Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Vol. 95, Issue 30
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 STATE OF MIND
Policy keeps grads on the job
NET NEUTRALITY Should the government treat access to the Internet as a civil right or a privelege? page 2
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
A GLOBAL LIBRARY Find out how a professor is giving the gift of reading to children across the world. page 4
SPORTS
Lindsey Martin / Assistant Photo Editor
Associated Students offers its employees the chance to continue working for six months after they graduate. Though the policy isn’t new, it has recently been used more frequently.
K R I ST I N A B L A K E S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
OVERTIME, AGAIN The SDSU men’s soccer team once again plays extra time against a ranked opponent. page 6
TODAY @ SDSU Kung Fu 7 p.m., Peterson Gym 240 Students will learn northern and southern Kung Fu styles that include applying and escaping from holds, joint locks, throws and take downs. For more of today’s headlines, visit:
www.thedailyaztec.com
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EDITOR
IN CHIEF, FARYAR BORHANI 619.594.4190 EDITOR@THEDAILYAZTEC .COM
CITY EDITOR, KEVIN MCCORMACK
Even though he graduated last spring, Phill Guarnotta still has strong ties to San Diego State. Guarnotta, who is a surf instructor at the Mission Bay Aquatic Center, has taken advantage of an Associated Students policy that allows recent graduates to stay employed by A.S. for up to six months. Although the 25-year-old television, film and new media production grad had plans to pursue a career in Los Angeles after graduation, he remains in San Diego to work for the organization that hired him in June 2006. “The thing is no one is hiring and the economy is just so bad that I’m not getting lucky enough,” Guarnotta said. Like many students, Guarnotta was not even aware of the policy until he was informed by Kevin Straw, the instructional manager for the aquatic center. Guarnotta was happy to keep the job he loves a little longer. “It’s nice having that job security,” Guarnotta said. “I know that I have a job waiting for me until I
find a more steady job career-wise rather than work-wise.” While the policy is not new, A.S. Associate Executive Director Christina Brown said that more graduates have taken advantage of it. “It’s not a new policy, but I do think it’s one that’s being utilized more and more, especially in tough times when it’s harder for students to get jobs,” Brown said. “I think it’s become an even more valuable option for graduating students.” Brown said until recently, many people were not even aware of the six-month grace period. In fact, she said that throughout the last six to eight months, she has been receiving more and more calls from supervisors asking if they can keep their graduating staff members. “The majority of students, when they graduate, they leave,” Brown said. “But the ones that stay haven’t yet found a new home or a full-time job. They’re doing a good job, so we help them by extending their employment.” Tracie Ugamoto, an office assistant, also graduated last spring with a degree in communication and Spanish. The 23-year-old said six months is a perfect amount of time for graduates to get adjusted to life after college.
“Six months is a good enough grace period to kind of figure out what you’re going to do,” Ugamoto said. “I don’t think it needs to be longer. In some cases, depending on the person, you don’t want to get too comfortable. You don’t personally grow because it is a student job and you’re not a student anymore.” Ugamoto, who has held multiple A.S. positions since her freshman year, said that working for A.S. has helped her acquire valuable skills. Through her experience, she has learned that she would like to find a job in student affairs or attain some other administrative position. “I have fun coming to work,” she said. “I really enjoy and look forward to coming to work.” Brown said A.S. employs more than 1,200 students throughout the year, including recent grads. Students are employed in all the A.S. facilities, including the Aztec Center, Aztec Recreation Center, Viejas Arena, Children’s Center, Mission Bay Aquatic Center and The Daily Aztec. A.S. President Tyler Boden said A.S. is committed to students and that the six-month policy is just one more way the organization supports them.
imprisonment, criminal threats and battery.
mately two hours. The equipment has not yet been found.
Grand theft
Petty theft
Oct. 12 – A camera worth approximately $12,500 was stolen from Sigma Nu fraternity. The flare thermal imaging equipment belonged to a contractor. The contractor had been at the fraternity house to fix a broken pipe. He was working in the area while the camera may have been unattended for approxi-
Oct. 9 – Police arrested two men after they were allegedly seen stealing bicycles from a bike rack at Villa Alvarado Apartments. Both of the men, who are not affiliated with SDSU, were located near the Alvarado Medical Center trolley station. Forty-five-year-old Jeffrey Dunn was arrested on suspicion of
“I think it’s a good thing,” Boden said. “I think not too many students take advantage of it. It’s there to assist students in a time when they don’t necessarily have some other path coming out of college.” Boden believes the policy does not take away jobs from current students, too. “While not every student who works for A.S. takes advantage of that six-moth policy, the ones that do really need it,” he said. “I don’t think that it affects our ability to employ other students.” The budget cuts have not affected student jobs either. In fact, Brown said A.S. has not had to cut any positions despite the budget cuts. Instead, A.S. has made cuts in other areas, including administrative costs. The organization has also taken steps to save money by going paperless and implementing several solar projects. “We’re trying to focus on as much as we can to not cut programming or jobs from students,” Brown said. “We just have a huge commitment to students within our organization. Our core philosophy is to support students. We’re student-run as well.”
