‘ALICE IN WONDERLAND’ SEE PAGE 8
Serving San José State University since 1934 Monday, March 8, 2010
www.TheSpartanDaily.com
Volume 134, Issue 20
Ex-SJSU student triggers shooting John Patrick Bedell shot and killed in Pentagon incident Kevin Hume Staff Writer
An SJSU graduate student said he was once classmates with the man who died trying to shoot his way into the Pentagon on Thursday. Devanshu Kumar, a graduate student in electrical engineering, said John Patrick Bedell showed no signs of psychological problems.
John Patrick Bedell
“He was a very nice guy, he was helpful, he was helping everybody in the lab,” Kumar said. “Nobody would expect him to do this kind of thing.” Officials say Bedell opened
fire and wounded two police officers at 3:40 p.m. Thursday at the Pentagon, according to the Associated Press. Officers retaliated by shooting Bedell, according to the Associated Press. Officials say he later died from his wounds. Pat Lopes Harris, director of media relations for SJSU, said a student named John Patrick Bedell was an undergrad, postgrad and graduate student at SJSU, but did not receive any degree from the university. Harris said Bedell studied chemical engineering in 1995 and 1996. He came back and took post-
graduate courses in Spring 2008, then enrolled in graduate courses in electrical engineering from Fall 2008 through Fall 2009, she said. He did not enroll in Spring 2010, but was in good academic standing, she said. She said Bedell had no criminal record at SJSU. During a news conference, David Parent, an SJSU electrical engineering associate professor, said he knew Bedell. “He just had a nice way about him,” Parent said. Parent said Bedell was a helpful student. “He formed a Google group to
Protesters call for state action
help people learn circuit design,” Parent said. Sumit Kallo, a graduate student in industrial and systems engineering, said Bedell was involved in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, a lab where students worked on projects. “He was always helping people in the IEEE,” Kallo said. “He was basically an unofficial teaching assistant.” Kumar said he was a creative student. “He would do a lot of research work and come up with new technique or a new way to do the thing,” Kumar said.
About 700 march in downtown San Jose in hopes that budget cuts end Lidia Gonzalez Staff Writer Several universities peacefully protested against increasing tuition and financial state cuts on Thursday, but one group of protesters took a riskier approach by marching onto Interstate 880 near downtown Oakland and forcing traffic to a
Weather
halt for about an hour, according to the Associated Press. The AP reported that 150 of those demonstrators were arrested, while protesters at the University of Wisconsin threw punches and ice chunks at the Milwaukee police. SJSU did not bring national attention to campus, but that afternoon, about 700 SJSU
students and teachers from all levels chanted “Classmates not cellmates!” at a protest that began at San Jose City Hall plaza. From the plaza, protesters went to the state offices on Second Street. Julian Rosenberg, president of Students for Quality Education, told the protesters to take action by taping a signed piece
THESPARTANDAILY.COM Protest Coverage: See the video and photos from the budget cut protest from Thursday thespartandaily.com
SPARTAN DAILY BLOGS T
W
Hi: 58° Lo: 38°
Hi: 60° Lo: 41°
Read a behind-the-scenes blog on covering the John Patrick Bedell story at spartandailynews.wordpress.com
See PROTEST, Page 2
Thursday night’s screening of “La Mission” demonstrated to the audience why actor Benjamin Bratt was the recipient of the Cinequest Film Festival’s highest honor, the Maverick Spirit Award. The Maverick award is given to an inspiring, influential and innovative individual who is distinctively different from his or her peers in the world of art, according to Cinequest’s Web site. Bratt’s definition of being a Maverick means being a husband and father before being an actor. This year’s award and ceremony was sponsored by the Castellano Family Foundation, said Carmen Castellano, president of the foundation. “We sponsor the Spanish language films, so tonight we sponsored Benjamin Bratt’s award presentation,” Castellano said. “We are longtime supporters of Cinequest.” Based on a true story, “La Mission” was directed, written and shot in 26 days by Peter Bratt, said younger brother Benjamin Bratt. Its lead cast is played by Benjamin Bratt as Che Rivera, Erika Alexander as Lena, Jeremy Ray Valdez as Jess and Jesse Borrego as Rene. “La Mission” was based out of San Francisco’s Mis-
sion District, the Bratt brothers’ hometown and favorite neighborhood in the United States, Peter Bratt said. Mimi Hernandez, an audience member at the showing, said she loved the film’s depiction of the Mission District because it showed all the beautiful colors of the people that live in the neighborhood. “We wanted to tell a conflict story of a Latino family in that setting,” Peter Bratt said. Che, a single father, is a recovering alcoholic who is a city bus driver in the pursuit of having a better life after a rough past in prison confinement. Anita Garcia, a film attendee, thought the plot was nice to see because she said it is not the first time a Hispanic family had to deal with the same issue. The Bratt brothers developed the plot by a using a young man named Che as the template, Peter Bratt said. The original Che was a man who drove a SF Muni cable car and started one of the first low-rider clubs in his high school. “It was very true to the culture and very true to the attitude,” Garcia said. Hernandez, a mother, said she doesn’t completely hate Che when he rejects his son
See CINEQUEST, Page 4
Online: PROTEST
Follow us at @spartandaily for headlines straight to your phone.
Michelle Gachet / Spartan Daily
Hi: 56° Lo: 38°
of paper to state Senator Abel Maldonado’s door, asking him to join the cause. The crowd then marched through SJSU to end the rally at the Cesar Chavez Memorial Arch. Sophomore meteorology major Jeff Forgeron said he was
See SHOOTING, Page 3
Film festival announces award for Benjamin Bratt Lidia Gonzalez Staff Writer
Students march past Clark Hall toward the Cesar Chavez Memorial Arch during the statewide budget cut protest Thursday, March 4. Nick Rivelli / Contributing Photographer
He said Bedell didn’t seem the type to do something like this. “He’s not the same person we saw in class,” Kumar said. “There must have been something else that instigated him to do that.” Parent said the situation was a complete shock to him. “I will miss him,” he said. Officials said Bedell’s parents had previously warned authorities that their son was upset, had a history of mental illness and had a gun, according to the Associated Press. Bedell had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, or manic-
FACEBOOK Become a fan and get the latest SJSU news on your Facebook facebook.com/ spartandaily
See www.thespartandaily.com
2
Monday, March 8, 2010
NEWS
PROTESTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
Students and faculty members gather on the stage at the Cesar Chavez Memorial Arch during the state budget cuts rally on March 4.
