Technician - November 13, 2013

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TECHNICIAN

wednesday november

13 2013

Raleigh, North Carolina

technicianonline.com

Hofmann Forest lawsuit continues after court hearing Jake Moser News Editor

A Wake County judge declined to stop the sale of N.C. State’s Hofmann Forest in response to a September lawsuit Tuesday. Special Superior Court Judge Shannon R. Joseph said the N.C. State professors, foresters and conservationists who filed the lawsuit failed to prove that the forest would be irrevocably damaged if the sale went through. However, the plaintiffs still have a chance to stop the $150 million sale because Joseph didn’t dismiss the case altogether. Instead, she refused to grant an injunction, or a court order prohibiting a party from a specific course of action. Joseph will decide later whether to dismiss the case, according to Fred Cubbage, a professor of forestry and natural resources and forest economics at N.C. State. If Joseph ends up dismissing the lawsuit, the plaintiffs

will appeal the case in a higher court, Cubbage said. Cubbage, who has led several protests against the sale since its announcement, attended the hearing along with other professors and conservationists and said the lawsuit emphasized potential environmental damage as a result of the sale. Opponents of the sale also said the contract between N.C. State and the forest’s buyer, Hofmann Forest LLC, doesn’t guarantee the company won’t convert existing pine forests into farmland or residential and commercial properties. Though Hofman Forest LLC, which signed a contract to purchase the forest in October, said it plans to leave the forest “as it is” according to a company spokesperson, Cubbage said he is skeptical about its plans to generate income. According to Cubbage, Hofmann Forest LLC will have to pay property and income taxes from the sale and generate millions of dollars

per year to pay off its debt. “The only way [Hofmann Forest LLC] is going to earn that much money is to have significant agricultural, commercial or residential development,” Cubbage said. “Either that, or they’ll have to convert the pine forests to corn or soy bean fields. They will have to use the forest more intensively.” Developing the land for commercial or residential propert y would require building sewer systems and roads that could harm animal habitats, plant life and possibly water quality, Cubbage said. Agricultural development could also adversely affect the environment. “[Developing the Hofmann Forest] would certainly be tough for bears, rattle snakes and other animals in the forest in general,” Cubbage said. “Another thing is agriculture. Crops have erosion rates that are at ten times higher than a forest without these crops.”

HOFMANN continued page 3

RAVI CHITTILLA/TECHNICIAN

Jane Shaw, president of the Pope Center for Higher Education Policy, speaks at Nelson Hall Tuesday about the potential rise of for-profit universities.

For-profit schools could overtake public universities, Pope Center president says Ravi Chittilla Staff Writer

If universities are unable to adapt to new technologies, they will eventually have to face the reality of the free market, which could favor a for-profit system, according to Jane Shaw, president of the Pope Center for Higher Educational Policy. Speaking in Nelson Hall on Tuesday evening, Shaw said the center had found through its studies that “educational quality had gone down,” and that universities are currently facing “turmoil.”

The Society for Politics, Economics and the Law hosted the event as the final part of its semester-long lecture series. Shaw addressed what she called “disruptive technologies,” comparing the evolution of higher education to the evolution of appliances, where appliance stores such as Sears and other mainstream brands were forsaken in favor of options that were economically viable. Shaw said the Pope Center is primarily concerned with a lack of value payoff from

POPE continued page 2

Professor promotes dumpster diving to save money Jason Katz Deputy News Editor

Dumpster diving is an illegal and stigmatized practice in North Carolina, but Bridget Lassiter, a crop science research assistant at N.C. State, sifts through trash to save money. Wednesday, Lassiter lectured a group of about 30 people about the importance of dumpster diving. She said people, and especially retailers, throw out a lot of things that could either be recycled or given to those who could really use it. Many of the students attending were N.C. State Stewards, a group that advocates for a more sustainable future. Lassiter said that while dumpster

diving, she has found large amounts of food, clothing, hair gel, holiday greeting cards and various other items that were still in good condition. “[Throwing away useful items] is just irresponsible,” Lassiter said. “When one in three children in Wake County are going hungry… that makes me mad.” Lassiter said that some stores are really “bad offenders” when it comes to throwing out clothing and products that could be given to those in need. She said that among the worst stores are Old Navy, Bed Bath and Beyond, Food Lion and Home Depot. “Some of our retail stores are ir-

responsible,” Lassiter said. According to Lassiter, many retail stores actually ruin clothing before throwing it away, so that it cannot be used by those who did not purchase it. For example, she said she found North Face jackets slashed in the garbage of Dick’s Sporting Goods. “This is a problem that’s bigger than me, but it’s a problem that’s local,” Lassiter said. Jason Endries, a junior in meteorology, said he was surprised that retailers slashed clothes. “I might actually email her and go [dumpster diving] with her sometime,” Endries said. During her presentation, Lassiter showed pictures of items that

she found in the trash. One picture showed items trashed with a note, stating that they were thrown out because they had dirt on them. “It’s really interesting, I knew it was happening with food, but I didn’t know about other retailers,” said Ben Phillips, a senior in fashion and textile management. Lassiter said she places part of the blame on the consumers and the high value that they place on new, expensive products. “Think about the responsibility of being a consumer in a country where we have choices,” Lassiter said. But Lassiter said she was inspired by others who were dumpster diving