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CAMPUS CRIME
SPORTS EDITOR, EDWARD LEWIS 619.594.7817 SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC .COM
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MIND EDITOR, ALLAN ACEVEDO
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ADVERTISING
Student threatened Oct. 10 – Police arrested a man after he allegedly threatened a student at Tenochca residence hall. San Diego State Police Lt. Lamine Secka said 25-year-old Cervin Morris was arrested after allegedly pinning a student against the wall and threatening him. The victim, who said he knew the suspect, was asked for money. Morris, who is not an SDSU student, was arrested and transported to jail on suspicion of attempted robbery, false
committing petty theft, possession of a syringe and conspiracy to commit a crime. Tony Olson, who is 42 years old, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime, theft with priors, possession of a controlled substance and possession of burglary tools. Police recovered two bicycles, a green Diamondback and a blue Motiv, at the scene.
—Compiled by Senior Staff Writer Kristina Blake
619.594.6977
INDEX STATE OF MIND..............................................................2 TRAVEL & ADVENTURE...............................................4 SPORTS............................................................................6 CLASSIFIEDS....................................................................7 THE BACK PAGE............................................................8
FOR THE RECORD On Oct. 19, The Daily Aztec incorrectly stated that the A.S. survey was available through SDSU Web portal.The survey was available at http://vovici.com. The Daily Aztec also incorrectly stated that Associated Students has been without an elections coordinator for two years. A.S. has only been without an elections coordinator since May, and its previous elections coordinator served for two years. The Daily Aztec regrets the errors.
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The Daily Aztec
STATE OF MIND
A GUEST’S PERSPECTIVE
POINTS TO PONDER
Internet access is a civil right
T
he Federal Communication Commission’s recent push for net neutrality principles acknowledges the challenges of the Internet and its role in society. With the adoption of new principles, citizens will be able to secure their right to the access of information. Net neutrality states the Internet should be completely open and accessible. Last month, newly appointed FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski gave a speech in support of the adoption of net neutrality rules set forth by the Commission in 2004. The first four principles prohibit network providers from preventing users access to lawful Internet content, applications and services of their choice. Users can also not be prohibited from attaching non-harmful devices to the network. By leveling the playing field among providers, the goal is to increase competition that will ultimately result in greater consumer choice by promoting innovation. These principles are integral to a vibrant democracy and the rights of its citizens in accessing information. No longer should we be held captive to the discretion of corporations as they cherry-pick what content and services they will provide. Everything must be available. At best, the U.S. is nothing more than a patchwork of providers and their services. A fifth principle states that broadband providers must treat all content the same. In August of last year, the FCC punished Comcast for blocking Internet content to some of its customers. Not only is this discriminatory behavior unsanctioned, but it infringes on the right of citizens to have unfettered access to information. Such behavior on the part of providers calls for fair regulation, something that’s been sorely needed for the last decade. A sixth principle of transparency was proposed to mandate providers be open about their network management practices. This is critical not only to con-
A N D R E W L E WA N D OW S K I CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST
sumers but for innovation in the industry. The days of secret network deployment and autonomous management of networks will be a thing of the past. There’s a reason why the only wireless carrier choice for iPhones is AT&T with its spotty 3G network service. Meanwhile, Verizon Wireless has been busy deploying its next-generation 4G network but has yet to attract any musthave devices. Ironically, it’s because of the deregulation of the telecommunications industries championed during the Reagan administration in the 1980s that the current state of wired and wireless offerings is so lackluster. Special agreements can be made between hardware providers and carriers, as is the case of Apple’s iPhone and AT&T. Companies can dictate where their networks are built without oversight, leading to many monopolized markets. Such lack of competition will be history when the FCC’s regulatory principles are formally adopted. The FCC must go one step further to define Internet access as a legal right, not a privilege. The Internet has permanently changed the paradigm of communication. It has leveled the global playing field and fosters unprecedented opportunity for developing countries and citizens alike. Defining the Internet as an inalienable legal right is vital for citizens and democracy. Finland became the first country in the world to pass a law defining broadband access as a legal right. By July of next year, every Fin will have a right to one Megabit-per-second broadband connection. Such a connection may seem futile, but it’s the powerful concept that every single citizen will have access that is pioneering. That connection speed will increase to 100 Megabits-per-second by the end of 2015. A similar move on the part of the U.S. should be expected. The government, led
by the FCC, should categorize Internet access via broadband lines as a public utility. Including the Internet in the same category as gas, electricity and water will secure access to all Americans, and not just those living in urban areas. Broadband access is still lacking in much of rural America. Such utilities are integral to the infrastructure and function of everyday life. The Internet should be no different.
These principles are vital in protecting the Internet as a free and open system, ripe for innovation. The Internet is an organic and extremely dynamic platform that continues to redefine the way we communicate. We must embrace the principles of net neutrality to secure an open, accessible Internet while demanding our legal right to access it.
—Andrew Lewandowski is a media studies 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.
