02-21-2013

thursday, feb 21, 2013

volume 99, issue 75

& S L O L F A T B B E A S L A L B Preview

cover & special content design: damian luna

2 | NEWS

Volume 99, issue 75 | Thursday, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

CSU revamps AA degree for transfer students

state Stephanie Saccente Senior Staff Writer

The California State University system partnered up with California Community Colleges to ensure success for graduates.

Once community college students have met the general education and major requirements for the transfer associate degree, they are guaranteed a spot at a CSU school, according to the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act (SB 1440).

California Community Colleges Deputy Chancellor Erik Skinner said in September 2010, SB 1440 was established to create clear pathways for transfer students between California Community Colleges and the CSU systems.

In addition to guaranteeing access to the CSU system, the bill minimizes the need to take extra lower division courses when applying to multiple CSUs because all school admission requirements will be the same.

Skinner also said transfer students to CSU campuses often find they have to retake courses they already took as community college students. He said this will no longer be an issue.

“Those inefficiencies of both the lower division and the upper division were corrected through Senate Bill 1440 and therefore, this initiative is going to achieve significant efficiencies in both systems,” Skinner said at a media briefing yesterday.

The California Community Colleges Board of Governors established a goal of having 80 percent of all majors covered by the

The California State University system is teaming up with California Community Colleges to create AA degrees that will ensure an easy transfer for the CC graduates. This new transfer pathway began in Sept. 2010 and is now gaining support.

transfer associate degrees by Fall 2013 and 100 percent of them covered by 2014.

“While there is still significant work ahead, I think it’s safe to say that this transfer reform is on its way to implementation,” Skinner said. “California students are going to be the primary

beneficiaries of this both because of the ease of transfer through the statewide streamline pathways and the additional access that is going to be established at the CSU and the community college levels.”

ADegreeWithAGuarantee.com was launched last fall to provide

students a comprehensive site to learn more about the transfer associate degree program. CSU Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Ephraim Smith said ADegreeWithAGuarntee.com was launched in order to provide students with information on how to apply, the transfer

thinkstock

majors available and the overall process.

Officials from California Community Colleges and CSUs estimate that reducing the reform will serve 40,000 more community college students and 13,000 more CSU students per year.

SDSU adds new minor Controversy follows Dorner death campus Hannah Beausang Senior Staff Writer

San Diego State College of Business Administration will become one of a select few U.S. schools to feature an interdisciplinary minor in entrepreneurship.

In Fall 2013, SDSU will offer an entrepreneurship minor to all undergraduate students. The minor’s purpos is to unite academic minds from across the campus and give students the chance to collaborate their skills developed by different majors.

SDSU business administration senior Gregg Anderson is the senior vice president of the SDSU Entrepreneur Society. Anderson believes the major will be a key asset to the school and hopes to see continual growth in the program. He has started two businesses and feels the entrepreneurship minor program will directly contribute to student success.

“Thirty years ago, entrepreneurship wasn’t even considered a field in academia … Now it’s being introduced as a minor campus-wide,” Anderson said. “It’s a huge win for people who understand that they don’t have to be job seekers, they can be job creators.”

SDSU Department Management associate professor Congcong Zheng has worked with several other professors to bring the minor to SDSU. Zheng notes the importance of the minor and the challenges associated with introducing it.

“It’s not easy to break down the barrier in the academic field to have this across-campus minor,” Zheng said.

SDSU already provides several key resources to help students cultivate real-world, innovative plans. The SDSU Lavin Entrepreneur Center offers internship placement programs that provide students with hands-on experience as well as fellowships that pair students with mentors to help establish working businesses. The Zahn Center for Technological Innovation provides a think tank to connect students. The SDSU Entrepreneur Society, open to any major, attempts to welcome a broad range of students to build entrepreneurial competency in students, foster ideas and bridge the gap between majors to create foundations built upon shared knowledge.

SDSU management associate professor Lawrence Rhyne believes the minor will be a practical tool for students.

“A lot of our students are looking at careers with the idea that they aren’t going to be working for someone, but that they will start their own company,” Rhyne said. “They have ideas and they need to turn them into a product.”

SDSU is a marketplace for ideas.

SDSU alumnus Thom McElroy helped create the popular action sports company Volcom. Currently, SDSU entrepreneurs are creating a site called Jobioz, a site similar to LinkedIn, tailored specifically to connecting students with careers.

Many entrepreneurs stem from SDSU, now there is a minor that can enhance the skills of these naturalborn leaders.

national Tara Millspaugh News Editor

Even though the manhunt for former Los Angeles police officer Christopher Dorner came to its fatal ending, controversy still persists.

According to the autopsy report by the Riverside County coroner’s office, Dorner’s cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the head. The origin of the gunshot wound is still under investigation.

Dorner, who was fired from the LAPD, wrote in his manifesto it was because the department was racist toward him. He also cited

An online video game called, “Chris Dorner’s Last Stand” depicts Dorner as an American hero rather than a criminal. several other ethical issues he witnessed.

LAPD police chief Charlie Beck said in a press conference Tuesday that the reputations of the department and those listed in Dorner’s manifesto are at risk.

“We are only as good as the public thinks we are,” Beck said.

Right now, some of the public doesn’t support the LAPD. Immediately after the manhunt for Dorner began, Facebook pag-

Supporters of Dorner stand outside LAPD holding up signs. The manhunt for Dorner ended on Feb. 12.

es appeared that criticized the LAPD and supported Dorner.

An online video game called, “Chris Dorner’s Last Stand” depicts Dorner as an American hero rather than a criminal.

The main character is Dorner, and the way to win is by shooting cops around an area resembling Big Bear.

This week, about a dozen people stood outside of LAPD headquarters holding signs supporting Dorner.

Beck said these types of demonstrations suggest the public is unsure of his department.

“If we don’t have public confidence, we can’t provide public safety,” Beck said.

Now people are questioning who

irfan khan /los angeles times /mct

receives the $1 million dollar reward offered by the city of Los Angeles for Dorner’s arrest.

Dorner was supposed to be arrested and convicted before the reward was given, but he died before the police could make an arrest.

The Huffington Post reported that if any money were to be given to anyone, it would be Jim and Karen Reynolds, the couple tied up and held hostage by Dorner in Big Bear. The Reynolds were the first people to inform the police of Dorner’s whereabouts.

According to The Huffington Post, it’s not up to the city to decide who receives the bounty, but a group of 20 committees who put forth the money for the reward in the first place.

nEWS | 3

Thursday, february 21, 2013 | Volume 99, issue 75

Higgs boson could predict the universe’s end

will nye the science guy

Will Houston Staff Writer

Mentally grasping the size of the universe in its ever-expanding vastness is no easy feat for a human being, but to know that one day it may have an ultimate and unavoidable end may be even harder to grasp.

Now, less than a year after its discovery at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, scientists are claiming the long sought Higgs boson may answer questions of how the universe came to be and how it will eventually end.

Joseph Lykken, a theoretical physicist at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Ill. and a lead scientist at the LHC, announced the doomsday prediction while presenting his data at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Boston.

