09-04-2012

Check out the “Aztec Nights” scene on page 4.

THE NEWSPAPER OF SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1913 VOLUME 99, ISSUE 6

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

Aztecs discover multi-planet system campus

Ana Ceballos

football

Assistant News Editor

After collecting two years worth of data, a team led by San Diego State astronomy Professor Jerome Orosz, Ph.D., discovered the first transiting circumbinary multi-planet system.

The system, called Kepler-47, was identified when Orosz denoted a pattern of slight dips of brightness crossing through the path of the host stars. The Kepler space telescope, which has 95 million pixels and is extremely sensitive, was a key tool for the discovery of the system 5,000 light-years away, according to Orosz.

The team included undergraduate and graduate students, who helped identify and analyze the dips, as well as astronomy professor William Welsh, who presented the new find to the International Astronomical Union meeting in Beijing.

In addition to identifying the stability of the system, it was also determined if the planets were to be left alone, they would persist and sustain themselves, according to Orosz.

The first planet, Kepler-47b, is three times larger than the diameter

Washington takes down the Aztecs Hilal Haider Staff Writer

A San Diego State team of graduate and undergraduate students, led by Professor Jerome Orosz, Ph.D. discovered a planetary system orbiting two suns.

of Earth, orbits a pair of stars every 49 days and has a white appearance. The second planet, Kepler47c, completes its orbit in 303 days, is slightly bigger than Uranus and has a blue appearance. The smaller

Katrina versus Isaac

star undergoes its rotation around the larger star in about one week.

“The first of the two planets is located in the habitable zone, just like Earth,” Orosz said. “This planet is most likely made of gas and has

coutesy nasa-jpl- caltech-t.pyle

temperatures at the freezing point of water.”

Because of the nature of the Kepler system and the proximity of the KEPLER continued on page 2

SDSU basketball season tickets already sold out

After a long, strenuous summer full of training and anticipation, the San Diego State Aztecs opened up their 2012 season against the University of Washington Huskies in Seattle. The high-speed Husky offense, led by junior quarterback Keith Price, was fresh off of a solid 2011 season, while the Aztecs entered the season with some question marks on both sides of the ball.

Saturday night’s game began with struggles for the Aztec offense. Senior quarterback Ryan Katz opened up the game with an interception, but continued to progress as the game went on. His mobility and swift maneuvering were keys for the Aztec offense all night.

Price, on the other hand, was solid from the opening whistle, throwing for 222 yards and one touchdown as the Huskies defeated the Aztecs, 21-12.

The Huskies jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to a rushing touchdown by sophomore running back Bishop Sankey and a touchdown catch by sophomore wide receiver Kasen Williams.

FOOTBALL continued on page 5

Students weigh in on race and love love

& relationships

Shellie Stamps Staff Writer SDSU basketball season tickets sold out after announcing schedule on Aug. 28th.

After analyzation, Hurricane Isaac is in no comparison to Hurricane Katrina.

national

Arturo Garcia Staff Writer

Hurricane Katrina survivor and San Diego State Director of the Office of Intercultural Relations and Cross Cultural Center, Dr. Tanis Starck recently assessed the postKatrina preparedness of Louisiana’s population.

By Aug. 30, nearly two days after Hurricane Isaac invaded the shore of Louisiana, Associated Press reported two deaths. One was a man who fell 18 feet from a tree he had climbed, the other a truck driver who died when his vehicle was hit by a fallen tree in Picayune, Miss. In addition, 29 deaths in Haiti and the Dominican Republic were reported.

The reported deaths from Katrina were 1,836, a figure which Starck remains skeptical about.

Last Friday, Aug. 31, Isaac’s death toll rose to at least seven – five in Louisiana and two in Mississippi. It

mct campus

was reported the power was out for more than half a million homes and businesses. The estimated storm damage could surpass $2 billion.

By comparison, Katrina’s damages cost $110 billion, hitting ground as a Category 4, but ending in Category 5, the most disastrous type of hurricane.

