The Rocky Mountain Collegian Tuesday, November 13, 2012 by The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Change our electoral system to a double ballot majority | Page 5

PAGE 7

Beat the Bears Rams Volleyball plays UNC tonight at 7 p.m.

THE RO CKY MOUNTAIN

Fort Collins, Colorado

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

COLLEGIAN

Volume 121 | No. 26

www.collegian.com

THE STUDENT VOICE OF COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1891

the

STRIP

CSU wraps up celebration of Native American History Month

CLUB

What do you think of when you hear the word “algae”? Pond scum? Strange smells? Stepping through it and nearly drowning? Well you might not know that algae has a bunch of practical uses, such as:

By AMANDA ZETAH The Rocky Mountain Collegian Over the course of November, CSU has been celebrating Native American History Month with a variety of events to raise awareness of the Native American population and its history, both on campus and in the surrounding Fort Collins community. “Our goal is to create the cultural awareness that Native Americans are here and are very proud,” said Haley Ruybal, a senior fine arts major and self-identified Native American. According to CSU Institutional Research, there are 104 students at CSU that identify as Native American. The Native American Cultural Center (NACC), one of CSU’s diversity offices, planned guest speakers, a food sampling session at The Aspen Grille and information sessions over the course of the month to bring attention to the fact that many Native American tribes are from the Northern Colorado area. “A lot of students don’t realize what native tribes were in this area –– they assume that Colorado started with French trappers,” said Ty Smith, director of the Native American Resource Center. Along with Native American Heritage Month, the cultural center works to increase awareness across the board. See HISTORY on Page 3

WANT TO GET INVOLVED? Stop by the Native American Cultural Center in Room 218 in the Lory Student Center.

Practical Uses for Algae

An Energy Source

ERIN MROSS | COLLEGIAN

Ofﬁcer Paul Ashe works the swing shift Monday in Parmelee Hall. The CSU Police Department has increased their presence in the residence halls recently.

New student violations program By SKYLER LEONARD The Rocky Mountain Collegian Due to a new tracking system, alcohol referrals in residence halls increased substantially from 188 incidents in 2010 to 808 in 2011, according to statistics released by the CSU Police Department this September. But that doesn’t mean more students are being caught drinking in the dorms. The 430 percent increase is because Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services (CRSCS) now tracks not only meetings it has with students, but meetings residence halls have with students as well.

In residence halls, 728 meetings were conducted with students who violated alcohol policies, while 144 were conducted by CRSCS. Sixty-four cases overlapped. Director of Residence Life Laura Giles found the overall number of alcohol citations for 2011 to be similar to previous years, noting that the numbers may be more accurate thanks to the modern tracking system. “If nothing else, we have better numbers because we have a system that is more current,” Giles said. Giles said that residence hall meetings closely follow guidelines set by CRSCS and the supervision of its staff to ensure students are on track to

change their ways. Hearings held by residence halls normally deal with what Giles calls low-level cases. “What we deem as low level is a student walking in a hallway with beer in their hand,” Giles said. Hearings with residence hall directors occur after a Resident Assistant (R.A.) makes contact with a student in possession of alcohol. The R.A. then submits a report to the resident director of the hall, who then has a hearing with the student. With 728 hearings held in resident halls, CSUPD Chief Wendy Rich-Gold See CSUPD on Page 3

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Rams get little rest before UNC By QUENTIN SICKAFOOSE The Rocky Mountain Collegian

DYLAN LANGILLE | COLLEGIAN

Guard LeDeyah Forte (1) ﬁghts through pressure from head coach Ryun Williams during practice.

If there were any question if the CSU women’s basketball team is still hung up on its season opening loss over the weekend, the answer would be no. The Rams fell short in their debut with new head coach Ryun Williams to Montana State on Sunday, but Tuesday night’s game against the University of Northern Colorado has Williams’ eye on the next one. “We’re going to address it here with film and practice, but onward has to be our mentality,” he said. “You can’t change the last game, but you can change the things within that last game.” However, Williams won’t have much time to turn those aspects about his team’s performance around before getting tested again. The Rams will run on only one practice between Sunday’s loss and Tuesday night’s showdown in Moby. “There’s only so much you can do in a day, unfortunately,” Williams said. “They’ll battle us. They will be a physical, blue collar type of team, so we

have to be ready for that.” The Bears travel to Fort Collins with impressive numbers from their season debut against Air Force, the same type of numbers that gave the Rams a rough stretch over the weekend. UNC grabbed 45 boards and shot almost 50 percent from the field against the Falcons on their home court in Greeley last Friday, but CSU senior forward Meghan Heimstra likes her team’s chances in their home gym. “We lost to them at their place last year in a pretty close battle that we should have pulled off,” Heimstra said. “So that will have us looking for our first win on the Moby court.” Heimstra, who is typically one of CSU’s breakout performers, had an unusually rough welcome back with a performance that fell well below her previous averages. This is something she is already looking forward to fixing; with a specific plan in mind. “For a first game, I think we had lots of ups as a team, but also things that need to be worked on,” Heimstra said. “I need to get more rebounds. I’d

FIRST GAME STATS UNC

FG percentage: 49.7 Rebounds: 45 Turnovers: 27

Like many fossil fuels, algae can be burned as an energy source. It does produce carbon dioxide, but unlike burning fossil fuels, that CO2 can be offset by the growing of more algae. In theory, this makes it a perfectly sustainable energy source.