and promoting the process, such as Jeremy Seifert, who made a movie called Dive! about the subject. “These companies are not going to change unless they get publically shamed,” Lassiter said. Lassiter said Trader Joe’s completely changed the way that the company disposes of waste. Additionally, Harris Teeter donates its leftover food to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. “Luckily, Harris Teeter is being responsible about the food they sell,” Lassiter said. However, she said other grocery stores, such as Food Lion, throw out

insidetechnician

Speaker discusses link between religion and anime

BIENVENIDOS

Chris Hart-Williams Staff Writer

Comida Mexicana: la realidad suroeste

A Princeton University scholar of Japanese religion visited N.C. State Tuesday to discuss the role of religion in anime and manga. “There are some things I wrote in my book I now disagree with,” said Jolyon B. Thomas, a doctoral candidate at Princeton University and author of Drawing on Tradition: Manga, Anime, and Religion in Contemporary Japan. Thomas said he would change part of the second chapter of his book because he overgeneralized Japanese culture and tradition when discussing typology. “I feel I could have supported the typology all together,” Thomas said. “[You can] only make assumptions, not that I

See page 5.

JAPAN continued page 3

ll o R k & ay c o R sd e n Wed

FEATURES Confederate cemetery memorializes a hazy past See page 6.

SPORTS VICTORIA CROCKER/TECHNICIAN

Jolyon Thomas, a doctoral candidate from Princeton University and a published author, talks about manga, anime and religion in contemporary Japan culture in Riddick Hall, Tuesday. He explained the differences between manga and anime and also the portrayals and perceptions of deities, doctrines and saints in both.

Pack falls to Bearcats on road See page 8.

50 Cent Pepperoni Rolls Dipping Sauces Extra/Valid Wednesday Only/$8.00 Minimum Delivery

2712 Hillsborough St.

DUMPSTER continued page 3

919-836-1555

PAGE 2 • WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13, 2013

CORRECTIONS & THROUGH SAM’S LENS CLARIFICATIONS

News

TECHNICIAN POLICE BLOTTER

Send all clarifications and corrections to Editor-in-Chief Sam DeGrave at technician-editor@ ncsu.edu

Nov. 11 1:57 A.M. | INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT Coliseum Deck Student requested assistance at the location. On-call counselor was notified and spoke with student. Involuntary Commitment paperwork was completed and student was transported for evaluation. Student was given welfare referral and OSC trespass letter.

WEATHER WISE Today:

47/28 Sunny

Tomorrow:

57 34 Sunny

Tossing out a line

Friday:

PHOTO BY SAM FELDSTEIN

62 51

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rin Tunell, a senior majoring in political science, casts her fishing rod as part of her final for her fly fishing class Tuesday. “Fly fishing is something I’ve never experienced before, and it’s really great that N.C. State offers such diverse courses. Terry Dash was a great instructor, and fishing on the lake for class wasn’t too bad either” Tunnell said.

Cloudy

SOURCE: WWW.WEATHER.COM

CAMPUS GET INVOLVED CALENDAR IN TECHNICIAN

INTERNATIONAL COFFEE & TEA Brooks Hall at the College of Design, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

November 2013 Su

Technician is always looking for people to write, design, copy edit and take photos. If you’re interested, come to our office on the third floor of Witherspoon Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to midnight and Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or e-mail Editorin-Chief Sam DeGrave at technician-editor@ncsu.edu

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Today OPEN FORUM - DEAN OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL FINALIST Erdahl Cloyd Auditorium, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

ON THE WEB

AMERICA RECYCLES DAY Brickyard, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

See exclusive audio/photo slideshows. Answer the online poll. Read archived stories. There’s something new every day at technicianonline.com. Check it out!

THANK YOU DAY Brickyard, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

POPE

continued from page 1

traditional universities and touted for-profit universities as a viable alternative. According to Shaw, forprofit universities, including institutions such as Strayer University and the University of Phoenix, have enrolled 10 percent of all college students in the country. In addressing the shortcomings of for-profit universities, Shaw said there are also plenty of things that are “appalling in traditional universities.” “Too often now, students are choosing too much of the curriculum that best benefits them and not benefitting the workforce,” Shaw said. Shaw said she, as well as many other educational experts, were concerned about the lack of rigor in education at many levels.

tonight!

The Game's Afoot

November 13-24 Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre (Thompson Hall)

Very limited tickets may be available for the University Theatre production of Ken Ludwig’s glittering holiday whodunit. The danger and hilarity are nonstop in this award-winning play. $5 NCSU students

919-515-1100 ncsu.edu/arts

Sa

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TRANSLATING TECHNOLOGY D.H. Hill Library East Wing, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

“We [Pope Center] think that all too often students were able to get away with taking an easier course than one we would have liked,” Shaw said. “Too often when faced with a course such as advanced statistics, students are able to opt for a much softer math course.” While advocating for more selection in educational options, Shaw said that online education would not be for everyone and that currently it certainly falls behind the value of a traditional education. “In my personal utopia, we as students would increasingly turn to the internet for routine learning,” Shaw said. Kyle Ferriter, a sophomore in computer science said that while he agreed with Shaw’s premise that an education can be obtained outside of the University, he said he felt thinking of education directly correlated to a job misiden-

Thursday NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE NIGHT Witherspoon Student Center, 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. MOVIE: ELYSIUM Witherspoon Campus Cinema, 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. JCRA FRIENDS LECTURE Multiple locations, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

MOVIE: DJANGO UNCHAINED Witherspoon Student Cinema, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

MOVIE: PULP FICTION (FREE) Witherspoon Student Cinema, 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.

