hawai‘i System.” backs, UH Mānoa eliminatHB 2859 would remove an imed office and administrative pediment to forming a union by positions, further limiting taking graduate students employed employment opportunities of

by UH off the list of state employees graduate students. statutorily barred from inclusion in “Faculty and staff are able an appropriate bargaining unit. Curto collectively bargain, but it rently, graduate students are classifi ed is flat-out illegal for students as “student help” and cannot organize. to do so in Hawai‘i. Collective If passed, the bill would be effective bargaining is a value of the starting July 1. people in Hawai‘i,” said Naylor.

“Hawai‘i’s public universities de“As a state, we need to ensure pend on student labor, but the state’s students’ basic needs are met current collective bargaining laws deny NICHOLAS SMITH / KA LEO O HAWAI‘I so all students can focus on their students ordinary, reasonable worker education, earn degrees and then give back to rights,” said Amy Donahue, Ph.D. and former GSO Advocacy Committee chair. “The currently our communities through our contributions in the workunequal treatment afforded by the state to student force outside of the university system.”

The heads of the Labor and Public Employment workers negatively affects graduate student fi nancial health, and in some cases leads to lifelong fi - and Higher Education committees did not respond to emails requesting comments on the bill. nancial distress, including poverty conditions.”

EMI A IKO Associate News Editor

Features@kaleo.org | Maria Kanai Editor |Alvin Park Associate

Page 3 | Ka Leo | Monday, Feb. 27 2012

Features audience and the entertainment behind it,” he said. “Today, I just wanted to have fun.”

He plans on spending his $175 bookstore gift card on art materials for his puppetry class, chocolate and macadamia nuts.

F I R S T P L AC E : G RO U P W I N N E R S

CASANDRA SEID / KA LEO O HAWAI‘I

Cindy dela Vega, Amber Lindsay, Vaimoana Atonio and Jossio Timoteo (L-R), sang songs by Anuhea, Bruno Mars and Whitney Houston.

M IKE H ANSON Contributing Writer Campus Center Ballroom was buzzing last Friday, as dozens of students gathered for the spring installment of Mānoa’s Got Talent. The talent show offered fi rst-, second- and third-place prizes for individual and group categories.

F I R S T P L AC E : I N D I V I D UA L W I N N E R

Yasu Ishida earned his undergraduate theater degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Originally from Iwate Prefecture in Northern Japan, Ishida is now a firstyear graduate student at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Between Minnesota and Hawai‘i, Ishida spent a year in Hollywood working at the Wizards’ Inn magic shop.

“I did everything there,” said Ishida. “I taught magic. I performed magic. I did negotiations

for the performers and other sides of the management.”

When on stage, Ishida feeds off the energy of the crowd to bring his magic to life. “I just feel happy, like that is where I’m supposed to be. I’m very scared on stage, but that is the place I am happiest,” he said.

Ishida found his inspiration in Patch Adams. “When I was in Japan, I watched the movie with Robin Williams, and I was so inspired that I thought, ‘this is what I want to do.” he said. Ishida then saw the real-life Patch Adams in Japan for a workshop, which encouraged him to become a professional clown.

“I want to be a culture performer, and my major right now is [a] Master of Fine Arts in theater for young audiences,” Ishida said.

He loves engaging the crowd, and feels that it is the most important aspect of live performance. “It’s all about connection with the

Jossio Timoteo, Vaimoana Atonio, Cindy dela Vega and Amber Lindsay won over the judges with a vocal and instrumental musical compilation. The performers’ mashup included segments of Anuhea’s “Simple Love Song,” Bruno Mars’ “It Will Rain” and Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.” Even with only a week of preparation, the foursome impressed the crowd with Timoteo on ‘ukulele and Atonio, dela Vega and Lindsay on vocals.

While two of the four were performing for their fi rst time in front of a live audience, Lindsay repeated her victory from last semester’s talent show, when she also performed a group medley.

Like Ishida, the group was mainly out to have fun. Timoteo said, “During practice we’re like, ‘Oh gosh, do we got this?’ But then before we performed, we’re like, ‘It’s just for fun anyways.’”

