08-31-2011

WEDNESDAY August 31, 2011 Volume 97, issue 4 W W W.T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M

facebook.com/dailyaztec twitter: thedailyaztec

SCAN CODE FOR MOBILE CONTENT

SDSU’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT N E W S PA P E R SINCE 1913

INDEX:

Opportunity brings new students ANTONIO ZARAGOZA, PHOTO EDITOR

Lauren Bercha contributor This year San Diego State welcomes students to the university through the College Avenue Compact.

The fall semester is underway with almost 4,000 first-time freshmen and 2,000 transfer students. This year’s incoming freshmen are another highachieving class, entering SDSU with an average high school GPA of 3.63 and SAT test scores of 1110, an increase of 25 points in comparison to last year.

Among the new students this semester, 47 were admitted through the College Avenue Compact from Hoover High School. The program is part of the City Heights Collaborative, which partners with three schools in the San Diego Unified School District to ensure students in San Diego are college bound. If students who enrolled in the ninth grade meet the GPA, test and “a-g” requirements by graduation, they are automatically admitted to SDSU. There is no limit to the number of students who can be enrolled in the program. However, by the 10th grade, the students showing

potential and desire to achieve those requirements are continuously helped throughout their high school career. Herbert Hoover High School, Monroe Clark Middle School and Rosa Parks Elementary School are all included in the program.

“We make sure that students are able to have the opportunity for secondary education,” Executive Director Tim Allen said.

Since the program started fall 2007, it has helped students of all races and socioeconomic statuses achieve college admittance. The program not only assists students in meeting the

requirements, it helps them with applications as well. SDSU is not the only California State University in cooperation with the program: This year 88 students were admitted through the program at various schools. Allen described the program as giving students the opportunity to attend a junior college or even a fouryear university.

Without the College Avenue Compact, many local students may not have been given the guidance and opportunity necessary to attend college.

Commuting without the traffic Kevin Smead contributor

ANTONIO ZARAGOZA, PHOTO EDITOR

C R I M E B E AT

At approximately 2 a.m. yesterday morning, two people reported being robbed of their wallets and cell phones at gunpoint and knifepoint while walking on the sidewalk near the Montezuma Road and College Avenue intersection.

The robbery was reportedly committed by two adult black males; one tall and thin, the other short and husky. The vehicle used by

If a student commutes to campus regularly, chances are he or she has been late for something important on campus at least once. Be it a final, a presentation or a can’t-miss lecture, when running out of time it seems even more impossible to find that coveted parking space.

However, as many are discovering, there are a number of different ways to get to campus that may save a headache by helping avoid the gridlock.

The most prominent non-automotive transportation available to students is the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. This includes the trolley, which runs through campus and much of the greater San Diego area. City bus service can also be found directly on campus, providing easy access to much of the local area. For those looking to go north, the railway service, known as the COASTER, runs from San Diego Union Station in downtown up the coast to the Oceanside Transit Center. Although these methods of transportation are somewhat costly, they may seem to be more effective options after factoring the stress of driving to campus.

the suspects was described as a “black foreign type vehicle,” which was occupied by possibly four black males.

The victims said the suspects stopped next to them while they were walking and demanded their property at gunpoint and

For those who generally take public transportation but sometimes need to make up those extra minutes, Zipcar is an available option. While still technically driving to campus, Zipcar is as hassle-free as it can be. The concept is simple: Once signed up for the Zipcar service, customers are given their very own Zipcard, which is used to unlock the various Zipcars around the city.

These cars can be made available by reservation from a cell phone or computer. All that is left is to walk to the car and drive. At the end of the reservation period, simply return the car to the spot it was picked up from.

These cars can also be used for offcampus projects that generally involve getting a ride from someone else, making it a viable option for students living on campus who don’t wish to purchase their own vehicle.

Lastly, there is the tried and true method of biking to campus. With bicycles being the only form of pedestrianpowered transportation allowed on campus, the newly opened bike lanes are free and clear for pedal pushers everywhere. San Diego also has a multitude of excellent bike shops with tons of great deals on a variety of bikes.

With so many different options for a stress-free commute to campus, take a book, pack a lunch and enjoy the ride.

Anyone with information or questions should contact the San Diego State Police Department at 619-594-1991, reference case 11-1502, or call Detective Jacobsen at 619594-1984. Another way to report a lead is to contact Crime Stoppers, or send information by email to police@mail.sdsu.edu

knifepoint and after giving up their belongings were left unharmed.

