WEDNESDAY December 7, 2011 volume 97, issue 55 W W W.T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M
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BUSINESS & FINANCE
Students can check syllabi online ANTONIO ZARAGOZA, PHOTO EDITOR
Students will be able to preview class syllabi before registration. Elizabeth Palacz contributor San Diego State’s Associated Students has implemented a pilot trial of creating an online database for professors to have their syllabi accessible to students when they begin registering for classes. As a student, one of the most important pieces of paper received from a professor is his or her class syllabus. This piece of paper speci-
fies class meeting days, office hours, grade requirements and, most importantly, exam dates. Thanks to A.S., students are now able to examine the syllabi for potential classes through the online database. Candice Luistro, last year’s Vice President of University Affairs, was first presented with the idea at an “introduction meeting with the staff from Instructional Technology Services in summer of 2010,” Mina Azim, the current Vice President of University Affairs, said. This idea was then introduced to the University Affairs Board, which decided to implement the trial. Students would be available to have a “better understanding of the strict prerequisites for upper division
courses, the preparation required for classes in their majors and to search for classes with specific characteristics,” as written in the proposal by Alex Huddleston and Luistro. “The pilot system is to ensure the system works, is feasible and is accessible,” Azim said. With this in mind, students can take advantage of understanding the course in a detailed manner, versus a small course description in the catalog. “I think the more information students have regarding what to expect in a class, the better. Current regulations require that all syllabi be available, so this is just making that more readily available,” Professor William Snavely, Director of the School of
Smoke from the brush fire drifted onto Interstate-8. | PETER KLUCH, SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Blaze near SDSU closes trolley line Hutton Marshall assistant news editor The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, with the help of the Heartland Fire & Rescue Department, extinguished a brush fire in a ravine near the intersection of Alvarado Road and College Avenue at around 4:30 p.m. yesterday afternoon. The SDF-RD reported structures vehicles were not in danger because of the fire. Several San Diego State students
witnessed the fire from outside their apartments. “My roommate and I walked outside and the first thing we saw was ash falling all around us. There was a huge boom of smoke coming toward us too,” Mikayla Sivner, a French junior, said. The fire, which was contained less than 30 minutes after it started, caused the Metropolitan Transit System trolley Green Line running through SDSU to temporarily shut down. The trolley restarted its route at approximately 5 p.m. after a helicopter unit extinguished the flames.
C R I M E B E AT During the past few days, there has been an increase in the number of transportation-related thefts on and around campus. Around midnight on Monday night, a red Micargi single-speed bicycle was taken from outside Love Library. The bike was secured with a lock. Saturday afternoon, a reporting caller said his or her car had been broken into and several items were stolen. The items included a backpack with bank statements inside and the caller’s high school transcript. The car had reportedly been parked in the same location for several days. On Friday afternoon, another bike was taken from Zura Residence Hall on
Communication and University Senate Chair, said. The Departments of Economics and Psychology, plus the liberal studies major in the Division of Undergraduate Studies are currently implementing their syllabi through the trial. “If the pilot is successful, students should expect to see all syllabi for undergraduate classes for future semesters made … available in spring 2012 when class schedules are made available for summer and fall 2012,” Azim said. To see the current database and test out the system visit library.sdsu.edu/syllabi/. Students are encouraged to email Azim at as.vp.univ@sdsu.edu with feedback.
Montezuma Road. The bicycle reported stolen was a red Fuji, valued at $130. Last Thursday, two bicycles were stolen from the Geology, Mathematics, Computer Science building, several hours apart. The first was a white and red Schwinn. The second was a black Specialized Hardrock Sport mountain bike with front and rear lights. Another bike, a black Schwinn, was stolen from the bike rack at the College of Extended Studies Thursday afternoon. Also on Thursday, a motorcycle was stolen from PS4 on Aztec Circle Drive. A report was taken and the vehicle was entered into Stolen Vehicle Services. Several other incidents occurred this past week as well. Around 1 a.m. Monday morning, a large, intoxicated male was reported attempting to hug a female in Love Library. The subject was reportedly very cooperative as he was escorted out of the library. Monday evening, a middle-aged Hispanic woman was seen on Montezuma Road and Campanile Drive. The subject was reportedly asking for help, claiming she was insane. The subject had dark, shoulder-length hair, a white beanie and a dark blue coat. She was taken to Alvarado Hospital Medical Center for an evaluation. Anyone with information regarding these and other incidents are encouraged to contact the SDSU Police Department at 619-594-1991, or at police@mail.sdsu.edu.
— Compiled by Senior Staff Writer Kevin Smead
Connect the dots between multilevel marketing fact and fiction.
