11-5-09

MUSTANG DAILY TOMORROW: Mostly sunny High 67˚/Low 49˚

CA L I F O R N I A P O LY T E C H N I C S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y Despite free admission, “The Fourth Kind” disappoints in advanced screening.

IN ARTS, 8

Volume LXXIV, Number 38

Year after Obama elected, he continues to focus on education.

IN NEWS, 5

Cal Poly football travels to Davis for Golden Horseshoe Classic.

IN SPORTS, 16

Thursday, November 5, 2009

www.mustangdaily.net

Cal Poly plays the Gauchos to a scoreless tie 9,824 packed Alex G. Spanos Stadium to watch the Mustangs battle the Gauchos for 110 minutes Wednesday night Will Taylor mustang daily

The “Blue-Green Rivalry” between the mens’ soccer teams of UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly came out in an aggressive yet scoreless, double overtime draw in front of 9,824 fans, the largest crowd of the season between two Big West teams and the second largest attendance for a soccer game in Cal Poly history. With the tie, the Gauchos clinched the number one spot in the Big West Conference.

Each team tried to attack right out of the gates with the only three off-sides in the first half coming within the first five minutes, two going to the Gauchos and one to Cal Poly. The Mustangs assailed the Gauchos goal more frequently however, with four shots to the Gauchos’ two in the first half. In that time each team received one yellow card.

Throughout the game the play on the field was rough. There were 38 total fouls in the game with 22 going to the Mustangs and 16 to the Gauchos.

nick camacho mustang daily

Cal Poly men’s soccer tied the No. 3 UCSB Gauchos 0-0 after two overtime periods. The two teams came in the top two spots in the Big West Conference with the Mustangs looking to even the season series.

The crowd was tame by “BlueGreen Rivalry” standards with only a few tortillas and no empty plastic bottles being tossed on the field.

There were tortilla confiscations though Cody Chaney, attending

manager for Cal Poly media relations said. There was also more security, more police and no plastic bottles allowed into the stadium.

UCSB’s goalkeeper Sam Hayden had the only save in the first with

a shot by midfielder Jacob Hustedt that bounced off a Gauchos’ defender into Hayden’s hands.

The first half differed considerably from the Oct. 7 match between the two teams, where the

Gauchos controlled, allowing only one Cal Poly shot on goal. Santa Barbara had 22 shots in the past match and last night didn’t get their first shot until 26:56.

Sophomore midfielder Wes Feighner said that the team accomplished some of the goals they had practiced towards earlier in the week.

“We didn’t want to make the same mistake we made last time, letting them get into their rhythm,” he said.

The second half was as an even closer contest than the first with Santa Barbara upping its intensity, taking four shots in the second half with Cal Poly taking three.

Mustangs head coach Paul Holocher gave credit to the crowd and the home pitch advantage for some of his team’s play.

“Quite honestly we were given a lot of space,” he said. “Part of it’s them being on the road. At home they play like rabid dogs.”

The two teams were still scoreless at the end of regulation after a tight second-half battle. The first see Soccer, page 2

On-campus dining does its best to not waste food Katie Koschalk mustang daily

Due to expiration dates, health codes and over purchasing, some food from campus dining facilities must be disposed or donated to local food donation centers.

At the end of each weekday, employees at the campus dining facilities must sort the food that was not sold that day, saving what can be reused the next day, donating what can be transported to the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County and disposing of the rest.

Margie Braden, the assistant manager of the Vista Grande Complex, said campus dining facilities don’t dispose of much food. Barden works for Sage Restaurant as well.

She attributes this to the amount of sales roughly doubling this year because the number of student meals for meal plans went from a minimum of five to eight a week, which has caused the amount of food remains to be scarce.

“We do get daily deliveries of

fresh produce and baked goods, but we really haven’t had much left over.

We all share the produce which helps us to not throw so much away,” Braden said. “For example, if VG’s needs extra asparagus, then Sage can give them some and they can use it on the line that night.”

Cal Poly dining services plans how much food to order according to how many customers they anticipate daily, Braden said.

“The most ideal situation is to be able to use up all the food,” Braden said. “Personally, I feel that if you are ordering too much and wasting food, that’s not a good business move.”

William LaForge, a BackStage Pizza employee, said that they also only make as much pizza as they feel will be sold that day by monitoring the business flow. This helps in reducing the left overs at the end of the day.

“If it gets slower, we don’t make as much pizza. It works out so that on most days we only have to throw away two pizzas at the end of the day,” LaForge said.

While using up all the food ordered might be good in theory, some employees working at campus dining facilities are finding that on some days that is not the case.

“It makes me so angry. We waste so much food. It really depends on the day though. Like at the beginning of the week, we can usually save more for the next day, but towards the end of the week we throw a lot out,” said an anonymous employee at The Avenue, an on-campus dining facility.

Another anonymous employee from The Avenue elaborated on the process of sorting the food at the end of the day.

“We save what we can. We do not want to waste it, but some things must be thrown out because we have to follow the health codes.”

The California State Health and Safety Code states that food, which is cooked twice, meaning it was cooked once, served, and then re-cooked for serving, cannot be served. Since food cannot be reheated for serving, the most common things that are dis-

tim miller mustang daily

Despite Campus Dining donations to community food banks, food facilities around campus also throw out a of food every night. posed of are cooked food items such as soup, meats and foods that are past their expiration date, said the anonymous employee.

The amount of food that is disposed of varies from day to day and greatly depends on the size of the dining facility, the amount of business and if the food is prepared in advance or upon orders.

The Avenue, for example, is among the largest dining facilities on campus, serves the widest variety of food options, and has food prepared in advance, such as large pots of soup or salad bar items. The amount of food that must be disposed of from The Avenue has the potential to be see Food, page 2

2

Food continued from page 1

greater than the amount disposed from BackStage Pizza simply because the amount of people they serve is greater and consequently the amount of food provided and prepared is greater.

The Avenue disposes of between five to 20 pounds of food daily, depending on the day, according to estimates from an anonymous employee.

BackStage Pizza, on the other hand disposes of about two pizzas a day. BackStage Pizza has less food options, which makes it easier to make food upon receiving orders.

It also has and a smaller seating area, creating a smaller customer base at

News editor: Tim Miller mustangdailynews@gmail.com

mustang daily www.mustangdaily.net

any given time.

As for actual disposal methods, Cal Poly dining facilities gives produce scraps to the Cal Poly Organic Farm for composting, generally when they have a lot of extra food. Otherwise, small amounts of food are disposed of in dumpsters.

While some food must be thrown away due to state health laws, some of the food not sold at the end of a day can be donated to the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County.

Brent Mooney, the manager of the food services warehouse, calls the food bank when they have donations, which is one to two times a week.

“I like to see the stuff stay out of landfill,” Mooney said. “As long as it’s going to a good use, that’s all that matters.”

Carl Hansen, the executive direc-

News

I hate to see food go to waste more than anyone, so I hope that they come to us before they throw it out.

—Jim Lewis Manager, Oceano Food Bank

tor of the Paso Robles Food Bank warehouse, said that generally the kinds of food that campus dining uses on a daily basis cannot be donated because of packaging restrictions.

“We generally can’t accept foods that have been prepared for serving,” Hansen said. “We’re not equipped for breaking it down into individual servings. For example, if they had a vat of lasagna leftover, that would not be the best for donating because someone would have to repackage it to be distributed.”

While food items, which are cooked and served, are not optimal for donation, foods such as breads, packaged and canned foods are easier to deal with.

Jim Lewis, the manager of the Oceano Food Bank warehouse, who handles most of the donations from Cal Poly said that the donations can

Thursday, November 5, 2009 be as frequent as several times a week to as infrequent as once a month.