PROTEST From Page 1 marching in support of public education. He said the purpose of marching is to defend a cause. “Students should care because we’re the future,” Forgeron said. “Without us, the future is nothing, so without public education we’re nothing.”
“
They seek to rob us of our education, and from that they seek to rob us from our future.
”
Mitchell Colbert Senior political science major Joe Tran, vice president of Students for Quality Education, said he was at the protest because he needed to make a statement. “The state depends on students, “ he said. Tran, a senior sociology major, said that students need care about the march because it directly affects the quality of their education and the future they
will make for themselves after school. He said quality education means affordable tuition and textbooks without furlough days. “They seek to rob us of our education, and from that they seek to rob us from our future,” said Mitchell Colbert, a senior political science major. “But they don’t just rob us, they rob the entire world of an educated populace willing to confront the challenges before them. This is not democracy. This has no name but tyranny.” He said every year there are budget cuts that place a heavy burden on students, and said the march could have a great effect on students’ future lives. Colbert, a member of Students for Quality Education, said he was pleased with the turnout at the protest. “This is the biggest march San Jose State has seen within the last 25 years, “ he said. An end to state budget cuts was one of many demands made by speaker Janice Allen, president of the San Jose Teachers’ Association and a former SJSU student activist from 1968. “People need to be able to be employed, “ said Richard Hansen, president of the FoothillDe Anza Faculty Association. “To be employed, they need to be trained, educated.” He said the public’s new awareness of the crisis will help people resolve the problem.
(Above) Students and faculty members gather outside City Hall to protest state budget cuts on March 4. Nick Rivelli / Contributing Photographer
(Right) Senior political science major Mitchell Colbert burns his transcripts in front of a crowd of about 700 people to protest state budget cuts at the Cesar Chavez Memorial Arch on March 4. Nick Rivelli / Contributing Photographer
Michelle Gachet / Spartan Daily
Monday, March 8, 2010
NEWS
3
REPORT
Bipolar disorder may not have affected Bedell’s behavior Eric Van Susteren, Anna-Maria Kostovska Staff Writers
David Parent, electrical engineering professor, speaks at a news conference regarding Parent’s relationship with Pentagon shooter John Patrick Bedell on Friday. Kevin Hume / Spartan Daily
SHOOTING From Page 1 depressive disorder, and had been in and out of treatment for years, according to the Associated Press. His psychiatrist, J. Michael Nelson, said Bedell was self-medicating with marijuana, which aggravated his symptoms, according to the Associated Press. Bedell’s parents had reported
him as missing on Jan. 4, a day after he was issued a speeding ticket and citation for possession of drug paraphernalia in Texarkana, Texas, according to the Associated Press. Bedell was arrested on Feb. 1 in Reno, NV for possession of two ounces of marijuana in his car, according to the Associated Press. San Benito County Sheriff Curtis Hill said Bedell’s parents, who live in Hollister, found an email from Bedell stating he had
made a $600 purchase from a shooting range, according to the Associated Press. Bedell arrived at the Pentagon with two semiautomatic weapons, authorities said, as well as many magazines of ammunition, according to the Associated Press. Hints of mistrust of the government had emerged in Internet postings linked to the shooter as well as a LinkedIn profile under the Bedell’s name, according to the Associated Press.
The Bedell family put out a statement to say they were devastated, according to the Associated Press.
Suzanne Yada, Husain Sumra, Jill Abell, Leonard Lai, Ryan Fernandez, Salman Haqqi, Donovan Farnham, Ashley Finden, Kyle Szymanski, Kristen Pearson, AnnaMaria Kostovska, Amaris Dominguez and Hank Drew contributed to this article.
Analysis: When raw anger at government turns violent WASHINGTON (AP) — The river of discontent running through America tured toxic in the fevered mind of the Pentagon shooter and others of his ilk. In a culture awash in conspiracy theories and raw anger at government, they are lone wolves who find a sense of community for their hate — yet act alone. They are, in some ways, more unsettling than organized and trained terrorists because they come from us. Their diatribes and smoldering grievances are familiar and homegrown. For the Texan who steered a small plane into IRS offices last month, it was taxes. For the Nevadan who shot at a courthouse in January, it was his Social Security. In these times, disgust with authority — a president, a tax law, a health plan, one political party or both — comes with a hard-edged hallelujah chorus. Few kill. But many rant. The litany that made accused Pentagon attacker John Patrick Bedell smolder and rant is varied, and still coming to light. His history was one of mental illness, not fringegroup agitation. In an Internet posting, Bedell had suggested an act like the 2001 terrorist attacks could have been the work of a criminal organization controlling the U.S. government, accepting a “sacrifice of thousands of its citizens ... as a small cost in order to perpetuate its barbaric control.” His poisonous view of the government appears well out on the extreme — until you see what some people close to the center of power are saying these days. “America is teetering towards tyranny,” Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina told the Conservative Political Action Conference last month. He accused the govern-
ing Democrats of peddling socialist policies “that have been the enemy of freedom for centuries all over the world.” Republicans have been branding Democratic policies as some form of socialism for generations, par for the course. But tyranny? America has real issues with that — it violently overthrew that enemy at the start. However outrageous the notion that the government would sacrifice its citizens “as a small cost,” it’s not limited to warped malcontents. It was California Democratic Rep. Pete Stark who said, late in the Bush administration, that Republicans want to spend money “to blow up innocent people — if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the president’s amusement.” Multiply rhetoric like that and you have the new public square, swarming with bloggers and broadcasters reaching for the provocative and feeding the grievances of the like-minded. Altogether it’s a rage against the machine. Activists such as the tea party movement tap that rage for political and policy ends — stopping the
health overhaul, getting supportive politicians elected. But it’s surely not been lost on the lone wolves, whether it fuels their acts or not. The Pentagon gunman, who wounded two police officers and was himself shot to death, joins two other men with antigovernment sentiments who have attacked the government since the beginning of the year. Just last month, Joseph Stack flew his small plane into an Austin, Texas, IRS building. In his online turn on the public square, Stack had railed about U.S. tax laws. In January, a Nevada man, Johnny Lee Wicks, fired shots at a Las Vegas courthouse, killing a security guard and being shot to death soon after. Wicks was angry about losing a lawsuit challenging a cut in his Social Security benefits. All three men appeared to have acted alone, without ties to the militia or patriot groups that gained traction in the early and mid-1990s. That was another era of rising anti-government sentiment and a decade marked by the domestic terrorism of Timothy McVeigh, who in 1995 blew up a federal building in Oklahoma City and killed 168 people.
