1996_04 Insight April 1996

              Editorial
APRIL 24,1996
Lost in China until
rescued by cab driver
I Chorister's spring break
marred by language gap
by Brent Liescheidt
Staff Writer
upoi
others
spring break to catch
spring break n
IS  pos
■ ible
esponsibility free.
During my break. I headed off to the land
of the panda: China.
As p;irt of a 60-member choir that loured
China for 10 days, there were many memories that won't be forgotten.
However, one memorv stands out: gelling
lost in Shanghai.
Shanghai has 14 million people, almost
five times the number of people in Los
Angeles. Only 5 perceni of people in
Shanghai drive cars. The rest either ride a
bike or hoof it.
On the choir's first day in Shanghai. I was
constantly reminded of the old Boy ScoOl
oath. "Be prepared." This lime the saying
came in handy. I grabbed my group's
itinerary before leaving the hotel.
We boarded the lour bus with the Royal
Garden as our destination. On the way. we
slopped al a memorial for those who lough!
in the Opium War. Attention was diverted
away from the memorial w hen a body vv as
found floating in ihe polluted waters of ihe
Yellow River.
After this unsettling experience, our group
had lunch along that same river. After eating
delicacies like seaweed and donkey meat,
we headed to (he Royal Garden.
Misguided venture
Wc had an hour lo behold the garden and
were supposed to meet al 4 p.m. to head
back to the hotel before the concert thai
evening.
I decided to venture through thc garden,
alone with my thoughts. The garden was
gorgeous, complete wiih bonsai trees,
statues and pools filled with koi.
Glancing at the watch of a passer-by. I
realized my time was nearly up. I headed back
to the garden entrance to meet with my fellow
Slowly the time passed by. Still I waited.
Four p.m. and no group. They're probably
just late. They're probably caught up in one
of the exhibits
Four-twenty. Could the exit be a different
place than the entrance?
I was stricken with panic. Visions of the
floating dead man in the water ran through
mv head. I thought: "I'm going to die in
Shanghai!"
I turned my attention to thc challenge of
getting back to the hotel, whose name I
couldn't remember.
Jaywalking is the norm
I then
d the i
deep w ithin my pants pocket. Sure enough.
There was lhc hotel name in big bold print
Armed wiih new-found information. I left
the tranquillity of thc garden for the mayhem of the Shanghai streets.
The streets of Shanghai are an experience
unto themselves. Jaywalking is legal. Rickshaw drivers and bicyclists own the street.
Lining the streets are hundreds of small,
family-owned businesses piled on top of
each other. Thc sidewalks are a sea of
pedestrians.
My goal was to find someone, anyone,
who spoke English. I figured my large-
vocabulary of Chinese. She She (ihank you)
and Ne How (good day ). probably wouldn't
be enough to get me anywhere.
Taxis are prevalent throughout the city,
and this day was no exception. I hailed my
firsl laxi within five minutes. I shoved my
itinerary with the hotel name into thc- face of
the driver. He-gave me a quizzical look, but I
had faith in my new-found companion. I
hopped into the back seat of his red
Volkswagen.
Evidently, the language barrier was loo
large a hurdle for ihe guy. Smiling, he
dropped me off two blocks away.
Not easily discouraged. I relumed lo the
taxi zone and flagged down another. I handed
the driver my itinerary, this lime hav ing
circled and underlined my hotel name for him.
Through ihe hordes of bicyclists and
pedestrians, my new friend wove his way
Insight photo by Brent Liescheidt
The Great Wall is just one of the myriad of sights to behold in China.
from sireel to sirce.1 We missed accidents by the cab.
inches several limes. I knew Xalkay. my This new hotel was plush. Someone would
driver, would lead me lo safet) surely be able lo speak English.
After 20 minutes. Xalkay finally pulled My prayers were soon answered. Thc
into thc driveway of a beautiful hotel. receptionist wrote out the Chinese charac-
l nloriun.iiely. it wasn'i my hotel. tcrs for my hotel. I was dropped offal my
Xalkay looked at me with a smile. It's hotel within 10 minutes,
hard lo get angry al a guy w nil a big grin on I had reached the promised land. I was no
his face. I thanked him. paid him and exiled longer lost in Shanghai.
Get your money's worth out of ASI — cast a vote
by Draeger Martinez
Staff Writer
It's coming, and this time stakes arc-
higher.
Every spring, potential leaders and
politicians come from behind every
tree imploring students to vole for
them.
Starting Monday. April 29. polls
open for the annual Associated Students Inc. (ASI) elections. Despite
having three consecutive days lo vote,
at any of four voting booths across
campus, voter turnout usually trickles in at approximately 15 percent or
less.
Students have the power 10 change-
that, and the consequences are higher
than they've been in years.