“It may be that the universe we live in is inherently unstable,” Lykken said during the meeting. “At some point billions of years from now, it’s all going to get wiped out.”

The discovery of the Higgs boson particle has yet to be confirmed by CERN, as calculations are still ongoing. But, so far, they are heading in the right direction. The Higgs boson is a particle scientists have long believed gives matter its mass.

If confirmed to be a Higgs boson, it would validate the widely used Standard Model of physical particles and the possible end to our cosmos.

University College London professor Jonathan Butterworth stands next to a model of the Large Hadron Collider.

Scientists believe they may have captured a particle that can predict the end of the universe.

In order for the calculations to be correct and valid, the mass of the Higgs particle must be within 1 percent, along with the precise mass of other relevant subatomic particles.

“This calculation tells you that many tens of billions of years from now, there’ll be a catastrophe,” Lykken explained, “A little bubble

of what you might think of as an ‘alternative’ universe will appear somewhere and then it will expand out and destroy us.”

Lykken’s predicted end would occur at the speed of light, but Earth will likely not exist at the time of the event. Physicists predict that in 4.5 billion years, the sun will expand

into a Red Giant that will engulf the Earth along with its history. From there, our particles will be recycled into the universe and take many new forms before the end.

CERN’s LHC is currently shut down for repairs and enhancements, but is scheduled to reopen again in 2015. We may know the true fate

stefan rosseau /pa wire /abaca press /mct

of our universe before then. Some may view this prediction as a morbid outcome, knowing that nothing can last infinitely. However, this end can be seen in a different light, one where humans will share the same, predestined end as the cosmos that granted our existence and consciousness.

4 | Baseball Preview

Volume 99, issue 75 | Thursday, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Zier grows from Aztec hopeful to Aztec leader baseball

Alex Riggins Staff Writer

ted in and a run scored. He followed that up going two for five with two RBIs and a run scored in the Aztecs’ 4-2 victory against USD on Saturday night.

While his stellar play on the diamond has made it abundantly clear that he’s playing the right sport, Zier said that playing soccer and football while growing up has only helped him to become a better baseball player. That was never clearer than in a game on June 24, 2011 in the Alaska Baseball League, a collegiate summer league for top amateur prospects.

“I hit a groundball in the hole and I was running to first and it was a high throw,” Zier said, recalling how the throw pulled the first baseman Cael Brockmeyer off the bag and toward the first-base line. “He was huge, probably 6 foot 5, and he jumped up to get it. His knee just hit me right in my sternum and bruised my whole sternum. I was knocked out for a while and went to the hospital.”

Did that collision, which sidelined him for a week, cause him to pause the next time he ran toward first?

Surely it was somewhere in the back of his mind?

“No,” Zier said. “It’s part of the game and playing football growing up helped me to be fearless. You just have to go out and play the game how it’s played every day.”

Spending summers playing against other top amateur prospects in summer leagues across the country have become the norm for Zier. He played in 2010 with the San Diego Waves of the National Baseball Congress, in 2011 with the Mat-Su Miners of the Alaska Baseball League and in 2012 with Wisconsin’s Eau Claire Express in the Northwoods League.

Many current and former Major League Baseball players have honed their skills in college and in the collegiate summer leagues, a path Zier hopes to follow as well.

“That’s all of our dream here,” Zier said. “Once you get to this level of college baseball, if you don’t have dreams of playing at the next level, then why are you here?”

But before he focuses on playing professional baseball or anything past this year, he still has a lot he wants to accomplish this season with his Aztec teammates.

“Right now, I’m just focused on having a good year here and helping our team win some games,” Zier said.

He’s not the only person to believe SDSU will win a lot of games this year. Conference coaches picked the Aztecs to finish second in the conference behind the University of New Mexico.

“It’s nice to have recognition and all that. But honestly, I just want us

to keep going on with all the success that San Diego State has had. We already have four or five sports that have won conference,” Zier said.

“So we just want to follow the other sports’ footsteps and finally have a winning season and some success here as a baseball program. We re-

When San Diego State junior second baseman Tim Zier stepped into the batter’s box in the top of the first inning Friday night in the opening game at the University of San Diego’s Fowler Park, he officially began his third season as an Aztec.

But Zier, an Escondido native and 2010 graduate of Escondido High School, says he’s been an Aztec a lot longer than that.

“Growing up, it was always a dream to play here,” Zier said before practice last Wednesday. “I used to come to the games as a little kid, and my uncle Freddy (Keiaho) played football here. I always felt like I was an Aztec growing up.”

While a freshman and sophomore in high school, Zier emailed SDSU assistant coach Mark Martinez to let him know he was interested in playing baseball for the Aztecs. When SDSU started reciprocating the interest his junior year, there was no doubt in his mind where he would commit.

“It wasn’t really a question,” Zier said. “It was easy for me.”

Zier played shortstop at Escondido High, but when he arrived on campus his freshman year, SDSU coaches moved him to second base in order to get his bat in the lineup. It’s a move that has paid off for head coach Tony Gwynn and his staff; Zier has played so well his first two seasons and was voted by Mountain West Conference coaches to the 2013 preseason allconference team.

During his freshman season in 2011, Zier led the team with 68 hits and batted .358 with a .419 on-base percentage in 31 games while batting leadoff. He started in 54 of the Aztecs’ 57 games in 2011, including 34 starts at second base, 19 in left field and one at third base.

As a sophomore in 2012, Zier led the team with a .318 batting average and hit 11 doubles, while scoring 31 runs and collecting 32 RBIs. His 21game hitting streak from Apr. 3 to May 11 was the longest by an SDSU player since current Detroit Tigers outfielder Quintin Berry’s 27-game hit streak for the Aztecs in 2005.

Similar to Gwynn when he played for the San Diego Padres, Zier is a singles and doubles hitter rather than a middle-of-the-order power hitter.

Playing for Gwynn, who is a member of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, has been a dream come true for Zier.

“I grew up going to games at Qualcomm, so Gwynn was always an idol of mine,” Zier said. “He’s probably the best hitter to ever play the game. I try to not to take it for granted. It’s a real blessing to have him as your hitting coach and head coach overall.”

Gwynn says it’s also a blessing to have center fielder Greg Allen and Zier hitting at the top of his lineup.

“Allen and Zier really set the table,” Gwynn said following his team’s 8-1 victory against No. 12 USD on Friday night in the season opener. “Today, they got to hit with guys in scoring position and they did a really good job.”

In his first at-bat with Allen on first base after hitting a single, Zier roped a ball hard down the third-base line and into the left-field corner. Allen came all the way around from first base to score and Zier stood on second base with two new records–the first extra-base hit and first RBI in Fowler Park history.

Zier finished the season opener going three for five with three runs bat- Junior second baseman Tim Zier prepares during his at-bat against the University of San Diego.

ally deserve it, we all work hard and it’s bound to happen.”

Zier also has a message for SDSU baseball fans: “No matter what happens at the beginning of the year, just stick with us because we’re going to win a lot of ball games this year.”

