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Campus Chroniclevol. LXXXIX no. 2

Why So Syria-ous? General Ed. GuidePart ll

2013-2014 NBA Preview

By David O’HairNEWS & FEATURES pg. 2

By Araya MossOP-ED pg. 6

By Austin NgaruiyaSPORTS pg. 5

By Alex Blum

In attempts to revamp multiple departments at PUC, the academic catalogue has been modified to encompass majors applicable to future artists, scientists, lawyers and others.

Two programs were expanded, while another is the first of its kind on campus. Film and television, fine art, graphic design and photography majors are now

available in a Bachelor of the Fine Arts (BFA) program. Before, art students were limited to a Bachelor of Science degree.

This switch, according to BFA student Madeline Plesh, is a vast improvement over the previously offered Bachelor of Science option because “it offers people the chance to experience more art and allows students to delve deeper into various artistic media . . .it is more in tune with the artist and their specific focus in art.”

Another expanded program is the Bachelor of Science degree in environmental studies. Biology students pursing a degree in environmental studies are no longer confined to a minor. The Bachelor of Science program enables those wishing to pursue the degree to complete a full bachelor’s program of study.

For those interested in legal and other applicable fields, the new history, political studies and ethics degree provides the opportunity to explore a myriad of graduate school options. Through an ethical and socially conscious lens, the program fosters the skills necessary to analyze history to the present.

The communication department has undergone changes that include both a new major and updates to previously existing ones. Health communication is available in a Bachelor of Science degree, while the former communication Bachelor of Science degree with a public relations emphasis is now a marketing communications emphasis. Similarly, the former journalism emphasis is now a multimedia journalism emphasis.

Senior and former PR major James Shim, who switched to the marketing communications emphasis, likes “the fact that they have this option available, because marketing and PR are so closely knit. Rather than solely focusing on PR skills, this allows me to be more versatile and be better prepared to work in both PR and marketing.”

As PUC’s academic offerings continue to grow, students can count on being offered courses specifically suited to their interests and professional goals.

For further information, visit: http://www.puc.edu/academics/degrees-programs

Academic Majors Update

Athletic 11-year-old Receives a “Fat Letter” from SchoolMiddle-school student’s BMI reading states she is “at risk” for obesity.

Departments add programs and upgrade existing degrees. Scan Me.

By Ari Duran

Active 11-year-old volleyball student athlete Lily Grasso’s lifestyle consists of healthy eating and sports. A Naples, Fla., resident, Grasso was shocked when the Florida health officials sent home a letter stating that her body mass index (BMI) is too high and that she is “at risk” for being obese for the rest of her life. Grasso told ABC News that “this whole thing is stupid. It can hurt people. It can break their courage.” Lily is athletically built, stands at 5’3” and weighs 124 pounds with a BMI reading of 22.

In an interview with ABC News, Lily’s mom Kristen Grasso said, “To give a letter telling them the rest of their life they may be overweight or they may be obese because of a measurement you took one day, it’s just not fair.”

According to the National Association of State Boards of Education, there are 19 states that require schools by law to include a BMI percentile in their schools annual health programs. Some states even require the BMI ratings be tested from grades Pre-K to 12th grade.

Claire Mysko of the National Eating Disorders Association said, “I would like to see BMI testing in school banned. For those who are already insecure about their weight, these tests can potentially trigger an eating disorder.”

According to Duke University, girls ages 6 to 12 are already worried about their weight and more than 40 percent of middle school-aged girls between 9 and 10 have been on a diet.

Florida officials from Collier County Health Department refused to speak on camera about Grasso’s report. Instead, they gave a statement about BMI screenings saying that they “provide valuable information to parents and help ensure that Florida’s students are healthy and ready to learn.”

Grasso told ABC News that she learned an important lesson from her BMI reading: “Be confident in everything that I do and never give up.”Not only are middle school students self-conscious about their weight or BMI testing, but so are college students. In physical fitness class, Professor Mike Hellie has his students stand on a scale to measure their height, weight and BMI ranking. Professor Elaine Neudeck also has her students in health education

stand on a scale in front of the classroom to receive a receipt that has their height, weight and BMI printed on it for the students benefit.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, BMI indicates a person’s body fat by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. BMI is split into four categories: underweight, normal, overweight and obese. Grasso’s

THURSDAY 24 OCTOBER 2013

This BMI Char t demonstrates the four categories children are placed in

2 C ampus Chronicle no. 2

NEWS & FEATURES

Revisiting Syria’s Ongoing Conflict: Why So Syria-ous?

By David O’Hair

The media coverage shift from the Syrian conflict has diverted focus from an ongoing situation.

When news broke on Aug. 21 that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons on its own citizens, international debate and horror ensued. In a matter of moments, the world’s media spotlight focused on the ongoing Syrian civil war that involved the forces of President Bashar al-Assad’s rebel group looking to oust the established government. Soon after, questions arose: Which side fired the weapons? How many people fell victim to the attack? Were chemical weapons even fired? After an extensive investigation, the United Nations could finally provide the world with a few answers. The UN had determined that President Assad and his forces were most likely behind the attack. They estimated that just over 1,300 people had died due to the attacks and chemical weapons were indeed verified on scene. The facts of the incident exposed the world to the tragedies of Assad’s attack. However, the backstory on Syria’s civil war was not adequately covered and left many in a state of confusion on what prompted this attack.