Pollution Control

Algae can be used as sewage treatment medium. Straining out toxic chemicals and other things that might be considered vaguely poisonous. Algae can also capture fertilizer runoff from farms, when such fertilizer is used in excess. Tasty, no? Speaking of which...

CSU

FG percentage: 32.2 Rebounds: 40 Turnovers: 18

like to get at least 10. I’m going to focus on getting more steals, and helping out my team on defense.” UNC won its exhibition game and season opener, and Williams acknowledges the fact that UNC’s momentum will play a factor in Tuesday’s game. “We do need to worry about Northern Colorado. We need to contain their strengths,” Williams said. “But right now it’s more about Colorado State, and fixing what we can control.” The Rams and Bears tipoff at 7 p.m. at Moby Arena. Women’s basketball Beat Reporter Quentin Sickafoose can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

Nutrition Seaweed is a species of algae. Some species of seaweed are cultivated and harvested. It is actually extremely good for you, if you can get past the vaguely slimey spinachy look of it. And if you didn’t read the above section... The Strip Club is written by the Collegian staff.

2 Tuesday, November 13, 2012 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian FORT COLLINS FOCUS

NICK LYON | COLLEGIAN

Junior health and exercise science major David Darnell rides his bike near W prospect road Monday afternoon.

Community Briefs Megan Plourde one of the Mountain West’s women’s volleyball coplayers of the week CSU senior middle blocker Megan Plourde has been named the Mountain West’s women’s volleyball co-player of the week, after average 3.43 kills, 1.14 blocks and 0.57 digs per set during wins against UNLV and Fresno State. Wyoming sophomore middle blocker Erin Kirby was also recognized.

This is Plourde’s second Mountain West weekly honor of the season, and the fourth of her career. Senior outside hitter Dana Cranston is the only other CSU player to have been recognized as the Mountain West women’s volleyball player of the week.

CSU Symphonic Band to explore the theme of dreams in concert Sweet dreams are made of

the CSU Symphonic Band. That’s because tonight the CSU Symphonic Band will perform a “dream-themed” concert. It will begin with Steven Bryant’s “Suite Dreams,” a re-working of the first movement of the Holst “First Suite in E-flat.” The concert will also feature CSU professor and esteemed soprano Tiffany Blake singing Samuel Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915.” The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Griffin Concert Hall in the University Center for the Arts.

Tickets are $7 for CSU students, $1 for youth ages 2 through 17, and $12 for adults.

Learn what mindfulness can do for you Is the stress of the semester getting you down? All you might need is a little bit of mindfulness, according to the CSU Health Network. Mindfulness is the practice of cultivating awareness of the mind and body, and living in the now, according to an

entry on the CSU events calendar. At 3 p.m. tomorrow in the lower conference room of the Student Recreation Center, the CSU Health Network is hosting an introductory 90-minute workshop “to learn how to begin to restore a balanced sense of health and well-being by applying simple mindfulness principles,” according to the events calendar. Call the CSU Health Network at 970-491-6053 to sign up.

-- Collegian Staff Report

CLASSIFIEDS 970.491.1686

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

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, November 13, 2012

HISTORY | Continued from Page 1

Celebrating Native American culture

“There is often misinterpretation and stereotyping of Native Americans –– it is evident in Halloween costumes, theme parties, Hollywood movies and especially the media,” Smith said. Many students visit NACC on a regular basis and more are encouraged to stop by. “It serves as a resource for native students to figure out the ins and outs of college, and also meet people they can identify with and

eventually trust,” Ruybal said. The resource center offers a variety of programs for students, including the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and the Native American Student Association (NASA). There are also weekly mentoring sessions for incoming freshmen and transfer students. “We aim to build a community and a place that feels like home,” Ruybal said, “We make a point to reach out.” NACC has an open door

UPCOMING EVENTS Native Trivia Night at the Ramskeller When: 6 to 8 p.m., Nov. 13 Where: LSC Ramskeller

Women@Noon: Native Quilting Traditions When: Noon to 1 p.m., Nov. 14

policy and offers its services to any student that happens to walk into the office. “Our doors are open to any student,” Ruybal said.

Where: LSC Room 224-226

Book Displays

When: Throughout the month of November Where: CSU Bookstore, Morgan Library, Fort Collins Public Library, 201 Peterson Street

“We welcome everyone regardless of race or creed.” City Beat Reporter Amanda Zetah can be reached at news@collegian.com.

“There are several options we can work with the student to decide what is best. We try to send them on a path of reform.”

Rocky Mountain Student Media is accepting applications for

Student Managers and Editors-in-Chief for the 2013-14 academic year To ensure consideration apply by 4 p.m., Monday, Nov. 26, 2012 The student managers and editors-in-chief hired for academic year 2013-14 will train with current student media heads and professional staff during spring semester 2013 and assume their duties in the summer of 2013.

