Kentucky's John Wall puts up a shot against Florida in NCAA men's basketball action at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, on Sunday, March, 7. (Courtesy of Charles Bertram/MCT)

It is the time of the year, when Cinderella stories can come true and college students and alumni gather to cheer their college basketball teams on. This time of the year is called March Madness.

Whether people are sports fans, or not they gather around a TV to see the NCAA Tournament because magic happens every year. The excitement of a small school beating a big school, or the kid who was cold the whole game but hits the game-winning shot.

Of course there are the favorites in this crazy tournament and usually one underdog story. For example, this year there are three teams that have the best chance to win it all.

The first team that everyone seems to hold in pretty high esteem is Kentucky.

First, they have the best player in the NCAA: the well-known freshman John Wall.
Wall, from Raleigh, N.C., averages 17 points per game and shoots 46.2 percent from the field, which is a pretty deadly percentage for a freshman.

Not only is this team stacked with the best player, but they have one of the best head coaches in John Calipari.

Needless to say the Wildcats have a high chance of winning. However, the other two teams favored to win, Duke and Kansas, are not so bad either. They don’t have the one individual star that stands out like Kentucky, but they all excel in team play.

For the last couple of years, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has been all about offense heading into recent NCAA Tournaments. But this year, the Blue Devils seem more focused on defense.

For the first time in years Duke has true size in the paint. Brian Zoubek is a 7-footer that rebounds anything that comes his way, averaging 7.3 boards a game. Also, Kyle Singler is known for his offensive scoring at 17.5 points  per game but grabs seven rebounds a game.

Furthermore, the Blue Devils as a team are averaging 6.9 steals a game and holding teams to 27.9 percent from the three-point line. And judging by the way Duke shut down their rival North Carolina 82-50, it looks like Duke is ready for another championship run.
Lastly, Kansas is the most stacked team out of the two. They are good from top to bottom. On offense they are shooting 40.9 percent from the three-point line and 48.8 percent from the field.

Defensively, the Jayhawks bring the pain, averaging 6.4 blocks and 8.4 steals a contest. However, what separates this team from the pack more than anything else is their experience. Five players from the 2007-2008 championship team are still on this season’s roster.

Nevertheless, these are the favorites to win but there is always the underdog. This year the team coming in hot is the Washington Huskies. They are coming off winning the Pac-10 Tournament and are firing on all cylinders.

They are led by three players: point guards Isaiah Thomas and Venoy Overton, and forward Quincy Pondexter.  With these players leading the way, they could be the team cutting down the nets at the end of March.

So, who knows what will happen in March, but it will be an event to see.

Heidi Pettinger CSUN Water polo. Photo Credit: CSUN Media Athletics

Date of birth: Feb. 3, 1990
Place of birth: Las Vegas, NV.
Height: 5’ 9

Stats: Goals-19, Steals-22, Assist-15

Experience: Sophomore

Position: Two-meter
Major: Liberal Studies
Food: Steak
Music: Country
Movie: “Training Day” and “Remember the Titans”
Song: “Then I did” by Rascal Flatts
Athlete: Ronnie Brown, running back for the Miami Dolphins

Life
Greatest Difficulty: “Balancing water polo and school.”
Greatest goal accomplished: “Earning three specialties in scuba diving.”
Hobbies: “Scuba diving and teaching swim lessons.”
Most Embarrassing Moment: “I don’t have one.”

Water Polo
Best part of my game: “my defense.”
Part of my game that needs improvement: “My outside shooting.”
Best player I’ve played against so far: “Kami Craig from USC.”
Player I pattern my game after: “No one.”
Pre-game rituals: “Listen to iPod.”
Goals
Team: “First team goal was to be ranked in the top 10 and now we would like to win Big West regular season and tournament games.”
Individual: “Make all Big West Conference Team and shut down opponents other two-meter players.”

And
My first sport: Soccer
Other sports I played while growing up: Softball, tennis, and cheerleading.
What I do to stay in shape during the offseason: “I play with my club team CHAWP (water polo team).”
When I started playing water polo: “I was nine.”
Person I would like to meet: Rascal Flatts

The Matadors travel to Washington to face Seattle University in a four game series. Photo Credit: Hannah Pedraza Photo Editor.

From the Matadors 56 regular season games this season, only five will be played outside of California. Four of those games will be this weekend as the Matadors travel to Seattle to take on Seattle University.

The Redhawks come into the series with a 3-11 record; however, they are coming off a 6-4 win over the Oregon Ducks.

