The Rocky Mountain Collegian Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Why the fiscal cliff is a complete farce | Page 5

PAGE 7

Syrian activist Second thoughts on the armed rebellion

THE RO CKY MOUNTAIN

COLLEGIAN

Fort Collins, Colorado

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Volume 121 | No. 80

www.collegian.com

THE STUDENT VOICE OF COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1891

“Crum will be paid an annual salary of $125,000. At Minnesota, he was paid $102,981.”

New Colo. State Senior Athletic Director hired

The

STRIP CLUB

Seems everyone has a Twitter page... Even robots. The best tweets from @MarsCuriosity:

Best Curiosity Tweets

By SEAN MEEDS The Rocky Mountain Collegian

DYLAN LANGILLE | COLLEGIAN

Ambassador Wolf, made up of engineering students Caleb Elwell, bottom, Marc Baumgardner, top left, Tim Vaughn and Jason Prapas. The band will be perfroming this Friday at Bar SS in Laporte, Colo.

Nerds know how to rock out Ambassador Wolf, local band of engineering students

By EMILY KRIBS The Rocky Mountain Collegian The left brain and right brain are considered to be something akin to opposites in our society.

The former is dominant among mathematicians, computer scientists, accountants and engineers. The latter belongs to designers, fitness instructors, artists and musicians.

Or so people think.

“We want to be proof engineers are creative too,” said Jason Prapas, a member of the band Ambassador Wolf (not to be confused with Wolf Ambassador).

“Creative” is certainly the word for four grown men who howl during performances and

wear oversized wolf heads, though said headwear took engineering skills as well; the band made them themselves, using bike helmets and chicken wire. They don’t wear them while performing, though that’s “in the works.”

The band is described by its fans as indie, folk, and gypsy rock, but Prapas said, “We never intended to have a specific genre.”

“My dad’s Greek, and his side of the family is mostly Greek,” said Prapas. “We unintentionally have melodies I grew up with, and influences from gypsy rock.”

“I like to think I can bring in instruments that are not typical for this area, like a bouzouki. I want to bring in an accordion, at some point.”

ABOUT THE BAND Next performance:

Bar SS in Laporte, Friday at 9 p.m. Cost: $5, 18+

Learn More:

www.facebook.com/AmbassadorWolf www.youtube.con/AmbassadorWolf

Prapas began playing the piano his family inherited from his grandmother in third grade, later followed by his first guitar.

Prapas has been playing with another member, Marc Baumberg, for about a year and two months now.

See BAND on Page 7

The university’s on-campus stadium project is being paid for by millions of dollars in donations –– and CSU’s Athletics Director Jack Graham announced Nov. 30 that he’s hired someone whose job will focus heavily on making sure that happens.

David Crum, who previously worked for the University of Minnesota’s athletics department as an associate director, will now join CSU as a senior associate athletic director for development.

“The right way to raise this kind of money is through building strong relationships,” Crum said.

While at Minnesota, Crum was spearheaded a team that raised more than $100 million in five years.

He was also a key player in securing more than $90 mil- CRUM lion for the Golden Gophers’ on-campus TCF Bank Stadium, which opened in 2009.

“I have been searching for a person to lead the Athletic Department’s Development work for about four months and we have now completed the process,” Graham wrote in an email to the Collegian. “We are excited to have David join the Department of Athletics – his experiences are perfect for the work ahead of us, and he’s a great person.”

Crum will be paid an annual salary of $125,000. At Minnesota, he was paid $102,981, as of 2007 according to the Star Tribune.

Even with his appointment, CSU is still in its early stages for the on-campus stadium project.

“We are in what I would call the ‘quiet' and planning stages of the campaign: developing collateral sales materials, education materials, etc.,” Graham wrote. “And we are identifying prospective donors to the stadium, as well as corporations who may have an interest in purchasing the primary and secondary naming rights to the stadium; and planning the sales campaign to sell the stadium assets (suites, loge boxes and season tickets).”

Graham stated that they will formally launch the campaign in January once the holiday season is over. He also mentioned how the fundraising drive will report its progress to the general public.

“We will be providing periodic reports about the capital campaign to Dr. Frank; all donor information is confidential,” he said. “We will not be running a ‘thermometer’ campaign that reports on a continuous basis where we are in the campaign – I find that methodology to be counter-productive and often-times misleading.”

While Crum noted that there is much work that goes into the planning stages, the real art of raising money comes through the strong

Nigel Daniels caught the inspiration to be a lawyer at a young age.

Daniels, the Pre-Law Club President at CSU and a political science major, spent hours in courtrooms as a 13 year-old kid as his family sought state funding to assist his brother who had mental health issues.

After months, his mom finally found a lawyer who specialized in representing people with disabilities.

Daniels remembered the first time he saw her, as she rolled off a bus in an electric wheelchair.

“Obviously you have all these stereotypes and assump-

tions,” Nigel said. “Man, I tell you, she did better than any other attorney my mom had.

Day in and day out she fought so hard for his rights.”

The experience was a defining moment in his life.

When enrolling at CSU, he had his eyes set on law school after graduation. Daniels plans on taking the LSAT in June and applying to top tier law schools next fall.

He hopes to buck national trends of difficult times for recent law school graduates.

Newly released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that approximately 22,000 new job openings for lawyers and judicial clerks will open up each year through 2020. The downside: 45,000

students are expected to graduate per year during the same time period.

In spite of the disparity, law schools are still heavily recruiting students with the pitch that the financial downturn is a good reason to get a law degree and conditions in the field will improve over time.

This is what law schools have been saying for years and, if anything, the market has gotten worse, with the current system being unsustainable, said Brian Tamanaha, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis and author of Failing KEVIN JOHANSEN | COLLEGIAN Law Schools.