4 to 6% Member recruitment goal sent to active training for the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force this fiscal year:
164,000 Total active duty recruits sent to training for the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force this fiscal year:
169,000 Number of National Guard and reserve forces that sent recruits to training:
128,000
Unsafe abortions worldwide: Number of deaths each year from unsafe abortions:
70,000 Number of those deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa:
38,000 Unsafe abortions performed in 2003:
Obama neglecting LGBT rights
W
Positive correlation between military recruitment and unemployment:
Increase in Army enlistment:
“Finland became the first country in the world to pass a law defining broadband access as a legal right. By July of next year, every Fin will have a right to one Megabit-per-second broadband connection.”
FLAMING LIBERAL
ords are worth very little when they are not accompanied by action. Action is what the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community has been waiting to see from the Obama administration. President Barack Obama recently spoke to an excited group of LGBT activist at the Human Rights Campaign dinner. After winning the Nobel Peace Prize, what words did our leader have for this marginalized community? He believes “we can” and that “we will” transcend our differences and recognize our common hopes and dreams. He stated his commitment to “ensuring that committed gay couples have the same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country.” Yes, a year ago we could have held our breathes until we passed out hoping to hear our nation’s leader say those words, but things have changed a bit. Now we at least have a leader who is willing to placate us and tell us what we want to hear. However, the momentum behind these words is hard to see. Yes, he says same-sex couples should be given the same rights as married couples, but he did not say those rights should include marriage. He did not specifically say he supported marriage equality. This vagueness gives him the opportunity to fall back on domestic partnership rights, which he did mention during his speech. During his speech, Obama said he called upon Congress to pass the “Domestic
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
A L L A N AC E V E D O S TAT E O F M I N D E D I T O R
Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act.” This is not good enough. The LGBT community poured money and time into his campaign because of his promises for change. It is fair to say that Obama has done more for LGBT equality than past presidents, but it is still not enough. It is not enough because it is not all that he promised. While other presidents have done far less to advance LGBT equality, they haven’t promised to do more. Previous presidents have ignored our constituency group and not relied on our money or votes. Obama specifically targeted the LGBT community for both, promising something in return. We’re still waiting. Obama will be the true test of whether or not LGBT people maintain their Democratic leanings or look for a more progressive party to support. Obaman and Democrats in general, can’t keep relying on a strong LGBT base of support if they are not willing to stand up for marriage equality. Until then, all the speeches Obama, or anyone else gives are just pandering for support in hopes of securing future funds or votes. One good outcome of his presence and speech at the HRC dinner is LGBT issues remaining salient in homes across America. Never before has there been so much positive discussion of the LGBT identity in mass media. I know growing up gay, I had no positive portrayals of
LGBT people, history or events. It’s harder to deal with a social justice issue when we are isolated. Now we have the opportunity to continue the dialogue. Now we have the opportunity to listen to mainstream media show our nation’s leader talk positively about LGBT people. While talk is easy to come by and action is slow, even this mundane act brings about social change. Change will come as long as those who promised to continue the fight actually do so. Obama may be lacking in action, but that should not stop those who do support equality from voicing their support and also turn that support into action. The anger and momentum that was seen after the passing of Proposition 8 can’t be lost. People seem to have short-term memories and don’t remember the mistakes of the past. If we want Obama to act, we need to keep reminding him what he promised and make sure he knows we’re still watching and doing our own part to advance equality. It’s easy enough to blame Obama for not doing his part, but we each must do our own part as well.
—Allan Acevedo is a political science and comparative literature junior. —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.
41.6 million Women who live in a country with highly restrictive abortions laws:
40%
Southern California foreclosures and housing prices in September: Number of homes sold:
21,539 Homes sold that came from foreclosed homes:
40.4% Median Price of a home in San Diego:
$365,500
Foreclosures in San Diego:
35.3%
—Compiled by State of Mind Contributor Aileen Pantoja
STATE OF MIND
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Daily Aztec
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FAIR AND BALANCED
Obama prematurely awarded peace prize
MCT Campus
President Barack Obama holds a press conference after hearing news of his Nobel Peace Prize. Although he is not the first president to be awarded this prize, no one has ever received it so early in their term.
A
ll freshmen at San Diego State should immediately be awarded undergraduate degrees. Sure, they haven’t actually completed any units, but I hope this recognition inspires them to do great things in the future. Does this sound ridiculous to anyone? Well, this is essentially the logic employed by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in awarding President Barack Obama this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. And it is this methodology that has driven the once-prestigious award into irrelevancy, which is now nothing more than a means of advancing a particular political ideology. According to Alfred Nobel’s will, the peace prize winner, selected by a five-member panel appointed by the Norwegian government, should go “ to the person who shall have done
T U C K E R W INCELE S TA F F W R I T E R
the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses,” according to www.nobelprize.org. In the past, Nobel prize winners were people who, we could universally agree, had done something extraordinary — people such as George Marshall, who helped rebuild Europe after World War II and Mother Teresa, who dedicated her life to fighting sickness, hunger and poverty. But in recent years, the bestowing of the Nobel Peace Prize has simply been a way to reward people of a certain ideology. It goes to people such as Yasser Arafat, a known
terrorist who stole millions from his own people and perpetuated the conflict in Israel, Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency, who has been accused of withholding information on Iran’s nuclear program and Al Gore, who continues to make millions of dollars off an unverified and highly contested scientific theory of man-made climate change. Obama has certainly articulated and begun implementing his vision for peace, a vision which meshes perfectly with what the committee was looking for: Conciliation. Obama fits right in to this dubious group of people, perhaps even more so than most. After all, his actions and future intentions have created peace around the world, right? He’s creating peace in Israel through a unilateral disarmament
and contraction of the Jewish state without asking anything in return of the Palestinians. He’s creating peace in Iran by dragging out the negotiating process until it has nuclear weapons and we cannot attack. And he’s creating peace with Russia by removing our missile defenses in Eastern Europe. When people blame America for the world’s problems, assume all conflicts can be solved by dialogue and detest American dominance, then all recent recipients are beyond deserving. But for those of us who see America as a force for good, that understand there is evil in this world that needs to be confronted, and know an Americandominated world based on freedom and liberty is infinitely better than the alternative, we should start to question the honor we give recipients of this award.