Syria has a history of political turmoil, but the nation maintained relative peace from 2000-2010. In early 2011, a small group of anti-government rallies emerged in various parts of Syria, which marked an end to the 10-year peace. These rallies soon turned into protests, gaining mass support from the citizens. The government, led by President Assad, decided to use force against these protests. Guns, crowd control and tanks were brought in to stop the protests and deter future action. By doing so, the government had created a stronger anti-government sentiment throughout Syria, and the protest began to organize even further. The rebels developed political and military branches to create an organized uprising against the established government.

In the proceeding months, the government began losing central stability to the vast majority favoring the anti-government cause. Countries worldwide began

to notice the shift in power. In December 2012, the United States, Turkey, France and Great Britain all recognized that the rebels now represented the sole majority power in Syria, and the government was beyond repair. With these thoughts in the global sphere, the government resorted to drastic measures to subdue the rebels and gain centralized power again. That is what led to the chemical weapon attacks in late August 2013.

Since the attack, a deal has been made that will hopefully discontinue the threat of chemical weapons in Syria. The plan will demand that a list be made containing all of these weapons. By the middle of 2014, all chemical weapon material must be destroyed and further production stopped. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is conducting the clean up. OPCW’s work was recognized on Friday, Oct. 11, when it was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to rid Syria of chemical weapons. The civil war still wages on in Syria and the United Nations expects two million more refugees by 2014.

The news sources used to obtain information in regard to Syria’s civil war were BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera America and, surprisingly, Twitter. When choosing news outlets an important factor to address is whether there is a political bias present or hidden. These are the news sources I found to be centralized in their reporting and to reveal the truth behind each story. For coverage of Syrian activity, these are the sources that were focused on the issues and presented facts to fuel my story.

BBC (bbc.com/news): BBC has non-biased coverage of issues spanning the entire globe. They show the facts and the people behind the issues. Being a worldwide news station, BBC distills the amount information into a readable article without bombarding the reader with opinion. BBC has extensive coverage pertaining to Syria’s civil war and subsequent actions.

CNN (cnn.com/us): For news covering specifically the United States, CNN is a reliable source. CNN

succeeds in covering several major stories simultaneously without conveying a political agenda is a task. CNN covered the aftermath of the chemical attacks pertaining to how the United States was going to react with an over compassing professionalism.

Al Jazeera America (america.aljazeera.com): This controversial Middle Eastern-based news outlet opened its American branch and was faced with mixed emotions from Americans. However, they report the facts and they do not show a bias towards

any country of group of people. They often report stories overlooked by other major news outlets and expose readers to a broader spectrum of events.

Twitter (twitter.com): Twitter is not a news outlet, but a fantastic way to get exposed to the latest-breaking news in a timely manner. By following major news outlets, Twitter users can keep up to date on the breaking stories, follow-ups,and “off the beaten path” stories. I follow these major accounts for expedited information: @BBCBreaking, @BBCWorld, @nytimes, @HuffingtonPost, @andersoncooper, @CNNbrk (Breaking News).

A backstory obscured by societal misconception.

The chemical weapons attack occurred in Syria’s capital city of Damascus.

By Jayson Paw

On Oct. 1, the U.S. government closed its doors due to the fact that Congress couldn’t come to an agreement concerning the upcoming fiscal year. According to the Washington Post, 800,000 federal employees were indefinitely furloughed without pay, another 1.3 million were required to work without pay, and many services were suspended due to this shutdown. Though the shutdown ended Oct.17, one might not know how it affects the ordinary citizens.

A Troubled Trip – At Home and AbroadAll of the 368 National Park Service sites were closed, turning away millions

of people who wished to see a moose or wander between the redwood trees. Furthermore, people whowere applying for passports will not get their blue books on time because that sector of the government was closed.

No Work IndefinitelyDue to the government closing its doors, there were a number of employees that

were ordered not to go to work. However, they will get cash compensation now that the shutdown has ended.

In Rain, Sleet, and SnowThough their employees are technically federalfederal workers, the post office

was still active since their funding comes from the Treasury. Thus, mail was delivered as usual.

Justice Will Never RestJudges were paid, but a majority of judicial workers stoped getting paid and only

“essential” cases were taken due to the government shutdown.And They Fight and They FightDuring a typical shutdown, military employees usually don’t receive a paycheck

immediately. That money would either come from the government after the shutdown ends from Congress if the shutdown extended for a longer period of time. However, Obama signed a last-minute bill that ensured that military employees would receive their pay, even during thee shutdown.

These are just a few of the major effects the shutdown had on daily activities in America. Though this catastrophe may be over, at least until they have to re-vote in January, it is still important to learn the issues this caused on the daily humdrum of life to better adapt the next time a shutdown may occur.