Typical high donation times are at the end of quarters or before holiday breaks.

Any food donated to the food bank goes toward halfway houses, homeless shelters, women’s shelters, some of which include the Prado Day Center, the Maxine Lewis Memorial Shelter and the Women’s Shelter.

As of today, Cal Poly has donated 15,941 pounds of food to the food bank and Lewis hopes that Cal Poly dining facilities will continue donate what food they can.

“I don’t turn down food. I can find a home for almost anything,” Lewis said. “I hate to see food go to waste more than anyone, so I hope that they come to us before they throw it out.”

Soccer continued from page 1

overtime saw four shots on goal with only one by the Gauchos.

The overtimes are played in sudden death.

The second overtime saw three shots by the Gauchos but they were unable to produce the winning goal.

Cal Poly had not trailed an opponent for 540 minutes at home since their first game against UNLV. Nobody has led the Mustangs since then. Their record up to the game was 6-1 at home.

To take the first place slot Cal Poly had to beat UCSB by at least two goals and the Gauchos must lose their Saturday match against UC Davis whom Cal Poly lost to last weekend 2-0.The tie does not allow the Mustangs to host a conference playoff game.

Senior forward David Zamora said he would have preferred a win but was happy with his team’s effort for his last game as a senior.

“Who doesn’t want to play with 9,000 people cheering for you? So you come out hard you come out strong and try to do your best,” he said.

Tell the Mustang Daily

3

mustang daily

Thursday, November 5, 2009

News

www.mustangdaily.net

Soup and substance Scientists track swine flu virus for tiny changes that would cause big problems serves a sobering presentation Lisa M. Krieger

san jose mercury news

Nikol Schiller mustang daily

A presentation on violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo drew 34 people at the third Soup and Substance gathering on Tuesday.

Students stopped in during UU Hour to eat a bowl of soup and pasta and listen to the brutality women and young girls are facing in Africa.

Psychology senior Clare Teagle led the presentation, reading facts and narrative accounts about the women who have been raped by soldiers, who use sexual violence as a war tactic to terrorize and destroy communities. She said that 3,500 cases of rape were reported in the regions of North and South Kivu in the first six months of 2008 alone.

Kaitlin McCormick brought up a YouTube video that featured young women who had been so brutally raped that they had seri-

to the president of the Congo, Joseph Kahila, urging him to protect the thousands of women and young girls being raped by soldiers. Other ideas included buying gifts from organizations that aid women in the fight against brutality and donating cell phones to minimize the mineral exploitation occurring in mines.

Biology senior David Hansen, who regularly attends the gatherings, was unsure of how effective the plans of action would be in these cases of extreme brutality.

“I really don’t think that writing a letter to their president would make much of a difference,” he said.

Environmental management junior Nelson Lau thought that the solutions were a step in the right direction.

Lau said that this meeting was lacking a discussion, which usually happens during the gatherings.

When the Soup and Substance committee met to brainstorm

I really don’t think that writing a letter to their president would make that much of a difference.

—David Hansen Biology Senior

discussion topics, they knew they wanted to bring awareness to violence in the Congo, said philosophy junior and director coordinator of Student Community Services, Michelle Fox. “A lot of people don’t know about it,” Fox said. She noted that attendance was higher than normal for their Soup and Substance gatherings.

mustangdaily.net y always something new.

pol ls

video

ws n g ne

i break s gs ow blo esh slid dio au

ous problems with their reproductive and digestive systems.

The PowerPoint presentation used during the hour was borrowed from last year’s Change the Status Quo event.

A photo in the PowerPoint slideshow showed a picture of a room that had just been exited by rape victims after a meeting.

Pools of urine covered the floors of the room because the rape victims were unable to control their damaged digestive systems.

Women wait days to be checked or to have vaginal reconstructive surgery after their traumatizing rape experiences.

In the YouTube video, a 22year-old rape victim said that women’s lives are destroyed after they are raped because not only are they physically assaulted, they are humiliated and unable to find husbands.

Other problems occurring in the Congo were also presented during this presentation. Teagle mentioned that there is an extreme amount of conflict over minerals used to make electronic devices sold worldwide. More than one million people have been displaced, breaking up families and causing more exploitation and violence against women.

Near the end of the presentation, Teagle presented a few courses of action that could potentially help the women in the Congo fight rape. She encouraged the group to write letters

SAN FRANCISCO — As the H1N1 flu virus spreads at breakneck speed, a team of scientists are close behind. They are watching its evolution through a cutting-edge technology in hopes of answering the question: Where did it come from — and where is it going?

Their lab at the University of California-San Francisco holds a growing international collection of viral samples, including some from San Jose swabbed from the noses of sick people, since the first days of the swine flu epidemic. Genetic analysis of each sample will alert researchers to any tiny change that would create a giant problem.

So far, the swine flu virus seems to be evolving slowly. But a small mutation could create resistance to drugs.

The scientific sleuths are most worried about a big genetic leap — such as in 1918, when a mild virus turned deadly, killing 20 million to 40 million people. If such a leap does happen, the lab hopes to detect it early, triggering more aggressive treatment, quarantining and prevention measures.

Locked inside a large, $14,000 freezer, kept at 110 degrees below zero, are trays of plastic vials holding specimens of the H1N1 virus from California, Canada and Mexico. Some of the viruses came from dead patients; others caused merely an annoying cough.

“So far, we have no evidence that this virus is any more virulent than seasonal flu,” said Dr. Charles Chiu, director of the Viral Detection and Discovery Center.

Instead, what seems to matter is the immune response of the infected person; while some people shrug it off, others go into lethal overdrive. There is also new evidence suggesting that co-infection with another virus, such as the common cold, may worsen illness.

“What we’re worried about is the possibility, because it is a fundamentally new virus, that it may mutate into a strain that is more virulent,” Chiu said.

The ambition of the new center is to hunt down viruses whose identities and origins baffle doctors.

And its team wants to understand these mystery viruses at the most essential level: the sequence of its genes.

Upon opening in January, one of the center’s first projects was to study H1N1. Its first specimen, from a young girl in Mexico, is now known to be one of the first cases of swine flu. Since then, the virus has spread to 190 countries.

But its researchers have also detected a new virus linked to a rare type of prostate cancer and another virus that causes diarrheal disease in children. In yet another project, they are collecting unusual strains of HIV from Cameroon, Africa.

While at least 20 other labs are studying the genetic structure of the flu virus through conventional sequencing, the San Francisco lab is one of two in the entire nation engaged in viral discovery and “deep sequencing,” seeking mutations that occur at very low frequencies.

MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE

Dr. Charles Chiu, director of University of California San FranciscoAbbott Viral Detection and Discovery Center, talks about the centers efforts in combating a possible mutation of the H1N1 flu at UCSF. The other is the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University in New York City.

“They’re doing a great job.What they do is very important,” said molecular virologist Paul Luciw of the University of California-Davis.

“The technology enables analysis of strain variation. If you find something very different, then you have to pay more attention — isolating that patient and looking at the patient’s contacts.”

The collection now includes about 100 samples sent from the California Department of Health Services, 100 from Canada and 100 from various sites in Mexico.

More specimens arrive every day.

Long ago, scientists had to peer through microscopes to figure out what was killing people — a process that could take 10 to 20 years.

Modern surveillance is improved not only through use of “deep sequencing,” but another novel detection tool called the virochip, designed by the center’s Joseph DeRisi.

The technology uses tiny glass slides dotted with thousands of fragments of DNA from 2,500 known viruses. The tool can study an entire genome at once — so experiments that used to be impossible are now being performed in days or hours.