- Compiled by Bill Crotty, News Editor.

FOOD & DRINK

This food is still moving.

Taste it now before it gets away.

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

2

3

Aztec Nights is back with a vengeance, giving students more than the everyday, sloppy house party. Best part is, it’s free.

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

3

OPINION Two Opinion writers dissect SDSU’s new smoking policy.

6

W E AT H E R : SUNNY HIGH: 73 LOW: 64 SUNSET: 7:15PM

2

D A I LY

AZTEC Wednesday, August 31, 2011

F E AT U R E S

Food trucks pull up to San Diego streets America’s Finest City offers culinary delights on wheels Sofie Casillas staff writer With an increase in the presence of food trucks throughout San Diego, many people who would normally go to McDonald’s during their lunch breaks are beginning to eat at these popular mobile eateries. Food trucks are beginning to open around every corner and are receiving local attention. With increasing demand for affordable, accessible meals, this trend is enticing curious eaters to explore a variety of vendors that are definitely worth a taste.

MIHO Gastrotruck’s managers Kevin Ho and Juan Miron have been running one of San Diego’s most popular food trucks since last May. Because all of their food is created without hormones or antibiotics, many people are beginning to follow this truck throughout the city, just to grab a bite of their “farm to street” cuisine. The MIHO Gastrotruck was founded with the objective of bringing healthy, affordable and accessible food to San Diego neighborhoods.

“We want people to care about where their food is coming from and

MCT Campus

how it’s being made,” Ho said about their all-organic business.

Although their regular customers, “HOMIs” as they like to call them, usually visit at least once a week, Ho said the most challenging part of running a food truck is promoting their business to the community.

However, they still manage every shift with a line of happy customers.

“We roll with a crew of four for each shift – cashier, expo, plancha (grill) and cold line,” Ho remarked

With increasing demand for affordable, accessible meals, this trend is enticing curious eaters to explore a variety of vendors that are definitely worth a taste.

of an average shift at the MIHO Gastrotruck.

Although running a food truck may sound like a piece of cake, it is an entirely different operation than running a restaurant. However, Ho said all MIHO Gastrotruck employees continually model quality customer service skills, just as if they were working in a restaurant.

Ho recommends aspiring foodtruck owners create a strong business plan and maintain a degree of patience. Running a food truck is not a “miracle business” and success does not automatically happen.

One particular reason for the trendiness of food trucks is they have to be found. After all, trucks cannot always be parked in the same place.

Food truck lovers have created blogs and Facebook pages to update others on where the next location for favorite local food trucks will be.

Because they have no designated area, it is easy for these trucks to change locations daily to draw new crowds to the business.

By setting up shop in areas that are not usually popular, food trucks are not only increasing their own revenue but also the revenue of local establishments. Support a food truck and help a small business blossom.

The locations of favorite San Diego food trucks can be found on the San Diego Food Trucks blog, sdfoodtrucks.com.

Avoid wasteful habits, stop trashing food

MCT Campus

Good food belongs in the pantry, not the landfill Amy DeVito staff writer The land of the free has granted its citizens bountiful opportunities to grow and prosper. However, in recent history, that advantage has been taken for granted. American consumption seems to multiply year after year, resulting in a nation notorious for its materialism and mass production of resources. Not only does this country cultivate materials on an immense scale, it also wastes a considerable portion of what is made.

One of the largest markets contributing to this compiled waste is the food industry. As this country proliferates a population wallowing in obesity and a prodigal economy, others are crippled by the pressure of scarce resources and starving populations. To counter this gross disparity, privileged citizens need to be more frugal with their consumption. Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without must become an everyday adage.

“The estimated number of undernourished people in developing countries was 824 million in 199092,” according to worldhunger.org.

The most recent estimate, released last October by Food Agriculture Organizations of the Untied Nations, stated 925 million people are undernourished.

“In 1997, in one of the few studies of food waste, the Department of Agriculture estimated that two years before, 96.4 billion pounds of the 356 billion pounds of edible food in the United States was never eaten,” according to The New York Times.

Most of this waste comes from spoilage.

It is important to plan meals and grocery store visits accordingly.

Sticking to a set food budget will help avoid impulse buys or unnecessary items. Also, do not shop on an empty stomach. This increases shoppers’ tendencies to grab extra food, especially unhealthy products.