CSUN heads into the series with a 9-6 record and are coming off a 13-7 victory over UNLV at Matador Field.

The trip to Seattle will be a homecoming for Matador shortstop Brad Decater, who is from Sammamish, Wash. Decater, who currently has an injured thumb on his right hand, is coming off back-to-back two homerun games. In the victory over UNLV Decater went three-for-three, with the two homers and had seven RBI’s.

“It is going to be a nice homecoming for him,” said head coach Steve Rousey of Decater. “I’m somewhat in awe of the way he has played. It’s a testament to his character.”

Although the Matadors have a better record than the Redhawks, CSUN expects them to play well.

“I expect it to be cold,” said Decater, who expects to see some family and friends at the games. “I expect them to play some good baseball.”

“I wouldn’t let the 3-11 record bother me,”Rousey said. “I expect Seattle to be energetic, enthusiastic and play every inning. They have a nothing to lose approach and those kinds of teams are dangerous. Just because they are 3-11 doesn’t mean they can’t beat you.”

The Matadors have won five of their last six games, however, in their last three wins they have not finished well. After building a 10-0 lead against UNLV, they allowed the Rebels to score seven runs in a span of three innings.

In the Matadors 13-5 victory over LMU, the Matadors were up 13-0 before giving up five unanswered runs.

“I’m a little disappointed,” Rousey said, after the UNLV victory. “We didn’t play very well; we weren’t consistent for nine innings. We might be a little full of ourselves maybe.”

Rousey said that he has noticed that the dugout “gets a little silly” when the Matadors are up big. “We hung on and won the game and that’s good, but we didn’t do it the right way.”

This is not the first time Rousey has talked about the Matadors not competing for the whole nine innings. In their season opener, which was an 18-4 victory for CSUN, Rousey felt that the team was tight at the start of the games. Now it seems as if the Matadors are taking their foot off the pedal at the ending of the games.

Rousey said that it may be human nature to relax at the end of a game where the team is well ahead, but it is something that he and the coaches need to address.

“Our goal is to maintain focused intensity and we didn’t do that,” said Rousey.
Notes:The CSUN-Pepperdine game that was rained out on February 27th has been rescheduled for April 5th.

Students participate in creating wax hand molds at Union Program Council’s (UPC) spring craft corner outside the USU last Thursday. Photo Credit: Bodhi Severns / Staff Photographer

I have read and considered your response to the rally and march. I understand your point and concede you made it capably. Your suggestions are sound and your motivations admirable. However, history shows that simply working “within the system”, as you suggest, rarely facilitates lasting change. Only increasing the visibility of a cause can do that. A few examples:

-In the Reformation period following the Civil War, freedmen held the vote and were active in government. However, this did not prevent racist politicians with greater influence from oppressing them and eventually disenfranchising them completely. Leaders like Booker T. Washington advocated quiet acceptance of the status quo and gradual infiltration of society via the workforce, but this only led to further subjugation. Almost a hundred years later, when Martin Luther King, Jr. and his contemporaries dared to stand against racist public policy by nonviolent demonstration, the issue was raised to public consciousness and the Civil Rights Movement began.

-During the Industrial Revolution, the naturalized immigrants who worked in America’s factories were allowed to vote, but the politicians representing them continued to support business interests rather than their electorate, allowing them to suffer at the hands of their employers. Only when these workers went on strike and showed the nation the misery of their abject poverty as well as the dangers of their unregulated workplaces did movement to regulate business commence.

-The Vietnam War dragged on for over ten years despite public outcry. Many remained committed to the effort for fear of Vietnam’s inevitable political collapse should we leave, but others recognized our efforts to be in vain, perpetuating a bloody stalemate. It took the rise of an entirely new culture, dedicated to peace and willing to risk violence against themselves for it, to contest prevailing political wisdom and end our commitment to the war.

Yes, by all means, let us mail our legislators, let us call their offices, let us exercise our right to vote. These actions are all good and right. But by themselves, they are not enough. Our communities and our country must realize that, yes, we are discontent with the world that has been thrust upon us. They must see there are enough of us to legitimately demand change, but they must also realize we need their help to effect it. A phone call or a letter can be ignored or destroyed. A thousand people standing together as one to declare “this is not right” cannot. We must make a stand. We must demand attention by any means necessary. Silence and passivity will get us nowhere.