MOVIE: DJANGO UNCHAINED Witherspoon Student Cinema, 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Saturday COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE OPEN HOUSE Veterinary Medicine - Main Building, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday ENTREPRENEURS LECTURE SERIES & LULU EGAMES McKimmon Center. 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

PIPES AND DRUMS BELTANE CELEBRATION Harris Field, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

NC STATE DANCE PROGRAM Brooks Hall at the College of Design, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

MOVIE: DJANGO UNCHAINED Witherspoon Student Cinema, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY FRANK B. ARMSTRONG MEMORIAL BOOK SALE Brickyard, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

MOVIE: DJANGO UNCHAINED Witherspoon Student Cinema, 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

PUPPET & LINUX TRAINING Scott Hall, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday STATE OF BRASS Kennedy-Mcllwee Studio Theatre, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

tifies the purpose of it. “If we treat higher education simply as a means to land a job, then the Internet has already eliminated the need for universities,” Ferriter said. Ferriter, who is a student in the College of Engineering, said he could easily find 90 percent of the formulas and knowledge he needs through websites such as Khan Academy or Hyperphysics. “I don’t attend class and spend thousands of dollars a year to get knowledge. I do it to learn how to approach problems and analyze situations from professors who, in most cases, have had to do this in their own lives through research, government agency or commercial projects. Knowing things in a field of study is easy, but being educated in the practice of that field is an entirely different thing.” Andriy Shymonyak, junior in history and political sci-

ence, said he was concerned that the commercialization of education as the Pope Center was interested in would result in students becoming objectified and “vessels of information as opposed to students actively engaged in their education.” The Pope Center garnered controversy with the release of an educational curriculum report at UNC-Chapel Hill. Last month, the Center released a report detailing with what members of the Center felt were shortcomings with the general education requirements at UNC-Chapel Hill, recommending that the institution reduce available gen-ed classes from more than 4,000 to fewer than 700. The Center called the general education curriculum at UNC-CH “incoherent” due to the “smorgasbord” or vast variety of classes that did not target skills that would earn the students a job.

Tuesday GRAINS OF TIME Jones Auditorium at Meredith College, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday ORIGAMI LUNCH & LEARN Talley Student Center Walnut Room, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. WHAT’S NEW IN MOODLE 2 DH Hill Library - ITTC Labs 1A and 1B, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

10:55 A.M. | TRAFFIC ACCIDENT Cates Ave/Jensen Dr Student and non-student were involved in traffic accident. 11:22 A.M. | ASSIST PERSON Lee Hall Officer assisted with escorting student to Counseling Center. Student was issued welfare referral and concerned behavior report completed. 12:45 A.M. | FOLLOW UP North Hall Officers followed up in reference to drug violation. Student consented to search of room which resulted in marijuana and drug paraphernalia being found. Student was cited and referred to the university. Housing notified. 10:02 P.M. | SUSPICIOUS INCIDENT Headhouse Unit 1 Student reported someone tampering with garage door. Officers did not locate anyone. 12:04 P.M. | B&E - VEHICLE Wood Hall Student reported glasses and GPS were stolen from vehicle. 12:27 P.M. | MEDICAL ASSIST Student Health Center Units responded and transported student in need of medical assistance. 2:00 P.M. | DRUG VIOLATION Rocky Branch Report of possible drug violation. Officer located two students. No sign of illegal activity. 2:12 P.M. | HIT & RUN Sullivan Lot Student reported vehicle had been struck while parked in lot. 3:07 P.M. | SKATEBOARD COMPLAINT Patterson Hall Report of juveniles skateboarding on steps. Subjects left prior to officer arrival.

Number of international students reaches record high Staff report

The United States Department of State found that the number of students who study abroad as well as the number of international students at institutions of higher education reached an all-time high, according to a report released Tuesday. The Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange found that the number of international students for the 2012-2013 school year increased by 7.2 percent compared to last year. The number of students from the United States studying abroad increased by 3.4 percent to 283,332 total students, the report said. The Department of State reported a growth in the total number of international students in colleges and

universities for the seventh consecutive year. There are now 40 percent more international students studying at U.S. colleges and universities compared to last decade. This increase has also contributed to the U.S. economy, with international students’ spending $24 billion in all 50 states, the report said. During the past two decades, the number of students participating in study abroad has quadrupled from about 71,000 students in 1992 to 283,332. The more than 3 percent increase is compared to an increase of a little more than one percent, according to the report. Despite these record numbers, international students still make up less than four percent of the total U.S. college student population.

Technician was there. You can be too. The Technician staff is always looking for new members to write, design or take photos. Visit www.ncsu.edu/sma for more information.

News

TECHNICIAN

JAPAN

continued from page 1

could speak on what all Japanese people do.” Thomas also spoke about the impact of Japanese anime on religion. Anime are animated Japanese films. Manga are serial novels in Japanese weekly magazines. However, in the U.S., they are compiled in a comic book like form. Manga are longer than comics because the story lines are filled with much more plot and character development. Thomas said people of Japan don’t have a uniform perspective about its traditions. He spoke about the importance of taking time to study history and culture carefully and being aware that differences exist within Japan. The word “religion” hasn’t been in Japan long, according to Thomas. He said it wasn’t until the European arrival that the idea of religion was introduced. “There’s something the word ‘culture’ and ‘tradition’ don’t get at that religion does,” Thomas said. “There was just no word for religion, but it is still relevant to the country because there just are other words that comprehend what religion is.” Between 2005 and 2007, Thomas did field work in Tokyo, Japan, specifically doing research about how anime and manga influence the region. “Manga makes you feel like you are there,” Thomas said. “There is no real evidence to support the claim unless we have word from the creator itself, then we can say it preserves religion.”