We’re Closed!A small list of the effects of the government shutdown.

vol. L X X X I X 3T HURSDAY, 10 OC TOBER 2013

NEWS & FEATURES

Federal Reserve Spends $120 Million to Lose $110 Billion

#ThrowbackThursday

Printing errors delay the process of improving security on the new $100 bill.

Here are some flashback features from the year 1975.

PUC Attendance Policy Archaic and Ineffective

In the midst of PUC’s reasonable academic policies, the class attendance requirement stands out like a sore thumb.

Our school is progressive in many ways. The worship system is quite reasonable, as are the dorm policies. Even the dress code is acceptable to most students.

Most of the policies set here on campus show that the students are recognized as mature, responsible adults capable of making their own decisions. And, in general, student conduct has lived up to those expectations.

Unfortunately, among these progressive policies is one archaic requirement. The College Bulletin on page 56 reads as follows: “Prompt and regular attendance at all classes is required. Three tardinesses are the equivalent of an absence….Class skips are not permitted….If the total number of absences is double or greater than the number of class appointments per week in the course, credit may, by the discretion of the instructor, be

forfeited and a grade of NC be recorded.”We realize that the requirement was intended to

benefit us. But we believe that instead of benefiting students, this policy has encouraged laziness in some teachers. Why should a teacher endeavor to make a class interesting when he can force students to attend class?

Many teachers who present interesting material in class are not enforcing this attendance policy. They feel no need to.

Our observation is that this policy is ineffective. If a teacher presents interesting material, students will want to listen. If the only motivation for attending class is to be counted present, the student probably won’t listen anyway.

Some teachers have attempted unfortunate solutions to this problem. One teacher announced that if a student is not listening in class or is reading extraneous material, he will be counted absent.

In a one-hour religion class, the printed course outline states: “Due to the limited number of meetings of the class, any unexcused absence during the quarter will result in a one letter grade reduction in the final computation of grades for the quarter.

The College Bulletin states on page 56 that “a teacher has the right to discount a student’s grade due to excessive absences.” Is one absence excessive?

We wondered how other colleges and universities handle the situation, so we checked out about 15 different college bulletins. Most had no policy whatsoever. And these were academically respected institutions such as UCLA, Pepperdine, Harvard, and numerous other colleges and universities. They seem to be able to produce high-quality students without a legalistic attendance policy.

One of the colleges that did have a policy was University of the Pacific. It reads: “Students are expected to attend classes regularly, but proficiency rather than attendance is the criterion for judging a student’s performance. Exceptions to this principle may be made in seminars, physical activity courses, and others where regular attendance is essential in order for any judgment to be made.” [emphasis ours]

We suggest that PUC adopt a policy of this nature. Talk to your senator, your teacher or a member of the administration. It is time to recognize that required class attendance does not benefit the students. Students should attend classes because the instructor presents valuable

Vandals Take Candy

The candy vending machine, located by the snack and game room below the Dining Commons, was vandalized Monday afternoon.

According to John Newsom, food service supervisor, repeated kicking caused the damage

which occurred during the lunch hour. The front panel of the machine received substantial damage consisting of shattered glass and bent and broken metal. The cost of the damage was estimated at $100-120. No money was taken but 80 cents worth of candy was missing.

Although the machine was insured, Newsom

says the machine will probably be permanently removed. “This is not the first time this has happened. We are tired of messing with it. We’ll probably take it out and sell it.”

There are two suspects in the case, but investigation is continuing.

By Ari Duran

The Federal Government released the new $100 dollar bills Oct. 8 with a bold, new look and a 3-D image. But a printing error caused the government to lose money instead of make money.

ABC News Financial Expert David Curley said, “All of this high-tech anti-counterfeiting came at a high price. More than a billion — yes, a billion — are in storage, rejected by the Federal Reserve because there were creases on the front and back and too much ink used on another 300,000 bills.”

Curley went on to quote a government investigator who said, “The Bureau of Printing and Engraving didn’t do enough testing of printing presses and question project management.”

Using the bureau’s estimates of the cost to inspect, reproduce and destroy bad bills, it could cost as much as $50 million or more. Taxpayers already spent $120 million to help print the bills that now sit in storage vaults in Texas and Washington, D.C.

CNBC Washington Reporter Eamon Javers said, “The total face value of the unusable bills, $100 billion, represents more than 10 percent of the entire supply of the U.S. currency on the planet, which a government source said is $930 billion in banknotes. For now, the unusable bills are stored in the vaults in ‘cash packs’ of four bundles of 4,000 each, with each pack containing 16,000 bills.”

According to CNBC, some officials estimated that sorting such a large quantity of bills by hand could take between two to three decades.

Darlene Anderson of the Treasury Department said, “A very high proportion of the notes will be fit for circulation and we are working really hard to try to get a solution to the problem.”

The new $100 bill’s security features took the government over a decade to research and develop. Javers said, “The new $100 note is the latest denomination of U.S. currency to be redesigned with special anti-counterfeiting features.”