On two issues of far-ranging importance, we can give our input directly,
by voting on ballot rcferendums.
One is a measure lo cut lhc student
body fee in half. Il seems thai sav ing
S8 per semester on a reduced fee and
then paying higher admission to lectures and organizational events costs
more than the difference in the long
run.
A lower fee would allow a greater
portion of the money raised to go
lo office and administrative costs.
lional and inspirational goods like-
research grants or the Cesar Chavez
statue.
The other ballot item is concerned
wiih the ASI partially funding the
Daily Collegian's operating budget.
For merely SI.50 per semester
approximately 2 cents per puhlicali'
day — the Collegian can bring dai
news, opinions and sports to the si
dents.
In a way. the practice of studc
self-government is like lhal firsl us
car you had.
It may not always look the vv
you'd like, and sometimes the nois
il makes startle you. but il's all you
You paid for it. and if you put in i
fort to improve il. it can lake you an
where you'd like i
You c
lethcr
shift in political philosophy that began last spring should be continued
or reversed.
In spring 1995. students in lhc conservative Reality party pulled out a
plurality — not majority — victory
in most of the at-large and college representative and all of the executive of-
Rather than recognize the limited
mandate such voting totals afforded
them, the Reality-majority ASI has
acted on their every long-suppressed
legislative desire ever since.
A Reality-led ASI government
handed out grants of $4,500 and up
in surplus money to the Interfrater-
nuy Council iII-'C). Panhellenic and
ihe Bulldoggers Club while dozens of
other groups got left in the cold.
No problem — even though that
each grain required the ASI to sus-
|vend the rules they operate by.
Vote to support for the Daily Collegian? Piece of cake, until university
administrators privately informed
them how they overstepped their
bounds.
This year's administration also
takes the I in ASI way too literally.
They bristled al being termed senators, demanding to be called thc
Board of Directors. Entitling it the
Corporate Downsizing Act. they
shrugged off the responsibility toward
ihe Security Escort Program, the
AIDS Awareness group, the KFSR
radio station, the Children's Activity
Room and student E-mail.
How about taking this attitude to
the next step'.' You're a shareholder in
this busy little enterprise, so get your
money's worth. Learn the issues, ask
candidates the hard questions and get
out and vote.
Big-bucks pro players deserve mega-bucks fines
by Tyler A. Takeda
Staff Writer
Nick Van Exel — fined S25.0OO
and suspended for seven games for
shoving a referee.
Dennis Rodman — fined $20,000
and suspended for six games for headbutting a referee.
Earvin "Magic" Johnson — fined
$10,000 and suspended for three-
games for bumping a referee.
The antics of these three athletes
are just a sampling of thc growing
trend of unacceptable behavior
among professional athletes. If the
trend continues, professional athletes will destroy the games that
have made them household names.
Many fans have turned off profes-
sports because of some of
Ihese actions.
The often proclaimed "ambassador
ofthe NBA" Johnson has apologized
to the referee, the NBA and thc fans.
Even so. the penally was not severe
Johnson's fine will cost him
SI98.000. That amount is still nol
enough to be taken away from a
player who makes millions of dollars
a year.
Reverence for referees
In sports, the most sacred member
on a playing field at all times is the
official. If any player touches an official in professional sports in anger,
the player draws an automatic suspension and possibly a fine.
The fine should lake ir
ation the athlete's salary. If a player
making the minimum s-.lary shov es a
referee, then his fine should be- less
than a player with a multi-million
dollar salary.
Unsportsmanlike conduct
If ihe leagues want to make players consider Iheir actions, then ihey
must stiffen the fines and suspensions
given for assaulting referees, fellow
players and fans.
Professional athletes are referred to
as role models for younger players.
If a player sees his role model shove
a referee, then he or she may do the
same.
Baseball has a lot of trouble with
fan support and its image. The siiua-
lion only became worse when a story
came out about a few players who
minted a young fan's baseball wiih
v ulgar names and language.
A lew Oakland Athletics pitchers
decided to play a prank on a six-ycar-
■• >ld's baseball. The pitchers signed the
ball wiih names like Charles Manson.
Jeffrey Dahmer and Lucifer.
-Sandy Aldcrson. Athletics' general
manager, reprimanded the players for
their actions. The boy received an
apology and was given Athletics'
paraphernalia.
Image upkeep
The incident was ill-advised when
baseball is trying to lure fans into the
ballpark vv ith promotions and positive
player interaction with the fans.
Baseball needs to keep its players
in control.
If the league's fines and suspensions were tougher, violence would
decrease. This deterrent also will help
win back thc fans who come out to
see their favorite players hit home
runs, not charge the mound. This is'
especially important for baseball in
its post-strike era.
Sports must maintain its public
image lo gain fan support. The main
contributors to this image are the players who get publicity for their bad behavior, not for their gamesmanship.