Mark Potok, co-director of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which published a report that listed 363 new patriot groups that appeared in 2009, said the Pentagon shooter does not fit the profile of radical organizations. Not an activist himself, Bedell appeared to be one who absorbed the ideas of those groups and twisted them to his own ends, Potok said. Oddball ideas alone are no red flag. True, Bedell subscribed to conspiracy theories about “the September 11 demolitions.” But Debra Medina, too, said last month there were “some very good arguments” for believing the U.S. was involved in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. And she won 19 percent of the votes in Tuesday’s Texas Republican primary for governor.
John Patrick Bedell, the Pentagon shooter who was killed Thursday, had bipolar disorder, according to the Associated Press. “I would be hard-pressed to think this was a result of someone having bipolar disorder,” said Wiggsy Sivertsen, professor in counseling services, in response to some reports claiming the suspect in Thursday’s Pentagon shooting may have been bipolar. Sivertsen said she thought there were other important factors that motivated Bedell. “He was probably in a rage, having lots of resentment against the government,” she said. Sivertsen said it appears as if he was struggling with serious psychological issues other than bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder are not more likely to commit crimes than others, but they are as capable of committing a crime as those who don't suffer from the disorder, she said. Sivertsen said bipolar disorder is characterized by highs and lows, meaning people who suffer from the disorder sometimes feel high and intense while, at other times, low and depressed. During his time at SJSU, Bedell showed no signs to peers and professors he would commit such a crime, said Pat Lopes Harris, director of media relations for SJSU. "People who knew him saw one side — his academic side," she said. "If he had another side, as many of us do, people didn't see it, based on the professors I've talked to." Purnama Prasetyo, a senior civil engineering major, said the faculty isn’t responsible for not noticing Bedell’s disorder. "Students have to inform professors if they have a disability,” he said. “There's no way the faculty can identify whether he has a disorder if he hides it." Harris said she thought Bedell’s death was tragic. "People in these situations shouldn't be marginalized by their classmates," Harris said. "Mental illness is a complicated thing and we haven't found answers on it yet.” Junior art major Sean Dwyer said the suspect most likely wasn’t in his right mind when he committed the act. Dwyer, who said he’s not familiar with bipolar disorder, said he thinks people who suffer from the disorder have a split personality. Siversten said people with schizophrenia sometimes have what is referred to as a split personality. She said that bipolar disorder should not be confused with schizophrenia. “(People with bipolar disorder) don’t flip back and forth between personalities,” she said. Silvertsen said she didn't know whether the alleged shooter had schizophrenia, but it seemed as if he was deteriorating mentally. “Emotionally healthy people don’t plan to do these kinds of things,” she said. Sivertsen said that bipolar disorder is not curable, but is reasonably well-controlled with medication. Medication helps leveling out the mood of people with bipolar disorder so they don’t experience the extreme highs and lows, she said. Harris said she didn’t want people to remember Bedell for the Pentagon shooting. "By all indications, he was an excellent student during his time here,” Harris said. "He was helpful, thoughtful and well-liked. That's how we'll remember him."
4
Monday, March 8, 2010
NEWS
Students learn about Indian culture Eric Austin Staff Writer Students from SJSU stepped off a plane on Jan. 2 and entered a different world in India, said Alden Wilson, a junior mechanical engineering major. Twenty-five students in total took part in the annual all-expenses-paid Global Technology Initiative Study Tour established by the College of Engineering, which was funded by a $1 million endowment, according to the college's Web site. Wilson said that being in India was different from what he is accustomed to in the Silicon Valley. "No matter how many videos you see or books you read, nothing compares to actually experiencing something, especially the rich culture and hospitality of India," he said. Mark Turner, a senior mechanical engineering student, said what the average day was like in India during the tour. Every morning the students would get a wake-up call at 6:30 a.m., he said, and would be on a charter bus by 7:30 a.m. to one of the companies they would be visiting that day. The students would visit between two to three companies each day, he said, with occasional downtime to spend with the locals to experience their culture. During their travels, the students were exposed to the
The Global Technology Initiative Study Tour poses in front of the Taj Majal during one of the groups outings in India. Photo courtesy of Xuan Duong Francis
different approach the people of India have to education and work, said Reuben Thibodeau, a junior electrical engineering major. "What this trip has really shown me is that there are so many people outside the U.S., and especially in India, who are eager to get an education, eager to work hard, and ready to innovate quality products and services," he said. Thibodeau said one of his more memorable experiences was talking to students from the Indian Institute of Technol-
ogy in Mumbai. "Getting accepted to the institute is very difficult and life-changing," he said. "They have intense pride but also face intense competition and peer pressure." Students visited Prajna Studios, a computer graphics company, which further illustrated the differences between the United States and India, Turner said. "It costs so much to do what they do in the United States, but this company is doing the same graphics and images for
half the price at a much faster rate," he said. "They are making themselves a direct competitor to the big, well-known companies in the U.S. like Pixar and Dreamworks." Students were also exposed to the challenges that India is currently facing, Turner said. "The infrastructure there is not efficient whatsoever, and they have many years of work ahead of them to figure things out," he said. "Trash was everywhere in the streets and it was actually running into the local water systems."
Experiencing this aspect of India was an eye-opener, Turner said. "It taught me not to take things for granted," he said. "We have access to clean water ,which is something that millions of people in India do not have access to." Thibodeau said the experience changed his perspective on what it means to be living in the Bay Area. "As a student, as an entrepreneur, and as an engineer, I will face intense competition in this global landscape," he said. "In a sense I now feel sheltered here, almost too comfortable, and with a false sense of security." The experience was something Thibodeau said he won't forget. "I am incredibly thankful for the India trip and to all those who have contributed because I have gained new insights into engineering challenges, discovered new opportunities for business and entrepreneurship, and because it revealed a beautiful culture of people who are as intelligent as they are hard-working and kind," he said. Wilson said he would travel to India again if he could. "It's important to realize that the world is bigger than San Jose, not to mention the entire U.S.," he said. "Every day since we got back I have thought about it, wishing I could return soon."
