Thursday, February 11, 2010
Vol. 95, Issue 73
THE
DAILY
w w w. T h e D a i l y A z t e c . c o m
AZTEC
Tw i t t e r : T h e D a i l y A z t e c
San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1913
I N S I D E T O D AY
UNDER THE SCOPE
HEALTH & FITNESS
RISKS OF USING YAZ Find out the potential health risks associated with taking the popular birth control pill. page 4
SPORTS
REVENGE The San Diego State men’s basketball team beat down Wyoming last night. page 15
TODAY @ SDSU Film screening 4:30 p.m., Nasatir Hall 100 SDSU will host a screening of the film “The Anatomy of Hate: A Dialogue of Hope.” Director Michael Ramsdell will speak at the event. For more of today’s headlines, visit:
www.thedailyaztec.com
Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
AN INTIMATE VIEW OF “SHUTTER ISLAND” Take a behind-the-scenes look at Paramount Pictures’ newest movie directed, by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sir Ben Kingsley and Mark Ruffalo. Read a review of the film on page 20 and take an inside look at the making of the movie with an interview including Scorsese, DiCaprio and Kingsley on page 21.
CONTACT GENERAL INFORMATION 619.594.4199
EDITOR
IN CHIEF, FARYAR BORHANI 619.594.4190 EDITOR@THEDAILYAZTEC .COM
CITY EDITOR, WHITNEY LAWRENCE 619.594.7781 CITYEDITOR@THEDAILYAZTEC .COM
FEATURES EDITOR, NICOLE CALLAS 619.594.6976 FEATURE@THEDAILYAZTEC .COM
CSU expects no future cuts Schwarzenegger’s proposal is the first step of the process
SPORTS EDITOR, EDWARD LEWIS 619.594.7817 SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC .COM
OPINION, ALLAN ACEVEDO 619.594.0509 OPINION@THEDAILYAZTEC .COM
TEMPO EDITOR, ALLIE DAUGHERTY 619.594.6968 TEMPO@THEDAILYAZTEC .COM
ART DIRECTOR, ELENA BERRIDY 619.594.6979 ARTDIRECTOR@THEDAILYAZTEC .COM
PHOTO EDITOR, GLENN CONNELLY 619.594.7279 PHOTO@THEDAILYAZTEC .COM
WEB EDITOR, MYLENE ERPELO 619.594.3315 WEB@THEDAILYAZTEC .COM
ADVERTISING 619.594.6977
INDEX HEALTH & FITNESS.......................................................4 VALENTINE’S DAY PREVIEW.......................................9 SPORTS..........................................................................15 TEMPO...........................................................................17 CLASSIFIEDS..................................................................23 THE BACK PAGE.........................................................24
S A R A H K O VA S H S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
Next year’s budget for San Diego State is slightly more tangible with the release of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2010-11 budget. However, the budget is still speculative because it currently depends on approximately $7 billion in federal stimulus money. “It’s important to remember this is just the start of the budget process,” Ethan Singer, associate vice president for Academic Affairs, said. “It’s an important start.” Most likely, that federal stimulus money will not come through for the budget. The monetary void, it’s assumed, will be filled with state revenue funds. Although the replacement of funds will help prevent a decrease from the funds granted in last year’s budget, it will
not necessarily create an increase for next year.
“It’s important to remember this is just the start of the budget process. It’s an important start.”
—Ethan Singer, Academic Affairs “Basically, what we have from the governor is a break-even budget from last year, which was horrific, to 2010-11,” Singer said. “It basically replaces the federal stimulus money in the state budget with general fund revenue. That’s good, but it’s not a net increase.” In a written statement, SDSU
President Stephen L. Weber warned not to be “overly optimistic” about the budget proposal. “Budget season will be long and filled with contentiousness, contingencies and challenges,” he said. “Last year, the CSU funding was reduced by hundreds of millions during the ‘May revise,’ so our hopefulness needs to be tempered by a clear view of reality.” Another hurdle to be cleared before obtaining CSU funds for next year depends on how the state legislature votes. In order for the CSU to keep the money it was allocated, funding would have to be cut from other programs, such as welfare-to-work and child services. In addition to the newly proposed state budget, CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed has released $50.9 million in one-time federal funds for the CSU system’s fall 2010 budget. The money is in addition to $25.6 million that is currently in use. The funds were released to help the CSU meet its payroll, according to CSU media relations specialist Erik Fallis.
“The CSU has a strong starting point in what we know will be a long and uncertain budget process, and we want to provide students with as many courses as possible,” Reed said in a press release last week. “Hopefully, this will help to alleviate some of the shortages in classes, and students will be able to make faster progress toward their degree.” Next year, the university will also see a decrease in furlough savings. Although the consensus concerning the use of furloughs is tentative, the current decision is that furloughs will be decreased, if not completely abolished, according to Singer. Many steps remain in the budget process for next year, but administrators have a better grasp of what the budget will look like, and the cut is not as enormous as was originally expected. “Do I think it’s more optimistic?” Singer said. “I think the overall level of angst is down a little bit; many of us were fearing the worst if this federal stimulus money went away and the state didn’t replace it.”
2
CITY
The Daily Aztec
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Student Research Symposium soon Competition showcases undergraduate and graduate projects S U M M E R R A I N B O LT S TA F F W R I T E R
The annual Student Research Symposium is approaching with hundreds of eager applicants and 38 awards to be received. The SRS will take place on March 5-6 in Aztec Center. It will include numerous oral presentations and poster displays representing each student’s research on the topic of their choice. Students from each of the eight colleges at San Diego State are permitted to participate and everyone is invited to watch. “I hope to see creative ideas and ones that demonstrate creative thinking,” Chair of the Student Research Committee, Dr. Fred Kolkhorst said. “I think that is the hallmark of the SRS and as a faculty member that gets us excited.” Registration for the SRS closed on Feb. 1 and required that students submit a title and abstract giving a summary of their research. “My research presentation last year was about a project that Dr. Stephanie Brodine and I worked on where we went into the community and treated Sudanese refugees with parasitic infections,” public health senior, Sarah Fredrickson said. “We are real researchers and we are really making a difference.” This year, 453 students are registered to participate. Of the hundreds of students registered, 10 will receive President’s Awards worth 500 dollars and two students from each of the eight colleges will receive a Dean’s Award worth 250 dollars for their oral presentations. 12 students will be rewarded 150 dollars by the provost for their exceptional poster displays. Judges of the competition include faculty members, staff members, postdoctorals and community members. “I have been judging SRS every year,” Associate Psychology Professor, Dr. Paul Gilbert said. “We are all given the same rubric and evaluate each student based on the same criteria. We look at the quality,
background information and methods used as we go through the presentations.” The students who are awarded the President’s Awards will continue to compete and represent SDSU at the statewide CSU competition at San Jose State University in May. “Last year, of the 10 students [that proceeded to the statewide competition], we had 5 winners, which is the most of all of the CSU schools,” Vice President of Research and Dean of Graduate Affairs, Dr. Thomas Scott said. “SDSU has been right at the top, if not the top, winner of all of those awards.” Although the SRS is open to all disciplines on campus, as of last year 46 percent of the participants were from the College of Sciences. “Psychology is largely represented in SRS,” Dr. Gilbert said. “There are eight or nine students from my lab doing a study on Parkinson’s disease. They are working to see how Parkinson’s disease and memory loss affect daily living. There have been interesting results.” The students from Dr. Gilbert’s lab plan to present their research on the disease and its effects at the SRS. Students with oral presentations will be given 10 minutes to present and then will be open for questioning from the audience. Students who submit poster presentations will be required to stand next to their posters for 90 minutes, ready to answer questions about their research. “Being involved in a research effort adds texture to your undergraduate education,” Dr. Scott said. “It is a very good professional introduction.” The budget for the SRS was roughly 40 thousand last year and has been funded in the past by the President’s Leadership Fund, Aztec Parents Fund, Graduate and Research Affairs, Office of the Provost, SDSU Research Foundation, Academic Deans, the Honors Council, University Relations and Development, Student Research Committee, Division of Undergraduate Studies, Ligand Pharmaceuticals and Gen-Probe, Inc. “On Friday morning, I will walk around looking at the research and feel and incredible sense of pride in SDSU,” Dr. Kolkhorst said.