There are 14 new additional features to the $100 bill, such as the 3-D hologram blue ribbon, the bell in the inkwell and the portrait watermark.

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “Waste nothing.”

The redesigned $100 bill has 14 new security features that will help fur ther protect the new Benjamin’s from being counterfeited.

4 C ampus Chronicle no. 2

SPORTS

By David O’Hair

On Oct. 12 over 2,100 people competed in the 35th running of the Ironman World Championship triathlon in Kona, Hawaii.

The evolution of this race has evolved swiftly coming from humble beginnings. The first competition, which took place in 1978, only contained 15 competitors, all of which were male. The world famous race that is often called the toughest endurance event is comprised of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and finishing it off with a 26.2-mile run. The original winner completed the competition in 11:46:40. If the enormous distances were not enough of a challenge, the weather adds another factor. In the past years the highest recorded temperature on the run course was 109 degrees, and the winds on the bike course are known to gust up to 45 mph. The weather and the distance combined form one of the most difficult environments.

On average there are 96 competitors who drop out of the race and get the feared label of DNF (did not finish). The athletes have 17 hours or until midnight to complete the race, or their finish does not officially count. Now that the Ironman is in its 35th year, there is a highly competitive qualifying system, with 34 Ironman distance races around the globe annually and over 68,000 people trying to claim those coveted 2,100 World Championship spots. A triathlete who wins his/her age group in one of the other 34 Ironman races is eligible to compete in the World Championship.

The day started at “Dig Me” Beach, and the swimmers head into the ocean for 1.2 miles and then turn around for the return trip. The swim is often the most feared

part of the race, as triathletes race in the open ocean with 2,100 other people, not to mention the media boats. The professional men’s race heated up with American Brandon Marsh finishing the swim first with a time of 50:51 — a group of six other men on his heels.

Once on the bike, the athletes face 112 miles in the middle of the Hawa i ia n lava fields. The wind, heat and isolation slowly break the athletes down. It was American Andrew Starykowics and Australian Luke McKenzie who shared the lead on the bike, averaging a blistering 26 mph for the entire ride. The duo of Starykowics and McKenzie came off the bike together and started the final marathon race to finish line. Behind the pair, a small group of other contenders finished the bike section about three minutes behind and started to chase the two leaders.

The final marathon takes place in the town of Kona and out in the same lava fields of the bike. The run can be summed up with the words hot, lonely, emotional

and doubt-filled. Within the first mile of the run, McKenzie ran past Starykowics with his quick six-minute mile pace. McKenzie would continue to hold his lead all the way until mile 16 of the marathon where the Belgian Frederik Van Lierde ran past McKenzie and held the lead for the remainder of the marathon. Van Lierde clocked a time of 8:12:29 to claim his first World Championship title. Mckenzie would hold on to second place with a time of 8:15:19, and German Sebastian Kienle would claim the final podium spot with a time of 8:19:24.

The professional women’s race started with American Haley Chura leading the women out of the water in a time of 53:55 with a small pack of women close behind, but the big surprise came when several of the favorites for the race, including 2010 World Champion Mirinda Carfrae, were four minutes behind the leader.

Once on the bike, it was a lead group of five women including the defending champion Leanda Cave from Great Britain who kept the pace high and led all the way to the finish of the bike. The group that was behind in the swim finished the bike a full eight minutes down from the leaders and had their work cut out for them to try to reach the front of the race.

Starting the run was Great Britain’s Rachel Joyce who held the lead until mile 15 where Mirinda Carfrae used her running specialty to make up the eight-minute time gap and capture the lead. Carfrae would hold the lead all the way to the finish and claim her second World Championship title with a new course record time of 8:52:14, breaking her own marathon record from her 2010 race with an outstanding 2:50:38 marathon. Joyce held on for second place with 8:57:28 and Great Britain’s Liz Blatchford claimed third place in 9:03:35.

By Austin Ngaruiya

The end of October marks the beginning of basketball. The NBA season kicks off with a doubleheader featuring four of the league’s premiere teams on Oct 29. Coming off a season in which the league’s popularity was at its highest point, there looks to be much promise and the level of talent is at an all-time high.

Western ConferenceThe Western Conference features a gauntlet of

menacing teams: Spurs, Thunder, Rockets, Grizzlies, Warriors and Clippers. The Spurs are the reigning Western Conference champions, but did little in the offseason to improve their team. Their growth as a team will likely depend on the individual growth of fourth-year small forward, Kawhi Leonard.

The Thunder look to be a bit vulnerable this season after losing their third leading scorer, Kevin Martin, in free agency. Also, they will be without their dynamic point guard, Russell Westbrook, for the first six weeks of the season due to a knee injury. However, the Thunder still have Kevin Durant, who puts the ball in the basket better than any human on earth, so there’s always a chance.

For the second consecutive offseason, the Rockets made a colossal acquisition by signing former Lakers center, Dwight Howard. The Rockets acquired James

Harden via trade from the Thunder last season. Harden and Howard are two of the top 10 players in the entire league and will certainly be a force to deal with come playoff time.