Isaac traveled as a Category 1, but was downgraded to a tropical storm before it landed offshore on Aug. 29.

“A relief, not so much,” Stark said of the relegation because, despite Isaac’s category downgrade, people were still without electricity and damage had already been done.

In 2005, Starck was working at Tulane University in New Orleans. Three months before Katrina struck, she and her husband had evacuated because of another hurricane. Hurricane season, which lasts HURRICANE continued on page 2

Ethan Orenstein Staff Writer

After an overall record of 26-8 for the 2011-12 season and a third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, San Diego State men’s basketball fans can expect a full house at Viejas Arena for the 2012-13 season.

On Aug. 28 the team announced the home schedule sold out and there are no more season tickets available.

SDSU Associate Athletic Director Steve Schnall said while the season ticket sales bring in less revenue than if every ticket was sold separately, the benefit is in the buzz.

“It’s legitimately the hottest ticket in town,” Schnall said.

With an average attendance of 12,096 the Aztecs ranked 29th for the NCAA 2012 Division I Basketball Attendance Team Leaders. In the past two seasons, 24 out of 34 games have been sold out.

Schnall expects to see more national coverage for the Aztecs this season, as preseason rankings will most likely place them in the top 25.

“It has become the madhouse on the Mesa,” Schnall said. “As a department and as a community there is great interest in basketball without a doubt.”

The Aztecs are scheduled to play eight conference home games beginning on Jan. 12 against Colorado State. Fans can also look forward to seven nonconference home games prior to Mountain West play. That schedule will be released once it’s finalized.

“Honestly, this season could be the best season yet,” Josh Baskin, a member of “The Show,” said.

Baskin said “The Show” has a lot of new things planed for this season, but he can’t give specifics.

“The only thing I can tell you is that there will be some new

Every day, college students are given a chance to try something new. It can be as trivial as going somewhere new for lunch or as significant as changing your major. One of the more interesting opportunities we’re given is the chance to date people of different races. Interracial dating can open our minds and allow us to experience other cultures.

By indulging in new food, culture, music, tradition and religion, we essentially broaden our perspectives of the world, allowing us to see through someone else’s eyes. With all the amazingly attractive people on campus, one might think that students would be lining up to date new people, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Before I began surveying students, I expected to hear cliché comments such as “It’s what’s on the inside that counts” or “Race shouldn’t matter when it comes to love.”

But to my surprise, the student body was rather divided on the issue.

SOLD OUT continued on page 2

INTERRACIAL continued on page 6

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News

Tuesday September 4, 2012 The Daily Aztec

from KEPLER page 1

from HURRICANE page 1

When mentioning the new discovery to two SDSU astronomy undergraduates, Anthony Sanchez and Thomas Maher, they associated the twin stars of the Kepler system to Luke Skywalker’s fictional home world, Tatooine, in the original “Star Wars” film.

Sanchez, a big “Star Wars” fan, was fascinated by the resemblance of the twin stars’ and the idea that one of these planets may be habitable.

“It is overwhelming to think that our universe is as immense,” Maher said. “I have stopped wondering about whether or not there is alien life out there. How can such a big universe with diverse solar systems not be home to alien life? It is silly to think we are the only ones.”

Orosz hopes to discover more planets in the Kepler system and is excited to analyze the data he will receive every three months.

“Life is abundant and the space among stars is vast,” Orosz said. “Our goal right now is to find more systems like Kepler-47 and possibly find more habitable planets.”

In her book, “And Her Name was Katrina: Life After the Storm” Starck collected testimonials from Katrina victims, addressed information about the hurricane and its aftermath, some of which she said was not reported by popular media, and narrated her experience of losing her belongings, including her home.

Starck highlighted issues with insurance companies in the Katrina resolution. She said the home damage of many Katrina victims was not covered by their respective insurance companies.

Filing damage claims turned into a game of what-caused-what when the home owners were asked if damage was caused by either water or wind, she said.

Starck said almost no company covers both. Inevitably, both forces had to have caused separate destruction to different parts of the homes, leaving the victims with a half-covered or not-covered home damage.

