The Daily Aztec - Vol. 95, Issue 99

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Vol. 95, Issue 99

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 TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

Coach may occupy senate seat E D WA R D L E W I S SPORTS EDITOR

PILLOW FIGHT Learn about the massive pillow fight that occurred downtown last Saturday. page 3

SPORTS

BACK ON TRACK Samantha Beasley’s Saturday performance put the SDSU softball team back on track. page 5

OPINION

TROLLEY LINES Construction of a proposed trolley line to La Jolla is the wrong way to spend funds. page 6

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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

Kathy Van Wyk knows there is a bit of an invisible boundary between San Diego State’s athletics department and its academic department.

“There’s always a gap between this side of campus and that side of campus,” Van Wyk, SDSU’s softball head coach, said.

Because of the San Diego State University Senate’s recent actions, however, Van Wyk and other Aztec coaches moved one step closer to bridging the gap between athletes and professors.

At the SDSU Senate meeting on March 2, senators voted to approve revisions to the Senate Constitution. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee suggested adding, “four non-Management Personnel Plan staff senators elected from permanent non-MPP staff” to the constitution and also suggested coaches should receive one senator to represent the athletics department. At the meeting, most senators were pleased with the addition and voted to approve the revisions.

“They’re still classified as faculty and they’re not represented,” Senator Bill Eadie said of coaches.

“And for awhile, some of the coaches — you know, the coaches are busy with their own stuff and don’t necessarily care — but coach Van Wyk has been here a long time and she does care about what’s going on at the rest of the university and she wanted to run and we thought ‘Gee, they’re not represented and they do want to be represented, so we’ll add a seat for them.’”

Eadie said the reason coaches weren’t already on the senate was because there wasn’t a spot for them.

“We’ve had to say ‘We’re sorry, we don’t have any place for you to run because you can’t run from one of the colleges — you’re not in the colleges — you can’t run from student services and you can’t run as a part-time faculty because you’re not part-time, you’re full-time; so we don’t have any place for you,’” Eadie said. “So we thought that was an important addition to make.”

Van Wyk, who has been the SDSU softball head coach since 1997, initially applied for a seat on the senate last year when a spot opened. Because there wasn’t a seat available for the athletics department, Van Wyk was turned down.

“I think the senate was surprised

Kallie Larsen / Staff Photographer

Currently, coaches do not serve on the SDSU Senate. If the new constitution revisions are passed, the next senate will elect a coach in May.

to find out that there wasn’t a seat available for our division,” Van Wyk said. “I’m not sure exactly where we fall in that or why, but it’s nice that they’ve considered the fact that we deserve a position in there and our voice could be heard.”

Because the revisions to the constitution passed at the meeting, Eadie said the new constitution will now need to be approved in a full faculty vote, which will happen this month. If the constitution passes then, it will go into effect and the next senate will elect a coach in May. Eadie did not want to speculate whether or not Van Wyk would be the representative, but the softball head coach said she was more than interested in filling the seat.

“I think we need to gain a better

understanding of what they do and I think they could probably benefit from gaining a better understanding of what we do,” Van Wyk said. “And I would love to help be the voice for the department and just learn from the professors over there because I know that there are so many over there who care greatly about what we do and just help bridge the gap and make sure that there’s a good understanding.”

Aside from bridging the gap, Van Wyk’s main goal for joining the senate is to debunk some of the myths athletes have acquired throughout the years.

“There’s so much of a belief that athletes don’t meet the same levels as the other students,” Van Wyk

said. “Unfortunately, we’re in the type of business where you’re going to hear more of the negative things that happen than you are a lot of the positive things, so there are some people who believe that reflects all of the athletes. But the vast majority of athletes are out doing community service constantly and are out representing the school in a very, very good way.”

Eadie said having coaches on the senate would give the body a new and insightful point of view.

“Having a coach on the senate can give us some perspective from people who are working with students in a different way than many of the faculty are working with,” Eadie said.

“And I think that’s valuable.”

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 TRAVEL & ADVENTURE...............................................3 SPORTS.............................................................................5 OPINION...........................................................................6 CLASSIFIEDS....................................................................7 THE BACK PAGE............................................................8

Video contest winners selected 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

Winners for the “Aztec for Life” video contest have been chosen.

The video contest was part of San Diego State’s SDSU Month celebration. Although this is only the eighth year there has been an SDSU month, this was the first time there has been a video contest.

Twenty-four video submissions were received and voted on as part of the contest, according to a press release.

The public voted on the submissions and winners were announced

March 26.

The grand prize winner, SDSU alumnus John Pinto, submitted a minute-long video featuring his family and his obsession with SDSU. He received a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico as a prize.

