theSpartanDaily.com
Volume 131, Issue 48
02
2008
TUESDAYDECEMBER
OPINION
Serving San Jose State University Since 1934
Life of ‘Junior’ celebrated at memorial DAVID ZUGNONI Executive Editor
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Gregory Johnson Jr. Courtesy of Facebook
SJSU student Gregory Johnson Jr., who was remembered by friends as compassionate, honest, genuine, fun, enthusiastic, driven to succeed and a good listener, died on Nov. 22. The 20-year-old from Clearlake, who was called “Junior” by friends, was a sophomore kinesiology major and a member of the fraternity Sigma Chi. His death brought more than 600 people, mostly college-aged, to the Student Union Barrett Ballroom last Tuesday night for an emotional memorial
service at which nearly 30 people spoke about him. “He was a source of comfort during the hardships of life,” one his fraternity brothers said, “and never fake about it.” A childhood friend told a story of his first encounter with Johnson. He said he was crying after being dropped off on his first day of preschool, and a preschoolaged Johnson approached him and asked, “What’s wrong?” Several other speakers painted Johnson as having a constant willingness to have deep conversations and offer his company.
“He was always so good at putting things into words,” a female friend said. “He never held back his emotions.” Another fraternity brother said he and Johnson often talked about what family meant to them. Numerous friends said Johnson was determined to self-improvement, had a “high personal standard” and encouraged others. “The way you got the best out of people was what made you so amazing,” said the aforementioned woman, one of
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Activist-author tells untold stories of Chicanas Getting to the bottom of a woman’s over-sized handbag
SPORTS
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Student battles injury while playing for SJSU’s club badminton team
STUDENT CULTURE
JASON LE MIERE Staff Writer
On Aug. 29, 1970, in Los Angeles, Elizabeth “Betita” Martinez stepped up to the lectern to address 30,000 Chicanos protesting the Vietnam War when she saw a hundred police officers running toward her firing tear gas. She ran. Martinez survived the police backlash that day, but three other Chicanos were not so lucky. This protest was just one of the many involving Chicanas that Martinez discussed at a talk about her new book, “500 Years of Chicana Women’s History,” at the Cultural Heritage Center in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library on Monday night. Martinez, who has previously written books on Chicano history, said there was a gap in the coverage of the females involved. “I felt there should be more about the women,” Martinez said, adding that she feels the role of women has been neglected in reproductions of Chicano history. The talk was hosted by SJSU’s branch of MEChA, the Chicano student movement of those of Aztec descent. “San Jose State has a history of
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Elizabeth “Betita” Martinez signs her new book, “500 Years of Chicana Women’s MIKE ANDERSON / Spartan Daily History,” for Julia Barba, a junior nursing major and MEChA club member, at the Cultural Heritage Center in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library on Monday night.
AIDS awareness fair draws little interest from students PAGE 3
‘Chinese Democracy’ is no ‘Paradise’
RIE NAKANISHI Staff Writer
SJSU students and AIDS-related community organizations from the Bay Area gathered in the Student Union for the World AIDS Day Fair on Monday, but not many people attended the event. “I was little disappointed with the turnout,” said Stephanie Bowens, the event organizer and peer health educator in sexual and gender health. “A lot of students came to the Student Union as always, but didn’t really take the time to grab some of the information.” The event was part of World AIDS Day, a day dedicated to bringing attention and raising awareness of the “global AIDS epidemic,” according to the world AIDS campaign Web site. The health science department organized the event in an effort to educate students with the disease. “December the first is the World AIDS Day, so to honor the holiday, we decided to come up with a three-day event,” Bowens said. At the main level of the Student
Union, students and organizations displayed information about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and safer sexual health. The Billy DeFrank Lesbian and Gay Community Center, the Health Trust, Silicon Valley AIDS Coalition and SJSU’s Nutrition Education Action Team were some of the participating presenters at the fair. Jeanette Yap, a junior health science major and one of the few visitors at the fair, said, “Being a health science major, you want to know as much as you can about it.” But she also said AIDS is still a taboo topic for many people. “Not a lot of people are open to talking about it,” she said. “So this is a good way to have (people) just kind of anonymously grab information, and if they want to know more about it, they can. They don’t need to be picked out.” James Smith from the Health Trust said it is important to educate oneself with accurate information about AIDS, since some people still have
misconceptions about the disease. The Health Trust is a Silicon Valley-based organization, which provides resources and support for HIV and AIDS patients, such as getting them connected to doctors and clinics. Being HIV positive himself, Smith
said it is very important for people to be more aware of what’s available to them and to get involved by taking action. “For myself, I’m someone living with HIV,” he said. “If I can help other
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The SJSU health science department RIE NAKANISHI / Spartan Daily organized the Worlds AIDS Day Fair inside the Student Union on Monday, but few students visited the fair.
Orchestra fuses cultures, instruments into annual performance CORINNE SPECKERT Staff Writer
The SJSU Symphony Orchestra, featuring winners of the annual Concerto-Aria Competition, performed everything from cello and xylophone concertos to marimba, an African percussion instrument, last Tuesday in the Music Concert Hall. “That’s what my life is,” said concert conductor Janet Averett. “That’s why I’m here. That’s what gives me breath: to be able to work with students and wonderful, growing musicians at this level.”