All the viral sequences are stored in a huge computer database.

A flu virus is thought to reproduce about every eight hours.

Within one day, it’s spawned several generations. As it breeds, it mixes and morphs.

By comparing H1N1’s genetic code with other influenzas, scientists have found a new combination of elements of previously known viruses. Three flu strains — from pigs, birds and humans — combined in one animal to create an unusual “triple re-assortment.”

It’s not known how, when or where this happened. Then it jumped into humans.

Chiu’s team is watching its continued evolution, a gradual accretion of minor mutations called genetic “drift.”

“There are changes,” he said.

“Not a lot of changes — but there are changes. Now we’re investigating the significance of these changes.”

What he’s worried about is a big change called genetic “shift,” when there’s a dramatic re-assortment and exchange of strands of genetic material that trigger hard-to-predict epidemic trajectories.

Such a shift could build a virus that is fast-growing, adept at infecting lungs, unfamiliar to the immune system — and highly contagious.

“That would be a big deal,” he said.

For now, they’re waiting and watching, so that a catastrophe like 1918 need never happen again.

4

mustang daily www.mustangdaily.net

Thursday, November 5, 2009

News

Election results chill moderate Democrats in Congress David Lightman mcclatchy newspapers

WASHINGTON — Alreadyskittish moderate Democrats in Congress got fresh reasons Wednesday to worry about their votes on economic and health care legislation from the election results in Virginia and New Jersey.

Democrats from the left, right and center saw a warning in Tuesday’s results, which saw independents — who had backed Democrats in the 2006 congressional

elections and President Barack Obama last year — switch their votes to help elect Republican governors in both states.

Democrats from swing states feel new pressure not to be perceived as too liberal. That may impede Democratic leaders’ efforts to pass a sweeping health care overhaul, especially one that includes a new government-run insurance plan, or climate change emissionscontrol legislation.

“The House leadership needs to pay attention to what happened

in Virginia,” said Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., one of 52 conservative Democrats, or Blue Dogs, in the House of Representatives.

Last year, swing voters helped Democrats to their biggest congressional majorities since the mid1990s. Once Tuesday’s two House winners are sworn in, Democrats will have 258 House members and control 60 of the 100 Senate seats.

Next year, all 435 House seats will be contested, as well as 36 Senate seats, 18 now held by each party.

Tuesday’s elections “will probably cause pause for some people,” said Rep. Michael Michaud, DMaine, a Blue Dog. Some moderate Democratic senators voiced similar thoughts, saying that the public’s perception is often that Washington is too unresponsive to voters and too eager to increase the size and cost of government.

“The American people get it.

They know we’re on an unsustainsee Democrats, page 5

mcclatchy-newspapers

Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman Michael Steele attends a post-election news conference in Washington. Republicans inflicted a double blow on President Barack Obama’s Democratic Party, winning gubernatorial races in two states that had backed him last year.

Chrysler unveils revival plan Shawn Langlois mcclatchy newspapers

DETROIT — Chrysler lifted the hood Wednesday on a five-year plan to revive its flagging fortunes, pledging through its alliance with Italy’s Fiat to boost sales and return to profitability with a “soulful” new lineup.

The new models will include three new Dodge sedans, with the first hitting showrooms in 2012, and perhaps a midsize truck even sooner.

Chrysler Chairman Robert Kidder kicked off a day-long presentation to hundreds of journalists and industry analysts gathered at the Chrysler Tech Center in Auburn Hills, Mich., by saying the company’s top priority is to invest to create a compelling brand and product

offerings.

“In short, there is no ‘business as usual’ at Chrysler. There is incredible commitment to and energy for change.”

Chrysler’s new chief, Sergio Marchionne, followed up by saying Chrysler has managed to grow its cash pile to $5.7 billion, up from $4 billion in June.

He also said Chrysler had been able to stem losses on an operating basis in September.

It’s among the first glimpses of Chrysler’s financial condition since it emerged from bankruptcy nearly five months ago.

“The new Chrysler is being incredibly parsimonious ... cheap,” Marchionne said, adding that he would return later in the day to provide details of his five-year plan for the company.

Fiat, of which Marchionne is also CEO, took a 20 percent stake in Chrysler in exchange for technology transfers and management expertise as part of Chrysler’s trip through bankruptcy. That stake could rise to 35 percent if and when certain milestones are met, such as the production of a small, fuel-efficient car in the U.S. A Chrysler union retiree trust holds a 55 percent stake in the company, while the rest is held by the U.S. and Canadian governments.

Chrysler, with a dearth of fresh product, has been struggling to draw buyers to its showrooms even as crosstown rivals are starting to show new signs of life.

While General Motors and Ford posted U.S. sales gains in October, Chrysler saw the numbers of vehicles sold drop nearly a third from where they were a year ago.

“We just aren’t seeing much in the way of positive news coming out of Chrysler these days,” Edmunds.com analyst Jessica Caldwell said. “They have just been stuck in a holding pattern over there until these Fiat plans start taking shape.”

In an effort to spur demand, Chrysler said it will roll out three new Dodge vehicles in 2012 and 2013, including a compact, a subcompact hatchback and a midsize sedan. A midsize truck is also being mulled for production in 2011.

Ralph Gilles, head of the Dodge brand, said risk taking will be in see Chrysler, page 6

mustang daily

Thursday, November 5, 2009 www.mustangdaily.net

Wire Editor: Jennifer Titcomb

News

5

Obama focuses on back-to-basics education Bill Glauber mcclatchy newspapers

MADISON, Wis. — On the first anniversary of his historic election victory, President Barack Obama went back to school Wednesday, quickly reviewed the last 12 months and then made a pitch for the future with a $4 billion education reform proposal.

His appearance at James C. Wright Middle School was rich in political symbolism.

In many ways, he faced a new political landscape after Republicans won governorships in Virginia and New Jersey on Tuesday night.

And he came to a state where the Democrats are still searching for someone to run for governor in 2010.

Among those in the audience was Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who is mulling over a governor’s run next year. Barrett re-

Democrats continued from page 4

able fiscal course,” said Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D. Many of these concerns are hardly new to conservative and moderate Democrats; Tuesday’s election results simply underscored their importance as they weigh their votes on pending bills.

Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., said, “I’ve always had pause” about health care overhauls and rampedup government spending. Like most centrists, he represents an area where hard-to-predict independents often determine an election’s outcome.

In some of those states, Obama hasn’t been overwhelmingly popular. He won 41 percent of the Nebraska vote last year, and got 44 percent in North Dakota.

His Virginia victory was the first by a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964, aided by 49 percent backing from independents.

Tuesday, though, Republican Bob McDonnell won the gubernatorial race by taking two-thirds of those voters, who made up about 30 percent of the electorate, according to exit polls.

In New Jersey, Obama won 51 percent of the independents last year. Tuesday, Gov.-elect Chris Christie, a Republican, took 60 percent of them.

ceived a round of applause when he took his seat.

Obama gave a back-to-basics speech to students who sat patiently in gymnasium bleachers and local dignitaries who sat in seats on the gym floor.

“One year ago, Americans all across this country went to the polls and cast ballots for the future they wanted to see,” Obama said.

“Election Day was a day of hope, it was a day of possibility, but it was also a sobering one because we knew even then that we faced an array of challenges that would test us as a country. We already saw that there was a financial crisis that threatened to plunge our economy into a Great Depression, the worst that we’ve seen in generations. We had record deficits. Two wars. Frayed alliances around the world.”

Obama said his administration “had two

fundamental obligations,” to “rescue the economy from imminent collapse” and to make “long-term investments necessary to build our economy stronger than before.”

Part of those long-term investments, he said, involved education.