“One of the biggest flaws Nigel Daniels, president of the Pre-Law club, stands in the law section of the students are making today is library Monday afternoon. Daniels still has hope as he gets ready to take the See LAW on Page 3

Aug. 19

“Yes, I’ve got a laser beam attached to my head. I’m not ill tempered; I zapped a rock for science” #FORSCIENCE

Sept. 14

“Road trip!

I covered 32 meters of open Martian road yesterday (sol 38). Every long drive needs a soundtrack.

Any suggestions?” #needsmorecowbell

Sept. 28

“Orbiter, lander & rover data have shown water ice & hydrated minerals on Mars.

Water is the most likely fluid to have made the streambed” #omg

See HIRE on Page 3

Pre-Law students remain optimistic in spite of law school problems

By AUSTIN BRIGGS The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Aug. 6

“I’m safely on the surface of Mars. GALE CRATER I AM IN YOU!!!#MSL” #bowchickawowwow

LSAT next year.

Oct. 26

“#PewPew! See the tiny cluster of rocks, aka “Stonehenge,” I’ve been investigating with my laser” #lazersmakeeverythingbetter

Nov. 20

“Thanksgiving isn’t so different on Mars. I had a long drive & plan to take photos. No pie, though” #sadrover The Strip Club is written by the Collegian staff.

2 Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian fort collins focus

Dylan Langille | COLLEGIAN

Charlie Theoeald climbs at Inner Strength rock gym in Fort Collins, Colo. Monday evening. The gym includes over 200 linear feet of climbing space with over 40 routes and a 360 degree bouldering wall.

Community Briefs Local donation show at Avogadro’s Number on Dec. 9

Local bands The Hot Coal and The Marshall Brothers will play a donation show at Avogadro’s Number at 7:30 pm on Sunday Dec. 9 to raise money for human trafficking relief efforts.

CSU Yoga Club, a student group dedicated to

THE RO CKY MOUNTAIN

COLLEGIAN Lory Student Center Box 13 Fort Collins, CO 80523

This publication is not an official publication of Colorado State University, but is published by an independent corporation using the name ‘The Rocky Mountain Collegian’ pursuant to a license granted by CSU. The Rocky Mountain Collegian is a 10,000-circulation student-run newspaper intended as a public forum. It publishes five days a week during the regular fall and spring semesters. During the last eight weeks of summer Collegian distribution drops to 4,500 and is published weekly on Wednesdays. During the first four weeks of summer the Collegian does not publish. Corrections may be submitted to the editor in chief and will be printed as necessary on page 2. The Collegian is a complimentary publication for the Fort Collins community. The first copy is free.

Additional copies are 25 cents each.

Letters to the editor should be sent to letters@collegian.com.

EDITORIAL STAFF | 491-7513 Allison Sylte | Editor in Chief editor@collegian.com Nic Turiciano | Content Managing Editor news@collegian.com Hunter Thompson | Visual Managing Editor design@collegian.com Andrew Carrera | News Editor news@collegian.com Elisabeth Willner | News Editor news@collegian.com Kevin Jensen | Editorial Editor & Copy Chief letters@collegian.com copy@collegian.com Emily Kribs | Entertainment Editor entertainment@collegian.com Cris Tiller | Sports Editor sports@collegian.com

creating community around yoga and student activism, has collaborated with the yoga and philanthropy organization Off the Mat, Into the World to create the Raise the Vibration fundraiser featuring the local musicians.

Yoga club will also be selling t-shirts, art and jewelry for the cause.

Part of the study of yoga includes Seva, a Sanskrit word meaning selfless service. The idea is to gather

the local community of Fort Collins for one night of music and inspirational social activism to benefit this important cause.

Tickets are $5 at the door, and 100% of proceeds will go directly to Off the Mat, Into the World’s human trafficking relief efforts. Visit www. avogadros.com or find CSU Yoga Club on Facebook for more information.

-- Collegian Staff Report

Kyle Grabowski | Assistant Sports Editor sports@collegian.com Kris Lawan | Design Editor design@collegian.com Nick Lyon | Chief Photographer photo@collegian.com Annika Mueller | Chief designer design@collegian.com

ADVISING STAFF

Kim Blumhardt | Advertising Manager Michael Humphrey | Journalism Adviser

KEY PHONE NUMBERS Newsroom | 970-491-7513 Distribution | 970-491-1146 Classifieds | 970-491-1686 Display Advertising | 970-491-7467 or 970-491-6834

Editor’s Note: News Editor Andrew Carrera interned with the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C. this summer. He has removed himself from all political coverage including writing, editing and discussions – this include’s the paper’s daily editorial “Our View.”

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Rising to the cooking challenge CSU bake shop now preparing gluten-free items

By Cassandra Whelihan The Rocky Mountain Collegian Gluten-free foods have become a growing popularity among those diagnosed with celiac disease and other types of gluten sensitivity. To meet the needs of the gluten-free demographic, CSU has opened a new line of gluten-free products distributed amongst the dining halls.

“We would like to include people with digestive disorders to be able to eat some kind of sweets, so we’ve worked to develop five or six recipes for bread, brownies, muffins, cookies

and granola bars for people who need to adhere to a gluten-free diet can enjoy,” said Joan Smith, the bakeshop director at CSU. Gluten is not only found in wheat but also in barley and rye. Baking without gluten can be a challenge as the wheat helps trap gas within baked goods, giving it an airy composition. So how did the chefs rise to the challenge?

“The ingredients change,” said Smith. “You have to use all ingredients that use absolutely no gluten or wheat products. You do have to add some different things to still

get a nice texture so that it’s not like you’re eating cardboard. A lot of the research has already been done. Some very gifted people out there have learned how to bake gluten-free out of necessity.”

Celiac disease, an allergy to gluten in which the proteins irritate and damage the small intestine, is a widespread condition. About 1 in 133 people in the United States have the disease, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Rebecca Robinson, a junior journalism major with celiac disease, said that she

thinks there should be options for people that can’t eat gluten.

“I would like to see more options; it would make my life easier,” Robinson said.