The Warriors also made a flashy acquisition this offseason by signing shooting guard Andre Igoudala. The signing gives the Warriors a stronger defensive presence on the perimeter and a mentor to their young wing players Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes. However, the success of the Warriors relies on the health of their superstar point guard Steph Curry and their defensive anchor Andrew Bogut. Both have had a history of nagging issues, but when healthy make the Warriors one of the tougher teams in the league.

The Clippers — formerly known as the stepchild of Los Angeles basketball — made a few subtle moves this offseason, raising them to the level of a serious title contender. They replaced their much-maligned coach, Vinnie Del Negro, with former Celtics coach Doc Rivers. Rivers won an NBA championship with the Celtics in 2008 and is one of the more respected coaches in the NBA.

Eastern ConferenceAll roads to the Eastern Conference championship

go through two-time defending champions, the Miami Heat. The Heat did not make much noise in the offseason, but such is the case when your team employs

the best player on planet earth: LeBron James. The key to the Heat’s hopes for a three-peat is the health of Dwayne Wade. Over the last three years when Wade has been healthy, the Heat have been unbeatable. However, Wade has dealt with recurring knee issues that have limited him in each of the Heat’s last two playoff runs.

Miami’s toughest competition will come from the Pacers, Bulls, Nets and possibly the Knicks. The Pacers’ gargantuan frontcourt gave the Heat problems and pushed them to game seven in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls will welcome back their superstar point guard, Derrick Rose, after he missed all of last season with a knee injury. Rose’s return will make the defensive-minded Bulls a legitimate threat to the title. In Brooklyn, the Nets have been making headlines this offseason because of their blockbuster trade with the Celtics. Through the trade, the Nets acquired former all-stars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Although both Pierce and Garnett are in the later stages of their career, they still have enough ability to make the Nets a formidable opponent to the Heat.

The overwhelming amounts of talent across the league have made this one of the most highly anticipated seasons in several years. 82 games of dunks, buzzer-beaters, and crazy upsets are right around the corner. Let the games begin.

Hawaii Hosts Ironman World Championships

2013-2014 NBA Preview

The 35th annual Ironman triathlon tests the will of 2,100 participants.

Welcome to the upcoming NBA season.

One of the many athletes thrilled to complete the Ironman and represent what matters most to them.

vol. L X X X I X 5T HURSDAY, 10 OC TOBER 2013

SPORTS

Highlighting PUC Pioneer Soccer Seniors

Most Valuable Lesson Learned: “Every player on the team, no matter how skilled, had something to offer the team. You’re relationship with your teammates is different from any other because of the situations that you go through together.”Most Memorable Moment: “Strangely, the most memorable moment was when we ran up and down the mountain during summer training. I was impressed with how hard my teammates pushed themselves to make it up and down the hill without any complaints or signs of doubt that they’d make it back to the top. I saw dedication and motivation in my teammates to better themselves for the team and the sport.”

Most Memorable Moment: “Probably me scoring against Simpson University last game of my Junior year in the middle of a storm. It was pouring down hard and I had a lucky shot about 30 yds. out that hit the crossbar and went in.”What Will You Miss: “So Cal trips have always been the best part of the season. You are able to bond so much with each other in only a few days. You’re basically forced to coexist with each other for almost a week straight so you learn to make the best of it and appreciate little things.””

Most Memorable Moment: “Beating Cal-State Maritime in the rain freshman year and the game ending in a fight.”Advice To Your Teammates: “Read the NAIA Eligibility handbook thoroughly.”Craziest Story: “Coming back late at night from an away game, we hit a deer coming up the mountain. One of my teammates put the deer in the back of the van, took it back to the dorm and then cooked it.”

Most Memorable Moment: “The craziest story has to be the time that a deer decided to just walk in front of our moving van. Lets just say that’s one thing PUC Men’s soccer team did not lose in. PUC 1 Deer 0.”What Will You Miss: “Seeing the look on the new players face when they find out we are running the Cooper test (conditioning test). Also just playing, training and being able to hang out with all teammates.”

Most Valuable Lesson Learned: “You’ll miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, on and off the field.” Advice For Your Teammates: “Train hard, never give up, it goes by faster than you can imagine. “

Most Valuable Lesson Learned: “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough!”Most Memorable Moment: “Eating a deer with Nebs on the way up from Simpson.”Advice For You Teammates: “Shoot the ball.”