CINEQUEST From Page 1 because he’s a character that you see trying to change. “I think Jeremy really stole the show,” Hernandez said. “The way he portrays the son was so powerful when he is trying to open up to his father and let him know, even when his father puts up a barrier. I think he stole the show in those themes.” Garcia said the Hispanic community is not the only community whose elders are not willing to accept change. “I walked away with an old culture versus an up-andcoming culture, “ Garcia said. Hernandez said Lena was a powerful woman with an organic beauty that helped develop her neighbor, Che. To end the drama, Peter Bratt leaves the audience with very strong messages, Garcia said. At the end of the screening, Peter Bratt said he wanted to leave a positive influence on viewers. “The story communicates the strength in a family and the need of love within that family, “ Garcia said. “You can see it in the eyes of the actors and you can feel it in the audience.” Bratt said those who missed the show can see it when it comes to San Jose theaters April 16.
CSU’s seek more Latino participation in college Cards may help seniors Jasmine Duarte Staff Writer California State University, along with Univision Communications and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, launched the campaign “Es El Momento” (the Moment is Now), according to a CSU news release on Feb. 23. The three-year effort will focus on creating a college going culture among U.S. Latinos and setting expectations for an increased Latino high school graduation rate and Latino participation in college, Erik Fallis, CSU media relations specialist, stated in an e-mail. Latinos are the fastest-growing minority group in the U.S., Fallis stated. It is essential that more Latinos graduate from college so they are ready to take leadership positions in all sectors of the economy, Fallis stated. Jorge Ramos, Mexican an-
chor for Noticiero Univision, Univision’s news broadcast, will be the spokesperson for the campaign, according to the CSU news release. “Having other Latinos help run the program and be spokespeople, I think, will help the campaign because they will know what we are going through,” said Gabe Quezada, a senior justice studies major and co-treasurer of Chicano Commencement. Chicano Commencement is an organization on campus where students are recognized at a graduation ceremony that honors their accomplishments, all while incorporating the rich tradition of the Latino culture, according to the SJSU student involvement Web page. Messages from the “Es El Momento” campaign will be delivered through a network of national, regional and local media featuring news and special pro-
gramming, according to the CSU news release. The campaign is expected to deliver deeper parental involvement in students’ academic achievement, according to the CSU news release. “Latinos are the minority, but a majority at the same time, and there is an achievement gap between Latinos and other ethnicities,” said Christina Ramos, a master’s student in public administration and co-chair of Chicano Commencement. Latinos seeking higher education will build themselves a better future, Ramos said. “A great education is not an honor or privilege-it’s a fundamental civil right,” stated Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in a Univision news release. “This partnership with Univision will not only inspire Hispanic students and their parents and
community to aspire to a college education, a college education will give Latinos access to the information and tools they need to make their dream a reality,” stated Gates. “We can’t think of a better partner to work with on “Es El Momento” than Univision, which shares this belief in the power of education,” stated Gates in a Univision news release. A degree for Latinos will do more than benefit just the student, said senior finance major Marleh Villegas, co-fundraising chair for Chicano Commencement. “Latinos seeking higher education not only helps them but their families and the whole Latino community,” Villegas said. “This campaign will give Latinos the opportunity to show people what we can do and are capable of.”
graduate on time Eric Austin Staff Writer Academic Advising and Retention Services has implemented a new tool this semester to help graduating seniors get into classes needed to graduate on time, said the director of student success services. Cynthia Kato said this se-
“
The cards verify that a student is a graduating senior.
”
Cynthia Kato Director of Student Success Services mester, for the first time in SJSU’s history, graduation validation cards were given to seniors who had applied for graduation. “The cards verify that a student is a graduating senior,” she said. SJSU policy states that graduating seniors have priority for classes, but until now it has been hard for professors to verify whether students have applied for graduation, Kato said. The graduation validation cards have made this task
much easier, she said. Junior biology major Cynthia Nguyen said she believes the cards are a good idea. “It makes sense to me,” she said. “I don’t know why they haven’t used something like the cards before.” Nguyen said she understands the importance of getting into classes. “It’s always a struggle to get into classes,” she said. “I might have to delay my graduation date because I wasn’t able to get into all of my classes this semester.” The cards do not ensure that a graduating senior will get into a class, Kato said. “They do not guarantee anything,” she said. “If a class is full, it’s full.” Overall, the cards have been successful and will be used again next semester, Kato said. “We plan to keep doing it for the future because we found that people are very pleased with it,” she said. Senior business major Christopher Davis said he plans on graduating next semester and is glad these cards will be used. “It’s good to know that I will have a way to prove that I am graduating,” he said. “I would hate to not get into a class and be forced to come back for another semester just to take one class.”
Monday, March 8, 2010
A&E
5
‘Wonderland’ reviewer’s wild ride down the rabbit hole
Helena Bonham Carter plays the Red Queen in “Alice in Wonderland.” Photo courtesy of the All Movie Photo Web site
REVIEW
Matt Santolla Staff Writer The new "Alice in Wonderland" remake, directed by Tim Burton, is an entertaining family film that made me feel like I fell down the rabbit hole and entered a strange new world. The film stars Mia Wasikowska as Alice, a 19th century Londoner, 13 years after the original story. Alice came from a wealthy family, and her mother took her to a party for an arranged engagement to a man whom she is not interested in. Alice saw a rabbit, which she abruptly left the party to follow, and subsequently fell down the rabbit hole.
Once Alice arrived in Wonderland, the movie changed into a computer-animated 3-D adventure that was surprisingly enjoyable. Wonderland was full of multicolored mushrooms and vibrant flowers, blanketed by a dark gray sky. Alice felt she was just in another dream, but she quickly found out she was not dreaming and had a purpose for being in Wonderland. The plot focused on Alice finding a way to defeat the evil
Rachel Peterson / Spartan Daily
Red Queen. In Wonderland, Alice traveled through the strange world and was introduced to many of the classic characters from the original story, some of whom, including Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Cheshire Cat, the Blue Caterpillar and the White Rabbit, helped Alice in her quest to defeat the Queen. Johnny Depp’s insane portrayal of the Mad Hatter was another terrific performance. Depp and Burton found a way to make the character strange and hilarious. With bright green eyes, a pale white face and bright orange hair, I completely forgot Depp was playing him. The Mad Hatter befriended Alice and helped her on her quest to defeat the Red Queen. Helena Bonham Carter’s performance as the Red Queen particularly stood out in the movie. From the first moment she
Tim Burton’s 3-D adventure “Alice in Wonderland” starring Johnny Depp and Mia Wasikowska hit theaters this past weekend. Photo courtesy of the Watch Alice in Wonderland Web site
appeared on-screen, she was abrasive, loud, rude and the perfect villain. She had an oversized head that pops out of the screen, and every time she yelled “off with their head,” my ears hurt. Anne Hathaway's White Queen was the one character I did not like. She was just too strange. Hathaway was dressed in white with white hair, but black lipstick and eye shadow. I It made her look like a film negative. I felt Alice's calm attitude during the film contrasted well
with the zany characters in Wonderland. It brought a level of reality to an unreal world. The 3-D special effects were predictable. Branches or bugs were constantly poking audience members in their faces while Alice was being chased through Wonderland by giant animals. At times, I felt the 3-D effects were too much. My eyes had to refocus on a new object that jumped onto the screen every five minutes. This is not to say the effects were not good, or that a 3-D
Wonderland was not awesome, but there was too much going on for one brain to process. I feel what makes Burton’s films better than others is that he can take a PG-rated movie and make it enjoyable for older people. The subject matter is for children, but an average movie fan can enjoy the strange colors, costumes and characters that make the film interesting. I felt "Alice in Wonderland" was worth the $9.25 price of admission. It was a fun, entertaining and imaginative film.