Thomas said people cannot assume that religion is a theme in anime and manga. He said unless the creator said so, then religious implications of messages should not be implied, such as Kuroda Minoru a manga artist who created a new religion in Japan and created a following in 1982. Some scholars said anime and manga preserves traditional religious ideas. Thomas said though this is true for some, they are only exceptions to the rule. Thomas pointed out his concern for making generalizations because for some audiences, the realism of anime and manga characters can create an empirical reality. Thomas said impressions and perceptions are personal. “Once you get into the world of academia, you get enjoyment of disagreeing with yourself later,” Thomas said. Despite his disagreements with the generalizations made about Japanese opinion, Thomas said his views about the role of religion in anime and manga remain the same. “Thomas is a leader and upand-comer in the field,” said Levi McLaughlin, professor of religious studies. “He’s done what not many of us in the field have, which is turning his degree into a book.” Levi said he became friends with Thomas while studying at Princeton. Thomas is currently finishing his dissertation, Japan’s Preoccupation with Religious Freedom. He looks forward to having his Ph.D. in religion with a specialization in modern Japanese religious history in 2014.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13, 2013 • PAGE 3

SOURCE: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Dumpster diving is illegal in North Carolina, but it is also an easy way to get free food and clothes that businesses throw out.

DUMPSTER

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a substantial amount of food. She said that despite what the grocery store managers have said, it does not appear that the store donates much due to an abundance of food she found in its dumpster. Lassiter said that she isn’t afraid to take food out of the dumpster, and that she has donated and eaten food taken from the dumpster, and she hasn’t gotten sick yet. Due to opposition from businesses, there is some strategy to dumpster diving, as anyone can still get in trouble for doing trespassing on private property. She said she tries to go to retail stores in the evening or on weekends to avoid employees when she’s going through the trash. “I don’t like to be seen, I’m a shy dumpster diver,” Lassiter said. “I’ll give lectures to other people but I’m shy.” Rebekah Dunstan, pro-

JASON KATZ/TECHNICIAN

Bridget Lassiter, a crop science research assistant at N.C. State, gives a lecture in Park Shops.

gram coordinator for the sustainability office, said that she helped organize this lecture to get students excited about this problem. She said that she just went dumpster diving for the first time with Lassiter. “It was really interesting, the dumpsters were extremely clean, Bath and Body Works has the best smelling dumpster I’ve ever been in,” Dunstan said. “But it was also really disheartening, because

you see a lot of stuff. Why is this being thrown out?” Lassiter did say it is important to be careful while dumpster diving, because of various hazards. “People will climb into [trash] compactors, but people have also been killed because you never know when somebody’s going to hit the button,” Lassiter said. At the end of the presentation, Lassiter asked everybody that attended what

he or she thought about the presentation. Students used words such “infuriated,” “annoyed,” “inspired,” “surprised,” “not surprised,” and “I’m going dumpster diving this Sunday.” N.C. State sustainability will be promoting recycling today in the Brickyard between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Sweet Potato Sale Sponsored by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) A 10 pound box of NC sweet potatoes is only $10 and comes with recipes for the holidays. The deadline for the sale is Friday, November 15th!

A group of forestors, conservationists and N.C. State professors filed a lawsuit at the Wake County Court House in October, which sued N.C. State for selling the Hofmann Forest.

Sweet Potato pick up will be on November 21st and 22nd in Room 156 at Weaver Labs (3110 Faucette Drive) from 3 – 7 PM.

HOFMANN

https://www.bae.ncsu.edu/organiz/sweetpotatoes/

ALEX CAO/TECHNICIAN

continued from page 1

Cubbage said the plaintiffs were disappointed with Joseph’s decision, but they still plan to do everything they can to prevent the Hofmann’s sale until the case gets dismissed. “[Joseph’s] decision about whether or not the case can continue will be the key issue. We will continue the case as long as the judge

does not dismiss it,” Cubbage said. “We might be able to prevail but there’s no way to know for sure.” According to The News & Observer, N.C. State officials decided to sell the forest because forestry research and teaching are taking place at other locations. Also, state budget cuts have limited the University’s funding, and administrators said they wanted to sell the Hofmann for a “smart investment.”

Go to:

Contact us by phone at (704) 421-6328 or by email at asabe.sweetpotatoes@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns.