The gluten-free products can be found in the dining halls upon request. They will not be with the rest of the baked goods, said Smith.

“This is partly because there is no need for everyone to eat gluten-free and to make sure the products are available for the students that need it,” said Smith.

Collegian writer Cassandra Whelihan can be reached at news@collegian.com.

“My sense is CSU students are acutely aware of the challenges they may face, given the constraints with the practice of law, the field and the current market.”

LAW |

Courtenay Daum | (CSU political science professor and Pre-Law advisor)

Prospects dim for law hopefuls

Continued from Page 1 they let their dream of becoming a lawyer kind of overwhelm their rational calculations of the consequences of going down this path,” Tamanaha said.

It is one of a litany of complaints lodged against law schools by industry observers, former students and law professors.

Critics also point out that the rising costs of already high tuition, a high percentage of students graduating with six figure loan debts and roughly half of graduates unable to find full time jobs that require a law degree –– along with decreasing pay for those that do –– call into question the value of a law degree as a solid financial investment.

“The basic problem is that the cost of obtaining a law degree is out of proportion to the economic return a majority of students will get” Tamanaha said. “There’s a fundamental mismatch between what students pay and as a result, what they owe in debt and the money that they earn in return.”

He pointed out that the average debt level of a graduate from a private law school is $125,000, while the median salary of the same graduate is $60,000 the first year out of school –– down from $72,000 two years ago.

According to the financial aid website Finaid.com, a graduate would have to earn approximately $115,657 annually to be able to afford to repay the loan in 20 years.

Daniels said the current

climate hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm for attending law school.

“People in the pre-law club, we’re aware of what’s going on,” Daniels said. “Everyone’s hoping for a change when the economy turns around. And the thing is to just stay positive and hopeful.”

Courtenay Daum, a CSU political science professor and pre-law advisor, advises hundreds of students per semester who have their sights set on attending law school.

Years ago, students never asked about job prospects after graduating from law school, Daum said. Now it’s usually the first thing that comes up.

“My sense is CSU students are acutely aware of the challenges they may face, given the constraints with the practice of law, the field and the current market,” Daum said.

“By the time I meet the students, they’re pretty much set on going to law school. So even though they’re asking questions about it, I don’t think they’re on the fence about being in law school.”

Any student interested in law shouldn’t enter into it strictly for financial reasons, Daniels said.

He added that passion for law and wanting to make a difference in a specialized field like public service, business or the environment should be a larger factor in wanting to pursue a career in law, instead of the amount of money a graduate would make.

A motivated, passionate law student who invests time, money, makes it through a grueling three years of studying, and passes the bar exam has so much invested that they’re going to keep that drive when looking for a job after graduation and will eventually find work in the legal field, Daniels said.

“At that point, you’ve embedded so much into that degree and so much into your passion and career, it just becomes competitive and you have to make a case for being more competitive,” Daniels said.

CSU alumna Jennifer Berg agrees.

After graduating from University of Denver law school last year, she started working at the public defender’s office in Golden this June. Berg attributed her success in landing a job in part to having internships the entire time she was in law school.

“I feel like if you’re motivated and take the time in law school to network or really get a good internship, I think –– no, I know –– it can happen for people to get jobs,” Berg said. “But it’s not the instantaneous, ‘I graduate from law school I’m going to make a hundred thousand a year.’”

According to the state of Colorado public defender’s website, an entry level public defender earns approximately $50,000 per year.

Berg said the cost to to attend DU was approximately $150,000. It’s worth it, she said, because she’s able to

do something she’s dreamed about and planned for since she started her undergraduate program at CSU in 2002.

“I think law school is a good investment if you really want to be a lawyer, it’s not a good investment if you graduate from college and you don’t know what you want to do.” Berg said. “I have the world’s greatest job and I couldn’t be happier. I’d do this work for free.”

Navigating statistics that law schools put out every can be tricky, Tamanaha said.

The schools have been criticized for artificially boosting postgraduation employment numbers, sometimes by hiring back its own graduates in low paying jobs or counting part time, menial work as being fully employed.

He recommends using websites Finaid.com and LawSchoolTransparency. com to help in establishing a true cost–benefit analysis of attending law school.

In spite of the current trends, Tamanaha strongly believes that quality law schools and students to fill their hallways will always be needed.

“I’m not against people going to law school. That’s great. We need lawyers. We need people,” Tamanaha said. “What I am for is they do so with their eyes open understanding the risks, and not falling subject to pitches law schools are making.”

Senior Reporter Austin Briggs can be reached at news@collegian.com.

3

“There are other big milestones, like when the naming rights are sold. But the last 10 percent is always the biggest challenge.”

David Crum | (senior athletic director)

Crum hired for stadium donations Hire |

Continued from Page 1 relationships the department must make when selling the project, he said.

Crum predicted the challenges that awaited him and the athletic department that might arise throughout the campaign.

“The biggest challenge is always the last 10 percent of the funds,” he said. “There are other big milestones, like when the naming rights are sold.

But the last 10 percent is always the biggest challenge.”

When asked what drew

him to CSU, Crum said it was the people and the city of Fort Collins, calling it an “attractive place to raise a family.”

“I’m excited to be here!” he said. “Colorado State is a great university and I can’t wait to bring my family out here!”

The huge allure of a new on-campus stadium also played a role.

“It’s an exciting time in college athletics when opening a new college stadium,” he said.

Collegian Writer Sean Meeds can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Collegian

OPINION Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | Page 4

your two cents

12%

19% 19% 50% *26 people voted in this poll.

Yesterday’s Question: What will be CSU men’s basketball’s hardest game this season?

50% CU-Boulder 19% San Diego 19% UNLV 12% St. Bonaventure

Today’s question: How do you feel about the creation about the additional stadium fundraising position?

Log on to http://collegian.com to give us your two cents.

This is an unscientific poll conducted at Collegian.com and reflects the opinions of the Internet users who have chosen to participate.