Craig Chesson | CRSCS Director

CSUPD |

Residence halls implementation

Continued from Page 1 -schmidt finds the job of the R.A. to be challenging when dealing with things such as alcohol violations. “It is a difficult job. It is a tough situation to be in,” Rich-Goldschmidt said. An R.A., who spoke on the condition of anonymity, agreed. “It is more appropriate for the (police department) to contact students about alcohol and drugs because we do live here in the halls and these situations can become awkward, so it is even better when the police can step in and help,” the R.A. said. To facilitate this, CSUPD implemented what’s referred to as the liaison program, in which officers are assigned to specific residence halls, according to CSUPD Cpl. Ramsey Crochet.

“The liaison program happens at multiple levels,” Giles said. “Police officers are assigned residential halls and develop a relationship with the director of each hall, the R.A.’s and students. They serve as a resource if staff is having a hard time answering questions from students, officers can help.” Crochet put it differently. “While the relationship has always been good, the assignment of one officer as a liaison to each residence hall has created partnerships where housing staff and officers collaborate in problem solving efforts, crime prevention and personal safety presentations, and alcohol and drug education training, and made an already good relationship better,” he said. When police contact is made with a student violating alcohol policy in resi-

dent halls, they may assist in resolving problems, writing a citation for a student or referring them to Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services, depending on the situation. “It is the police’s own discretion,” Giles said. Regardless, education is of great importance for CSUPD, residence halls and CRSCS staff. “In an effort to redirect and educate students, one of the first steps in dealing with an alcohol or minor drug contact is a CSUSA (CSU Scholarship Application) citation and referral to Student Conduct where the student is afforded resources available on campus dedicated to changing their behavior and use of alcohol/drugs,” Crochet wrote in an email to the Collegian. CRSCS Director Craig Chesson, said the referral

system is innovative in how it helps students. “One thing that is great about our process is that it is not a cookie cutter or a strikes process,” Chesson said. “There are several options we can work with the student to decide what is best. We try to send them on a path of reform.” According to Chesson, CSU is known as a model across the country because of all the educational options available to benefit students. “I think the biggest thing that separates our program from others is the amount of educational programs we have focusing on student success and retention,” Chesson said. “In kicking students out we would not be addressing the issues.” Collegian Writer Skyler Leonard can be reached at news@collegian.com.

KCSU station manager KCSU is a 10,000-watt radio station operated by CSU students to serve the CSU community and Fort Collins area. Experience working in a student or professional radio station is required and management experience is desirable. A complete application packet is available by visiting the RMSMC office, Lory Student Center, CSU campus.

CTV-11 station manager The CSU student station manager is responsible for the operation of the CTV-11, web first digital production, news, sports, and entertainment programming produced for students by students. A complete application packet is available by visiting the RMSMC office, Lory Student Center, CSU campus.

Collegian editor-in-chief The student editor-in-chief is responsible for hiring a management team of students who in turn hire other student editors, reports, writers, and production staff. For complete information and application go to http://www.collegian.com/editor-in-chief-application

Digital Media Manager The student Digital Media Manager is responsible for assuming a leadership role in ensuring collegian.com websites are frequently refreshed with updated news, sports, entertainment and other related content. For complete information and application packet go to http://www.collegian.com/digital-media-manager-application/

College Avenue editor-in-chief The student College Avenue editor-in-chief is responsible for recruiting and training student staff members and meeting deadlines in the publication of the student magazine. For complete information and application go to http://collegeavenue.collegian.com/editor-in-chief-application

Students from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. All student managers and editors-in-chief must be full-time (9 hours minimum for undergraduate or 6 hours minimum for graduate students), admitted and degree-seeking at Colorado State University. Prior media experience is required of all student editors-in-chief and student managers, preferably working for the RMSMC at Colorado State.

Collegian

OPINION Tuesday, November 13, 2012 | Page 4

your two cents

Yesterday’s Question: Should Puerto Rico become a state?

25%

16%

59% *56 people voted in this poll.

59% Yes. 25% No. 16% Make Guam a state.

Today’s question: Have you been caught drinking in the residence halls? 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.

“Just like you should have a filter between your brain and your mouth, there should be a filter between your brain and your keyboard.”

Stupidity in social media post election

By Brittany Jordan

If you thought the political ads were bad, try the political Facebook posts. The night of the election my news feed was riddled with post after post after post of people either praising or condemning Obama — and none of them were in any way helpful. As Americans, we have big egos. We seem to think that we kind of rule the world, but as social media users our egos have gotten bigger. Some are worse than others, but we seem to be operating under the assumption that everyone wants to hear what we have to say about everything. Here’s the thing: My friends on Facebook are my friends, sure, but that doesn’t mean that I particularly care what they have to say about Obama. Why do you think that people always tell you to avoid politics and religion on the first date? Because it inevitably ends up in an argument about who’s right and who’s wrong, when in all actuality there is no right or wrong answer. I firmly believe that politics brings out the worst in people. So why do people seem to feel so confident, then, voicing their views on candidates behind the safety net of a computer screen? Why is it that social etiquette doesn’t seem to apply to social media? Freedom of speech, right? We have the right to say whatever we want, whenever we want. It’s what makes America great. As an op-ed columnist, I am all for freedom of speech. However, I definitely think that there are things you should say to yourself, and those are not the things that you should be typing for the world to see. I pull up MSN and see that a woman in California, who made the bright decision of putting a racial slur regarding our commander in chief and her hope of his assassination on Facebook, is wondering why she is under investigation and unemployed. Donald Trump is under fire from the tweets he posted election night, and yet he has “no regrets.” People, in case you haven’t gotten the memo, what you put out into