Woodson named chairman of board created by Obama to make college more affordable Staff Report

Chancellor Randy Woodson has been named chairman of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, the nation’s oldest higher-education association, The News & Observer reported. Woodson traveled to the White House Tuesday to meet with Gene Sperling, director of the National Economic Council and President Barack Obama’s main advi-

sor on economic policy, to discuss how to make higher education more accessible and more affordable along with half a dozen university chancellors. “The president is anxious to get university presidents interested in reaching down into the middle schools and high schools, and I think it’s likely he’ll have an event of some kind in December where he’ll talk about that,” Woodson told The N&O. In addition to his new

chairman role, Woodson will also lead APLU’s Commission on Innovation, Competitiveness and Economic Prosperity, where he’ll assist in promoting economic engagement activities among public universities across the country. APLU is a research, policy and advocacy organization representing 223 public research universities, la nd-g ra nt institutions, state universit y systems and related organizations.

indie rock / hip-hop / dance / electronica / metal / folk / post rock / local / soul / a capella

Viewpoint

PAGE 4 • WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13, 2013

TECHNICIAN

Don’t blame the past — Reagan did little to cause today’s slow recovery

O

ctober’s unemploy ment r ate showed no sign that an improved economy is on its way. The unemployment rate for October increased slightly from 7.2 percent in September to 7.3 percent. The average unemployment rate during the past 10 Ziyi Mai m o nt h s i s Staff Columnist 7.5 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The economy does not keep a pace fast enough to strengthen the American people’s well-being. In July, President Barack Obama spoke in Galesburg, Ariz. about how he and his administration are working hard to provide middle-class Americans affordable housing and mortgages, which is an economic philosophy he has been talking about since his 2012 campaign. Obama refers to this as “middleout” economics, meaning the stronger the middle class is, the stronger the economy is. There’s plenty of evidence that supports the middleout theory, but there is also skepticism. Economist Paul Krugman argued that there is no evidence that the middleout economy is better than an economy that serves rich people. The problem with a lot of people supporting the middle-out theory is that they blame the current slow recovery on the economic policy during Ronald Reagan’s presidency. They accuse Reagan’s tax cuts for the soaring gap of income inequality, weakening middle-class Americans’ ability to recover after the recession because the rich have already controlled plenty of resources in the economy. They see his presidency as

an era of widening income inequality, in which generous tax cuts were given to wealthy people. They also attribute today’s slow recovery to the tax cuts and deregulations of the financial industry, which were later blamed for causing the 2008 recession. Yet the data don’t support them. The statistics of unemployment rates and inflation rates in 1980s and the early 1990s show that the periods during the Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations had seen a declining trend in unemployment and inf lation. Even for the periods after the recession of 1982, the stagnation of unemployment rate wasn’t as long as today’s. The effect of the last administration’s economic policy is definitely associated with the current economic performance. But the impact of the Jimmy Carter, Reagan and Bush administrations has very little or limited influence on today’s slow recovery. Some of the policies during Reagan’s administration were overhauled or abandoned during the Bill Clinton administration. For example, Reagan left a huge federal deficit when he left office whereas Clinton had a budget surplus at the end of his administration. Advocates of the middleout theory argue that middleand lower-class American families save less than the wealthy because of the wider income gap, thus lowering the consumption demand and economic growth. But the average personal saving rate, which is 5.4 percent, as

of mid-2009, is not high when compared to the 9.3 percent rate during recovery in early 1980s. Looking only at cash income as a way to measure income inequality is incomplete because cash income doesn’t accurately measure the standard of living. It makes more sense to put expenditure into the equation. Economic data on household spending patterns show that the ratio of spending between households of the top and bottom 20 percent of the income distribution essentially remained the same between 1985 and 2010. In 1985 the spending of the top quintile was 2 . 5 t i me s as t hat in the bottom quintile. By 2010, spending of the top was 2.4 times that of the bottom. Instead of Reagan’s policy, it’s today’s failing economic policy that explains the stagnation of economic recovery. It’s not that wider income inequality causes slow economic grow t h. In fact, it’s the other way around. Income inequality would not be a problem if incomes of all groups of people grew at the same fast pace. UC Berkeley’s economist Emmanuel Saez estimated that real income growth was strong for both the bottom 10 percent and the top 10 percent, and that income distribution grew at the same rate after World War II until the 1960s. To use the past as a scapegoat for the current poor economic performance would end up failing to realize the root of the real causes of today’s problems.

“Income inequality would not be a problem if incomes of all groups of people grew at the same fast pace.”

Sam Jones, freshman in English

{LETTER TO THE EDITOR}

In response to ‘It’s time for you to get a clock, N.C. State’

University Dining is proud to support the technological innovation of N.C. State. We are glad that students are utilizing the iPads located in the dining halls, On the Oval, McKimmon Corner Café and at Talley Student Union, which serve to show students with allergies what they can safely eat in each location. This is extremely important to those with allergies and intolerances, as some

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IN YOUR WORDS

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allergies are life-threatening — the iPads clearly display this information as well as calories and portion sizes for each menu item. University Dining at N.C. State has received national recognition for our cuttingedge nutrition program, and we strive to clearly communicate nutritional details regarding the food available through a multitude of technologically driven ways, iPads included. While it may appear expensive, printing this nutrition

What is your favorite N.C. State tradition and why?

information on a daily basis would incur greater cost. We are proud to offer the iPads, as it better serves our guests while also cutting cost and contributing to the sustainability goals of N.C. State. If you would like more information on the nutrition goals of University Dining and how we strive to feed the Pack well, please visit our website (dining.ncsu.edu) or email the dietitian, Lisa Eberhart, at ljeberhar@ncsu.edu. Lisa Eberhart University Dining dietitian

BY ELIZABETH DAVIS

“Packapalooza because there is free stuff. You can also meet new people and have fun.”

“The Free Expression Tunnel because it is interesting to see what’s being painted and other people’s thoughts and ideas.”