Try to view the Day of Action with some perspective. One day of class missed is hardly a heavy price to pay for the support we need. Surely, you have missed the same for much less. Have you never cut class for a party, or stayed home because you were unwell? Has this ever had any lasting impact on your education as a whole? Assuredly, it has not. One day- contrast this with the extra two or more years many are forced to commit to education thanks to higher tuition and decreased class availability. Measure the loss of one day’s schoolwork against the livelihoods destroyed by layoffs and budget cuts.

Perhaps you view our measures as “too extreme” and claim they alienate outsiders from our cause. You may have a point, but consider this: we who participated in the march have participated in other, milder protests. We desired only sympathetic listeners, and we were repeatedly ignored or ridiculed. It became obvious that moderate, unobtrusive action would garner neither attention nor support. At times, extreme measures are called for. This is one of those times. When silence or moderation lead to further abuse, the time has come to be quiet no longer.

In other words, we have no other choice. I implore you, as a rational, thinking young person, to join us and not criticize us. This is a time for unity, not petty bickering. Only by standing together can we create a world that assures “youth a future and old age a security.”

Respectfully,

Elizabeth Harper

CTVA/TESL

Our president’s approach to solving Iran’s issues could hurt his image as President of a first class nation.

Upon entering office, Obama blamed his predecessor as the reason for Iran not being fair to the world. He did not realize that Iran has had a long history of abuse to its own people, and it is unlikely that it will cooperate with the rest of the world let alone its citizens

Although Obama’s policy focus was on solving local-level problems, his effectiveness has resulted in failure: look at our nation’s unemployment rate. His hesitancy in taking real action against Iran does not give Americans confidence and neither does it answer the pleas for help from Iran’s opposition.

This does not look good for Obama’s ability to mediate problems.

It’s not an issue about our country’s ego given the different opinions people have in why I write about Iran’s unjust government, but rather that Obama’s hesitancy only allows the major problems of the U.S. and the rest of the world to grow.

Our economy continues to suffer at a standstill, and Iran’s acting like a major bully to other nations and most notably to its own people. During the 31st anniversary of Iran’s regime, protestors outnumbered the government supporters, but hundreds of people were brutally beaten by police.

The Iranian government did not allow any media coverage to try and hide its injustices against the innocent. In addition, Iran’s government restricted e-mail use under the claim that it wants the people to use government-monitored services controlled by its military used in an effort to persecute anyone who offends the government.

Ayatollah Khomeini came into power and overthrew the Shah in 1979. Khomeini, a man of non-Persian (Indian) ancestry proclaimed that he was a prophet and the last Imam of Shi’a Islam. He promised the people of Iran free water and energy usage if they helped cause a revolution to bring in a “democracy” that disguised a religious fundamentalism controlled by a non-elected supreme leader.

Once the Shah was overthrown and the Islamic Republic’s tyranny began, the government began charging its people for water and power. Hillary Clinton recently mentioned that Iran has become a “military dictatorship,” according to Fox news.

Obama’s administration has failed to secure the release of three missing American hostages who were arrested in Iraq by Iranian authorities. I can only imagine how angry the families of these missing hostages feel when it’s been nearly a year since their kidnapping. If the hostages are released they will be forced to communicate with outside journalists using Iran’s telephones on the conditions of lies by saying that they were treated well by their abusive captors.

Then if the three hostages make it back to the U.S. alive, and would want to reveal the true tortures that they suffered, the media might fail to give much attention to the issue.

Americans are too focused on how much they pay for gasoline when they don’t know that everything is connected. When the humanitarian health of the outside world is in poor condition, then there will likely be disunity within our own nation. If we reduce our oil dependency and show Iran’s government that its natural resources are becoming useless, its economy will not only collapse but it will have fewer financial resources to help persecute its own innocent people.

Obama’s hesitancy to take bolder actions when dealing with Iran seems like he is trying to appease Iran. It doesn’t make sense that if our president wants to stop Iran from building nuclear weapons, he continues to allow Iran’s government to exist and abuse its people. Most of the world is on the opposition’s side. Obama has more than enough support if he decides to finally solve issues in Iran. The world is finding out about Iran’s cruelty to humanity and now the Islamic Republic cannot deny its abusive fetishes anymore after 31 years of strife and thievery.

I was so proud of my fellow students March 4 when I witnessed a much larger than expected protest. So many times I’ve been convinced that my generation was apathetic to anything other than electronic products (as another letter pointed out), but Thursday the participation I saw made me smile when the protesters occupied the intersection of Prairie and Reseda. What struck me as odd though was that there was no “connecting the dots” between national and state problems.