“Fraternity between nations” does not mean submitting to the will of tyrants and despots. Creating peace does not mean legitimizing and making concessions to those threatening your way of life. Unfortunately for the rest of us, the panel doesn’t see it this way. So until the selection committee detaches itself from its political meddling, it should be left to fade into irrelevancy.
—Tucker Wincele is a political science and economics junior. —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.
LETTERS SDSU diversity will suffer with admissions changes Sarah Grieco wrote that SDSU’s changes in admission policy are “necessary, not to mention positive,” in her column “Good call, Weber” on Sept. 29. While I agree that changes are necessary, I respectfully dissent from her adamant stance that the changes will prove to be positive. The measures taken by President Weber and his administration will damage one of SDSU’s redeeming qualities: student body diversity. According to SDSU’s NewsCenter, in Fall 2004, only 27% of our first-time freshmen were local, and 39.1% were students of color, whereas in Fall 2007, 38.6% were local and 44.9% were students of color and in Fall 2008, 54% were local and
49.3% were students of color. This fall, 50.5% are students of color. By cutting access to local students, SDSU’s diversity will surely take a hit. The diversity of SDSU’s student body provides students a tremendous opportunity to live, interact and learn with and from a student population that is representative of the increasingly globalized market and workforce. Ms. Grieco stated that such changes will bring about “more equality within the student body.” Surely, such a point could be valid if we could just make the following assumptions: that every high school and their respective faculties are equal, that grade inflation / deflation does not exist, that every student comes from the same socioeconomic background, and that equality is suf-
ficiently ensured by GPA and SAT scores. Furthermore, she goes on to state that the approved changes are “good for everyone except those not willing to work hard to get an education.” I am disappointed that a fellow Aztec can have such a shallow point of view. —Rex Brown Jr., management senior
AB 656 false hope In response to Sarah Kovash's article “New option for funding crisis” on Oct. 13: Assemblymember Alberto Torrico was here on campus last week campaigning for his miracle bill that will close the gap in the higher education budget and not cost Californians a penny. That is as long as you are not an oil company nor do you work for one or
buy any of their products like gasoline. His proposed legislation, AB 656, will tax oil companies to the tune of $1 billion in order to close the gap in the CSU, UC and community college budgets. And like any good business, (they) will just take a hit in their profit rather than raising prices right? Wrong. Torrico’s solution: to legislate oil companies can’t raise the price of gasoline, is impractical. Telling oil companies that they are going to have to cough up $1 billion more in taxes without making up that money somewhere doesn’t make sense. The fact is that there will be a loophole in the legislation that will mean in the long run the average Californian will pay for the oil tax whenever we have to go gas up at the pump. Don't hide the tax, put it out there and
raise the funds through the sales tax. Allow the people of California see what we are really going to be charged rather than hiding it in an oil tax, which will be passed on (to) the consumer. Sir, face up to the behemoth you've helped create in the form of the California State government. Don't keep thinking that AB 656 will save the education system without any costs to the people of California. Stop living in the fantasyland of AB 656 and face the fact that a tax on the oil companies of California will not solve the budget crisis, nor fix the situation we are in without putting $1 billion of tax indirectly on the people of the Golden State. —M i c h a e l K e m m e r, international business freshman
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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
The Daily Aztec
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Feeding hungry minds across the world FR ANCIS R
D E LA
CRUZ
CONTRIBUTOR
Donating money is not easy for most people, even if it is for a good cause. But a San Diego State professor is doing something different for charity despite the economic strain. It does not involve giving away money, but giving away books. Dr. Peter Larlham, professor in the School of Theatre, Television and Film is collecting used books to start a library for his former elementary school in central East Africa. Located in Kongwa, Tanzania, Mnyakongo School consists of 800 pupils from ages 7 to 12. The school does not have the amenities one would normally see in regular elementary schools here in the U.S. It doesn’t have computers, an abundance of tables or even electricity, all of which are vital resources for learning. According to Larlham, he started this project primarily because of President Barack Obama’s inauguration speech. “I remember (what) the president said about feeding hungry minds,” Larlham said. “We need to reach out to other countries and help them.” But Larlham’s inspiration ultimately came when he and his wife went back to the school in October of last year for his 50-year reunion with his classmates from Mnyakongo. The experience helped him realize that he needs to give something back to Africa. “When I went back, people were so nice,” Larlham said. “They performed songs and danced for us and we just wept.” Larlham was very proud to say that his old classroom still exists. He said his former
classmates are also doing something meaningful to give back to their elementary school. Larlham believes that creating a library for the school and the students is the best way to give something long-lasting back. “Rather than giving money, give something tangible like books,” Larlham said. “Something the children can experience.” With this book drive, Larlham hopes to collect books that are appropriate for children’s education. He needs dictionaries, encyclopedias, picture storybooks or anything else that would help the children expand their knowledge. Although English is the students’ second language, Mnyakongo assured Larlham that English is the “lingua franca” of Africa and the donated books would serve as a powerful learning resource for the elementary students at Mnyakongo. So far, Larlham has collected at least 4,000 books that are kept in a secured room. Despite the number of collected books, Larlham said he thinks his project can definitely be expanded if he is able to reach more people. He is looking for people who can help him get the word out, promote the project around campus and send out e-mails. Recently, a student dropped off a suitcase full of books to be added to Larlham’s collection. Larlham, along with student and faculty volunteers from SDSU, will send the books collected in January of next year to make sure it gets to Kongwa by May, which is when the project is expected to be finished. For donations or more information about being a part of this book drive, contact Larlham directly at plarlham@mail.sdsu.edu.