“People at home and work think I’m obsessed with the Aztecs,” Pinto said in his video. “They say it’s all I talk about, all I think about.”

In addition, the Health Promotions Department won for best group video.

Without a concrete plan, Interim Director of Health Promotions Maria Hanger, collected various sporting equipment to use as props for the

video and the group created its submission without a script.

“I had no idea what we were going to do,” Hanger said.

Hanger, who has been at SDSU since 1999, knew she wanted to show what the people in Health Promotions do for students on campus.

“The ultimate goal of all the services we provide is to help students graduate,” Hanger said. “That’s why we did the video.”

According to Hanger, the video took approximately five and a half hours to create.

Although the video is one minute long, Health Educator Susan Henry

said it felt like forever to film the video. Henry is featured for only a few seconds, but was filmed for more than 45 minutes.

Ultimately, the effort was worth it for Henry.

“This was special for me,” she said. “This contest was an opportunity for our department to come together as a team to illustrate us.”

For their efforts, the winners of the group video submission will receive a catered lunch from Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill and Aztec football season tickets.

“I was really stoked to learn that we had won,” Henry said. “It wasn’t about the prize, it was about our contribution to our students.”

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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

The Daily Aztec

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Combating consumerism with pillow fights Feathers flew for the worldwide pillow fight on Saturday.

NICOLE C ALLA S F E AT U R E S E D I T O R

Courtesy of Nicole Callas

At the Horton Plaza fountain downtown last Saturday and in more than 100 cities worldwide, people armed with plump pillows flooded to the streets for a massive pillow fight that was designed to create a global community of non-consumerist participants.

From Ghana to the Netherlands, Paris to Brazil, citizens from all across the world organized massive pillow fights last Saturday for International Pillow Fight Day. With more than 100 participating cities worldwide, including San Diego, international communities duked it out for the thrill of childlike fun.

The concept originated from The Urban Playground Movement, which encourages individuals to organize their own non-commercial events for a more involved society, directly rejecting the TV-watching, disconnected and non-social stigma many societies have become associated with, according to the organization’s Web site.

“The result, we hope, will be a global community of participants, not consumers, in a world where people are constantly organizing and attending these happenings in every major city in the world,” the Web site states.

For the second year in a row, hundreds of people gathered around the Horton Plaza fountain downtown from 6 to 8 p.m., armed with their pillows, to be a part of the mosh pit-like pillow fight.

“The pillow fight was crazy,” nursing sophomore Marylett Ramos, who participated in the event, said. “The first time I went into the fight I couldn’t see or

breathe due to all of the feathers flying around and mass of people just hitting each other. I wasn’t expecting this many people, but so many showed up!”

With nearly 6,000 guests in attendance to the event, many were eager to join as the word spread through Facebook. Some participants were dressed in pajama bottoms while others wore the animal costume from the movie “Where the Wild Things Are.” Most were not shy about hitting strangers with their pillows.

“I think I’ll be coughing out feathers the next few days,” microbiology junior Jeremy Gruspe, who also participated in the pillow fight, said. “The pillow fight was extremely rough and more violent than I thought. It’s a good way to relieve stress.”

Dozens of police crowded the event to ensure no one was hurt and no fights broke out. However, creators of the “How-to guide” on the International Pillow Fight Day’s Web site expressed that individuals in charge of coordinating the pillow fight in their particular city should not get permission from the city, keeping police as uninvolved as possible, so the pillow fights could be as authentic to the “richness of public life” as possible.

The event at Horton Plaza lasted more than two hours and covered the streets in blankets of feathers, leaving pedestrians curious about its cause and what next year’s events will have in store. For more information about the cause and future events, visit www.pillowfightday.com.

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The Daily Aztec

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Extreme scavenger hunt hits San Diego SA M I C OLLINS S TA F F W R I T E R

Jeff Lewis / Staff Photographer

People gathered last Saturday at Maloney’s Tavern to participate in a citywide scavenger hunt called Urban Dare. The proceeds of the dare benefit the fight against breast cancer.

Maloney’s Tavern didn’t look like the right place for a large event — no one was in the bar’s lobby. A few participants streamed along its neighboring streets, but the tavern’s exterior was strangely serene, suspicious for a main Gaslamp Quarter watering hole.

A darkening stairwell leading to the main bar revealed an almost cult-like gathering. Seated on stools, stretching in hallways and scattered among Maloney’s regular patrons was a sea of blue-shirted Urban Dare attendees.

This was last Saturday’s gathering of adults and children in what can be best described as an enormous, citywide scavenger hunt.

Urban Dare’s founder, Kevin Keefe, began the “original dare” in Washington D.C. in 2005 and has since expanded the hunt to dozens of states, with 30 races scheduled this year.