cyberspace will inevitably come back to haunt you. I have yet to make one political post. Not because I don’t care about politics or am indifferent, but because I know that it will not help anything. Those that read my post will either agree or disagree with me, or simply not want to hear it — but I’m not changing anyone’s mind. I know who I voted for, I know who was elected and I know that there is nothing that I can do about it now. Posting about my newfound desire to move to Canada or my champagne-popping excitement in no way helps the situation — it just makes half of the country hate me and the other half praise me. As I have seen, based on some comments to my columns and those of my fellow columnists, people act like they’re invincible behind a computer screen. Those that say the most hurtful things never use their real names, because they think that they can say whatever they’d like under the guise of anonymity. Even on Facebook, where your name and your photo are side-by-side, people think that they can say whatever they want — as long as it’s not to people’s faces. Which is all fine and dandy, but if you’re going to say something on a social media outlet, be willing to say it to every one of your “friends” or followers faces. If I got the woman in California in an interview with Obama, I can almost guarantee that the “N-word” wouldn’t be uttered to his face. If Donald Trump sat across from the prez at the dinner table in the White House, I’m sure he’d be far more polite. If you’re willing to type it, be willing to say it. Stupidity and social media don’t mix. Just like you should have a filter between your brain and your mouth, there should be a filter between your brain and your keyboard. If you want to say hurtful things on Facebook, think twice. Realize that not everyone always wants to hear everything you have to say. Leave politics for civil discussions. Brittany Jordan is a sophomore psychology major. Her column appears every other Tuesday in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.

our view

Spy vs. Spy, Petraeus resigns David Petraeus has stepped down as director of the CIA, ending his notable and distinguished military career and service in a less than honorable light: His extramarital affair was made public by a months-long FBI investigation. What blew the general’s cover? It’s reported that a woman initially contacted the FBI about threatening messages from Petraeus’ mistress, but what really provided the proof to cause the war hero to retire was a little digging in his personal email account by the FBI. Oh, the irony is sweet. In the time since 9/11 we have seen increasing monitoring and interception of American citizens’ emails in order to combat the perceived terrorist threat.

Petraeus, who has been a powerful force in our government for some time, assumed the

“There is not enough congressoinal oversight in the warrantless monitoring of our communications.” position of CIA director in 2011 and can be held at least partly responsible for the increasing intrusions on our privacy.

What better way for the head of the CIA to get caught cheating than by the same government snooping through private emails that he gave his de facto approval to while having such a prominent role in the federal government? The truly remarkable thing about this whole occurrence is how completely unaware our representatives in Congress were in regards to the Petraeus investigation by the FBI. This underscores a very important issue in our modern surveillance state that our representatives are loath to bring up, even with the slap in the face that came from the Petraeus incident: There is not enough congressional oversight in the warrantless monitoring of our communications.

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 Matt Miller | 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

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

Feeling sexy ladies? You’re liberal

By nicole frazier

About two days ago I stumbled upon an article originally posted — and then promptly removed — by CNN that released the findings of a peer-reviewed study conducted at the University of Texas-San Antonio. The study surveyed about 300 women not taking a hormonal contraception and then asked them about politics and voting. What did the study conclude? Well, according to the article by Elizabeth Landau published on WTHITV.com, the study concluded that “When women are ovulating, they ‘feel sexier,’ and therefore lean more toward liberal attitudes on abortion and marriage equality. Married women have the same hormones firing, but tend to take the opposite viewpoint on these issues.” The study provoked a lot of negative commentary, most in disagreement but a significant amount in favor. I will admit, when I first read this and the comments I was not entirely offended. I found it initially humorous.

I, by no means, intend to bad mouth the university or the work of those who conducted the survey. And I am not saying there isn’t any truth to their findings, seeing as it is peer reviewed. On the other hand, I see a lot of problems with a study such as this one. We all know, at least we should all know, that sexism hasn’t been completely eradicated in our society. Women today still earn less than their male counterparts, still bear the brunt of misogynistic attitudes and, unfortunately, most of the decisions concerning women are governed by men. Sexism is still a prevalent issue in American culture; we live in a patriarchal society. We are not post-sexism any more than we are post-racial. With that being said, I feel as if this study could only be a disservice to women. I feel justified in saying that its results could only hinder the progress of women. Historically, there have been many arguments made that have claimed that women are less intelligent than men and less capable of making informed decisions. We have come a long way since early misinformed notions about women, but these early ideas still creep under the surface of our society. In my opinion, this survey says that because of hormones, women aren’t in total control of making decisions about politics, work or money. The study, I would have to say, rules out any other factors that may influence a woman’s voting preference, such as race, class or personal values. It assumes that these factors do not play a role in influencing voting decision in the face of ovulation and hormones. I am not completely ruling out the