WEB-SAVVY? The Daily Aztec is looking for a volunteer Web Editor that will transition into a paid position for the 2010-2011 school year. Students with Web experience are encouraged to apply. Apply now at The Daily Aztec office, located in the basement of the Education & Business Administration building. For more information, call 619-594-3315.
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The Daily Aztec
HEALTH & FITNESS
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Top-selling contraceptive stirs controversy AN D R E A M O RA S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
Women have relied on contraceptives to prevent unplanned pregnancy for more than half a century. In 2006, one pill claimed to be “beyond birth control,” promising to treat acne and premenstrual syndrome, thus enticing more women to choose this brand instead of other pills on the market. But recently filed lawsuits and a $20 million corrective ad campaign for misleading commercials have raised questions about the safety of this pill. Yaz, a daily oral contraceptive, was introduced in the U.S. nearly four years ago from Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, also the maker of Yasmin and Mirena brands of birth control. Since then, Yaz has become the top-selling contraceptive among women, earning nearly $616 million in 2008, according to the British Medical Journal. However, the Food and Drug Administration, recognized a problem with the Yaz ads in 2008, saying that the pill was not clinically approved to treat acne or PMS. The FDA also found the ads deceptive for not including the list of serious side effects that may occur when taking the pill. The FDA demanded that the ads be changed to reflect these concerns. Yaz agreed to correct its ad campaign last year to properly state that the pill can be used for the treatment of moderate adult acne and
premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Women who experience PMDD may feel anxious, anger, irritable, depressed, lack energy, experience a change in appetite or sleep and feeling out of control. PMDD is a disorder related to the menstrual cycle that can interfere with women’s lives. Some women who were already taking Yaz have filed lawsuits against the pharmaceutical company, claiming they were not advised of the serious side effects, blaming deceptive ads. Scores of attorney Web sites can be found online that specialize in Yaz lawsuits, many claiming that Yaz is more “dangerous” than other birth control pills. Plaintiffs against Bayer claimed to have suffered serious side effects such as heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, liver tumors, deep vein thrombosis — a blood clot in the leg — and pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lung, according to a The New York Times article. Some experts are now worried that combination pills such as Yaz, containing the progesterone drospirenone and a smaller dose of estrogen, may increase the risk of serious side effects. However, according to a recent European study published in the BMJ , studies have shown drospirenone does not increase the risk of venous thromboembolism. Personal or family medical history may be a more important factor in determining the risk of developing blood clots. According to the Yaz Web site, Yaz contains a hormone that for
some may increase potassium too much, so people who have kidney, liver or adrenal disease should not take Yaz, as this could cause serious heart and health problems. Serious risks include blood clots, stroke and heart attack. Yaz’s Web site also lists more common side effects that may be related to the pill brand and have a 1 percent chance of occurring. Some of these side effects include upper respiratory infection, headache, breast pain, nausea, abdominal pain, sinusitis, weight gain or depression. “While every medication has risks, pills containing drospirenone, such as Yaz and Yasmin, are safe and effective and have been used safely by women in the U.S. since 2001,” Vanessa Forsberg, Grassroots Coordinator for Planned Parenthood of San Diego & Riverside Counties, said. “Two recent medical studies evaluated the safety of drospirenone and found there was no increased risk of side effects associated with Yaz or Yasmin,” she said. Using a form of birth control such as the pill or condoms is the safest and most efficient way to prevent pregnancy. “Pills, patches and rings are all safe and effective means of birth control for healthy women,” Forsberg said. “Women should always consult their health care provider to see which contraceptive method is best for them based on their individual needs, health and lifestyle.”
Kari Cadel / Senior Staff Photographer
The FDA has found that commercials for the popular birth control pill Yaz did not explicitly state side affects, prompting many users to file lawsuits against the company.
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HEALTH & FITNESS
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Daily Aztec
7
Fitness gadgets pump up workout routines F R A N C I S R . DE L A C R U Z S TA F F W R I T E R
Many students strive to be physically fit. With the help of high-tech fitness gadgets, staying active and in shape can be more exciting. “Technology tools such as pedometers, heart rate monitors and software applications can help motivate people to establish, monitor, regulate and achieve fitness goals,” Dr. Nicole Smith, a professor in the School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, said. The following fitness gadgets can supplement most routines.
Multi-functional MP3 players i Pod Nano This product has been loved by gym-goers mostly because of it’s size and intuitive interface. But the iPod nano is more than just a music player — it also functions as a pedometer. When slipped into the pocket, this gadget will keep track of every step. Add $29 to the original price and the iPod nano can be paired with Nike + Sport Kit, which measures distance traveled, time elapsed and calories burned. Price: 8GB, $149, 16GB, $179, www.apple.com/ipodnano P h i l i p s A c t i va This unique music player is called a “motivational” MP3 player because of its TempoMusic feature. According to www.engadget.com, this feature analyzes users’ music library to match their workout intensity using its built-in accelerometer. It can also be programmed to give words of encouragement during workouts. Price: Projected at $129.99, worldwide release is set for April. www.activa.philips.com Samsung MyFit Samsung calls this device a “wellness-promoter MP3 player” because of its tools to measure stress and fat levels, and its ability to customize workouts. According to www.gizmodo.com, MyFit also has a water management option, which tells users when and how often they should drink water. Price: Not yet released
Pedometers N i ke + S p o r t B a n d This no-frills wristband helps individuals keep track of time, pace and distance. Just place the Nike+ sensor inside the sneakers; once the workout is done, plug it back in the USB slot and all the information automatically uploads.
Price: $59, www.nikerunning.com Fitbit Whether clipped on a shirt, kept in a pocket or used on an armband, this tiny gadget will keep track of every movement the user makes, just like the 3-D motion sensors found in the Nintendo Wii. According to www.fitbit.com, the device tracks the number of calories burned, distance traveled, steps taken and, interestingly enough, sleep quality. Price: $99, www.fitbit.com miCoach Pacer Made by Adidas, the miCoach Pacer works as a pedometer, heartrate monitor and calorie counter. This gadget offers real-time coaching for runners. It tells runners when to speed up or slow down in order to reach their specific goal. For individuals who need to run with music, miCoach Pacer can be synced with any MP3 players. Price: $139.99, www.adidas.com/us/micoach
Bryan Koci / Staff Photographer
Apps iFitness This iPhone or iPod Touch application features more than 230 exercises with various pre-programmed workouts and nearly 100 video demonstrations. Users can pick exercises by muscle group, individual muscle or full body routine. “It teaches, encourages and tracks your progress from start to finish,” according to the developer, www.medicalprod.com. Price: $1.99, www.medicalprod.com/ifitness.html Tot al Fitness This BlackBerry application helps individuals manage their daily nutrition, fitness activities and health by viewing them graphically. It also allows users to view their progress on a weekly or monthly basis, and view exercise animations for varying workouts. Price: $29.99, www.mobiteq.com Despite all of these gadgets’ useful abilities, Smith believes they don’t replace instructors, physicians or professional services. According to Smith, all these guides are needed to teach people how to effectively use technology to monitor and regulate their behavior. “Participation in health behaviors is complex and influenced by knowledge, skill and attitude,” Smith said.