“The Krispy Kreme Challenge because there is food, fun and friends. You also see how long you can hold your stomach.”

Logan Adams sophomore, computer engineering

Alex Vaca senior, biology

Ben Grizzard freshman, First Year College

A call to action: political science department

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believe economics is to political science as biology is to medicine: a fundamental prerequisite. In fact, I believe they are so connected that I challenge anyone to think of one example of a public policy that fails to have some economic impact Cameron and, reversely, some economic Ferguson occurrence that doesn’t have Guest Columnist some impact on politics. Take for one example, straight from my economics textbook this semester, a luxury tax Congress enacted in 1990. The tax was put in place to raise revenue from the wealthy on expensive “non-essential” items such as private yachts, planes and luxury cars. On the surface this policy seemed logical. However, the demand for these items was rather elastic, meaning wealthy consumers were willing to simply put their money elsewhere rather than pay extra because of the tax. The burden of the tax fell mainly on the middle class and blue-collar workers who built the yachts and planes when their businesses were hindered by the drop in sales. Unsurprisingly, Congress repealed most of the tax in just three years after witnessing the results. A more contemporary example is the Affordable Care Act. The ACA is chock-full of economic theories about how to provide higher-quality, cheaper insurance for more citizens through the private marketplace. The ACA and healthcare reform is without a doubt one of the biggest American political issues of the 21st century, and without at least a basic knowledge of economics, it is virtually impossible to understand. I write this article as a call to action to the

Department of Political Science to not just offer, but instead require economics courses to students seeking a political science degree. Currently, only three of the seven political science pathways require any economics courses. These three only require one course, Fundamentals of Economics, EC 205, which is the most rudimentary economics course at N.C. State. I propose that, at the very minimum, all the political science pathways require EC 205, which would only entail replacing one social science elective (out of four), and which three concentrations already do. Michael Struett, an associate professor of political science, agreed with me about the importance of economics and the need for a requirement of at least one basic economics course for all political science majors. “Economics and politics are fused in many ways,” Struett said. “Economics is the study of the production and allocation of resources, and political science is the study of how societies make choices about how those resources are divided. To understand political processes, you have to understand economics, and to understand the dynamics of real economies, you have to understand the role of politics.” Besides the minimum proposal, what I truly believe will be best for students, is if the program required EC 205, EC 202 (Macroeconomics) and EC 302 (Intermediate Macroeconomics). An intermediate understanding of macroeconomics would enrich the high quality of the political science program and knowledge of students immensely. I feel strongly about this because the way I see it, political theory represents why we think

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certain ways about how a society should be, while economics represents one tool for how to practically apply theories to society. This also helps shape theories further as we see how they apply to the real world. A broad set of policy implementation tools is vital to any student of politics because even the strongest theories are worth nothing if one has no method of practical application. Karl Marx’s theory of communism, created with an understanding of the economic forces that drive class structure, ultimately failed in the Soviet Union because of an inability to follow a few basic economic principles. Additionally, Keynesian economics, founded by the famous economist John Maynard Keynes, provided Franklin Delano Roosevelt during the Great Depression with a practical method of application of his own theory, which said the Federal Government should not sit idly while the nation was consumed by an abysmal economic downturn. Keynesian economics is undoubtedly one of the most influential theories of the 20th century, and it influences how governments deal with recessions and public finance. It continues to play a huge role in public policy and an understanding of this and other economic theories will help political science students significantly. The political science program already does a fantastic job of providing a foundation in political theory and government systems, and in no way do I propose increasing economics courses at the expense of these classes. I do feel strongly, though, that the Department of Political Science, along with the College of

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Humanities and Social Sciences, should do a better job of prioritizing which requirements outside of the major courses are most important to a political science degree, because as it stands now, there are certain academic areas required, such as literature and foreign languages, that are of less importance than some areas that are not required, such as economics. Economics has taught me that market decisions send signals about what is important to actors in society. When the government imposes a high tax on cigarettes, it is attempting to send the signal that we should consume fewer of them. When football fans pay an exorbitant price for Super Bowl tickets, they send the signal to the NFL that they value that game very highly. When the political science program requires very little or no economics courses to graduate, it sends the signal that economics is of little or no importance to politics and government. From a survey I conducted of the political science faculty, eight of the nine responding professors ranked economics as a more complementary academic area to political science than other areas that are currently required for the degree. Further, on a scale of five levels of importance to political science, from not important to extremely important, eight of the nine professors rated economics as either very important (level four) or extremely important, and again higher than other academic areas currently required. Obviously they do not actually believe that economics is of no importance to politics, so why do they continue to send this signal?

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Technician (USPS 455-050) is the official student newspaper of N.C. State University and is published every Monday through Friday throughout the academic year from August through May except during holidays and examination periods. Opinions expressed in the columns, cartoons, photo illustrations and letters that appear on Technician’s pages are the views of the individual writers and cartoonists. As a public forum for student expression, the students determine the content of the publication without prior review. To receive permission for reproduction, please write the editor. Subscription cost is $100 per year. A single copy is free to all students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus. Additional copies are $0.25 each. Printed by The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C., Copyright 2011 by North Carolina State Student Media. All rights reserved.

