1985_03 The Daily Collegian March 1985

              2 The DaHy Collegian
News
Sulfites are needless, can be lethal
There is an old Chinese proverb that
"one picture is worth a thousand words." 1
was very much reminded of it when I saw
in the Fresno Bee last week the picture of
Mcdaya Hesper Pike under the headline
"Allergic reaction kills 10-year-old. "There
looking out at you was this beautiful little
girl with shoulder length hair, wide, know¬
ing eyes and a heart-stealing smile. Now
Medaya is no more. It seemed so close
to home, as she had been born here in
Fresno and there were still family and
friends here to mourn her loss.
The picture made the difference. Just a
short time ago I had read in the magazine
"Nutrition in Action," published by the
Center for Science in the Public Interest, a
story about sulfited foods. I was impressed,
but in an academic and scientific sort of
way. Medaya's picture changed that. Here
was something that could easily happen
right here in Fresno, which is known for
its multitude of restaurants. For that is
what happened to little Medaya. She went
Oregon. The food she ate had been treated
with sulfites, which are widely used in eat¬
ing places to keep salad bars looking
' e and fresh and preserving color
le foods. They are also used as pre¬
servatives. And yet they are deadly for
many people. The CSPI article states that
as many as 500,000 Americans may be
Health
Have l
e been
article tells of two other deaths. Oi
28-year-old woman who died in Corpus
Cristi, Texas after eating sulfite-treated
cherries and apples. ThM happened last
August. Just one month later a 56-year-
old attorney eating in a restaurant in Tar-
zana, Calif, started having trouble brea¬
thing after eating potatoes containing
sulfites. He died before he could do any¬
thing to help himself. He had a medical kit
in his car but could not reach it in time.
Many other serious reactions have been
reported and there have been at least four
deaths without counting Medaya's tragedy.
Asthmatics are particularly at risk but by
no means the only ones sensitive to these
The next question one asks is whether
this is a necessary evil. Americans are
accepting of the multitude of hiehway
_*_r_*_r_r_r_»_r_»_r-r_r-r_r_ri_t
deaths because it really seems impossible
to manage in our society without our cars
and trucks. The answer in this case, how¬
ever, is a definite no. Other safer food
preservatives are available, and the cos¬
metic results can be obtained using vitamin
C and lemon juice with no risk.
Since 1982, the federal government has
received around 300 reports of reaction to
sulfites. They have asked restaurants to
give notice to patrons when their foods
contain sulfites. Because there are no con¬
trols, though, the restaurant may not
know that foods provided by their suppli¬
ers do contain sulfites. Further, they say
that if the government feels this poses a
significant danger, let it take the responsi¬
bility of banning sulfited food altogetbj,
One wonders how many more Medji
wc must lose before that step is taken.
In the meantime, we should all beawj-
of the danger and do what we can to pro.
tect ourselves from jt. The chemicals u>
avoid are potassium bisulfite, sodium |
sulfite, potassium metabisulfite, sodi_
sulfite, and sulfur dioxide. These may)
in food and beverages. Morethanever*
need to learn to look at labels and bewan,
especially those among us who have B
matic conditions.
Daily Collegian
-Founded in 1922 —
Editor in L--IBntv.il Ro-i+i-. i
F—nagjr. Editor Aat-o-y Marqaai
Sport» Editor B- air¬
photo Ed.tor-_-«rtLeri
Copy Edrtor Saa-y Sar-
Buiine—i Manager-Lie- Si
Advertising W__ger-D«_i
Typesetting ManagerMar
Staff Artist JeH G
News Prodv_tian__r»e Coolay, Wayaa
Gamba, OU-tf-a Wkitaay,
Read        The Collegian
RINGS RIVER
EXPEDITIONS
March 6, 1985 12 Noon
Upstairs Cafeteria Rm. 200, CSUF
$3.00 General Admission    $1.00 Students/Faculty
Sponsored by:   Ihe University Lecture Series
'MnrEiD
^WHITEWATER
RIVER GUIDES
Kings River Expeditions is currently
[accepting applications for Whitewater guide
positions. Call (209)431-3416 for
information and an application. Interviews
|are to be held the week of
I
March 11-15 only, so call now.\
^lea^
March S, 19S5 3
Liberal arts degrees are 'diluted'
(CPS) — College coursework is often
full of "fads and fashions,"and the growing
numt>er of non-essential courses students
must lake is wrecking the value of their
college degree, say the authors of a three-
\y\:i:..i> released this week.