6
Monday, March 8, 2010
A&E
Students should seek out this ‘Steak Out’ Kristen Pearson Staff Writer The sandwiches are like heart attacks encased in bread. Hoagie Steak Out is a hole-inthe-wall restaurant on the corner of San Carlos and Third Street downtown. The fries are bland, thick and floppy, but the sandwiches are heavenly, and could end up sending one to heaven from the greasiness of it all. A large selection of sub sandwiches and cheese steak sandwiches, depending on the customer's preference, adorns the menu. The menu is easy to read and simple to order from, whereas Subway's endless choices make me stand and stare for a minimum of five minutes. When I'm at Subway, I wonder why I went to the restaurant with the most involved decision-making process in town. I enjoy Hoagie's easygoing atmosphere and my wallet enjoys the 10 percent discount that is offered to SJSU students. The hoagie that particularly tickles my fancy is the Pastrami Knight, made with hot pastrami, lettuce, tomato, mustard and American cheese. The Chicago Pepperoni is a pizza-like alternative for customers who don't want to walk across the street to Pizza My Heart. The hoagies usually cost between $5.00 and $7.00. If you don't want steak, you can substitute any meat with chicken, and if you don't want a sandwich at all, there is the option of fish and chips. Unfortunately, there is always a downside to restaurants. The soda refills are 50 cents — a high price to pay as a starving college student. The "Slush Puppies," which are like Icees, come in cherry
RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK
The Pastrami Knight hoagie from Hoagie Steak Out located on the corner of San Carlos and Third Street. Kristen Pearson / Spartan Daily
and blueberry flavors. They are unsatisfying if you're looking for something cold and creamy because they are packed with sugary syrup and chunky ice. Hoagie's atmosphere makes up for the poor drink choices. Pictures cover one wall, all the way from the front door to the soda machine. These pictures are of Hoagie's past and present employees, as well as the consumers who visit this small sandwich shop. I've been confused before about this restaurant because there are two entrances. There is an entrance with the name "Hoagie Steak Out" over it and an entrance with the words "Cheese Steak" over it. Both entrances lead to the same restaurant, and they are separated by a short, thin wall. The main entrance, however, is on the left side where the open sign is. A flat-screen TV adorns one wall near the ceiling and patrons can change the channel to anything they like.
Customers dining in have a choice of sitting at a table or sitting on a bar stool facing the wall of pictures or facing the kitchen. Clientele can watch their food cook on the large grill behind the register. Posters of unnamed movies are on the right wall, above the pictures. Patrons can guess which movies they are as they wait for their food. There is a lot of visual stimulation in this one small lunch and dinner stop. The food smells delicious as it's prepared, but it seems to take forever for them to call my number whenever I get a sandwich there. It's probably because I'm usually hungry and heading to class. Hoagie Steak Out opens at 11:00 a.m. every day and closes at 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 3:00 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. Overall, I would say Hoagie is a great place for an afternoon meal during a break between classes.
‘Hurt Locker’ wins best-picture Oscar Bigelow is first woman to earn best director LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Iraq War drama "The Hurt Locker" won best picture and five other prizes Sunday at the Academy Awards, its haul including best director for Kathryn Bigelow. Bigelow is the first woman in the 82-year history of the Oscars to earn Hollywood’s top prize for filmmakers. "There's no other way to describe it. It's the moment of a lifetime," Bigelow said. "It's so extraordinary to be in the company of my fellow nominees, such powerful filmmakers, who have inspired me and I have admired, some of them for decades." Among those Bigelow and "The Hurt Locker" beat are ex-husband James Cameron and his sci-fi spectacle "Avatar." Bigelow and Cameron were married from 1989-91. Cameron was seated right behind Bigelow at the Oscars and joined a standing ovation for her, clapping vigorously and saying, "Yes, yes" after she won. First-time winners took all four acting prizes: Sandra Bullock as best actress for "The Blind Side"; Jeff Bridges as best actor for "Crazy Heart"; Mo'Nique as supporting actress for "Precious"; and Christoph Waltz as supporting actor for "Inglourious Basterds." The Oscar marks a career peak for Bridges, a beloved Hollywood veteran who had been nominated four times in the previous 38 years without winning. Bridges, who played
a boozy country singer trying to clean up his act, held his Oscar aloft and thanked his late parents, actor Lloyd Bridges and poet Dorothy Bridges. "Thank you, Mom and Dad, for turning me on to such a groovy profession," said Bridges, recalling how his mother would get her children to entertain at parties and his father would sit on the bed teaching him the basics of acting for an early he landed on his dad's TV show "Sea Hunt." "I feel an extension of them. This is honoring them as much as it is me," Bridges said. Bullock, an industry darling who had never before been nominated, won for her role as a wealthy woman who takes in homeless future NFL star Michael Oher, who was living on the streets as a teen. The award wraps up a wild year for Bullock, who had boxoffice smashes with "Blind Side" and "The Proposal" and a flop with "All About Steve," which earned her the worstactress trophy at the Razzies the night before the Oscars. "Did I really earn this or did I just wear you all down?" Bullock asked the Oscar crowd. Bullock gushed with praise for her fellow nominees, including Meryl Streep, who she joked is "such a good kisser." The supporting-acting winners capped remarkable years, Mo'Nique startling fans with dramatic depths previously unsuspected in the actress known for lowbrow comedy and the Austrian-born Waltz leaping to fame with his first big Hollywood role. "I would like to thank the academy for showing that it can be about the perfor-
mance and not the politics," said Mo'Nique, who plays the heartless, abusive welfare mother of an illiterate teen in the Harlem drama "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire." Mo'Nique added her gratitude to the first black actress to win an Oscar, Hattie McDaniel, the 1939 supportingactress winner for "Gone With the Wind." "I want to thank Miss Hattie McDaniel for enduring all that she had to so that I would not have to," she said, adding thanks to Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, who signed on as executive producers to spread the word on "Precious" after it premiered at last year's Sundance Film Festival. "Precious" also won the adapted-screenplay Oscar for Geoffrey Fletcher. "This is for everybody who works on a dream every day. Precious boys and girls everywhere," Fletcher said. Waltz's award was presented by last season's supporting-actress winner, Penelope Cruz, who gave Waltz a kiss as he took the stage. "Oscar and Penelope. That's an uber-bingo," Waltz said. Though a veteran stage and TV actor in Europe, Waltz had been a virtual unknown in Hollywood before Quentin Tarantino cast him as the prattling, ruthless Jew-hunter Hans Landa in his World War II saga. "Quentin with his unorthodox methods of navigation, this fearless explorer, took this ship across and brought it in with flying colors, and that's why I'm here," Waltz said. "This is your welcoming embrace, and there's no way I can ever thank you enough."