Shoppers can also visit the grocery store every few days and buy less, as opposed to going every few weeks and buying everything in bulk.

Keeping a food diary or frequently

conducting an inventory of the refrigerator and noting expiration dates will help put into perspective what should be eaten first.

“On average we waste about 14 percent of food purchases per year, and the average American family throws out over $600 of fruit per year,” according to planetgreen.com.

It helps to save and eat leftovers, which can be used for ingredients in another meal, and it’s useful to save the ends and extra pieces of diced vegetables. Try drying vegetables, such as tomatoes, in the oven before they spoil. Then store them in olive oil in the refrigerator or try canning and pickling. For peas, beans, corn, carrots, broccoli and other leafy greens, blanching and storing them in the freezer will increase shelf life. Fruit and vegetable juices are expensive, so

it may be wise to throw uneaten produce into the blender and make fresh beverages.

It’s also possible to freeze dairy products, such as milk, leaving enough room in the container for expansion so they can be defrosted in the refrigerator.

Composting is another resourceful way to avoid waste. Anything except meat and dairy will work in a compost pile, ensuring extra food will be useful in the future.

The Department of Agriculture estimates recovering just five percent of wasted food could feed four million people a day. Recovering 25 percent of wasted food would feed 20 million people. Whether inspired by moral obligation or a tight wallet, wasteful habits must and can be stopped now.

D A I LY A Z T E C Wednesday, August 31, 2011

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Explosions in the Sky ignites SD

3

The experimental post-rock band plays SOMA Friday Andrew Young staff writer

MAJOR RELEASES “How Strange, Innocence” (2000) “Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever” (2001) “The Earth is Not A Cold Dead Place” (2003) “Friday Night Lights Original Soundtrack” (2004) “The Rescue” (2005) “All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone” (2007) “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care” (2011)

Austin, Texas quartet Mark Smith, Chris Hrasky, Munaf Rayani and Michael James explore melodies ranging from blindingly intense to whisper quiet. | COURTESY FILTHY LITTLE MAN

Touring in support of its first album in four years, the delay-laden soundscapes of experimental outfit Explosions in the Sky are set to wash over SOMA’s main stage this Friday.

Explosions in the Sky, a fixture in the Austin, Texas music scene since its formation in 1999, is coming to San Diego only two weeks after its performance at the ill-fated Pukkelpop festival in Belgium, where a stage collapsed because of poor weather conditions. Additionally, the unintentionally prophetic album “Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever,” which was released one week before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, contained the phrase “this plane will crash tomorrow,” which caused commotion and prompted scrutiny from law enforcement. The unwarranted controversy belies the beautifully soaring crescendos and instrumental narratives that comprise the band’s music.

Rejecting the non-traditional time signatures and dissonant instrumentation dominating post-rock, Explosions in the Sky’s melodic approach to songwriting has made it one of the most accessible (and commercially successful) bands within its genre. The band’s latest record “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care” is no exception — having the dual distinction of debuting on the Billboard Top 20 as well as possessing the best use of a repeating imperative statement in an album title since The Cure’s “Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.” “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care” also represents a departure in recording style, as the quartet opted to produce the album using multi-tracks and overdubs instead of the live-in-the-studio techniques of their previous efforts.

Experiencing how the band translates the lush production of its latest record into one of the cathartic live performances that have formed the basis of their careers will prove to be among the most exciting aspects of Friday’s show.

Explosions in the Sky will play with Twin Sister at 7 p.m. this Friday at SOMA. Tickets are $18.

Students flock to Aztec Nights on The Mesa Past success brings hope for more great events to come John Anderson entertainment editor Every student has his or her own method of readjusting to a new semester after the debauchery of summer break. Some focus on flipping their nocturnal sleep schedules, others rush to check out class locations and get involved on campus, more still plan full-scale ragers and assess the best ways to avoid noise violations. Associated Students has developed its own way of welcoming the new school year.

For the fourth year running, A.S., CASE, Student Affairs and Business and Financial Affairs will be hosting Aztec Nights. With a noticeable lack of amusing things to do directly around campus, and in an effort to bolster school spirit by encouraging students to hang around instead of fleeing The Mesa to Pacific Beach, Aztec Nights fills the recreation gap usually occupied by first-week alcohol abuse.