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Thursday, February 11, 2010
DATING & ROMANCE
The Daily Aztec
9
Single, proud and breaking the cliché MALLORY SHARP STAFF WRITER
Many people this time of year often grumble to the tune of “I don’t want to be single on Valentine’s Day again.” Yet, being single on this day can prove to be a lot better for the ones flying solo than those swooning with anticipation for this overrated holiday of lust. For starters, those who are single on this day tend to save a lot of money by avoiding the cliché niceties of flowers, cards, chocolate and overstuffed ridiculous animals that will be seen at the Salvation Army a few months down the road. Embrace these savings and splurge on something luxurious. Stressed students could always use a massage; some parlors even have discounts for first time costumers, which saves even more money. Being single on Valentine’s Day also means avoiding many of the problems most couples have, such as having high expectations only to be disappointed when the night isn’t flawless. Valentine’s Day often carries high hopes of perfection — the perfect dinner, the perfect date, the perfect music — and people are often let down when something goes wrong, shattering the whole romantic evening. Those who are unattached can use this
Mariam Bier / Staff Photographer
chance to celebrate their independence. If the idea of a date is ditched, it is easier to turn this night into a fun one, instead of moping and spending the night with a girl’s two best friends — Ben and Jerry. This is a chance to embrace freedom, so go ahead and dress up for a night out. Whether dressed wild and crazy or sexy and sophisticated, head out for a night on the town with some close pals.
If these ideas still aren’t helping, call in reinforcements and have fun looking up Valentine’s Day survival guides for singles. Many of these sites have ideas ranging from pedicure parties while watching a good comedy to getting out and enjoying the single scene. Bigger cities are starting to embrace Valentine’s Day with everything from club themes to anti-date drink nights.
Guy’s guide to brewing up good times
Bryan Koci / Staff Photographer
t’s more than just a title on your Facebook profile. Being single to some is a way to experience freedom before settling down with another individual for years on end. Now, for some people, Valentine’s Day is deemed exclusively for lovers. Girls have this day marked with an “X” made entirely out of hand-drawn hearts and smileys. But what do you do as a single guy on Feb. 14? This Sunday, your wolf pack might lose a few wolves because they are tied down, but rest assured, there is hope.
I
Toronado Seeing as how beer consumes your single life, why not give yourself the best anti-Valentine’s Day present of all and take a trip to the holy shrine of all things beer: Toronado. This North Park bar is known for its enormous and impec-
FARYAR BORHANI EDITOR IN CHIEF
cable selection of beers and microbrews from all across the world — which make up a menu of more than 10 pages. Toronado is located at 4026 30th Street.
A simple key for the big day: - For a true single guy: Pliny the Elder by Russian River Brewing Company - Careful, this might be your last single VDay: Rodenbach
Rent a car James Bond always drove the nicest cars, and I am pretty sure he wasn’t strapped down on Valentine’s Day. So, why not save up some money with your buddies and rent an exotic car for the day?
All your friends with girlfriends might be going on little weekend getaways, but you’re in America’s Finest City sitting in the seat of a brand new Lamborghini Gallardo. Word. Try San Diego Prestige located at 7736 Fay Avenue., La Jolla.
Think of the ultimate bar, surrounded by flat screens, awesome food and bowling lanes right in the middle of it all — sounds good, right? East Village Tavern and Bowl is located at 930 Market St.
A simple key for the big day:
A simple key for the big day:
- For a true single guy: Ferrari 599 GTB Fioano (620 bhp, V12) - Careful, this might be your last single VDay: Smart Car (70 bhp)
- For a true single guy: 16-pound ball - Careful, this might be your last single VDay: 6-pound ball … and bumpers
Bowl-a-thon Polo might be the sport of gentlemen, but bowling is the sport of dudes. Your wolf pack might have been hurt by the “Big V,” but there are undoubtedly enough of you to throw the rock down the lane. Try East Village Tavern and Bowl in downtown for a good day of fun.
Well, there you have it. And if all else fails, when your friend is on his Valentine’s date, just switch his doppelganger picture to Snooki. —Faryar Borhani is a journalism senior. —This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.
10
DATING & ROMANCE
The Daily Aztec
Girl’s guide: ‘me day’ of self indulgence
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Get out and enjoy the singles scenery San Diego’s alternative scene gives singles reason not to avoid the holiday
AMINATA DIA STAFF WRITER
Put aside the feelings of dread and enjoy Valentine’s Day this year. San Diego recognizes the Hallmark-manufactured holiday isn’t only for couples anymore. With events taking place all around the city targeted toward singles, there’s no excuse not to join the festivities.
Tango It might take two to tango, but Dance Motion Studios in Rancho Bernardo is offering special lessons specifically for singles on Feb. 13. Participants don’t need to come with a partner as they’ll be paired at the beginning of the class. Pick up some sexy moves and have fun dancing the night away. Call ahead for reservations at 858-451-3775 or check out www.dancemotionstudios.com.
Brokenhearts Ball For the newly single and party-going crowds, On Broadway is the spot for an antiValentine’s celebration. The lively downtown club
is featuring the Broken Hearts Ball on Feb. 13 with a lingerie fashion show by Hustler of Hollywood, five rooms of nonstop music and disc jockey Jason “Idol” Videna. For more information check out www.obec.tv.
Belly Up’s Valentine’s Day Ball Celebrate Valentine’s Day by attending a definitive high school event. The “2nd Annual Valentine’s Day Ball” spins a twist on the ar tificial holiday of love by hosting a promthemed party. Grab some friends and dress up in the styles that were popular during high school: an all-white tuxedo with sneakers or a beaded gown with the sides cut out. The ball will also have a photo booth available to take classic prom pictures. Visit www.bellyup.com to find out more.
One Mic … San Diego comedy show Prospect Bar & Lounge is offering some laughs this Feb. 14. Singles are more than welcome at this Valentine’s comedy performance. The stand-up show will include routines from comedians Gina Yashere and Dante, both of whom appeared on season five of “Last Comic Standing.” To purchase tickets call 888316-0722.
Kallie Larsen / Staff Photographer
Being single on Valentine’s Day allows girls to have fun with their girlfriends and enjoy luxury spa events.
A girl’s excuse to lavish themselves and delve into sweet bliss of singleness
Spirit and Wine Parlor, located downtown, hosts game night every Sunday. People can reminisce playing childhood favorites such as Scrabble, Connect Four, Clue or Sorry! For more information call 619-234-4166.
ANDREA MORA SENIOR STAFF WRITER
For many, Valentine’s Day has become a holiday they anxiously await, painfully dread or are indifferent toward. But Feb. 14 is not a day exclusively for couples. In Mexico, this date is known as “El Día del Amor y la Amistad,” celebrating both love and friendship. So leave the “I hate Valentine’s Day” attitude at home and make a date with a friend or a group of friends. Many San Diego businesses, ranging from spas and restaurants to candy stores and clothing shops offer Valentine’s Day discounts, making it a perfect day to go out and splurge.
Have a spa day For those who have ever dreamed of bathing in chocolate, D’ames Day Spa in Imperial Beach offers 70-minute chocolate spa pedicure. This unique treatment includes a chocolate mineral foot bath, followed with a chocolate scrub, chocolate mousse mask and a massage in chocolate butter crème. Other relaxing treatments include a chocolate mousse body wrap and a chocolate body scrub. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, all guests will be given complimentary wine, champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and other sweet treats. Call 619-575-7047 to make a reservation. Book a treatment for today and receive a 10 percent discount.
Make it a game night Host a game night at home and have friends bring snacks, drinks, board games or movies. For a more social atmosphere, Vin de Syrah
Rent a limo Dress up and make Feb. 14 a day to remember by cruising the streets in a stretch limo. Royalty Limousine in San Diego is offering the fourth rental hour free with the purchase of a three-hour reservation. This Valentine’s Day special also includes a free bottle of champagne or sparkling cider and a surprise gift. For limo reservations call 858-922-7225.
So leave the “I hate Valentine’s Day” attitude at home and make a date with a friend or a group of friends. Visit a psychic Some may call astrology or fortune-telling a guilty pleasure. But for anyone who has ever been curious of what the future holds, try visiting a psychic or tarot card reader. Some places will offer special discounts for love spells and candles. Whether one takes their experience seriously or not, it is guaranteed to provide laughter among friends. With all of the luxuries available in San Diego, single ladies can take a breather and soak in girl time while celebrating their love for themselves and their closest girlfriends.
