Issuu

Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019

Volume 153 No. 15 WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY

SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934

A&E

Opinion

Sushi Confidential is my type of happy hour

Should humanity strive for the stars?

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El Espartano Noticias Hispanos muestran aumento más alto en votación Page 8

Sorority Concussion displaced for night

Clarity

By Nathan Doyle STAFF WRITER

Following a fire from an unknown source early Wednesday morning, members of the Alpha Phi sorority house on 10th Street had to evacuate immediately. “I was inside the house and everyone said you need to evacuate so I evacuated,” Julia Nam, a business administration and management information systems junior, said. This is Nam’s second year living in the house and she said that the whole incident felt surreal. “It felt like a dream,” Nam said. All 51 sorority residents were instructed to leave and take shelter elsewhere for the time being. As of Wednesday afternoon, members of the sorority were not allowed inside the house while the investigation continues. “There’s nothing wrong with the structure, it’s just a matter of the city giving us the go,” Alpha Phi president Taylor Williams said. Nam found temporary residence for the night with friends who lived off campus while other house residents found places to stay elsewhere. Following the fire, sorority members said the San Jose State administration was quick to act and made sure that those living in the house found a shelter. Williams said what began as a scary night ended on a hopeful note for the house as a whole. “I was asleep and girls were running around the house saying there was a fire,” Williams said. After the house was evacuated, some sorority members said they felt a sense of relief that the home they lived in was still intact. University housing opened up the dorms to those who needed a place to stay. Williams said SJSU got involved to account for residents. “It was not a struggle, the school was super involved and very helpful,” Williams said. During the evacuation Patrick Day, vice president of Student Affairs, FIRE | Page 2

Multiple head injuries lead soccer star to refocus priorities

CHRISTIAN TRUJANO | SPARTAN DAILY

By Christian Trujano STAFF WRITER

Most parents take their newborn baby home after being discharged from the hospital, but kinesiology junior Karlee Pottorff ’s parents took her to a club soccer party instead. “I didn’t even go home first, I went straight to a soccer event,” she said. With Pottorff ’s parents, who both played Division I soccer in college, and her sister, who just graduated from UC Irvine also playing soccer, it wasn’t surprising when Pottorff took interest in the sport. Now in her third year on the San Jose State women’s soccer team,

Plant-based Meat •

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athletes to realize the same thing — they don’t have to always base their identity on their sport. “In that time of an injury, that’s when you find your true identity,” she said. Pottorff is now focused on what she said really matters: her health, faith and her education. “I don’t need soccer, I want soccer,” Pottorff said. “If [a concussion] does happen again and I can’t play soccer then it’s OK - I have to move on.” “When I had that first head injury I was like, ‘When can I get on the field as fast as possible?’ ” Pottorff said. RECOVERY | Page 4

Above and beyond meat

Impossible Foods burgers are made of heme, soy and potato protein

Students explore vegan burger options

Beyond Meat burgers are made of yellow pea protein isolate

Plant-based meats have drastically increased in popularity in 2019. San Jose State students voiced their interest in having more vegan-friendly options available on campus. Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, the companies behind the aptly named Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger, have seen their products work their way into national chains like Burger King, Carl’s Jr. and Del Taco. Each of the companies also have various meatless products on retail store shelves.

Per serving, both have: • •

Pottorff returns as one of this year’s captains and hopes to embrace the role and be there for her team on and off the field. “The first two games I played all 10 field positions,” she said. “It’s not about where I want to play, it’s about where the team needs me to play. ” On Aug. 30, 2018, Pottorff said she suffered her first concussion, but kept playing throughout September and early October, unaware of her injury. After her second concussion in October, she spent roughly two months off the field. It was then that she realized soccer was not her only identity. She said she wants other collegiate

under 300 calories about 20 grams protein 400 milligrams sodium

SOURCE: CNET, INFOGRAPHIC BY CINDY CUELLAR

By Brendan Cross STAFF WRITER

While there are currently no plant-based meat menu items available on campus, Spartan Eats director of marketing and communications Stephanie Fabian said they are exploring some options. “Providing vegetarian and vegan options at San Jose State University continues to stay a top priority,” Fabian said. “Currently, Spartan Eats is researching plant-based meat alternatives that can fit the needs of our campus within our retail brands based on availability and sourcing.” One of the stumbling blocks is that chains such as Steak ‘n Shake, Panda Express and Taco Bell, which are available in the Student Union, would have to introduce

plant-based meats onto their menus on a corporate level in order for it to eventually find its way onto campus, Fabian said. Marketing junior Rosella San Gabriel said she eats meat but also enjoys meatless options. “I generally prefer the Impossible Burger because it tastes so much better,” San Gabriel said. “I would love to have it on campus, or more plant-based options on campus in general.” Software engineering sophomore Eva Nicova said she was displeased with the lack of vegan menu items at the campus eateries. VEGAN | Page 2

NEWS

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THURSDAY, SEPT. 26, 2019

SJ City Council narrowly extends fees By Melissa Maria Martinez STAFF WRITER

The San Jose City Council voted to extend fee reductions for seven private housing development projects in a 6-5 vote Tuesday. The fee reductions and tax exemptions are part of the Downtown High Rise Development Program, which is estimated to save the nine eligible local developers $67 million over time. Developers building market-price housing in downtown San Jose are charged these fees, which support building affordable housing. San Jose mayor Sam Liccardo said the fees were preventing developers from finding financing needed to build. “We face a straightforward choice: either reduce fees and get housing built, or we sit on our hands and hope for some miracle to solve this housing crisis for us,” Liccardo said in a news release. The ordinance passed narrowly – 6 members, including Liccardo, voted for the extension of the Downtown High Rise Development Program and 5