“I’ve done every sort of race you can imagine — triathlons, adventure races,” Keefe said. “I was kind of creating the ideal race for me and (incorporated) the use of technology and all of the ... tools we have available (to) us today...”

Urban Dare’s Web site lists these “tools” as vital in the competition, including cell phones, GPS tracking devices, the Internet and any available trivia-savvy friends, all necessary for success. Most participants rely on a connection to a search engine or a reliable contact throughout the entire race. A camera is also required for the event.

“Most people will be capable of completing all of the dares, (because) we want to challenge you, while keeping it fun,” the Web site states. “It’s like a one-day Amazing Race.”

“Proceeds benefit the fight against breast cancer,” the Web site also states. For this reason as well as for the fun of the dare, many participants sign up to take part.

Winners’ plaques and cash prizes also make for an exciting finish.

“I will pay the winners of this race for a weekend’s stay to participate in the ‘Super Dare.’” Keefe said. “The ‘Super Dare’ is my national championship. Last year I sent them on a three-day cruise and had them compete for $5,000.”

After an hour of check-ins, a brief costume contest was announced before the race began.

Caped superheros, bridesmaids, prom dates and kilted men were among those rushing through the streets of San Diego that day.

Later, teams with the best photo, the top three finishers and the top family competitors would be recognized as well.

A shout through the megaphone and a rush for the clue sheets initiated the race.

Ascending the stairs back into the light, most groups huddled near the entrance, plotting their course and jotting down possible answers to each clue, as others ran frantically into the afternoon sun.

“The (leads) are not in any logical order, so it’s up to (the players) to determine where to go first,” Keefe said.

“My original strategy was to start with the farthest obstacle and work back (to the goal), but since we didn’t know where some clues were, it didn’t work out that way,” participant Kristina Taylor said.

Each “dare” pertains to its city’s setting. In this particular San Diego event, dare members covered an area of at least five square miles between Little Italy, the Gaslamp Quarter and the Pacific Coast Highway searching for check points such as the El Camino Real

Bells or the elusive sea dragon of the “Urban Trees” art exhibit.

In addition to photographic evidence, team members had to engage in a number of interactive challenges.

One dare had racers spinning dizzily around Petco Park while another involved blowing a convincing bubble after the blob of gum had been doused in whipped cream.

“I probably liked the bubblegum event the most,” participant Lynden Filley said. “It was tasty, but difficult because (the gum) was hard to find (in whipped cream) … and of course that took forever because, like an idiot, I chewed the whole thing; I felt like a cow-chewing cud.”

Typically, top competitors finish within two hours. First, second and third places in this event were all clocked within almost half of that time.

Newcomers to Urban Dare Thomas Gertz and Jennifer Berge of the second place team finished (with a minus 10 minute bonus) 1 hour, 9 minutes into the race, topped only by Urban Dare veterans.

“We used a friend on the phone as a resource,” Gertz said. “(But) we were still stuck at that sea dragon like everyone else.”

“We didn’t have a strategy going in; it kind of evolved as we went along,” Berge said. “We were able to stop at an information center and read through the brochures — that helped.”

San Diego’s next Urban Dare will be held Aug. 7 and will be on bikes. Potential competitors are encouraged to sign up at www.urbandare.com, and trust in those meeting directions. If it doesn’t look like the right place, then chances are it is — that’s the fun of a scavenger hunt.

Snowboarding and skiing may come to campus

Courtesy of the Campus Rail Jam Tour

The Campus Rail Jam Tour that was supposed to take place at UC San Diego this Thursday was cancelled for undisclosed reasons and may potentially be relocated to San Diego State sometime in the upcoming months.

J E N N A H E AT H CONTRIBUTOR

To all the skiers, snowboarders and snow lovers everywhere, opportunity is knocking at the door. This year, instead of making the 10-hour drive to Lake Tahoe or the 3.5 hour journey to Big Bear, the Campus Rail Jam Tour might be bringing the snow to San Diego.

This Thursday morning, tons of snow was supposed to be brought to the UC San Diego campus to create a monstrous mountain with rails and obstacles for participating skiers and snowboarders to show off their skills. But, according to

publicist and public relations associate Kristen Murphy, it was canceled for “undisclosed reasons.”

“We are in the process of trying to relocate the event, including potential relocation to your (San Diego State) campus,” Murphy said.

The update on a possible new event date and location is forthcoming, according to the media update.

The CRJT began in 2008 and is sponsored by Cricket Wireless and Ford Motor Co. Two years and 20 promotional partners later, CRJT is still helping skiers and snowboarders on the West Coast get their name out there to be potential professionals. CRJT is recognized as the first tour to take skiing and snowboarding off the slopes and

onto college campuses.