TECHNICIAN

Bienvenidos

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13, 2013 • PAGE 5

Comida mexicana: la realidad suroeste Jeremy Miller Correspondent

Las tortillas, enchiladas, carne molida en un crujiente taco dorado, platos quema con el sabor picante de jalapeños, estos son los estereotipos que personifican la comida mexicana en los Estados Unidos. Por desgracia, los que viven en los Estados Unidos tienen apenas una pequeña muestra de la variedad de la cocina mexicana que se ha idiotizado, generalizado y aderezado para un público estadounidense en general Los estudiantes de N.C. State no deben mirar más allá de Talley Student Center para ver cuánto nuestra cultura valora este alimento. En la Calle Hillsborough enfrente del campus, no hay uno, sino dos restaurantes que contengan “mexicano” en su descripción: Chipotle Mexican Grill y Chile Bomba, Eatery mexicana En el contexto de lo que los mexicanos comen, lo auténtico es un taco o burrito, o salsa y chips de tortilla? Cocina regional mexicana, en especial comida casera , es completamente distinta de la comida que se sirve en los restaurantes más mexicanos fuera de México , que por lo general tiene su origen en la comida

Tex-Mex . Estos alimentos apenas representan los estados del norte de México , y mucho menos el resto del país con la mayor población de inmigrantes a los Estados Unidos. Si estás en busca de un concepto estadounidense de la comida mexicana, no te molestes en mirar al sur de la frontera. Tamales y nopales, ceviche y sopes son mucho más propensos a darle la bienvenida Parece que como el burrito cruzó la frontera hacia los Estados Unidos, su contenido se triplicaron . Lo que antes era una simple tortilla rellena ha convertido en el cascarón vacío de arroz, frijoles, y cualquier número de ingredientes picantes adicionales. Incluso en los restaurantes más caros, la mayor diferencia es la calidad de la carne, no la cantidad. Comida hispana de gama alta está lleno de carne mientras que los restaurantes más baratos sirven, a lo sumo, una imitación de la carne picada con especias. El expreso Tex-Mex de Taco Bell se ha convertido en un paradigma de la americanización de comida latina, y ha tenido un impacto significativo en un plato primario de México, el taco. Fundador, Glen Bell

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Lo que falta Chile Bomba Mexican Eatery y Chipotle Mexican Grill en autenticidad ellos hacen con en el sabor y buenos ingredientes. Los dos restaurantes en Hillsborough Street son muy populares entre los estudiantes y el público en general. Chile Bomba, un restaurante local, compite con Chipotle, un cadena nacional.

“sabía…que habría que hacerlas más fáciles de comer. Así se creó la primera comida rápida de taco con cáscara crujiente y lo llenó con la mezcla perfecta de ingredientes mexicanos para el paladar estadounidense “, según su página web Esta no es la primera vez que los estadounidenses se han sumado a la cocina étnica de otro país con el fin de hacerlo más satisfactorio a la dieta occidental más grande. La pizza es un ejem-

plo perfecto Gusto del paladar estadounidense por el picante que es común a algunos alimentos regionales mexicanos se tradujo primero en Tex -Mex y se ha convertido en la suposición automática de que algunas personas siguen haciendo al adivinar el tipo favorito de la cocina entre los hispanos Es fácil ver por qué existe este supuesto; en la búsqueda de alimentos de América Latina en los rendimientos

Urbanspoon más restaurantes mexicanos aparecen que restaurantes de otros países, como El Salvador o Ecuador Al igual que en los Estados Unidos, incluso comidas como tacos , tamales y empanadas - tres alimentos que representan más conocido de América Latina - varían mucho según la región del país en el que se preparan. Los estadounidenses les encantan las especias, sabores audaces de la comida

hispana americanizada de la misma manera que les gusta la comida china en el buffet al lado del restaurante mexicano. Para concluir, a medida que el número de mexicanos e hispanos crece, la variedad de auténtica cocina mexicana y latinoamericana seguirá. De la misma manera que los nachos y fajitas han encontrado un lugar en la dieta estadounidense, empanadas y sopes están seguros de seguir.

Países latinoamericanos se enojan Latin American countries angry con los E.E.U.U. por parte del NSA with U.S. due to NSA blunders Natalie Bohorquez Corresponsal

A comienzos de julio del 2013, cuando el Presidente de Bolivia, Evo Morales, se disponía a retornar a su país después de la Cumbre de los Países Exportadores de Gas en Moscú, su avión presidencial fue desviado a Viena en Austria para un requiso inesperado, después de que Francia, España, Portugal, e Italia se negaran a dejarlo pasar por sus espacios aéreos, según Reuters. Habían circulado falsos rumores de que el avión presidencia l ca rgaba a l ex contratista de la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional estadounidense, Edward Snowden, quien más temprano en el año había divulgado información secreta acerca del espionaje de millones de civiles por el gobierno de los Estados Unidos. El Presidente Morales culpó a los Estados Unidos de haber presionado a los países Europeos para que le negaran el paso libre, y recordó a esas naciones que ya había pasado el tiempo del imperialismo. Tras haber ofrecido asilo político a Snowden en Bolivia y sabiendo que el Presidente Morales no era muy amigo a la política de los Estados Unidos, era solo cuestión de tiempo de que los Estados Unidos y sus aliados rompieran normas de cortesía internacionales. El gobierno de Bolivia presentará una queja ante la ONU y el Alto Comisionado de Naciones Unidas para los derechos humanos, contra los países Europeos, más los