He touted a $4 billion national education initiative called “Race to the Top.” “We’re putting over $4 billion on the table — four billion with a ‘B’ — one of the largest investments that the federal government has ever made in education reform,” he said. “But we’re not just handing it out to states because they want it. We’re not just handing it out based on population. It’s not just going through the usual political formulas. We’re challenging states to compete for it.”

“We’re saying to states, if you are committed to real change in the way you edu-

cate your children; if you’re willing to hold yourselves more accountable and if you develop a strong plan to improve the quality of education in your state, then we’ll offer you a big grant to help make that plan a reality.”

States will compete for the cash.

The program’s goals are designed to toughen academic standards, retain good teachers and transform poorly performing schools.

In order to be eligible for the money, states must remove firewalls between student achievement data and teacher evaluations, Obama said.

Obama also said the program will “encourage states to take a better approach when it comes to charter schools and other innovative public schools. When these see Education, page 7

Word on the Street

“How can the campus be greener and waste less food?”

“Perhaps they could give (leftovers) to homeless but consider health safety. Giving it would be a cool way to not waste.”

“I think the campus should find ways to store leftovers so that they can be donated to food pantries and homeless shelters that need it.”

-Josh Grip, mechanical engineering senior

-Ashlie Lewis, nutrition senior

“I definitely think we need to be composting food and get more electric vehicles, biofuel and more people taking alternative transportation like the bus and bikes.”

-Karl Gurney, environmental management and protection junior

“I think you can donate to homeless downtown because I feel really sorry for them.”

“Monorail like at Disneyland so people won’t have to drive their cars, will ride less bikes, not waste as much energy and eat less.”

-Marcelo Punches, environmental horticulture sciences senior

-Max Ullrich, electrical engineering senior

“It’s a complex issue because in food service there are so many regulations. I’d say a change in mindset, if people weren’t so sue happy. I’m sure (Campus Dining) anticipates (how much) in advance.”

-Gregory DeLeon, environmental horticulture sciences senior

compiled and photographed by jennifer titcomb see Democrats, page 6

6

mustang daily www.mustangdaily.net

News

Briefs

Chrysler continued from page 4

State

National

International

SACRAMENTO (MCT) — On Saturday, 10 days after Scott Hawkins was beaten to death inside his dormitory at California State University, Sacramento, his parents got a letter in the mail.

It contained a bill from the University of California Davis Medical Center for $29,186.50 along with a form letter addressed “Dear Patient” that implied they were indigent and stated that the hospital no longer could provide them services.

“UC Davis can no longer provide follow-up care or any other non-emergency care to you,” it read. “Please go to a County clinic for all non-emergency care or to get a referral to another doctor.”

For Gerald and Elizabeth Hawkins, it was just too much to bear.

“It was just devastating and insulting,” Gerald Hawkins said.“It’s just hard to grasp for words. My wife and I were near collapse.”

The couple said the mailing tore at the wounds opened by the loss of their 23-year-old son.

CONWAY, S.C. (MCT) — A South Carolina man was sentenced to three years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to a charge related to having sexual intercourse with a horse.

Rodell Vereen, 50, of Longs, S.C., was charged in July with buggery and trespassing after a Conway, S.C., woman found him in her barn at Lazy B Stables, police said. The woman held him by pointing a shotgun at him until police arrived.

CARACAS,Venezuela (MCT) — A U.S.-mediated pact reached last week that aims to return deposed Honduran President Manuel Zelaya to office and end the country’s destabilizing political crisis is in danger of unraveling as Honduras’ Congress takes its time to consider the deal.

Zelaya’s supporters say that failure to approve it in the next few days would kill the final opportunity to legitimize this month’s presidential elections by keeping a government in power that no foreign leaders have recognized.

•••

WASHINGTON (MCT) — Responding to consumer frustration over rising credit card rates, the House of Representatiaves on Wednesday approved legislation to accelerate the implementation of new laws to crack down on abusive practices by credit card companies to Dec. 1.

The House voted 331-92 to move up the effective date of recently approved restrictions on credit card companies from the current February 2010 deadline of the law. The credit card law limits the ability of banks to hike interest rates and bans deceptive practices.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

evidence in its new crop of cars and trucks. “Every car that we have will have a soul,” he said.

Overall, 21 new vehicles, co-developed with Fiat, will be launched between 2010 and 2014, the com-

pany said With regards to Chrysler’s woeful quality reputation, Doug Betts, the executive in charge of fixing it, said the company has overhauled how it goes about addressing the problems.

“We are not in denial,” he said.

“We’ve got an issue to deal with both in terms of what people think of our quality and the reasons behind what they think.”

•••

KARACHI, Pakistan (MCT) — With paramilitary Rangers deployed to prevent terrorist attacks on the host hotel, Pakistani designers and models challenged firebrand mullahs and Taliban insurgents Wednesday by staging the country’s first “Fashion Week” in Karachi.

Models strutted down the catwalk in couture fashion that was elegant, racy and indelibly Pakistani, a riot of colorful style and a show of women’s flesh that’s considered scandalous in this conservative Muslim country.

mcclatchy-newspapers

The 2009 Fiat 500 was on display at the Chrysler Group LLC 20102014 Business Plan presentation on Wednesday, at Chrysler Group LLC headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Democrats continued from page 5

Any legislation that’s seen as too expensive and expansive could cause trouble back home, moderates said, particularly if the economy continues to lag.

Remember, said another Blue Dog, Rep. Allen Boyd of Florida, “the party in control always gets blamed.”

Democratic leaders point to the economic stimulus as their key antidote, arguing that it’s helped revive the economy. Unemployment remains high at almost 10 percent, however, and a lot of lawmakers are growing increasingly concerned that their constituents don’t see the stimulus helping and view the health care bill as a government boondoggle.

Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., criticized “the clumsy political way this (health care) has been

handled,” while Nelson warned that “people are saying, ‘Go slow and make sure this doesn’t add to the deficit.’ “ The more Republicans see a chance to topple Democrats next fall, the more energized they get, warned Rep. Raul Grijalva, DAriz., a co-chairman of the House Progressive Caucus.

“Tuesday’s elections were about a base that wasn’t motivated, the Democrats, versus a Republican base that was,” he said. “There’s a level of unmet expectations among a lot of Democrats.”

On the other hand, some liberals argued that Tuesday’s election results will prod Congress to act more quickly on the Democrats’ agenda.

“People are going to be more determined to get something done,” said Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., “because they realize that by doing nothing, we’ll have more to answer for when we go home.”

7

mustang daily

Thursday, November 5, 2009 www.mustangdaily.net

Education

continued from page 5

performing poorly, they’ll be shut down.

But when innovative public schools are succeeding, they shouldn’t be stifled — they should be supported.”

Obama said he challenged states “to align their assessments with high standards — because we should not just raise the bar, we should prepare our kids to meet it.”

“This is not just about more tests,” Obama said. “What we want to do is finally get testing right.”

In the most personal part of his speech, Obama told a story about the role of education in the life of his daughter Malia, a sixth grader.

She once came home with a score of “80 something” on a test and said she did “pretty well.”

“I said, ‘No, no, no. Our goal is 90 percent and up,’” Obama said.

Recently, Malia became depressed because she got a 73 on a science test, Obama said. But she then started to talk of changing her study habits and reading “the whole chapter.”

Malia came home Tuesday and said she had gotten a 95.

“She said, ‘I just like having knowledge,’” Obama said. “That’s what she said. What was happening was she had started wanting it more than us. Now once you get to that point, our kids are on (their) way.”

School principal Nancy Evans told the students that they were experiencing what would become “an amazing memory.”

