I read the Foghorn on a regular basis but have been disappointed by the uninformed and misguided economic analysis presented by Paul Panasiuk on the U.S. economy and political system.

In his latest article on the U.S. recession he argues the government is printing money, that this is causing a depreciation of the dollar, and that the government spends money on failing programs and wars. Furthermore, he compares the US to Zimbabwe, Iceland, the Weimar Republic and Argentina.  He predicts that the US economy will collapse and that there will be a meltdown.  Furthermore, Mr. Panasiuk argues that millions have lost jobs and that Americans continue to lose jobs.

First, Mr. Panasiuk’s criticisms regarding money supply are misguided because they are not based on reality.  The U.S. government is elected by the people and the U.S. has an independent central bank that sets monetary policy independent from the rest of the government.  The Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is highly qualified in how to deal with financial crises, recessions, and using monetary policy to get the economy back on track.  The same cannot be said of Zimbabwe, the Weimar Republic, Argentina or Iceland.

Second, Mr. Panasiuk does not consider alternative reasons for the loss of American jobs.  Indeed, many Americans have lost their jobs, but after the recession has cleared there will be new jobs, which may require an updated skill set.  Do we really want to keep autoworkers employed making SUVs that nobody wants to buy?  Instead we need to build fuel efficient cars, invest in biotechnology, and be innovative and a global leader in high technology.  Most of the jobs that have been lost have been in low-skilled labor, which has been negatively impacted by the development of new technology that replace these workers, the rise in the minimum wage, and the comparative advantage offered by low skilled labor in foreign countries.  A recession offers companies to restructure and become more efficient thereby reaping greater profits in the future.

Third, Mr. Panasiuk does not offer any alternative solution for current U.S. government policy.  Would he rather that the Federal Reserve not print money, thereby keeping interest rates high, making it more difficult for businesses to invest, and our exports expensive to foreign consumers?  Would he rather have a tight fiscal policy and thereby not stimulate the economy through the business cycle?  I am unclear as to what he would want the future to hold. It is easy to criticize and complain about wars, the economy, and politicians.  But unless you can offer better solutions then I am afraid that these criticisms do not amount to much at all.

Sincerely,

Eric Fischer

Graduate Student,

Department of Economics

However, prices of BART tickets are continuing to increase, which gives less incentive for commuters to leave their car at home when gas costs just about the same as a BART ticket.

In August I took the BART from the station on Mission Street to the San Francisco International Airport and paid $10.70 for a round trip ticket.

I recently looked up the prices now to get to the airport from the same station and it is $16.10. It has only been three months and already the price has increased. Thankfully my roommate informed me of the Super Shuttle, which only costs $20 including tip. The Super Shuttle picks you up at your home, helps you with your bags, and drops you off at your designated terminal at the airport in a timely manner.

The problem with BART, besides its price increase, is that you have to take different buses or a cab to get to the BART station if you live near USF.

If you are going to the airport with luggage, this is a huge hassle. Super Shuttle will come to you and you don’t have to spend money on Muni to get to the BART station.

I do not understand why the city is increasing the price of public transportation, like BART and Muni, if they want us to be “greener” by not using cars as frequently. The previous prices were more reasonable and encouraged people to take BART or Muni instead of their cars. Now it costs $2 instead of $1.50 for an adult to take Muni, and $6 more for people to get to the SFO from downtown San Francisco.

San Francisco has better public transportation than other cities. It is clean and available almost 24 hours a day. But the transportation was also a cheaper way to get around San Francisco. That aspect is changing.

San Francisco is a environmentally conscious city and its public transportation should not make it more expensive for people to help the emissions of greenhouse gases. Something needs to be done and fares need to stop increasing.

It is quickly becoming more economically efficient to drive around the city and pay for gas instead of continually paying for bus fares and BART tickets that increase every time you hop on board. Bay Area public transportation agencies need to keep fares low in order to encourage commuters to ride transit and help the earth.

In more recent history, this Monday Nov. 9 marked the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. In 1989, the barrier separating democratic West Berlin and Soviet controlled East Berlin was demolished by a large, spontaneous rebellion of East Berlin citizens who refused to continue living with oppression and poverty. The failure of the Soviets to impede the East Berlin rebellion represented the turning point of Soviet control, leading to the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union and establishment of democracy in much of Eastern Europe. Twenty years later, the blatant suppression of free speech, press, and travel is nearly unheard of in western countries and the establishment of the European Union seeks to eradicate corruption within European governments.

Both of these anniversaries represent milestones in history when individuals banded together in revolutionary pursuit. This begs the question: What will our generation’s revolution be? Or is it already happening? I believe revolutions, in many forms, are already under way. As we reflect on those of the past, it’s time we acknowledge the revolutions occurring today.

Tehran, Iran: The nation’s capital has spent the last five months in violent uproar as opposition forces protest electoral fraud and government corruption. International investigations into Iran’s presidential election in June shows conclusive evidence that president elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rigged the election. The opposition leaders, specifically western-supported Mir Hussein Moussavi immediately revolted after election results were announced. In the following five months, riots in Tehran have drawn record crowds. Government-sponsored police have resorted to violent suppression of all protests. Despite shootings and releasing of tear gas, Iranians have continued to rebel, demanding government reform.

Washington D.C., United States: Revolutionary action for social reform is taking place across the United States, specifically in the nation’s capital. Revolutionary healthcare reform was brought to the front of American politics after the election of President Barack Obama in 2008. For the first time since President Clinton’s call for reform in 1993, a serious campaign for universal healthcare is underway. The current healthcare bill seeks to grant affordable coverage to American citizens, especially those who have lost employment and/or insurance in the recession. This revolution has the potential to completely change the state of our country’s health. The reform could insure up to 36 million Americans who, at this point, do not have access to any form of healthcare, from chemotherapy to pediatric check-ups.

China: The revolution of totalitarian-capitalism is growing fast. China has the fastest growing economy in the world and is showing no signs of slowing down. In the worldwide recession, China’s economy barely took the hit, continuing nearly normal production rates.

The cultural climate of China remains rooted in communism, while free-market policies have taken hold of the country’s economy. The fiscal revolution defies the boundaries of both capitalism and communism, with the abundance of human capital and thrifty investment aiding China’s pursuit to dominate world markets. Economists are calling China the superpower of the future, and there is little reason to refute these claims.

Revolutions are abundant in today’s society. Guy Fawkes Day and the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall remind us to appreciate revolutions of both the past and present.

Our generation will alter this world drastically. Whether it is Iranian freedom, healthcare reform, major economic transformations, or something yet to occur, our effect on this planet will be undeniable.

USF is a Catholic university, but it also has the Jesuit influence that differs from some traditional Catholic principles and from other Catholic Universities in the country.

The University of San Francisco has taken criticism for their liberal outlook on Catholic teachings. As a most recent example, the Catholic community condemned USF for inviting Irene Khan of Amnesty International to our campus last week.

In 2007 Amnesty International reversed their long-standing position on abortion from opposed to neutral. The Catholic community saw Khan’s invitation as a direct contradiction to Catholic beliefs.

Patrick Reilly, the president of the Cardinal Newman Society stated in a Life News article that choosing to have Amnesty International speak at USF was “a direct betrayal of its own mission in service of human rights.”

The Catholic blogs also critiqued films shown on campus. In 2007 USF, hosted a film festival which featured films about same sex marriage and abortion. One of the movies featured a Nicaraguan girl who was pregnant after being raped and was seeking an abortion. Another film surrounded Mayor Gavin Newsom’s decision to allow same-sex marriage in San Francisco.

The Catholic community was less than pleased to hear these films were being shown and supported by a Catholic university. Life Site News regularly recognizes these contradictions to the Catholic faith that USF makes.

Life Site News also cited a study done by nursing students taken from the Contra Costa Department of Public Health. The study promotes contraceptives.

Although not every speaker at USF represents the traditional Catholic ideals, the Foghorn supports USF’s initiative to bring a broad spectrum of speakers to our university. USF is a multi-cultural campus with students who have different religious beliefs.

The Foghorn believes that as a university, USF should be open to different points of view presented by students, which USF is.