Monday, March 8, 2010
OPINION
7
The Chile earthquake: a feeling of helplessness At about 6:30 a.m., Feb. 27, an early text message alerted me with news that a massive earthquake had struck Chile, my homeland, and suddenly I was no longer sleepy. I watched the news in disbelief — images of disfigured highways, fallen buildings, buckled bridges and a warning of a tsunami. Half the country seemed to be on the ground. I called my parents in Southern California to get an update on our family. No one answered. Initial reports registered the temblor at magnitude 8.8 at the epicenter in the Maule Region, some 60 miles from Concepcion. The quake struck at 3:34 a.m. Chile time, and with a five-
Nelson Aburto Staff Photographer hour time difference from Pacific Standard Time, eight hours had passed. How come no one had called, I wondered? In Vina del Mar, Chile, my cousin Oscar had boarded a bus after attending a memorable Ri-
cardo Arjona concert. The bus traveled three blocks and abruptly crashed into a bus stop. Within seconds, Oscar noticed short circuits flaring up from a distance. An electricity pole fell on top of the bus, and without warning, the city went pitch-black. Oscar said he realized Chile was experiencing an earthquake and he felt the street move in such a strong manner that for a split second, he thought his life was over. He said sparks were flying and electricity was flickering all over — he compared it to a fireworks show. Then people began to panic, screaming and yelling in total darkness. Complete chaos ensued, Oscar said. It goes
without saying that my cousin was terrified out of his wits. Once the seemingly-eternal shaking halted, the bus driver continued driving expeditiously on his route, only to be derailed by a hillside barricade. Oscar said he was left with no choice but to get off the bus and direct traffic with the limited light from his cell phone. All vehicles had to travel the opposite direction in order to advance. Eventually, he exited the bus because rumors of a tsunami alert were circulating among the crowd. Heading toward the hills to a friend’s house made perfect sense. It was a good five hours later before Oscar said he finally contacted his parents.
Back in San Jose, I was browsing the Internet at work to uncover any new developments in Chile. I signed into Facebook and began chatting with a Chilean friend who now lives in Canada. She explained her parents were scheduled for departure from Santiago Airport, but had not heard from them that day. Around 10:30 a.m., making it 12 hours without contact, my sister called me to inform our parents had been up all night. Their attempts to reach family members were futile. Phone lines must have been clogged with callers or have been rendered inoperative. An hour later, my sister received a message on the Internet,
reassuring all of us our family was safe. Apparently, my cousin Oscar found time to bechecking his Facebook it in a moment of crisis. The truth of the matter is, I’ve never been a big fan of Facebook. I only recently became a member because of the constant e-mail requests from old friends. To be quite honest, I tend to play the ‘contrarian’ card. Usually, I don’t have the desire to partake in anything considered popular or trendy. But I’ll give in just this one time, because for once it served a purpose for me. The beloved social network can add a new service to its resume — Earthquake Response Team.
Two parts cream, one part sugar, three parts gunpowder Coffee shops such as Starbucks can provide considerable entertainment for the average Joe looking for a cup of joe. Whether it’s the greasy-looking crazies muttering conspiracy theories under their breaths or the suits with greased hair shouting into their Bluetooth sets, one can usually count on some sort of spectacle. Groups of “open carriers,” gun owners who carry their firearms in public, are the newest addition to Starbucks’ curious mix of patrons. Starbucks recently decided it would allow patrons to carry weapons inside its stores, provided the stores are located in an area where carrying a weapon is legal. The idea that coffee enthusiasts can now carry guns at their caffeine temples doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the legislation on which the idea is based. Though it’s illegal to carry a loaded firearm in public in California, unloaded weapons are just fine. As long as the ammunition isn’t attached to the actual weapon, a gun owner can carry a full clip right next to
Given this information, it his favorite hand cannon. seems obvious we should handle How quickly does an unloaded firearms with a great deal more handgun, the only violent applicacare than we did at the turn of the tion of which is as an expensive 19th century. cudgel, turn into nine rounds of Now I like guns as much as the semi-automatic hollow-pointed next guy. They’re as American as death? apple pie and TV dinners. About two seconds. I come from a place where one I don’t see how they’re not every brings his rifle to a remote area to bit as dangerous as a loaded gun. Eric Van Susteren hunt deer or his pistol to a range Consider that the Second to shoot targets. We don’t bring Amendment, which gives us the Staff Writer them to the grocery store in case right to carry these death-dealers, there’s a zombie uprising or a terwas based on the cutting edge technology of 1788: flintlock rifles. An expert could fire rorist attack. My issue isn’t with Starbucks — they’re adhering one of these weapons maybe three times in a minute. to laws already in place. I want to know why open carThey were giant, unwieldy and inaccurate. The only real characteristic these weapons have in riers bring their guns there. Most say they carry guns for safety reasons. Are common with today’s guns is they both fire bullets. Today’s guns are smaller, easier to use, more deadly they really so afraid of droopy-eyed baristas and the usual eccentric mix of java-buzzed locals at their faand more accurate.