Courtesy of Aminata Dia
Singles have a chance to spice up their night by getting cozy with others for single’s tango lessons.
SPORTS
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Daily Aztec
15
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Aztecs get revenge against Cowboys at home E D WA R D L E W I S SPORTS EDITOR
Junior forward Billy White said last night would be a “vengeance game” — a payback of sorts for an 85-83 loss to Wyoming last January. After the San Diego State men’s basketball team dismantled the Cowboys, 88-57, in front of 6,606 fans at Viejas Arena, freshman guard Chase Tapley said revenge was sufficiently had. “It does feel good,” Tapley said. “We got the SDSU 88 lead, capitalized on the WYOMING 57 lead, didn’t do what we did last time — let up and relax — and we just kept on pushing and pushing and we put them away.” Riding freshman forward Kawhi Leonard’s career-high 26 points, SDSU tied its largest single-game Mountain West Conference margin of victory (31 points). Leonard finished the night 10-of-14 and grabbed eight rebounds in just 27 minutes. The last time the Aztecs played the
Cowboys on Jan. 5, SDSU gave away a 14-point lead with less than five minutes remaining and fell in heartbreaking fashion to Wyoming in Laramie, Wyo. Leading up to last night’s game, White said his SDSU teammates “owed” the Cowboys one when they came to San Diego. “We lost a game at Wyoming that we felt we should have won,” head coach Steve Fisher said. “I think you play harder when you’ve been beaten by someone the next time up, it’s just natural and it doesn’t matter who you play. But I thought we played smart from start to finish and were able to take care of the ball and never allow them to get back in the game when we got a significant lead.” The Aztecs will have a few days off to enjoy the win before they take on UNLV at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Viejas Arena. The Rebels fell to New Mexico last night, 76-66, in Las Vegas, but will still be ranked No. 23 in the country when they come to San Diego this weekend. “There’s probably going to be a big crowd and it’s another revenge game like (the Wyoming) game,” Tapley said. “You want to protect home territory.”
SOFTBALL
Glenn Connelly / Photo Editor
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Season opener in AZ Loss in Laramie, again D AV I D P O P E A S S I S TA N T S P O R T S E D I T O R
Glenn Connelly / Photo Editor
D AN P E R E Z S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
The success of the San Diego State softball team rested on two arms last season. For 53 games, two pitchers — junior Samantha Beasley and sophomore Bailey Micetich — were the workhorses for SDSU, winning 33 games with a combined earned run average of 1.91. “To begin last season there may have been questions surrounding our pitching,” head coach Kathy Van Wyk said. “But the girls performed way above what anyone expected and really were the backbone of our success. They kept us going and their confidence spread out from the mound and engrossed our whole team.” This season is shaping up much differently for the Aztecs because Beasley and Micetich will have backup on the mound. SDSU’s rotation will be adding two more pitchers, redshirt sophomore Brooke Petty and freshman Kamerin May, to improve the already outstanding bullpen. “It’s a big relief to have a bigger bullpen,” Micetich said. “There were just some games where Sam (Beasley) and I just didn’t want to go. But now we have a more improved rotation and I am really excited to see how we can work together and see how much better we can be.” With the pitching getting back in
shape, the other aspect of the Aztecs’ game that needed work was their offense, which will be getting a big boost from healthy starters and new freshmen. “This season we are really looking for a big jump in our offense and we feel like we’ll get it,” junior shortstop Jen Wisneski said. “We went far with our pitching and our defense, and if our bats get up to the same level we will have an awesome season.” The pitching reinforcement mixed with the potential offensive boost is spelling out a successful start to the new season, and everyone on the team is ready to start playing meaningful games. “This year is different,” redshirt senior captain Monica Alnes said. “It has already started out different because we got an extra week of practicing and team bonding. We’re all anxious and want to get everything underway already. This season has so much potential and we have really come together as a team and friends.” SDSU’s season will kick off at 4 p.m. today against Creighton University at the Kajikawa Classic hosted by Arizona State. “For the past month we’ve seen the same 20 or so faces and we are ready to get out there and beat up on somebody else,” Van Wyk said. “We’ve had a great month of practice and I am confident in what the girls can do. This season is going to be great.”
AT A GLANCE WHEN: 4 p.m. WHERE: Kajihawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.
Twelve years is a long time to go without winning a single game in one opponent’s home building. Thirteen years is even longer. The San Diego State women’s basketball team knows that all too well after last night’s game in Laramie, Wyo. fell to Wyoming, COWGIRLS 63 SDSU 63-51, in the Aztecs’ AZTECS 51 10th consecutive loss at the Arena-Auditorium. The last time SDSU (148, 6-4 in Mountain West Conference play) won in Laramie was in 1997. Though the elevation certainly plays a factor, last night’s loss falls on the Aztecs’ rebounding deficiencies and stellar play from the Cowgirls’ guard Aubrey Vandiver and forward Hillary Carlson, who led Wyoming with 18 and 21 points, respectively. “I thought we did a lot of really good things,” head coach Beth Burns said to Chris Ello of www.goaztecs.com. “But when they’re banking them in and all, sometimes you’ve got to live with stuff like that … They seemed to get every break as we went.” Vandiver and Carlson combined to account for 25 of the Cowgirls’ 50 rebounds, while holding the SDSU starting bigs, center Paris Johnson and forward Jessika Bradley, to two and seven boards, respectively. Senior
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
guard Quenese Davis ended up leading the Aztecs in rebounds with 11 of SDSU’s 43. While SDSU had three players score in double-figures, one of them, junior forward Allison Duffy was the only bench player to make a serious impact, scoring 10 points and pulling in three rebounds. For the second consecutive game, the Aztecs faced a notable free-throw disparity. SDSU shot 7-of-11 from the charity stripe while Wyoming went to the line 24 times, hitting on 19 of its shots. “I can’t say enough about how hard we played,” Burns said. “But this is a tough place to play. I thought (Johnson) really stepped up and played with great aggression.” Johnson had nine points to go with her seven rebounds, but her biggest contribution came in the form of an impressive six blocks. Unfortunately for her team, all of her rejections seemed to bounce straight to a Cowgirl who put it right back into the hoop. Despite losing their second consecutive game, the Aztecs are still right in the thick of a tight race for the MWC regular season crown. SDSU is two games behind first place TCU and, in the loss column, just one game back of BYU. Although both teams have won a game against the Aztecs on their home courts this season, SDSU will host both of them in San Diego in the coming weeks. The Aztecs’ next game will come on the road in Las Vegas on Saturday when SDSU takes on UNLV, which is fresh off a road upset of New Mexico.
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FOR SDSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Advanced Test Preparation
15
Turnovers for both teams in last night’s game at Wyoming
50
Rebounds for the Cowgirls
6
Blocks for Paris Johnson against Wyoming
15
Rebounds for Quenese Davis last night, a team high
12
Team-high points in last night’s game for Jené Morris
4
Cowgirl starters to score in double-figures against the Aztecs
10 6
Points for Allison Duffy, the lone SDSU bench player to score last night Games remaining on the Aztecs’ regular season schedule
WHO TO WATCH: SDSU kicks off the 2010 season in Arizona. Advanced Test Preparation
Score Higher, Aztecs!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
TEMPO
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17
REEL 2 REAL
Large cast gives new spin to love holiday Even the toned and the tan are prone to heartache in this pleasing seasonal flick M AG G I E P E H A N I C K S TA F F W R I T E R
Despite curiously smog-free Los Angeles skylines, Director Garry Marshall’s star-spangled film does more than dazzle audiences and even evokes quite a few “oohs” and “ahhs” along the way. In an effort to discern the true meaning of one of Hallmark’s most profitable days of the year, Marshall shows the holiday through the eyes of several interconnected L.A. residents. “Valentine’s Day” packs the most star power since last year’s “He’s Just Not That Into You,” but substitutes brutal honesty for lovey-doveyness. The cast list reads like a who’s who of young — and old — Hollywood: Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, Julia Roberts, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Garner, George Lopez, Hector Elizondo, Shirley MacLaine, Jamie Foxx, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway, Bradley Cooper, Queen Latifah, Kathy Bates, Taylor Lautner, Taylor Swift, Emma Roberts and a handful of the cutest babies, toddlers and children in America. As their stories interweave and the day progresses, the audience sees what a small world it is after all. Some stories are stronger than others and the main narrative seems to come from Reed Bennett (Kutcher), owner of the busiest florist and café in downtown L.A. The movie opens with Reed proposing to his girlfriend (Alba), who at the time seems overjoyed. We then meet Reed’s best friend Julia Fitzpatrick (Garner), a teacher who is unknowingly in an extramarital affair with a doctor played by Dempsey. Complications ensue.