The orchestra played before a crowd of about 200 people. The hour-and-ahalf concert featured six winners from the annual Concerto-Aria Competition, a local competition held at SJSU. “(Tuesday’s) concert is SJSU’s annual concert-aria showcase in which the university displays the talents of individuals who competed in late September before a panel of judges for the opportunity to perform with the University Symphony Orchestra,” Averett said. Averett, who served on the panel of judges, said some of the qualifications they looked for were knowledge
of the piece, technical proficiency, good rhythm, beautiful sound and confidence. “(They) absolutely have to have stage presence and confidence,” she said. The panel of judges chose six winners out of 20 student contestants. Averett said the competition was a great learning experience for the contestants. “They get a chance to perform with the orchestra,” she said. “They get to try out new and interesting literature, and we get to accompany them. So we learn
a different type of style of playing too, in which we have to learn to accompany.” The concert also featured solos by the competition winners, starting with cellist Cole Tutino, soprano singer Sara Morajev, marimba player Shirley Huang, tuba player Scott Gorman, soprano singer Margaret Gordon and ended with xylophone player Gregory Messa. Gordon, a vocal performance graduate student who sang “Les oiseaux dans la charmille,” said she had
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News
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AIDS
Events scheduled for this week include panel discussion
individuals to get connected with services or just to support them, knowing that you are not alone in this fight.” He said his main goal for coming to SJSU and educating students was to reach out to people and get them tested for AIDS, regardless of one’s sexual preference. “It doesn’t matter who you are with,” Smith said. “It’s not a gay disease — it affects everyone.” The other booth featured information on food safety and proper cooking techniques for HIV/ AIDS patients to avoid infection from foodborne pathogens. Dominic Fass, a senior sociology major, didn’t know that Dec. 1 was the World AIDS Day until
he came to the fair. “I had some space in my schedule, so I decided to come by and check it out,” he said. “I’m pretty glad I did.” He said he found most of the information very interesting. Visiting the education booth for hepatitis, which Bowens said is a common disease resulting as a side effect of AIDS, Fass said he learned a lot about the differences among hepatitis A, B and C. “(The) hepatitis table was actually very informative,” he said. “I didn’t really know a whole lot about (it).” The science department is hosting a World AIDS Day Panel today from noon to 2 p.m. in the Umunhum Room in the Student Union.
Panelists from various HIV community groups will be speaking about their experiences in the HIV field and community. The department will have a HIV/AIDS film series in the Mosaic Cross Cultural Center in the Student Union from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday. They will show the movies “Bloodlines” and “Honor Thy Children.” “I really want to encourage people to come out to the event throughout the week,” Bowens said. “There is really good information on how you can be more active, how it really affects you because you should really get to know some of the statistics. (HIV) is rising in the young adult community.”
The facts about HIV and AIDS The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects cells of the immune system, destroying or impairing their function. The term AIDS applies to the most advanced stages of HIV infection, defined by the occurrence of any of more than 20 opportunistic infections or HIV-related cancers. People living with HIV/AIDS in 2007: 30.3-36.1 million Adults living with HIV/AIDS in 2007: 28.2-34.0 million Children living with HIV/AIDS in 2007: 1.9-2.3 million AIDS deaths in 2007: 1.8-2.3 million
Source: World Health Organization
TALK
Lifelong protester worked for Civil Rights movement; ‘She’s kind of universal; she’s more for humankind,’ student says activism and it kind of went away for a while,” said Victor Guendulain, a member of MEChA. and co-organizer of the event. “And it was time to bring it back, but bring it back with a whole different perspective: to actually bring in women who have been involved with the movement for a long time.” Martinez talked through a slideshow that was a sampling of the 700-plus images that she presents in her book to about 50 students in attendance. In addition to discussing her knowledge of Chicana history, Martinez also divulged to students her lifelong affiliation with protest movements.
MUSIC
“She is the quintessential activist,” said Julia Curry Rodriguez, an SJSU Mexican-American studies assistant professor. Martinez talked about how she went to work for the United Nations after college, desiring to bring peace to the world. Then she joined the Civil Rights movement when it exploded in the 1960s. “She’s been involved with so many movements,” said Loreana Camarema, a senior sociology major, “not just as she’s a Chicana, Chicana movements, but the Civil Rights movement and others. So she’s kind of universal. She’s more for humankind, rather than differences and just individual struggles.”
Martinez said that although her apartment is full of images of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, her true motivation to join protest movements comes from a larger source. “It’s not any individual person,” Martinez said. “In a way, it’s the struggle of a whole people and that’s really where the inspiration comes from.” Martinez also fielded questions from students, particularly on the role of women in community activism. “More Chicana women are aware of what they can be and what they can do than 25 years ago, or 20 years ago,” she said. “Seeing examples of other active
Some performers working on pieces since last spring
been working on the piece since last spring. “I worked forever on this piece and I even researched into it for my research classes,” she said. “I felt pretty ready and that’s a really good feeling to have before a performance.” Sarah Zoobi, a freshman biochemistry major who attended the event, said she appreciated the diversity in the music.