TIM ZIER

SECOND BASE

paige nelson , photo editor

Baseball Preview | 5

Thursday, february 21, 2013 | Volume 99, issue 75

Arbino succeeds as an Aztec using past experiences softball

Adriana Bush Assistant Sports Editor

It was just three years ago when San Diego State senior pitcher Rebecca Arbino was standing on

a pitching mound in College Station, Texas representing Texas A&M University. Fast-forward to today and Arbino wears the Aztec uniform just as proudly as she wore her Aggies uniform, but the change from Texas to California hasn’t slowed her down one bit.

Instead, Arbino has successfully transitioned into the Mountain West Conference style of play and uses her Big 12 Conference experience to her and the team’s advantage.

“I was really surprised last year how competitive the Moun-

REBECCA ARBINO

PITCHER (R)

Senior pitcher Rebecca Arbino prepares to face a batter from the University of Kentucky earlier this season.

tain West was,” Arbino said. “I honestly hadn’t been anticipating that. But I was very surprised how well all of the Mountain West teams competed with what I thought the Big 12 teams did.”

Arbino was prepared to compete in both conferences because of her early background in softball. She had played since she was 7 years old on her dad’s softball team and was a four-year starter at Clovis High School in Clovis. During her four years, she totaled 695 career strikeouts and was named second-team AllState in 2008. That same year, Arbino also played club softball for the Corona Angels, where she helped her team get second place at nationals.

For Arbino, those early years provided a foundation that helped her develop her skills and get ready to play college softball.

“That’s when you learn if you want to continue at the next level or not and, obviously, I did,” Arbino said.

Arbino went on to play for the Aggies for two years with a very successful freshman year. Arbino posted a 12-8 record in 20 starts in the circle. She recorded an average of 2.88 of earned runs allowed per game and she struck out 84 batters in the 129 innings that she pitched.

As a sophomore, Arbino’s talent continued to grow as she led Texas A&M with 28 games started, 19 wins, nine shutouts, one save, 187 innings pitched, 144 strikeouts and with a .215 opponent batting average. While Arbino was an Aggie, she was able to experience the NCAA Tournament twice.

However, Arbino still didn’t feel at home in Texas and she began to look for a school closer to Clovis.

“I picked Texas A&M because, if you’ve ever been on that campus, you just fall in love with it,” Arbino said. “It is an amazing atmosphere. The people are incredible and the softball program is obviously a very good program there. I knew a couple of the people on the SDSU team before coming here because I played with them for travel ball forever and I just met the coach and she was so upfront about everything.

I absolutely loved the head coach

jenna mackey, staff photographer

Kathy Van Wyk. So that did it for me.”

Shortly after, Arbino headed to SDSU for her third year of softball play. Arbino redshirted her first season as an Aztec because the SDSU team already had a star line up of pitchers.

But Arbino was glad she came when she did and got the opportunity to watch before she actually played.

“It was an easy transition for me only because I took my first year off. So I kind of got to see everything before I was thrown into it,” Arbino said. “It was really nice.”

Despite her year off from playing in regular season games along with transitioning to a new school and conference, Arbino picked up her junior season right where she left off at Texas A&M: very successful.

In 2012, she was named to the All-Mountain West Team and honored as the Mountain West Pitcher of the Week twice during the season. Arbino also led the MW with 2.02 earned runs allowed and four saves, which ranked fifth in SDSU’s single-season history and tied for 16th in the NCAA rankings. During her first season, she also helped the Aztecs reach the NCAA Tournament.

After playing her first season in the MW, Arbino feels the differences in the conferences have made her a stronger pitcher and has learned a lot from playing against such a variety of schools.

“Both conferences have done outstanding, I feel like, in hitting.

I mean UNLV and New Mexico and everybody in our conference just has some really big power hitters, but then you can’t scoff at the Big 12 hitters from, like, the University of Oklahoma, Texas and schools like that,” Arbino said. “I think they both have their strengths and weaknesses in different areas.”

The 2013 softball season is underway and Arbino is quickly trying to recover from previous injuries—one of which includes turf toe in her left foot that she has dealt with in previous seasons.

So far, as a senior, Arbino has started in all eight games the Aztecs have played and she is excited to see how well the team will play this season.

“We came off the first weekend pretty well,” Arbino said. “We had two disappointing losses, but I think it’s just the team coming together and learning who we are this year as a team and clearing stuff out. But I think we are going to do very well. This team never stops surprising me on how cohesive we can be and its pretty awesome. I think that’s going to be very beneficial factor in the long run.”

SDSU has a busy and challenging schedule ahead of it. But with Arbino’s talent, determination and NCAA Tournament experience from both conferences, the Aztecs are sure to have another successful season.

“My goals for this season are just to get my job done every time I’m in there,” Arbino said. “I’m not really focused on anything, but every time I’m in there doing my job and if I do my job every time, our team is going to win a lot and that’s about all we can ask for.”

6 | Baseball Preview

Volume 99, issue 75 | Thursday, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

STARTING Muñoz moves to the outfield after making 22 starts at shortstop and 12 starts at second base last season. He was named the MW Player of the Week on Mar. 5 after going seven for 13 (.538) with a double, triple, six runs scored and two RBIs during the Aztec Invitational. He hit .361 in conference play, which was the seventhhighest in the league.

MATT MUNOZ

The Thousand Oaks native shifts to right field after making eight starts last season, five of them in left field. Bollar will be expected to step up this season after only seeing limited time last season. In 2012, he batted .231 with six runs batted in.

“He has been really good for us here in the fall and into the early spring,” SDSU head coach Tony Gwynn said. “We need to see him carry it over into the season.”

AVONDRE BOLLAR

The San Diego native is moving from right field to center field this season. A great combination of speed and power, Allen led the Aztecs with 11 stolen bases and was tied for team-lead with 11 doubles. He was named to the Mountain West All-Tournament team after hitting .438 with two home runs, six runs scored and four RBIs in four games.

LEFT FIELD

CENTER FIELD

Haynal redshirted the 2012 season after breaking his leg in practice after the fourth game of the season. He is expected to see time behind the plate and at the designated hitter position after having a solid freshman year in 2011, when he started 27 games at catcher and batted .242 with three home runs and 16 runs batted in.

BRAD HAYNAL

RIGHT FIELD

Potter, a local product from nearby Grossmont High School in El Cajon, is an excellent defensive player, who made 35 starts at shortstop last season. Potter and Zier team up to make a very experienced and defensively solid middle infield. He hit .217 in conference play last season, but expect his batting average to rise.

DESIGNATED HITTER

Cederoth steps in as the No. 1 starter in the SDSU rotation after beginning the 2012 season as the team’s closer. Another San Diego product, who played at Steele Canyon High School, Cederoth is one of the hardest throwers in college baseball, routinely clocking in the 95-96 mph range and being clocked as high as 101 mph last season. Cederoth was four to four with a 4.14 earned run average and 62 strikeouts in 67.1 innings pitched last season.

EVAN POTTER

SHORTSTOP

The preseason All-MW pick is coming off a 2012 season in which he hit .318 with 32 runs batted in, 11 doubles and 10 stolen bases. Zier is a three-year starter at second base and will be asked to lead the way offensively for the Aztecs. His 21-game hit streak last season was the longest since the 2005 season when current Detroit Tigers outfielder Quintin Berry hit in 27 consecutive games.