By allowing films that may not follow Catholic teaching, the university is not denying that those viewpoints exist and encourages its students to be more educated about the world around them.

Although USF may not support gay marriage, contraceptives, or abortion, it chooses to recognize that some people do. If USF chose to shield these viewpoints from the community, it would restrict students’ work, expression, and education about the world around them.

The Foghorn staff appreciates that the USF administration values the student experience, and devotes funds to improving our buildings to make them not only more useful but also more aesthetically pleasing. However, we have concerns about how the space will be allotted, and, selfishly, are worried about the office space that will be given to us and fellow funded accounts.

One concern in particular is that we would no longer have our own offices. We cannot speak for everyone, but in our office we conduct meetings, hold interviews for stories, write articles, work with writers, edit stories, and lay out the paper for each coming week. We work late hours and use our space all the time.

The suggestion to share offices with other clubs is not workable. If we had to ask permission to use the office for a meeting, to reserve a computer at a certain time, or had to close the office at a certain time, the paper would suffer.

The Foghorn is not the only group affected by this move. It would not be fair to other organizations that have also been accustomed to their own office space to share with another organization. Just as the Foghorn would suffer so would the other organizations’ work.

Chris Begley, the Executive Producer of USFtv, said that the move for USFtv “would be ridiculous.” Begley stated, “Our office would have to be moved in the summer. And who would move it? It would probably have to be Alex [Platt, a fellow USFtv producer] and I. I would have to be forced to stay here during the summer to handle the situation.”

Another one of Begley’s main concerns is security. Begley said administrators have proposed lockers for the group’s expensive equipment, including thousands of dollars worth of cameras and editing equipment. Begley is worried about the equipment being stolen or damaged without having the group’s office to store it in.

Having new and improved facilities for student groups would be a positive change, if implemented properly.

We at the Foghorn try to represent the students of USF, and have brainstormed how we would blueprint the UC. The UC is a space that is supposed to serve students, so who better than students to determine how it should be used? Our floor by floor plan is as follows:

The bottom floor of the UC should contain Outtahere, Crossroads, and the bookstore. This is the plan that has been set forth by the architects, and we support it. We believe that having the café and bookstore near each other would improve business and give USF a better area for students to socialize and eat.

On the second floor, we support the architects’ plan to leave it largely unchanged. The cafeteria takes up most of the space, and we appreciate the Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Student Resource Center being centrally located.

The third floor is where USFtv, the Foghorn, and other student organizations that need visibility should be moved. Being visible to the student body is imperative for these organizations to have consistent members and recognition. Offices that are currently on the third floor but do not require frequent interaction with students, such as the McCarthy Center and Events Scheduling, could be moved to the fourth or fifth floor. Being in a less central location would not impede those groups from fulfilling their missions.

On the fourth and fifth floors, services for students should be located. International Student and Scholar Services, the Learning and Writing Center, the Language Centers, Health Promotion Services, and other services for students should be on the fourth floor. Organizations like Student Leadership and Engagement, the McCarthy Center, Events Scheduling, and other organizations that offer services to students should be located.

We support renovating Phelan Hall and the University Center, and making our campus a more  beautiful and functional place. However, we ask that the committee listen to and consider our requests.

As of today, each person in the United States owes $39,000 and federal spending increases by about $3.79 billion dollars a day.  Democrats and Republicans alike truly believe that they can continue to spend money without dire consequences.  People who stand behind the stimulus package totaling hundreds of billions of dollars clearly do not understand what drives real economic growth.  A society that spends money on credit without producing and saving is doomed to fail.  Countries like China, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea do exactly the opposite of what we are doing and produce goods, which benefit immensely from our irresponsible and nonsensical policies. Our society will soon feel the pain.

An example of this pan can be seen in the happenings in Zimbabwe, Iceland, the Weimar Republic, and Argentina.  Those in control of the central bank thought it was economically feasible to grow the money supply by monstrous amounts to pay for their bureaucracy and debts.  Little did they know, those countries woke up to a worthless currency, skyrocketing unemployment rates, and great pain among their citizens.  In the 1970’s the United States money supply was raised by about 14 percent. The U.S. saw double-digit inflation and interest rates were increased to almost 20% to stop it.  Our money supply in the past few years has increased by an incredible 120%.  The United States has a very big problem and we will likely fall victim to its wrath.

So what about a few years from now when the dollar has collapsed and hyperinflation kicks in, our unemployment rate is through the roof, and the Chinese stop supplying us with goods because our economy and currency are completely worthless? The Costco and Safeway shelves will be empty and our flexi will be of no value. An overall substantial decline in standard of living is not too farfetched.  Yes, the United States has a tendency to pull through tough times, as we did during the Great Depression, World War II, and other periods of hardship.  However, as a society we are not completely immune to the possibility of a societal meltdown.

(Sources - Shadowstats.com, federalreserve.gov, US Treasury reports.)

At freshmen convocation, Father Privett’s speech made it clear to students and parents alike that all motivated students interested in changing the world for the better were welcome at USF. Students did not need to be Catholic; they did not even need to believe in God. What mattered was that each student had a desire to be a part of something bigger in this world. Not something religious or even, necessarily, spiritual, but a part of a movement to help those who cannot help themselves and part of the fight for social justice around the globe. This is what a Jesuit education means to me. When walking around campus, I never feel pressured to abandon my agnostic religious views, but I do feel welcomed by the Jesuit community. In talking to University Ministry, I feel inspired to do service and help others, but never compelled to attend church. In addition, my friends with strong religious beliefs are never disparaged for their faith or judged for attending mass.

In a country so torn by religious ideology and influenced by fundamentalist faith and in a world where religious violence rages, how can Jesuit ideals prevail? How can people with and without faith manage to coexist so well? The answer is simple. The Jesuit community, specifically the one at USF, shows us that there are more important things in life than blind faith in a deity. Believing in the greater good of humanity is more valuable and, in today’s society, more applicable. This past summer I attended a gay pride festival in Arizona. Outside of the festival there were lots of people protesting the event, citing the Bible and their religion as grounds for hatred and violence. I approached the protesters, interested in what they had to say, and asked them why they had trouble accepting people who were different than themselves. Immediately several of the protestors explained to me that acceptance is the downfall of my generation. One man said that the willingness of this generation of young people to accept others and coexist was abhorrent. Complacency and tolerance, apparently, were man’s greatest sins. Quickly, I realized that this particular group of people was not to be reasoned with and I walked away. Aspects of the conversation stuck with me, though. In the following months I have come to a few conclusions, and this Jesuit institution has greatly influenced them.

First, the Jesuit lifestyle shows us that peace is inherently possible. We have brought together people from different countries, religions, political parties, sexual orientations, and ethnicities at USF and somehow we have managed to prevail. Our differences are not enough to keep us from embracing our shared belief in humility, respect, and cooperation. As a small community, we are setting an example for the rest of the world.

Second, those people who wish to continue religious violence, hatred, and degradation are not to be demeaned. As members of a Jesuit institution we must respect our adversaries, while constantly fighting for change. Nothing will be done if we refuse to accept the intolerant. Instead, we must exemplify compassion in our efforts to create social change. With this in mind, USF is truly educating minds and hearts and, surely, its students and community will change the world.

Eventually, the hateful words of the protestors I talked to will fade into the background and acceptance will be the truth of tomorrow. Until then, it is all of our jobs to better the world around us and USF has given us the tools to do so.

It is the university’s duty to invite organizations onto campus that provide opportunities to connect with them and “educate our hearts and minds to change the world.”  Amnesty International seems like the perfect organization to have on campus because of their accomplishments in social justice. It is a great example of the USF and of the Jesuit mission.  In addition, a connection to a big name like Amnesty International boosts USF’s prestige as an educational institution.  Granted, the size and breadth of Amnesty International’s influence is impressive. But is all that sparkles gold?  Did Amnesty International provide a quality educational experience that its prestige promises?

I attended the event to learn about their accomplishments, future goals, and their new campaign called “Demand Dignity.” I also expected to hear personal stories of the people Amnesty International has helped and solutions to the problems presented.  To an extent, I did learn about some of these topics.  But that was only a small portion of the content that Khan and Cox provided.