The best storyline — and coincidentally, also the simplest — takes place in the coach section of an airplane, where an Army captain (Julia Roberts) and a mysterious professional (Cooper) become fast friends on a 14-hour flight. Both are headed home to see their loved ones, and because their story doesn’t force traditional romantic roles, it is easily the most satisfying. The problem with such a large cast is that most characters have so few on-screen minutes that their appearances seem little more than cameos. While most of the Hollywoodalums make the best of their time (Latifah, Lopez, Elizondo, MacLaine) some members of the younger generation appear uninvested in their roles, most notably Alba and Biel, the latter of which has a thin frame that does not match her character’s neurotic tendency to eat multiple boxes of chocolates. Other stories include a love-struck thirdgrader awkwardly planning high school sex; America’s most pensive, shirtless NFL player; Hathaway as a secretary moonlighting as a phone sex operator; and an older couple struggling to maintain ties after one confesses a years-old affair. Marshall could have done without some of the fluffier stories — the Swift and Lautner lovefest in particular was a bit much, seeming more like a plea for tween interest than a sincere attempt at a story. All in all, “Valentine’s Day” is darling, full of genuine laughs and leaves the audience with the lingering notion that despite age, status and sexual orientation, both love and heartache are universal.
Movie: Valentines Day Directed by: Garry Marshall Distributor: Warner Bros. Release Date: Friday Grade: B+
Courtesy of Warner Bros.
POP ROCKS
NBC hit series shows there’s life after ‘SNL’ Tina Fey shows American audiences a different type of lead character SA RA H GR I E C O MANAGING EDITOR
Those not watching NBC’s hit television show “30 Rock” must lead a sad and unfulfilling life. Arguably one of the funniest shows on Thursday nights, “30 Rock” deserves nothing but high praise. This show hasn’t won 14 Emmy Awards without a good reason. Compared to other prime-time comedies, “30 Rock” is down-
MCT Campus
to-earth, yet maintains a crucial comical perspective. The show is written by Tina Fey and inspired by her experience as a writer for “Saturday Night Live.” Fey also plays the main character, Liz Lemon.
Many of the show’s jokes are directed at NBC, even though the show airs on that particular network. By poking fun at the network, Fey humanizes the powerful General Electric conglomerate. The average American audience can truly identify with Liz. She is the anti-celebrity and all-around nerd. In shows such as “Gossip Girl,” the main female characters are often model-esque, obnoxiously gorgeous and their biggest problem is they have not one, but two handsome, rich guys chasing after them. Not so for Liz. She constantly embarrasses herself and spends her Friday nights watching “Top Chef.” Liz is also the head of a writing group for a popular TV show that resembles “SNL.” The writers and actors on “The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan” are constantly causing trouble and Liz often deals with their problems unprofessionally. In one instance, she
maliciously fires an innocent accountant who is dating her crush. The humorous cast members, including Tracy Morgan and Alec Baldwin, persistently provide true laugh-out-loud moments. But the true gem of this show is the character Kenneth Parcell, played by Jack McBrayer. Kenneth is an NBC page whose job description involves keeping the fictional actors of the show content. In many episodes, he is forced to clean up after the actors of NBC, but does so with a cheerful attitude and eager devotion. Kenneth’s love for television keeps his spirits high while doing the dirty work and his Georgian southern drawl makes his one-liners priceless. The names of a couple of “30 Rock” characters are hilarious, including Dot Com and Grizz, who are members of Jordan’s entourage. The funniest nickname is given to the character who is both black and a Harvard graduate, making him a “two-forone” toward the show’s demographic diversity, thus the nickname “Toofer.” Many of the show’s jokes are directed at NBC, even though the show airs on that particular network. By poking fun at the network, Fey humanizes the powerful General Electric conglomerate. The witty writing and charming cast provide an audience of nearly seven million with ceaseless entertainment. Fey reaches out to a large demographic and connects with her audience by awkwardly taking life as it comes. Classic Liz quotes include, “What the what?” and “I want to go to there.” Incorporating these quotes into daily conversation will instantly increase one’s coolness factor. Start reserving Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. for a half-hour of happiness.
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Thursday, February 11, 2010
LIVE AND DANGEROUS
The Thermals bring the heat at Belly Up Tavern
Who says punk music is dead? Last Sunday at the Belly Up Tavern, the band The Thermals proved that punk is still alive. With a touch of indie and vocals reminiscent of Blink-182’s Tom DeLonge, The Thermals brought back nostalgic memories of middle school, scream-along lyrics and nonstop jumping to the beat. With the lights dimmed blue and only a handful of patrons evenly dispersed on the venue floor, the evening began with opening acts Boomsnake and Thao with The Get Down Stay Down.
With a touch of indie vocals ... The Thermals brought back nostalgic memories of middle school, scream-along lyrics and nonstop jumping to the beat. San Diego-based Boomsnake has traces of folk in its songs and sounds of experimental rock. The band has a soothing and melodic lead singer (Gabriel Rodriguez), but his voice often contrasted the overpowering drums and beats, which repeatedly drowned out his soft voice. Despite the ability to cause sleepiness in some of its songs, the band’s cutesy lyrics in toe-tapping songs such as “Sticks Stones & Animal Bones” sound much more harmonious on its Web site.
Courtesy of Alicia J. Rose
The Thermals consists of Hutch Harris, Westin Glass and Kathy Foster. The band was formed in 2002.
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K A R I L UU
The following band, Thao with The Get Down Stay Down, had a husky-voiced and multi-talented lead singer, Thao Nguyen, who stole the show. When Nguyen first appeared onstage, her voice sounded as if she had just returned from a long battle with strep throat. However, her hoarse and deep vocals are her norm and make her stand out from contemporary female singers. While some of the band members stood awkwardly onstage and spent a great deal of time playing their instruments while staring at the floor, Nguyen was by far the most enticing to watch. Head banging to her own music, dancing onstage, constantly switching guitars and interacting with the audience, Nguyen made everyone know she was happy to be there. However, the majority of the time she talked to the crowd her low voice was inaudible as she mumbled into the microphone. The band employed much of the audience’s aid by having them to clap along and even begin singing one of its songs. Later in the evening, with a full crowd on the floor and tables full of patrons, The Thermals came onstage and showed what years of experience and a confident performance is all about. The band formed in 2002 and with its clean-cut look proceeded to blow the previous performers out of the water. And less members are certainly more as shown by the trio’s very polished performance. The Thermals played in sync and had a swagger that said “I know what I’m doing.” With fast-paced beats and edgy vocals, this trio from Portland, Ore. soon had the entire audience head-bobbing to the beat. The group is known for defining itself by tweaking and twisting the conventions of its genre. Band members Kathy Foster and Hutch Harris are known for penning songs that hit hard without sacrificing their lyrical ingenuity. Look for The Thermals’ fourth and possibly best album thus far, “Now We Can See,” available now on iTunes. For more information on The Thermals, visit www.thethermals.com.