Bryan Koci / Staff Photographer
Dr. Larlham shows off some of the books he plans to donate to his former elementary school. Inspired by Obama’s inauguration speech, Larlham aims to give back to his alma mater with the gift of reading.
Bryan Koci / Staff Photographer
In helping create a library for Mnyakongo School in Tanzania, Larlham believes he will be giving students a much more valuable gift than money. With 4,000 books to date, Larlham still hopes to collect even more, including anything from dictionaries, picture books, novels or any literature that could be used at an elementary school. He is continuing to accept donations with plans to have the project completed by next year.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
The Daily Aztec
5
An auction win leads to a castle sleepover Carol Schreiber, the nonprofit’s chief executive officer, said the special overnight opportunity was in recognition of 50 years of public access for the estate, set up as a state historical monument in 1958. Proceeds from the winning bid went toward public education and preservation and restoration of the site’s many antiquities and pieces of art, she said.
“ It was definitely a lot of money, but spread out over 10 of us. They were really, really great hosts. We were pampered more than we were used to.” — Jay Hagan, CEO of DriveSavers
MCT Campus
The nonprofit Friends of Hearst Castle organized the fundraiser that allowed people to win a two-night stay at newspaper icon William Randolph Hearst’s castle in San Simeon. A group of friends pooled together almost $30,000 and won the extravagant weekend sleepover, complete with the royal treatment.
J I M S T A AT S MCT CAMPUS
What’s $27,266 among friends? If you’re Jay and Dana Hagan and a few of your closest friends, it’s the amount needed for an overnight stay at venerable Hearst Castle on California’s central coast. The Kentfield couple and four other couples ponied up that much to win an auction last year for a two-day extravaganza organized as a fundraiser for the nonprofit Friends of Hearst Castle.
The Hagans and their friends began their ultra-exclusive visit with a private tour of the showpiece San Simeon mansion of former publishing mogul William Randolph Hearst. The day included an hour-long dip in the massive Neptune Pool, cocktails on the terrace, a round of billiards and a catered dinner. The Hagans, who put up the largest chunk of money at a little more than $10,000, then took a moonlit stroll in the gardens before becoming the first members of the public to have a Castle sleepover in more than 50 years. Their friends were put up at a nearby luxury ranch estate.
“They put on an amazing show,” Jay Hagan, 51, CEO of DriveSavers, a Novato data recovery firm said. “It was definitely a lot of money, but spread out over 10 of us,” he said. “They were really, really great hosts. We were pampered more than we were used to.” Hagan said soon after he learned of the auction taking place in September 2008, he proposed the money-pooling idea to a group of friends who’d vacationed together for years. “It was for a great cause,” he said. “All except one of the couples had already been to Hearst so we knew how cool it was.”