Even though it was just for fun, Timoteo was glad to edge out the second-place break-dancing group – who, coincidentally, were his roommates.

The four will enjoy a $300 gift card, which they will have to split among themselves.

Using the FAX machine Read Fridaym’sore in i s s ue What: “ FAX” E xhib W

ition hen: Fe b. 26-A Where: pril 5 U H Ar t Galler y (Ar t Bu ilding)

Ever thought of your fax machine as an art medium?

“FA X” is an evolving exhibition that invites artists to think of the typical office machine as a drawing tool. The gallery’s unconventional text-based artworks continue to expand as the

gallery travels to different institutions. The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s Art Gallery has invited a myriad of local artists (including four UH students) to contribute works, which will be submitted via a fa x machine present at the exhibition.

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Table @ Campus Center February 27, 2012 or stop by KA LEO Office Look for the Best of Issue February 29th 2012

Page 4 | Ka Leo | Monday, Feb. 27 2012

Opinions@kaleo.org | Boaz Rosen Editor | Justin Francisco Associate

Opinions

K A LEO T H E

Why the youth vote is giving up on ‘Hope’ SAR AH NEAL Contributing Writer The presidential election is in 10 months, and my options are already stressing me out. It appears that Mitt Romney will be the Republican elected to run against Barack Obama, and my liberal little heart can’t vote for a man as conservative as he is.

In a perfect world, this inability to vote for the Republican nominee would result in a default vote for our incumbent president. However, I’m not so sure I can bring myself to vote for the man who has been such a disappointment.

Obama has done great things during his time in ofďŹ ce. His presence and speaking ability have brought eloquence and poise back into the presidency. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,â€? and the Iraq war have ended under his watch. His ac-

complishments deserve to be recognized, and the president should be lauded for them.

Unfortunately, he has also overseen several unsettling changes in the nation. The healthcare plan he proposed was great, but he and congressional Democrats ended up giving too much away to the opposition to pass the watered-down bill that eventually became law. While it is positive that everyone will be allowed to purchase insurance, the concessions to conservatives and the removal of the public option offers no incentive for insurance companies to lower their rates to prices working-class people can afford.

Requiring all Americans to purchase insurance with no public option places an additional ďŹ nancial burden on people who are already struggling.

As the healthcare debacle is forgivable, so are many of his other disappointing actions. After all, Congress has been a mess during this time, and the opposition to

Democratic plans has been outrageous. It can’t be easy to lead a nation when so many of those who are supposed to be working with him have had the audacity to publicly declare that their only goal is to ensure that our “KenyanMuslim-terrorist-socialist-fascistcommunist-dictator of a president� does not see a second term. He can only get so far when the rest of the government has lost its mind and has stymied so many plans that he was elected on.

But Obama has done things during his time in ofďŹ ce that are not forgivable. It is unconscionable that he continues to stand by the intrusive and unnecessary screening methods implemented by the TSA. It is unforgivable that a man who campaigned against the overstepping of George W. Bush’s administration has established himself as the ďŹ rst president to execute a U.S. citizen without due process. But the most atrocious thing he has allowed to come to fruition during his presidency is

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Ka Leo O Hawai‘i is the campus newspaper of the University of Hawai‘i at MÄ noa. It is published by the Board of Publications three times a week except on holidays and during exam periods. Circulation is 10,000. Ka Leo is also published once a week during summer sessions with a circulation of 10,000. Ka Leo is funded by student fees and advertising. Its editorial content reflects only the views of its writers, reporters, columnists and editors, who are solely responsible for its content. No material that appears in Ka Leo may be reprinted or republished in any medium without permission. The first newsstand copy is free; for additional copies, please visit the Ka Leo Building. Subscription rates are $50 for one semester and $85 for one year. Š2010 Board of Publications.

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the recent signing of the National Defense Authorization Act, which allows for the indeďŹ nite detainment of American citizens without due process if the president deems that person a threat in the “War on Terror.â€?