Both Khan and Cox explained Amnesty International’s new approach to addressing human rights issues, called Demand Dignity.  This new approach is moving away from focusing only on the economic perspective and toward a more comprehensive approach.  The new approach packages the previously separate social, cultural, economic and civil rights all under human rights.

From there, the “discussion” branched off into all the hot topics that cover the front pages of newspapers- climate change, healthcare and the economic crisis, as well as the more traditional human rights topics- human trafficking, maternal mortality and abuse of factory workers.  The discussion turned into a lecture on Amnesty International’s political opinions, which were supported by questionable figures, misinformation and trendy catch-phrases.  The content of the lecture was layered with messages that promote President Obama’s healthcare bill and strongly oppose capitalism.

For example, Cox is in favor of the liberal healthcare bill because all the other developed countries provide “access to healthcare.”  We already have government programs that provide access to healthcare.  The proposed bill is about taxation, increased government control and income redistribution, not healthcare.

Further, while addressing human trafficking, Khan stated that issues like these are a “by-product of economic growth” and “movement of free capital.”  In other words, capitalism causes abuse of human rights.  This does not make sense.

Overall, Khan and Cox talked more about their political agenda than human rights.  The message that I walked away with was to vote for the healthcare bill and hate capitalism.  I was not inspired to join Amnesty International to help fight for the people whose human rights are abused.

Two weeks ago the Foghorn received a letter (see below) from a student claiming that the October 8 issue of the Foghorn was discriminatory because it did not show enough diversity. We always encourage letters to the editors, and this one was particularly meaningful because it pointed out a flaw not in a specific article we were publishing, but in the overall message we were sending to the USF community.

The staff was very concerned with this letter, as the Foghorn has always taken pride in being a platform to showcase USF’s diverse campus. The author of the e-mail admitted she was not a regular reader of the Foghorn, but was concerned with the issue she did see. By looking at the issue in question, it truly did seem as though the Foghorn staff does not embrace campus diversity. There were practically no people of color in any of the photos, as if we wanted to convey that USF is a non-diverse, primarily Caucasian campus. However, this could not be further from the truth.

We firmly believe that a news publication should reflect its readership, and at USF we are aware that the readers are diverse and love embracing and learning about other cultures. We attempt to cover the many issues that highlight this diversity. There are many culturally focused clubs and organizations on campus that hold events to educate and inform other students. There are academic departments that invite lecturers from around the globe to talk about their areas of expertise. We attempt to cover these events and issues whenever possible; when things are not covered, it is because no one is available to report on it, not because we don’t care.

There is no excuse for the Foghorn to print an issue that excludes diverse ethnic backgrounds in photos or articles, but it is unfair to call the Foghorn a discriminatory publication overall. We embrace the plethora of cultures that shape USF and San Francisco. We also encourage all students to participate in the Foghorn by taking photos or writing articles. The more diversity there is in our contributors, the more diversity will appear in the paper.

We appreciate and take seriously the concern of the author of this letter. She has called to our attention the need to pay more attention to the types of articles we print and who is pictured in our photos.  We will continue to do our best to accurately represent our student body every week. Becoming aware of our mistakes will not only improve our weaknesses and our coverage, but it will benefit the entire USF community. We will take the letter we have received to heart and show the USF community that the Foghorn embodies the mission of “Freedom and Fairness” that we claim it to be.

The media through TV ads, magazines, billboards and MTV have reflected what is “cool,” but once it is broadcasted to the world and becomes popular it then is deemed “uncool” by today’s youth. The marketing minds of big businesses have created a certain lifestyle for today’s youth but sometimes these impressionable minds are not aware that they are just the $150 billion market that every company wants a piece of. At what point are teens trying to find their own identity and trying to escape grasp of mainstream media?

Finding an identity is part of growing up. In high school I was the teen who for some reason was full of angst and liked going to underground rock shows and listening to bands no one else did. Finding the right outfit to go along with the lifestyle was also a need for me. Stores like Hot Topic became a staple for the band t-shirts I wore and where I would find the next CD I would blare constantly in my car. But was it really me seeking out to reflect this “rock chick” image or was it the media influencing what this look I was trying to portray should look like? Even though I enjoyed the clothes I was wearing and the music I was listening to, the television my peers and I were watching had a major influence on what we thought was cool without us even realizing it.

Case in point: MTV, which is the longest running, self-promoting commercial since the introduction of the Disney Channel in the 1950’s. It is obvious now that MTV should no longer be called “Music Television” as there are no longer any music videos shown on the station. MTV uses its airtime to promote themselves and it is also used for others to promote themselves to the $150 billion market who watches MTV’s programming. The commercials shown are also a promotion for MTV’s shows like The Hills and other commercials are for the products teens would most likely be buying like iPods or Xbox 360. Through this influence of sitting there, watching, and retaining, teens then suddenly want to reflect some look they see or want the products being shown.

It’s hard to put all the blame on MTV when teens are hit with media everywhere they go. In classrooms there are computers where the media world can be accessed, on the walk to school there are billboard and ads for products, on the radio there are promotions for bands and products, and it continues. But teens now seem to be numb to fact that they are constantly being hit with media trying to mold their minds. Almost every teen now has in their backpack a cell phone, an iPod, and a digital camera. With the cell phone they have the power to access all their friends and (with the popularity of the iPhone) the Internet. With the iPod they have access to movies, music, and TV. And with their digital cameras they have the power to document themselves and upload it to the Internet and the cycle starts all over again.

Now that I have left my angst teen phase and avoid MTV like the plague, I like to think I have found my identity but I will never truly know whether it was on my own choice or because of the media I have chosen to access.

I just read Vol. 106, Issue 5 of the Foghorn, and I was frustrated and upset that there were no stories, issues, or pictures of students or people of color (ads don’t count). Even in the Street Talk, where you have 8 opportunities to get varying opinions from different USF students and community, ALL of your respondents are white!

USF is a diverse campus, I don’t think it would be too difficult to talk to, interview, or get the opinions of some students of color. Please make an effort next time. Also, if you are going to publish opinion pieces, it might be a good idea to have two different writers address each side of the issue, or make it open for students/readers to respond, and post their responses next issue. The paper is seeming very biased, and discriminatory this issue.

Sincerely,

Ashley Moore

I know right now some of you are asking, “Who the heck does this guy think he is?” Others of you have already come up with, “Maybe Nick should be The Grinch for Halloween.” Just stop. It’s that kind of unoriginal thinking that has you in this predicament to begin with. If I’ve already offended you and/or ruined your costume idea, know that I’m on your side and I’m trying to salvage this potentially spectacular holiday for you.

I lived through three Halloweens in Isla Vista, CA, the college town associated with UCSB and home of the most notorious college Halloween weekend in the country. Isla Vista’s population triples during Halloween weekend as college students flock to the beachside city to parade down Del Playa Drive, shoulder-to-shoulder with house parties.

My freshman year, I was that lame guy who thought he was just so cool in his homemade Smokey the Bear costume. I could barely get into parties and some friends happened to “lose me in the crowd.” The lesson was well learned.

Since then I’ve stepped up my game, vowing to never again feel like the bite-size box of Runts in a pillowcase full of King-Size Snickers.

I learned there’s a list of costumes that are off limits. Most couples costumes top the list. If you and your partner are planning on being Adam and Eve, Beauty and the Beast, etc., save yourself the money on costumes and save the rest of us a gag by staying home and having a date night. And please steer clear of the sexual innuendos (plug and socket, key and lock). We get it. It’s not funny.

This is not to say that couples costumes are completely off limits, just that they require more thought than the solo mission. Have your man be Marilyn Monroe and your girl be Joltin’ Joe Dimaggio.

Also, there are other things that go together besides people. Chip and salsa, a chick and a magnet, a lighter and well, something college students reportedly light quite frequently, have all been among the best I’ve seen in IV.

If the costumes are well done, creativity is less of a factor. My Smokey the Bear costume had potential but flopped because it was nothing but brown clothes and the tiny Smokey hat. The shortcoming was that I ran into other Smokey’s who put me to shame.

One of the following years, me and a friend of mine were Mario and Luigi.  Not the most creative costumes in the world, but we had everything except flying turtles and fire-spitting flowers.  What we had going for us is what worked against my Smokey costume.  We ran into other Mario Brothers and smashed them like Koopa Troopas.