“The president of the United States of America is here in the same place where you walk the halls, where you learn, where

News

you accept the absolute challenge to do your best,” she said.

The president’s speech capped an exciting day at the middle school.

Before the speech, Tatiara Stamps, a 13year-old eighth-grader, was having trouble accepting the fact that she was about to see Obama in person.

“I just don’t believe that,” Stamps said. “I thought it was all fake. I’ve smacked my head a couple of times to see if I was dreaming.”

Stamps and her classmates settled into the gym’s bleacher seats more than 90 minutes before Obama’s arrival.

The gym also doubles as the school’s lunch room, but on Wednesday it was transformed into an area to meet the president.

Obama spoke from a podium beneath a basketball hoop, in front of a backdrop featuring the title of his education initiative, “Race To the Top.” Barbara Pietz, an eighth-grade math teacher, said she arrived at school at her regular time of 7:45 a.m. She spoke with the students and prepared for what was a special day.

“We had our first and second hours like normal, but in our third hour, we had lunch in our classroom,” she said. “We’ve been doing a lot of talking about how excited everyone is and what a wonderful opportunity this is.”

Many of the students wore T-shirts with a silk screen of Obama’s portrait and the slogan “Obama — Doing Things the ‘Wright’ Way.”

mcclatchy-newspapers

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is introduced by President Barack Obama at James C. Wright Middle School in Madison, Wisconsin.

mcclatchy-newspapers

President Barack Obama spoke to students, teachers and parents at James C. Wright Middle School in Madison, Wisconsin.

thursday, november 5, 2009

arts & Entertainment editor: cassandra keyse

“The Fourth Kind” is a waste of time Director Olatunde Osansanmi’s debut feature “The Fourth Kind” is billed as an abduction movie based on factual evidence and events. It uses “archival footage” accompanied with reenactments performed by actors to try and explain mysterious disappearances and deaths occurring in a small Alaskan town.

Prior to walking into the advanced screening of the film last night at the Palm Theatre, my tele-

vision at home had already been barraged with ads for the film, marketing it as one of “the most innovative adaptations of true accounts you will ever see.” What it actually turns out to be is an overdone alien thriller that tries so hard to be real that it ironically emits a sense of… to put it bluntly: bullsh*t.

Since it hasn’t seen a wide release yet, this review won’t be as long as most because I don’t want to reveal

too much. The audience is meant to believe that the plot of the movie is based on the real experiences of psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler, portrayed by Milla Jovovich (“The Fifth Element,” “Resident Evil”), who is living in Nome, Alaska, making attempts to treat a growing number of the town’s residents for psycho see Review, page 11

The Fourth Kind [2009] Director: Olatunde Osansanmi Starring: Milla Jovovich, Will Patton, Elias Koteas, Hakeem Kae-Kazim

courtesy photo

Mila Jovovich stars in “The Fourth Kind,” an alien thriller set in the town of Nome Alaska. Many of the town’s residents are in therapy to cope with disturbing dreams of alien abductions.

mustang daily

Thursday, November 5, 2009 www.mustangdaily.net

Arts

Arts editor: Cassandra Keyse mustangdailyarts@gmail.com

9

Controversial movie marketed in new ways Will Taylor mustang daily

The Palm Theatre had only a few empty seats as the opening credits of the paranormal thriller “The Fourth Kind” rolled to claps and multiple cheers of “I love free s#$%” by Cal Poly students, who were treated to

the movie free of charge four days earlier than national audiences. The free screening for Cal Poly students is one part of NBC Universal’s twopronged marketing campaign, the other being viral, or word of mouth, marketing.

NBC Universal approached the Palm Theatre and Associated Stu-

by Ryan Sidarto

“Biding My Time”

dents Incorporated (ASI) about a possible pre-screening of the film to help promote it. ASI pays nothing for the movie and gets free handbills and posters to help advertise.

The Palm is rented out for the evening and the income from that is comparable to a normal night of movies, Cameron Bowman, general

manager of the Palm said.

The idea behind the free showing is that it will create a conversation about the film in a key demographic group, Missi Bullock, ASI programs director said.

“It’s something special and exclusive,” Bullock said. “It is only for Cal Poly students before the movie

is ever released. (NBC Universal) wants to generate this kind of buzz about their new movies.”

There is quite a buzz already surrounding the movie on the Internet. The claim that the movie is based on actual events has got peo see Screening, page 11

www.mustangdaily.net

Review continued from page 8

logical trauma brought upon by dreams that are truly memories of alien abductions they experienced in the past.

While Osansanmi’s effort to try a new brand of filmmaking is commendable, like most experiments it ultimately fails to make up for the film’s predictable story line and doesn’t do enough to convince the audience of the authenticity of the story. The movie seems more like

Screening continued from page 9

ple talking.

This is just the type of Internet conjecture that studios want to start, said Randy Frank, chief risk officer of the New York branch of 7th Chamber, a viral media marketing company based out of London that has done marketing for Nike, Aston Martin and MTV. “I’m quite sure what (NBC Universal) did was seed blogs and speak on the social media profiles,” Frank said. “Entertainment companies understand that all buzz is good buzz. Any kind of controversy and you’ve got people talking.”

Universal Studios declined to comment on the marketing behind the movie.

Similar techniques have been used with other recent movies.

11

mustang daily

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Arts

an episode of a cheesy show on the Sci-fi channel then it does a major motion picture.

That being said, the “real” footage is often pretty eerie and is without a doubt the most convincing aspect of the film, partly because those actors do a better job of causing suspense then their more famous counterparts in the reenactments. These scenes are also aided by a 8mm-camcorder and some illusive special effects.

In the end, the film’s biggest problem will be the inevitable comparisons to the recent mega

hit, “Paranormal Activity”. Paranormal is still finding success at the box office, and audiences have already been treated with an innovative use of handheld cameras in order to create a more frightening experience. “The Fourth Kind” is a perfect example of a possibly smart idea released at the wrong time that unfortunately relies on too many clichés and foreseeable Hollywood scenarios.

The studios behind “Cloverfield,” “The Dark Night,” and “Paranormal Activity” all successfully used viral marketing via the Internet to get people talking about their movies.

The pre-screening is another, more concentrated, step in the viral marketing process, Frank said.

It targets a direct demographic market and is made to reach what Frank called “influencers;” people who will talk to other people and will comment on the movie.

At a pre-screening, much of the following conversation will be based on what the audience thought of the movie. Cal Poly students were not totally sold on the film.

“The way they integrated the real footage with the reenacted footage was pretty interesting,” industrial engineering freshman Ryan Basilio said. “I don’t know,

I’m still skeptical. I was digging the handheld camera thing though.”

Business administration graduate Nate Pasile enjoys scary movies but thought this one was just average.

“Aliens creep me out, so it was cool the way they used actual footage,” Pasile said. “But I would say you could wait to see it.”

Some students weren’t convinced in the slightest.

“If people are going to make things up they need to better at it,” modern language and literature senior Christian Rojas said. “One thing is making art and the other thing is just trying to make money and I really think that’s what this was.”

“I wouldn’t recommend it to other people,” Rojas said. “No, definitely not.”

“The Fourth Kind” will be in widespread release tomorrow.

Alex Petrosian is a biological sciences sophomore and Mustang Daily movie columnist.

mustangdaily.net y

Eco art to be displayed at FrameWorks gallery Kara Dimitriou mustang daily

Artwork made from reclaimed or reused materials including eggshells and obsolete Polaroid cameras will be on display today at the 4th annual ECO Art Reception and Benefit at FrameWorks Gallery, where 15 percent of the proceeds will be donated to The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to protect the Black Lake Preserve.