FIRE Continued from page 1 came over and helped those living in the house to find a place to stay, she said. One of the biggest sources of comfort for Williams was the outpouring of help and comfort from people who were not prompted by the SJSU administration. “All of the other [ f r ate r n it i e s ] and

VEGAN Continued from page 1 “I gave up completely on even buying meal plans or dining dollars because SJSU is not particularly vegan friendly,” Nicova said. “I would love to see more vegan options on campus.” Despite the general thinking that plant-based meats are healthier than actual meat, it’s untrue. “They are designed to mimic the appearance, flavor and texture of meat and therefore offer very similar nutrient profiles in terms of calories, protein and even saturated fat,” Jamie Kubota, assistant professor in the Nutrition, Food Science and Packaging department said. Spartan Eats wellness director and registered dietitian Jacqueline ErnstSmith said that she also doesn’t see any actual health benefits of choosing plantbased meats over regular meat. “It is important to take a look at the ingredients of

MELISSA MARIA MARTINEZ | SPARTAN DAILY

Council member Dev Davis gives a proclamation to recognize obesity awareness month during the ceremonials Tuesday.

council members voted no. Under the fee reduction model, San Jose has produced less than 5% of its affordable housing goal, Louise Auerhahn, director of economic and workforce policy at Working Partners said. Of the construction workers currently building these units in San Jose and Santa Clara County, 42% earn enough to qualify for affordable housing. A few council members argued that the developers

with these employment practices shouldn’t receive the tax breaks because they are already exempted because of a recently-adopted workplace standards ordinance. “It’s not working,” Auerhahn said at the meeting during public comment. “This model the city council is extending has failed on producing affordable housing, failed to [produce] good local jobs, and failed on producing a skilled local labor force.” During public comment, council members also

sororities were super helpful and reached out to everyone,” she said. Katy Brecher, the Alpha Phi vice president of Risk Reduction, said the university was quick and effective in handling the situation, recalling how Day reached out to housing right after it happened. Brecher said University Housing found extra space for displaced residents in the dorms immediately after they were checked in by the sorority.

Hous e residents were moved into spaces normally reserved for emergencies, Brecher said. “The school just wants to make sure that everyone is safe, which we appreciate,” Williams said.

plant-based meat alternatives,” Ernst-Smith said. “For certain brands, you will see highly processed and engineered ingredients with added soy protein, potato protein and a variety of emulsifying agents.”

find things like maltodextrin, methyl cellulose, yeast extract and a plethora of other things that most of us can’t even recognize.” Other than it being vegan, one of the main appeals to plant-based meats is it’s better for the environment, according to a 2018 report conducted by the University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems. The center compared the production of a 4-ounce Beyond Meat burger against a beef burger. The Beyond Burger created about 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions and used about half as much energy required to make a beef burger, according to the report. Kubota said that she hopes the campus can introduce plant-based meats at an affordable price whenever possible. “Now that Impossible Foods is hitting the fast food market, they likely will be able to do that soon,” Kubota said.

The problem is that the plantbased movement is capitalizing on emotion rather than sound science. Jules Damey-Fernandez kinesiology graduate student

Not all students are on board with plant-based meats. “The problem is that the plant-based movement is capitalizing on emotion rather than sound science,” kinesiology graduate student Jules Damey-Fernandez said. “In something like an Impossible Burger, you would

Follow Nathan on Instagram @nathan.doyle.doc

EDITORIAL STAFF

The Spartan Daily prides itself on being the San Jose State community’s top news source. New issues are published every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday throughout the academic year and online content updated daily.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR KUNAL MEHTA

Reader feedback may be submitted as letters to the editor or online comments.

MANAGING EDITOR VICTORIA FRANCO

Correction On Wednesday, Sept. 25, the Spartan Daily published a story titled, “British athlete brings his skills to SJSU,” in which the quote “There are 24 hours in a day. You’ve just got to make the most of what you have got,” should have been attributed to Max Allen. The Spartan Daily regrets this error.

Crime Blotter Petty Theft less than $950 misdemeanor Sept. 23, 8:17 p.m. at Spartan Recreation Information only Possess unlawful paraphernalia Sept. 23, 11:05 p.m. at Campus Village B Cited (Adult) Appropr Lost Prop -$950 Sept. 23, 2:13 p.m. at Student Services Center Information Only

SENIOR STAFF WRITERS ROMAN CONTRERAS KELSEY VALLE

NEWS EDITORS MAURICIO LA PLANTE CHELSEA NGUYEN FLEIGE

SPORTS COPY EDITOR C.J. PETERSON

A&E EDITOR COURTNEY VASQUEZ

GRAPHICS EDITORS CINDY CUELLAR MELODY DEL RIO

STAFF WRITERS DIANA AVILA JOHN BRICKER CHRIS CORE BRENDAN CROSS NATHAN DOYLE ALEX GALLAND ERICA LIZARRAGO MELISSA MARTINEZ BLUE NGUYEN CHRISTIAN TRUJANO OLIVIA WRAY

ONLINE EDITOR MARCI SUELA

LEGISLATIVE COLUMNIST GRACE PANG

DESIGN CONSULTANT KAYLA FLORES

PRODUCTION CHIEF MIKE CORPOS

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER EDUARDO TEIXEIRA

OPINION EDITOR JONATHAN AUSTIN SPORTS EDITOR CORA WILSON PHOTO EDITOR JESUS TELLITUD

Follow Melissa on Twitter @xicanapower

A firefighter enters the Alpha Phi sorority house after receiving a call regarding a fire in the basement early on Wednesday morning. No injuries were reported.

SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR VICENTE VERA COPY EDITORS JAILEANE AGUILAR ALYSON CHUYANG MYLA LA BINE JOZY PRABHU ADAM YOSHIKAWA

our city,” Burton said. The two major construction taxes that make up the largest revenue from construction taxes are the construction infrastructure tax and the commercial and mobile home park tax. They cumulatively make up about 4% of a general development project valuation. Passage of the ordinance ultimately means the city will forgo tax revenue which would ordinarily fund

FRANCISCO MENDOZA | CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Follow Brendan on Twitter @BrendanCross93

ABOUT

The Spartan Daily is written and published by San Jose State students as an expression of their First Amendment rights.

repeated their dismay that the extension of the Downtown High Rise Development Program would allow these developers to opt out of building affordable housing. Chris Burton, deputy director of San Jose Economic Development, said the goal with the fee reduction is to implement the general plan to continue to grow the city. “We are trying to look for opportunities to capture investment, to implement our goals around all the things that we see for the future of

transportation infrastructure and roadway. “If we’re forgoing these revenues, what comes in to replace the revenue or needed funds to do some of this important work?” council member Sergio Jimenez said. According to Burton, nothing backfills that tax. In 2010, when the city council believed the fee was too high on commercial developments, it approved a similar fee reduction. “Given the nature of the downtown projects, they’re more proximate to transit . . . less likely to have a heavy impact on the surrounding roadways as a similar size development would have outside of downtown,” Burton said. “We are under obligation to build housing,” council member Pam Foley said. “This is an easy decision for me to make after analyzing all sides; we must continue these incentives. If we take them away, we take away the housing and we need the housing more than we need the incentives right now.”

NEWS ADVISER RICHARD CRAIG

Bench warrant issued if no court appearance Sept. 23, 3:47 p.m. at MLK Adult arrest Tamper with vehicle Sept. 23, 8:28 at North Garage Information Only Drive W/License Suspended Sept. 23 10:50 p.m. at E Virginia St/S 5TH St, San Jose Cited (Adult)

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EDITORIAL POLICY Columns are the opinion of individual writers and not that of the Spartan Daily. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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THURSDAY, SEPT. 26, 2019

SJ community gets Lost in the Dub By Olivia Wray STAFF WRITER

A business or a brand doesn’t have to be about money or fame, especially for Bay Area native Josh Landers who created Lost in the Dub. Landers said the brand means different things for everyone that comes across it or gets involved. To him, Lost in the Dub is a movement. By bringing together as many people as he can, Landers sees his brand as a movement because he spreads creativity and positivity throughout the Bay Area. “The Lost in the Dub movement is pretty much just about – it comes from a place of just being this person or being this generation – we’re born into this world, we know that there’s so many problems,” Landers said. In search of a practical way to make face-to-face connections for young people, Landers wanted to get creative. “So it’s that movement of just picking the one thing you want to work on, or whatever you feel like makes the world a better place and just really doing it, instead of talking about how bad the world is or whatever,” he said. Landers and his friends organize backyard shows, including SanJoChella and The Plug, which feature local musicians. Lost in the Dub also hosts bigger venues, like Brick and Mortar Music Hall in San Francisco. As another way to bring the community together, Landers and his friends also ride a party bike throughout Downtown

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHNATHON GALINDO

Chrisbaby and local artists performed in March at Lost in the Dub’s underground hip-hop show The Plug in Santa Cruz.

San Jose. The party bike is a 15-passenger, pedal-powered bike that travels, picks up and drops off passengers, promoting connections between strangers. “If you’re in San Jose and you’re among this community or this new movement of artists, like all over the bay, these underground artists and people like The Come Up doing things – if you’re a part of it, you will just feel it or understand it,” Landers said. Last spring, Lost in the Dub, San Jose: The Come Up and 363 planned and hosted SanJoChella. Landers said The Come Up is, “The premier cultivator of

shows in San Jose,” because they organize events for indie and alternative groups all over the Bay, making the way for do-it-yourself shows. Lost in the Dub usually features underground hip-hop artists but Landers wanted to collaborate with The Come Up and bring awareness to their hard work, thus evolving into SanJoChella. The three groups hope to put SanJoChella together again next year. Landers never intended to create a business out of his ideas – he started with only a camera. Making memories and sharing moments with his

friends were important to Landers since his childhood. When he was 16, his dad passed away from brain cancer and Landers felt lost in the world. “I happened to be lost in the dub, you know, dub-g, Willow Glen,” Landers said. “I could have been lost anywhere, but it was kind of like this appreciation for the life I was blessed to have.” The name Lost in the Dub came from something incredibly important to Landers and since then, he started working on a creative outlet with his friends. San Jose State communications junior Sean

Muniz went to elementary school with Landers and was excited to get involved with Lost in the Dub. Muniz makes videos and takes photos, so naturally he and Landers collaborated creatively. “Josh has done hella work for the company – more than I can imagine and it’s the dedication and commitment as a friend which gives me great belief that he will treat the Lost in the Dub community with nothing less,” Muniz said. Photography is the most important connection for Landers with Lost in the Dub.

Landers goes to events, such as Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival and takes photos of people. Then, he hands them his Lost in the Dub business card and shows them the link to download their photos for free. His vision is about connecting with people and he wants to eventually create an app for the brand. Business marketing senior Destine Kyubwa found the Lost in the Dub movement through Instagram. “At first I thought it was just a listening party and apparel line,” Kyubwa said. “The underground artists that perform are extremely talented – it’s just dope that Josh created these fun spaces for people to vibe out.” Kyubwa became friends with Landers after attending the shows he organized. Landers is focused on organizing more events and has an upcoming tour with artists Chrisbaby and Casey Cope. “We’re taking these artists – we’re really just gonna go live the dream,” Landers said. The “Lost in the Dream” Tour starts on September 27 in San Jose and will travel to San Diego, Santa Barbara, Reno and more. The tour will travel specifically to California college towns, where young people can learn about Lost in the Dub and, “Put this movement on the map,” Landers said.