GREG ALLEN

The starting first baseman makes the move from third base, where he made 47 starts last year as a true freshman. His 11 doubles were tied for first on the team, while his four home runs ranked second.

Muno was named the College Sports Madness MW Player of the Week for Mar. 26-Apr. 1.

TIM ZIER

PITCHER (R)

RYAN MUNO

SECOND BASE

France is a solid offensive and defensive player who is expected to make an immediate impact in his first season on Montezuma Mesa. The West Covina native was the Sierra League Most Valuable Player and second-team Cal-Hi All-State pick his senior year, while being named the Freshman State Player of the Year in 2009.

MICHAEL CEDEROTH

FIRST BASE

Romanski starts the 2013 season behind the plate after making 36 starts at the catcher position last season, but will likely be rotated out sometime during the season by Brad Haynal. Romanski will be expected to produce runs when he has the chances. He batted .289 with 23 runs batted in last season.

TYLER FRANCE

THIRD BASE

JAKE ROMANSKI

CATCHER

Baseball Preview | 7

Thursday, february 21, 2013 | Volume 99, issue 75

G LINEUPS DOMINIQUE DINNER

KAYLA JORDAN

CENTER FIELD

Dinner returns for her second season at SDSU after transferring from San Diego Mesa College in 2011. At San Diego Mesa, Dinner was honored as a second-team AllPacific Coast Conference performer after hitting .400 with two home runs, 19 RBIs and three triples. Dinner can play multiple positions, such as middle infield and all three outfield positions, and will continue to develop with more playing time.

LEFT FIELD

Bauer is a local product from nearby Steele Canyon High School and most productive power hitter in school history, with 33 career home runs in less than three full seasons. She had 13 home runs in 2012, despite missing 14 games because of a knee injury and illness. Bauer will also see time in the circle this season.

LORENA BAUER

PATRICE JACKSON

RIGHT FIELD

DESIGNATED PLAYER

REBECCA ARBINO

PITCHER (R)

Arbino takes over as the ace of the staff after being named to the 2012 All-MW Team and two-time MW Pitcher of the Week. A transfer from Texas A&M University, Arbino brings toughness and NCAA Tournament experience. Arbino went 13-11 last season with a 2.02 earned run average and four saves, both of which led the MW. This season, Arbino is 5-2 with a 1.33 ERA.

Downey has a great glove and solid bat.

Currently, she is batting .333 with eight hits and four runs in 10 games this season. She is another local product from James Madison High School. Downey was selected as the 2011 Central League Player of the Year and a member of the All-San Diego Section team. She is very athletic and will provide range.

MONICA DOWNEY

May does it all. She hits, fields and pitches.

May, who spent the majority of the 2012 season in the pitching circle, now finds herself at first base and is excelling in the lineup. She currently leads the squad in batting average (.424) and hits (14) through the season.

May is the younger twin sister of teammate Kamerin May. Kristin’s presence behind the plate shows her ability to drive the ball. She made 39 starts last season with two home runs and has committed only six errors in 556 chances (.989 fielding percentage). The Aztecs were 16-8 last season when she recorded at least one hit.

Mathis continues to make strides after starting 23 games at second base in 2012. As a sophomore, she finished the season with 12 runs and 12 hits, three of which were doubles. She is as versatile as they come, with the ability to play both middle infield positions and the outfield.

The Aztecs were 8-1 when Mathis had at least one hit last season.

KATIE MATHIS

FIRST BASE

CATCHER

Jackson is the definition of a game changer. She has the ability to take over a game with her bat and strong arm. Jackson was named to the All-MW Team last season after recording 22 extra-base hits, 11 home runs, four sacrifice flies, 94 total bases and 39 runs batted in. She recovered nicely after missing the entire 2011 season after breaking her leg in the fall.

SHORTSTOP

KAMERIN MAY

KRISTIN MAY

Jordan returns to Montezuma Mesa after having a fantastic freshman season. Not only was she named to the All-Mountain West Team and honored as the 2012 MW Freshman of the Year, her five triples last season tied a school record, tied for first in the MW and tied for the No. 16 in the country. Jordan has speed, which is shown by her 11 stolen bases in 2012.

SECOND BASE

KAYLA BUFARDECI

Bufardeci makes her way to Montezuma Mesa via Castro Valley. Bufardeci was a three-time all-league selection at Castro Valley High School and hit .486 with seven doubles, seven home runs and 30 RBIs as a senior. She anchors the left side of the infield with Downey, who is also a freshman.

THIRD BASE

8 | ENTERTAINMENT

Volume 99, issue 75 | Thursday, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

The Daily Aztec’s 2013 Oscar Ballot and Predictions oscars David Dixon Assistant Entertainment Editor

Think you know who will win big at the Oscars this year? Fill out our handy ballot and tune in this Sunday to see if you’re correct. In the meantime, check out Assistant Entertainment Editor David Dixon’s predictions.

BEST PICTURE Lincoln Argo Les Misérables Zero Dark Thirty Silver Linings Playbook Life of Pi Django Unchained Amour Beasts of the Southern Wild WHAT WILL WIN? Argo: This isn’t a lock because Ben Affleck wasn’t nominated for best director. However, the beloved thriller, drama and dark comedy won best picture at many other award shows including the Screen Actors Guild Awards, British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the Golden Globes. While “Argo” isn’t my No. 1 choice for the best movie of 2012, it’s still one of my favorites of last year. The only picture with a chance of winning against the unconventional crowd-pleaser is the profoundly powerful “Lincoln.” The other seven films don’t seem to have as much momentum in the race for the biggest award.

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Bradley Cooper-Silver Linings Playbook Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln Hugh Jackman - Les Miserables Joaquin Phoenix - The Master Denzel Washington - Flight WHO WILL WIN? Daniel Day-Lewis: If Day-Lewis wasn’t in “Lincoln,” the competition would probably be between Joaquin Phoenix’s unforgettably intense performance as Freddie Quell and Hugh Jackman’s touching work as the classic protagonist Jean Valjean of “Les Misérables.” However, DayLewis gives such an emotionally complex and sympathetic portrayal of the 16th President he’s automatically the front-runner, once again reminding audiences he is one of the best in the business.

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook Emmanuelle Riva - Amour Quvenzhane Wallis - Beasts of the Southern Wild Naomi Watts - The Impossible WHO WILL WIN? Jennifer Lawrence. Many critics are saying that the gold will either go to Jennifer Lawrence or Jessica Chastain. Chastain may have actually given the best performance in her category as the mysterious Maya in “Zero Dark Thirty,” but there’s so much overblown controversy about the use of torture in the film that her chances of winning aren’t as good as they once were. Lawrence shines brightest in a very strong ensemble as the mentally unstable Tiffany Maxwell in “Silver Linings Playbook.”