While hosting an event for an

organization with the groups’ combined budget of $250,000 is easy, our representatives have the daunting task of making their Aztec Nights more appealing than keggers.

Despite this being an uphill battle where many students are concerned, A.S. is certainly not phoning in its efforts. Past events have included fire breathers, a stand-up performance by comedian and “The Soup” host Joel McHale, a Guinness World Records record-breaking dodgeball game and filled-to-capacity shows at the Open Air Theatre.

Even with the allure of boozing and rabble-rousing, in a huge number of cases A.S. is winning the battle for students’ attention, or at least sharing that attention, with fun and free events. Last year’s attendance was the most ever, and San Diego State has enjoyed a noticeable decline in crime on the weekends featuring Aztec Nights events.

Festivities usually start slowly, as many students have yet to arrive on campus until the first day of classes.

Last weekend’s efforts were low-key, but successful, particularly on Sunday night. Students filled Aztec Green for a showing of “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” on a giant, inflatable screen. The picture

(Aztec Nights’) success bodes well for larger events to come ... perhaps most intriguing (is) ... this year’s free concert on Sept. 23. quality was impressive considering the venue and the sound was remarkably booming. In fact, the screening was so successful it begs

the question why SDSU football and basketball games are not broadcast in a similar manner – especially the away games and sold-out home

appearances.

Last weekend’s success bodes well for larger events to come. This weekend will feature a free comedy showcase, a large carnival on campus and a “Black Light Block Party” on Campanile Walkway, all of which should draw huge crowds. Perhaps most intriguing in the near future is who A.S. managed to book for this year’s free concert on Sept. 23, to be revealed later in the semester. Be sure to jump on tickets as soon as the performer is announced: Tickets will go fast.

Have more CDs than the average record shop?

At the movies more than Roger Ebert?

Dish out your artistic critiques by writing for Entertainment! Submit your résumé and two writing samples to entertainment@thedailyaztec.com.

T H E

DA I LY

A Z T E C .C O M

6

D A I LY

AZTEC Wednesday, August 31, 2011

OPINION

PRO

CON

New smoking policy SDSU blows smoke protects students with health concerns Randy Wilde staff columnist I’ve heard quite a few complaints from smokers regarding San Diego State’s new, strikingly titled “Smoking in Designated Areas Policy,” which went into effect August 22.

The new regulation drastically increases the limitations governing tobacco use on campus.

The old policy banned smoking within 20 feet of any university building, but from now, on smoking in outdoor areas is also prohibited with the exception of limited designated smoking areas. Smokers scream they are being discriminated and herded into smaller and smaller pens. While their freedom-loving hearts may be in the right place, their outrage is both naively idealistic and self-centered.

Cries of “They can’t do this!” are not well thought out. If the university has the right to regulate the consumption of drugs and alcohol on campus — both of which may not directly impact the health of uninvolved students — why should smoking tobacco, already proven to cause collateral damage, be off limits? You can claim secondhand smoke hysteria is overblown, but the fact remains: Cigarette smoke is a health hazard.

So much scientific evidence has been marshaled behind this case that California has countless laws in the books banning tobacco products, a major tax revenue earner. Smoking in the workplace and public locations such as restaurants and bars is heavily regulated in many states. The town of Belmont, Mass. has even made it illegal to smoke in your own apartment or condominium if it shares a wall or ceiling with another unit.

It is both well within SDSU’s rights to regulate smoke and make policies in the best interest of the overall student body. I would assume the majority of students on campus are not smokers, or smoke rarely. Even the smokers, I would assume, do not enjoy inhaling other peoples’ fumes — be they from cigarettes or other biological factors.

Let’s be clear about this new policy: It

T

IS RT FA

R, IPE BP RO

AF ST

makes no steps to ban smoking on campus outright. Nor is SDSU intending this action to be some kind of moral prerogative. What it does accomplish is giving both sides — the smoking and the nonsmoking — the opportunity to coexist harmoniously without unwanted intrusion into another person’s freedoms. What smokers may sacrifice with convenience they ultimately replace with respect for nonsmokers.

Smokers cannot assume the role of an oppressed minority. They are not being singled out for unfair treatment. The new policy applies to all and is sufficiently justified by significant health concerns. SDSU has the right to protect the health of its students and itself from liability. Considering the university provides free health services to students, it is in its best interest to keep us healthy.