The Hagans took in a gourmet breakfast on the sun porch the next day before joining the rest of the group for a wine-tasting tour on the central coast. Schreiber said about 25 parties bid on the overnight stay, many doing so remotely using eBay, as Hagan did. She said she was “disappointed” by the final tally because she thought the overnight extravaganza would fetch a higher price. “Jay knew he was able to stay in the bidding because the economy had just gone south,” Schreiber said. “I’m very grateful they hung in there.” She said the nonprofit hoped to make the overnight an annual occasion, but would take a break this year “to allow a recovery for the economy” before starting up again next year. Asked if the adventure was worth the price, Hagan said “absolutely.” “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Organization gets a facelift with the help of doctors J O H N P. GA M B OA S TA F F W R I T E R
For San Diego State students looking to spend their Spring Break helping people, there is a choice available right on campus. Last year, SDSU alumnus Jimmy Camacho started a new chapter for the nationwide organization called Global Brigades. In its inaugural year, Camacho took a handful of SDSU students to Honduras during Spring Break to team up and help solve water issues in the area. The Water Brigades aided a small rural community in one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Students irrigated land for agriculture and helped those in need while other students took leisurely vacations to tropical paradises. A new school year meant new changes and a new adventure for those who want to help others for the SDSU chapter of Global Brigades. The organization is going to take students to Honduras from January 11 to 17 of next year. Three new brigades have started, focusing on medical, public health and business aid to not only Honduras, but Panama as well. “We want to take passionate students down to Honduras and Panama,” Greg Clark, president of the SDSU Global Brigades chapter, said. “It was really an eye-opening experience; I want everyone else to experience this. We want to get out of the classroom and experience it in real life.” With the addition of new brigades, Clark said he must restructure the organization. “Last year it was Jimmy doing everything,” Clark said, “We are now turning it into an actual structured organization.” Camacho believes that although the work was difficult, it was more than worth it. “It was a large task, especially for a student like myself that went to class, then home and then to work,” Camacho, who graduated and returned to his home island of Guam, said. “I had absolutely no involvement in student life
outside of the classroom. Although it required a lot of effort, the work was rewarding.” With the several brigades, each will focus on a different village, Clark said. One requirement for the chapter’s fiveyear commitment to its village under the Medical Brigades is to bring licensed physicians with them, Clark said. He said student involvement is the one way the organization can differ from others. “We are completely student-run,” Clark said. “We are required to have three licensed physicians. We got two local doctors and one from Colorado. We had to find them on our own.” According to Clark, when students go to Panama or Honduras they won’t be there to give aid or relief. Liam Ferguson, one of the presidents of the Medical Brigades, said they will bring four doctors, one paramedic and 25 student volunteers.
“A Medical Brigade consists of dedicated student volunteers, doctors, pharmacists and nurses providing health care to these communities,” Ferguson said. “The group functions like a mobile medical unit, setting up small clinics to diagnose and treat patients at no cost. “From intake to triage, medical consultations to prescription filling, the group experiences multiple facets of the medical profession under the guidance of licensed medical professionals.” Raising money is extremely important in order to accomplish these goals. “We are currently fundraising for medicine, medical supplies and other various trip costs,” Ferguson said. Their purpose is ensuring that those they help can become self-sufficient and have the proper knowledge to succeed, whether it is
with micro-financing and micro-loans or how to turn an idea into a business with the proper means. After graduation, Clark said he sees himself continuing to help others, either with the Peace Corps or full-time employment. For those people looking to party in Honduras or Panama, look elsewhere. “We really are going down to help people,” Clark said. “It’s not working one day and five days of kicking it on the beach.” The cost of the entire trip, including airfare, lodging and food is approximately $1,300. No visas are required for entry into Honduras, only an updated passport. The dates for Panama have yet to be finalized. For more information on the organization, e-mail Greg Clark at glclark@globalbrigades.org.
Courtesy of Jimmy Camacho
The SDSU chapter of the Global Brigades organization has expanded to include the new medical, public health and business brigades. The group provides aid to impoverished communities in Honduras and Panama.The organization is being restructured to ensure that each of the new brigades provide the necessary aid.
6
The Daily Aztec
SPORTS
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
ICE HOCKEY
MEN’S SOCCER
Aztecs knock off No. San Jose State next 6 California at home for SDSU ice hockey D AN P E R E Z S TA F F W R I T E R
The scene was all too familiar: a one-goal lead stolen away in the final minutes of regulation, forcing overtime against a nationally ranked team because of a controversial call. The crowd at the SDSU Sports Deck held its breath in the 88th minute of the San Diego State men’s soccer team’s game against No. 6 California as referee Miguel Chicas blew his whisSDSU 2 tle. The call was a foul on redshirt senior triCALIFORNIA 1 captain midfielder Jamel Wallace in SDSU’s (4-4-4) own box, resulting in a penalty kick for the Bears. The Aztecs would watch their 1-0 lead vanish as Cal’s A.J. Soares converted on the kick, slipping the ball into the left post just past redshirt junior goalkeeper Brad Byrns. “It was a bit devastating,” Wallace said. “I guess I kind of lost focus and I couldn’t believe the whistle blew, and it was tough. To see our lead disappear again was disheartening. But we deserve this game and we weren’t going to let that play take that away from us.” SDSU headed into overtime for a fifth straight game with a record of 0-2-2, with the most recent outcome of overtime being a loss to No. 16 Stanford. But in overtime there was something different about the Aztecs; they were aggressive and they pushed the ball, unlike in previous overtime periods.