Obama issued a statement indicating that his administration would not use this new legal power. That is great, but who is to say that the next president will not abuse the powers given him (or her) by this law? Just as the PATRIOT Act signed into law

by Bush (and extended by Obama) has been further abused as each year passes, isn’t it likely that the indeďŹ nite detention clause will also be manipulated and abused in the future?

As much as I hate to say it, I don’t think I can vote for Obama this election cycle with a good conscience, but the thought of not voting sends butter ies of panic racing through my stomach. I am left extremely frustrated with America’s political apparatus – and ultimately hope that the 2016 election offers up some better candidates.

V O I C E

Comics@kaleo.org | Nicholas Smith Editor

Page 5 | Ka Leo | Monday, Feb. 27 2012

Comics

Page 6 | Ka Leo | Monday, Feb. 27 2012

Games

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

Pick up the latest free edition of the Hawaii Review at our ofďŹ ce in Hemenway Hall!

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DOWN 1 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Forbiddenâ&#x20AC;? cologne brand 2 Hang on to 3 Partners of aahs 4 Fit of agitation 5 Pungent salad veggie 6 Fictitious 7 Cries from Homer Simpson 8 Opposite of WSW 9 Plugging-in places 10 â&#x20AC;&#x153;... all snug in __ bedsâ&#x20AC;?

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52 Beatles nonsense syllables 53 Manhandle 54 Caesarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Behold!â&#x20AC;?

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ACROSS 1 Fight-stopping calls, briefly 5 Discourteous 9 Ireland patron, for short 14 10 million centuries 15 Soon, to the bard 16 Chicago airport 17 Backstage 20 The second story, vis-Ă -vis the first 21 Tough Japanese dogs 22 Coll. footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Seminoles 23 Over, to Oskar 24 Got married 29 Wee lie 32 Forsterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Passage to __â&#x20AC;?

33 Off oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rocker 34 Dashboard gadget prefix with meter 35 Robinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Marian, for one 36 Market express lane units 38 Car 39 North Pole helper 40 Muscle pain 41 Desi who married 60-Across 42 Sneaky 43 Forefront, as of technology 46 USA or Mex., e.g.

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48 Blood deficiency that causes weakness 51 Embodiments 56 Returning to popularity, or what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have been doing if you followed the sequence formed by the first words of 17-, 24- and 43-Across 58 Informal bridge bid 59 Activist Parks 60 Ball of Hollywood 61 Praise 62 Sheltered valley 63 Brown or cream bar orders

Looking for a part time Executive/ Admin Assistant effective immediately.

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Sports@kaleo.org | Marc Arakaki Editor| Joey Ramirez Associate

Page 7 | Ka Leo | Monday, Feb. 27 2012

Sports

’Bows rid

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K EVIN FOX Staff Writer The Rainbow Wahine Wahin ne softball s ftball so team (12-0) is right wheree it t it wants to be b at at this this th is point point nt in in the the season. seasson se on on.

“Right now the chemistry of the team is gelling to the point where we don’t have any issues in regard to anyone not really being where they need to be,” said head softball coach Bob Coolen. “We have our starters, we have our role players, we have different players that we use in certain situations. We’ve been getting an op-

portunity to use some of our backup p rttu po players playye and nonstarters so they can keep ke k eep p the edge as well.”

“I “ know that we’ve been scoring a lot lot of of runs and that’s great, but we’ve also allso had games where we haven’t been scoring as many runs. ... We still feel that support and that constant drive to win, and that kind of support and chemistry from the team is really carrying us far,” said senior left-fielder Alex Aguirre. “It’s exciting to see this early in the season.”

Hawai‘i is off to its best start in school history after sweeping the

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Louisville Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas a week ago. And with a week off to rest and recover, the ’Bows have to focus on retaining momentum for this weekend’s battle.

“It’s been really good that we’ve been able to run through a lot of teams,” said junior center fielder Kelly Majam. “We did really well over the past two weeks, so we have a lot of confidence in ourselves and in each other. ...