idea that hormones do play a role in our lives; we are hormonal creatures, men included. I am only assuming if it is to be said that women’s hormones affect their political decisions, the same can be said for men. The university’s study also enforces the erroneous representation of women as sexual objects. Yet again, their ability to make as informed decisions about politics as men is undermined. My wariness comes from personal voting experiences. I am liberal in political ideology and I am confident when I say that, regardless of whether I have been in a relationship or not, my hormones haven’t swayed me to vote conservative. It would be unfortunate if it was argued that women’s hormones were to “blame” for the election of either a conservative or liberal candidate. No, I don’t like the results of the study but I am not completely ruling it out. I have noticed that our culture is notorious for presenting women in this fashion. Whereas men, the “default sex,” are virtually free of discourse of this nature. I am advocating gender equality. I am concerned that the studies that have investigated the influence of men’s hormones in politics don’t create such a fuss and aren’t as publicized. And, I am concerned that if we continue to only emphasize the “faults” of women, we hinder the progression of women and gender equality.

Nicole Frazier is a senior English and Spanish major. Her column appears every other Tuesday in the Collegian. 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, November 13, 2012 | Page 5

Yays and Nays Yay | to Amendment 64’s passing! Now all Hickenlooper has to do is sign the bill so we can break out the Cheetos and Goldfish.

Nay | to a busy week of studying, tests, papers and projects. Buck up, Rams. We can overcome.

Nay | to the havoc sure to be wreaked by Black Friday. Will it be worse than Hurricane Sandy as some predict? Probably.

Yay | to fall break coming. Stuff your face full of turkey (or tofurkey, if that’s your

Yay | to General Patreaus resigning. He was way too conspicuous for a spy.

Nay | to poor early season skiing conditions. Rocks are meant to be thrown, slept

“Don’t keep voting in Republicans and Democrats and expect to see any change.”

More parties? Implement the Wreck - It Ralph, rated ‘G’ for gamer approved double ballot majority system thing) and your heart full of memories.

on and or eaten, but never ridden.

By Brian fosdick

After the deplorable Halloween season that visits every year and brings with it some of the worst movies to ever grace a screen, movies have started picking up steam for the fall and winter season. Instead of playing “guess the cult,” many of the newer films such as “Argo,” “Skyfall,” and my personal favorite, “Wreck-It Ralph,” can all provide a welcome distraction over the break before the storm approaches and everyone begins to stock up on canned goods for the coming finals. Of all of the amazing new movies that are out though, “Wreck-It Ralph” holds a special place in my heart because it illustrates the fact that the older you get, the better kid’s movies

become. “Wreck-It Ralph,” simplified, is a movie made for gamers. It’s full of gamer fan service that’ll bring back the days that many kids spent wasting their allowance in an arcade to play games that ran on stone-age technology, compared to the beloved modern shooters like “Call of Duty” or “Halo.” Like most good Disney movies, though, it lends itself to the special kind of originality that reaches out to both kids and adults alike. Beyond merely invoking nostalgia, it creates a story that can appeal to the best in all of us. A good children’s movie is not the kind of movie that is so overtly moralistic that it becomes disgusting and off putting. “Wreck-It Ralph” explores the desire that most people have at some point in their life to escape from their day-to-day schedule and become a larger-than-life hero worthy of praise and fame. In Ralph’s villain crisis he learns to discover what it means to be a hero even if part of that is as simple as protecting those around him and making them happy. Through exploring the many game machines — whether it be something as timeless as Pacman or classic racing games — Disney once again manages to do what they do best and take a child’s environment and bring in adult

themes in the interesting and unexplored world of arcade games. The movie itself does have some downfalls — arguably the greatest being Sarah Silverman’s voicing of the young child racer Venellope. She does a wonderful job capturing how simultaneously annoying and endearing a young child can be, but even so by the end you may find yourself wanting to throw her out a window (if you didn’t already want to). The movie also attempts to make some vague political commentary about how violent modern games have become that is completely overshadowed by the more important story of Ralph’s self-realization. The commentary falls flat throughout and while I’m not going to take the time to argue the implications, if you’re going to make a statement, it’s best to make it clear. As a whole, though, if you’re looking to spend a few bucks to see a good movie with your family this Thanksgiving, go check out “Wreck-It Ralph.” The beautiful graphics and likable characters make for an enjoyable experience that might just bring out the nerd in you. Brian Fosdick is a junior journalism major. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.