SDSU outshot Cal 9-3 in the second half, and continued to bring the same intensity that earned it the lead earlier in the game. “We wanted this, we just, want this win,” junior forward Raymundo Reza said. “When we entered overtime, we knew what we had to do. We knew where we had to put the ball, and we were going to get this win.” The Aztecs and Bears fought and attacked throughout the entire overtime period, leaving no team with a clear advantage. However, in the final minute of the period, Reza was able to control the ball off a goal kick from Byrns. Reza, who had scored SDSU’s first goal in the second half, sent the ball ahead to senior midfielder Daniel Ortega. Ortega dribbled down the right side of the box and fired the ball to the goal where it was directed in by freshman midfielder Morgan Sacco. “When that ball went in all I was thinking was that the ball was going in anyway, I was just stealing Ortega’s goal,” Sacco said. “It felt really good to see that ball touch the back of the net. And to get this win we did nothing but fight for (it) all day, that was the best part.” As the Aztecs witnessed the ball wrinkle the net, the crowd was on its feet and the team had surrounded Sacco, making sure he was not celebrating by himself. “Good and solid, that’s what this win was,” head coach Lev Kirshner said. “We deserved this; we battled, we clawed and we overcame controversy. This win just simply feels earned.”
Nicholas Santiago / Staff Photographer
Nigel Schroeder handles the puck in a recent home game. The San Diego State ice hockey team is now 4-6 after a two-game sweep at the hands of a Division I Arizona State team last weekend in Arizona.
P HIL GI O R I S TA F F W R I T E R
Chris Wolfinger had just made it. He was playing in his first college hockey game as a freshman against UNLV for the San Diego State ice hockey team. But when the game was finished, so were at least the next couple of months for Wolfinger. On Sept. 26 at Iceoplex in Escondido, Wolfinger was hit with about five minutes to play in the third period. His skate dug into the ice and his legs twisted, causing his left knee to pop out. After the game, Wolfinger was taken to the emergency room on a stretcher before doctors were finally able to pop his knee back into its proper position. “My family and I were going back and forth on surgery, but decided to let it heal on its own,” Wolfinger said. “I have been seeing the trainer for the past couple weeks while trying to get back into game shape as soon as possible.” Immediately following the hit, Wolfinger went down writhing in pain. When the play was blown dead, UNLV’s head coach Rob Pallin yelled at Wolfinger to get up, calling him weak in a more offensive manner.
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
The whole team was ignited with passion for revenge following the injury, especially after SDSU fell to the Rebels 4-3. “There will be some definite tension between our teams” senior forward Phillip Wong said. “I expect the scoring to be extremely close, but with more hits, more penalties and maybe a couple fisticuffs.” While UNLV and Wolfinger will have to wait for a later date, the Aztecs are focused on their next challenge, San Jose State. SDSU will play host to San Jose for the first time of the season this weekend. The Aztecs are prepared for the Spartans after hitting the road to play Arizona State last weekend. ASU is in a higher division than SDSU and proved a worthy opponent, outlasting the Aztecs in two games. Regardless, SDSU played tough all weekend. “We played well this weekend,” senior forward Ben Nicoll said. “Team morale is still high and we are pumped to play next weekend.” The Aztecs look to keep up their intensity for this weekend and improve their current 46 record. ASU improved to 8-0 on the season, and SJSU 5-2 is next.
SPONSORED BY
FOR SDSU MEN’S SOCCER 11
Overtime periods SDSU has played this season
2
Overtime goals for the Aztecs on the year
3
Red cards called on SDSU this season
4
Goals this season for team-leaders Raymundo Reza and Evan Toft
27
Shots taken by Reza this season, also a team-high
49
Saves by goalkeeper Brad Byrns this year
16
Goals allowed by Byrns
6
Games remaining on the Aztecs’ regular season schedule
Bryan Koci / Staff Photographer
Freshman midfielder Morgan Sacco kicked the winning goal against Cal on Sunday at the SDSU Sports Deck. It was the fifth consecutive overtime game for the Aztecs and the first in that series they had won.
Advanced Test Preparation
Advanced Test Preparation
Score Higher, Aztecs!
Tuesday October 20, 2009
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The Daily Aztec
DAILY HOROSCOPE
HUMOR: PATI’S TAKES
Life after Facebook: a how-to
F
or the past few months, I have been living in a shack made out of particle board and plastic. Every surface has been painted white to hide the marks of a shady past that I’m sure includes the manufacturing and selling of crack cocaine. I pay almost $600 a month to live without insulation, locks on the doors or working electricity. It is Pacific Beach-chic on its best days, but most of the time it’s a labyrinth of a nightmare with spontaneous combustions from random electrical outlets and exploding oven pilot lights that leave my roommate covered in second-degree burns. True story. Considering this little real estate anecdote, and the list of potential lawsuits I can file against my landlord, it is no surprise this termite-infested hut does not have cable or Internet. Most of the time, we can steal some service bars from our neighbors, but last week was the first time I experienced the isolation of being completely detached from the World Wide Web. I couldn’t find Internet connection while sitting in any of the rooms in the “house.” I nestled up so close to my neighbor’s fence, trying to check who in God’s name was trying to
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
PAT R I C I A B . DW Y E R S TA F F C O L U M N I S T
friend request me on Facebook. After a half hour of straddling weeds and battling spiders, I gave up. All was lost. There would be no online chatting tonight. There would be no Hulu. I said all sorts of words any respectable adult would be surprised to hear come out of my mouth. I’m sure the neighbors heard, but I think I wanted them to. In my fit of rage, I imagined they were Internet pirates hoarding all of their connections, just to stick it to the young girls living next door. I pictured them holding all of the bars in their grimy hands and laughing at my technological dismay. I laid on the couch listlessly, trying to remember my life before television and the Internet. What do people do? How does one pass the hours after school and before dark? The ocean was flat, the liquor cabinet was emptier than my wallet and I never seem to have homework these days. After my fretful brainstorming session, I decided to go for a walk: a begrudging trek around the northern Pacific Beach area.