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Alan Arkin - Argo Robert De Niro - Silver Linings Playbook Phillip Seymour HoffmanThe Master Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln Christoph WaltzDjango Unchained WHO WILL WIN? Tommy Lee Jones: Some say De Niro is overdue for another Oscar win, but I think Jones left a lasting impression as the liberal abolitionist, Thaddeus Stevens. Voters will likely ignore some bizarre interviews as well as his ultra-serious appearance at the Golden Globes, instead of focusing on his many electrifying scenes in “Lincoln.”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Amy Adams-The Master Sally Field-Lincoln Anne HathawayLes Misérables Helen Hunt-The Sessions Jackie Weaver-Silver Linings Playbook WHO WILL WIN? Anne Hathaway: Ever since the teaser trailer of “Les Misérables” was released with Hathaway singing “I Dreamed a Dream,” people assumed that she would be nominated as the factory worker turned prostitute Fantine. That buzz only grew once the beloved musical actually came to theaters. There’s no way anyone else has a chance of winning this award.

WRITING-ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Argo Beasts of the Southern Wild Life of Pi Lincoln Silver Linings Playbook

WHAT WILL WIN? Lincoln: Celebrated playwright Tony Kushner is one of the few who has written wonderful dialogue for both theater and film. His screenplay for “Lincoln” showcases his sense of humor and hope for humanity that was also prominent in his classic play “Angels in America.”

BEST DOCUMETARY 5 Broken Cameras The Gatekeepers How to Survive a Plague The Invisible War Searching for Sugar Man WHAT WILL WIN? Searching for Sugar Man FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM Amour Kon-Tiki No A Royal Affair War Witch WHAT WILL WIN? Amour ANIMATED FEATURE FILM Brave Frankenweenie ParaNorman The Pirates! Band of Misfits Wreck-It Ralph

DIRECTING Michael Haneke - Amour Benh Zeitlin - Beasts of the Southern Wild Ang Lee - Life of Pi Steven Spielberg - Lincoln David O. Russell - Silver Linings Playbook WHO WILL WIN? Steven Spielberg: Haneke and Russell are long shots for making movies that are well-directed, but intimate in scope. “Beasts of the Southern Wild” has inventive direction, but this is only the first full-length feature Zeitlin has directed. Lee’s amazing direction of “Life of Pi” and he could be a surprise winner, but Spielberg will likely be rewarded for beautifully recreating what life was like in 1865. Spielberg doesn’t let visuals get in the way of the incredible acting and the scenes when people vote on the 13th Amendment, keeping the film wonderfully suspenseful.

WRITING-ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Amour Django Unchained Flight Moonrise Kingdom Zero Dark Thirty WHAT WILL WIN? Amour: Director and screenwriter Haneke has created a dark drama about an elderly woman who becomes partially paralyzed as a result of a stroke. The dialogue is surprisingly lively with many extended conversations that feel true to life. Even as events become drastically more bleak toward the end, the writing is relatable and occasionally funny.

WHAT WILL WIN? Wreck-It Ralph: “Frankenweenie” and “ParaNorman” received a lot of acclaim, but because they both celebrate horror movies, voters will unfairly say they’re thematically similar. “Wreck-It Ralph” was both a critical and commercial hit that was far too clever and original to be labeled as an extended video game promo.

CINEMATOGRAPHY Seamus McGarvey -Anna Karenina Robert Richardson -Django Unchained Claudio Miranda-Life of Pi Janusz Kaminski-Lincoln Roger Deakins-Skyfall WHAT WILL WIN? Life of Pi: For all the deep themes and thought-provoking questions that are in “Life of Pi,” the first thing I think about when someone mentions the survival adventure is the cinematography. While the first third of Pi’s journey is more about him growing up in India, once he’s on the lifeboat with tiger Richard Parker, the eye candy on screen rarely ever stops.

COSTUME DESIGN Anna Karenina Les Misérables Lincoln Mirror Mirror Snow White and the Huntsmen WHAT WILL WIN? Anna Karenina SHORT FILM-ANIMATED Adam and Dog Paperman The Simpsons:The Longest Daycare Head over Heels Fresh Guacamole

WHAT WILL WIN? Paperman

MUSIC-ORIGINAL SCORE Dario Marianelli-Anna Karenina Alexandre Desplat-Argo Mychael Danna-Life of Pi John Williams-Lincoln Thomas Newman-Skyfall WHAT WILL WIN? Mychael Danna, Life of Pi: I personally want John Williams to win for his soulful and sometimes fun score in the film“Lincoln,” but Danna is the favorite to win. Danna’s playful music adds to the enchanting tone of the picture. The music is at its best during some of the more upbeat moments, when a sense of wonder is effectively expressed.

PRODUCTION DESIGN Anna Karenina The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Les Misérables Life of Pi Lincoln WHAT WILL WIN? Les Misérables: As she did with “The King’s Speech,” production designer Eve Stewart created a memorable depiction of old Europe with each distinct setting.

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG) J. Ralph - “Before My Time” Seth Macfarlane and Walter Murphy - “Everybody Needs a Best Friend” Mychael Danna and Bombay Jayashri - “Pi’s Lullaby” Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth -“Skyfall” Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg - “Suddenly” WHAT WILL WIN? Skyfall: “Suddenly” and “Everybody Needs a Best Friend” are enjoyable tunes, but “Skyfall” is one of the better James Bond songs in a while.

VISUAL EFFECTS The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Life of Pi Marvel’s The Avengers Prometheus Snow White and the Huntsmen WHAT WILL WIN? Life of Pi: It will win mostly because of the motion capture that was used to make the tiger Richard Parker a terrifyingly original character.

entertainment | 9

Thursday, february 21, 2013 | Volume 99, issue 75

Coheed and Cambria bassist talks tour, new albums

under the scope

Kevin Smead Entertainment Editor

Coheed and Cambria is one of those bands whose style manages to evolve while staying completely the same. For more than a decade now, Coheed and Cambria have produced stellar albums centered around the science-fiction tale of “The Amory Wars,” penned by lead singer Claudio Sanchez. Zach Cooper joined the band playing bass early last year and since then, he’s worked on two albums and is already a veteran on the road. I was able to speak briefly with Cooper about his experience with the band so far.

The Daily Aztec: As the newest member of the band, what’s it like playing with these guys after almost a year?

Zach Cooper: Oh man, it’s still a treat.

Everybody in the band are great players and

they’ve become great friends of mine. It’s still kind of surreal to play with them every day. Coming from someone who was in a band before, it’s been a cool experience.

DA: Congratulations again on the releases of both “The Afterman” albums. They’re both excellent.

When sitting down to record these, were they planned as a double record, or was it all produced together?

ZC: Everything was actually recorded at once. When we first went into the studio, there was no plan to do a double record; there was no outline to the record. It started to take shape as we were in the process. Eventually, we had recorded too many songs, it was too long to be on one record, so they started kicking around the idea of a double record. So, it actually wasn’t a premeditated thing. It was recorded in one, long stretch of studio.

DA: As a bassist myself, I couldn’t help notice the full, meaty tone captured on these records. What’s your process in the studio and what sort of gear do you use?

ZC: In the studio, we had a couple of different setups. The majority of the record, I did with a ‘70s Blue Line SVT head; you know, the

Ampeg? It’d run through an 8-by-10 cab and what they would do is mic the cabinet and take a direct signal out of the head. And then they would split the direct out of the head and run it through any number of distortion pedals and fuzz boxes to get a gritty tone. Each take was actually three different sounds and they would blend it together to get the tone on the record. Every song was that kind of formula with maybe a couple of different pedals. A couple of times we used the SVT-6 Pro, but for the most part that was it. Live, I have a Fender rig that I’m using right now.