This year, 10 lucky schools were selected to be a part of CRJT, including UCSD. Among other universities participating are University of Arizona, Arizona State, University of Utah, University of Colorado, Boise State and University of Nevada.

“The Campus Rail Jam Tour … merges snowboarding, art, music, progressive business and environmental activism to create an event enjoyable to all,” the media update states. People who attend CRJT also get the opportunity to create free T-shirts (using iron-on decals).

Also, attendees can play the latest mobile games from Gameloft on the new LG Helix phone. And,

according to the media update, a disc jockey performance and demonstration booths will be featured at this event.

There’s a simple way to apply to the snow event at any school. Those interested can go online at www.campusrailjamtour.com/applyto-ride and complete the form along with a video of themselves and their riding skills to potentially be invited to perform. Applicants will, on average, receive an e-mail acceptance letter about a week prior to the event. Keep in mind that more than 100 people apply to each event and only 60 applicants are accepted.

There are many other ways people can get involved in the event.

The tour works with students to

expand their knowledge of event planning and marketing experience. All events are student run and organized, which may be a great opportunity for students to get involved and show what student organizations are capable of.

“The Rail Jam is truly a reflection of the ingenuity and innovation that can come when students get involved in marketing and promoting an event,” Murphy said.

“Without the students, there is no way the Rail Jam would have grown to such success and popularity.”

Tour organizers expect attendance to reach into the thousands.

For more information, visit www.campusrailjamtour.com.

SPORTS

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

BASEBALL

The Daily Aztec

5

SOFTBALL

Aztecs snap MWC Beasley’s gem helps losing skid in Texas SDSU bounce back D AN P E R E Z S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R

Glenn Connelly / Photo Editor

Sophomore outfielder Brandon Meredith and the SDSU baseball team earned their first MWC win of the year.

F E L I N A T A M BA KO S S TA F F W R I T E R

With the bases loaded, sophomore first baseman Jomel Torres’ pop fly catch in foul territory allowed every player on the San Diego State baseball team’s 35-man roster to exhale.

In the final game against No. 11 TCU on Saturday at Lupton Stadium, SDSU was able to close the deal and win its first Mountain West conference game of the season, 3-1.

“I was super relieved,” junior center fielder Cory Vaughn said. “But I had confidence in our guys that we would close the job out.

Hopefully that win will finally get us rolling.”

The Aztecs held a 1-0 lead for the first seven innings until the Horned Frogs scored the tying run in the bottom of the eighth.

SDSU won in a nail-biting ninth because of a SDSU 3 two-run single by junior Matt Parker at TCU 1 catcher the top of the inning.

Parker brought in freshman second baseman Blair Moore, who got on base with his second single of the day, and sophomore Chris Wilson, who had walked.

Sophomore pitcher John Pecoraro earned the win, making him 1-1 this season.

Pecoraro gave up the tying run after surrendering two singles. Then, in the ninth inning, he loaded the bases with a single, walk and a hit batter before a strikeout. The Aztec defense eventually helped end the inning and the game.

TCU’s seven-inning silence happened because of SDSU freshman pitcher Ethan Miller’s second start in red and black. He

gave up eight hits and only one walk in his seven-inning, shutout performance.

The Aztecs now stand at 1-5 in MWC games and 11-17 this season. All conference games have been on the road so far this season, leaving SDSU 2-8 for away games.

“I was super relieved.

But I had confidence in our guys that we would close the job out.”

—Cory Vaughn, junior outfielder “We really just have to find a way to get ahead and stay ahead,” Vaughn said of the Aztecs’ struggles in MWC games this season.

“Against New Mexico, we had a chance to take all three games but we just didn’t add to our lead and close it out. The same thing (happened) with TCU. We just have to try to put up runs and close the door from there.”

Unfortunately for SDSU, it will be out of San Diego for the next five games. Only one matchup with UC Irvine stands between the frustrating weekend in Fort Worth, Texas and next weekend’s series against Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“Irvine is a very good team, so we have to go out there and play a crisp game of baseball in order to win and get prepared for the MWC,” Vaughn said looking ahead. “We never take any game lightly. Every team we play, we go out there and try and get the W.”

AT A GLANCE WHERE: Irvine

VS.

WHEN: 6 p.m., tonight WHY TO WATCH: The Aztecs will try to use the boost of Saturday’s success to start a winning streak against the Irvine Anteaters.

Samantha Beasley put the San Diego State softball team back on track with her right arm on Saturday.

The junior pitcher struck out half the batSDSU 4 ters she faced (12 of USD 0 24), only allowed two hits and shut the University of San Diego out at the SDSU Softball Stadium.

Beasley’s outstanding performance gave SDSU (22-10) the 4-0 victory and its 48th win against the Toreros in 51 tries.