The policy only regulates smoking on campus. The way legal trends are looking, smokers should enjoy their ability to smoke elsewhere while it lasts.

With 12 designated areas strategically located around campus, only students living on campus can claim any inconvenience, although minor. The bottom line is, coming to this campus is a choice and it is not the university’s responsibility to enable our addictions.

For the full policy and map of designated smoking locations visit: http://bfa.sdsu.edu/smokingpolicy/ For smoking cessation resources contact SDSU Student Health Services.

RANDY WILDE IS AN ISCOR SENIOR.

Richard McPheters assistant art director For the last three years I’ve considered myself an average cigarette smoker. From Parliament Lights to Natural American Spirits, I’ve had my fair share of tobacco intake. But I’ve never felt my right to light up more infringed than it is now. Our newest smoking policy effectively confines smokers to 12 areas on campus, as designated by a number of placards.

My first reaction to this ostracization was complete outrage, but after considering it further I became very concerned for the wellbeing of this student population. San Diego State’s concern for the health of the student body is completely understandable, but nonsmoking campaigns are something most of us outgrew in our early years. No, my concern lies within our liberties as individuals and the ease in which they’re taken away.

When I attended Mesa Community College, a very similar nonsmoking policy arose after my second year of school. It didn’t seem like an issue at first because, similar to this policy, it included designated smoking areas for students. Like Mesa, Grossmont College and other schools, it’s only a matter of time before that same stance is taken here. Recent laws have furthered a deeper control of smokers, and it’s getting to a point where the liberties of smokers are absolutely being taken away.

At SDSU, I can safely say there aren’t too many smokers on campus. In previous years, it was a rare occasion for me to have someone approach me seeking a cigarette. With smokers being such a minority at SDSU, I don’t understand where the problem arose. This is a huge campus with a lot of open space. The smoke from my cigarette isn’t likely to travel into doorways or into the noses of those who do not partake. So why is this such a concern of our

administration that put the policy into place?

Honestly, the hypocrisy in policies is amazing: There’s no end of fast food restaurants on campus dishing up processed foods, which can be a huge concern to the health of many of us. So too did we host a bar on this campus until last year — and have several venues dispensing alcohol nearby. Obesity and alcoholism are serious issues that affect thousands of people every year. When does one health risk outweigh another? I understand these diseases are self-inflicted, but the bottom line is we as individuals pick our poisons.

Walking to a designated area as almost a statement of outcasting is not where I am concerned. I’ve grown used to being treated like a societal pariah for my decision to smoke. I’ve endured the hyperbolic coughs nonsmokers aim when I pull out a cigarette.

And I’ve already toughened up against those snottily pointing out, “You know cigarettes kill you, right?”

Smokers such as myself are outcast every single day because of who we are and what we involve ourselves with. The problem is there comes a point when there is too much control of the population.

My smoke break is a retreat. It is a time when I can step back from the stresses consuming me on a day-to-day basis. It is a time to think, relax and get the quick buzz I need to get my head back in the game. It is what helps me focus when my brain is in a scramble and I can’t even get one thought out as to what do to next.

My decision to smoke is my own prerogative. I pay tuition like the rest of the student body, and with that I’d like to have my freedoms that accompany it. To take away our liberties is to take away our identities. I identify myself as a smoker and if this campus does not choose to recognize my decision, it is choosing not to recognize me as its student.

RICHARD MCPHETERS IS A GRAPHIC DESIGN SENIOR.

I pay tuition ... and with that I’d like to have my freedoms ...

To take away our liberties is to take away our identities.

Richard McPheters

Smokers cannot assume the role of an oppressed minority ... The new policy applies to all and is ... justified by ... health concerns.

Randy Wilde

D A I LY A Z T E C Wednesday, August 31, 2011

CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED UCSD female cancer survivor studies.

Compensation for participation. For more information call (858) 822-0768 or email ayastudy.ucsd@gmail.com

INTERNSHIPS Film Student Intern wanted. Director of Photography looking for a business minded film student to partner with in freelance ventures. Contact ebeary2011@gmail.com

Xponential Growth Solutions: Marketing / Financial Services Company. Come visit us at the September 22nd Internship Fair.

For early consideration please send resume and cover letter to bwilley@xgrowthsolutions.com

HOUSES FOR RENT

SERVICES

SERVICES

Walking distance to SDSU. 5 bed 2 bath. Pool washer/dryer. $3,250 a month.