“My favorite part was a tie between the xylophone concerto and tuba concerto,” she said. “I really enjoyed the tuba concerto because it was played really well, with a lot of accuracy. Not something I normally hear from a tuba. With the xylophone concerto, I really liked how they tried to portray Far East colors into an orchestra because it’s not something that
can be easily done.” Mark Haygood, a freshman music performance major, said he was impressed with the assortment of music. “They had a nice range of music with a whole bunch of cultures in it and ideas and nationalities,” he said. Chris Brown, a sophomore music performance major who played flute in the concert, said
SPARTAGUIDE SPARTAGUID 02 TODAY
Bible Study
The International Youth Fellowship hosts a discussion titled “How to Overcome Obstacles as Future Leaders.” Meet in the Student Union, Guadalupe Room. Contact Ricardo at 509-9549.
World AIDS Day Panel Panelists discuss personal experiences with HIV and what the public can do to make a difference. 12 to 2 p.m. in the Student Union, Umunhum Room. Contact Melinda Chu-Yang at mchuyang@email.sjsu.edu
Women’s Clothing Drive Donate your gently used women’s business attire, shoes and accessories to Career Closet. 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the College of Business Boardroom. Contact Elizabeth Earnheart at lizheart@hotmail.com
Islam and Violence: Fact vs. Fiction Abdul Mawgoud Dardery
women is important.” Guendulain, a senior behavioral science and anthropology double major, concurred with this point. “The role of women gets minimized a lot in a lot of the movements that we have,” he said. “So I think it’s time for women to see that there’s a voice out there. There’s women that have been organizing and been doing work for a long time.” Martinez also reflected on how the methods of protest among Chicanas have changed. “It’s not as hot at the moment as it has been in the past,” she said. “I don’t think anybody would disagree with that, but we just have to kind of heat it up a little.”
discusses the misconceptions of Islam. 7 p.m. in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, Schiro Room. Contact Mike Conniff at michael.conniff@sjsu.edu
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WEDNESDAY
Study Abroad An informational meeting about study abroad opportunities at SJSU. 9 a.m. in Clark Hall, room 100G. For more information, call the Study Abroad Office at 924-5931.
World AIDS Film Series Watch and discuss films about HIV/AIDS in the United States. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Mosaic Cross Cultural Center. Contact Melinda Chu-Yang at mchuyang@email.sjsu.edu
School of Library & Information Science Colloquia Series Bryan McCann discusses “I’m a Reference Librarian ... So How Did I Wind Up Here?” 12 to 1 p.m. in Clark Hall, room
that although he felt it was a success overall, it wasn’t flawless. “Some of the things were the best we’ve performed them, but as every concert, it has its moments of non-perfection,” he said. “(But) we had a good audience. We really feed off the audience. It’s this whole audienceperformer mentality. If you have a good audience, you’re going to have a good concert.”
EVENTS CALENDAR 302. Contact Marcia Laughrey at 924-2490 or laughrey@slis. sjsu.edu
Future Teachers! Open to all undergraduate, graduate and credential students. 5:30 p.m. in the Student Union, Almaden Room. Contact Melissa Abreu at melissa.abreu@gmail.com
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THURSDAY
Neat Ideas Fair An annual forum to promote creativity and entrepreneurship at SJSU by generating and highlighting “Neat” business ideas. Open to anyone affiliated with SJSU. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Student Union, Barrett Ballroom. Contact Anuradha Basu at 924-3593 or basu_a@cob. sjsu.edu
Overcoming Stress There are things we can do to manage our stressors and to use them to help us succeed. Discover some helpful coping techniques and find a little bit of peace. 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Clark Hall,
room 118. Contact Veronica Mendoza at veronica.mendoza@sjsu.edu
SOLES Potluck Celebrate the end of the semester with a potluck dinner. 6:30 p.m. in the Student Union, Almaden Room. Contact Jesus Gonzalez at sonec_831@yahoo.com
Like to Sing, Dance or Act? Express your talent at Pilipino Culture Night. 7 p.m. in the University Theater. Contact Diane Quintos at (760) 579-8431 or dianesquintos@ yahoo.com
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FRIDAY
Aerobicthon An annual event featuring different types of aerobics, including cardio hip-hop, kickboxing, Zumba and Bollywood aerobics. Admission is $5. 4 p.m. in the Spartan Complex Central, room 44. Contact Carol Sullivan at 924-3022 or csullivan@kin. sjsu.edu
Sparta Guide is provided free of charge to students, faculty and staff members. The deadline for entries is noon, three working days before the desired publication date. Space restrictions may require editing of submission. Entries are printed in the order in which they are received. Submit entries online at thespartandaily.com or in writing at DBH 209.