The best costumes are the witty ones. Last year, Joe the Plumber was a huge hit; nothing more than overalls, a bald head, a plunger, and a “Joe” name tag.

The worst thing you can do for people you care about is something they could have done on their own.

I’ve narrowed it down by telling you how to not be lame, but I refuse to carry you completely across the graveyard and give you your costume.  C’mon, you’ve got this.

You’ve been parading around in Halloween costumes as long as Casper has been a friendly ghost. If you really need an idea, don’t look at me. Does this look like the Scene section?

Now, very few in the Congress are opposed to the occupation in Afghanistan as democrats stand behind President Obama, and neoconservative republicans continue to back the ever-increasing war activity in Pakistan and Afghanistan.  A war that has gone on twice as long as WWII, cost hundreds of billions of dollars, killed more than 850 Americans and tens of thousands of civilians must end immediately.

I ask one simple question to the military and political leaders that continue to back the occupation and ask for more troops: What are we doing?  Their rhetoric continues to encourage and endorse the need for more killing and bombing.

Our country must cease its role as a global police force because it draws away massive amounts of money that could ultimately be used to cure our domestic problems.  We must always remember the ethic of reciprocity: “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.

When the United States bombs a building and kills families, we create terrorists that now want revenge.  For this reason, the U.S. Military’s presence has become an endless money-sucking occupation.

Afghanistan is an important issue, however, we must look at the entire U.S. foreign policy.  In March 2009, the Department of Defense reported the United States military currently has personnel in 150 countries.  This number is extraordinary given the fact there are only 194 countries.  Right now, we have 380,011 troops stationed on 761 foreign bases with 54,043 troops in Germany and 34,544 in Japan.  Did World War II not end sixty-four years ago?  I would appreciate an explanation for this but of course the two major parties would never address this issue.

In 2000, George Bush campaigned with a humble foreign policy, yet he somehow brought us into two occupations.   Barack Obama, who ran as the peace president in 2008, is not only continuing the war in Afghanistan but has also become heavily involved in Pakistan.  On top of this, the possibility of war with Iran is becoming more realistic everyday.

It will be interesting to see what actually happens in regards to the United States and its foreign commitments.  As one who is personally angered over the two parties’ destruction of our country’s principles, I hope I am not alone.  Roughly eight years into the Vietnam War on April 21, 1971, 500,000 anti-war protesters marched in Washington D.C. and few months later, the Camden 28, including a Jesuit priest, broke into draft offices and burned thousands of documents.  Although the Vietnam War is different from our current engagements, thousands have died, thousands more will die, yet I see little protestation.

I know many are adamantly opposed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, however, if nothing is done but a useless vote once every four years, I fear the United States will continue on its imperial rampage, ultimately leading to imminent failure.

On Monday Oct. 19, the Foghorn was very excited to see that NaanWiches were being sold for $1. The incredibly low price caused several Foghorn staff members to purchase multiple NaanWiches, and we saw other USF students doing the same. The sign in the refrigerated section of Outtahere advertised the discount as a “BAIL OUT SPECIAL,” and we thought this was simply a generous gift. Holly Winslow, General Manager for Bon Appetit, had told the Foghorn that she would occasionally be offering “bailouts” for students running low on Flexi, an idea that we supported.

However, a student employee of Outtahere verified that this was not the case: the NaanWiches were being sold on clearance because the sell-by date had passed. The employee, who wishes to remain anonymous to protect his/her job, told the Foghorn that the sell-by date on the NaanWiches was unknown. The worker said that no one instructed him/her to warn customers that they were purchasing potentially expired food; however, the worker gladly informed them if they asked.

The USDA’s web site says, “The Sell-By date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires.”

However, there was no signage indicating the food was past its sell-by date, and there were no stickers or markings on the product saying what the sell-by date was.

A representative from Sukhi Foods informed the Foghorn that NaanWiches are always shipped with sell-by dates on the wrappers. Many of us remember seeing such stickers on the products prior to the “bailout.” It would seem that Outtahere Café removed the stickers to intentionally sell past-date food to students.

The Foghorn was very uneasy that not only had many of us eaten expired food, but we had done so without any knowledge. Some people might take the risk of eating food that was past its sell-by date because of the reduced price. However, many people would not choose to take that risk.

USF students rely on the various food service outlets throughout campus, including Outtahere, Crossroads, Club Ed Café, Outtakes, and the Market Café, all of which are run by the Bon Appetit Management Company. Because so many of us enjoy so many of our meals at these eateries, this incident calls into question the safety of all food eaten at USF. If Outtahere is willing to serve past-date sandwiches, how do we know if the cheese on our pizza is fresh, or the chicken in our salad is good?

Food poisoning is a very serious condition. Anyone who has ever experienced food poisoning from expired food knows that it can cause days of unpleasant illness. Not only can food poisoning be unpleasant, but WebMD reports that it leads to 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,200 deaths each year.

The Foghorn hopes that no one contracts any kind of food poisoning from eating expired NaanWiches. We hope the NaanWiches were not actually expired enough to cause illness. In any case, the Foghorn demands that Bon Appetit not take risks with our health and safety. From now on, when that sell-by date passes, get it Outtahere!

In the editorial “Is America Becoming Socialized?” Lindsay Ziegler argues that the Obama administration is bringing socialism (and therefore inevitable doom) to America. She says that capitalism, “provides the best way of living for all its citizens,” and implies that free universal health care is morally unjust. I could not disagree more. There are a few things I think Ms. Ziegler, and the USF student body, should consider before jumping to this sort of hasty conclusion.

First, how can capitalism be the best way of living when it exploits the middle class and leaves 40 million Americans without health insurance? I absolutely believe in freedom of trade and open market economies, but I also think this country has a moral obligation to provide health care for its citizens. Luckily, both of those ideals can work together. Many countries across the world provide health care AND a free market to their citizens. Canada, Sweden, Germany, France and England, to name a few, are stunning examples of this system at work. Ms. Ziegler says that with universal health care the government can reject funding a citizen’s needed medical procedures. She is incredibly mistaken. Currently, insurance agencies are the ones who reject patients. The insurance business works entirely for profit so each firm can reject as many sick people as possible in order to capitalize on monetary gain. Fortunately, universal health care would give those of us who can’t afford to be denied health care an opportunity to receive the procedures we need. The government couldn’t turn us away, no matter how expensive our procedure may be, because our coverage would be guaranteed. Gee Ms. Ziegler, imagine a nation where its citizens wouldn’t have to pay exorbitant fees for health care!

In implementing universal health care, a few things would have to take place. Yes, some taxes would be raised. The past 8 years of heavy government spending by the Bush administration has left America in an economic melt down and, as a result, we must pull ourselves out. Minor increases in taxes are necessary. We already pay taxes that go to programs like Medicare and much of our health-oriented taxes are currently being poured into the insurance agencies that, in turn, refuse to provide services to many needy Americans. No cancer patient should be turned away from chemotherapy for lack of funds. The system is flawed and some sacrifices must be made in order to fix it. Taking an extra .3% out of my next shopping spree in order to save the lives of hard working Americans is a sacrifice I am willing to make.

In addition to healthcare, Ms. Ziegler also mentions that the alleged socialism Obama’s administration is supporting would compromise American freedoms. She cites specifically the government’s control over the auto industry. Unfortunately your beloved capitalism failed the auto industry this past year. Because unrestrained capitalism results in companies doing absolutely anything to make a big profit, the auto industry began off-shoring jobs because they could pay workers overseas less than workers in America. The disappearance of jobs in America and the stock market crash were incredibly affected by this displacement of employment. The auto industry’s profiteering, as well as the increase in prices of oil, caused company failure. As a result, the nation was faced with two options: either the auto industry could fail and the economy would suffer a devastating blow, or the government could bail them out. The Obama administration chose the bail out, allowing the industry to re-build and capitalism to continue.