Cultural nourishment for the soul of a stoic

By Vivek upadhyay

In Bryce Liedtke’s article entitled “Pigging Out on Pop Culture Junk Food,” the author advocates a number of admirable convictions for readers. His article deserves an attentive reading by those who haven’t read it.

Among his other points are the following: to be mindful about the culture (music, art, books, and more) one uses, to actively share the best cultural intake one can find, to create culture and not just consume it, and to seldom settle for less than meaningful, substantive cultural “food.”

In solidarity with Bryce, I’ll share a few specific, readily accessible cultural options for anyone out there in search of timelessly ennobling cultural content. Though a total reimagining of our cultural intake is not possible through the publication of one pithy article, any start is a worthy one.

Stoic writings are highly nourishing cultural options for lovers of wisdom.

Stoic philosophy is underappreciated, misconceived, rashly judged and ignored by far too many people.

Contrary to common misconceptions, Stoicism isn’t a rigid, suffocating philosophy which constricts emotions in favor of striving for an unrealistic ideal, but a versatile philosophy which focuses centrally on self-governance and a healthy indifference to that which one cannot control.

Educated emotion, rather than stereotypically repressed emotion, is inseparable from the essence of Stoicism.

The first and best option is a wonderfully concise website of practical wisdom from the Stoic philosopher Seneca. The URL is stoicletters.blogspot.com and at the top of the website is a subtitle which reads “your life’s time is the only thing that truly belongs to you.”

This translation of some of Seneca’s work is by far the best.

I’d advise anyone who encounters this website to spread it to friends, and encourage friends to do the same.

Seneca’s most beautiful line from his writings, in my opinion, is this: “Men do not care how nobly they live, but only how long, although it is within the reach of every man to live nobly, but within no man’s power to live long.”

The second option is “The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius.”

Within this work are the nearly discarded words of a man who recorded his quietly resilient, lonely, virtuous strivings, in reverence of his role models and in appreciation of the opportunity to keep his character pure, no matter what the cost.

This journal of exemplary Stoic thought reads as a record of an ongoing struggle to persist in selfless virtue, or to prematurely end one’s life in protest of its difficulties.

The profound intimacy which leaks through Marcus’s frequent, emotionally cold, straightforward reminders to himself can never be forgotten.

Through reading this work, I found a lifelong comrade whose words are an indestructible fountain of resilience and familiarity. The unforgiving grip of nihilistic exhaustion is loosened whenever you choose to press on.

My favorite line from one translation of The Meditations is this: “If it cannot ruin your character, it cannot ruin your life.”

You can easily find free ebook or audiobook versions of this work through a quick Google search.

Since most versions of it are in the public domain, download it at will!

The thoughtful cultural food doesn’t stop there. The third option is music, which either contains inspiring language or emotional sublimity.

Two bands deserve a mention as worthy candidates in the fight for your time: Shai Hulud and Sigur Rós.

Alongside the Shai Hulud lyrics atop this article that provide a taste of Shai Hulud’s reliably tough, honest, corruption-repulsing lyrics, are the indecipherable lyrics of another band: Sigur Rós.

I desperately want more people to know about the potentially life-changing, gorgeous music of the Icelandic band Sigur Rós.

If even one person who reads this listens to the atmospheric, grandiose music of Sigur Rós, or reads the literature I’ve recommended, enjoys and spreads it, I’d feel vindicated in mentioning it.

There is so much culture out there, we have only to reach out or hands to grasp it. With the increasing availability of technology, as well, we have the ability to become exposed to unprecedented amounts cultural artifacts that truly holds nourishment for the human soul.

Vivek Upadhyay is a freshman education major.

His columns appear every other Tuesday in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.

our view

Hey, ‘Crum’ on Jack Graham Some of the first stadium-related news was released by CSU Friday when it announced that David Crum has been hired as the associate athletic director for development.

What that (overly long) title means is that Crum has the high-pressure, low-visibility job of making sure that fundraising for the on-campus stadium meets its goal. Estimates for the stadium’s cost are between $250 and $300 million.

Crum, who will earn $125,000 a year at CSU, was part of the team that raised more than $90 million for the University of Minnesota stadium — a process often cited as a success story during the on-campus stadium deliberation process.

It’s easy to criticize Crum’s hiring as unnecessary, but what his presence as a dedicated stadium advocate means is that the fundraising efforts of Brett Anderson, the vice president for

university advancement, can remain focused on academic areas such as scholarships.

It’s good to see that CSU is moving forward with its plans for an on-campus stadium and doing it so visibly, but not every aspect of

“‘Being Bold’ isn’t just about hiring coaches, building stadiums and partnering with Under Armour.” the on-campus stadium fundraising effort should be celebrated.

In today’s news story regarding Crum’s hiring (page 1), Athletic Director Jack Graham states that the fundraising campaign will not be of the “thermometer” variety, saying that there will be no status reports on a regular basis as he believes

they would be counterproductive.

This attitude falls in line with the university’s approach to the on-campus stadium discussion so far. Since the stadium announcement was handed down Oct. 2, CSU has remained remarkably mum. This approach includes the announcement of Crum on Friday, a day often used by public relations departments for announcements that they would rather go unnoticed.

“Being Bold” isn’t just about hiring coaches, building stadiums and partnering with Under Armour — it’s about exciting your audience and making them believe in the big-picture vision.

The best way for CSU to do that is to communicate with the campus community through the updates that Graham thinks are counterproductive and engage in active conversation to make sure that the CSU community is up to date on on-campus stadium.

The Collegian Editorial Board is responsible for writing the staff editorial, “Our View,” and for the views expressed therein.

Letters and feedback in response to the staff editorial can be sent to letters@collegian.com.