02
2008
TUESDAYDECEMBER
JUNIOR
Known for singing voice, going to the gym, dressing well and being ‘life of the party’ several people who addressed Johnson in their speeches. After friends called Johnson the “life of the party,” Stanley Butler, a kinesiology associate professor, said Johnson was also the “life of the class.” “I watched him match and exceed his and our potential,” a fraternity brother said. “Junior believed in learning. He wanted us to go to school every day.” Johnson was known for going to the gym and dressing well, speakers said. “He wore a tie and a slick hat for every occasion,” said a fraternity brother and Johnson’s former roommate. “He would look in the mirror and say, ‘Damn, Junior, looking good today,’” a speaker said while reading a letter from a former fraternity president who was unable to attend. Robert James, an SJSU English lecturer, said that although some of his students had suggested he get a new wardrobe, Johnson was his only student who offered to take him shopping. Johnson was also a talented singer, speakers said, and he sang “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” at a vigil for Matt Garcia, an SJSU student who died on Oct. 5. Frank Garcia, Matt’s father, and Dan Garcia, Matt’s twin
brother, both spoke at Johnson’s memorial. Dan Garcia, a member of the fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha, said he didn’t know Johnson well, but once had a conversation with him about an ideal Greek system in which “everyone loves everyone.” “People like me who didn’t know him, knew him, because that’s the type of person he was,” Dan Garcia said. Many anecdotes Johnson’s friends shared prompted moments of laughter. His friends said he was a fan of professional wrestling and owned a toy championship belt, watched the animated television shows “Family Guy” and “Dragon Ball Z,” ate at Chipotle Mexican Grill multiple times a day, sang in the shower and loved to dance. “He brought out the kid in all of us,” a fraternity brother said. A few of the speeches concluded with wishes that those who knew Johnson remember him well, reiterating a common theme throughout the event that Johnson positively affected the people around him. “Don’t stop talking about Junior,” a fraternity brother said. “Let Junior live.” *Some names were not included at the request of Sigma Chi.
Student Culture
theSpartanDaily.com
02
2008
TUESDAYDECEMBER
CD REVIEW: GUNS N’ ROSES’ ‘CHINESE DEMOCRACY’
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‘Chinese Democracy’ comes to America after 17 years continue the band by replacing members as they left. This resulted in quite a feud between Rose and the previous band members. Besides Rose, the members of Guns N’ Roses continue to rotate. The members who contributed to “Chinese Democracy” include guitarist Robin Finck, bass player Tommy Stinson, drummer Frank Ferrer, lead guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal and guitarist Brian Patrick Carroll, better known as “Buckethead.”
What “Chinese Democracy” fails to capture is the essence of what Guns N’ Roses was in their heyday.
Photo Courtsey Ace Showbiz
Tour poster from the 2007 “Chinese Democracy” tour, which never occurred. “Chinese Democracy” is Guns N’ Roses’ first album with original material since 1991. The album is currently No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
TARA DUFFY
Senior Staff Writer
After 17 years, the wait is finally over. On Nov. 23, “Chinese Democracy,” arguably one of the most highly anticipated records of all time, was finally released across America. Although it is a huge departure from the Guns N’ Roses
that we once knew and loved, “Chinese Democracy” is a decent rock record. If you listen with no preconceived notions about this record, you are more apt to enjoy it. If you are looking for a sequel to 1991’s “Use Your Illusion” I and II, you will most likely be disappointed. The last full album that we
heard from Axl Rose was back in 1993, when Guns N’ Roses released “The Spaghetti Incident,” which consisted entirely of cover songs. Several of the band’s most popular members, including Saul “Slash” Hudson, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, left the band shortly thereafter. Undeterred, Rose decided to
One of the holdover past members featured on “Chinese Democracy” is keyboard player Dizzy Reed, who was first introduced on the album, “G N’ R Lies,” back in 1988. The title track, “Chinese Democracy,” with all of its catchy hooks, sounded to me like the obvious hit, although it doesn’t compare to “November Rain” or “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” Rose’s voice, once a ragefilled screech, has given way to an almost screechy whine. This is most evident when it is layered on top of slow beats such as those in the song, “If the World.” We start to see a glimmer of light on “There Was a Time,” but when it comes to the guitar solos, even with more than four
guitar players, it still ends up sounding like a poor man’s version of classic Slash solos. “Street of Dreams” sounded a bit like any contemporary rock song on the radio right now. I found meaning in the lyrics, “What I thought was beautiful, was only memories.” This is how I feel about the Guns N’ Roses of yesterday, in comparison with what it has become. What “Chinese Democracy” fails to capture is the essence of what Guns N’ Roses was in their heyday — their signature raw, wild and rebellious sound that made you want to light
up a smoke and crack open a bottle of whiskey is missing. I think one of Rose’s lyrics from the album’s title track sums up this whole record: “More than you’ve got to fool a nation, when all I’ve got is precious time.” The end of the story is that Axl needs to swallow his pride and hook back up with Slash and Duff, and finally quench America’s thirst for the real return of Guns N’ Roses. If we didn’t have to wait so long, this record might not sound like such a sad imitation of what once was. Or what some of us still dream could be again.