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Thursday, February 11, 2010
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ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE
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UNDER THE SCOPE
Costume designer talks FilmBuff launches new movie penguins and princesses Web site and mobile channel Fans of cinema will revel in this motion picture electronic encyclopedia H UI LING T H A M CONTRIBUTOR
The freedom to enjoy favorite films anytime, anywhere just became easier. With the recent launch of its official Web site and mobile channel, FilmBuff will help bring video on demand to a whole new level. FilmBuff, found online at www.cineticfilmbuff.com, was formed in 2007 by Robert Nathan and John Sloss of Cinetic Rights Management. It is a distribution service offering audiences easy access to trailers, clips, episodic shows and feature films through Internet portal partners and VOD TV venues. As the media industry utilizes the Internet and new technologies to attract audiences, FilmBuff provides a helping hand, assisting filmmakers in maximizing their influence and profit. FilmBuff has already established a strong influence on the Web through its YouTube channel and www.dailymotion.com. It also has a Facebook, Twitter and MySpace page that fans can follow to receive the latest headlines and movie updates. With the launch of its official Web site, FilmBuff will be able to increase its community and reach out to more users from all across the world. In efforts to help filmmakers increase their distribution, FilmBuff provides them the opportunity to submit their work via its Web site.
FilmBuff also releases monthly slates which viewers can watch through their online portal partners such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon VOD, iTunes, YouTube and also through cable providers’ on-demand offering. These slates feature many different genres from across the globe, new and classic, from World War II to science fiction to nonfiction documentaries. The wide range of choices is bound to satisfy movie lovers of any kind. Through its Web site, users will also be able to receive the latest news on the media industry. FilmBuff’s own team of bloggers makes sure that followers are up-to-date with the latest headlines in film, entertainment and technology. FilmBuff also keeps users informed of upcoming events such as film festivals, awards and film screenings. By accessing FilmBuff, audiences are sure to keep up with all the excitement happening in the entertainment world. FilmBuff’s earlier success allowed it to also release its own mobile channel in conjunction with Babelgum. The mobile channel is available on smartphones such as the iPhone, Google Android and the iPod Touch. Users can access the mobile channel by downloading the Babelgum App from www.babelgum.com/mobile. FilmBuff’s variety of interactive channels FilmBuff allow users to access videos on demand through their computers, televisions and phones. To check out the range of videos FilmBuff has to offer, visit its Web site at www.cineticfilmbuff.com.
Kallie Larsen / Staff Photographer
SDSU’s whacky new play, “Birds of Paradise” has costumes just as quirky, including this ice princess get-up.
K A R I L UU CONTRIBUTOR
Penguins stand only about one foot tall, but in San Diego State’s latest musical, “Birds of Paradise,” they stand more than five feet tall — and they also dance. This musical comedy revolves around a small-town theater group that a stranger encourages to create a musical based on Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull.” With undertones of teamwork, the play ironically parallels Chekhov’s story by generating mishap and hilarity. There are a total of 10 SDSU graduate students working on this production, according to student Sonia Elizabeth Lerner. A costume designer and a first year graduate student, she has had her hands full for the last several months, deciding which outfit suits each character’s personality. She has been formulating new ensembles, stitching bowling pin-shaped penguin tuxedos and ice princess costumes. With more than six years of experience, she has learned many tricks of the trade. Designing costumes is a time-consuming process. Lerner read the entire script first, did some character analysis and conducted research for the costumes. “To design a costume, I met with the director and we basically hashed out what we felt the characters were like and we did a lot of character work first,” Lerner said. “And then we began to apply clothes and which clothes we thought would match with that.” Lerner had to take into consideration when characters came onstage and opportunities for costume changes. “It’s a fast-moving play, so I had to think of a lot of quick changes backstage,” Lerner said. “So what I decided to do is start with one base look for each person. Then I decided how they would change from dayto-day and the very small changes (to the characters), because the whole play is technically their whole rehearsal process that you get to watch. They all discover something from the experience and learn to appreciate each other.” Like most new projects, Lerner said the rendering was very time-consuming but has had some similar experience from doing an ’80s musical.
“I found it a challenge in making sure I got the characters right,” she said. “I’m trying to create an arc in all the characters while trying to be very minimalist with the costumes. So the pre-character work I did was very important to the process, so even though that took three weeks of my time before I came up with renderings, it was vital to the rest of it.” Compared to SDSU’s main-stage productions, such as last semester’s play “Into the Woods,” Lerner said the budget is smaller, but not constraining. “In smaller plays, they usually try to save the money for the really huge shows,” she said. “So it’s usually one of the design challenges when you get out. You may have only
$800 to do a really big show. So you have to get really creative.” Depending on the character, Lerner was able to assemble most costumes from the theater’s collection of extra clothes from the back stock. However, she also bought some new clothes as she felt it contributed to each character’s persona. “There’s a lot of pressure to do it well,” she said. “People are waiting for a decision and you need to be on top of it and pre-thinking every person’s answer.” From this production, Lerner has been able to have a better grasp about what will be expected from her in future plays and musicals. “Even though I was a working designer, I
felt like I personally needed some more guidance and direction with my skills,” Lerner said. “This whole experience has taught me a lot about keeping in touch with the director (and) checking things out with people. It’s the first time I ever had anyone working for me ... It’s the first time I had a full shop at my disposal so it’s taught me a lot about communicating and what I want and don’t want.”
Show: Birds of Paradise When: Feb. 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 at 8p.m. and Feb. 14 and 21 at 2 p.m. Cost: $13 for SDSU students and $15 for the general public
Kallie Larsen / Staff Photographer
Costume designer and graduate student Sonia Elizabeth Lerner created costumes that portrayed each character’s different personality. Here, one of the actors from the production models one of the bowling pin-inspired penguin costumes. The show opens tomorrow and will continue through next week.
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TEMPO
Thursday, February 11, 2010
REEL 2 REAL
Scorsese scores once again with new genre-spanning thriller A L L I E D AU G H E R T Y TEMPO EDITOR
Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Everyone knows that when a film by Martin Scorsese comes along, cinematic fulfillment is not too far away. His latest, “Shutter Island,” is no exception. The film combines Scorsese’s brilliance along with the raw, thundering talent of actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Sir Ben Kingsley and Michelle Williams. Together, they create a mental labyrinth in which the human psyche begins to lose focus on reality. The year is 1954 and U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) has been sent to Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane with his new partner Chuck Aule (Ruffalo). The duo must find the dangerous and missing patient Rachel Solando (Emily Mortimer) — a daunting task considering Ashecliffe is on an island located 13 miles outside of Boston and the only way to or from is via ferry. Teddy is forced to deal with the seemingly complex Dr. John Cawley (Kingsley), who runs the asylum, as well as frightening dreams of his murdered wife Dolores (Williams). Just as he begins to make progress, a Category 5 hurricane hits and destroys the hospital’s infrastructure. Now every patient is running amok, along with the deep, sinister mysteries that keep them there. With every new step Teddy takes, another complex layer of the plot is revealed until he is drowning among the multitude of conspiracies and mind games. While he is investigating his case, everyone seems to be investigating him in return. “Shutter Island” takes viewers inside a realm where the lines between sanity and madness, truth and delusion begin to blur
beyond recognition. Although the film can’t be confined to only one category, it teeters between haunting mystery and psychological suspense. Its historical setting, which takes place in a time of post-Nazi medical experiments and Cold War paranoia, demands that the viewer stay focused to keep up with the plot. While harrowing secrets are running rampant, truth seems to be hiding somewhere just out of reach. Scorsese is a master of his craft. This becomes apparent with every twist the movie takes and forces viewers to accept that nothing is what it seems. Movie buffs will also enjoy discovering the amount of film references Scorsese scatters throughout this gothic tale. “Shutter Island,” adapted by screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis from Dennis Lehane’s novel, is Scorsese’s and DiCaprio’s fourth collaboration (“Gangs of New York,” “The Aviator” and “The Departed”). Although not his greatest movie, “Shutter Island” was certainly made with precision and genius. It may not be initially striking for some, but many will feel the film linger in their minds for days after, daring them to solve all its riddles. However, only when everything is figured out does the viewer realize they are right back where they started. The mesmerizing quality of “Shutter Island” traps audiences like Ashecliffe does its patients. It is a soon-to-be classic and should not be missed.