“This outcome is a lot better than (Friday),” head coach Kathy Van Wyk said.

“We played with a lot more intensity; we took advantage of almost every opportunity we had on the field today and we didn’t play like we expected to win.”

The Aztecs’ win came a day after USD beat SDSU on Friday at the USD Softball Complex. The Toreros used two unearned runs, an early lead and offensive woes from the Aztecs to capitalize and come away with a 3-2 victory.

“On Friday, we came out flat and did not have a fire beneath us,” Van Wyk said.

“That was the one game we wish we could have back and we were going to make sure that we didn’t let a game slip away like that again.”

Saturday was a different story. Beasley easily handled USD, allowing only two base runners for the entire game. The defense backed Beasley as only one error was made, but it did not hurt SDSU. The offense was also brought back to life. The Aztecs had eight hits, including five infield singles and twice as many runs as the day before.

“It was a complete turnaround and it was really great for us to get it in such a short time,” Van Wyk said. “Coming down right before conference play we need to go in as hot as possible and we need every win as possible. Being able to grab the victory right before we face conference opponents is a great confidence booster for us.”

Beasley, who improved to 17-6, had her 16th career double-digit strikeout game with seven this season. Blanking the Toreros also helped Beasley improve her already outstanding ERA to a slim 0.79.

“Another difference in this game compared to the loss is that we were up with Sam (Beasley) in the game,” Van Wyk said.

“Whenever we get a lead with her it seems that it’s nearly automatic. The best feeling I can have with this team is having our defense and offense in sync and having Sam (Beasley) on the mound. Because I know she’s going to do everything she can to never let go of a lead.”

David J. Olender / Assistant Photo Editor

MEN’S TENNIS

Gomez is SDSU’s ‘hero’ in victory against TCU AG U ST I N G O N Z A L E Z S TA F F W R I T E R

There was absolutely no way senior Juan Gomez would let history repeat itself.

Last year, against the same opponent, Gomez lost a heartbreaking three-set match. But now, with the victory on the line, he was ready.

Gomez won the singles match AZTECS 4 final against No. 66 TCU (71-1 in Mountain FROGS 3 8, West Conference play) and clinched the 4-3 victory for the San Diego State men’s tennis team in SDSU’s MWC opener at the Aztec Tennis Center.

“This was a great team victory,” head coach Gene Carswell told www.goaztecs.com.

“It was great to watch this team come together as a unit. This is the best job of that we have done all year. Today our hero was Juan. He fought through adversity, battling back in the second set, and closing the match in the third set.”

The Aztecs (5-11, 1-0 in MWC play) started with two doubles victories from juniors Tim Schulz van Endert and Andre Feliz and the No. 76 team of Gomez and sophomore Luis Rattenhuber to win the doubles point.

SDSU followed with straight-set singles victories from senior Achim Vladimirschii (6-

2, 6-4) and Feliz (6-2, 6-2) to take a 3-0 lead.

With an Aztecs’ win seemingly in the bag, the Horned Frogs battled back to tie the score 3-3 and set up the rematch between Gomez and TCU’s Emanuel Brighiu.

“Today our hero was Juan. He fought through adversity, battling back in the second set, and closing the match in the third set.”

—Gene Carswell, head coach Being the deciding match, all eyes were on court No. 2. Gomez dropped the first set 2-6, but then came back to win the closely contested second set 7-5 and dominated the third set to win 6-1 and clinch the victory for SDSU. “It feels really good,” Gomez said. “Last year I was in the same exact position and lost 7-6 (in the last set) so it feels awesome to win our conference opener.”

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OPINION

The Daily Aztec

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

LOYAL DISSENTER

New trolley line hurts commuters

T

he Metropolitan Transit System, which serves as a means of transportation for many people in San Diego, has raised ticket prices and cut services because of a lack of funding. In spite of this, the San Diego Association of Governments has decided to build a new trolley line starting at the Old Town Transit Center to University of California San Diego or University Town Center. The project will cost about $1.2 billion. Proceeding with this project is a mistake for the commuters of San Diego.

SANDAG should not promote new transportation projects while current routes, which people depend upon, are being cut.

These officials are mistaken when they argue that this project is needed because it will attract more commuters.

Public transportation should be a public service that is not subject to a cost-benefit analysis. In a perfect world, we would have both the current routes that MTS provides and the new proposed trolley line to La Jolla. But in these cashstrapped times, we must prioritize.

SANDAG, which proposes and plans San Diego’s transportation projects, has the wrong priorities.

The number one priority should be to maintain current routes because people already rely upon these routes to get to work, school and around town.

People in La Jolla have obviously already found means of getting to these places without the proposed trolley line.