Sports
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02
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TUESDAYDECEMBER
Three Spartans honored with conference selections
Kelly Crow spikes the ball against Nevada on Nov. 8. Crow and two MIKE ANDERSON / Spartan Daily other SJSU volleyball players were awarded All-WAC selections. RIE NAKANISHI Staff Writer
Seniors Kelly Crow and Colleen Burke, and sophomore Brianna Amian of the SJSU women’s volleyball team were named to the All-Western Athletic Conference volleyball teams. Crow was named to first team, and Burke and Amian were named to second team. They were recognized for their performances this season by other head coaches in the conference. “That’s pretty cool to say that all of us made All-WAC, so it’s
kind of an accomplishment for the whole team and said a lot about how we developed as a whole this year,” said Crow, an
outside hitter. This season, Crow led the team with 353 kills, racking up double-figure kills in 22 of 27 matches.
“I wasn’t expecting it just because I’ve been playing it for five years now and never won anything,” she said. Amian, a hitter who recently switched from playing on the right side to the left, also contributed 255 kills for the Spartans this season, adding 168 digs and 54 blocks. “I was really surprised (about the award), so I didn’t know how to react,” Amian said, adding that they heard the news at the WAC banquet held along with the conference tournament in Hawaii. This was Burke’s second allconference award. She received her first conference honor in 2007. This season, Burke had a hitting percentage of .297 with 60 digs and 26 service aces this season. “I was happy for all of us,” she said. “It’s just nice that other coaches take notice.” Volleyball head coach Oscar Crespo said he was pleased with the players’ accomplishments. “I’m extremely proud of what they did,” he said. “For three
players, it means a lot that they are recognized for all the hard work that the conference coaches obviously thought of them as being valuable to San Jose State and also very solid assets as volleyball players to a program.” Crespo said it was admirable of Amian to switch her position for the team, adding that he sees her as a “well-rounded” player and a promising athlete. “She’s still young as a player,” Crespo said. “But she’s definitely developing very, very well. She’s already shown signs that she can control matches and be the important player on the team.”
Get The Kinks Out Mark Your Calenders for 1/13/2009 at 6:00pm A Great Event is Coming Your Way
San Jose Holistic Health Care Clinic We treat sport, car accident, work, and personal injuries. We accept most insurances.
Downtown San Jose
Between Santa Clara and 12th St. (408) 294-7692 551 Santa Clara St. www.holistic-health.com San Jose, CA, 95112
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SJSU INTERNATIONAL HOUSE * One block from campus * US and International Students * Safe, Friendly, Homelike * Intercultural Experience * Wireless Internet Access * Computer Lab/ Study Room * Student Kitchen * Assigned Parking (fees) * One semester contract Apply now! 360 S. 11th Street, 924-6570 or sjsu.edu/ihouse
EMPLOYMENT ALMADEN VALLEY ATHLETIC CLUB seeking professional, selfmotivated and energetic individuals who demonstrate excellence in customer service for the following positions: member services desk, cafe service, personal trainer, swim teacher, child care provider, tennis instructor. Please forward your resume to Stephanie at smudgett@ avac.us. Earn income and gain experience! Watch for us on-campus throughout the semester, or CALL 866-1100 9am-5pm. www.workforstudents. com/ sjsu SPERM DONORS NEEDED Earn up to $1200/month. California Cryobank is seeking healthy males for its sperm donor program. Apply online at www.spermbank.com
As for Burke and Crow, the two senior players, he said the team will miss both greatly as they are graduating in May of 2009. “She did great at the WAC tournament,” he said of Burke. Crow also had a good season, Crespo said. “I’m proud and happy to see (Crow) have a great senior year,” he said. After graduation, Crow and Burke are both planning to pursue careers as teachers. But will they keep playing volleyball? “Just coaching here and there,” Crow said. “We are retiring.”
STUDENT WORK-GREAT PAY IF YOU CAN CUT IT *PART-TIME OPENINGS *$17.70 BASE-appt. Vector, the compay for students, has part-time openings available for customer sales/ service. The positions offer numerous unique benefits for students: *HIGH STARTING PAY *FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES *Internships possible *All majors may apply *Scholarships awarded annually *Some conditions apply *No experience needed *Training provided
AFTER SCHOOL TEACHERS
K-8th private school seeks responsible individuals for extended daycare, P/ T in the afternoon (2:306pm M-F). No ECE units required. Previous experience with children a must. Please call 248-2464. (408)244-1968 (408)244-1968 SURVEY TAKERS NEEDED: Make $5-$25 per survey. Do it in your spare time. www. GetPaidToThink. com EARN EXTRA MONEY Students needed ASAP Earn up to $150 per day being a mystery shopper No Experience Required Call 1-800-722-4791
FREELANCER NEEDED for promotions. Must be computer savvy. Looking for internet advertising to help promote personal business endeavors. For more information please call Norman at (408) 329-3910. JOIN THE ARMY Many Army reserve units offer the Education Career Stabilization program, which allows deferment from mobilization and deployment - giving you an uninterrupted path to complete your college degree. You can still take advantage of the Reserve’s training, career training, and all benefits. If you qualify, benefits include tuition assistance in the form of the current GI Bill of $317 a month for full time students w/ an extra $100-$350 “kicker” per month, tuition assistance ($4500 per academic year); student loan repayment up to $20,000, TRICARE Reserve health/ dental, space available travel, tax free/ discounted shopping on any base (to include groceries), retirement and numerous other benefits. Student must enroll as a full time (12 hrs or equivalent) or part time (6 hrs or equivalent) and maintain a 2.0. For more information to see if you are eligible, in San Jose call 408-259-7185.