Movie: Shutter Island Director: Martin Scorsese Distributor: Paramount Pictures Release Date: Feb. 19 Grade: A
Thursday, February 11, 2010
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UNDER THE SCOPE
E X P O S I N G ‘ S H U T T E R I S L AND’ SECRET S
“It got darker and darker and more emotionally intense than I think we ever expected. And that was a real surprise for both of us making this movie.”
“There’s nothing there at all and then our collective imaginations create something that fills cinemas, which is, I think, extraordinary.”
DA : What were your challenges in presenting the characters as people who are always changing yet consistent enough for the audience to relate to? MS: I think one of the key elements here is that if you care
about the person, and I think what Sir Ben said is really right in the sense that one of the things that I was so surprised about to discover ultimately – I knew it but I couldn’t verbalize it – was the love or the care or
—Sir Ben Kingsley
BK: When you have a great working environment provided by Marty, one of the blessings of working under his love and guidance is that whatever you offer the camera, he will see every single scrap that you offer. He doesn’t miss anything – the slightest movement of your eyebrow, elbow and inflection of a certain word – everything is noticed, everything is gathered and a great deal of what you’re striving to do will be in the picture, if not indeed all of it. Because that environment is so trusting, because therefore you’re released, nothing needs to be demonstrated. It therefore forces an accuracy and an economy: you don’t sentimentalize your performance, you don’t embellish your performance. The environment forces you to be utterly dependent between “action” and “cut” because the environment is perfect on your fellow actor. For us, for our relationship, Leo and myself, life and art joined because my relationship with Leo as an actor became my relationship as a healer to that which needs healing. In other words, I had to watch him with my eyeballs peeled for any single clue in terms of his journey psychologically. In turn, Teddy had to watch the doctor with his eyes peeled with any clue that I might be on to something. The acting exercise is absolutely thrilling but the focus we had to bring to each other echoed in life, echoed in art. When you get that parallel it’s really thrilling. It’s full of surprises but it all has a logic.
mo Cour unt tesy Pic tur of es
But like he was saying, there was this discovery for us while making the movie and this TEMPO EDITOR process. Once we started to unravel who this man was and his past and what he had been Paramount Pictures’ newest film “Shutter through and the nature of what was going on Island” is set for release Friday, Feb. 19. on Shutter Island, it took us to places that Recently, The Daily Aztec was able to attend the there’s no way we could have foreseen. It got movie’s press junket in New York City to get all darker and darker and more emotionally the behind-the-scenes information from direc- intense than I think we ever expected. And tor Martin Scorsese and actors Leonardo that was a real surprise for both of us making DiCaprio and Sir Ben Kingsley. To read the this movie. At first glance you read something entire interview, visit www.thedailyaztec.com. on the page and it can seem one way; you can have your decisions one way before you wind The Daily Aztec: Going into this film, what was up on set about what that scene is supposed the process like for each of you? to mean. But until you’re actually there doing Martin Scorsese: That’s like asking how you them there’s really no way to understand it. made the entire movie. In my mind I haven’t In that nature, it was the best type of movie to quite finished it. Basically, it was from reading Laeta Kalogridis’ script based on (Dennis) do. I think we were all surprised at the end of Lehane’s novel and from the reaction I had the day. We felt surprised at the depth of the from reading that script as to the world that I material because this film is very much being imagined as I was reading and how it really publicized and is a thriller in a lot of ways turned out to be, how it was revealed to be: with a surprise ending or terrifying elements many different realities and, without giving to it and very much a genre piece, but at the away too much, certainly the levels of the char- end of the day it is what Martin Scorsese does acters. The doctor appears one way, scene four best and that is portraying something about it’s another way, scene 10 it’s something else. humanity and human nature and who we are That’s something that intrigued me a great as people. And that’s what makes it stand out deal so primarily the saga that Teddy goes and makes it different than just a normal through, Leo’s character, and the conflict that’s genre piece to me. That’s what stood out to inherent. I think I just try to approach it from me, anyway. And that’s what I discovered my own reaction from reading the material. while making the movie. And the casting of course … I like to say, Sir Ben Kingsley: Leo and I discovered ... anothalthough it isn’t as simple, I like to say I didn’t er vital ingredient to this character-ridden piece quite know. I sort of gave myself to the materi- because actually the miracle of filmmaking is al along with the actors. I didn’t quite know that you make something out of nothing. where we would be at any given time. I think There’s nothing there at all and then our collecwe discovered this as we went along. There tive imaginations create something that fills cinwas a process of discovery throughout, and emas, which is, I think, extraordinary. It is in a that includes the editing of the picture. That sense a love story. Marty directs like a lover. doesn’t mean I knew it was going to be a Everything is held together by affection: affection process of discovery. I had an intimation of for his craft, affection for his actors, affection for that. I didn’t know how much it was going to his crew, affection for the material and affection for the great giant cinebe and it turned out to be a great deal. ma in our lives. Perhaps what y o u don’t see on the page, and even when we were reading it together in the hotel room Leo and I and Mark, what did emerge was an extraordinary level of tenderness between the characters. Actually, even though as Leo pointed out, if you see the trailer as a thriller, —Leonardo DiCaprio the glue that holds it together is varied levels of tenderness for your wife, for your child, Leonardo DiCaprio: I felt very much the same for your patient, for your friend. That is an way. I was very intrigued by this screenplay. It ingredient you can’t rehearse, you cant anticiwas very much a throwback to great detective pate, is always surprising and can only be genres of the past. At first glance it was very brought to the film by the director. Our great much a thriller genre piece with twists and task was making something out of nothing and turns that worked on lots of different layers. on the way discovering tenderness.
ALLIE DAUGHER T Y
the tenderness that he has for the patients. They all do. At times stern, at times you don’t know what he’s thinking, where he’s going, why he’s saying certain things, why he’s behaving a certain way. Is he really telling the truth or not, we don’t know. Ultimately, underlying all of this, is the very strong relationship of believing in this therapy. LD: Very simply put, it was a very difficult character to take on in that respect. Obviously this film depends on not knowing where you’re at on any given situation. With that in mind every day on set was a challenge for me really, in how I interacted with specific characters, how much I let on as far as what Teddy was really going through. But a lot of it started to become a lot more natural when I got to work over a long period of time with the other actors. As much as I invested in going into this process with the predetermined thought of exactly how this guy would be and exactly how he would react to the people around him.
Par a
Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
DA : Leo, where did you find the clarity to play this character and do you think it’s your best performance ever? Mr. Scorsese, how were you able to extract that performance from him? LD: The clarity comes from research and specificity as far as creating a portrayal of somebody that — again, it’s very difficult for me to publicize this film because of the sheer nature of what goes on in the movie. In reference to shooting in a mental ward on an island, obviously mental illness was a theme in this movie. We were surrounded by it every day, I mean we were around dilapidated walls of an old mental institution. We actually had somebody who was there guiding us through the history of mental illness, the past ways of treating it, the different forms of treatment. In doing that, there was a tremendous amount of research done on the entrapments of mental illness and the suffering that people need to go through. So it led me to watch a lot of different documentaries, a lot of research on mental illness. As far as the emotional depth of the character, not to repeat, but it was like a giant jigsaw puzzle. The more we started to unearth and peel back the onion of who this guy was and what happened to him in the past and try to understand why he would truly be obsessed with this specific case. Once we start to uncover these things about him, we realize to explain on set of circumstances we needed to go ever further with another set of circumstances. For one thing to be believable we needed to push another story line even further. It really wasn’t until we were on set that we discovered that. There’s only so much that can be written down on paper. When you’re there physically, we realized we had to push some boundaries that we didn’t think we needed to. There were a few weeks there that were some of the most hard-core film experiences I’ve ever had. It was like reliving trauma in a way. It was pretty intense. And I don’t say that stuff very often because it always seems superficial when you’re talking about it in reference to moviemaking because it is an art form. MS: We had read the script and we had worked in rehearsal. I think it all started the first day of rehearsal in the office when we all arrived and the two Marshals came to speak to you (looks at DiCaprio). Suddenly, it all changed (laughs). I’m not quite sure why and how. Normally that does anyway … Suddenly when we started dressing the set I said “There’s something else entirely here.” I began to realize we’re getting in deeper. I was excited about getting deeper with the story but at the same time a slight panic as to would we hit all the levels, would we have the time to do it? For the first six or seven weeks it was pretty good; we were indoors and we were able to explore these different things.