It’s been a great two weeks, and I hope that this break will help us recover a little bit coming from

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LUIS ARGERICH/FLICKR MARK RULONA/KA LEO O HAWAI’I

the road and [we’ll] just have time to refocus and get used to playing at home again.”

Up next for the Rainbow Wahine is the Bank of Hawai‘i Invitational. The tournament will feature Florida State, Radford and UC Santa Barbara and will run this Friday through Sunday.

“We have the whole month of March that we play at home. It’s just by design each year that our month of March is three tournaments and we’ve opened at home with our WAC [Western Athletic

Conference] opener,” said Coolen.

Hawai‘i cracked the National Fastpitch Coaches Association/ USA Today Poll at No. 25. This is the Rainbow Wahine’s first ranking of the season.

“For the teams around the country, the people that are voting for us, they’re the ones that have seen us play,” said Coolen. “They know we have pitching, they know we can hit the ball. It’s just a feather in the player’s caps for what they’re doing on the field and off the field that is giving them that recognition.”

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Sports@kaleo.org | Marc Arakaki Editor | Joey Ramirez Associate

Page 8 | Ka Leo | Monday, Feb. 27 2012

Sports

Reaching a national milestone M ARC A R AK AKI Sports Editor

For the fi rst time in program history, the Rainbow Wahine tennis team has cracked into the national polls.

“It’s a great accomplishment as of right now,” head coach Jun Hernandez said of the team’s No. 74 ranking. “I know we have bigger goals as a team. We set our [new goal] of top 50 in the nation, and I believe we have the talent and work ethic to do it.

“Recruiting is definitely going to help. More Americans will definitely take a look at us. Athletes really take a look at the rankings all the time, and if you’re not ranked then you’re not going to be the first choice, that’s for sure.”

Senior Barbara Pinterova, who alternates the No. 1 singles duties with junior Katarina Poljakova, feels excited to raise the team’s goals.

“It’s amazing that we are ranked, and now for sure we just want to do better and better,” Pinterova said. “And that’s why we set the goal from top 75 to top 50, and I’m sure we can get it.”

“It feels great,” Poljakova said.

“We’ve been working hard and now it’s fi nally paying off.”

And if there’s a time for the Rainbow Wahine to improve their ranking, it’s now.

H OM E I N T H E I S L A N D S

ANTON GLAMB/ KA LEO O HAWAI‘I

The Rainbow Wahine will feed off the leadership of junior Katarina Poljakova, shown above, as she battles with senior Barbara Pinterova for the No. 1 singles spot.

Hawai‘i (3-3) will host 11 matches in a row at home over the course of the next month and a half.

The Rainbow Wahine will begin their home stand with Eastern Michigan on Wednesday at 3 p.m. in the University of Hawai‘i Tennis Complex. Admission is free to all UH women’s tennis matches.

“It ’s really good for us because we don’t need to travel. We

don’t have the time difference ... we don’t need to account for new weather conditions and we can be at home,” Pinterova said. “Most importantly, we are playing on our home court.”

And for Hernandez, staying home allows the team to be close with its fans.

“We have a lot of boosters who’ve been supporting our program,” Hernandez said. “And for the past few years, we’ve been traveling so we don’t see them as much as we like to. We have four new girls on the team, so it’s a great opportunity for them [our fans] to get to know our players.”

HOW DOES IT WORK? Tennis matches are scored using a point system. There are six singles matches and three doubles matches.

Singles matches are played to a best out of three sets, while doubles matches are one set long, first to eight games. Singles winners receive one point for their teams, while a team needs to win two out of three doubles matches to secure one point. Thus, singles matches are weighted more heavily than doubles matches.

“Doubles, though, gives you such a momentum boost because we start with doubles,” head coach Jun Hernandez said. “Even though singles gives you one point, it gives you a lot of momentum going into singles.

“It’s not as tough to win three out of six singles versus four out of six singles. But actually we did it two times already ... we lost the doubles point and came back and won four out of six singles against ranked schools (Penn State and UC Irvine).”