“This is a great event to attend because it’s a bit off the beaten path,” gallery director Sara Egerer said. “It is edgy and shows a different and fun way of using art.”

Art ECO was created by Egerer as an outgrowth of passion for constructing art from reclaimed materials. This venue allows her and other artists to exhibit their unique creations while participating in an event that assists the community.

There are 13 local artists participating, who have created functional pieces as well as wall art for this green design event. Egerer constructed two of the pieces that will be at the event — a cross titled “Mixed Blessing” and a piece called “Killing Time” named after a quote

by Dion Boucicault.

“I enjoy creating art that possess a duplicity of being visually appealing while conceptually challenging.

My goal is for my art to evoke a

sense of apprehensive attraction in its viewer,” Egerer said.

One stimulating shoe sculpture, “Combat Stiletto,” was made by Larry Le Brane. This remarkable one of a kind artwork is made of bullet-clad platforms and stiletto knife heels. Le Brane’s piece provokes a warrior essence and creative stand on the nature of stilettos. He started with the bullets, which led him deeper into the design of the shoe.

“I’m drawn to explore and combine found materials and fused glass in absurd and visually-appealing ways,” Le Brane said of his art.

Another artist, Maggie Ragatz, created “Eva on the Half-Shell” and “Shell Chandelier.” Both these are made of egg shells assembled in an imaginative approach. She came about the design after collecting blue Araucana egg shells from a food share box.

“My strategy is hoarding materials until an idea comes,” Ragatz said.

This will be the first time this one-of-a-kind artwork has been seen in the county. The art was chosen through a submission process whereby each artist had to present their work along with a description, title, pricing and materials used.

Art ECO will be held at FrameWorks at 339 Marsh Street from 6 to 9 p.m.

always something new.

s g new

in break s gs ow blo esh slid dio au

po lls

video

mustangdaily.net

have something to say?

let us

hear it.

mustangdailyopinions@gmail.com

mustang daily The voice of Cal Poly since 1916 Graphic Arts Building, Suite 226 California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 (805) 756-1796 editorial (805) 756-1143 advertising (805) 756-6784 fax mustangdaily@gmail.com e-mail

editors & staff editor in chief Emilie Egger managing editor Alex Kacik news editor Tim Miller wire editor Jennifer Titcomb arts editor Cassandra Keyse online editor Megan Hassler sports editor Brian De Los Santos design editor Kevin Black copy editors Scott Silvey, Katie McIntyre, Beth Shirley, Susie Kopecky photographers Ryan Sidarto, Nick Camacho, Patrick Fina, Elizabeth McAninch, Daniel Triassi advertising coordinator Stephanie Murawski production manager Andrew Santos-Johnson assistant production manager Jason Cope business managers Brittany Kelley, Joe Merkel marketing manager Kelsey Magnusen advertising manager Kristin Coplan ad designers Mai-Chi Vu, Sara Hamling, Justin Rodriguez, John Dixon advertising representatives Erika Powers, Giana Ronzani, April Manalotto, Adam Plachta,Tarah Brinkerhoff, Lindsey Bly, Jenna Perkovich, Jenelle McDonnell, David McCutcheon, Amanda Dennin faculty adviser Brady Teufel general manager Paul Bittick

write a letter

Mustang Daily reserves the right to edit letters for grammar, profanities and length. Letters, commentaries and cartoons do not represent the views of the Mustang Daily. Please limit length to 250 words. Letters should include the writer’s full name, phone number, major and class standing. Letters must come from a Cal Poly e-mail account. Do not send letters as an attachment. Please send the text in the body of the e-mail.

By e-mail: mustangdailyopinions@gmail.com By mail: Letters to the Editor Building 26, Room 226 Cal Poly, SLO, CA 93407 Online: mustangdaily.net/letters

opinion/editorial Thursday, November 5, 2009

Editor in chief: Emilie Egger Managing Editor: Alex Kacik

www.mustangdaily.net

I heard some scary things this weekend. Things about masked men with chainsaws chasing down folks in the Cal Poly corn maze and CNN’s report that the hate crimes legislation hidden in the defense spending bill has been signed into law by Obama. However, the spookiest thing I heard was the report from the Bureau of Public Debt: as of Monday, America is $11,868,457,477,911.94 in the red.

Obviously, $11.9 trillion will not pay itself back. This debt must be repaid by the borrower: the U.S. government. The primary source of revenue for the U.S. government is taxation; this means that to pay down this debt, the government will have to decrease spending or increase taxes.

Judging from history, the chance of a significant decrease in government size and spending is unlikely until a total government overhaul occurs. Therefore, that $11.9 trillion will be paid by you and me, the taxpayers.

Consider this: the U.S. Census Bureau reports that as of July 2008 the U.S. population is 304,059,724.

This means that if the na-

tional debt were split evenly over the entire population, each person would owe $39,033. Ignoring the fact of ever compounding interest and growing government spending, to pay back the federal deficit right now, the federal government would need to take $39 thousand out of your bank account. I understand this is a simplistic view of national debt; however, increased taxation is one of the few options that would allow government to maintain its current size and spending habits. If taxes were used to pay down government debt, taxation would have to grow with federal spending. This would mean more and more of our hard earned dollars would be taken away. Money we could use to buy groceries, textbooks and fuel would be given to the government to pay down ever increasing national debt.

The Government Ac-

pedro molina newsart

notices

The Mustang Daily is a “designated public forum.” Student editors have full authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval.

The Mustang Daily is a free newspaper; however, the removal of more than one copy of the paper per day is subject to a cost of 50 cents per issue. printed by

University Graphic Systems ugs.calpoly.edu

ugs@calpoly.edu

Thursday, November 5, 2009 Volume LXXIV, No. 38 ©2009 Mustang Daily “ My life is embarrassing.”

12

National debt, worry on the rise as economic woes continue

corrections

The Mustang Daily staff takes pride in publishing a daily newspaper for the Cal Poly campus and the neighboring community. We appreciate your readership and are thankful for your careful reading.

Please send your correction suggestions to mustangdaily@gmail.com.

mustangdaily@gmail.com

Maybe instead of spending thousands on new televisions for VG’s, they could have at least bought new chairs instead of spray painting the old ones which now rub black flakes all over your clothes. And those couches are like sitting on boxes.

Also, Baja Surf had a line out the door last year, but I think the big turnoff was the half hour you would have to wait for the food (location was also hidden too).

I do really like the switch to Coke and think it was the better choice regardless of price. Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, and Fanta lead

Pepsi in overall popularity in the US in their categories (cola, diet cola, lemon lime, and orange). And the fact that the vending machines and fountains work and you can see the buttons now helps a lot since Pepsi just let everything degrade.

—Anonymous In response to “Campus dining spices up menu” There should be a salad bar for people who eat on a meal plan.

The food at VG’s and 19 Metro have close to no vegetarian options with any sort of nutritional value. I have found my self getting sick easier because I am not getting the nutrition I did before. As students, we don’t care about the flat screen telvisions and nobody uses the Wii. Campus dining needs to focus on serving healthier food

countability Office’s Citizen’s Guide to the 2008 Financial Report of the United States Government reports: “The Government’s fiscal policies for these programs as currently structured are not sustainable. Without changes, spending for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid would permanently and dramatically increase the Government’s budget deficit and debt, leading eventually to renewed financial and economic instability.” The federal government admits that spending for current government programs cannot continue, as it will lead to financial and economic failure.

An investment in the U.S. federal government has historically been one of the safest investments available on the world market. The United States has never failed to repay its debt. However the risk that the U.S. could default on a loan increases as it takes on more debt.