Follow Olivia on Twitter @bmo_liv

BOTTOMS UP

Attend the Lucas Graduate School of Business Open House

SJSU Student Union Ballroom

Sake bombs: not so confidential after all drink review

Roman Contreras SENIOR STAFF WRITER

“Sushi Confidential” Rating:

“SAKE SAKE SAKE, BOMB BOMB BOMB.” My friends and I shout as we bang our fists against the granite counter tops of the Sushi Confidential outdoor bar. Our sake bombs are lined up. A small white ceramic shot glass rests atop two slightly separated chopsticks. The chopsticks lay across a tall glass half filled with traditional flavored Sapporo. The banging on the granite does not allow for much shaking, but the ceramic glass falls through the chopsticks into the glass anyway. A kerplunk sound emerges as the ceramic glass falls into the Sapporo, and a small amount escapes over the rim of the cup onto the counter as the race begins. If you are unfamiliar with sake bombs, the normal rate of consumption is a chugging pace. Normally chugging beer is an unpleasant experience, but the sake kills the hops in the beer making it a smooth ride. I assume sake bombs are named so because of the quick nature of consumption. As depicted in movies

and television shows, when the trigger on a bomb is pulled, those in the immediate area usually flee for safety. I take this at facevalue for sake bombs, drop in the sake and consider it a bomb. Sushi Confidential is my go-to spot. Happy hour is from 3-6 p.m. on weekdays and weekends, as well as 10 p.m. until closing 12 a.m. on weekends. Sake bombs are $3 each and come in a variety of flavors: apple, pear and traditional. Well drinks, wine and large bottles of sake are also available for $5. Large varieties of food are also available for cheap prices. Normally I am usually a large fan of sushi, but personally, I stick to the basics when it comes to food during happy hour. At only $5, California rolls are my staple. Occasionally I’ll extend my reach to Philadelphia rolls, which cost $7.50. If you are ever feeling a little adventurous, the poke tacos are quite impressive. At only $4 for one taco, I’d consider that a steal. Regardless of the incredible prices, I would not say I consider the

Cuisine: Japanese Location: 26 N. San Pedro St., San Jose, Calif. Price: $$ food particularly amazing. The sushi is what you would expect at a price range below $10. The rolls are small, not filled with much fish or filler, and avocado or celery as you might expect. Nonetheless, I would definitely recommend Sushi Confidential, especially during happy hour. Prices are almost unbeatable, especially on a college budget and you will most definitely get your money’s worth, whether in regard to food or drinks. After this, feel free to chug a sake bomb or gobble some sushi. Afterward, it’s hard to keep too much confidential after a night at Sushi Confidential. Follow Roman on Twitter @RoaminRoman_52 Bottoms Up appears every week on Thursday.

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SPORTS

THURSDAY, SEPT. 26, 2019

RECOVERY Continued from page 1 While Pottorff was going through this challenging time, she said she would feel lightheaded and anxious all the time and was even getting tested for anemia. “I rememb er experiencing symptoms I never have before,” Pottorff said.

Soccer definitely became less of an impact in my life at that point, my priority was to get myself healthy. Karlee Pottorff junior defender

She began to tell herself that the symptoms she was experiencing were just her paranoia and stress getting to her head. Pottorff tried finding different reasons to explain these symptoms, but it wasn’t until her second concussion in early October of last year, that she found out she was experiencing second impact syndrome. Second impact syndrome is a condition in which an individual experiences a second head injury before complete recovery from an initial head injury, according to a

2009 article from the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine. Women’s soccer head coach Lauren Hanson said any athlete needs to communicate with their coaches about any injury they might or might not have in order to ensure their safety. “Usually [a head injury] affects you emotionally, it affects you physically,” Hanson said. If, within several weeks of the injury, the athlete returns to play and sustains a second head injury, diffuse cerebral swelling, brain herniation and death can occur, according to the journal article. “I understand that soccer has the risk of head injuries . . . anything can happen at anytime,” Pottorff said. “It’s just a matter of what is meant to happen.” During Pottorff ’s recovery from her injury she spent a lot of time at home working on her classes and academics, but it was also when she began a spiritual journey of getting back to her faith. “I remember being on the phone with my mom and it was in that moment of absolute brokenness where I was like, ‘I honestly don’t care if I play the rest of the conference . . . if I play ever again,’ ” Pottorff said. “I just want to feel right and feel better.” Hanson said that as a coach, the health of all her players comes first and she noticed how

Pottorff ’s injury was affecting her mental well-being. “She went through a pretty emotional phase there,” Hanson said. “For me, it’s the players’ health first. Soccer is on the backburner at that point.” Pottorff realized during her recovery that her mental and physical health was the priority and nothing else. She began realizing that who she was a person did not have to revolve around soccer. “Soccer definitely became less of an impact in my life at that point, my priority was to get myself healthy,” Pottorff said. Gabriella Hurtado, a health science junior and fellow teammate who described herself as a close friend of Pottorff, also saw how Pottorff was struggling to get over her injury last year. “It was hard for her to let people know how she was feeling because she would always keep it inside,” Hurtado said. “It was almost like she didn’t even want to ask for [the team] to help her.” Pottorff said that looking back on the last year, she wished she took the appropriate steps in treating her concussion as well as asking for help. But she also said she believes it was destined to happen. “I know everything happens for a reason,” Pottorff said. Pottorff is currently focusing on sports management as her

CHRISTIAN TRUJANO | SPARTAN DAILY

Junior defender Karlee Pottorﬀ has played in eight out of nine games so far this season.

major with a minor in journalism. She said she has many interests, including going into public relations, collegiate athletic administration, broadcast or even coaching. Regardless of whether she continues to play soccer after college or not, her experience at SJSU alone has fueled her interest in sports management and has shown her the importance of the job.