Allison Sylte | Editor in Chief editor@collegian.com Nic Turiciano | Content Managing Editor news@collegian.com Hunter Thompson | Visual Managing Editor photo@collegian.com

Andrew Carrera | News Editor news@collegian.com Elisabeth Willner | News Editor news@collegian.com Kevin Jensen | Editorial Editor letters@collegian.com

Emily Kribs | Entertainment Editor verve@collegian.com Cris Tiller | Sports Editor sports@collegian.com Kris Lawan | Design Editor design@collegian.com

Skip Walmart this season, speak with your dollar

By brian fosdick

So there may be some of you who are aware of it, along with those who don’t know — or simply don’t care — but many Walmart workers have been striking for the holiday season.

There’s been a lot political rhetoric being tossed around on both political sides, some of it amounting to “get back to work peons,” and some congratulating them for having the courage to stand up against a massive corporate power to improve working conditions.

The simple fact is if you have ever had the joy of working retail, Walmart is an abysmal place to work, worse than even standard retail — if you can imagine that.

As to why you should care, I’ve decided to put out a challenge to CSU students this year to avoid shopping at Walmart this shopping season. Personally, I will be respecting the workers of Walmart and avoiding it until they decided to start paying their workers living wages, but here’s some

good reasons why you should consider doing the same.

The Harvard Business Review compares the average hourly wage of Costco workers with Walmart workers, whose wage typically falls around $11.52, which includes everyone from the lowest of the low to the highest of the high in Walmart stores. While that may not seem that bad, I’ll make the popular comparison using the relatively altruistic sister of Walmart, Costco, who pays its workers on average $15.97.

A blog, using data revealed by Rep. George Miller, shows that only 64 percent of workers in Walmart are covered by their retirement plan as compared to Costco’s 94 percent and only 47 percent of Walmart employees are covered by their health plan against Costco’s 82 percent. At the same time Costco undeniably has higher costs per employee with Costco employees paying $2,200 more annually for health care and around $600 more for retirement.

So what you may be thinking is that this is just a human error, perhaps Costco has simply tricked its workers into paying more and the employees all hate it, but statistically, this is once again not the case. Costco employees have a 6 percent turnaround rate compared to Walmart’s 21 percent. Their profits per employee are also significantly higher, making about $2,500 more per employee.

The simple answer to as why Costco has been more successful and now growing faster than Walmart is because it treats its employees with dignity.

James Sinegal, the co-founder and for-

mer CEO of Costco was even criticized

by Wall Street for being “too generous” to his workers. While the good wages and benefits Costco offers its employees do not always please the stockholders, the employees are consistently happier with their jobs.

I was reluctant to include this last part because I personally think if you’re going to boycott Walmart you should do it on the principle that it treats its workers to poorly, but if you want a right wing reason to support the boycott, Walmart workers are the highest receivers of welfare benefits of any store chain.

An average of $420,000 worth of government benefits is received from Walmart workers per store, because even many full time Walmart workers make as little as $15,500 a year, which is not a living wage. To steal a catchphrase: “You are paying for what Wally should.”

When you go shopping this season, ask what kind of philosophy you want to support in business.

You can support a local business, you can support Costco, you can support any other business that actually cares about its workers, or you can support a machine that actively tries to crush unions so they can milk their workers for what they’re worth then throw them out like last week’s trash.

Speak with your dollar this season and show Walmart how you feel about their business practices.

Brian Fosdick is a junior journalism major. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.

Collegian Opinion Page Policy

The columns on this page reflect the viewpoints of the individual author and not necessarily that of The Rocky Mountain Collegian or its editorial board. Please send any responses to letters@collegian.com.

Letter submissions are open to all and are printed on a first-received basis. Submissions should be limited to 250 words and need to include the author’s name and contact information. Anonymous letters will not be printed. E-mail letters to letters@collegian.com

Collegian

OPINION Tuesday Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | Page 5

Yays and Nays Yay | to CAM the Ram moving on to the next round of the Capitol One mascot challenge. It’s time for CSU to be a champion at something... and our adorable mascot seems like the best option.

Nay | to the impending doom of the fiscal cliff. It’s like Y2K, only less likely and threatening.

Nay |

Yay | to Will and Kate having a baby. It’s about time! This has definitively proved that it wasn’t a shotgun wedding.

Yay | to all fall 2012 graduates. It’s a hard job market out there, and good luck.

Nay | to finals. We aren’t printing the Tuesday of finals week, so we’re proactively saying ‘boo you, finals.’

to the Fern Lake Fire. Thanks to our amazing firefighters for battling the blaze, and our thoughts go out to everyone in Estes Park affected by the fire.

Yoga, a portal to the potential of your soul

By Claire heywood

People generally tend to fit into polarized categories regarding perceptions of my job as a yoga instructor.

Either they have some understanding of the practice from experience, or they have watched the yoga industry boom from the foggy lens of popular culture and say something along the lines of, “You must be pretty flexible.

Wait, I know one — downdog!”

I love this response because it presents a platform to clarify what yoga actually is: an opportunity to explore both the strength and flexibility of the body, which is a portal to the boundless potential of your particular soul.

I spend time attempting to reshape misconceptions of my work because I believe wholeheartedly in yoga’s power to catalyze the potential for embodiment (or conscious experience in the physical body), which exists in every human being.

To some degree, the power of yoga

There is so much hype over marijuana and Amendment 64 from CSU students, I think it’s about time that we all talked about something else of that is of greater importance. Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty cool that we legalized marijuana (think about tax dollars here, people), but there are significant issues to discuss rather than the legalization of a drug (or “herb” to some people).

I’m proposing that we take some time to talk about gun control. I’m a bit of a gun enthusiast myself, coming from a family of gun enthusiasts. My family appreciates our right to bear arms and my dad is always proud to say that he is a member of the NRA. Because my dad was frequently out of the state when my two sisters and I were growing up, he never stopped stressing the importance of being able to defend ourselves and to prepared for any situation in which our good health was threatened. Basically, he trained us to be hard asses. Which, in my opinion, is a damn good quality.