After reading Ms. Ziegler’s article I assume that her condemnation of socialism is universal. I suppose, if her argument really is correct, that all socialized programs should be shut down in America. All public education (which is a perfect example of socialism) would have to be disbanded. The police force would have to become a for-profit industry and Medicare and Child Protective Services would disappear. If this truly is the American you want to live in, then by all means continue to generalize and reject all aspects of socialism. But if you think that, maybe, parts of our country are better off being sponsored by the government (i.e. education, the military, etc.) or that “freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” should be allotted to ALL Americans (not just those who can afford health insurance) then consider being a little more open minded.

Neither exclusive capitalism nor exclusive socialism is an effective way to run a country. American freedoms are something to be proud of and capitalism and socialism have the ability to work together to enhance them. The government does not, and will not, dictate what you buy, why you watch on TV, or whom you vote for. But it should provide education, national defense, and health care. It is in this combination of ideologies that America will continue to flourish.

President Obama has been in office for merely nine months and has already received a Nobel Peace Prize for his achievements. He was in office only two weeks before being nominated for the award.  According to nobelprize.org he was awarded this prize “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” Other people who have received this prize include Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, Jimmy Carter, and others. While President Obama has strengthened the spirit of the American people, we have yet to see any implementation of the ideals he has proposed in his speeches and in his promised improvements in health care or the economy. Obama has fostered goodwill and hope in America but he hasn’t actually completed anything.

There are many different views on Obama being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, but this award and recognition was definitely given prematurely. This puts too much pressure on the president to live up to these great expectations. While I am an Obama supporter, the Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded to someone who has demonstrated his or her ability to bring greater peace to the world, not someone who simply has the potential to do so.

There are those who believe that Obama deserves this Nobel Peace Prize because he has shown that his leadership and goals are better than those portrayed during the Bush administration. Obama has helped with international affairs, raised our spirits, and has given very inspirational speeches with the motto “Yes We Can.” However, all of these things haven’t actually done anything to improve anything besides morale.

President Obama is taking many steps to bring more peace to the world, but America is still involved with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama, being a president at war, should not be given the Nobel Peace prize. War and peace are on two opposite ends of the spectrum. Giving him this award seems very irrational and will affect how people see and recognize the Nobel Peace Prize. People will start thinking that the Nobel Peace Prize will be given to anyone who is an engaging speaker and who can inspire others. President Obama should definitely not be awarded with this honor while the country he leads is at war with two countries; it does not make any sense.

President Obama is a great orator, has made significant steps to bring peace to the United States, and has opened up the international dialogue. But the award should not have been given to him at this point in his presidency. He will probably better deserve the award towards the end of his first term, when he has spent more significant time in office and has had the chance to actually execute the change in America he claims to be.

Last year our financial system collapsed. We had one of the largest bank failures in our nation’s history. Over 130 banks such as Washington Mutual and Lehmann Brothers went under and nearly another 100 banks including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, Merril Lynch, and Goldman Sachs would have collapsed had it not been for government bailouts. Lending was screeched to a dead halt. Therefore, the government had to intervene in our financial markets, and because of that intervention lending activity has slowly begun to increase. Can one imagine what would happen had the government stood by and let over 250 banks collapse? Our financial system could have disappeared along with thousands of more businesses, as they would be unable to secure the lines of credit they would need. A depression would have not only been a possibility but a stark inevitability. Sure, there is room for debate on how the bailouts were implemented, the size of the bailouts, and who should have and should not have received a bailout, but to do nothing and let our economy collapse while our unemployment rate remains at 9.7% was out of the question.

Zeigler seems to assert that these actions by the government are part of the Democrats’ plans to push socialism in America, but let us remember that the bailouts began under George W. Bush, a Republican. Furthermore, the Obama administration’s plans are hardly socialist; the administration has resisted calls from left wing politicians to nationalize the banks and Obama does not plan to do so. Instead the administration’s goal is to provide much needed capital to stabilize the financial system and get banks lending again.

As for socialized healthcare, the United States is the only country in the developed world that does not guarantee health insurance for its citizens. We have 47 million people without health insurance and critics have not been able to address this.

Meanwhile, the democratic proposal is a far cry from socialism.  President Obama has resisted calls from some Congressional Democrats for a Canadian-style government run healthcare system. Obama is also willing to abandon the public option and under his plan, one is allowed to keep one’s own health insurance if one wishes to. Businesses are still the ones providing insurance. Ziegler believes that the free markets are the silver bullet to our healthcare crisis, but nothing could be further from the truth. No country in the world has a pure free market system in their healthcare market and rightly so. The works of Nobel Prize economists Kenneth Arrow, Joseph Stigliz, George Akerloff, and A. Michael Spence have all shown that for reasons such as imperfect information, uncertainty, and externalities, the free market is horribly inefficient in allocating the optimal level of health insurance.

President Obama’s plan is to reform the way health insurance companies allocate insurance, not take it over. Both Republicans and President Obama agree that insurance companies must not discriminate against people based on pre-existing conditions, or drop people’s coverage when they get ill and actually need their health insurance. The President’s plan also includes a mandate for health insurance. Yes, this is government intervention. Just like the government mandates that children must go to school, or that car owners and homeowners buy insurance.

Like any other policy or proposal, President Obama’s plans have their shortcomings, which should be discussed. But coming up with alternatives to resolve some of the most pressing issues of our time would be more beneficial than arguments based on slogans and name-calling.

His skepticism made me see service through another’s eyes.  Maybe, he was wrong and I was making a difference. But, maybe I wasn’t. The point is, service-learning experiences are not always clear, always perfect, or always heartwarming. Sometimes the point is to see the huge disparity between what we, as service-learners, are trying to achieve and what we are truly accomplishing. We are also there to see the discrepancy between what we are told about social issues and what we actually experience. Sometimes we see the immense distinction between our good intentions and what the end result really is.

To further explore these issues I became an Advocate for Community Engagement (ACE) to coordinate service-learning projects.  Service-learning aims to equally benefit students and the community through service that relates to academic coursework.  In the process students have the opportunity to open their eyes to these disparities, to inform class concepts with community realities, to practice the mission of USF, and truly, not shallowly, educate our minds and hearts so that we may become agents for social change.  I know it sounds like a tall order, and certainly idealistic, but we have to start somewhere.

ACEs work for the Office of Service-Learning and Community Action as well as at specific non-profit organizations within San Francisco. We act as liaisons between the non-profit, faculty, and students in service-learning classes at USF. We hold orientations, develop relevant service projects that relate to coursework, and facilitate written and oral reflections to connect ideas from the non-profit to the classroom and to larger social issues.

Performing research, serving a meal, tutoring a child: these are the first steps to starting real social change. Service-learning at USF provides the unique opportunity to go deeper, to get outside of the island that is USF, and to examine the hard questions through direct community engagement. Why do people suffer while others look on complacently? Why do our institutions seem to serve the rich rather than the poor? How can we shape the world to suit our real needs and not needs our consumerist culture?

The shelter client challenged me to take an honest look at these questions and I challenge you to do the same through service-learning.

Sometimes we do not have a choice but to show up for class. The attendance policy differs from professor to professor, but a widely-used policy says grades begin to suffer at three absences.

Alternatively, other professors tell students that attendance is not taken and allow us to decide whether or not to go to class. In each case, students attendance expectatons are clearly defined and outlined in a class syllabus.

We have difinitive ways of measuring the level of importance in attendance, and sometimes we suffer consequences if those levels are not met.  Why is the same not true for professors?

Marvella Luey, the Assistant to the Associate Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences, said, “Professors are expected to show up for all the classes they have. They do not have an attendance policy.”

In general, professors can miss class whenever they need to. “We want professors to be able to miss class for emergencies or because of an illness,” said Luey. Professors must make their students aware they are missing class through an email or by contacting their department, who will send an email to their students. They must provide students with a valid reason for missing class. Luey also said that the only time professors cannot miss class is if a leave is requested ahead of time and denied by the department. This week, student stress levels will rise with midterm study hours. Professors must be in classes to field questions and help with major assignments. Sometimes it is nice when a professor cancels class as it allows us to have free time to fit in extra studying, work on papers, or just catch up on sleep, but when this practice becomes a regular occurrence it does not facilitate our learning process and leaves us feeling unprepared for upcoming exams.

We pay roughly $4,000 per class. When we choose not to attend some of us feel guilty.  But it is our choice.