Guest Column Hello friends, another semester is winding down, and I am here to inform you about the ASCSU Supreme Court. Although many students are unaware of its existence, there is a Judicial Branch within Associated Students of Colorado State University that has real judicial authority over students. The ASCSU Supreme Court has judicial authority over every member of ASCSU (that means you!), including the Senate and all other administrative boards. The Supreme Court also must perform many duties and has a great deal of responsibilities. They must interpret and enforce the ASCSU constitution, perform judicial review of the Senate, set its own bylaws and procedure and hear cases involving constitutional amendments, Senate bills, interbranch disputes and election appeals. An ASCSU Supreme Court Justice must also serve on the All University Hearing Board (AUHB), which is responsible for conducting hearings for sports clubs, student organizations and greek chapters if they have violated any university policy. They also work hand in hand with Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services, are required to attend four ASCSU events and four non-ASCSU events, hold office hours every week (two for associates justices, 10 for the chief justice), and serve on a committee like Elections Task Force,

RamRide Task Force, Off-Campus Life Advisory, Student Advisory Board and Student Fee Review Board. As you can see, the Supreme Court is a time-consuming position that is much more than a figurehead or a resume builder. Supreme Court Justices are involved in decision-making processes that have direct impact on the students and often involve very serious subjects. The ASCSU Supreme Court consists of six associates justices and one chief justice. Of the six associates, four are brand new this year and bring a new energy to the court. Kellen Wittkop is a senior economics and English double major and the chief justice. Emily Adkison is a junior history major and is one of the new associate justices. Kelsey Hall is a returning associate justice, who is a junior political science and French major. Cherica Stigall is the other returning justice and is a senior economics major. Caleb Nagel is an associate justice who is new this year and is a sophomore criminology major. Nigel Daniels is an associate justice who is also new this year and is a junior political science major. Emily Horn is a junior English major and also a new associate justice. And finally I am Keith Patton, a senior business major and the Supreme Court liaison. My position was created this year to serve as a liaison between

the court and ASCSU and also to advocate and assist students filing appeals and going through university discipline process in conjunction with Student Legal Services. The liaison position was created because of limitations faced by Supreme Court justices, leaving them unable to provide students with information about the judicial process. An ASCSU Supreme Court Justice must first be impartial and diligent in all of their rulings, and are expected to step down from a case if their ability to be impartial is jeopardized. They must also avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety, which is a fancy way of saying that a justice must avoid anything that would damage their image. Justices must avoid any extrajudicial activities that might create a conflict of interest and refrain from all ASCSU political activity, and must especially avoid showing support for any political campaigns. If anyone in the student body wants to know more about the court or is going through any sort of disciplinary process within the university and needs assistance, you are more than welcome to contact me by sending by an email at kpatton@rams.colostate. edu or stopping by the ASCSU Supreme Court office in the LSC Tuesdays 2-3 p.m. Keith Patton

By Kevin jensen

I didn't have much to look forward to on election night, never being blind to the fact that the third party candidate I was supporting didn't stand a chance. While Gary Johnson only received about 1 percent of the popular vote, however, it was the most number of votes a Libertarian candidate has ever received. There is no regret felt about my vote. In good conscience I could not vote for either status quo Obama or moderate Mitt, born with a silver spoon in every orifice. Since neither candidate represented my values and beliefs, I was forced to “waste” my vote on a third party, but why is this so? Why is it that we only have two parties and that only an extreme minimum of people vote for third parties even though most dislike both of the major party candidates? Our Commander in Chief is chosen by the people via a plurality voting system. Plurality systems operate under a “winner takes all” policy in which the candidate who receives the greatest number of votes wins the election. In our system, unlike others, there is no requirement that the candidate attain an absolute majority, which indicates that he has won more than 50 percent of the votes of all members of a voting institution. All a candidate has to do is win more votes than his competitor to win in this system, which means that a candidate could win even if a majority of people voted for somebody other than that candidate. The U.S.’s electoral system, whose plurality voting system is similar to Canada and the United Kingdom, seems to almost necessitate a political divide between two major parties in the nation — one to the left, one to the right — which typically results in the disregard of other political viewpoints. The reason this happens is because the two primary parties grow so strong that it is often seen as a waste of a vote to cast it for one partisan side or the other, for fear of your vote being wasted on a third, unlikely candidate (even if your honest vote would be for neither). In the study of political science, this is referred to as Duverger’s law, which predicts that constituencies that use systems such as ours inevitably become two-party systems given enough time. This inevitable two party monopoly occurs, Duverger (a French so-

ciologist) suggests, because the many weaker parties in the system tend to form a coalition after continuously losing, and weak parties are quickly deserted once it is learned that they will never win. This was the first of Duverger’s hypotheses. His second states that: “The double ballot majority system and proportional representation tend to multipartism.” The double ballot majority system is one where — if the winner hasn’t won by an absolute majority — there is a second vote excluding all but the top candidates. Supporters of unlikely candidates then have a chance to cast their true vote the first time in good conscience while still being able to participate in the second vote if nobody wins over 50 percent of the vote. The majority system eliminates the sense of having to choose the lesser of two evils, because a citizen’s initial vote is not completely discounted if the winner does not receive an absolute majority of the votes. If we changed our electoral system to a double ballot majority it will create opportunity for change and a varied political climate that is not gridlocked one side against the other. Sadly, though, our political system will never change; why is that? The parameters for the election of public officials is not dictated by the Constitution; we can change our electoral system into anything we want! But we never will. We'll continue to choose to vote based upon the fear of the "enemy" candidate being elected in willful ignorance, swallowing each partisan side’s lies and believing that we’re making a difference when casting our vote for either side of the binopoly. Democrats and Republicans like the system we have. They get to pit one half of the citizenry against the other and take turns reaping the benefits — they’re not out to help you; you have nothing to offer once you’ve given them your vote. At the end of the day the two major candidates are just fighting over who gets the power to dictate which lobbyists will receive the most loopholes and grant money, and which industries — both foreign and abroad — will receive the tax cuts and dominant position in business relations for the next four years. Don’t keep voting in Republicans and Democrats and expect to see any change. Let’s completely restructure our electoral system and force change upon them.