DA: On the topic of bass parts, Coheed and Cambria is one of those bands in which every instrument plays a really integral part in the mix. Some of the bass lines on the earlier albums such as “Second Stage Turbine Blade” and both “Good Apollo” records can get pretty gnarly. What was it like having to learn these complex parts?

ZC: It was tough, actually.

Right before we did that first tour, I went into the studio and they told me that they had this tour coming up and we were starting rehearsals in a couple of weeks, so start learning some songs.

I asked them

From left to right: Zach Cooper (bass), Claudio Sanchez (guitar/vocals), Travis Stever (guitar), Josh Eppard (drums).

what I should learn, and Claudio just gave me this list of songs and I was like, “Alright, cool.” I didn’t realize how much it was until I got home and said, “Wait a minute, this is a lot of stuff.” And these aren’t easy songs, and the bass parts are just killer on those records. It took me a while to learn them and feel comfortable playing them, even before going into rehearsal. I was working on them every day. It’s cool, though. As time went on, I started to get more inside the band’s writing style and certain things made sense to me, which made it easier to learn different songs, but oh man, it was daunting.

DA: So, how’s the tour been? It’s certainly an eclectic group of bands, with Between the Buried and Me being a metal/hardcore band and Russian Circles taking influence from a lot of the post-genres.

ZC: It’s really been great. I’m a big fan of Russian Circles and Between the Buried and Me. Seeing them playing every night has been incredible.

Both bands have been awesome. The reaction with the fans seems to have been pretty good, too. It is a pretty different

bill with the three bands, but I think it works pretty nicely. Most nights, if I go out, check out the band and watch the crowd, I can really see them reacting to these bands.

DA: So, the million dollar question: Where do you see the band going next after this tour?

Cooper: After this tour? More touring.

We’ve got some dates in Australia and Asia and I’m sure the Summer holds a lot more touring. With the two records having just come out, it’s a matter of getting out there and playing everywhere. It’s exciting; I’m really looking forward to it. It’ll be my first trip to Australia. So, it’s really just a lot of touring.

Don’t miss Coheed and Cambria when they stop in San Diego on Feb. 25, and c heck out their latest double record “The Afterman: A sc e n sio n” and “The Afterman: Descension.”

photo courtesy lindsey byrnes

10 | opinion

Volume 99, issue 75 | Thursday, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Remove country quotas to clear immigrant backlog immigration

W

e have a broken immigration system. While this problem is nothing new, it will take a comprehensive approach to tackle the root of it.

Hard-liners like to beef up border security and penalties for hiring illegal immigrants. Secured borders and employment verification are important, but if other problems such as the war on drugs has taught us anything, an enforcement-only approach to issues does nothing to fix the core of the problem.

In fact, a 2011 report from the Pew Research Hispanic Center claimed “unauthorized immigrants”—which includes both undocumented immigrants and those who’ve overstayed their visa expiration—totaled 11.2 million, something the Border Patrol can do nothing about. People who overstay their visas are hard to track because of limitations in the system. In addition, the Department of Homeland Security

usually focuses only on those who pose a “national security risk.”

The real problem at hand is the massive backlog in our immigration system. Current proposals

by President Barack Obama and some members of the Senate call for immigrants to get in at “the back of the line” or until the border is “secured” before legalizing unauthorized immigrants.

It’s a fair compromise, but to prevent future waves of illegal immigration, the federal government will need to fix the quota system that created the backlog we have today. Each year, there are 226,000 family-sponsored visas and 140,000 employmentbased visas available. There are no such numerical limits for immediate family members such as spouses and children younger than 21. With the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, each country from whence immigrants come is only allowed to contribute 7 percent of the total permanent residents, or green cards, issued each year. This might seem fair

when you first read it, but take a deeper look to see what problems it has caused.

Currently, the greatest source of immigration to the U.S. comes from Mexico. The backlog for permanent resident petitions in pending status from Mexico alone is 1.4 million If Mexico has much

In fact, a Mexican family seeking to come to the U.S. may wait as long as 100 years in the worst cases. greater demand for legal immigration to the U.S. than a smaller country, such as Israel, and they’re both only allowed to make up 7 percent of all total legal immigrants, then there will likely be plenty of room for Israelites to come to America almost immediately, while Mexican nationals have to wait much longer before receiving visas. In fact, a Mexican

family seeking to come to the U.S. may wait as long as 100 years in the worst cases. It’s hardly a fair wait for Mexicans while someone from another country can get in seemingly instantaneously.

As a result of this, immigrants from countries with huge backlogs, such as Mexico and the Philippines, will contribute greater numbers of illegal immigrants.

It’s similar to the basic economic law of supply and demand. In economics, if supply doesn’t reach equilibrium with the demand, prices increase. With immigration, when the supply of visas doesn’t meet the demand for them, it leads to more people crossing the border without authorization.

In order to correct this problem, we need to overhaul our immigration system entirely. Limiting each country to a quota based on outdated laws from the 1960s hurts our immigration system. Access to the U.S. needs to be easier. The harder it is for someone to come here legally, the more likely they are to risk entering the country

illegally.

We need to replace the quota system with a system based on the demand from the country they’re coming from. Get rid of the 7 percent limit entirely and make it a “first come, first serve” immigration system, regardless of the country of origin. That would allow immigrants from countries such as Mexico and the Philippines who have waited for more than 10 years to enter before someone from the U.K. who applied last year.

If congressional lawmakers are serious about fixing our immigration system, they’ll need to move away from the hardline rhetoric of the past used to score political points. It’s time to address the system by fixing what is actually wrong with it.

— Staff columnist Matthew Smith is a single subject Teaching Credential graduate student

RACCOON FROM OUTER SPACE by Emily Moretz :ZN`aO_c [UDN V\dNOP\baNV aa [UN aVSNQOTSaS_ OD

[\DNUSaN\baN\TN aVS_SDNaVOa:`N[O`afD

VSYYNfSOV4

NR R[:aNaV [XN O[f\[SN`OdNZSN U\N [NaVS_SD

IF YOUR AD WAS HERE, YOU’D BE RICH BY NOW. (619) 594-6977 | advertising@thedailyaztec.com

TWEET!

TWEET!

TWEET!

twitter.com/TheDailyAztec

SPORTS | 11

Thursday, february 21, 2013 | Volume 99, issue 75

Spring weather means baseball season has arrived from the sidelines Alex Riggins Staff Writer

In one of his stand-up routines years ago, comedian Lewis Black said the easiest job in America is the weather forecaster in San Diego.

“How’s the weather going to be, Lou?” the anchor asked him.

“Nice. Back to you,” Black responds.

Last Friday was one of those days Black was talking about—warm, sunny and clear. It felt a whole lot like spring had arrived early, and ever since I was a child, spring has one meaning for me: Baseball is back.