Gun control has always been a black and white issue. People take one side or the other and, when a discussion comes up about gun control, the conversations develop an aggressive and heated tone, with both sides fervently arguing their stance on the issue.

The question is, how do we create a sense of common ground here? How do we find that shade of grey?

has been oversimplified and convoluted by popular culture. In taking a second look at yoga, I ask that readers wipe their minds clean of the conception of yoga as a workout class in which students become “uber-bendy.”

In my class, we typically begin in meditation, presenting the opportunity to let the regrets of the past and the anxieties of the future dissipate.

When skeptics say they avoid yoga because they can’t touch their toes, I ask them to forget concepts of what they lack, because yoga is patient and noncompetitive. The absence of flexibility is nothing to judge, but rather a starting point for growth. My life would be incredibly boring if I were perfectly flexible and strong; the joy is in the patient unraveling of tension over time.

When addressing the oversimplification of yoga as a flexibility class, teachers often utilize the metaphor of a seed: it contains boundless potential for expansion, but it must be planted into the container of the soil in order to grow.

In the same way, students of yoga can find incredible physical expansion when flexibility is rooted in a container of physical strength. Yoga, then, is a slow cultivation of strength, expansion and awareness which leads students into a state of reflection on the underlying truths of their souls.

I cannot pretend to think every student will rush out and sign up for a yoga class (although my fingers are crossed!)

Maybe you will, however, check out one of many short yoga classes avail-

able on YouTube. Or just try a forward fold the next time you feel like going to pieces over your final exams.

CSU students are at a powerful time in their lives: for many, the time is coming to determine your life’s work, to choose your contribution. It is critical that students find methods of appropriately handling stress and reflecting on their purpose.

I do not deny that we live in a chaotic world, but when we run from the chaos by succumbing to maladaptive methods of stress management (drug and alcohol dependence, et cetera) we only contribute to pandemonium by avoiding thoughtful reflection.

To stand tall amongst the chaos and remain vessels of purpose and goodness, we can first remove ourselves from anything beyond the present and use the portal of the body to get to know ourselves.

This presence offers a powerful platform to separate ourselves from the chaos, only so we can reflect and re-emerge into it strong and empowered to change the world. The call of your lifetime is out there. The question then becomes: will you be listening when that call comes in, or will you be off in your head somewhere and miss it altogether?

Claire Heywood is a 700 hour certified yoga instructor and the founder of CSU Yoga Club. She teaches yoga at Om Ananda Yoga and the CSU Recreation Center.

You can find connect with her more at colorofmyconscience.tumblr.com.

Guest Column In my CO 300 class this semester, my group partners Shantelle Novacek and Blain Miller have chosen the topic gun control for our final project and are creating a Weebly website page titled, “From Wounds to Wisdom,” for students, family members and friends to converse and share information about gun control.

Our main goal here is to develop a comfortable environment for students to ask questions pertaining to firearm safety, the history of the law, where they can take classes, and we also provide information on how to obtain a concealed weapons permit.

There is also a section where students may post information about their own firearms; we call this section the “Best of the Best,” it’s basically a spot where people can brag about the guns they own and why they chose those particular ones.

Each of these topics have their own individual tabs that students can access and post their own comments and responses to other students’ comments.

We will share information about ourselves as well in each of the blog spots and provide our contact information if anyone wishes to speak to us directly.

My father has always taught me that anything can happen to anyone and anywhere and always stressed the importance of being aware of your surroundings. With incidents like the shooting in

Aurora, Virginia Tech, and Columbine, we should take advantage of our rights and be armed and prepared.

But with these rights comes responsibility and safety, and that is what we hope to communicate to students and gather feedback from them. Shantelle mentioned in one of our group discussions that a professor she had spoken to on the subject informed her that his class was more interested in marijuana rather than gun control. Not surprising, but, as I mentioned before, there is better conversation to be had from a serious topic.

CSU is an open campus and this topic is very relatable. More information needs to be provided as well as sought out. At our age and our place in life right now, opinions are being formed, and with education and time forms a person, which is why it is important for people to become more educated, but most importantly in a setting that is not aggressive but open for discussion, not arguing.

If anyone is interested in checking out our website, you may access it at http://fw2w.weebly.com. Feel free to post your opinions to any one of the topics listed, and please ask questions if you have them. We created this site for you.

This site is a place where we can find that shade of grey and have an informational and congenial discussion.

Christine Webster

“The fiscal cliff is a completely fictional, self-imposed and impotent piece of legislation that can be retracted or avoided at any time.”

The fiscal farce

By Kevin jensen

Every day that Congress is unable to come together to determine a budget, the threat of the ever looming fiscal cliff and sequestration become even more real, threatening to impose spending cuts that will have an apocalyptic effect on our economy.

What most people fail to realize while discussing this, however, is that the fiscal cliff is a completely fictional, self-imposed and impotent piece of legislation that can be retracted or avoided at any time.

This entire fiscal farce (farce — n: a comedy that aims at entertaining the audience by means of extravagant characters and improbable situations) was first created in the summer of 2011 while our representatives were playing chicken over raising the debt ceiling or defaulting on our debt.

Bruce Bartlett, from the Fiscal Times, discusses how Congress was close to negotiating a deal with about $800 billion in revenue and deep spending cuts, when the “group of six” senators upped the stakes with a much higher revenue plan of $1.2 trillion. Obama backed the new plan and Republicans left the bargaining table.

To solve the artificially created debt ceiling crisis, then, Republicans and Democrats agreed to set up a Super Committee that was charged with finding $1.2 trillion in deficit reductions by last Thanksgiving or else automatic sequestration would kick in — the financial cataclysm that everybody has been raving about recently.

You see automatic sequestration was this mutual death pact Republican and Democrats agreed to if the Super Committee failed to find the necessary deficit reductions. The sequestration calls for tax increases, spending cuts equally split between defense and social programs and an increase to the payroll tax (FICA).