The Government Accountability Office estimates that growing obligations in entitlement spending will cause these program’s mandatory spending to exceed government revenue around 2030. The Government Accountability Of-

fice reports that the primary risk category within these entitlement programs is health care costs. Government spending, primarily on social programs such as health care, has pushed the United States to the brink of bankruptcy.

Most politicians ludicrously believe economic failure can be avoided by expanding already bloated government programs.

They think that increasing government spending will somehow make our problems disappear. The health care legislation currently under debate clearly shows this.

However, no one can spend their way out of debt, not even the U.S. government.

The three available options to address the national debt are: do nothing and remain on the current course to economic failure, increase taxes or decrease government spending. Neither economic failure or increased taxation is desirable. Therefore, decreasing government debt through spending reduction is the only safe and effective way to assure financial stability and sustainability.

which as we all know is more expensive. But if they did not spend so much money on trying to make their food look better by putting it on a TV instead of a white board, the money could be used for something useful.

—Melissa In response to “Swine flu vaccine is here”

—Melody Samuels In response to “Campus dining spices up menu” It would have been nice if the health center had released the fact that this shot was only for students 24 and under in their emails instead of making people waste their time waiting for nothing. Do they not realize that not all Cal Poly students are 24 and under? When it takes six years to graduate from here and there are many transfer students, it’s ridiculous not to include a vital thing like that in the email.

Nathan Tsoi is a computer science senior and Mustang Daily political columnist.

One of the things that is needed at this moment is a centralized place where sustainability/regenerative design ideas can be nurtured. A place where this power can be harnessed, released and spread through the campus (and beyond).

—Jorge In response to “Utilizing Powerhouse as sustainability center at Cal Poly” NOTE: The Mustang Daily features select comments that are written in response to articles posted online.

Though not all the responses are printed, the Mustang Daily prints comments that are coherent and foster intelligent discussion on a given subject.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

13

mustang daily www.mustangdaily.net

op/ed

Republican Dede Scazzafava was the real winner on Tuesday I’m sure that a portion of Republicans on campus are still pumped over the Republican wins in Tuesday’s election and probably even believe that they are evidence of a comeback from the party’s embarrassing losses in the 2008 election and that the president and House and Senate Democrats are losing credibility with the American public.

However, winning two gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey and one mayoral race in New York isn’t a mandate from the American people for the Republican ideology, nor is it a sign that the American people oppose the Democratic House and Senate proposals or President Obama. Winning three positions in two states is merely a sign that in two states, the Republican Party had stronger candidates in their particular local and state elections.

And I give them full credit for having stronger candidates. The Democratic losses, while predictable, were definitely not excusable or insignificant. They reminded me that Democrats can be very weak, and, sadly, that they will even resort to the same negative campaign tactics I so dislike from the Republican Party — particularly in the New Jersey gubernatorial race, in which incumbent Governor Corzine railed Republican Chris Christie (the eventual winner) for his weight.

No one ever expected Virginia gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds, a Democrat, to win; his campaign was lackluster from the beginning. Not to mention the fact that for the past 32 years, the winner of the Virginia gubernatorial race has always been from the opposite party as the President of the United States.

It simply fits the trend that a Republican would win this election because a Democrat won the White House.

But the really important story to emerge from this election is the interesting turn of events in New York’s 23rd District contest for a one-year seat in the House of Reps. If any contest Tuesday has national implications, it’s this one. And before vitriolic Republican readers start typing an angry smear response, it’s

not just because Bill Owens, the Democrat, ended up winning.

No, this story’s hero is a Republican. She’s not a hero because she upholds my values (she doesn’t) or because she helped a Democrat win, but because she took a stand for centrism and reason in an ideological environment that favors neither.

The 23rd District contest started out with three candidates. Bill Owens ran as a Democrat, Dede Scazzofava ran as a Republican, and Doug Hoffman ran as a Conservative. Since the 23rd District has been a conservative district for the past century, it makes sense that two conservative candidates would run.

At first, Dede Scazzofava was ahead in

the polls. But then Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and the tea baggers started getting involved. They said that because of her support for the stimulus package, abortion rights, and gay rights, she was too liberal for the Republican Party. And then they threw their weight behind Hoffman.

The weekend before the election, struggling in the polls, Scazzaofava shocked everyone when she dropped out of the race and shifted her support to Democrat Bill Owens.

Explaining her decision to Syracuse newspaper The Post-Standard, Scazzafava lamented, “The amount of hate and lies and the deceitfulness.”

“I don’t believe that

should be the characteristics that define the Republican Party. I think people should be allowed to have discussions and reasonable disagreements. But this was a full frontal assault on me personally and politically, for weeks,” she continued.

As an example, the Monday after her decision, Rush Limbaugh said, “We can say [Scazzafava] is guilty of widespread bestiality.

She has screwed every RINO in the country.” There are a lot of ignorant layers to that statement. Every time I tune in to Rush or read quotes like these, I really wonder why people care about what he has to say. He’s so vulgar that, to me, the ideas he’s trying to convey become repulsive, simply because of his word choice and comparisons.

The issue inherent in Scazzafava’s decision to support Owens (and perhaps the reason Owens won a seat that has been held by a Republican for the past century) is that the conservatives are cleaving to extremism and exiling their moderate voices. The fact that Scazzafava was pushed out by the loud Republican voices shows that the Republican tent has no room for moderate voices. They welcome only group thinkers and people who tow the party line. That’s not an attractive image for a political party, and it’s not good for American politics and the arena of ideas.

I think Scazzofava’s actions highlighted the fact that Republicans are not fighting the Democratic proposals or even the public option. They’re fighting against their own moderates, reasonableness, and discussion--things a political party should welcome--and in the process, they’re proving that Jimmy Carter was right when he said, “Republicans are men of narrow vision, who are afraid of the future.”

Stephanie England is an English senior and Mustang Daily political columnist.

barrie maguire newsart

Economic growth finally arriving for U.S. The burst of economic growth in the third quarter reported last week was notable for all the gripes and worries it elicited from commentators. It was dependent on temporary government programs, they said. It may not be sustainable.

It's not generating jobs. It doesn't feel like a recovery.

All true. But contemplating a rebound that hit a 3.5 percent pace, we have something to say: We'll take it.

The economy, after all, hadn't given off a flicker of hope in a long time. Since the recession began in December 2007, total output had contracted by 3.7 percent in inflation-adjusted terms and some 7 million jobs had disappeared, with devastating effects on individuals and communities. The recession had lasted longer than any downturn since the Great Depression.

If the third quarter marks the end of it, as it appears, Americans can look forward with hope.

Lest we forget, that's an enormous difference from what we faced a year ago — when financial institutions were imploding, credit was frozen solid, the stock market was plummeting and the economy teetered on the brink of a catastrophe of the sort unseen since the Great Depression. This has not been a depression but merely a worse-than-average recession. A year ago, most policymakers were hoping against hope for that outcome.

The economy, granted, is not on sure footing yet. The recovery is fragile, and it would be no huge surprise to see another negative quarter in the coming months.The cash-for-clunkers program, which boosted growth by encouraging purchases of new cars, has expired, and vehicle sales have fallen off as a result. The first-time homebuyers credit, which is believed to have helped stabilize home prices, is also due to expire, (though it

will probably be renewed).

But there are just as many hopeful signs. If the administration's broad economic stimulus program has any value, it should start to pay off soon, because the money is only now starting to be spent.

Exports are on the rise, thanks to a decline in the dollar and better conditions in other parts of the world. Businesses are not drawing down inventories so fast — raising hopes that new orders will soon pick up. Inflation and interest rates remain helpfully low.

