Good ideas earn free parking
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Transportation Services rewards helpful suggestions on improving ways to get around and park in the area.
By MARY HOLING
Staff Wilier
Transportation Services has given out almost $7,000 in rewards to students and faculty for creative and innovative suggestions to improve trans portation systems on campus, said Brian d'Autremont. director of Transportation Services.
Nearly 3,400 ideas were submitted for the contest, which Transportation Services started as a way to reach out to customers.
"We feel we don't have the author ity to do whatever we want in terms of transportation so we want maximum customer input because we are here to serve them," d’Autremont said.
To accomplish this goal. d'Autremont and his colleagues created a contest to entice customers to send in suggestions.
"We asked customers to submit ideas online for improvement and then we went through and picked the best ones and rewarded the people who came up with them with a week's free parking." d’Autremont said.
The man behind the contest was Joshua Shibata. a senior majoring in communication with a minor in advertising. Shibata is the director of publu relations for Transportation Services.
"Transportation Services has always wanted a person to do public relations, but because we have be*n so understaffed and there are so many things to do, a broad-based customer outreach program was not possible in the past, Shibata said. "Brian hired nte to make it happen”
Shibata was in charge of executing the contest, making sure it ran smoothly and analyzing the results.
I set- Contact, page 3 I
Sweet
Spots
Transportation Services has given away nearly $7,000 in rewards to customers who submit ideas online to better campus transportation issues.
The department recently added a student PR director to its ranks.
Mill MM
Student Newspaper of the University of Southern California Since 1912
Friday, February IX 200-1
INSIDE
Don't hr thr one asking. 'Where is thr love7 On I Intent me Dm (in great gift ideas. 5
Trojan Horse postpones its latest issue
The political newspaper is suffering financial difficulties, delaying its Feb. 10 edition until Feb. 17.
By AARON BURGIN
Contributing Writer
The Trojan Horse, USC's alternative newspaper known for political and social commentary, has pushed back its Feb 10 issue until Feb. 17 because of financial difficulties, staff members said.
"Right now, we re broke.” said Sarah Rea, editor in chief at the l rojan Horse.
The student-run operation receives no financial assistance from the univer-
sity and makes most of its money by advertising and thiough donations
Recently, staff members said that the advertising went dry, forcing them to delay the issue and make major changes in their marketing schemes.
Rea, who has been editor in chief since August 2003. said the delay was one of the most difficult things she has had to do
It reallv kills me." Kea said I m depressed because I care so much alxm I
the paper"
"We work so liaril tu put the pajM’t together, and it hurls to sir that effort put on hold " she said
StafT members jxiinted to several issues that led to their financial problem but said the lack of expertise in the mai keting and business aspects of the | taper played a major role
"None of us are business majois. said Ken Heatty, businevs manager for the |>a|x r during the full semester
Dunng his tenure as business man agei Ki-.itn said that ttieie were several ih t asuniv s-v111-1i tile jiapei jlmost tut s. r Ho>*e Krti’t' 7
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I ro|an Horse
‘Freshman 15’ may only be myth
Diet ii inn \avs dreaded and legendai i it eight gain is mure likel\ // stinlenls ihmk il s mi i itahli
By KRISTIN MAYER
Steven T*i I Daily Troian
Eat up. William Shum, a freshman majoring in pre-business, and Johnson LuK. a junior majonng in business, dine at Parkside International Cefetena. which offers buffet style dining
Absortwd in .i bal.imuH! .«< t ..1 .k ademu fmanc lal and s<m ui I oblu'.i tions freshmen are tempted tu .ulm*1 tu their nev\ sunoundini’s h\ »m<!
.i healthy lifestyle for tin- ii.mtnM midnight snac ks .it I rojan i.mmnls and desserts .it I’arkside
hut as some students .idopt indulgent eating habits weight c.im might not necessarily expand tin waistline in the dreaded and some say mythical, form of the "freshmar 1 x
The freshman lr>. the idea tli.it incoming college freshmen tend tu gain 15 pounds during their first year of freedom, is invalid said Patim Barber, registered dietician wit I Hospitality Services
I believe* this is sort of like .in urban myth — a collegiate rmtf; Karf>er said
I lie danger with weight gain .ins i se*- Freshmen page 3
INDEX
USC mens basketball loses to No. 16 Arizona in Tucson. 97-70. 12 “Topdog/Underdoga moving production with a cast of only two men. 5
News Digest.__S Upcoming______2
Opinion*.-------4 Lifestyle-------•
fl.utlbdi____M Sporu____12
WEATHER
Today. Mostly sunny skies with a high of 68 degrees.
: Sunny Valentine's.
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
Experts say hydrogen fuel cell future is problematic
and economies based on hydrogen, rather than oil, are where the world is headed.
Surya G. K. Prakash. a professor of chemistry and co-director at USC's Laker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, is one scientist who disagrees.
Prakash. who researches fuel cells, said that a key thing to remember is that while hydrogen outwardly looks like a very attractive option for dean energy, it it very difficult and expensive to produce. With my little pure hydrogen occurring naturally in the environ ment. energy officials would haw to think about a source for all the hydrogen that the country would use to power vehicles, Prakash said
'You can't just make a hole in the ground where hydrogen will start pouring out.* he said "Hydropm has to be made."
He also questioned the hype over
page T I
Hydrogen production has proven costly
The Energy Department will include $318 million in spending in its 2005 budget for fuel cell and hydrogen production.
Bush s 2020 goal is called 'unrealistic ’
By JACQUELINE DEELSTRA
SUff Writa
Fvai af ttw tutura? Professor Surya G.K. Prakash holds a fuel ceil In his lab in the Lofcer Hydrocarbon Institute
President Bush’s claim that the mass production of vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells by 2020 will be cost-effective and practical is unrealistic. according to a recent report by the National Academy of Sciences.
In his State of the Union address in 2003, President Bush announced a SI.2 billion hydrogen fuel initiative aimed at allowing the United States to move toward powering cao. trucks, homes and businesses without depending on foreign oil or producing harmful greenhouse gases.
On Monday, the Energy Department announced that it would include >318 million in its 2005 budget for fuel cell and hydrogen production.
Spencer Abraham, the secretary of energy; said that it is the department’s belief that hydrogen is the next frontier