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DA B LO G S Choosing a major is a major choice. Check out the Freshman Blog to read why.
“The Internet is one of the few really unregulated zones left in the world ... Terrible risks are involved there.” SCIENCE & T E C H N O LO GY
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W E AT H E R : SUNNY HIGH: 69 LOW: 46 SUNSET: 4:45PM
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D A I LY
AZTEC Wednesday,
BUSINESS & FINANCE
December 7, 2011
MLMs draw working class in tough times Discern criticism from intrigue in multilevel strategies Kambra Potter staff writer For many, it has become nearly impossible to ignore the current economic situation. Times are tough, with a vast number of people out of work and underpaid. So, it may come as no surprise that many people have started seeking unconventional ways to maintain a comfortable living. A rapidly expanding business model called multilevel marketing, also known as network marketing, has garnered much controversy in recent years. What is MLM? MLM is a marketing strategy by which sales associates receive compensation, not only for personal sales but also for the sales of team members whom they have recruited. This can sometimes create a downline of distributors, as well as a hierarchy with multiple levels of compensation. Typically, salespeople employ relationship referrals and word-of-mouth marketing to conduct and expand businesses. MLM was introduced in 1945 by the California Vitamin Company, later known as Nutrilite. Although the strategy has changed throughout the years, with different companies offering unique incentives and compensation plans, the same basic principles can be found in all MLM companies. Dominique Xardel, a European author and marketing professor, said there are similarities between direct selling and MLM. According to Xardel, the terms “direct selling” and “network marketing” refer to a distribution system, while the term multilevel marketing describes a compensation plan. The Direct Selling Association defines direct selling as “the sale of a consumer product or service, person-to-person, away from a fixed retail location, marketed through independent sales representatives.” According to the DSA, an enormous variety of products and services are available for purchase through this business model, although direct selling is frequently associated with items such as cosmetics and wellness products. Support for MLM While the basics of MLM are fairly straightforward, the philosophies behind the business model are more complex. World-renowned author of the “Rich Dad Poor Dad” series, Robert Kiyosaki, delves into the world of MLM in his book “The Business of the 21st Century.” Kiyosaki supports the business model because he believes MLM
directly generates wealth. “Even more important than the quantity of money you make is the quality of money you make,” Kiyosaki wrote. This is explained by examining a cashflow quadrant, which is comprised of four distinct sources of income. The “E quadrant,” which represents the employed, is the one in which sellers reside. This is often considered to be the most accepted way of earning income. However, according to Kiyosaki, job security is a thing of the past. Therefore, those in the “employed” mindset will never achieve true financial freedom, because they will always work for someone else. In other words, workers only get paid if and when they go to work. The “S quadrant” represents those who are self-employed and smallbusiness owners. This includes a range of occupations, from freelancers to doctors and attorneys. Kiyosaki references a report published by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that found, “Seventy-two percent of all
team of workers, which provides the potential for enormous financial growth. The passive-income potential of MLM constitutes an immense portion of its popularity. Some MLM companies offer other incentives as well, including all-
a d u l t Americans would rather work for themselves than for a job, and 67 percent think about quitting their jobs regularly or constantly.” According to Kiyosaki, while this quadrant can be financially rewarding, it frequently binds business owners with extreme time commitments. The “I quadrant” includes the majority of the population; those who are the buyers and make income through investments, and from purchasing from other quadrants. According to Kiyosaki, the “B quadrant”, which represents bigbusiness owners, is the only way to create genuine wealth. “Wealth is not the same thing as money,” he wrote. “Wealth is not measured by the size of income. Wealth is measured in time.” By creating a team of workers, a business owner can create assets. Assets generate passive income, the type of income truly wealthy people typically have. Whether or not a bigbusiness owner works on any given day, the owner still generates income because of team efforts. According to Kiyosaki, one of the greatest benefits of the MLM business model is the ability it provides for individuals to move into the B quadrant. All associates in legitimate MLM companies, regardless of level or position, are able to hire a
ment, real-world business education, a circle of friends with the same dreams and values, leadership skills, a duplicable business and the power of creating personal networks. The success of MLM has
been written about in other publications, such as Forbes, Fortune, Newsweek, TIME, USA Today and The New York Times. “Today, network marketing is recognized by many experts and accomplished business people as
“Steer clear of multilevel marketing plans that pay commissions for recruiting new distributors. They’re actually illegal pyramid schemes.” The U.S. Federal Trade Commission
expense paid vacations and residual income. According to Kiyosaki, aside from the financial benefits and time freedom associated with MLM, other proficiencies include personal develop-
one of the fastest-growing business models in the world,” Kiyosaki wrote. Criticism of MLM Critics compare the business model to illegal pyramid, or “Ponzi,” schemes with expensive start-up
costs and emphasis on recruitment of lower-tiered salespeople, rather than actual sales. Many MLMs require salespeople to purchase the company's products, allowing potential exploitation of personal relationships and exaggerated compensation schemes. MLM has also been criticized for implementing cult-like techniques in order to enhance member enthusiasm and devotion to the company. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has said people should "steer clear of multilevel marketing plans that pay commissions for recruiting new distributors. They're actually illegal pyramid schemes.” According to writer Scott Allen, the best way to determine if a company is a pyramid scheme is to look at exactly how the money is made. “The money is all being made off of signing up other people, with little or no real product ever being delivered,” Allen wrote. “But in spite of whatever perceptions people may have, the fact is that Amway, Excel, PrePaid Legal and many others have sold millions upon millions of dollars of products to happy customers, many of whom are not also reps.”