When brakes break “I want to ride my bicycle. I want to ride my bike. I want to ride my bicycle. I want to ride it where I like,” sang Freddie Mercury in “Bicycle Race.” Although the song came out in 1978 on Queen’s Jazz album, I feel it’s the perfect song to sum up bike riding — well almost. The part about riding where I like, I don’t think Mercury meant gravel sidewalks. Midday in 1998, my mom and I were rushing to get to my soccer practice on our bikes. We had one car, a blue station wagon my dad drove 17 miles back and forth every day to his job in Canby, Calif., which has a population of 413. I had graduated to a new Huffy bike, a color between blue and purple with brakes on the handle bars – the classy kind from K-Mart. Eat your hearts out hipsters with your lame one-speed bikes. The bike was a little too big for me, but I liked the challenge of only having the tips of my toes on the ground. About halfway to the soccer field my bike started to wobble,
Shiva Zahirfar Staff Writer almost dancing on top of the gravel sidewalk. And as I tried to not fall down by pedaling backward, the way my old bike’s brakes worked, my face met the sidewalk. A small amount of gravel went into my upper lip, forehead and left index finger. I was 8 at the time, and 12 years since then my scars have healed a little. The scar on my finger reminds me of Dr. Evil’s scar coming down from his right eye. After the accident happened and I was sitting in the gravel, I thought my eye was bleeding because there was blood coming
from above, but it was just the from the cut on my forehead. To this day, my dad is upset my mom didn’t call him, so he could stitch up my face. “I do oral surgery all the time, in the back of the mouth where you can barely see. My dad said, “Shiva’s face would be very easy.” At this point you might think he sounds crazy, but after having to pay $5,000 for hospital costs, he doesn’t seem to be out of line. After an ambulance ride of about a quarter of a mile, we arrived at the hospital. With a population of less than 3,000, Alturas’ hospital is not known for its excellence. The doctor tried to remove some of the gravel with water and told my parents we would have to drive to Klamath Falls, Ore. to have my face stitched up. Twenty-one stitches later in a doctor’s office in Klamath Falls about 98 miles away from where the accident had happened, I was amazed all this had happened over a stupid mistake. The brakes, it’s always the
STAFF WRITERS San Jose State University San Jose, CA 95192-0149 Phone: (408) 924-3281
SPARTAN DAILY STAFF Joey Akeley, Executive Editor Husain Sumra, Managing Editor Kirsten Aguilar, Multimedia Editor Michelle Gachet, Multimedia Editor Suzanne Yada, Online/Copy Editor Leonard Lai, Opinion Editor Jill Abell, Features Editor Kyle Szymanski, Sports Editor Minh Pham, A & E Editor Jennifer Hadley, A & E Editor Ryan Fernandez, Copy Editor Angelo Lanham, Copy Editor Stefan Armijo, Photo Editor My Nguyen, Production Editor Rachel Peterson, Production Editor Jenny Ngo, Advertising Director Shirlene Kwan, Creative Director Amy Donecho, Assistant Advertising Director Tanya Flores, Assistant Creative Director
Justin Albert Regina Aquino Eric Austin Eric Bennett Ben Cadena Amaris Dominguez Jasmine Duarte Jenn Elias Donovan Farnham Ashley Finden Lidia Gonzalez Salman Haqqi Daniel Herberholz Kevin Hume Alicia Johnson
Melissa Johnson Hannah Keirns Anna-Maria Kostovska Jhenene Louis Marlon Maloney Andrew Martinez Kathryn McCormick Kristen Pearson Melissa Sabile Matt Santolla Angelo Scrofani Amber Simons Eric Van Susteren Shiva Zahirfar
ADVERTISING STAFF Nicholette Bankmann Brooke Carpenter Sarah Clark Melissa Funtanilla Amanda Geannacopulos Kristopher Lepiten Jon Nemeth
Alan Nguyen Karl Nguyen Darren Pinto Alan Potter Tyler Swasey Daniel Tesfay Phong Tran
vorite Starbucks that they feel they need a 9 mm? I don’t think so. Carrying weapons in Starbucks isn’t about protection — it’s about proving a point. Open carriers are overtly brandishing their Second Amendment right simply because they can. I don’t think the framers of the Constitution drafted the Second Amendment so citizens could flaunt it as if they were spoiled toddlers showing off their new toy. Owning a gun is not a privilege, it’s a responsibility. To abuse our rights as American citizens this way is plain irresponsible, and in the end, it only undermines the very right they’re trying so clumsily to protect. So I hope the next time I stumble into a Starbucks to stand in line with the other weirdos — all of us decaffeinated, confused and a little cranky — the local gun-owning coffee enthusiasts won’t mistake us for a vicious pack of flesh-eating zombies.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR On Thursday, students and staff demanded more money for SJSU. For most, the issue seems like a no-brainer: budget cuts suck, so throw some money at the problem. They fail to recognize that what the government gives you it must first take away from someone else. SJSU faces trade-offs because the resources necessary to run a school are scarce. There is no free lunch. But school leaders feel no shame in wasting money while the quality of education declines. The school will spend $90 million to renovate the Student Union, leaving students with furlough days! By cutting more intelligently, the school can “keep the doors open” without begging for more tax dollars. Students alone will benefit from their education — your degree doesn’t get me a job, nor does mine make you smarter — and yet most SJSU students are aghast at the prospect of paying for their school. Tuition is rising, but we will still only pay
brakes. And there are a lot of freak accidents on bikes that involve brakes. My friend Alissa told me a while ago about how she was go-
a fraction of the cost. Students should worry about having to pay higher taxes the for rest of their lives. Education may be a right, but school is not. All life experiences are educational, but the resources necessary to operate a school require the cooperation of others. To declare my right to taxpayers’ income is to declare my right to the sweat off their backs. While several students at the protest were willing to actually talk with me, other students showed their narrow-mindedness by jeering. One student went so far as to physically attack me because he was too short to cover my sign. If the school’s mission is to teach students to think critically and keep their minds open, it has failed. Too many of our students believe in a free lunch and too few are tolerant of dissenting opinions.
Rick Weber
ing downhill on a gravel driveway and her brakes stopped working. She walked away from the square sheet of metal she ran into with chucks missing from
her chin and knee. Learn from my experience and the misfortunes of others: Make sure you know how your brakes work and make sure they work.