Friday’s weather didn’t actually matter, because baseball is already back, but it sure helped set the mood. San Diego State and University of San Diego opened the college season with a threegame series last Friday. Earlier last week, major league pitchers and catchers reported to spring training. The World Baseball Classic is just around the corner and Opening Day is only a little more than a month away.

I know the popularity of baseball has faded recently, perhaps coinciding with the use of performance-enhancing drugs by the sport’s premiere players or perhaps having more to do with the rising popularity of the National Football League.

But I don’t care. Baseball was, and always will be, my first love.

Let me tell you about a few of the reasons I love baseball, a few of the things that I think make the game great.

HELP WANTED

______________________________ The Daily Aztec does not endorse or support and has no affiliation with the products or services offered in the Classifieds section.

LOOKING FOR A

SALES JOB? WE ARE NOW HIRING ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES STARTING IMMEDIATELY!

For more information, email your resumé to: advertising@ thedailyaztec.com or call (619) 594-7291

First and foremost for me, it’s the memories.

When my best friend and I get together, inevitably our conversation turns toward the championship game in the majors division of Lake Murray Little League, when his team forced extra innings after a very questionable ruling by the umpire.

in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series on a walk-off single by Luis Gonzalez, only the third World Series to end on a walk-off hit.

- My favorite memory is of the 1998 National League Division Series. I was in Qualcomm Stadium for Game 3 when Trevor Hoffman entered in the top of the ninth inning with the Padres leading 2-

You want to have a short distance to the left field wall, but have the wall be a 37-foot “Green Monster?”

Sure, Boston, go ahead!

The game went so long it had to be continued the next day, which is when I drove in the winning run with a walk-off hit. I’ll swear until my deathbed it was a line drive, one-hopper to the fence in left-center field; he’ll swear it wasn’t much more than a blooper over the shortstop’s head.

Then there are the great moments in Major League Baseball history that have happened during my lifetime. Here are my three of my favorites: - The play that Seattle Mariners fans simply call “The Double.”

Edgar Martinez’s double drove in Joey Cora from third base and Ken Griffey, Jr., all the way from first base, in the 11th inning of a decisive Game 5 to beat the New York Yankees in the 1995 American League Division Series. The celebration that erupted when Griffey slid into home, barely beating the throw from left field, was awesome.

- Or the Arizona Diamondbacks win against the New York Yankees

1 against the Houston Astros. I will never forget waving my white towel alongside 65,234 other fans as “Hells Bells” started blaring through the speakers and the entire stadium shook. It was pure pandemonium as Hoffman shut down the game and helped send the Padres to the NL championship series, and later the World Series.

But it’s not just the playoff games and walk-off hits that I love about baseball. A season lasts 162 games– more if you make the playoffs–and becomes a part of life along the way. During baseball season, I always had Padres games on the television while doing homework, or fell asleep listening to Jerry Coleman and “Uncle” Teddy Leitner on the local radio broadcast.

My love for baseball also has something to do with how quirky it is. A few examples: - Baseball is the only sport whose players do the scoring instead of the ball. In hockey, football, basketball, soccer, water polo–any

ball sport you can think of–the ball crossing a goal line or going into a net or through a hoop is the means by which a team scores. In baseball, a team scores when a player touches home plate, while in other sports, players are trying to score by moving the ball closer toward the goal and then finally scoring. In baseball, it’s usually best that the ball be as far away as possible from where the team scores. (I’m excluding softball because it is a variation of baseball).

- There is no time limit in baseball. It doesn’t matter how many runs a team trails by, there is always the statistical possibility of a comeback. In basketball and football, you have to rely on the clock, and sooner or later, there will come a time when you just can’t score enough points in the time allotted to make up for the deficit.

- Cheating is not allowed nor encouraged, but it is more or less accepted. Spitballs, pine tar, corked bats, stealing signs–even steroids– are all part of the game.

Ask baseball fans how they feel about Barry Bonds and Jose Canseco–the two most blatant steroid users of our time–and then tell me that steroids aren’t accepted.

- Besides the infield dimensions, or the length from the pitching mound to home plate and from home plate to the bases, there are no set rules on what a field must look like. You want to have a short distance to the left field wall, but have the wall be a 37-foot “Green Monster?” Sure, Boston, go ahead!

You want to build a hill in center field, Houston? That’s idiotic, but go ahead!

- Baseball players come in all

shapes and sizes, including big fat guys. That’s not to say they’re not athletic, because most of them are.

But as John Kruk once said, “I’m not an athlete. I’m a professional baseball player.” The most famous baseball player of all time, Babe Ruth, was just a little slimmer than Chris Farley in “Tommy Boy.” There is so much more to love about baseball, and I’m sure those of you still reading this have your own reasons. But enjoy the nice February weather and the onset of spring knowing that it’s that time of year again.

Baseball is back.

12 | BACKPAGE

Volume 99, issue 75 | THURSday, february 21, 2013

A new, astronomical warfare satire Eric Dobko Staff Writer

On Friday, Feb. 15 humanity encountered a new threat. Splitting the sky, a 10,000-ton meteor tore through the atmosphere, causing mass damage to the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. A shock wave rippled outward from the impact, shattering nearby windows, blowing in doors and injuring roughly 1,200 of the area’s residents. The energy generated from the collision reached the equivalent of 30 Hiroshima atomic bombs, according to NASA. The sole difference between the catastrophes of Chelyabinsk and Hiroshima, however, is that of their obscurity.

We live in the nuclear age, an age in which leaders wield enough power to destroy the world several times over.

But when two adversaries both have the capacity to instantly destroy the other, they often find themselves at a standoff, a stalemate, a cat’s game.

In other words, when war is fought between two global superpowers, neither has the advantage that it did when weapon systems were more primitive. A nuclear holocaust leading to the absolute annihilation of humanity is what military strategists might call a “lose-lose.”

Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 tragicomedy “Dr. Strangelove” depicts this theme of nuclear holocaust with which the generations of the Cold War became all too familiar. As U.S. B-52 bombers close in on the Soviet Union, the U.S. president is alerted by ex-Nazi scientist Dr. Strangelove of a disturbing truth, the “Doomsday Machine.” If nuclear weapons were to touch Russian soil, the device would trigger, eradicating all life on Earth.

The function of the machine is explained by the doctor.

“Deterrence is the art of producing in the mind of the enemy … the fear to attack. And so, because of the automated and irrevocable decision-making process which rules

out human meddling, the doomsday machine is terrifying and simple to understand … and completely credible and convincing.” Based on his critical analysis of such a device, however, the doctor concludes that “...This idea was not a practical deterrent for reasons which at this moment must be all too obvious.”

The president withdraws all aerial forces from the attack, but is too late when a crew of bomber pilots cannot be diverted from their fanatical patriotism and utter stupidity—redundant?—and drop their cargo through the plane’s hatch doors.

The end.

One would think avoiding the complete destruction of our species would be something innate within all of us, but it’s important to never underestimate the capacity for human stupidity. As Albert Einstein once said, “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.”

“So how does this all tie in with the recent meteor impact in an obscure Siberian city?” you ask. Well, think about it. If you had to attack someone, but couldn’t because of the inevitably disastrous repercussions upon yourself, what could you do? Put on a disguise.