The Congressional Budget Office estimates would reduce the federal debt by $153 billion over the next decade, which sounds like a lot until you realize that’s about what the U.S. government currently borrows every month.

Our representatives have failed to come up with any semblance of a serious agreement about our budget — imagine that — so the fiscal cliff is about to take effect.

So if this fiscal disaster is as bad as everybody is making it out to be, why hasn’t there been a deal?

Barry Ritholtz, in the Washington Post, says the term “fiscal cliff” is a misnomer, anyways; “A fiscal slope is more accurate.”

The effects of sequestration are not an event that will take place right on Jan. 1, 2013. The impact of the spending cuts and tax hikes will of course be

phased in over time.

So there’s not really that much of a threat? No. Especially when you realize that the people who hold the disarming switch to this ticking financial time bomb are the very people it was designed to force into action — our representatives can pass legislation at anytime nullifying the fiscal cliff.

So in all reality, all anybody is doing in Washington is doing is playing politics; and Obama is winning.

Coming off of his election high, things have never been better for the President, who had a landslide victory and even gained a few unexpected seats in the House and Senate.

Obama is demanding that the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans expire — an objective he’s had since his first term in office — encouraging those earning over $250,000 to “pay their fair share.”

Republicans are vehemently opposed to these tax increases, making it completely likely that we’ll miss the deadline of the fiscal cliff during the lame duck session of Congress — which is exactly what Obama would like to see happen, as the next session of Congress will have more of his supporters in its seats.

You see Republicans can easily be blamed for the creation of this financial calamity, and their unwillingness to increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans to avoid the fiscal cliff will be pointed to as evidence that the GOP really is run by bourgeois capitalist pigs.

Which is believable, until you realize that the tax increases Obama is proposing is only enough to fund our federal government for about eight days — the President’s proposal will do virtually nothing to solve our deficit problem.

Warren Buffett recently pointed out in the New York Times that the Forbes 400 richest Americans have a combined wealth of $1.7 trillion. It looks like there’s plenty there to tax, right? But Mark Steyn of the National Review points out that even if you confiscated every penny the Forbes 400 had you’d only be able to cover just over one year’s federal deficit — then we’re back to square one.

You see it’s all political theatre, there is no looming, impending crisis. The fiscal farce is simply political posturing between the two parties for the remainder of the President’s remaining term. Obama has the GOP on the ropes and is looking to castrate their opposition to his policies.

The only thing Americans really have to be worried about is that the entire county is willing to devote so much time and attention to an artificially created fiscal crisis, when so many other tangible, dire problems continue to exist in this country completely unaddressed and uninhibited.

Editorial Editor and Copy Chief Kevin Jensen is a senior English major. His column appears Tuesdays in the Collegian. He can be reached at kjensen@collegian.com or on Twitter @ kevinrjensen.

Collegian Opinion Page Policy

The columns on this page reflect the viewpoints of the individual author and not necessarily that of The Rocky Mountain Collegian or its editorial board. Please send any responses to letters@collegian.com.

Letter submissions are open to all and are printed on a first-received basis. Submissions should be limited to 250 words and need to include the author’s name and contact information. Anonymous letters will not be printed. E-mail letters to letters@collegian.com

6 Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

#Room-Antics

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black and Stephanie Clement TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (12/04/12). Drink in time alone this

JADE

year with a journal, your thoughts and a cup of tea. Plan for what you want and aim high. Treat yourself well. Care for one who needs it. Family comes first, and home is where your heart is.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

David Malki

Wondermark

Tim Rickard

Brewster Rockit

Rochelle Peeler

Meh Comex

Ctrl+z

Chelsea London

ARIES (March 21-April 19) ––7–– Be respectful, and listen to another’s cries. Provide information. Passion requires commitment. Maintain objectivity. Let them know you appreciate the feedback. Say how you feel later. Postpone travel.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) ––9–– Conditions begin to improve, with compromise achieved. A female sets the tone and pace. Don’t ask many questions. Take coaching from an expert, and practice. It works out.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) ––7–– Misunderstandings are likely. Nonetheless, commit to your passions. Consult with a co-worker on a priority. Bring in more wealth. Postpone a shopping trip. Enjoy what you have.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) ––8–– Contentment reigns at home. On the spot creativity is required, and it’s fun and random. Help others generate necessary funds from available resources. Speak from your heart.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -––9–– Intuition enters the picture.

Don’t push too hard. Hammer out the details. New information dispels old fears. Test it before sealing up everything. A lovely moment is possible.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) ––5–– Your suggestions may not be immediately accepted. Don’t get intimidated. Keep planning. There could be a communications breakdown, with temporary confusion. Postpone a celebration or financial discussion.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) ––9–– Invest in your infrastructure. Obtain the necessary materials. Don’t celebrate by spending more. Make financial talk fun. Meticulous planning pays off. Positive numbers appear on the balance sheet.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) ––8–– Take care not to step on toes, and connect with the group for public success. It’s not a good time to question authority, unless hiring an expert.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) ––8–– Use the energy others generate. Don’t gossip about work. Postpone travel and expansion. It could get tense, so relax. Keep your head down.

Get money for improvements now.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) ––6–– Follow through on your plan. Arguing just makes it take longer. Minimize financial risks and watch for hidden dangers. Work interferes with travel. Provide information. Enjoy local cuisine.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) ––7–– Soak up information, and let your partner do the talking. Visualize perfection.

Act on profitable ideas. Expect a visitor you haven’t seen for some time.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) ––6–– You can get whatever you need, and easily avoid a mistake. You’ve earned some rest. Others are drawn to you today. Bask in the glow. Postpone an outing.

RamTalk

compiled by Kris Lawan Yes, I understand November is over, but no I will not shave my moustache.

Daily cartoons and games available at Collegian.com. Send feedback to design@collegian.com.