Well friends, if you were ever wondering what to do between the hours of your last afternoon class and before the bustling nightlife begins, I recommend watching the sunset. Watching the pink and orange colors shoot from the sun like fingers trying to catch their last dying grasp on the opposite side of the hemisphere, reminded me that I haven’t watched a sunset since school started. It is during those hours that I am usually comatose from a long day of laborious studies, laying on my bed, pecking away on my keyboard and talking to some friends from back home. So there I was, standing by myself, slack-jawed at what happens every day but I had dismissed as noteworthy months ago. And it is at this point in the story that I will abstain from writing some preachy sentences about distancing yourself from technology to experience the world around you, but you know what I’m thinking.
BY LINDA C. BLACK, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (10/20/09) Now is the time for you to share your wisdom with teachers and students. Co-workers appreciate the details you provide. Be sure you offer at least two alternatives that you can live with.Then, let someone else choose. ARIES (March 21 - April 19) - Today is an 8 - Intuitive insights flow into words with very little effort. Build bridges between people. Success follows. TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - Today is a 9 - Listen to your heart first.Then listen to what other people say. Finally, say what you're going to do. GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - Today is an 8 Hot time in the old town tonight! Limit alcohol for best effect. Rent a great roadtrip movie. CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 7 Don't try to get anything from anyone except information.You need it, and you find that you thrive when you have it. LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 9 Make hay while the sun shines! Today you can move forward independently with just about any project. VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is a 7 -
Get the news out there! This is no time to drag your feet when it comes to telling people how things are. LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is an 8 This is the day to make fantasies real.Talk to the right people early and get them moving in the desired direction. SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 6 - Expect surprises from every corner. No one seems clear about what they want. Ask questions. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is a 7 - Thoughts are things. Use your thoughts effectively and turn them into money. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is an 8 - The problem today (if there is one) is focus. Work on one project in private. Share progress later. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is a 7 - You've explored the subject deeply enough to express ideas. People agree with your premise if not the specifics. PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 6 Everything you say can and will be used against you. Be sure you mean exactly what you say. © 2009,TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.
—Patricia B. Dwyer is a journalism junior. —This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.
LOOKING THROUGH OUR LENS
SUDOKU
BY THE MEPHAM GROUP
Level:
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.
Solution available online at www.TheDailyAztec.com © 2009 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.
CROSSWORD
FLIGHT OF THE SEAGULLS Staff Photographer Nicholas santiago captured a flock of seagulls in motion as it took off in flight at a local beach.
ACROSS 1 Modify to fit 6 Nile bird 10 Early late-night host Jack 14 __-Bismol 15 It smells 16 Golden Fleece ship 17 Devoured every bit of 18 Coke or Pepsi 19 “Peter Pan” pirate 20 Suffering writer’s block 23 Color gradation 24 “Days of __ Lives” 25 One of the Musketeers 28 Paintings by dadaist Max 30 Really little 32 Sport __: family vehicle 33 Is bratty 35 “Do it, or __!” 36 Suffering writer’s block 41 Open fields 42 Modeling session activity 43 Frequently, to a poet 44 Docking spot 46 Black Sea resort 50 Offers from a genie 52 Small bill 53 Favored student 54 Suffering writer’s block 58 Pinza of “South Pacific” 60 Space-saving abbr. 61 Many sculptures 62 Parking lot fillers 63 Complexion problem 64 Krupp Works city 65 Decides 66 Letters after pi
EDITED BY RICH NORRIS AND JOYCE LEWIS
Solution available online at www.TheDailyAztec.com 67 Color-coded Monopoly cards DOWN 1 Geronimo’s tribe 2 Route around the construction area 3 Ancestors in Darwin’s theory 4 Spitter’s sound 5 Exceptional 6 Acquire, as liabilities 7 Cartoon flapper Betty 8 Maui, for one 9 Sailor 10 Carbo-loader’s choice 11 Military mascot 12 It goes before
beauty, so they say 13 __ v. Wade: 1973 Supreme Court decision 21 Enthusiasm 22 Get too personal 26 “__ sin to tell ...” 27 Witnesses 29 Get fresh with 30 Henry Higgins, to Eliza 31 NYSE debuts 34 Apartment house manager, slangily 35 Periphery 36 Go with the __ 37 Strategy for reducing loan payments, briefly 38 Admits an embarrassing error
39 “Shrek” ogress 40 Obligated to repay a loan 44 Split __ soup 45 “Cross my heart” 47 Few and far between 48 Became vaguely aware of 49 Diet guru who wouldn’t have recommended 10-Down 51 Reform Party founder Perot 52 Looks boldly at 55 Rash symptom 56 Prefix with second 57 Get beaten 58 Earth-friendly prefix 59 Reheat, nowadays