Here we are in 2010, seven years after the start of the Iraq War, still attempting to build a nation for a culture our government can’t understand, yet our own citizens are being denied an education in their own country. According to The National Priorities Project, the state of California has spent $90 billion dollars towards the Iraq War. The state of California has also paid $32 billion dollars on the Afghanistan War. One recent poll by CNN shows that the approval ratings of the Iraq War is as low 39 percent, and a Gallup poll shows that the war in Afghanistan’s approval rating is also 39 percent. But how could we forget the seven hundred billion bailout in 2008 from the government to companies, who, out of their own failed business practices, near bankrupted their own companies?

So keep shouting, protesting and chanting, but let’s not forget where our government’s priorities lay: corporate bailouts, imperialism, and funding failing wars. Where’s education in that agenda? If the government can’t fit education in its budget, we will just have to vote out those who stand in the way. Keep protesting: Your voices will be heard.

If you want to know more, join me and the CSUN Greens on Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. in Sierra Tower room 503.

Andrew Farwell
Junior, History and
Political Science double major

Front man Alex Deep of Merlinmoon says he aspires to create songs that have an intimate connection between the listener and their discovery of true happiness. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Jimenez.

Alex Deep, lead singer of the new band Merlinmoon, found his love for music while he was a DJ. His talents as a DJ had not gone unnoticed, however, he found that lyric-less music didn’t provide him the proper outlet for his music aspirations.
Kelly Moreno, contributing reporter

“As a DJ I wasn’t satisfied with the music I was playing because I couldn’t find the music I wanted to play, so I decided to make my own,” said Deep.

After learning some cords on the guitar, and mixing in some piano, “the stars aligned…” and he had found his calling.

Deep’s main inspiration for the creation of his songs was to create an intimate connection between the listener and their discovery of true happiness.

“I use music to massage people’s minds so the lyrics can find a place to tattoo themselves inside their conscious,” he said.

The origin of the name Merlinmoon goes back several years. While Deep was going through some personal problems, and struggling to find his muse, a wizard made his way into Deep’s dreams.

Merlin, or the wizard, gave Deep instructions on what he should do, and take each of the problems that he faced at the time and use them as inspiration. As the problems that Deep faced had begun to disappear, the wizard did as well—and in memoriam the song “Stoned by Dreams” was written.

Although Deep was never inspired by his parents to become a musician, he found solace in music. And although he enjoyed listening to all genres from classic rock to reggae, it never connected with him.

Instead, it taught him how to “put music to my poetry and how to build a mood, where my message flows into people’s lives,” he said.

Several music styles can be found in Merlinmoon’s hit single, “Yesterday’s Gone”—which is currently making a large impact in college crowds. “Yesterday’s Gone” has a few hints of Pink Floyd, but has a very unique approach to the arrangement; with inclusions of piano and guitar solos, and haunting harmonies.

The song definitely displays Deep’s talent and passion for music making. This hit was written after he had spent the last night with the love of his life. The corresponding music video has also received positive reviews.

Merlinmoon’s debut album, “Stoned by Dreams,” can be found on iTunes, and a second album is in the works.

The second album, which contains acoustic versions of some of their songs from their debut album, has just been produced. Entitled “Stoned by Wood,” this album has been recorded using completely vintage 1940s instruments.

“Can’t wait to share it with the world” Deep said toward the production of the vintage acoustic EP.

Merlinmoon is planning for a tour for the west coast area. They are scheduled to perform March 24 at Skinny’s Lounge located at 4923 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601.

To find ticket information, more tour dates and local concerts featuring Merlinmoon, check the official website at, www.merlinmoon.com.

From left: Benjamin Stockham, Tyler Labine, Frank Dolce and Matthew Levy star in the new series, "Sons of Tuscon" on Fox. Photo courtesy of MCT.

Star Rating: 3 out of

Starring Tyler Labine, of “Reaper” fame, the predictable funny show offers a far-fetched story where three orphaned kids make their way to Tucson, where their father happens to have a fully-stocked, all-expenses-paid house that they move in to. Their mother is out of the picture and their father is serving a prison sentence for embezzlement. To avoid falling into the foster care system, they hire Ron Snuffkin (Labine) to pose as their dad.

Labine’s character, while amusing, isn’t a far cry from his character on “Reaper.” He is the stereotypical funny guy who has no prospects, is lazy, drinks a lot, and has to fall back on his humor because he can’t fall back on his looks. Nevertheless, he does successfully make you laugh with overused, crude jokes that remind you of countless other Fox shows, like “That 70’s Show,” “The Simpsons” and “Malcolm in the Middle.”