As for soccer, she played in eight out of the nine games for the season and is proving to be a powerhouse both on and off the field in leading the team. “She’s definitely gotten so much better and is going to do great this season,” Hurtado said. And for athletes who are experiencing injuries and are going through the same restlessness she went through last year, Pottorff wants to assure them that

there is life outside of their injuries. “The biggest thing is to have faith that there’s a reason and that there’s always going to be something next, whether thats soccer or your sport,” Pottorff said. “Health is a priority, it’s never OK to rush things.” Follow Christian on Twitter @ChristianTruja2

COLUMN

Baseball is back to its juiced days Chris Core STAFF WRITER

Major League Baseball has been partying like it’s 1998 all over again. The heated race between St. Louis first baseman Mark McGwire and Chicago outfielder Sammy Sosa in the ’98 season was one of the most historic moments in baseball with both sluggers going toe to toe for the singleseason home run record. McGwire beat Sosa by four home runs, finishing with 70 overall. But they both came home as losers and were snubbed from the hall of fame for taking steroids. Now there’s a new juicing problem that has pitchers’ ERAs skyrocketing. The MLB has seen an influx of home runs in the past few years and pitchers are now making their grievances heard, calling out the organization for “juicing” the baseballs. “Juicing” a baseball refers to a change of the internal structure of a baseball so that it comes off the bat faster on contact, resulting in more home runs. In a study conducted by Kent State University, the school took eight regulation baseballs from 2014-2016 and X-rayed them to see if the material breakdown in each ball was different.

The study found that the balls in 2016-2017 had 7% more polymer and 10% less silicon in the core of the ball than previous years. On top of the core changes to the ball, the seams of the baseballs became smaller, helping reduce air resistance.

Now there’s a new juicing problem that has pitchers’ ERAs skyrocketing. “Combine all these factors together - a lighter, more compact baseball with tighter seams and more bounce - and the ball could fly as much as 8.6 feet farther,” the study concluded. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred had addressed the differences of baseballs and said that since some of the product is handmade, there will be differences out of the organization’s control. “The result is there’s going to be some variations in

baseballs,” Manfred said in an interview with USA Today. The homemade variations in the baseballs have correlated to a higher amount of home runs since the 2016 season with around 6,000 home runs being hit every season between 2016-2019. But prior to that, seasons finished with around 4,000 home runs. Adding even more drama into the mix, last year, the MLB made a $395 million deal with Rawlings, the company that makes MLB regulation baseballs, to co-own the company with Seidler Equity Partners. “Major League Baseball’s turning turning this game into a joke,” Houston Astros Ace Justin Verlander said when asked by ESPN if he thinks the MLB is juicing the balls. “They own Rawlings, and you’ve got Manfred up here saying it might be the way they center the pill.” Aside from saying that balls are handmade, the MLB has denied that the baseballs have been intentionally altered for performance. With around 10 players ranging in the 40 home run or higher column, pitchers are not buying what the MLB is selling. “Come on, just tell us,” Boston Red Sox pitcher David Price said in an interview with USA Today. “We all see it. Just come clean and say it.” Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisCore24

OPINION

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THURSDAY, SEPT. 26, 2019

Society shouldn’t seek starry salvation Unfortunately with the current state of our world, it would be disastrous if humanity was attempting to colonize other planets.

Nathan Doyle STAFF WRITER

“Space . . . the final frontier”. It’s a saying that was first spoken in the original “Star Trek” series in the ’60s and carries with it a sense of hope that we will be able to accomplish anything in the future. Perhaps it comes from the central message of “Star Trek” that setting aside one’s differences and journeying the stars sets the stage for a world full of hope and optimism Whether they are dangerous missions or ones that evoke ideas of peace, sci-fi works often portray the sheer awe that comes with exploring the stars and boldly going where no man has gone before. But as any person who has gone through enough life experiences will tell you, there is a stark contrast between the way a scenario is planned out and the way it may actually unfold. Should we create permanent homes for ourselves on other planets if we gained the means to do it tomorrow? To put it bluntly, no. Many Netflix programs and sci-fi novels will hypothesize a future where we colonize other planets

but never establish how we get from the present moment all the way to the point where we’re living in our beach house on Mars. The simple inference in most sci-fi stories is that if humanity finally figured out how to travel long distances across space life would became a lot simpler. Any SyFy channel television show or space opera of the ’60s will have you think that going out to space and making a new home for ourselves would be inspirational to all. Unfortunately with the current state of our world, it would be disastrous if humanity was attempting to colonize other planets. To understand this, it’s important to understand the main reason there is a desire to colonize other planets in the first place. This stems from a feeling of trying to continue the human race. There is a chance we may discover extraterrestrial life out in space but finding a home out in the cosmos is inevitable. Turning a planet that we have never lived on into our home would be tricky. Essentially it would take many years, with many generations and

countless resources to firmly establish a sustainable colony. Meanwhile on planet Earth, all those problems that keep us up at night aren’t going away amidst the new age of discovery out in space. One planet that is frequently talked about being colonized is Mars, with the science community frequently hypothesizing that the red planet is our perfect second home.

However, this new land does not have a sustainable atmosphere and it’s at least 140 million miles from the nearest planet. After at least six months in space, going through all of the necessary trial and error and creating a sustainable environment, it would end up being the most expensive experiment in the history of mankind. All of this of course stemming out of a desire

Aside from the amount of human power and money it would require, there are plenty of urgent dilemmas our world has yet to solve. Before trying to expand to other planets, people should focus on the current situation here on Earth. Regardless of whether we figure out how to colonize the solar system tomorrow or twenty years from now, we shouldn’t ILLUSTRATION BY NATHAN DOYLE even think about leaving town until we learn how to create a legacy beyond to clean the house. At the present the one we have created moment, our grand on Earth. human adventure is Like any voyage, solving political turmoil, there has to be a large united front to drive the world hunger and establishing peace for all. journey forward. Maybe one day, when Going into the stars and creating settlements we learn to better accept one another, we will be on our neighboring able to create a legacy planets would require across the stars because humanity to come after all, they aren’t going together to an extent anywhere anytime soon. never seen before. The reality is we are Follow Nathan on Instagram not close to where we can @nathan.doyle.doc come together like this.