Name: Keoni Real, DefenderMajor: Nursing

Name: Austin Ngaruiya, For wardMajor: Comm /Pre -Law

Name: Julio Garcia, DefenderMajor: Social Work

Name: Matthew Kimble, MidfielderMajor: Chemistr y/Pre -Med

Name: David Ramos, DefenderMajor: Social Work /Spanish

Name: Mina Michael, MidfielderMajor: Business Admin /Management

6 C ampus Chronicle no. 2

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Friend Zone

Putin Almost Nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize

By Carlo Péan

You know what? I am sick and tired of men complaining about being stuck in the “friend zone.” I take that back. Men don’t complain — boys do. Look, I get it. Unrequited love is the pits. There are enough poems, plays, songs and stories to prove that. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m looking at you people who open doors and then lament that your obvious hints go unnoticed. I just don’t understand. Do you want to be noticed by someone that you fancy? Here’s an idea: speak up! Yes, that does run the risk of rejection, but think of the odds in your favor. For every person that you eventually end up with, you can safely bet that 10 people rejected you to get there, so go ahead and get those out of the way. Look at me. I’ve been rejected 15 times, and I’ve only dated one person on all of God’s green earth. But for those of you who just can’t get out of the big FZ, here’s some advice.

Whatever you do, don’t whine. There is nothing less attractive than a man on both knees, snot bubbles boiling, desperately begging for a date. Take me for example: It was only after seven of these disgraceful outbursts that I realized that they was getting me

nowhere. Now I give several rounds of what I like to call “despair-weeps” in the privacy of my room before asking a girl out.

While I’m on the subject, don’t expect free handouts. Here’s what I mean: I feel that nowadays meritocracy is celebrated. In the past, a knight would have to vanquish the enemy and raze a village just to get a kiss from the lady of the town. If you don’t believe me, read I Samuel 18:25-27. These days, people want a standing ovation for noticing a haircut. Two weeks later. The world doesn’t owe you anything, especially if you didn’t give it your all. If you want to get someone’s attention, put your back into it, use your imagination and break a buck. Let a girl know that she’s different than the rest.

Finally, and I couldn’t be more honest with you, stop trash talking people who don’t want to date you. Just because someone doesn’t like you back does not give you the right to hate or speak evil of them. Spare your friends the earache. They have your back when you’re “despair-weeping” miserably and shaming your family. If you want to be with someone, then you should love pursuing him or her. If you don’t, then why do you want to be together so badly?

So have a little respect for yourself. Find that one thing that you think you’re good at, practice it and actually become good. Break that talent out and impress people. Be humble but honest. Either wash the shirt with the stain or throw it away. Genuinely care about other people and voilà! You’re out of the friend zone. It’s as simple as that.

I thought I was done, but I’ve got to ask you one more question PUC. Is being a friend that bad? I’m not talking about hanging out with someone who is taking advantage of you. Don’t worry, that article is coming for you, ladies. But as for true friendship, one of Aristotle’s virtues, it is something that is desperately lacking from society. True friendship is a magical, pulsating energy that people can mistake for another more romantic love, especially if you are attracted to your friend. Friends stay around longer than most college crushes, and the best college crushes are born out of friendship. You have to be in it for the sake of a friendship, not a fling, if it will ever work. Complaining never solved anything. Either work to get to a more romantic place, or open your eyes to a great friendship that would only be messed up if it went further. Whatever you do, keep the “despair-weeping “short.

By Bonnie Thew

You may have heard of him: Vladimir Putin. He’s the evil dictator you can’t really hate. Ok,

ok, president, prime minister, I just get so confused. It goes back and forth every couple of years. He’s known for his quirky antics and his crazy “adventure vacations.” The Internet was flooded with photos following his 2009 vacation to southern Siberia where he poses shirtless astride horses and winked coquettishly at cameras.

Putin has a black belt in judo and participates in competitions and demonstrations. He’s been accused

of stealing John Kraft’s Super Bowl ring during a visit to the White House. He justified his stance on gay rights by saying that even though Tchaikovsky “might” have been gay, the composer is still well loved throughout Russia.

Putin’s been in politics since 1996 and worked for the KGB before that. However, it’s his latest exploits that seem to be the most fascinating – it’s been a busy year for him. Edward Snowden squatted in the Moscow airport for a few months before being granted asylum in Russia this August. Russia hosted the G-20 Summit in September.

There’s also the Syria debacle. After chastising the

United States in a deliciously sarcastic letter in the New York Times, Putin negotiated for Syria to turn over the chemical weapons. For his assistance in helping prevent a U.S. military intervention, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The award went to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, but it was certainly a nod of respect or at least to Putin. It’s probably for the best that they gave it to that organization, given Putin’s history of chemical weapons in Chechnya during the 90s.

Whether you love him or hate him, he certainly is entertaining. I’m pretty excited about the Winter Olympics in Moscow, aren’t you?

My honest opinion about the friend zone and those in it.

A profile of a unique political figure.

A Guide to General Education Courses, Part II

By Araya Moss

ChemistryIntro to ChemistryDr. Marie Pak is calm and gentle, but don’t let

her soft voice fool you. Her tests and quizzes can be challenging, but she is always available for her students.

General ChemistryDr. Robert Wilson has textbook-based lectures and

moves through material quickly. He is also willing to help students understand material better during his office hours.

EnglishGeorgina Hill likes class discussion, so come prepared

to talk about what you have read. Her tests are relatively straightforward as long as you have been keeping up

with the reading. Linda Gill has an eccentric and upbeat teaching

style and there is never a dull moment. She has that same energy even when sick.