Need a Roommate? Need a Job? Need a Roommate with a Job?
DRIVERS WANTED Drivers wanted to transport and operate cleaning equipment. Flexible hrs. Spanish req. $11/ hr+ DOE. Please call (408) 330-9350.
SERVICES FIXLAPTOP.COM BUY SELL REPAIR Laptop & Parts Repair PC Data Recovery Remove Virus Rental Trade Laptop & Parts (408)469-5999 PETE’S STOP TIRE AUTO REPAIR SJSU students 10% off. Import & Domestics. 299 Keyes St @ 7th St. (408)294-3240
VOLUNTEERS YWCA-SV Volunteer For Project Inspire After School Program. -Be a tutor or a mentor! -Make a difference at James Lick, Yerba Buena, Overfelt, or Andrew Hill High School. Interested candidates please contact: Carolina Avalos, Volunteer Coordinator, at (408) 510-4281 or cavalos@ywca-sv.org
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TUESDAYDECEMBER
Going green has me seeing red Journey to the center KIMBERLY TSAO
THE MOST YOU EVER KNEW You can’t eat meat, and you can’t die. Haven’t you heard? Those are bad for the environment. According to a Time magazine article this year, farming produces more greenhouse gases than all the vehicles in the world. Animal waste and flatulence are partly responsible.
Don’t fret, Earth lovers. While we would like to have you around forever, you can go ahead and die. Cows, due to their diet, release 200 liters of methane gas into the air every day — free of charge. If Americans butchered their meat intake by 20 percent, the change would be as effective as if they drove hybrid cars, according to the same article. Livestock also ruins the lands just by walking on them, so unless we come up with flying cows, bid those cheeseburgers goodbye. Speaking of goodbyes, the cremated leave 300 kilograms of carbon dioxide as a parting gift to the air. According to a 2007 Time magazine article, even if you’re buried in a coffin,
you may have illegal logging to thank for your final resting place. Don’t fret, Earth lovers. While we would like to have you around forever, you can go ahead and die. A Tokyobased company has invented a green coffin, which is made from sustainable trees and natural glue. The environmentally friendly coffin can supporwt 200pound bodies while slashing carbon emissions from 300 to 100 kilograms. More and more inventors are seeing green. A toilet that saves water has graced us with its presence. There’s even a version where the sink is on top of the toilet in order to recycle the water. SJSU has also gotten on board — or jumped the shark, your call. They’ve made the blue books recyclable and literally green. Blue books that are green — the irony isn’t lost on me. And by now you must have heard the never-ending debate on whether plastic bottles and pitchers are bad for people’s health. I personally detest what this environmental tip has done to my grandmother. My aunt and sister were constantly telling her that for liquids, glass containers are better. Eventually, my grandmother went ahead and replaced all her plastic pitchers with glass ones, which are heavier, thus making the once-simple process of pouring beverages more difficult for her. Let’s not forget the huggers who spend their days in a tree so it wouldn’t be cut down. The green movement has also spawned several books, movies and TV shows. The latest book is called “The Green Bible,” which links Bible verses
to environmentalism. Meanwhile, the films range from “An Inconvenient Truth” to the “The Day After Tomorrow,” and the shows include MTV’s “Trippin” and Discovery Channel’s “Battleground Earth.” Every year, multiple magazines publish green issues, compiling tips on how to lend Mother Nature a hand. They say to go organic. Don’t just stop with food. There’s organic clothing and makeup, too. Nonetheless, you may have to sell an organ to pay for those items. But, hey, anything for the environment, right? Wrong. I don’t think people should reprimand others for not being planeteers in each and every aspect of their lives. If people drive Hummers but carpool, they deserve an A for effort. Global warming may not be an urban myth, but environmentalism has gotten out of hand. I do think it’s important to go green and I try to do my share by recycling and such. But similar to divisive issues such as gay marriages and patriotism, there are many who cross over into the extreme. Nonetheless, perhaps we should be grateful for the extremist individual. The government isn’t taking enough action on this hot topic. It’s up to individuals to save the planet. I just don’t think people need to hug trees, avoid death or convert to vegetarianism in order to be effective. Less is more. “The Most You Ever Knew” appears every Tuesday. Kimberly Tsao is a Spartan Daily student culture editor.