OPINION

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THURSDAY, SEPT. 26, 2019

COUNTERPOINTS

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Should the Electoral College be abandoned? Yes, it is stifling the American democracy

The Electoral College is an outdated mess that needs significant rearranging if it will ever truly reflect the country’s thoughts on a presidential candidate. There are 538 electors that comprise the Electoral College, each of whom vote for the majority presidential candidate. The respective states’ 270 votes are needed for the candidate to earn the presidency. In the current system, the winner of California, which has 55 electoral votes, receives all of those votes. The number of electoral votes each state gets is based on its population. There are only two avenues of change that can feasibly affect the system for the better: nixing the system altogether, or removing the winner-take-all rule. Removing the Electoral College system means the vote for the nation’s presidency would solely rely on the popular vote. Five of the 44 presidents in America’s history have been elected despite the outcome of the popular vote, just over 11% and the likelihood of it continuing to happen will assuredly increase. In the 1800s, presidents John Quincy Adams, Rutherford B. Hayes and Benjamin Harrison all lost the popular vote but found themselves in the oval office regardless. In more recent times, the same occurred with President George W. Bush in 2000 and President Donald Trump in 2016 each losing the popular vote to Al Gore and Hillary Clinton, respectively. A problem that will show itself even more, thanks to a federal appeals court ruling last month, is electoral voters voting for whichever candidate they choose, regardless of whether that candidate was favored in that state or not. The role of the electoral voter, in theory, is to vote in accordance with the state’s popular chosen candidate. This ruling throws that right out of the window and means that electoral voters can now choose whichever candidate they like. The electors put in place should not have the freedom to be able to choose the candidate they prefer and completely defy the candidate their state wanted. It renders the entire system pointless. Electoral voters that vote against their public’s choice, known as faithless electors, have made headlines before. In 2016, Colorado’s democratic elector Michael Baca wrote in Republican John Kasich for his vote despite Hillary Clinton having the voting edge in the state, according to a New York Times article.

No, it defends the United States’ ideals

Brendan Cross

Chris Core

STAFF WRITER

Baca was eventually replaced with a different elector that voted for Clinton, but the latest ruling will make the choices of future faithless electors stand. Faithless electors aside, the biggest problem of the Electoral College as a whole is the candidate that wins the popular vote in a state receives all of the electoral votes in that state. Due to partisan loyalty, presidential candidates tend to only oppose their campaigning will onto swing states, which are states that have historically been nonpartisan when selecting presidential candidates.

Removing the Electoral College system means the vote for the nation’s presidency would solely rely on the popular vote. In the 2016 election, Clinton nearly doubled the amount of votes Trump received in California, but he still collected about 4.5 million votes. Texas, second in the country with 38 electoral votes, went to Trump, despite Clinton earning more than 3.8 million votes. This winner-take-all rule is not actually in the constitution, it’s a decision that was made by the states. Two states, Nebraska and Maine, do not abide by the winner-take-all model. Maine, for example, has the ability to “award one electoral vote per congressional district and two by the state-wide ‘at-large’ vote,” according to the U.S. Electoral College website. Because of its low number of electoral votes, Maine will most likely never swing an election by itself, but if California decided to forgo the winner-take-all formula, then that would affect the outcome of elections. While there is no perfect solution to the Electoral College problem, removing it entirely or requiring every state to be rid of it’s winner-take-all style is the closest we will come to the people of this country having the most say in who wins the presidency. Follow Brendan on Twitter @BrendanCross93

The United States Constitution was written to serve the ideals of a federalist nation. The Federalists Papers were published in 1788 to justify a framework for a government that aimed to distribute power fairly between larger and smaller states.

If popular vote was implemented as the only tool for voting then San Jose, which has no mining industry, could easily turn down any candidate that is ready to make policy that would hurt the Wyoming mining industry, leaving its citizens powerless and in some cases, jobless. A representative democracy is fulfilled in the use of the Electoral College and, although flawed, is the best way to give every state balanced representation. If the Electoral College was abolished it would strip states of their power and throw mob rule in power rather than each state getting a balanced say on the next president. Middle America lacks the voting power to ever out number a force as big as any coastal state. This would result in whatever values those states hold to make laws that might not speak to people in lower populated areas. In a New York Times article, Colorado Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg said that states like Wyoming and Utah will be hurt and the power of California and New York would be too much. “People in rural areas did not get overrun by the masses,” Sonnenberg said in the article. Expanding on the senator’s opinion, Wyoming relies on industries such as coal mining to keep its economy rolling.

Wyoming only has 557,000 citizens in the entire state. Comparatively, the city of San Jose contains one million people. If popular vote was implemented as the only tool for voting then San Jose, which has no mining industry, could easily turn down any candidate that is ready to make policy that would hurt the Wyoming mining industry, leaving its citizens powerless and in some cases, jobless. Candidates would even go as far as to skip some smaller states like Wyoming all together because there would be no point in campaigning in an entire state when a candidate could just campaign from large city to large city across America. Not only does this problem affect elections state by state, but without the Electoral College large cities within states would dominate the entire election. San Jose, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego would form a monopoly on California voters leaving multiple smaller towns and their needs unheard. And if the argument is going to be made in the first place that a system of government needs to be fixed then the Electoral College is the wrong place to start looking. The United States Senate has a far worse deviation of power, with each state containing two representatives no matter its respective population. This does make each state fully equal, but it ignores the population differences completely unlike the Electoral College that at least uses population as a factor in assigning electoral votes. Any legislation has to pass through the Senate, and senators themselves possess influential power in the United States. The system holds more importance than the Electoral College that is only used every four years for either the election or reelection of the president. The Electoral College is certainly not perfect, but it keeps the United States loyal to its federalist roots. American democracy functions better when states have balanced power.

Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisCore24

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

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THURSDAY, SEPT. 26, 2019

Journalism is inclusive Periodismo es inclusivo To the editor, When we have the opportunity to create a Spanish section for receptive students and faculty, we damn sure are going to include the stories of our diverse community. Latinos make up 26% of the San Jose State student body and 19% of the U.S. population, according to the United States Census Bureau. The Bureau also estimates that Latinos will make up 26% of the people living in the United States in 2050. This school needs a Spanish publication that insightfully shares the experiences of the growing group of Hispanics in the country and specifically in the Bay Area. Latinos are not the only ones who speak Spanish. With the help of living in California, we all should know a fair share of Spanish words. In his letter yesterday, the gentleman wrote that the English language is what unites students, but in truth, it is interaction. As members of our studentrun Spanish journalism club, El Espartano Noticias, we listen to our classmates and neighbors. We are storytellers of all people.

Our school does not have a Spanish journalism program, but at El Espartano Noticias, we specialize in practice. Every two weeks, we provide stories and photos in Spanish to the Spartan Daily. We improve in our native tongue while fulfilling our objective of inclusive storytelling. We have meetings every Thursday at 5 p.m. in Dwight Bentel Hall room 107. Our members don’t need to speak Spanish perfectly. They don’t even have to speak the language at all. All they require is a passion for shedding light on tales of the Latino community. In the same letter, the gentleman asked, “Would you be kind enough to publish only in English?” It would be a big mistake to do that. Spanish was our first language. No one shall prohibit us from speaking and writing it in this country. As long as we have students interested in Spanish journalism, we will contribute stories to the newspaper and to our own outlet, El Espartano Noticias. Sincerely, Vicente Vera and Kelsey Valle, Presidents of El Espartano Noticias

Para el editor, Cuando tenemos la oportunidad de proveer una sección en español para la facultad y los estudiantes hispanohablantes, trabajamos con la meta de incluir las historias de nuestra comunidad diversa. Los latinos hacen 26% del cuerpo estudiantil de la universidad estatal de San José y 19% de la población estadounidense, según el United States Census Bureau. El Bureau estima que los latinos armarán 26% de la gente viviendo en los Estados Unidos en 2050. La escuela necesita una publicación en español que comparte las experiencias del grupo hispano en crecimiento del país y específicamente de la Área de la Bahía. No solo los latinos hablan el español. Con la ayuda de vivir en California, todos debemos de saber algunas palabras del idioma. En su carta, el señor Reynolds escribió que el inglés es lo que los estudiantes, pero en realidad son las interacciones. Como miembros de nuestra organización estudiantil, El Espartano Noticias, escuchamos a nuestros compañeros de clases y vecinos. Somos narradores. San Jose State no tiene un programa de

periodismo en español. Sin embargo, en El Espartano Noticias, especializamos en la práctica. Cada dos semanas, tenemos una página de historias y fotos en español en el Spartan Daily. Mejoramos nuestro lengua materna mientras cumplimos nuestros objetivos de narración e inclusivismo. Tenemos juntas cada jueves a las 5 pm en Dwight Bentel Hall cuarto 107. Miembros no necesitan hablar español perfectamente. Ni siquiera necesitan hablar el idioma. Solamente requieren el interés de proporcionar luz a los cuentos de la comunidad latina. En la misma carta, el señor Reynolds preguntó, “¿Serías tan amable de publicar solo en inglés?” Sería un error hacer eso. Nuestra primer idioma fue el español y nadie nos prohibira de hablarla en este país. Por el tiempo que tenemos estudiantes interesados en el periodismo hispanohablante, contribuiremos artículos esclarecedores para el periódico y para nuestro medio, El Espartano Noticias. Sinceremente, Vicente Vera and Kelsey Valle, Presidents of El Espartano Noticias

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SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

JOKIN’ AROUND Why do parents give children a middle name?

So the child knows when they are seriously in trouble.

SOLUTIONS

ACROSS 1. Applauds 6. Not first 10. Swabs 14. Bog hemp 15. Leer at 16. Eye layer 17. Less friendly 18. A noble gas 19. Protective ditch 20. In deplorable condition 22. A pale blue pigment 23. Small salmon 24. Worn away 26. An aquatic bird 30. Put clothing on 31. British rule in India 32. It ebbs and flows 33. Olympic sled 35. Internment camp 39. Lengthwise 41. Endurance 43. Stodgy 44. Behold, in old Rome 46. Insulation 47. Directed 49. “Eureka!” 50. Mining finds

51. Cheddar or edam 54. Animal companions 56. Deliver a tirade 57. The climax of a drama 63. Foment 64. Leave out 65. Small terrestrial lizard 66. Marcel Marceau was one 67. Bird of peace 68. Stadium walkways 69. Sun 70. Barely managed 71. Amount of hair DOWN 1. Baby’s bed 2. Shoestring 3. Twixt 4. Jetty 5. A pinnacle of ice 6. A communal native dwelling 7. Everlasting 8. Blackthorn 9. Given to sympathy 10. Gibberish 11. Egg-shaped 12. Tranquility

13. Filled to excess 21. Pious 25. Indian music 26. Flower stalk 27. Drunkard 28. Contributes 29. An open letter 34. Reverted to the state 36. Teller of untruths 37. Kitty (poker) 38. Handguns 40. Yeses 42. Nipples 45. Hostage 48. Decipher 51. Packs to capacity 52. Nun’s attire 53. Colonic 55. Begin 58. Frenzied 59. Food thickener 60. Alike 61. Rapscallions 62. Back talk

09/25/2019

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EL ESPARTANO NOTICIAS

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JUEVES 26 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2019

Tiza cubre la vereda en festival FOTOS POR ZOE ALVAREZ | EL ESPARTANO NOTICIAS

1. Gente dibujando en el parque Luna. 2. Cheryl Renshaw escribiendo sobre una pintura en el piso del parque. 3. Sarah Cade usando guantes para crear su arte.