SENIOR STAFF WRITERS
OPINION PAGE POLICY
Hank Drew Scott Reyburn Tommy Wright Jon Xavier
Letters to the editor may be placed in the letters to the editor box in the Spartan Daily office in Dwight Bentel Hall, Room 209, sent by fax to (408) 924-3282, e-mailed to spartandaily@casa.sjsu.edu or mailed to the Spartan Daily Opinon Editor, San Jose, CA 95192-0149.
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Nelson Aburto Briana Calderon Andrew Villa Kibiwot Limo
DISTRIBUTION Piyush Bansal Gurdip Chera
ADVISERS Richard Craig, News Mack Lundstrom, News Jan Shaw, News Kim Komenich, Photojournalism Tim Hendrick, Advertising Tim Burke, Production Chief Tim Mitchell, Design Pat Wallraven, Business Manager
Letters to the editor must contain the author’s name, address, phone number, signature and major. Letters become property of the Spartan Daily and may be edited for clarity, grammar, libel and length. Only letters of 300 words or less will be considered for publication. Published opinions and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of the Spartan Daily, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or SJSU. The Spartan Daily is a public forum.
8
Monday, March 8, 2010
SPORTS
Water polo nets third straight victory Daniel Herberholz Staff Writer A day after needing a comeback to win, sophomore Dani Curran made sure the SJSU women’s water polo team stepped out to an early lead against No. 13 UC Irvine on Sunday. With a minute gone against Irvine (7-9), Curran lasered the ball in from eight meters out, and the Spartans led the rest of the way, winning 7-4. For the second time this season, Curran and Vogt both scored a hat trick. Senior Bridget McKee added one goal and goalkeeper Meagan Minson blocked 12 shots for the Spartans. “Dani and Adriana really stepped up from a scoring standpoint,” SJSU head coach Lou Tully said. “Today we got off to a better start, and then there was a lull during the game.” Minson and the Spartans
blanked the Anteaters in the first quarter. “I told the girls ... to play the first quarter like it’s the entire game,” junior Adriana Vogt said. “If you put teams away in the first quarter, you can kill their hope, and that was our goal today.” A minute after Curran’s opening goal, McKee pulled her arm away from the defender to catch a cross-pool pass and tap it in for a score. Curran’s second goal came during a penalty to Irvine’s Caitlin Haskell, who scored twice in the game, including the Anteaters’ only first-half goal. The Spartans were up 3-1 at the half. Before the Anteaters could score again, Curran completed her hat trick to open the third quarter with a crosscage shot from inside two meters. Vogt scored the final three goals for SJSU in the victory.
SJSU swept by Santa Clara
SJSU outfielder Jason Martin slides into home during the Spartans 4-0 loss to Santa Clara on Saturday. Santa Clara swept SJSU in a three-game series this weekend. Nelson Aburto / Spartan Daily
Gymnastics team finishes second Hannah Keirns Staff Writer Before their final performance at home Friday, SJSU gymnastics seniors Jessica Khoshnood, Gabrielle Targosz and Tiffany Louie knew it was going to be memorable for them. But by night's end, the final performance became memorable for the entire team. The SJSU women’s gymnastics team scored its season best with a 195.075 Friday night in the team’s final meet of the season in the Spartan Gym. Competing against Stanford and Cal, the record score was good enough to put the Spartans in second place overall behind Stanford (196.800) and ahead of Cal (190.775.) “Tonight’s meet was probably the best of the year,” Khoshnood said. “I want us to continue to keep improving. We had a really rough start to the season and I’m really excited to see where we can go from this.” The final team score of 195.075 was also the seventh highest score in school history. SJSU started first rotation with a 48.525 on the vault. Junior Lily Swann led the team followed by Junior Shanice Howard, junior Katie Merritt, sophomore Aubrey Lee, sophomore Katie Valleau and Thomasina Wallace. On second rotation at the uneven bars, Wallace led the team followed by Merritt, Khoshnood, Swann, freshman Katie Lindsey and Louie. During third rotation, Wallace led the Spartan balance beam team toward the team’s season-best score of 48.775. Lee followed with a 9.800, Targosz at 9.725, Merritt and Swann at 9.700 and Khoshnood at 9.500. The Spartans finished the meet with floor exercise and se-
Katie Merritt performs during a gymnastics meet Friday. SJSU had a season-high score but finished in second place with a score of 195.075. Andrew Villa / Spartan Daily cured the fourth-highest score in school history at 49.300. The fourth rotation was led by Wallace and Louie who each scored a 9.900. Valleau came in second followed by Khoshnood, Swann and Targosz. The final rotation provided Louie and Valleau their careerhigh score on floor while Khoshnood tied hers. Before the final scores were announced, seniors Khoshnood, Louie and Targosz were recognized individually. Khoshnood, who has competed on bars for all four years of her career but also competes on beam and floor, was recog-
nized for her career-high scores: 9.800 on the uneven bars in all seasons, 9.850 on the balance beam in her freshman season and 9.825 on floor exercise twice this season. Khoshnood is a National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women Scholastic All-America Team honoree. “I’m really proud of myself and my fellow seniors,” Khoshnood said. “I think we deserved to have such a great meet tonight. It’s been really rewarding here and I’m so thankful I’ve had an experience like this.” Louie was recognized for her career-high scores: 9.825 on
bars in her freshman season, 9.900 on the floor at Friday’s meet and 9.750 on vault in first yearseason. Louie is a three-time San Jose State Scholar Athlete and Academic All-WAC selection and a 2007 Scholastic All-America Team pick. “I tried something new on floor tonight and I made it and got my career-high score,” Louie said. “That was always my goal — I’ve always dreamed of doing it, even when I was a little kid, and I finally got to do it.” Targosz, who has competed on floor exercise all four years of her career but also participated on the balance beam, was recognized for her career-high scores: 9.850 on floor earlier this season against Cal State Fullerton and 9.750 on beam this season against Sacramento State. Targosz is a San Jose State Scholar Athlete and a three-time Academic All-WAC honoree. “It’s all very overwhelming and exciting, but I’m really sad that this was my last meet here,” Targosz said. Head coach Wayne Wright said Friday’s meet was great for the seniors of the team and for the fans. “The seniors have been with the program through its development and have helped get the program to where it is today,” Wright said. “I think we are peaking at the right time,” Wright said. The gymnastics team will be competing at the Western Athletic Conference Championships on March 27 in Fullerton, Calif. before attempting to gain entry into the National Collegiate Athletic Association Regionals on April 10. The gymnastics team continues its season next Friday night at Utah State followed by a meet at Boise State on March 19.