Remembering your homeland in an occupied country DINA BASLAN
FROM THE CAUCASUS TO THE WORLD Some things in life we take for granted. Language, history, culture and customs make up a short list. We even take life itself for granted, assuming it is a tangible right, as if it was bulletproof and secure. Residents of a country under occupation are stripped of that security hindering their right to life, among other rights. Imagine that tomorrow you watch your family members get slaughtered by the government. Your family members’ corpses cover the lawns you were decorating for your sister’s wedding. But you get one last chance to live, so you are sent off to a poor village in India. You have survived. Alone. Fragile. The government prohibits speaking English in India. You are an In-
dian citizen today and you shall only speak Hindi. India and the past USA had suffered a brutal and conflicted history, causing Indians to believe Christians are universally terrorists, plotting against peace-loving people. The national holidays you anticipated every year in the United States,
Residents of a country under occupation are stripped of that security hindering their right of life among other rights. Christmas and Thanksgiving for example, do not exist here. People laugh at you when you utter the word “Christmas.” They say it sounds too comical. They don’t comprehend mythical, unrealistic beliefs. Hindi grows on you and words start to smoothly slip out of your
mouth now, liberating your thoughts while English sits idle in the back of your mind — you haven’t spoken or even heard it in years. You are told nothing about the occupation that occurred in your country. Your desperation to survive commands you to forget the past and strive for assimilation into Indian culture. You take a glance around and start realizing the differences between you as a refugee immigrant and the residents. Indian literature interests you to some point but Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech rings in your mind nonstop. Indians’ approach to life is dry — no passion, no freedom, no individuality, no civil rights movement. You spend 20 years living in India, until by chance you come across a group of French tourists in your poor village — people of American descent. You hear English spoken for the first time since your deportation and it sweeps you with a sensation of uncontrollable vertigo.
of a woman’s purse CHRIS BAUSINGER
PLAYING THE ODDS It is a week away from the beginning of finals and I can’t think of a better time to stop complaining about the work I have to do. But I can’t — I am the selfproclaimed king of procrastination. The trouble is some people see the things that I do as a waste of time … like sitting on the toilet. I read somewhere (probably on the can) that over a lifetime, the average man “wastes” 394 days sitting on the throne. I think that most men would agree that those 56 weeks is a time to be cherished.
If I suspect that a friend of mine keeps her cell phone in a purse, I will just write an e-mail. I fear that 40 minutes of a Bon Jovi ringtone while she rummages around for her phone would end up with a few pissed-off people. On the other hand, the eternity spent waiting for a lady to find something in her over-sized handbag is not. While most women carry one, it confuses me beyond comprehension as to why. The time spent looking for things that have fallen down below the amassed clutter is a true waste of time. If I suspect that a friend of mine keeps her cell phone in a purse, I will just write an e-mail. I fear that 40 minutes of a Bon Jovi ringtone while she rummages around for her phone would end up with a few pissed-off people or a smoldering cowskin clutch — talk about a “Blaze of Glory.” I can’t figure out why ladies need more than one purse and why most have You are haunted by the past and confronted with the reality of the present. Everyone around showers you with sarcasm over the “American Dream” of which you once shared stories. But the United States of America does not exist on contemporary maps anymore and you have never come across a person who would recognize that country. If tomorrow ever comes, will you fathom the possibility of forgetting your homeland? Will you stop practicing your religion? Will you watch your language die? Will you celebrate the
DAVID ZUGNONI, Executive Editor JOHN HORNBERG, Managing Editor COLLEEN WATSON, Opinion Editor MARK POWELL, Sports Editor TOMMY WRIGHT, Sports Editor ANGELO LANHAM, Student Culture Editor KIMBERLY TSAO, Student Culture Editor DINA BASLAN, Features Editor CARLOS A. MORENO, Photo Editor WILLIAM COOLEY, Online Editor JESSE KIMBREL, Assistant Editor MEGAN HAMILTON, Production Editor MATTHEW MOUNTFORD, Production Editor CHRIS BAUSINGER, Copy Editor SARAH KYO, Copy Editor RAMON HERNANDEZ, Advertising Director MEGAN ROCKO, Assistant Advertising Director DERRICK CHEW, Creative Director KRISTI RIGGS, Assistant Creative Director EMILY JAMES, Creative Assistant
“Playing the Odds” appears every Tuesday. Chris Bausinger is a Spartan Daily copy editor.
awarding of your past neighborhood as an Olympiad host? Will you live as an Indian or will you live the nostalgia of your lost identity? A life of diaspora grants you an appreciation of forgotten rights. For those rights and for the lives of ancestors, one must not take for granted a fight for the homeland.