POLITÍCO

Votación Estudiantil e

Aumenta el voto de estudiantes latinos Por Andrea Briseño REPORTERA

La votación entre los estudiantes universitarios latinos aumentó durante las elecciones a mitad de legislatura en 2018, reporta el Instituto para la Democracia y la Educación Superior de la Universidad Tufts. A mitad de legislatura en 2014, la tasa de votación de estudiantes universitarios latinos fue de 14%. Sin embargo, casi se duplicó a 36.5% en la elección de 2018. Las mujeres afroamericanas estudiantiles continúan siendo las votantes más activas, pero los datos muestran que las mujeres hispanas estudiantiles tuvieron el mayor aumento en

la votación. Latinos tienen mucho que decir y deberían decirlo a través de la votación, dijo Ambar González, miembro de la organización comunitaria SIREN, también conocido como Servicios, Derechos de los Inmigrantes y Red de Educación. “[Los datos] significan que en estas elecciones vamos a tener mucha gente participando, porque se reconoce que es importante,” dijo González. González instaló una caseta de campaña en la Universidad Estatal de San José y ayudó a los estudiantes registrarse para votar en las próximas elecciones como parte del día Nacional de Registración de Votantes el miércoles.

Quiero asegurarme de que los estudiantes estén usando su poder que se tomó mucho tiempo para obtener para proteger nuestras comunidades, dijo González. Es esencial votar porque hay problemas que nos afectan a todos, dijo Elsa Castro, estudiante de tercer año de periodismo. “Especialmente para nosotros en la comunidad latina que no tenemos mucha representación en el congreso,” dijo Castro. Adam Gismondi, director de Impacto del Instituto para la Democracia y la Educación Superior, dijo que la cohorte actual de votantes universitarios es más diversa que nunca.

a mitad de legislatura

FUENTE: EL INSTITUTO PARA LA DEMOCRACIA Y LA EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR IMAGEN POR NACHAELA FLORES

Los problemas más importantes para estudiantes son el cambio climático, los derechos y control de armas, la inmigración y los problemas locales, según la otra encuesta del instituto. Los estudiantes que participaron en la encuesta también se preocupan por los problemas locales, dijo Gismondi, a quien

estaba sorprendido por el involucramiento. Gismondi piensa que cuando los alumnos se involucren más en políticas, forzarán al gobierno a enfocarse en los problemas universitarios. Se desconoce si la tendencia en los votantes latinos continuará o si el aumento fue solo un salto en 2018. A pesar de lo incierto,

Casto cree que el aumento de la votación de los estudiantes latinos es un orgullo y provee esperanza. “Algún día [podramos] tener una presidenta o un presidente Latinx,” dijo Castro.

Sigue Andrea en Twitter @andrea_briseno_

Casi no me vi en “Hustlers” Natalie Viscera REPORTERA

Cuando salió el trailer de la película “Hustlers,” se vio que Jennifer López y Cardi B eran las únicas representando las latinas. Jennifer López protagoniza una stripper llamada Ramona en Hustlers, una nueva película basada en un artículo de revista escrito por Jessica Pressler. El hecho que seleccionaron a López es significante porque las mujeres latinas raramente son elegidas para las películas de Hollywood. Según el New York Times, de las cien películas que ganaron el más dinero en 2007 hasta 2018, solamente tres incluían

actores latinos y actrices latinas. Es hora de ver más latinos en papeles diferentes de los estereotípicos como sirvientas o narcotraficantes. López ha actuado en varias películas populares como “Selena” y “Second Act.” Sin embargo, ella no es la única latina que merece elogios. Cardi B también es una artista conocida y exitosa. Su personaje de Diamond, otra stripper, es divertidísima pero fue corta y limitada, apareciendo solamente en la primera parte de la película. Realmente,

no fue un personaje significante pero como ella es una artista reconocida y tiene experiencia como stripper, protagonizó el papel con autenticidad. Ellas atraen gente a los asientos por lo que son dos mujeres famosas que cantan y actúan. Aun asi, como productora de “Hustlers,” López pudiera haber tenido más influencia en escogiendo las protagonistas de la película. Necesitamos más actores latinos en las películas americanas, además de Eugenio Derbez, J-Lo y Cardi. Habían otros latinos en “Hustlers” pero como Diamond, fueron bien pequeños y cortos. Por ejemplo, actriz Vanessa Aspillaga interpretó una niñera de Ramona. Pero en el artículo original de Pressler, no había

una niñera. No necesitaban crear este personaje, pero lo hicieron y se lo dieron a una mujer latina. Al fin y al cabo, la directora Lorene Scafaria y Pressler hicieron un trabajo maravilloso en convirtiendo el artículo en una película y contratando actrices latinas increíbles. Pero hay una necesidad de más películas con gente latina. Para lograrlas, los directores y escritores de Hollywood necesitan explorar la cultura latina y realizar la representación apropiada. Hollywood necesita contratar más latinos, por que solo el promedio de tres personas hispanas en las películas es preocupante. Quiero ver gente de mi raza en la pantalla grande. Siguenos en Twitter @elespartanosjsu

PERSONAL EDITORIAL

ESCRÍBENOS

PRESIDENTE VICENTE VERA

EMAIL: elespartanosjsu@gmail. com

VICE PRESIDENTE KELSEY VALLE DISEÑADORA NACHAELA FLORES

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