Sara Kakazu is very knowledgeable. She pushes you for questions and high participation. She is very discussion based, so come prepared to talk in class. She encourages her students to think critically.

Maria Rankin-Brown is interested in participation via class discussion. Keep up with her readings and be sure to add a lot of examples and detail when writing essays.

Heather Reid’s classes are lecture based with a lot of note taking and not much class discussion. She encourages her students to think analytically and critically. Expect daily quizzes.

Cynthia Westerbeck uses a bit of everything: class

discussion, regular reading assignments, quizzes, essays and group presentations. She even offers hiking opportunities to engage Great Books students in literature and the environment.

Exercise ScienceStudents are required to take four exercise science

classes with one aerobic class. Since there are endless options, I’m not going to detail which exercise classes you should take. I advise you to choose exercise classes that you are interested in. If you want to take classes that test you by simply playing the game, take classes from Chuck Evans. If you are interested in playing the game and also applying the knowledge you have accumulated in a written test, take classes from either Robert Paulson or Elaine Neudeck. (Continued on next page)

A compilation of student perspectives on different teaching styles

vol. L X X X I X 7T HURSDAY, 10 OC TOBER 2013

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

TV Show Review: Coulson Lives!

Concert Preview: The Flaming Lips

By Jayson Paw

On Sept. 24, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. — a television show that deals with the Marvel Cinematic Universe that produced blockbusters like Iron Man and The Avengers — premiered around the world after overwhelming approval from the attendees of the annual San Diego Comic-Con.

Helmed by Joss Whedon of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, the pilot of the show was viewed by 12 million people in the United States, making it ABC’s biggest network drama debut in four years and tying for the highest-rated program of the night with NBC’s The Voice. It is furthermore the number one series of the 2013-14 season among adults 18-49, according to TV by the Numbers. As of the time this article was composed, the third episode had aired and the series overall has been ordered for a full first season.

The plot thus far is quite straightforward, though that is because the show is just starting. Back from the dead after being stabbed in the heart, Agent Phillip Coulson is working with S.H.I.E.L.D. to create a handpicked team of individuals to go around the world securing or terminating anything from the Marvel universe that endangers the world, ranging from alien technology to super-powered humans. The team includes Melinda May, an ace pilot and weapons expert who was reassigned to desk work for an unknown reason, Grant Ward, a lone wolf agent who specializes in black ops; Skye, a computer hacker and member of the information activist group Rising Tide and Fitz-Simmons, the duo of weapons technology specialist Leo Fitz and life sciences specialist Jemma Simmons. According to Whedon, the show “[will] be its own thing… they’re not superheroes, but they live in that universe. Even though they’re a big organization, that [lack of powers] makes them underdogs, and that’s interesting to me.”

There are many good things that can be found within the series. Beside all the Marvel fan-service that is provided within the show, such as off-hand remarks about the movies or objects that directly reference the comics, the action is well-executed and the dialogue is witty — two trademarks that are expected from a Whedon-made series. Furthermore, the settings used in the show are quite varied, whether it be a lush jungle in Peru or a sandy beach in Malta.

Though the show has lots of good things within it, there are two glaring issues about the show itself. One problem of the series comes in the form of the characters. While Coulson is likeable and comfortable due to the fact that he has had since the first Iron Man film to get used to his character, the other members of the team come off as distant. Melinda May is quite cold, though she’s probably supposed to because she’s meant to portray the hardcore female character of the show. Grant Ward seems to be having difficulty deciding whether his character is supposed to be aloof but kind, or just aloof, thus making him seem to act as two different

people in the same episode. Skye comes off as a prissy teenager that intends to paint S.H.I.E.L.D. as the big, evil organization who silences people without a thought. Then, Leon Fitz and Jemma Simmons are practically two walking stereotypes: the geeky, “adorkable” young scientists that always spout technobabble. These aspects have to be improved immensely or else nobody will feel invested in their protagonists on-screen.

The other main problem concerning this series is the plotlines so far. Though I will not spoil any part of any episode, I will say that the beginning to the show is a little slow. When you imagine the Marvel universe, you probably see superheroes shooting lasers, throwing cars and kicking the face out of faceless soldiers or aliens. With this in mind, the fantasy/sci-fi element of the show doesn’t really kick into high gear until about the third episode. This is especially important because not everybody watching the television show is familiar with the Marvel franchise. Adding the superpowers and magic combined with a spy edge might help win these viewers. What I wish for the series to do is to expand the Marvel universe and use this series as a way to introduce entities that didn’t make it in the movies, such as Wakanda or the Heroes For Hire (Google these if you don’t know what I am talking about).

Regardless of these criticisms, I am a very big supporter of the show and would recommend anybody who either loves comics or some good, black ops action give this show a try since it’s still near its beginning. You can view Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC during its regular broadcasting time on Tuesday or watch it on ABC.com.