' fhereport, produced byan 18-member
uik force established by the Association
o( American Colleges (AAC), warns
colleges' tinkering with traditional liberal'
irricula is diluting the worth of a
arts college education.
"Curricula are confused, fuzzy and
drifting," says panel member Arthur
Levine, president of Bradford College of
Massachusetts.
Buffeted by dwindling financial resour¬
ces and a shrinking pool of potential stu¬
dents, colleges have "put their curricu-
lums up for auction and sold out to the
highest bidder," Levine said.
The report blames "non-essential"
courses for mucking up traditional liberal
education.
Cuss
(continued from p«ie 1
he helped transform Fresno State
viable location for many major
He recalled, "When I came to
, State, there wasn't anything like
; Productions]. The College Union
have any equipment other than a
hure Vocalmaster."
;S Productions, a full-blown pro-
n team run by the College Union.
w students almost exclusively.
his suggestion to Reggie Rush,
Bongiavanni described as a "tech-
vi/ard," that got the ball rolling.
till keeps a watchful eye on CUSS
>n't know anything about technical
:non. [Rush] is the guy who really
io where it is today and taught all
students, many of which are out
ig on the road right now. There
hrrc of four CUSS graduates out
lg for The Jacksons. You name it,
u seems, wherever Gary Bongia-
has traveled, success has been an
kable companion.  Like  POLL-
STAR, CUSS Productions started from
an idea. Today, CUSS is capable of sup¬
porting the kinds of major acts that play at
CSUF.
And what does Bongiavanni see himself
doing ten years from now? "Sitting on the
beach in Kauai...."
Food
£ ft\^^~ \ We are looking for
a number of talented
CSUF students to audition
for a talent show, including:
^Singers
^Magicians
*l_ive Bands
* Actors
•Comedians
*Air Guitar
* Dancers
• Etc.
you can WIN...
1 st Prize —S500
2nd Prize — $100
3rd Prize — $50
And all acts accepted get T-shirts   -
acts will be chooser) to perform on Wed, March 27 at 8 f
is are available in the College Union Room 306. Deadline
n\. March 15 at 4 pm Entrants must apply for a specific ai
It says remedial programs for students
who are unprepared for college and tech¬
nical classes — e.g., secretarial and police
science courses — typically obstruct, not
advance, a college education.
But adrmpBtrators offer the courses with
an attitude of "almost anything goes," the
reportvenarges.
"Fads and fashions, the demands of
popularity and success, enter where wis¬
dom and experience should prevail."
Panel members alio blames the fogging
of college curricula on professors who
place a higher premium on research on
their own advancement than on teaching.
The report urges colleges to restructure
their curricula to create practical liberal
arts program that combine core humani¬
ties subjects with career skills.
College in Claremont, California and
Birmingham Southern College in Alabama
as role models.
He predicts colleges will begin follow¬
ing their lead in droves.
"Institutions are learning that hunker¬
ing down, holding tight and just trying to
get through this demographic onslaught is
a slow slide to nowhere," he says.
Continued from page 1
in the College Union and building of a
warehouse near O'Neill Park.
Finlay said that operating costs are 18
percent of the gross and they try to keep
food and labor costs under 80 percent,
leaving a "two or three percent profit." He
says those figures are typical of college
food service.
After the discussion with Finlay, Richey
felt satisfied with his findings.
"I feel much better now," said Richey of
the situation. "He [Finlay] indicated it's
not just profit he's worried about. I'm sure
people have legitimate gripes, but I see
him with providing a service and doing a
"Students don't realize it's a business,"
said Shinn. "They think everything should
RE
«*** IMS*: CMm-i.'"
2371 E. Shaw (at Maple)
225-0514
"Unfinished Business"
i;N FINISH _n'''BUSiNES^
As part of Amer-Asia week, PULSE along with Amer-Asia
bring the story of the Japanese American Internment Cases
to CSUF by presenting the documentary film, "Unfinished
Business", on Wednesday, March 6 at 8 p.m. in the
College Union Room 3I2-3I4.
Wed., March 6 - 8 p.m.
College Union Rm. 3I2-3I4
Admission is free
Sponsored by PULSE and Amer-Asia     	
Presenting a seminar with
Ellen Coleman MA, MPH, RD
_■__■_■
"Eating
For
Endurance"
Wed., March 6
, 12 Noon
Satellite CU
Free Admission
Euan Coleman hat at
Through her experience and
how lood and oxygen can a"
In her book "Eating tor Endi.
he CSUF Student Dietetic Asaociati