Editorial Editor 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

6 Tuesday, November 13, 2012 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

#Room-Antics

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black and Stephanie Clement TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (11/13/12). Today’s New Moon solar

JADE

eclipse puts you in the spotlight (one of three in your sign this year). Put all this buzz to good use. Set your course toward that place where you can make the biggest difference; both career and finances thrive. 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) ––6–– Protecting home and family is a priority, especially where finances are involved. Deception gets revealed. Don’t waste resources. Pool them. Follow a person who cares about you. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) ––8–– Your self-confidence is reaching a new level. Consider all possibilities. One educational door closes, and another opens. Seek help from an unusual source. Begin a new meditation practice. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) ––7–– You’re learning valuable and powerful skills. Don’t be distracted by daydreams, or run from a tough situation. Romantic conclusions lead to new opportunities. Postpone an outing. Take responsibility. CANCER (June 21-July 22) ––9–– Change opens a new view in your love life. Push forward against all odds. Postpone a financial discussion. Don’t require reasons. Use your own good sense. You’ll be fine. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) ––9–– Increase productivity. There could be a difference of opinion, and that person wants facts, not fiction. Double-check info, and stand up for yourself. Flaunt it. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) ––8–– Ignore one who would deceive. You’re on a roll, and there’s a bonus. Study up, and don’t base plans on fantasies. Each ending allows for a new beginning. Love sparks. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) ––7–– Resolve to renovate your home without gambling on risky choices. Plan and speculate. Postpone a financial discussion. Defer gratification for now. Craft your vision for the perfect place. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) ––9–– Ignore distractions, and ask for the money. Others are persuasive. You’re making cash for them. Stand up for what’s right. Paint something small, and watch for spills. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) ––6–– Your limitations are melting. Put love notes in someone’s lunch box. Discover a bonus. Cautiously make a bold declaration. Revise your routine with a new or different procedure. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) ––8–– Retreat to advance later. Keep your sensitivity from overtaking reason. Talk to a trustworthy partner. Check figures for accuracy. Get the status as well as the money. Stash it. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) ––8–– You’re gaining a new perspective. Keep a secret, and stay thrifty. Capitalize on the flow of ideas. Clean out closets. Add a positive spin for a lighter heart. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) ––8–– Go ahead and relax. Don’t be afraid of shadows or changes. New information dispels old fears. Write about dream messages. Keep track of money to avoid confusion.

RamTalk

compiled by Kris Lawan Overheard: “Last night in the kitchen, I put my hand on the counter and felt something sticky, so I licked it.”

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

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

You know you are drunk when you tell the bouncer at the Aggie to put pineapple stamps on your hands instead of x’s.

To the girl wearing yoga pants: You are actually a man. My eyes now burn. Why do people keep sending false info about the Skeller to RamTalk? It’s called a pub and grub, and their food is pretty good!

Text your rants to 970-430-5547. Want more? The first RamTalk Book is officially in stock at the Student Media office in the Lory Student Center. Buy your copy for $10, or get one online for your Kindle or Nook.

Find out if you got in! “Like” us on Facebook. Search for The Rocky Mountain

Submit RamTalk entries to ramtalk@collegian.com. Libelous or obscene submissions will not be printed. While your comment will be published anonymously, you must leave your name and phone number for verification.

Today’s RamTalk sponsored by:

Yesterday’s solution

Today’s Sudoku sponsored by:

Across 1 College donor, often 5 401(k) cousin, briefly 8 Garden ground cover 13 Mount Olympus wife 14 Break bread 16 Novelist Zola 17 “As if!” 20 Halley’s sci. 21 Full of vitality 22 Ideological suffix 23 Lift with effort 25 ‘60s counterculturist Timothy 27 “As if!” 31 Rants about the boss, e.g. 34 Jacob’s brother 35 Niagara Falls prov. 36 Gorky Park city 37 Like hor. puzzle answers 38 “As if!” 40 Hostility 41 Started, as a keg 43 P.I. 44 Hypnotic trance breaker 45 “Friend __?” 46 “As if!” 48 Pal of Threepio 50 Not at all droopy 51 Intro makers 52 One might say “shay” for “say” 54 Inevitable end 57 “As if!” 61 Honolulu hello 62 Egg on 63 Sculling gear 64 Headwear in iconic Che posters 65 Many ESPN fall highlights 66 Way to be tickled Down 1 Cry of enlightenment 2 Film heroine with memorable buns 3 Java vessels 4 “Grumpy Old Men” co-star 5 Rite words 6 Modern caller ID, perhaps 7 Part of A.D. 8 Drop-line link 9 Wrigley Field judges 10 Mouthing the lyrics

Yesterday’s solution

Today’s Crossword sponsored by:

11 Red Skelton character Kadiddlehopper 12 Cooped-up layer 15 Bird on old quarters 18 Earl __ tea 19 Groundbreaking tool 24 Greenland coastal feature 26 Company that rings a bell? 27 “Marvy!” 28 Green grouch 29 “Star Trek” velocity measure 30 Word in many university names 32 Bar mitzvah reading source 33 Didn’t lose a game 36 Java order 38 Off ! ingredient 39 Mike, to Archie 42 Upscale sports car 44 Perch on 46 Like babes 47 Dennis the Menace’s dog 49 Pay extension? 51 Stallion or bull 53 Craig Ferguson, by birth 55 Asian tongue 56 Bring home 57 “Marvy!” 58 Monopoly token 59 Has too much, briefly 60 Clucking sound

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Tuesday, November 13, 2012

VOLLEYBALL

Colorado State (17–7, 10–3 MW)

13.24

.262

hitting percentage

42.8% CSU road wins

.190

UNC home wins

Players to watch: Middle blockers Megan Plourde .354 hitting percentage (2nd MW) 1.54 blocks per set (2nd MW)

Breion Paige

CLASSIFIEDS

(19–9, 12–6 Big Sky)

7:00 P.M., GREELEY, CO

CSU kills per set UNC blocks per set

2.14

VS.

Northern Colorado

68.8%

Brianna Strong .366 hitting percentage (1st Big Sky)

0.83 blocks per set

Andrea Spaustat

1.03 blocks per set

(2nd Big Sky)

.345 hitting percentage

(9th MW)

REPORTING BY KYLE GRABOWSKI

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8 Tuesday, November 13, 2012 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

“Additionally, live power lines were falling down into the water, making rescues extremely hazardous to first responders.” Sgt. Anthony Lisi | Emergency Services Squard 5

In NYC 43rd life claimed by Superstorm Sandy By Tina Susman The McClatchy Tribune

The question of whether CSU should become a 100 percent smoke-free campus has become a topic of discussion for the Associated Students of CSU after the student Senate was presented with data showing that 53 percent of students and 63 percent of faculty and staff would pre-

fer a smoke-free campus policy. The date comes from an ASCSU survey conducted last spring that centered on policies regarding tobacco use on campus. Eight-hundred-and-six students and 1,986 faculty and staff participated in the survey.

NEW YORK — A 77-year-old grandfather who slipped on wet stairs inside his beachfront housing complex became the 43rd New York City resident to die as a result of Superstorm Sandy, whose effects continued to be felt across the region Monday as basic services and public transportation crept toward normalcy. More than 1,800 city residents remained in shelters, unable to return to homes damaged by the storm or still without heat and electricity. But for the first time since Sandy made landfall Oct. 29, the number of households without power in affected states dropped below 100,000. As of Monday morning, the Department of Energy said 88,882 customers in New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia remained in the dark. New York was the worst affected, with 79,744 outages reported. Officials of the Long Island Power Authority said they expected that 99 percent of their customers would have power back by the end of the day Tuesday. In another post-Sandy first, officials Monday reopened to limited traffic the Gov. Hugh L. Carey Tunnel — formerly known as the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel — a major artery under the East River connecting Manhattan to Brooklyn. Workers will continue trying to repair

damage from 43 million gallons of salt water that poured into the country’s longest under-river vehicle passage. “It was filled floor to ceiling for more than a mile with water and debris,” said the chairman of the city’s Metropolitan Transit Authority, Joseph Lhota. “No one has ever faced a challenge like this.” Limited train service resumed linking Manhattan with New Jersey and Long Island. In New Jersey, gas rationing that had been in effect for more than a week was to be lifted Tuesday. There was no word on when New York City’s gas rationing would be lifted, or how long it might be before residents of the Rockaways — where 29,000 buildings remained in the dark Monday — would have electricity. The narrow peninsula is surrounded by Jamaica Bay on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, and the salt water that flooded basements there caused damage that is slowing efforts to restore electricity to the area. The latest storm victim, Albert McSwain, lived in a housing project in the Rockaways that was among those left without power. According to his daughter, Allison Lockett, who lived with him, the two went out for a walk Oct. 31. When they returned to the building, its stairway dark and wet, Lockett told her father to wait while she ran upstairs to get a flashlight to guide them to their apartment. Before she could return,

he had slipped. Neighbors found him with wounds to his head and his body, paralyzed from the neck down. McSwain, a retired custodian at the New York Police Department Academy, died of his injuries at a hospital Saturday. In announcing McSwain’s death, police also released a detailed accounting of some of the rescues that took place at the height of the storm, as electrical transformers exploded and dumped live wires into fast-rising water. “Boats with and without powerful motors became useless and ineffective after some time due to the large debris, the strong current and depth of the water, and the small streets that were difficult to navigate,” said Sgt. Anthony Lisi of the police department’s Emergency Services Squad 5, which includes Staten Island. On Staten Island alone, more than 1,100 water rescues took place during and immediately after Sandy. The borough suffered the most casualties of any in the city, losing 23 residents. “Additionally, live power lines were falling down into the water, making rescues extremely hazardous to first responders,” Lisi said. Conditions worsened and each time a rescue boat arrived to fetch someone who had called 911 for help, “another 10 families on the block who needed to be evacuated would ask for assistance as well,” Lisi said.