By Bonnie Thew

How do you want to spend your Halloween this year? With a plethora of options out there for you to choose, I make a personal suggestion. Go to the Flaming Lips concert. This band is known for its unique, wild and awe-inspiring events. They’ve been around since 1983 and they know how to put on a good show. Their music is best described as

psychedelic rock but has elements of electronica, pop and pretty much everything else under the sun. Their latest album, a cover of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, reimagines the work, giving it a more modern but still organic feel.

If this band is completely foreign to you, check out their music video, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Part 1. It’s a good song and gives you a bit of a taste of how different and funky this band really is. Once you’ve watched the delightful Yoshimi beat up that evil pencil sharpener, check out some of their other stuff. They have a new EP coming out on Oct. 29 that’s inspired by the upcoming film, Ender’s Game.

So what can you expect at this concert? Knowing the Flaming Lips, it could be anything from the lead singer Martin Coyne crowd surfing in a plastic bubble to crazy light shows, confetti coming down on top of the audience or anything really. They do a little bit of everything. Since it’s on Halloween, find something fun to wear and head over to SF. They are playing at the Billy Graham Civic Center in San Francisco on Oct. 31. Don’t miss out and get your tickets soon!

(Continued from last page)Music RevisitedAsher Raboy adds a lot of life to his class. Similar to Rachelle Davis, he is enthusiastic and is fond of class demonstrations to make things more interesting.

Psychology Charlene Bainum uses PowerPoint lectures that are full of examples to make the textbook reading more manageable. She is fond of group work, clicker participation and presentations. Quizzes are based on lectures. Aubyn Fulton requires daily reading with textbook-based lectures He is enthusiastic,

enjoys class discussion, loves questions and uses clicker participation.

ReligionYoung-Chun Kim gives daily readings and will ask in-class questions through a group discussion format. He is very open to group-work and dialogue in class. Most of his classes require a presentation of sorts. Jean Sheldon’s lectures are based on high participation and group discussion. She helps you review for quizzes, midterms and the final with a study guide.Angel Hernandez combines PowerPoint lectures with group discussions. He often will go over tests and quizzes with students to answer any questions.

Confetti and balloons raining down on The Flaming Lips fans.

Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Legistics Division

8 C ampus Chronicle no. 2

The Backpage

Weather Forcast

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By Amanda Navarrete

With Halloween just around the corner, it’s time for a throwback to those embarrassing yet oh-so-wonderful costume pictures. While some of us grew up in more conservative homes that shunned the pagan holiday, others ventured off to knock on doors in their respective costumes for the sake of free candy. From superheroes to life-sized candy, here’s a look at some of PUC’s own from their younger days.

A Spooky Blast from the PastDressed to impress.

(Star ting lef t) Alex Dunbar, Conor Russell, and Rachel Dunbar made a great M&M and Zorro trio.

Andrew Anobile ears up, whiskers and all, as a bunny.

Hayde Arguelles (lef t) and a friend team up to save the world.

Even at a young age, Kaitlyn Knab (right) had her eye on the sweet prize.

By Kristy Guy

I like to know what’s going on in the world, but between school, work, sleep and having some semblance of a social life, making time for the news usually isn’t a priority. On top of that, the Internet is overflowing with extremely biased sources and sub-standard reporting, which makes finding news worth reading even more time consuming. These days, I’ve stayed in the loop and cut down on the information overload by reducing my news feed to a limited few sources:

Morning Read: The SkimmThe Skimm is a daily email that gathers the nation’s top stories, brings you up

to speed with a short summary of each one and provides additional context for complex issues. It’s all plain English, with bigger and more important stories at the top and region-specific and pop culture items at the bottom. It doesn’t lean to the left or right politically, and it’s broken up for easy skimming (hence, the name). Don’t mind the girly logo — the point of the newsletter is to give busy people an extended highlight reel of what’s going on in the country. The Skimm goes out every weekday, 6 a.m. EST.

Policies Explained: The Christian Science Monitor – DC DecoderThe Christian Science Monitor’s coverage of issues is pretty straightforward

and generally objective, although sometimes a little too lengthy for a quick read. If there’s a specific political issue I want to know more about, the DC Decoder page on their website is my first choice. It outlines the argument, explains the motivations of key parties involved and provides a better understanding of the whole situation.

Industry News: Wall Street Journal & ForbesIt’s important to be aware of what’s happening in your future field. For example,

if new software came out tomorrow that made all accountants completely irrelevant, I’d want to know about it before I graduate. For me, Forbes and the Wall Street Journal are my go-to sources. Forbes doesn’t require a subscription to read its online content and usually covers big stories and industry trends. WSJ does require a subscription, but goes more in depth in all areas of business. Plus, they offer students a serious subscription discount.

Comic Relief: The Daily Show with Jon StewartThere’s a reason the tagline is, “The most trusted name in fake news.” The Daily

Show is by no means a legitimate or unbiased news source. Host Jon Stewart is a political satirist, and the show’s content heavily favors left-wing politics. While I don’t rely on The Daily Show for actual news, it’s an entertaining way to get a glimpse of the country’s current events.

Where I Get My News