It would be careless and wasteful to cut a service that so many people need in their daily lives and instead put money toward creating an alternative means of transportation for La Jolla commuters.

Some would debate that this project would be a better investment than maintaining routes with small passenger numbers because

S A L LY S C H I L L I N G S TA F F C O L U M N I S T

the new trolley line would serve a larger number of people. This is a weak argument because these people are already managing to get to work without this trolley line.

Simply building this trolley line is not incentive enough for commuters with cars to begin using the trolley. Meanwhile, dependent commuters in the urban areas of San Diego must constantly reevaluate their travel options as more and more lines are being cut and Sunday services are discontinued altogether in some areas.

Attracting commuters who have cars has proven to be a struggle in suburban areas of San Diego. In February, MTS did not charge passengers to ride bus route 880, which services suburban areas 4S Ranch, Rancho Bernardo, Sorrento Valley and University City. Last April, passengers rode for free in hopes to attract more customers to this route. Commuters in these areas had figured out a means of getting from place to place without this public transportation route and therefore had no incentive to switch their mode of transportation.

While some environmentally conscious people will herald the new trolley line as a green friendly project, the average well-off La Jolla resident will most likely have no incentive to ride the long, expensive and inefficient trolley. The truth is public transportation mainly serves people who do not have cars, not people who want to save the environment. It is with these lower income citizens in mind that SANDAG needs to prioritize projects.

SANDAG should realize it is cutting people’s feet out from under them by not putting its funding into maintaining current routes.

The number of riders should not be a funding issue in the first

MCT Campus

A new trolley line to La Jolla is an ineffective way of spending MTS funds. At a time when bus services are being cut, SANDAG should be focused on sustaining the services it currently provides rather than using such large amounts of money on a new project.

place. MTS is funded by fares but also by state revenue. SANDAG should encourage these revenues to cover what the fares cannot. If there is $1.2 billion for a new trolley line, there is money for improving MTS. Public transportation should continue to be a public service. A public service is meant to provide those who are in need with a means of having a decent lifestyle.

There are people in San Diego who are struggling because they

rely on public transportation, which slowly diminishing. This problem exists because public transportation is not being viewed

by SANDAG as a public service, but rather as a numbers game.

SANDAG needs to think of its primary customers; the lowerincome citizens who can’t afford another way of transporting themselves. If public transportation is viewed as a service rather than a business, routes would never be cut in some areas while unneces-

sary routes in other areas were being built. Government should not operate as a business, instead it needs to work for the people.

—Sally Schilling is a political science senior.

—This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.

Send e-mail to opinion@thedailyaztec.com. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Include your full name, major and year in school.

SAVE YOUR CROCODILE TEARS

Chemical castration for violent sex offenders

I

n light of Chelsea King’s murder, California residents have called for a reformation of laws punishing sex offenders. As this process has been debated and changed many times throughout the years, it is clear that legal action has not been enough to serve justice for victims of sex offenders.

However, a revolutionary solution to this problem has the potential to make offenders think twice before committing a sex crime: chemical castration.

The Argentina providence of Mendoza has authorized the option of chemical castration for rapists. The initiative was put into action after the rate of rape increased by 30 percent last year.

Unlike castration, which is the surgical method of removing or disabling the use of testicles or ovaries, a person who undergoes chemical castration is given medicine that targets and decreases sexual desire. Argentina officials have also included psychological help to grant offenders both a shorter sentence and reintroduction to society without being considered a threat.

A I L E E N PA N T O J A S TA F F C O L U M N I S T

Allowing a sex offender to commit an inappropriate and lifechanging violation of children and adults without suffering severe punishment is unacceptable. These offenders deprive their victims from living happy lives. Because of the severity and long-term impact of their actions, sex offender’s rights and abilities should not be considered when articulating an adequate punishment. Instead, the justice system should modify the lives of sex offenders through an alteration of their body’s desire.

By law, it is illegal to require any sex offender to undergo castration, as having the ability to reproduce is a right. But, the reproduction rights of these offenders should not be put into consideration after this type of crime has been committed. Given the recent tragedies of King and Amber Dubois, it’s clear that the sentences sex offenders receive are not nearly as effective as they should be.

Allowing early parole or short-

ened sentences should never be acceptable in these cases. For people who commit such heinous crimes, the punishment should be effective and severe. For this reason, an extreme measure such as chemical castration should not only be considered, but required after the first offense. Along with chemical castration, offenders should be given the maximum sentence and not be given the chance for early parole.

This may sound extreme to some civil rights organizations, but it is a practical and proportional solution to a serious problem. The chemical castration procedure is reversible. A convict would have to periodically be given the medication to decrease their sexual desire as well as keep receiving psychological help. However, the reversibility should not be the reason sex offenders should opt for this solution. This simple yet effective option should be required to prove that offenders are independently capable of controlling their sexual and inappropriate urges.