If we walk into class and the professor is not there and has a movie playing instead, most of us are not staying. The majority will sign the attendance sheet and leave.  We have things to do outside of school just as professors do.

We can watch a movie on our own time outside of class and not waste  a minimum of an hour and a half watching it instead of  class.  The classroom is where we should be getting the lecture we need to better understand the course material.

Professors get paid regardless of whether they are in class or not, but how are we being compensated for the money we spent on that class? Is an unprepared feeling going into a midterm supposed to be sufficient reimbursement?

Many professors require us to see them or email them before or after the class we miss.  If not, they expect to see us in class on time.  The same is true of student expectations for professors.  Every time we enter a classroom we expect to see our professor there.

Everyone gets sick or has some sort of scheduling conflict once in a while, and it is reasonable for us to expect to be notified in advance instead of walking into a classroom with no instructor.

But when professors routinely miss classes several times a month, it prohibits us from getting everthing we can out of the course and makes it impossible to get the attention from a professor that many depend on and expect, given the small class sizes at USF.

Some professors notice their constant absence and choose to push back an important exam knowing they have not fairly taught the material, while others choose to follow the syllabus verbatim, despite lingering student questions never answered due to professor absences. Of course professors have office hours, but sometimes those hours conflict with other classes or obligations.

There must be a more rigid attendance policy for professors in order to hold them accountable to their students. The only power we have right now are professor evaluations at the end of the course, which is often too late.  There should be a better balance of consequences between students missing class and professors missing class on a regular basis.

I spoke with senior Perry Arnold about what he likes to do around San Francisco that is not in a typical tourist activity. Arnold said, “On my trip to the beach I walked through Golden Gate park and found bison. I could not believe there were bison in the middle of a city!”

On John F. Kennedy Drive and Chain of Lakes Drive E. there is a small herd of bison. When Arnold accidentally ran into the bison he was on his way to ocean beach where he likes to watch the kite surfers “because they are really cool and do awesome tricks”. These are two interesting attractions that are not typical tourist traps where you will have to wait in line for hours surrounded by a huge crowd. It is nice to escape from the city in the parks of San Francisco, like Golden Gate.

Junior Gina Minutillo also had a good experience in Golden Gate Park last weekend when she discovered Stow Lake. At Stow Lake, you can rent out paddleboats by the hour and take your friends on a ride around the lake. You can see many different parts of the park that you will not see when walking around. Minutillo said, “The water was very green but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I liked being in nature. It is a nice place to walk around and have a picnic as well.”

Stow Lake usually isn’t crowded or full of tourists; it is a nice trip to take and get away from the city noise and into nature.

Close to Golden Gate Park is Haight Street, which most tourists like to visit because of its known history.  Last weekend, senior Kaity Green was giving her mother a tour of the city but she did not want to do typical tourist things. While walking around the Haight she discovered Lynn Gentry, also known as “the poem man”. Green said, “I was walking down Haight Street and on the corner of Haight and Ashbury I saw this young man typing on this old school typewriter. I found out that he was ‘the poem man’ and he writes customized poems about anything you want. You name the price and tell him about yourself and he will write a poem for you. My poem was so moving I almost started to cry!”

Haight Street has new surprises to be found on every corner.

Now you are not limited to show your friends and family Pier 39, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Chinatown. Instead you can take a break from the city and wander through Golden Gate Park to check out bison and maybe have a picnic near Stow Lake. Or if you really enjoyed being in San Francisco, you can get a customized poem for you or a loved one to remember this crazy, wonderful city.

This was the purpose of the March on Washington that took place Sept. 12, 2009.  Over 70,000 people from across the nation gathered in Freedom Park to voice their concerns and ideas about the socialist track upon which our country has started to travel.  The Freedom Works Foundation and other patriotic organizations helped organize this event and coordinate transportation for the activists.

The central issue that rallied activists to gather, march and protest was the healthcare bill President Obama and the far left Democrats are trying to pass swiftly while America isn’t looking.  They call themselves grassroots Americans and they want an end to expanding government, which is increasing government spending and raising taxes.  The government is continuing to wrongly expand its control.  The government already has its large hands in the finance industry and auto industry, and now President Obama wants to extend its control to the healthcare industry.

Socialism is creeping into our historically capitalistic nation.  What is next? Capitalists, the drivers of success, might start disappearing soon to form their own community while watching the old U.S. self-destruct, one industry falling after the other.

Soon, the freedom this country was founded upon will disappear.  We will no longer be able to choose what cars we want to buy - the government will allow the production of only small, powerless, energy-efficient cars.  We will no longer be able to choose the kind of healthcare coverage we want - the government will provide healthcare coverage so poor, the quality and availability we were once familiar with will become a distant memory.

The government will soon dictate which surgeries and other services patients need.  If they deem someone an unworthy investment, they will withhold the service or surgery.

What is most important is the big picture. This is made up of all the individual issues, the motivation and underlying plan behind the actions of the president and Congress. The big picture is that the president is leading the country to socialism.  Yes, socialism, a society run, owned and controlled by government.  Do you want a few powerful people at the top to make all your choices for you? We must protect capitalism, where freedom and competition drives people and business and provides the best way of living for all its citizens.

Come Monday morning, West’s rude interruption was talked about all over the USF campus. Some people were enraged, others were amused, even the people who had never listened to either artist’s music knew all about the scandal. Clearly, our passion for news is there, but is it misdirected? Whenever I used to pull out my cell phone or get on the computer around my grandfather, he would make comments about how “kids these days are so high-tech” and imply that our abundance of media forms are distancing us from reality. I used to laugh off his little quips, but now, several years after his death, I’m starting to think he made a valid point.

It’s safe to say that, collectively, college students across the nation have the most access to media outlets and most likely use media more than other generations. But if this is the case, why do we often choose to tune into gossip about celebrities, rather than investigating the conflicts in Iran, Venezuela, and even our own capital? My grandfather, and much of his generation, would claim that younger generations are simply disinterested in news or don’t care about the happenings in other parts of the world. This simply is not true.

Particularly at Jesuits schools like USF, the focus of our college education is based on applying academic concepts to better the world around us. Students are probably at the point in their lives when they are learning the most about politics, foreign wars, and international diplomacy. Yet Kanye West dominates our breakfast table conversations. This is not a product of apathy, nor does it reflect the priorities or beliefs of the general student body. This simply reflects the continuously increasing role of mass media in our lives.

When we turn on the TV, log on to Facebook, or listen to the radio, we are bombarded with pop culture. The media, as a whole, has figured out the best way to rope us in. My grandfather was right; media does distance us from reality. Turning on a news station generally results in finding out about negative things, from conflict in the Middle East to school shootings, the news seldom reports occurrences that make the audience feel particularly good. When they hear about the genocide in Sudan, it’s hard for the average college student to relate to poverty, starvation, or civil war. This is not to say that younger generations don’t care, but it seems that often times we distance ourselves from the conflicts of reality because the media offers us an alternative reality.

When we see Taylor Swift on stage, embarrassed by Kanye West, we can automatically relate to her. Most people have been embarrassed in public before and the media latches on to that notion, building our relationship with Taylor Swift. Our ability to relate to her emotionally makes this pop-cultural reality very real and with so many media outlets, it’s nearly impossible to avoid exposure to the media’s emotional ploy. As a result, we know that global issues are important, but the media ties up all our emotions, distracting us from actual reality.

Our passion is there, our interest in world affairs is great, and our desire to gain more knowledge about the surrounding world is growing. The media, however, has become omnipresent, posing a roadblock between reality and our generation. Older generations are quick to assume college students’ apathy when, really, a flawed system of media coverage is more to blame. For now, Kanye West still infiltrates our every day conversation, but hopefully in time, society will stray from the lure of mass media and pop culture will become only a blip on the radar of world affairs.

I would first like to say that I am engaged, and if anyone would want their significant other to stay over, it would be me. However, the whole reason I chose to live in Fromm for my second year is because it is an all-girls dorm. Being an all-girls dorm means that the only men who are allowed in must be checked in; therefore, it is much more likely that residents and their guests will follow the rules. This creates a feeling of security unique to Fromm.