The reality behind all this is that NASA is secretly collaborating with the U.S. military to develop new concealed forms of weaponry—colossal weapons causing astronomical damage. By applying the latest advancements in jet propulsion technology to asteroids and other near-earth objects, our space program has learned how to direct asteroids and harness them as extraterrestrial missiles. Space-rock rockets—I thought I’d never see the day.

What people seem to have forgotten is that on Feb. 15 the long-anticipated asteroid 2012 DA14 passed by Earth at a distance closer than that of many communications satellites.

For the past few years, anxiety levels

were high, as the asteroid was considered by some to be a potentially serious threat to our planet. And although we were lucky the asteroid was on a path to miss, it’s important to realize what a threat it still was.

A NASA statement made late on the day of impact addressed what it posited to be complete irrelevance between asteroid 2012 DA14 and the meteor strike.

“Information is still being collected about the Russian meteorite and analysis is preliminary at this point.

In videos of the meteor, it is seen to pass from left to right in front of the rising sun, which means it was traveling from north to south. Asteroid 2012 DA14s trajectory is in the opposite direction, from south to north,” the NASA statement read.

So the asteroid it fractured in order to develop the U.S. government’s initial prototype of intergalactic weaponry, NASA says, has “no relation” to the severe violence enacted upon the Russian people. Coincidence? I think not.

But why is NASA—a scientific organization dedicated to space exploration and a heightened awareness of the universe—helping the Western world wage war? By masking our military assaults under the guise of freak cosmic occurrences, they have devised a way for the world’s superpowers to perpetuate the war industry without having it lead to a horrific nuclear holocaust. NASA has approached the U.S. military with this devious form of fighting in order to prevent global catastrophe, thereby prolonging our existence on this tiny blue planet.

But is NASA doing the right thing? Is it ethical to help military superpowers bomb other nations anonymously to try and prevent our fated nuclear holocaust? And will this masked form of warfare be able to effectively avoid the end of the world, or is humanity’s doom inevitable? Only time will tell.

HOROSCOPE

by Nancy Black, Tribune Media Services

Today’s Birthday (2/21/13) - Happy times at home highlight the first half of the year. Cinch a romantic deal and get creative.

Focus your intention and time-management skills. Career priorities shift. Writing and research are key. For best results, take a slow, steady pace with tested routines and team.

Play.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21 - April 19) - Today is a 7 - You’re testing the limits. Your friends and family help grow your ideas and create new business. Nurture the necessary partnerships for sustainable growth.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) - Today is an 8 - There’s still a lot of work to do (especially around finances), but with dedication and compassion you make great progress. You can appreciate where you’ve gotten so far.

Gemini (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 7 - Reaffirm your vision for the future, and get some well-deserved attention. Keep it grounded in reality, though, as fantasies can play tricks now. Save something away for emergencies.

Cancer (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 9 - You can really complete a project that you’d been putting off. Better fix something before it breaks. Avoid impetuous spending. Another’s opinions are important, even if confusing.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 6 Together, you can achieve amazing things, but you may have to be patient. Saving money is important, but your health comes first. Try a different mode of transportation.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is a 7 - Make up a plan before you start. Include

exercise in your routine; a little makes a difference over time. Keep producing excellence at work. Pad the schedule for the unexpected.

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 9 - Integrity counts double now, especially at work. Customer satisfaction pays dividends well into the future. Put in the extra effort.

You’re becoming more attracted and attractive.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 9 - Go over your options again before choosing, but choose, even if it seems difficult. There are excellent conditions for finding a great deal on the system you want. Don’t waste a penny.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is an 8 - The tension is getting higher, for better or worse. You can actually benefit greatly from the situation. You immediately see how to bend the rules to your benefit. But don’t break them.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 7 - Review the assignment to avoid errors.

Don’t be afraid to ask a special person to help. It’s a good excuse to hang out, anyway.

Keep it inexpensive with popcorn and tea.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is a 7 - Listen to others attentively, as if their words could be measured in gold. Your sixth sense is working well. Work out any kinks in communication or schedule without overextending.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 7 - Don’t waste hours on communications that go nowhere. Minutes spent making extra copies of your data can save you time and money later. Take a break from a circular conversation. Talk it out later. ©2013, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

SUDOKU

by The Mepham Group, Tribune Media Services

Difficulty Level: 4 out of 4 Instructions: Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9.

Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com ©2013, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

THROWBACK THURSDAY: FEBRUARY 21, 1985

Apply to be a writer for The Daily Aztec! www.thedailyaztec.com/jobs

CROSSWORD

file photo

an GENERAL unidentified student wasALL caught sdsu’s VISIT 1985 INFORMATION : FOR OTHER breaking CONTACTS , PLEASE thedailyaztec.com 619.594.4199. some bicycle regulations things never change...

PLEASE NOTE :

The views expressed in the written works of this issue do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec. Letters to the editor can be sent to letters@thedailyaztec.com

Across 1 It’s taken in court 6 City founded by King Harald III 10 Silences, gang-style 14 Skateboarder’s leap 15 Pringle, e.g.

16 Brother of Fidel 17 *Squeaker 19 Fanboy’s mag 20 __ of Reason 21 Exhort 22 Make a fake of 23 *Fall in with the wrong crowd, say 27 Nurse 28 KOA parkers 29 Hopeful opening 31 Up on, with “of” 34 Trim 36 Word with median or minimum 39 *Kobe, notably 42 Related 43 Redding who sang “These Arms of Mine” 44 Agenda bullets 45 Old saw 47 “Mad Men” channel 48 Tach meas.

50 *”Voilà!”

56 Daughter of King Triton 58 Composed 59 Yokohama yes 60 Kooky 61 “Cantique de Noël,” in the States 64 Cause of a sniff 65 Three-piece piece 66 Big name in paper 67 Like many collectibles 68 War god 69 A/V component Down 1 __ point 2 “Ooh, send me!”

3 Northern sheets 4 McCourt memoir 5 Texter’s giggle 6 Yellowish shade 7 Chases flies 8 Energetic types 9 Unlock’d

by Rich Norris & Joyce Lewis, Tribune Media Services

Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com 10 Small pasta used in soups 11 Equal chance 12 Mold, mildew, etc.

13 “No __ Till Brooklyn”: Beastie Boys song 18 Enjoys the beach 22 “I feel I should tell you,” briefly 24 Trip to the dry cleaners, e.g.

25 Pizza place 26 Commands reverence from 30 Certain sample 31 Arroz __ Cubana: Spanish dish 32 Restaurant pan 33 Area conquered by Alexander the Great 34 Sch. whistle blower 35 1996 Olympic torch lighter

37 Ruby or topaz 38 Hesitant utterances 40 Energetic 41 Wedge in a mojito 46 100% 47 With great skill 48 Tool used to give the starts of the starred answers a 17Across?

49 Big name in small bags 51 Western loop 52 Nimrods 53 “That sounds bad!”

54 “Chicago Hope” Emmy winner 55 “Me, too” 57 Rochester’s love 61 Eggs in a lab 62 Cloak-and-dagger org.

63 Post-ER area