THINKSTOCK
BEHIND THE NUMBERS Multilevel Marketing
SPONSORED BY Advanced Test Preparation
8.6
Unemployment rate in the U.S. last month, by percent
9.8
Unemployment rate in the U.S. in November 2010, by percent
200
Number of companies that are members of the Direct Selling Association
1.3
Amount of money (in millions) demanded by a group of scammed members of a Texas company, Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing, in a deceptive trade lawsuit this year
1945 4 72
Year the first MLM company, the California Vitamin Company, was introduced How many types of income exist, according to Robert Kiyosaki Percent of adult Americans who would rather work for themselves
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D A I LY
AZTEC Wednesday, December 7, 2011
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Hinder crafty cyber hackers
HOROSCOPE TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (12/7/11) This year, invest in efficiency. Refine your routine. Plug a financial leak, and conserve resources at home to earn peace of mind and save money. Reward yourself with time for love, romance and beauty. To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. ARIES (March 21 - April 19) - Today is an 8 Confirm travel reservations, and set the itinerary. Partners offer the perfect support. Make love a top priority. Express your affection. TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - Today is a 9 You're on top of your game and your intuition is right on target. Take advantage of your newly gained confidence to accomplish a particular dream. GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 6 The answer you've been looking for gets revealed. Consult with your team, and set the structure to grow your harvest. Postpone travel. Power and luck come tomorrow. CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - Today is an 8 - There's more money coming your way, if you're willing to do the work. You find inspiration in a person or a book from far away. Love's your motivation. LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 7 Success is attainable, once you agree on the course of action. You know what to do. Listen to your heart. A perfectly gorgeous moment comes out of it. VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is an 8 -
BY NANCY BLACK, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES A friend's help is appreciated. Your network is your true wealth. Everything you want or need can be found there. Share resources and partnership. LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 6 Patience comes in handy, especially around finances. Revise the blueprint (again). There's more work coming along with some good recommendations. Stick with the plan. SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 9 You're getting better with age. The more you listen, the farther you'll get. Resist the impulse to run away. Give it all you've got, if only for love. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is a 9 - Add a beautiful touch to your workplace. Flowers? Your calming presence is greatly appreciated. Accept a fun challenge. Anything's possible. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 9 - Continue to repay obligations. The perfect solution appears. Get the word out about it. The competition makes you pick up the pace. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is a 9 - The work's hard, but profitable. Collaboration's a good idea, and there are talented players in your network. This could even be enjoyable. PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 9 Direct traffic: You know where it needs to go. You've got energy, a positive attitude and stamina. Use them for your own good (especially in romance). Smile. ©2011, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.