Fromm is known as the quiet, strict and sometimes boring dorm. Believe it or not, some girls want that. I want it to be quiet, and I do not want to hear my neighbors going at it at 2 a.m. when I have a test the next day. I do not want to walk in my bathroom and see some man staring in the mirror while I am in my towel. I don’t want that, and neither does my fiancé. I had a problem with him living in a coed dorm when he was at Cal. For some people, especially women, there needs to be a place of security and comfort. Whether or not you think the policy is fair, it is important to realize that an all girls dorm is necessary for the comfort of girls who do not want to have boys anywhere near them. In extreme cases, think about girls who have been sexually abused. Think also about girls whose concerned parents who would only allow their daughters to live on campus in the all-girls dorm. Without Fromm, these girls would never have a chance to live on campus at all.

It’s true that this rule is biased against heterosexuals. It is true that a lesbian couple can share the night in their own dorm while a straight couple cannot. However, this is not the intent or focus of this rule. Each rule as it is enforced strengthens respect and obedience of all other rules, including more important ones. This rule helps create an atmosphere in which all rules are obeyed. Such an atmosphere creates the sense of security and comfort that all Fromm residents benefit from, regardless of their sexual preferences. Heterosexual girls are surrendering the privilege of having their partners stay over in order to help create this universally beneficial environment.

Granted, not all Fromm residents chose to live here. But, I can think of a lot of my hardworking friends and fellow residents who did not want to live in a loud floor in Phelan or Lone Mountain. Whether a girl wanted to live in Fromm or not, she should be aware of the kind of environment that the residents of the community want to create, and respect that environment. This is a courtesy that all residents in all kinds of communities should extend. If a girl were to choose to live in a mixed dorm, even if she found out that she was in a loud environment that she didn’t like, she should respect that that is the kind of community that the residents want to create.

My academic achievement relies on my having a quiet community that respects me and my desire to not be constantly surrounded by distractions—the type of noisy distractions male overnight guests would bring. Our dorm is a place for academic achievement, and the rules have been set to help make it the best living space for all of us. There are some rules made for a few people so that the entire dorm can be as much like as home as possible. Some residents may want a social environment and the freedom to bring guests into their rooms overnight. I do not. I can name quite a few people from our dorm who feel the way I do: succeeding in school is our main goal.

Fromm is not a hotel, and it is not a brothel. It is my home. Everyone must respect the needs of their fellow residents. For this reason, a compromise has been made—guests are allowed, but none of the opposite sex overnight. Those socially inclined must abide by these rules, or navigate them to fulfill their desires. It is fine for my neighbors to fulfill their desires as long as they do not threaten the environment that I choose to live in.

Sincerely,

Kaitlyn Mathews-Shoun

1. New Hand Sanitizers

When students walk into the cafeteria, Kalmanovitz Hall, or other areas around campus, they can keep their hands clean with the new automatic hand sanitizing dispensers containing Purell, a trusted brand of hand sanitizer. With the Swine Flu scare, having an easy way to keep  hands clean will help prevent students from passing germs and acquiring illnesses, which is easy to do at a university. Some of the hand sanitizers have run out of Purell or are not working, but the idea is perfect for busy students running around campus on their way to class to feel clean. Washing hands is the best option, the hand sanitizers are a good alternative and can keep campus a cleaner and healthier place.

2. Kalmanovitz Connection to Cowell

When venturing around the on campus maze known as Kalmanovitz Hall, there is now another way to get lost when trying to get the annex. When entering Cowell, there is new flooring and a desk, along with a connection to the K-Hall entrance way.  There you can find an elevator leading to the second floor of Cowell or higher floors of K-Hall. It is confusing when you think you are taking the elevator to the second floor of K-Hall and you end up near the Learning and Writing Center of Cowell,  but it is more convenient for students instead of having to leave K-Hall and walk around to the entrance of Cowell. Also, a lot of students who have classes in K-Hall also have classes in Cowell and vice versa. This allows an easy transition from building to building.

3. War Memorial Gym

At the end of the 2009 Spring Semester, the gym was being completely torn up for a new floor. Now that the construction in War Memorial is almost finished,  there is new flooring with the new graphics. The basketball hoops have been redesigned and are no longer hanging from the upper deck of the gym. They are mobile and can be easily be moved for the Volleyball games so the teams can play without worrying about hitting the hoop. The wooden bleachers in the upper deck have been upgraded to more comfortable and sturdy plastic bleachers, which bare the USF green and gold colors. There is also a new glass barrier wall in front of the bleachers. The only thing that is missing is the old San Francisco city skyline that used to be on the gym’s floor. It was a unique aspect of our gym and it is definitely missed.

4. Café Outtahere

The new Café Outtahere gives students a new on-campus meal choice. The food in the main cafeteria gets old quickly, so it’s nice to have the option to liven up your diet in the middle of the week. However, the smoothies don’t live up to those served by Jamba Juice, which stood in the location previous to Outtahere.  The organic food is a positive aspect for students who want to eat healthier and the hours of Outtahere are great. Students usually complain that the cafeteria closes too early, but they now can go to Outtahere for some late night breakfast. But the food left out, like the pre-made breakfast sandwiches, are sometimes left out too long and taste stale or as if it came out of the microwave. Making the sandwiches made to order would make them a more popular item.

5. Improved Phoenix Above the U.C.

One subtle improvement that was made over the summer was the “be-dazzled” Phoenix, which can be seen in Harney Plaza. Previously,  the Phoenix was not very noticeable. Now its glittery green and gold highlights are hard to miss. After visual arts professor Father Tom Lucas enlisted a group of students to decorate this symbol of hope and rebirth, the Phoenix is now a prominent figure when walking through campus. The green and gold squares add a positive emphasis to an aspect of USF’s architecture that was being overlooked.

Other improvements on campus such as the new quiet areas in the library and new food stations that are offered at certain times in the cafeteria are worthy of an honorable mention, but these five are the ones that stand out and have improved campus life the most. Take advantage of the new aspects that are now on campus. Students at other universities are not getting the same upgrades, and we should appreciate them by maximizing their use.

I decided that all four should be allowed to have books in the library, and if they happen to be students, they have the right to speak up in class about their beliefs, however offensive.  The only one that made me pause for thought was the racist.  I decided that in my perfect world, a racist would not be allowed to teach or speak at any institution. As my class discussed our answers, our professor provoked debate among us with questions like, “Really, you don’t want racists speaking out on campus? I thought you were all for free speech!”

My historical methods class was relocated that day to McLaren, where a celebration of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur was in full swing, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “The Color Purple”, Alice Walker, was scheduled to speak.

As Walker took the stage, I had no idea what to expect.  I was slightly confused, as she is widely known as an activist for African-Americans.  What could she have to say to a room of devout Jews on this holy day?  As it turns out, quite a lot.

Walker, wife of a Jewish man, gave a heartfelt, solemnly provocative speech about peace in the world as she described her trip to Gaza.  She proceeded to criticize in no uncertain terms the actions of the Israeli military in Palestine.  Much of what she said was received with nods and applause, but also shaking heads.  My professor left the room because of the speech’s one-sided nature. But Walker’s critique of the Israeli army and the support of the U.S. had me glued to my seat, staring at the rest of the room trying to note every reaction.

I walked out of McLaren with a lot to think about.  Walker is a passionate speaker with very strong beliefs – beliefs that many might find offensive.  But what I learned that day (aside from details of the conflict between Israel and Palestine) was that free speech on campus is one of the most valuable learning tools an institution owes its students.  Many might object to controversial speakers on campus, especially when we believe their views to be offensive or damaging to the student body. In Alice Walker’s case, I don’t believe they were.  But it is vital that we keep inviting opinionated people to speak to us. Students need to be exposed to various points of view – even racist, sexist or communist– if only to strengthen their own.

Where does all of this free information come from? Simply put: the Internet. Some of it originates from the fingertips of Twitterholics who fit tidbits of information into 140 characters. Some of it develops in greater detail on one of the 800-million-some blogs floating on the net. Some of it is even exposed on the websites of news organizations who give the world a free peep show of information they would charge for in another medium.