Call 714-308-9611.

THE DAILY AZTEC DOES NOT ENDORSE OR SUPPORT AND HAS NO AFFILIATION WITH THE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES OFFERED IN THE CLASSIFIEDS SECTION.

APARTMENTS FOR RENT East San Diego/ College Area. Furnished studios. Well appointed with fully furnished LR/BR and kitchen. Quiet cul de sac location.

No SDGE. Deposit or hookup fee required. $695/month. Low $150 deposit. 619-2819451.

please RECYCLE THIS PAPER.

7

on

No news is BAD news. Read The Daily Aztec.

IF YOUR AD WAS HERE, YOU’D BE RICH BY NOW.

Contact us to advertise in the paper!

619-594-6977 • advertising@thedailyaztec.com

8

D A I LY

AZTEC Wednesday, August 31, 2011

B AC K PAG E

FICTION

Flooding the Sundarbans hat day, when the Sundarbans flooded, schools of pythons swam up the delta like sunken canoes, their noses dark periscopes above the surface. Taxiboat drivers sang morning prayers and drifted down current. They held umbrellas so black it seemed as though the “kheya nouka” sprouted hard, humanshaped mushrooms atop their plywood decks. When the drivers passed the snakes curling through the mangroves, some men bowed to them, some slapped the surface with hardwood paddles.

Earlier that week, Zakir moved the tin roof his family sleeps under farther from the saltwater tides.

Ibrahim helped. When they walked the great, corrugated metal down the sand and through the marshlands, Nadia watched with infant wonder, curious about the possibility of giant woodlice. We wait for Samir to return home from Dhaka. I can see him when I close my eyes at night, our older brother stretched against the tops of trains long as foreign horizons, searching for known stars in a sky sick with monsoon clouds. He rolls through green rice paddies fed by clean water, but soon, as he nears us, those fields will be poisoned by the rising sea, and the rice once promised to us will feed the hungry crabs instead.

Last year, when the river rose to our chests and the fins of bull

T

BY NANCY BLACK, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES

HOROSCOPE

Mason Schoen staff columnist sharks sailed through the murky water, we climbed atop age-hardened bamboo scaffolding tall enough to make the trees jealous. Ali lost them that year, their brown faces suspended momentarily in the water.

Later, we found his family’s limp and water-swollen bodies in the mudflat we use as a football pitch, half-eaten as though their muscles weren’t fresh enough to finish.

When the water recedes, we are left with tidepools that try to hide

rooted himself as the next source of our family, but the water waiting at his feet is tainted by the sea. He asks me now, before we face toward Mecca to pray, “Do you think the saltwater comes from the sea, or from so much sweat, the product of laboring Bangladesh?” I do not answer him. I touch my forehead to the floor.

In the evening, we watch Zakir and Ibrahim rebuild. Nadia giggles on the saddle of my knee as I guide her toward consciousness, the moment she can trap and hold memories. This day, she will forget.

What she won’t forget: Samir jumping the border to find work and

“Do you think the saltwater comes from the sea, or from so much sweat, the product of laboring Bangladesh? ” their innards by mimicking the sky.

Once, Samir waded through a flooded pit and caught the reflection of our missing father in the sky.

When he looked up, his discovered angel disappeared. When he continued forward again, his shin bumped a dead man’s shoulder, and Samir pulled out our drowned father, stinking of provenance once lost, flesh soft enough to unravel in the heavy weight of mortal worlds. In this way, Samir

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (08/31/11) Inspire others to creativity this year. Couch any constructive criticism by acknowledging their work first. When in doubt, stick to your core values, and reaffirm the ideals (and people) you're most committed to.

This support gets reflected back to you, multiplied. You might be getting some Facebook love.

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 Finish the job with an eye for detail. Take it slow to avoid accidents. No gambling now.

Follow the rules carefully, and don't skip any steps for great results.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - Today is an 8 - A setback inspires you to try a new tack.

Chart your course, and run up the sails.

Leave your cash in the bank for now, and focus on the task at hand.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - Today is an 8 Stay close to home, and clean something up to avoid an argument. Slowly practice the skill you want to master, and aim for the desired goal. Things stabilize.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 7 Avoid risk. There's new information coming in that changes the situation.

Postpone travel and expenses. Your natural thriftiness pays off now.

LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 7 - Don't look too hard for gratification and spending right now. See where love goes.

Keep a practical point of view when making decisions. You're moving slowly forward.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is an 8 Get creative, and see what develops.

Provide support. Look ahead for any obstacles. Give someone a little push in the right direction, and it benefits everyone.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 7 - An error could lead to the solution to an annoying problem. Keep costs low, but go ahead and try again. Avoid the temptation to overanalyze. Acknowledge your team.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 5 There's no cheese down the dark tunnel.

Use your instinct and your sense of smell to find the real treat. Stay away from money traps. Go for the light.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is a 7 - The challenges of today may push you to want to hide and be alone; however, a friend could provide more comfort than solitude now. Let them be there.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is an 8 - Perhaps it's time to stop complaining about those things that bother you and get into action. Have you considered running for public office?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is a 7 - There's no better time to conserve resources than now. Make sure to turn the lights off when you leave the room. Your wallet will appreciate it.

PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 7 It's easy to be critical today. Make sure it's constructive (or keep quiet). Don't travel, spend or make a pitch yet. Complete something for great satisfaction. ©2011, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

instead finding a soldier’s bullet.

Zakir’s boat tipping in the open ocean, his digested bones decorating the sunken wreck, pylons facing toward eternity. The pythons around our mother’s sleeping throat, her lips brown and heavy, stained with the salt of unknown origin.

-Mason Schoen is a creative writing graduate student.

BY THE MEPHAM GROUP, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES

SUDOKU

Difficulty Level: 2 out of 4

S DS -V I E W

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.sudokudragon.com Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com ©2011, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

LIKE SDSU news?

CROSSWORD

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TANYA! Photo Editor Antonio Zaragoza captured this shot of Assistant Copy Chief Tanya Huang hard at work in the office. It’s her birthday today. Show her some Facebook love. She’s already logged on.

C O N TA C T : GENERAL INFORMATION

619.594.4199

FOR ALL OTHER CONTACTS, PLEASE VISIT

thedailyaztec.com

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. Story ideas can be sent to tips@thedailyaztec.com.

ACROSS 1 “Les __” 4 As a friend, in French 9 Actor Romero 14 N.L. West team, on scoreboards 15 Noble gas 16 Latin stars 17 MLK birthday month 18 Method of looking for keys?

20 Relay race closer 22 Peace Prize winner Wiesel 23 Wide shoe size 24 Love god 26 Working parts 28 Finishing by the deadline, sometimes 32 Computer pioneer Lovelace 33 Young newt 34 Many Semites 38 Reveal 40 Knight’s ride 43 Harald V’s capital 44 Capital on the Willamette 46 Future fish 47 World games org.

48 Bad-mouthing someone 53 Food packaging unit 56 German river 57 Soccer star Freddy 58 In __: moody 60 Like Chris and Pat, genderwise 64 Call waiting diversion 67 Big name in kitchen gadgets 68 Violet lead-in 69 Steve of country 70 Nth degree 71 Eyelid annoyances 72 In small pieces, as potatoes

/ Daily Aztec

BY RICH NORRIS & JOYCE LEWIS, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES

Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com 73 Punk rock offshoot DOWN 1 Whom Goya painted both nude and clothed 2 OPEC cofounder 3 Penultimate element, alphabetically 4 Encourage 5 Couch disorders 6 Raggedy gal 7 Speck of dust 8 How perjurers may be caught 9 Concerto highlight 10 Sixth sense, briefly 11 Brisket source 12 Curved

13 Works in the garden 19 Lofted iron 21 Villainous laugh syllable 25 Acre’s 43,560: Abbr.

27 Prefix with space 28 Fashion statements in the ’hood 29 “Eureka!” elicitor 30 Sass 31 Early development sites?

35 2-Down’s location 36 Political group 37 __ puppet 39 Actor Jared 41 Ages and ages 42 He succeeded Coty as French president

45 Latin percussion pair 49 Plastic surgeon’s job, for short 50 Sharper, as eyes 51 Smoothed in a shop 52 Hosp. picture 53 “The Stranger” author 54 X-rated 55 Hale 59 Pad __: Asian noodle dish 61 A portion (of) 62 Checkup 63 Love letter closing, and in sequence, a hint to the ends of 18-, 28-, 48and 64-Across 65 Wrath 66 Hobbit enemy