KATIE FOSTER, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Stephanie Schauer staff writer Stories about corporate office databases or personal online accounts being “hacked” are often addressed in the news, which may leave many wondering what the fuss is all about. Curtis Sharon, a professor at Cuyamaca College specializing in databases and network security, gave a straightforward definition. “Hacking is basically getting into places where you are not supposed to be,” he said. Hacking is not uncommon and has touched the hard drives of many. “Many times (hacking) is quite accidental,” Sharon said. “You don’t know you are doing it. You don’t know you are doing something wrong.” Accidental hacking can take place when people download programs such as LimeWire that break into a system to obtain free music downloads. It can even take place when people connect to one of their neighbors’ wireless Internet connections. No matter if it is accidental or intentional, hacking is illegal. However, law enforcement is often unable to effectively monitor hacking activity and prosecute the correct people. “The Internet is one of the few really unregulated zones left in the world,” Sharon said. “Terrible risks are involved there. But at the same time, look at the force it provides for spreading information.” Society’s reliance on the Internet for storing and relaying information pertaining to various aspects of life does not help. However, some basic precautionary steps can be effective in keeping prying eyes at bay. “Taking simple steps to protect your privacy and recognizing that
privacy is a valuable commodity that, once it’s destroyed, is very difficult to regain,” Sharon said. He shared a few tips about how Internet users can protect themselves from online hacking. First, Sharon suggested the use of routers in combination with modems. Many students rely on their connection to San Diego State’s wireless Internet, which is made incredibly safe. However, students who live in apartments should purchase a router, which acts as a police force that only permits certain people to gain access to the wireless connection. “If somebody sitting out in the front street detects that you have a wireless access point, (he or she) can get into your network,” Sharon said. Whatever activity the hacker engages in, or whatever information he or she accesses or posts online using the wireless Internet owner’s access point, is the owner’s legal responsibility. This can be prevented by creating a password for personal Wi-Fi access. Sharon also suggested the use of stronger passwords. To ensure password protection, he said create complex passwords that are changed often, though he said it can be “a pain in the neck.” He suggested computer users create passwords that are a minimum of eight characters, but 12 are better. “Every letter, every character that goes into the password makes it that much harder to solve in the end,” Sharon said. Most of the time, passwords can include combinations of lower and uppercase letters, special characters such as the pound key or percentage symbol and blank spots using the space bar. He said avoid common words because of password phishing tac-
tics, such as “dictionary attacks,” which literally entail the hacker opening a dictionary and trying words until finding the correct one. Also, be sure not to use the same password for every single computer or online account. Switch them up. Passwords should not be written down. After all, the goal is to make hacking tough, not easy. Sharon also said Internet users should log out of sites prior to closing the browser, turn off computers not being used and be cautious of what is posted online or said in person. The latter is the most important rule of al, he said. It applies to anyone who openly shares personal information online, but more specifically for those using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. These accounts are frequent targets, often loaded with personal information. “We allow complete strangers with absolutely no interest in our well-being to profoundly affect our lives,” Sharon said about social networking sites. He advised users to think before sharing. “Never write down (or type) anything you do not want someone to read,” he said. Hackers can take advantage of this information by searching online databases to discover information not only sensitive, but also personally compromising. Refrain from posting phone numbers, discussing private information on other friends’ walls and indicating specific locations via check-in features. Deleting a piece of information from a site is an option, but still not enough. “Once it is out there electronically, it never ever, ever goes away. It will never be gone,” Sharon said.
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CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Bar fixture 7 Twosome 10 Border Patrol city of the Southwest 14 “Affirmative!” 16 “Affirmative!” 17 “Affirmative!” 18 Drill command 19 Shiny fabrics 20 Hiker’s map, casually 22 Nav. rank 23 Times for les vacances 25 Bank products 29 Block or stock suffix 30 Oil, informally 33 Give or take, e.g. 36 Japanese noodle dish 37 Zebra on a field 38 “It could go either way” 42 Pres. Carter, e.g. 43 Snarl noises 44 __ Inn 45 1975 seminal green movement novel by Ernest Callenbach 47 Post-WWII nuclear org. 49 Others, in Oaxaca 50 Down Under st. 52 Former boomer, briefly 55 Staff sign 58 Frankenstein’s creator 60 “The Thorn Birds,” e.g. 63 “Negative!”
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Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com 65 “Negative!” 66 “Negative!” 67 Hampers 68 Cribbage marker 69 Colorful fish DOWN 1 Ouzo flavoring 2 Fictional salesman 3 Bridge seats 4 Devoted 5 “Deal!” 6 Bandleader Tito 7 Excellent, in modern slang 8 Second, e.g. 9 “Beetle Bailey” dog 10 Boors 11 Thurman of film
12 Director Brooks 13 Social worker 15 Jazz pianist Allison 21 Carpenter’s tool 24 Performed terribly 26 Bright lobbies 27 Down on one’s luck 28 They may be hard to crack 29 Bodybuilder’s pride 31 Lifesavers, for short 32 Crossed (out) 33 Tape, perhaps 34 DVD button 35 Buzz 36 Eastern royal
39 More than that 40 Swipe 41 Atlanta-based health org 46 Sacred scrolls 47 Fireplace receptacle 48 Come out 51 “Stat!” relative 52 More cunning 53 “Ciao!” 54 Rolls rollers 56 Short cut 57 Shape (up) 59 Endure 60 Torpedo, or its launcher 61 Yellowfin tuna 62 Shooter 64 Mattress feature