With so much information buzzing around like swarm of blabbering bumblebees, another problem has arisen: how much of it can we actually trust? This topic is frequently discussed in news debates, and interestingly enough, comes up often when the notion of paying for online news is brought up. People respond, “Well I would pay for the news if I trusted it.”

To me, this is a completely counterproductive statement. After all, the facts don’t find themselves. How can we expect journalists to produce robust news at robot speed for a salary that decreases everyday and is almost completely dependent on minimal funding from advertisers? The reality is, we can’t.

The Internet created a get-everything-for-free-with-the-click-of-a-button standard that is definitely convenient, applauded by the masses, and also unsustainable—at least in terms of the news industry. The number of people who subscribe to the newspaper is increasingly low. Why would they subscribe? It’s all easily accessible online from the comfort of their homes or on their BlackBerrys while commuting to work.

It’s even sent via email with personalized daily and weekly news feeds. Broadcast news is also vulnerable to the Internet dilemma—the best news clips hit YouTube faster than the words came out of the reporter’s mouth. Any news topic can be spit into a search engine like Google, instantly found, and organized by relativity. It’s just that easy.

The time has come for us all to start making a sound investment in the information we depend on. The question is, what is the tangible value of this information? The Internet completely turned the economic platform of the news industry upside-down, and while this issue has been previously ignored, it’s time to address it.

So, how much are we willing to pay for news? Will we pay per story? Per topic? Will we subscribe to just local news or just politics or sports? Will we care enough to pay for the sensationalized crap that sneaks its way in? This question of the “tangible value” of news is one that we have not had to ask ourselves in a long time. As a journalist, I know my response.

Much like how I pay my 99 cents per song I download from iTunes, I would gladly pay per article that interests me. I would also pay for a subscription to my favorite news websites.

Unfortunately, this news-for-free online quandary does not end with simply asking for a few more nickels and dimes. What it also comes down to is regulating what information gets copied and regurgitated onto other portals of the web. A problem that no industry affected economically by the Internet has seemed to figure out, and one that I certainly wish I had the answer to.

Everyone can find a way to keep him or herself motivated. The big challenges arise when you are faced with obstacles or the thought of failure. Most students in this school have a goal of graduating with honors, keeping a solid GPA and leaving USF with a good job. So what is a helpful way for staying motivated throughout the school year to help you reach your goal? First, you have to be very clear about what it is you want. Clarity is important because if you are not sure what exactly what you want out of life or what you want to achieve, your mind will be cluttered with a million thoughts. Staying focused will keep you be productive, rather than sitting around without engaging yourself in your work. If you have your goal in mind, write it down. When you have this written down you know that goal and you are free of confusion.

One other major thing that can kill motivation is when emotions take over. Our emotions are related to the level of self-confidence we carry. Many are not conscious of our emotions and how they are affecting our productivity and motivation. Everyone has gotten a test score that was not what they wanted, and it puts your head in a negative place. These are “negative emotions” taking you over and they instantly put you down and kill your motivation. The more you let your emotions get in a negative state, the more your vision and goals will become distorted, your motivation will diminish, and that goal will get harder and further to reach.

I go to the gym five times a week and I always give myself a hard workout when I go. There are some days where I will feel down or lazy because of a long or bad day, but I have disciplined myself to go to the gym frequently and I don’t let the day get in my way. If I had a bad day I make myself to workout because deep inside I truly know that being physically fit is a priority to in my life. But I am not forcing myself to go to the gym. I am always motivated no matter what emotional state I am in. The reason I am constantly motivated is because I see the end result in working out. I know that in the end of the workout I will feel better mentally and physically.

Keeping ourselves motivated is crucial to our success. We have to train our minds to stay optimistic everyday. It sometimes is difficult when we have challenges, but if you have a clear goal in mind and can control your emotional state after every challenge you face, you will feel that you are more in control of your success.

Public Safety should be constantly moving around, especially on campus, so they are constantly looking out for the safety of the community. Also, there needs to be more information and advertisement about the night shuttle so students know that it is  there to get them home safely. Instead of just sending us emails about something bad that happened to a student, they should be sending us tips on how to protect ourselves. Walking with a buddy is the general rule, but that is not always an option.

Jennifer Baldwin, a sophomore at USF, really wanted to live on Lone Mountain this year; however safety was an issue that pushed her to stay on main campus. She is a member of the Delta Zeta sorority and their meetings usually run late. After going to the meeting and then the library to work on homework, it would likely be too late to take the shuttle up to Lone Mountain, and she would have to walk home alone. Baldwin said, “I am nervous walking between campuses because of the stories from Public Safety and also because it is really dark on the streets between campuses.”

Most people who have been attacked are those who are walking in between campuses on those dark small roads. These roads are very deserted and make people look like prime targets. Baldwin said a good idea would to make the shuttle run later and make sure it is driving all around campus so people can see it and catch it. Instead she walks a couple of blocks and does not see Public Safety at all.

Gina Minutillo, a junior at USF, lived on Lone Mountain last year and had to walk home alone late at night. Minutillo said, “I was not aware of the shuttle service Public Safety offers until the middle of the year; I found out about it through a friend.”

There needs to be more signs around campus, or when Public Safety sends out emails they should just write the number and the shuttle times. Minutillo also said, “When I called Public Safety, they would either not be able to give me a ride, or I would have to wait outside by myself for about 15 minutes. Fortunately, nothing happened to me, but the shuttle service put me in danger several times.”

Public Safety needs to work out these kinks by driving around more or even adding more drivers or vans to make sure that everyone in the USF community is safe at all times.

Students should be able to feel safe walking around campus at night or walking home near campus. It is the school’s responsibility to protect us. Public Safety needs to make a few improvements like having a greater presence on campus at night and providing suggestions to protect ourselves, besides walking with a friend. Hopefully, if improvements are made, we will be receiving fewer and fewer emails from Public Safety informing us about another attack.

One feature of Public Safety’s efforts to keep students safe is their shuttle that runs at night, picking up students from locations near campus and driving them home to either their dorm or apartment near campus. This provides students with a ride home at night, which is safer than walking or taking the bus.

Due to popular demand by students, as gauged by surveys conducted by ASUSF Senate last spring, Public Safety has decided to extend the hours of the shuttle to 3 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, while their services stop at 1 a.m. on the other days. The extra two hours on weekend nights will make the shuttle available to students later at night to ensure their safety on their way home.

The Foghorn understands that USF has had to make many budget cuts in order to adjust to the current economic climate. Despite the state of the economy  it is good to see that students’ safety was seen as a priority and was not negatively affected. Student safety measures were not only maintained, but they were actually increased. This shows that the University is keeping its promise to students that their experience at USF will not be negatively impacted by budget cuts.

In previous years, Public Safety never had the budget to extend the hours that the shuttle ran, but student concerns about safety made them prioritize this initiative.

These new hours are currently on a trial period for the 2009 fall semester. Public Safety is observing how much of a demand students have for the new hours and if they are being utilized. If the extension is seen to be unnecessary, the shuttle’s hours will go back to ending at 1 a.m. However, the response from students who took ASUSF’s survey last semester showed the majority of students want the hours of the shuttle to be extended, indicating that the new hours are probably here to stay.

The Foghorn appreciates another new amendment to the shuttle services. In the past, the shuttle was not available to students who were noticeably under the influence of alcohol. Inebriated students would be denied a ride, leaving them to find an alternative way home. The new policy stipulates that Public Safety will not turn any student away. This is a positive development for student safety. Student drinking is a reality, and intoxicated students are at significantly higher risk of not getting home safely. With the shuttle they will have a guaranteed sober driver and will get home safely.

There are still some imperfections in the safety shuttle system. Sometimes students cannot get in contact with someone at the shuttle’s services. Also, students might be told to call back in 15 minutes because there is a back up of pick-ups, and if a student with a disability calls, he or she gets priority over other students. There is only one shuttle on patrol, making it hard for the drivers to get to everyone if there are more than one to three calls in a certain period of time. This is expected with a service like this, and the Foghorn believes that these imperfections do not negate the overall positive service that the shuttle offers.

With the approval of the new hours, students can feel safer, and it is good to see that safety holds such importance with Public Safety and ASUSF. Hopefully students will take advantage of the shuttle’s new hours when they are trying to get home at night.