In fact, “Sons of Tucson” shares a number of the cast and crew with “Malcolm in the Middle,” including Todd Holland, Justin Berfield and Andy Bobrow. Holland directed both shows and is an executive producer on “Sons of Tucson” with Berfield who played Reese in “Malcolm in the Middle” and Bobrow is a writer for both shows.

The vibe of the show is similar to “Malcolm in the Middle’s” in that it’s about three kids who always find themselves in trouble. The oldest kid isn’t too bright, the middle one has the brains, and the youngest is conniving. Ron was originally hired as a onetime deal, but because the kids (Robby, Gary and Brandon Gunderson) kept getting themselves into situations where the presence of an adult was necessary, Ron ended up making a long term deal with them.

Having recently broken up with his girlfriend, the opening scene shows Ron living out of his disgusting early-1990s Ford Taurus station wagon packed to the brim with his belongings. He goes from brushing his teeth in the parking lot of the sporting goods store he works at to living in the tool shed behind the kids’ house.

Brandon, the oldest, is popular and good-looking and the type of kid who just might jump off a cliff because everyone else was doing it. Gary is the mastermind behind the whole ordeal. He is overly mature for his age and perhaps because of the circumstances, seems to have stepped into the parental role. A little bit nutty, he seems like he could be likeable, but his OCD-like tendencies are exaggerated to a turn-off. Last but not least is Robby. He is a violent and disturbed kid. In the pilot, he manages to blow up a barbeque by using camping fuel as lighter fluid at a school fair which nearly gets him expelled. Ron manages to save the day.

The show is worth watching for a couple of laughs but if you’re looking for something more than a goofy sitcom, you’ll be disappointed. The plot isn’t rousing and the comedy isn’t innovative.

After a preview of the next couple of episodes, I have my doubts as to whether the show will last past this season. It’s fine for what it is, but there are a dozen other shows that do it better. It’s missing something and the producers need to find it soon to keep viewers interested.

The show will run Sundays at 9:30 p.m. after “Family Guy.”

Tashawnna White, 19, is a health major at CSUN, has an interest in pre-med and wants to change the way doctors prescribe medication to their patients. Photo cred: Amber Green/Staff Report

The frequent sound of pages being torn from doctors’ prescription pads and the growing lines in pharmacies is the reason why Tashawnna White, 19, is planning to change her major to pre-med.

Handing a patient a four-by-six piece of paper with scribbled handwriting is not always the answer, White said.  Instead, finding the cause of the illness is what she intends to do.

“I feel that [prescribing] medicine is not the only way to fix a problem and becoming a pediatrician…maybe I can change some things,” White said.

White currently is a health science major wants to transfer to pre-med because her interest in humans and healthcare will help her explore and expand her quest in helping others.

Starting from high school, she has demonstrated her positive involvement in community service. She proudly talks about how she was recognized for that.

White was published in an annual book for an organization called Who’s Who Among American High School Students. The publication is one out of three that displays the names of students who have shown positive achievement throughout high school.

She said nominees are recognized for their superb grades, their involvement in extra-curricular activities and the difference they have within community service organizations.

“I thought that this experience was amazing….my hard work as a student was being shown and recognized. This was another thing to let me know that I was able to do anything that I want,” she said.

She continues to show her commitment in assisting organizations in her neighborhood by doing volunteer work at a few hospitals, community centers, a convalescent home and other service programs.

“I learned so many new things and it also gave me a different view of the medical working force. Every job…has a meaning and a special task,” White said.

White is the first one in her family to attend a four-year accredited university and she reached that milestone by following the moral values her family instilled in her.

“…I was taught that things are not handed to people on a silver platter but that they have to work if they want something. I have always worked hard to get the things that I want to achieve in life,” White said.

She said the decision to attend college was easy.

“I knew that I wanted to be more than what people expected me to be, so I made sure I went to college.”

Raised in a Christian home, her family stressed the point that they wanted her to be more successful than they ever were.

“…They always told me that education would lead to a better life,” White said.

After graduating from CSUN, White said she sees herself in New York at a medical school where she can study to become a pediatrician who finds other alternatives to helping sick kids.

She said pediatricians who often just prescribe medicine without trying to find out what causes illnesses in children, is something she has witnessed and experienced.

“Doctors need to run more tests instead of giving more medicine,” White said.

She added that sometimes she feels like the medicine that is prescribed only contributes to the problem and this is why she said making a change is vital to her.