In order to keep control of the athletes, the leagues must update their
fine and suspension policy to meet
professional sports current breed of
multi-millionaires.
MAIL IT
Managing Editor, In sight
>  2225 E. San Ramon Ave ,
FrMiw,CA 837404010
IE-MAIL IT
On Campus:
Typa "IruUaar (no quota nv
at tha Lennon prompt
FAXIT
Managing Editor, Insight
Mass Comm. t Journalism
,    FAX (209) 27W995
I VOICE IT
Call 27S-2892 any time
Laava a massage on
Insight VWca Mail
Insight
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FRESNO
Executive Editor   Jefferson Beavers
AD     LINE:    278-3934
Advertising Accounts Mgr.
Advertising Production Mgr.
Marty Gutierrez
Reg Wagner
Managing Editor
News Editor
Chief Copy Editor
Photo Editor
Editorial Page Editor
Lifestyle Editor
Sports Editor
Production Manager
Brent Liescheidt
Troy Wagner
Kristine Martin
Todd Warshaw
Valerie Gibbons
Matt Lloyd
Stefanie Hard
Bridget Carter
Staff Photographers:
Tommielynn Del Real, Apolinar Fonseca and Ryan McKee.
Production Assistants and Staff Writers:
Ron Armstrong, Summer Brown, Candace Cline, Angela Elliott.
Jennifer Franklin,-Natasha A. Frazier, Kristen Gentry, Jerry Lowe,
Draeger Martinez, Rob Morgan, Jennifer Southern, Melyssa Springmeyer,
Tyler A. Takeda. Students of MCJ 108 and 102w.
Production Consultant: Dan Helmbold      Adviser: George A. Flynn
Circulation: Kelly McLain        Advertising Staff: Students of MCJ 143
Privacy,
please, in
medical
matters
bySummer Brown
Staff Writer
The waiting, room in the Student
Health Center is an eavesdropper's
paradise.
As students sit on the orange-red
leather couches waiting for treatment,
the conversation surrounding them is
anything but small talk.
While the pharmacist gives directions on how to insert a diaphragm,
the nurse practitioner, in charge of
initial assessments, asks a patient
when her period is due.
These questions and instructions
are common in any health care facility. However, thc information should
only be heard by the student and not
by everyone in the room.
Keeping the personal private
Sensitivity towards students' privacy should be one of the main concerns for medical employees. Dealing with contraceptive counseling,
sexually transmitted disease (STD)
testing and scheduling pap smear appointments become so routine lhat
employees have become numb as to
how loud and clear their voices come
across.
Even the most liberal, free-spirited
college student would shudder at the
thought of a roomful of strangers
overhearing his or her medical problems.
Voices should be kept at an appropriate decibel level at all times.
This would mean raising or lowering the voice according to the situation. Assertively calling out students'
names or directing them to areas A.
B. C, D or E are not personal matters; therefore, voice level is insignificant.
Voice level becomes relavent when,
suddenly, a student's personal problem becomes the waiting room's gossip.
Sam Gitchel. health educator for
more than 8 years, admits the center's
floor plan does nothing to initiate privacy.
"Our building is not ideally constructed." he said. "I can appreciate
the problem."
He said confidentiality and privacy
are complex issues, especially when
voice level and the physical arrangement of the building are factors.
A little tact appreciated
Every year. Gitchel compiles a survey that asks students to rate their
experiences at the health center. He
said feedback is important because it
fosters change and improvement.
There has been one positive change
over the issue of privacy in recent
years.
Pharmacy employees arc not allowed to place contraceptives on thc
front counter, they are on the table underneath. Employees must place it in
a bag before calling a student's name.
Junior Stephanie Gonzales, pharmacy employee, said she is required
to stand away from the pharmacist
during a consult (directions on how
to use the prescription).
"Only the pharmacist can give consults." she said. "I can only ring students up once they're done."
If the entire conversation is heard,
the purpose of hiding the contraceptive in a white paper bag is defeated.
French major Amy Smith, senior,
said she always feels a little uneasy
when using the pharmacy.
4 "The room is small, but it's such a
wide-open space." she said, stretching her arms far apart. "It's uncomfortable to have my prescription filled
by a male student."
Suggestions welcome
Gitchel said there are about 200
visits a day to the Student Health Center. Birth control pills are one of the .»
most frequently dispensed medica-
These facts should make employees more sensitive to students' privacy
because of the heavy student traffic
and the reasons why most come in the
first place.
There is a comments box located
in the waiting room for students to
vent their frustrations.
"We welcome feedback." Gitchel
said. "We appreciate suggestions."
Increasing students' privacy and
erasing the feeling of uneasiness
while sitting in the waiting room can
be solved by one simple suggestion:
Tell all employees to lower Iheir