One issue is punishing them for

the crime they committed; a larger issue is keeping them from recommitting. A study conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics showed that of the offenders released from prison in 1994, 5.3 percent were rearrested within three years for another sex crime. Even more shocking, of that same population, 43 percent of offenders were arrested for another crime conviction — and those are just the criminals who were caught.

Because of the severity and longterm impact of their actions, sex offender’s rights and abilities should not be considered ...

California is moving in the right direction by strengthening

laws for sex offenders, but legal action should include more than prison sentences. Chemical castration will start to disable released convicts from molesting or raping other individuals.

There isn’t a single and permanent solution for sex offenders and sex crimes, but the greater the punishment, the closer California will come to giving victims justice. Chemical castration, although not permanent, has the ability to alter sex offenders in a way that will benefit both themselves and society.

Whatever California can do to reduce repeat offenses and keep children and adults safe should be done. This policy would be a step in the right direction.

—Aileen Pantoja is a zoology freshman.

—This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec. Send e-mail to opinion@thedailyaztec.com. nonymous letters will not be printed.

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DAILY HOROSCOPE

HUMOR: LIFE ON THE SHARP SIDE

No money — no problem

I

n college, we are taught that if we work hard and do well in our classes, we will become successful.

And all those hours spent in the Love Library with empty cans of energy drinks, half-eaten bags of chips and a bottle half full of Adderall will become a fond memory of our rise to prosperity.

But let’s not kid ourselves. The job market today sucks, and most of us who graduate will not get our dream job the day we cross that stage. Instead, many of us will be forced to repeat “Do you want fries with that?” at the local McDonald’s for years to come.

Yet despite the economy, if there is one group of people in this world that truly know how to get by and do well, it’s freeloaders. Admit it, you or someone you know has taken advantage of the art of freeloading at some point. It may be in the form of free condoms from Planned Parenthood or even mooching off of friends by forgetting your wallet at home “by accident” for the third time this week.

For the freeloader, things always come easy. Free meals, free drinks, free clothes, free memberships and basically anything people will freely give them. Because the economy is still tough and many of us have been left wondering where our federal bailout money is, I’ve compiled some tips and tricks about how to divulge the art of freeloading that should help ease your financial burdens until President Barack Obama unveils a magical bailout for college students.

First off, there’s Costco Wholesale Corp., every freeloader’s heaven. There are free samples of every shape and size,

M A L L O RY S H A R P S TA F F C O L U M N I S T

and the employees have never been known to turn you away for overindulging.

You can get into the store sans membership by saying you are buying booze. Thanks to California state law, it has to let you in. Then, let the feast begin.

When it comes to sampling, my favorite technique is simple and scores four treats in one. I take my first sample, come back with the package of said item, tell the product demonstrator that “I just couldn’t make it home without another taste,” mention how the product will barely make it outside before being consumed and then grab another sample “for the road.” But be cautious my friends and tread lightly, because I’m convinced those samplers have extrasensory perception and know when you have scammed one of their own. Being chased by a short, angry woman with tongs is no joke.

My second freeloader trick is how to get free alcohol at a bar.

This task can be as simple or as hard as you make it. For starters, being a wallflower will never score you free drinks unless you look like Megan Fox, and trust me, you don’t.

For women, it’s simple. Wear clothing that is flattering and will reveal just enough skin to make him want to find out what’s underneath. My tip is to play coy: Give him the smoldering gaze and flash him a smile. Flashing a condom always works too.

If you’re with a group, invest in birthday or bachelorette merchandise and pretend it’s your big

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

night out on the town. This should help you score more drinks than Lindsay Lohan when she finally turned 21 years old and into a hot mess.

For men, this feat is nearly impossible. I suggest going for the cougar that looks like she needs a few cobwebs cleaned out of her you-know-what and head in for the kill. Be playful, young and dangerous, maybe even offer her a Jägerbomb. After that, she’ll be so keen to the thrill that she’ll drop some bills just to keep you around.

Lastly, one trick most college kids are familiar with is scoring booze by crashing a party. This one is difficult to maneuver so there are two routes I suggest you take. When crashing, always have a name in mind of someone you “know” who’s invited you. It’s best to stick to common names such as Matt because let’s face it, there just aren’t that many Guillaumes walking around. This is best executed when delivered with confidence, and if asked for a last name, the simple claim of “he’s in my class, how should I know?” will often suffice.

The other route is getting a late start and crashing the party once most of the people in attendance are drunk. At that point, the people are friendlier, the booze is fresh because of a recent alcohol run, and if you’re looking to score, the people there are already plastered, which can only mean one thing: beer goggles.