None of this is any immediate comfort to Americans who have lost their jobs, and who cannot realistically expect hiring to pick up for a while yet. If the sun isn't shining on them, though, the first rays of dawn can be seen peeking above the horizon.

The third quarter results are no grounds for celebration, but they are cause to breathe a big sigh of relief.

john kraus newsart

games Help Wanted

Like books? Like people? Outlet bookstore seeks reliable PT sales assoc. Must have wide knowledge of books/authors/retail sales +/or supervisory experience. Apply at D. W. Pages/ Crown Books Pismo Beach Prime Outlets ste.110.

No Phone calls.

Laptop Repair www.laptoprepair.com Student Discount Fast Turnaround (818) 973-1066 Earn Extra Money Students needed ASAP Earn up to $150 per day being a mystery shopper No Experience Required Call 1-800-722-4791

For Sale Drafting machine board, table & extra scales, erasers, compass & misc. items $200 o.b.o brand-vemco.

To book ights, cruises, hotel and car rentals at competitive prices, please visit: www.theticketpavilion.com.

Canoe $285 OBO call: 929-9048

1996 BMCW M3 113kmi mods: coilovers, brake kit, exhaust, $8,999 (805)704-3311

Announcements

Get your HAM radio license in one day! The Cal Poly Amateur Radio club is offering a 1-day cram and test session on Sat. Nov. 7.

See w6bhz.org for info.

Announcements IME Department hosting its 2nd annual 5k/10k run to support PolyHouse course.

November 14, 2009 9AM - 12PM sign up Bld 192 or www.polyhousefundrun.org $15 before Nov.6 $20 after

15

mustang daily

Thursday, November 5, 2009 www.mustangdaily.net

Matsui leads Yankees to 27th World Series title

mcclatchy-tribune

Hideki Matsui went 3 for 4 with six RBI, a triple away from the cycle in the Yankees win against the Phillies Wednesday night. He was named Most Valuable Player of series. Andy Pettitte, the second pitcher in history to win all three series winners in the postseason, pitched 5.2 innings and allowed three earned tuns and four hits. Phillies pitcher Pedro Martinez lasted four innings and allowed four earned runs.

sports Football continued from page 16

After starting the year with a rough schedule, the Mustangs battled their way to a highest ranking of 16, despite a 1-2 start. Following a loss last week to the unranked Fighting Sioux, Cal Poly has lost national attention and a top-25 ranking.

North Dakota ended Cal Poly’s longest win streak this season — two wins.

Cal Poly struggled offensively last week in its second conference game of the season. With one of the most dominant rushing attacks in the FCS, the Mustangs hit a speedbump againt the Fighting Sioux, a 62-yard showing — more than 100 yards lower than their season average heading into the contest.

Wide out Dominique Johnson caught 12 passes for 131 yards, the highest receiver production since Ramses Barden last year.

The Mustangs have enjoyed success on the gridiron in recent years. Cal Poly boasts six consecutive winning seasons and three Great West Conference titles in the last five years, including NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoff berths in both 2005 and 2008.

Cal Poly has won 68 percent of their games dating back to the 2002 season. In each of the last six seasons, the Mustangs have won seven or more games — the longest streak in school history.

With three games left this sea-

son, that streak is in jeopardy.

UC Davis, which went 5-7 last season, and has gone 128-65-1 in seven seasons under coach Bob Biggs.

The Aggies returned 51 lettermen, including 12 starters, from its second straight losing campaign after posting 37 consecutive winning seasons.

The Aggies lost three of their first four games against the likes of Fresno State, Montana and Boise State, then won three straight against South Dakota, Winston-Salem State and Portland State before having the streak snapped at Southern Utah last week, 56-35, surrendering 42 firsthalf points.

Quarterback Greg Denham has completed 198 of 330 passes (60 percent) for 2,063 yards and 13 TDs. Chris Carter is his most productive target, boasting 64 receptions for 683 yards while Bakari Grant

has 34 catches and Sean Creadick has 32. Joe Trombetta has rushed for 305 yards and four scores while Josh Reese has 252 rushing yards.

The Aggies average just 89.4 yards on the ground but 268.9 through the air.

Cal Poly and UC Davis are just two of four teams that hold 4-4 overall records in the Great West.

But, Poly and Davis sit at the bottom of the conference. Southern Utah and North Dakota are tied atop the conference with 2-1 Great West Conference reconds.

After 34 meetings between the Mustangs and Aggies, starting in 1939, the series is all tied at 1616-2. Cal Poly has won the last three games, including 63-28 in 2007 at Davis and 51-28 last year in San Luis Obispo. Against the Aggies, the Mustangs are 10-7 at home and 6-9-2 in Davis.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Aggie Stadium.

mustangdaily.net

Thursday, November 5, 2009

SPORTS

sports editor: Brian De Los Santos

MUSTANG DAILY

Mustangs gallop to Horseshoe Classic

mustangdailysports@gmail.com

Women’s soccer hosts Big West tourney game mustang daily staff report

nick camacho mustang daily

Fullback Jordan Yocum (30) leads the Mustangs in rushing with 381 yards with one touchdown, despite losing some playing time to fullback Jake Romanelli. Even with the 62-yard performance last week against North Dakota, the Mustangs rank 25th in the FCS in rushing yards per game. mustang daily staff report

This time last year, Cal Poly was ranked third in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) heading into the Golden Horseshoe Classic against conference foe UC Davis.

In arguably one of the most successful seasons in Cal Poly history, the Mustangs held a 7-1 record, playoff implications and an NFL prospect in wide receiver Ramses Barden.

At that point, the Mustangs were heralded as one of the most dominant teams in the FCS. Today, Cal Poly has a (4-4, 1-1 Great West) record and is a long shot to make the postseason.

What difference a year makes.

In a span of close to 365 days, Cal Poly has gone from three extra points away from being etched in college football stardom next to Appalachian State, to an unranked squad heading in the wrong direction.

Cal Poly will face UC Davis (4-4, 1-1) Saturday in Aggie Stadium. see Football, page 15

Cal Poly, which earned the No. 1 seed in the Big West Conference Women’s Soccer Tournament, will host UC Irvine at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The Mustangs enter the game on a seven-game win streak and have won 11 of the last 12 contests. After defeating UCSB 1-0 on Sunday, Cal Poly is 13- 5-0 overall while UC Irvine earned the No. 4 seed by tiebreaker and posts a 12-6-2 record.

UC Irvine got the bid based on goal differential after ending the regular season tied with Cal State Fullerton and Pacific.

Tanya Taylor and Dana Sanderlin each have scored six goals and have four assists to lead the team. UCI has outshot opponents 281-161 with 145 on goal. Daniellle de Seriere has played 18 of the team’s 20 games between the posts and allows 0.93 goals per game with a save percentage of .779.

The team enters the match having won its last two games, shutting out both Long Beach State and Gonzaga.

Coral Hoover moved up to fourth in the national rankings with a .917 save percentage and currently ranks 24th in goals against average with .0.59. As a team, Cal Poly is seventh in the nation with a 0.84 save percentage.

Cal Poly’s 13 wins this season is the most the team has had since 2003 when the team was 182-2, earning a bid in the NCAA Tournament but losing in the first round to Arizona State. That team was also the last team to record six consecutive shutouts.

Cal Poly has scored 26 goals this season coming from 12 different players. Gummow leads the team with five goals while Cici Kobinski has four. Morgan Miller, and Julianne Grinstead each have three and five players hold one.

For the second time this season the Mustangs are receiving votes in the NSCAA Poll. Stanford, Cal Poly’s first opponent of the season has swept all 32 first place votes while other Cal Poly opponents who have appeared in the top-25 have dropped out. Also receiving votes early in the year was Long Beach State.