Estados Unidos ha recibido la crítica más profunda de parte de los gobiernos latinoamericanos (que aparte de Colombia que es un aliado militar, no tenían una disposición positiva hacia los E.E.U.U. para empezar). Aunque naciones como Colombia, Brazil y Chile, y naciones de Centro América, históricamente han mantenido relaciones amigables con los E.E.U.U, Varios otros países de Latinoamérica, entre ellos Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay, Perú y Cuba, se urgieron en sus cimientes después del vergonzoso episodio y una vez más se unieron en su repudio contra los E.E.U.U. En septiembre, la presidenta de Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, canceló su visita estatal a los E.E.U.U. debido a las revelaciones de que la NSA espiaba las comunicaciones personales entre Rousseff y sus auxiliares, según Reuters. Funcionarios estadounidenses dijeron que la vigilancia buscaba presunta actividad terrorista y no se había entrometido en las comunicaciones personales. La semana pasada, Rousseff lanzó una declaración que las relaciones entre los dos países no van a sufrir a pesar de que la Casa Blanca no ha emitido una disculpa a la presidenta brasileña. Al paso de las décadas, las ofensas se han ido acumulando y la opinión popular de que “Estados Unidos se mete en todo” fue reforzada aún más con el Incidente de Snowden. No solo se ha ofendido a un país singular sino que casi toda la mitad

del continente americano se encuentra con más motivos de sacar toda influencia de los E.E.U.U. de sus países. La mayoría de divulgaciones en varios sitios de la web insisten que Estados Unidos no estaba en el derecho de invadir propiedad bajo jurisdicción Boliviana, implicando que así hubiera estado Snowden en el avión, los agentes no tenían el derecho de extraditarlo. Hay unas cantidades de reportajes cubriendo este evento, pero no todos concuerdan. Algunos dicen que ni Francia ni Portugal negaron acceso aéreo, mientras que muchos lo contrarían. Otros dicen que Morales le extendió la mano a Snowden mientras que otros notan que el supuesto transgresor nunca había aplicado oficialmente por asilo político en Bolivia. Cualquiera que haya sido la verdad, el caso es que un avión presidencial fue detenido por un mínimo de 13 horas en un país extranjero en busca de una persona que solo representa una amenaza para un país que se encuentra a este lado del mar Atlántico; así ciertas leyes fueron injustamente infringidas y al haberlas sido hubieron muchas personas enfurecidas. Muchos latinos lo comparan a una cachetada en la cara de América Latina, y algunos también lo toman como un acto de agresión, entre aquellos la presidenta de Argentina, Cristina Fernández, quien llamó este incidente “una humillación para una nación hermana, y para el continente Sur Americano.”

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Natalie Bohorquez Correspondent

In early July 2013, when the President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, was preparing to return home after the Summit of the Gas Exporting Countries in Moscow, his presidential plane was diverted to Vienna in Austria for an unexpected stop after France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy refused to let it go through their airspace, according to Reuters. False rumors had circulated that the presidential plane carried the ex-contractor for the U.S. National Security Agency, Edward Snowden, who earlier in the year had disclosed secret intelligence information of millions of civilians by the U.S. government. President Morales blamed the United States for pressuring the European countries that denied him free passage, reminding those nations that the time of imperialism has long passed. Having offered political asylum in Bolivia to Snowden and knowing that President Morales was not friendly to the policy of the United States, it was only a matter of time that the United States and its allies broke international courtesy rules to keep Snowden from leaving Bolivia. Bolivia’s government will file a complaint to the UN and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights against European countries as a result of holding the presidential plane. Further, the United States has re-

ceived deeper criticism from certain Latin American governments that did not have a positive disposition towards the United States to begin with. While nations like Colombia, Brazil and Chile, and Central American nations have historically maintained friendly relations with the U.S., several other Latin American countries, including Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru and Cuba, have become agitated after the shameful episode and have once again united in their condemnation against the U.S. In September, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff canceled her state visit to the E.E.U.U. because of revelations that the NSA spied on her personal communications between Rousseff and her aids, Reuters reported. US officials claimed that the surveillance was tracking suspected terrorist activity and did not pry into personal communications. Last week, Rousseff released a statement that relations between the two countries will not suffer despite that the White House has not issued an apology to the Brazilian president. Over the decades, offenses have accumulated and popular opinion that, “the United States gets into everything” was strengthened further with the Snowden incident. Not only has a single country been offended, but much of Latin America has found further reasons to pull all U.S. inf luence out of their countries. Most disclosures on various web sites insist

that the United States was not in the right to trespass on Bolivian jurisdiction, implying that even if Snowden had been on the plane, the officers had no right to extradite him. There are a number of reports covering this event, but not all of them are in agreement. Some of them say that neither France or Portugal denied access to their airspace, while as many disagree. Others say Morales Snowden extended his hand while others find that the alleged offender had never officially applied for political asylum in Bolivia. Whatever the truth may be, the result was that a presidential plane was detained for a minimum of 13 hours in a foreign country in search of a person who only posed a threat to a country that is located thousands of miles away, international laws of courtesy were unjustly violated, leaving some Latin Americans infuriated. Some Latinos compare it to a slap in the face of Latin America, and some also take it as an act of aggression, among those the president of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez, who called the incident, “an embarrassment to a sister nation, and for the South American continent.” The U.S. government has refused to confirm or deny involvement with what occurred, but some insist that it is more likely that this incident is just another diplomatic dispute that will go unnoticed in a long history of international laws trespassed by the United States.

Technician was there.