BY LINDA C. BLACK, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (4/6/10) Creative effort takes you far in the coming year. Pay closer attention to dreams as a key to your subconscious that may provide solutions. Find a recreational activity that allows you to burn off stress, helping you to face challenges powerfully.

ARIES (March 21 - April 19) - Today is a 7 Let your optimism simmer. Everyone needs to adapt to the demands of the moment. Save emotions for later.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - Today is an 8 - Take extra time during the planning phase of a project. Let ideas simmer until you taste the magic.Then translate mental images into practical displays.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 6 What you think ought to be simple instead has many perplexing thorns. Even the greatest imagination would need to adapt big ideas to limited means.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 5 You may be dealing with moral questions.

Spiritual inspiration comes from meditation or dreams. Remember to keep your feet on the ground.

LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 6 - To ensure a solid foundation for your ideas, reach out to a professional for needed advice. Although you don't like everything you hear, you glean some gold.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is a 7 -

Figure out a logical set of priorities.Then, work closely with a partner, even if you irritate each other now. Finally, mobilize your enthusiasm.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 6 What starts out as a thorny problem eventually gives in to creative concepts developed within your group.Team up to break through resistance.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 6 - Get out and about today to maximize career opportunities.Take a shopping list.

Multitasking works today.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is a 6 - You're torn between two options.

Follow advice from a reliable source, or take a leap of faith on an associate's enthusiasm? Either choice works out.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 6 - Messages arrive from a variety of sources. Narrow the field by eliminating stressful concepts. Go with what feels good.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is a 7 - You and a partner work to develop a long-range plan. Consider each facet according to your personal philosophy.

PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 5 Your partner points you toward unknown territory.There are benefits to going there, accompanied by some prickly problems. © 2010,TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

SUDOKU

BY THE MEPHAM GROUP

—Mallory Sharp is a journalism junior.

Level:

—This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.

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.

1 2

3 4

Instructions: Complete the grid so

Solution available online at www.TheDailyAztec.com

LOOKING THROUGH OUR LENS

© 2010 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.

CROSSWORD

SUNSETS, FENCES AND FLOWERS Staff Photographer Jeff Lewis captured the cusp of the day in this photo as the sun set across the ocean, creating an orange sky seen through a a fence and a field of yellow flowers on a cliff.

ACROSS 1 Jack’s partner 5 Not exactly lined up 11 Stanford-Binet nos.

14 On the less breezy side, at sea 15 Jacket part 16 Actor’s signal 17 Jazz bandleader and lover of forests?

19 Common Market inits.

20 Dazzling celestial events 21 Source of a hot tip 23 737, for example 25 Singer Domino 27 Trig function 28 Corn unit 29 “No __!”: emphatic denial 31 Is able to, biblically 32 It may wash away castles 34 Postal motto word 35 Yellowfin tuna 36 Former heavyweight champ and lover of mountains?

41 Madhouse 42 Golfer’s accessory 43 Base runner’s goal 45 Divided Asian land 48 Give up amateur status 50 Up to, briefly 51 Express line unit 52 Lass 53 Spiteful 55 “Strangers in the Night” singer 57 Prefix with physics 59 Sault __ Marie

EDITED BY RICH NORRIS AND JOYCE LEWIS

Solution available online at www.TheDailyAztec.com 60 Ex-Dodger pitcher and lover of beaches?

64 Russian fighter 65 Postwar British prime minister 66 Farm field unit 67 Ending for Vietnam 68 Dwell 69 Like the Mojave DOWN 1 Mandible site 2 UN workers’ rights agcy.

3 Kate’s “Titanic” co-star 4 Gave false hopes 5 Workplace watchdog org.

6 Try to escape, as pursuers 7 __-de-lance: pit viper

8 Arab or Jew 9 Cowgirl Dale 10 Change for a 20 11 Stranded at the chalet, maybe 12 Brooklyn neighbor 13 Whispered thing 18 Actor Montand 22 Old Testament prophet 23 Teacher’s favorite 24 Home in the wild 26 Faucet attachment 30 California county in which Mount Whitney is partly located 31 Greek X 33 Itchy rash cause 35 Expert server 37 “Kampgrounds” company 38 Showed over

39 “Up to this point, no” 40 Fail to include 44 Bridge expert Culbertson 45 Pecking order?

46 Ear inflammation 47 Go back on a promise 48 Meadowlands Stadium team 49 Not tricked by 52 Fireplace feature 54 Resort island off Venezuela 56 Ivan IV, for one 58 __-Ball 61 Mid sixth-century year 62 Baba of fiction 63 Deleted, with “out”