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THE BACK PAGE
The Daily Aztec
HUMOR: POPE’S DOCTRINE
DAILY HOROSCOPE
‘Egregious – egregious, I say!’
M
en, Valentine’s Day is soon upon us. I know, I know — it surprised me too. Do you know why it sneaks up on us every year? It’s because we don’t care. It’s a stupid holiday created by women as an excuse to get us in trouble. I know whatever I do for my girlfriend this year, it won’t be creative or thoughtful enough. It’s not fair and we need to come together and put an end to the injustice. Oh wait — that’s right — I don’t have a girlfriend. Well, I guess I really don’t care then. Good luck with that one, guys! Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, so for the most part, Saturday night will be the default “date night.” I’ll be doing the same thing I do every Saturday: hitting on mediocrelooking girls with Edward at a random house party. Why? Well, I’ve come to realize that hot girls can rarely carry on a conversation because they’ve never needed refined communication skills. Average-looking girls however, tend to be far more interesting, while also being equally unwilling to sleep with me. But I digress. For those guys who won’t be content unless they’re with a special someone this weekend, I’ll remind you of what I wrote last year. No girl wants to be alone that night. So if you ask a girl out
Thursday, February 11, 2010
D AV I D P O P E A S S I S TA N T S P O R T S E D I T O R
and she says “no,” just give it a few days. If no one better than you asks her out, as the day comes closer, her standards will continue to fall. Soon, she’ll sink low enough to be seen in public with you. Keep hope alive. But for me, I’m OK with being alone this Valentine’s Day. It’s just one more of the many, many days in the year that I don’t get laid. Besides, women are terrible, awful people. Don’t believe me? Case in point: We’ve all been bitched at to put the toilet seat down, right? That’s egregious — egregious, I say! We’re already inconvenienced having to put the toilet seat up after every time they use it, so why do we have to waste twice as much time by putting it up and then back down? Then there’s the argument we’ve all heard from our moms / sisters / girlfriends: “Do you want me to fall into the toilet?” Really? Is it too much to ask for you to assess the seat-position situation first? By that logic, when the seat is down, it’s not our fault if we pee all over it. Ponder that one, fairer sex. And I understand girls have it rough; the unrealistic way society expects them to look, doing the same work for less money in
the professional world, the whole child birth thing — I don’t dispute there are added hardships for women. But guys still have to pay for the movies, so I say we’re even. Anyway, I’ll leave you with some parting advice: Guys — if your Valentine’s Day dinner conversation has hit a standstill, no matter how desperate you get, at no point should you start talking about your fantasy basketball team. I know Chris Paul’s injury was devastating, but trust me, she doesn’t care. Girls — it’s simple, if you want a second date you won’t order the lobster and you won’t talk about how excited you are that there will be a second season of “Jersey Shore.” You would be surprised how often fantasy sports and terrible MTV shows get in the way of a true love connection.
BY LINDA C. BLACK, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (2/11/10).You obsess about how to get your needs met in the work environment.You'll quickly get over that once you turn your attention to more appealing projects. Revise your financial portfolio to reflect recent changes in family structure. Group membership takes higher priority now. ARIES (March 21 - April 19) - Today is a 7 Everyone shifts gears. Social contacts occur in private. Emotional moments happen in public. Overall, love triumphs. TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - Today is a 7 Who's on first? Not you? That's because you've rounded third and you're on the way home, with just the score you wanted. GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 6 Relationships undergo a shift from contentment to excitement.You better understand your own needs. Share your feelings as openly as you can. CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 7 Social contacts soothe your feelings and allow you to balance work with the rest of your schedule. Opt for time alone at the end of the day. LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 5 - A female's plan remains out of focus until you adjust your sights. She wants what you want, only in a different shade of green. In this case, money talks. VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is a 7 Work on a close relationship today as Venus enters Pisces.You understand on an
empathetic level.Take independent action to get things done. LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 7 Balance! You want love to dominate the scene, but you have work to do. Save love for dinner and dancing with someone special. SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 6 - Focus on feelings (it will be hard to do anything else). Own what's yours, and listen to family members. Don't leave until the conversation is complete. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is a 7 - A female decides to go in a new direction.This challenges your thinking about your role. Remember, the two of you are not connected at the hip. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 7 - If you've been seeking independence, today can set you on that path in surprising ways. Be careful what you ask for. Today, you just might get it. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is an 8 - Your weekend plans get ahead of your end-of-the-week work schedule. Keep your mind on today's tasks and maintain confidentiality as needed. PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 7 On a personal level, you're staying comfortable. An associate jumps into a shocking new relationship. Only time will tell how it will work out. © 2010,TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.
—Did you love this column? Did you hate it? Got a topic you want me to discuss? E-mail me at dpope@rohan.sdsu.edu with any comments, questions or derogatory insults and you may see your message in my monthly mailbag column. —David Pope is an English senior. —This column does not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Daily Aztec.
SUDOKU
BY THE MEPHAM GROUP
Level:
STOP THE PRESSES!
1 2
3 4
Instructions: Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.
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CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Holy pilgrimage 5 Kids’ getaway 9 “Gimme a break!” 14 Nobelist Wiesel 15 “This looks like trouble” 16 Leonard Marx, familiarly 17 *“Get going!” 19 Peyotes, e.g. 20 She played Donna in the film “Mamma Mia!” 21 Sinus specialist, briefly 23 Baseball Hall of Famer Speaker 24 *1986 Pulitzerwinning Western novel 28 Feel the heat 31 Food critic Sheraton 32 “Bingo!” 33 X-Games bike, briefly 35 Run at a red light? 38 1968 Troggs Top 10 hit, and a hint to the hidden puzzle theme in the answers to starred clues 44 Jeans joint 45 Yield to gravity 46 Sportage maker 47 Fresh response 50 Serious-andfunny show 53 *Gunpowder, e.g. 57 They’re not returned 58 Bosox great 59 Comforting comment 63 Parts partner 65 *Duffer’s thrill 68 Native Alaskan
EDITED BY RICH NORRIS AND JOYCE LEWIS
Solution available online at www.TheDailyAztec.com 69 Treater’s words 70 Persian Gulf land 71 __ and all 72 Prime minister before Rabin 73 Ancient British Isles settler DOWN 1 Bridge position 2 Burn balm 3 Fashionable Christian 4 Stevenson physician 5 __-de-sac 6 Yellowfin tuna 7 Changes places 8 Rising star 9 N.C. State’s conference 10 “Who, me?” 11 Tiny
12 When Brutus sees Caesar’s ghost 13 Hullabaloo 18 Big-time 22 “I didn’t need to know that,” informally 25 Birds’ bills 26 Humorist Bombeck 27 Islamic leader 28 __ soda 29 Grinch victims 30 Place for Christmas lights 34 Tee choices 36 Gospel writer 37 Camelot lady 39 Removes gently 40 Eye-opening theater 41 Fellows
42 Rural prefix 43 Beatles’ “A __ in the Life” 48 Security threat 49 Course for weavers? 51 Fired up 52 Like some weights 53 Bochco series 54 City NW of Orlando 55 Brand on a patio, maybe 56 Hole site 60 Foal’s parent 61 Rink, often 62 Canterbury’s county 64 Some NFL linemen 66 Feature of a two-ltr. monogram 67 Neighbor of Aus.