“From the Caucasus to the World” appears every Tuesday. Dina Baslan is the Spartan Daily features editor.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Spartan Daily Dwight Bentel Hall, Room 209 One Washington Square San Jose, CA 95192-0149 News: 408-924-3281 Advertising: 408-924-3270 Fax: 408-924-3282 News e-mail: spartandaily@casa.sjsu.edu Ad e-mail: spartandailyads@casa.sjsu.edu
20. I was once told that it had something to do with the seasons, so I guess that means there are 16 more that I don’t know about. It is also said that a pocketbook can make or break an outfit. I happen to think that no piece of tanned cowhide will help the worst of fashion faux pas. But what do I know? I am just a man. I am not familiar with the contents of these cumbersome carryalls, so over the weekend, while my sister wasn’t looking, I took a peek inside her bag. Floating on top of the ocean of hodgepodge was the mighty iPhone and some members of the makeup family. But as I dove under the epipelagic zone, I encountered a pair of large sunglasses and a school of used chewing gum wrappers. I was tempted to explore deeper into the abyss but retreated, fearful of losing a limb or being sprayed by an estranged pepper spray canister. Had I ventured deeper, I may have come across currency from a country that doesn’t exist anymore or a prescription for a medical ailment that cleared up years ago. I know things tend to get lost in bags of females, so I keep waiting to read interesting headlines in junk-news tabloids. “Paris Hilton finds bones of past pet Chihuahua in Prada purse.” Or “Secret al-Qaida hideout found in Laura Bush’s handbag.” I can hear the ladies screaming right now, “We just want to be prepared!” Well, that is all fine and good, but do you need cough medicine for kids you haven’t had yet, or eyeglasses for astigmatism you haven’t been diagnosed with? Just ask a man. I don’t leave my house without my phone, wallet or key ring, all of which can fit inside the pockets of my jeans. The great part is that I still have an open pocket to hold a rolled up copy of a newspaper. That comes in handy when I am spending quality time on the commode.
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OPINION PAGE POLICY Letters to the editor may be placed in the letters to the editor box in the Spartan Daily office in Dwight Bentel Hall, Room 209, sent by fax to (408) 924-3282, e-mailed to spartandaily@casa.sjsu.edu or mailed to the Spartan Daily Opinion Editor, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, San Jose State University, One Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95112-0149. Letters to the editor must contain the author’s name, address, phone number, signature and major. Letters become property of the Spartan Daily and may be edited for clarity, grammar, libel and length. Only letters of 300 words or less will be considered for publication. Published opinions and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of the Spartan Daily, the School of Journalism and Mass Communications or SJSU. The Spartan Daily is a public forum.
“She’s an American of tremendous stature who will have my complete confidence, who knows many of the world’s leaders, who will command respect in every capital, and who will clearly have the ability to advance our interests around the world.” BARACK OBAMA Said regarding Hillary Clinton’s nomination to serve as Secretary of State.
☑ theSpartanDaily.com POLL RESULTS Should SJSU raise its admission standards?
Yes: 71
No: 29
Sports Badminton attracts dedicated members
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theSpartanDaily.com
02
2008
TUESDAYDECEMBER
One student battles injury to play JON XAVIER Staff Writer
Knees bent, racket held at the ready, business graduate student Tony Pham prepares to return a serve. The serve, when it comes, is slow and arched, tracing a lazy parabola over the net. Pham’s eyes track the shuttlecock. His muscles tense. Then, he explodes, body surging upward, hand following arm following shoulder, bringing the racket forward with a whip-crack of force that sends the shuttlecock sailing back over the net. Were it not for a three-inch scar running the length of his right heel, one would never know that six months ago, doctors told him he might never play badminton again. “It was a pretty standard return,” Pham said of his accident. He said he leapt up to hit the shuttlecock, and when he landed, he felt something in his heel rip. “I didn’t realize anything was wrong until I landed, and I felt it snap,” Pham said. Pham had torn his Achilles tendon, a potentially crippling injury. He said his doctors told him that the chances of re-injury were high, especially in badminton, which puts a lot of stress on the legs. But they also told him that, because he was younger than
most people who normally tear it, there was a chance he could return to sports, if he was willing to risk it. He was willing to risk it. Three months later, following reconstructive surgery and intensive physical therapy, he joined the SJSU badminton club.
“People don’t realize about club sports that they’re just like any school sport.” TONY PHAM SJSU graduate student
Now, when the club has meets, Pham and his partner are the No. 2 team, said Alex Chan, a senior marketing major and club marketing officer. Last month, when they played UC Davis, Pham’s team won the doubles divisions. “It was just three months (of rehabilitation); I can deal with that,” Pham said. “But never playing again — that I can’t handle.” Everyone in the club is pretty dedicated to the sport, Chan said. “They obviously care about the sport; we have some pretty good players and everyone is really trying to get better,”
he said. Club president Michael Cabebe, a senior biology major, said that SJSU is an important part of the badminton community. “San Jose is the center for this area, and San Jose State is a part of that,” Cabebe said. “Our biggest thing is we’re trying to get more people to join the club,” Chan said. “In the past, I think we’ve had problems further into the semester with less and less people showing up … so I think that’s one of our goals — to keep interest throughout the semester.” But the team also competes, usually having at least three meets per semester. And recently, Chan said, they’ve really come together as a team. “This year, the biggest thing is there’s a lot more team spirit, where everyone knows each other,” he said. “Before, it felt like some people would know each other in their little groups, and kind of stick to their own thing. But now it feels more like a club than just people playing badminton.” In that way, it’s not that much different than any other sport, Pham said. “People don’t realize about club sports that they’re just like any school sport,” Pham said. “It’s about going out and competing, about representing your school.”
SJSU badminton club member Rosanna Kwan lunges for a shuttlecock Courtesy of Mary Cheung as SJSU graduate student Tony Pham (right) looks on during a tri-meet at Spartan Complex. The 43-member club meets every Friday afternoon in the Spartan Complex. The club usually hosts three meets every semester.