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8 Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Several states to try adding 300 hours to the school year

By Michael Muskal The McClatchy Tribune

LOS ANGELES — Five states will experiment with giving pupils additional instruction and other support by 300 hours a year of teaching time to the school year, officials announced Monday.

The program, starting next year in some schools in Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Tennessee, is designed to increase student achievement and make U.S. education more competitive globally, a goal of the Obama administration.

The three-year pilot program will affect almost 20,000 students in 40 schools over the next three years, with the hope of expanding the effort to include more schools down the road. Educators and parents will decide whether to lengthen the school day or add days to the school calendar, or both.

“I’m convinced the kind of results we’ll see over the next couple of years, I think, will compel the country to act in a very different way,” Education Secretary Arne

Duncan said Monday.

Most schools have varying hours, but in general, classes in most states run from around 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., depending on grade.

After-school programs often depend on local funding.

The program is getting federal, state and local funding as well as backing from private groups, such as the Ford Foundation and the National Center on Time & Learning, a nonprofit research and advocacy group.

The effort comes after more than 1,000 schools, including many charter schools, have added hours, arguing that keeping students on campus for more hours leads to improvement, even if the additional time goes to extracurricular activities.

Adding school time to primary subjects, such as math and reading, can lead to higher scores, supporters say, and adding extracurricular subjects, such as music or art, can give children exposure to subjects they may not normally get.

“That extra time with their teachers or within a

structured setting means all the world,” said Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper.

“It means it allows them to continue the momentum they had the day before. It means they don’t slip back over the summer. It allows them to really deliver.”

The Obama administration has advocated more classroom time. In 2009, Duncan told lawmakers that U.S. students were at a disadvantage compared with India and China. That same year, he suggested schools should be open six or seven days a week and should run 11 or 12 months out of the year.

But not everyone agrees that simply adding instructional time benefits students.

The National School Boards Association’s Center for Public Education last year questioned whether U.S. students spend less time in classrooms than those overseas. Pupils in countries where students perform well on tests — such as South Korea, Finland and Japan — actually spend less time in school than most U.S. students, the group said.

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“You know that you always have a good group of people to ride with. You’re going to actually get better.”

Brandon Woolridge | sophomore engineering major

Boarders only, no skiers allowed

Snowboard Team recruiting new members

By Cassandra Whelihan The Rocky Mountain Collegian The CSU Snowboard Team is looking for snowboarders seeking to improve their abilities as the winter sport’s popularity peaks in the snowy months of December, January and February.

“We are a progressive and competitive freestyle snowboarding team,” said Bri Greenlee, the former president of the club who recently transitioned out of the role.

According to team members, the group’s goal is to organize competitive snowboarding on a collegiate level while being supportive of excelling academically.

To participate, each person must purchase either the Epic Season or Epic Local pass, depending on whether they’re on the Snowboarding Team’s competitive or progressive divisions.

The competitive team was created for advanced riders who want to enter in local and or national contests. Members who don’t wish to formally compete but still want to improve join the progressive team.

“These guys are looking to take it farther. They’re really stepping up their game.

When the team was handed to me it was barely holding on by a string,” Greenlee said. “I was just waiting to try to get a couple people in here that cared enough about the team.

To get us out there, get people rocking, really progress it.

The team is blowing up. We already have 14 people committed. That is huge.”

Every week, the Snowboard Team practices on mountains such as Keystone, Breckenridge, or Arapahoe Basin “when it’s early season just because there’s not much to do there,” said Kyle

Ferrell, vice president of the club. “We have a professional coach who rides for CandyGrind –– Ian Smith.”

CandyGrind is a Colorado-based snowboarding apparel line popular among avid riders.

Smith challenges the members to push their comfort zones.

“To be a strong park rider, you need to be a strong mountain rider,” Greenlee said. “He’ll make you spin all four ways. He’ll make you drop little ledges or ride through the trees switch –– scary as hell.”

While their coach is a professional rider, the team is not exclusive to boarders that are highly skilled in the park.

“Please don’t make us teach you how to snowboard, but if you can make it down the hill and you just want to get better, that’s all you need,” Greenlee said.

Regardless of each members’ skill level, the team is unanimous in its desires to further its boarding skill set. They decided to compete in competitions hosted by the USA Snowboarding Association, which organizes all local and national amateur contests.

“There are three to four competitions depending on the season but if you rank high enough in two of the competitions you can make it to nationals, which are generally held at Copper Mountain and then you’re a nationally ranked rider,” Greenlee said.

In 2010, Greenlee placed fifth in the competition.

“I like it because it’s organized. I grew up here in Fort Collins and it’s hard to get up to the mountain sometimes,” said Brandon Woolridge, a sophomore engineering major on the Snowboard Team.

“You know that you always have a good group of people

learn more Website: CSUSnowboardTeam.weebly.com Email: CSUSnowboardTeam@yahoo.com Phone: 970-310-1146

to ride with. You’re going to actually get better. It’s fun because you can actually progress. You have a coach that can teach you anything you want to learn.”

According to team members, Smith takes notes of what each person wants to achieve.

“He’s not mean, but he pushes you. This is how I got better this is how I am going to teach you to get better and this is what you need to do,” Ferrell said.

The Snowboard Team is different from CSU’s Snowriders Club, which acts as the recreational ski and snowboard club.

Anders Butler-Olimb, a sophomore business major who’s new to the group, said he likes belonging to a group of people that snowboard –– especially considering he’s grown up with skiers.

“I feel like I’m competing against people. It’s kind of fun and it makes me try harder and try new tricks,” he said.

“And the coach is helping me with the basics that I never really learned before, and they’re all pretty chill guys. It’s a good time. There’s always somebody going up skiing.”

According to club members, the Snowboarding Team’s small group environment sets the scene for a challenging, fun environment where everyone knows one another.

“We push each other,” Ferrell said. “I like the challenge and just having fun.”

Collegian Writer Cassandra Whelihan can be reached at news@collegian.com.