Starck also said Hurricane Isaac was handled differently, which was an outcome of the errors conducted in Katrina’s aftermath.

“People were not caught offguard,” Starck said. “They left

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earlier and there was not as much panic.”

In regards to the authorities’ response, Starck said the choice not to reopen the Superdome for shelter was positive. She noted acts of rape and beatings to have occurred at the overpopulated arena during Katrina’s evacuation.

Andre Mayer for CBS news said that the number of trained disaster volunteers and updated communication is a huge improvement.

Mayer said that if these changes would have been implemented earlier, the outcome of Hurricane Katrina would have been different.

SDSU breaks world record for largest Twister board

Aztecs joined together to break a wolrd record for playing the largest game of Twister. from SOLD OUT page 1

Andrea Ciardiello

“The Show” is teaming up with the Athletic Department, Associated Students, Aztec Nights and officers of Student Life & Leadership for Madness on the Mesa from 9 p.m. to midnight on Friday, Oct. 12. The event will be held at Viejas Arena to celebrate Aztec basketball with the first official practice of the season.

Baskin said this will be the first large-scale Madness on the Mesa event and it’s a great way to keep the hype going for the upcoming season.

“Everyone who comes out to support SDSU athletics is part of ‘The Show,’” Baskin said.

“You don’t have to be sitting in the front row.”

Contributor

On Aug. 31, San Diego State made history at the Aztec Recreation Center by setting the world record for the largest playable Twister board.

The annual event was part of Aztec Nights, a series of free events to welcome students to a new year and new semester.

Programs coordinator at the ARC, Brett Kehler, has been involved with Break a World Record Night since SDSU was first recognized in the “Guinness Book of World Records” for the largest game of dodgeball in 2010. Kehler said occasions such as Break a World Record Night are fun activities for students, which also “curtail drug and alcohol use” during the first few weeks of school.

Although SDSU attempted to break the world record in Baggo last year, Guinness World Records did not acknowledge the attempt.

In order to ensure recognition for Friday’s event, Hasbro donated approximately 1,300 Twister boards for the occasion.

A Guinness representative was present to affirm SDSU had broken the world record for largest playable game, with a 24,480 squarefoot Twister board. The record, was previously held by the University of

katie foster , staff photographer

Twente in the Netherlands, made in September 2011 with a 23,000 square-foot board.

The event was a collaborative effort between Associated Students, the ARC and SDSU Student Affairs to provide food, fun and drinks for new and returning SDSU students.

When asked what prompted the idea for Friday’s event, A.S. President Rob O’Keefe said events during Welcome Week are hosted so students get a chance to meet new people, have fun and build camaraderie.

These events also give students, especially freshmen, an opportunity to learn about SDSU facilities, a sentiment echoed by A.S. Recreation Board Chair member, Kristen Larsen, who believes it is a fun way to get people to come to the gym and attract attention to programs promoted by SDSU organizations.

This year’s Break a World Record Night was a huge success and achieved a great turnout by students hoping to be a part of history. Students socialized and shared their excitement about participating while enjoying the festive environment.

“Having a chance to make history feels incredible,” a fifth year student, Matt Horton exclaimed.

“I’m going to be part of a world record!”

A.S. talk financial planning with President Hirshman Donna P. Crilly Staff Writer

San Diego State President Elliot Hirshman, Provost Nancy Marlin and colleagues addressed Associated Students at the A.S. student council orientation on Wednesday to discuss strategic planning for the current academic school year.

The theme of the orientation, Hirshman noted, was SDSU’s budget.

In an effort to gain financial stabilization, Hirshman said SDSU is “pursuing a lot of initiatives to be super lean,” but maximizing resources for efficiency will prove challenging.

Hirshman referred to SDSU’s financial challenges as “formidable” and “unprecedented,” but added SDSU will not only meet those challenges, but become “better and stronger” as a result.

Marlin said SDSU has made significant reductions across all academic areas, including SDSU’s tenured and tenure-track faculty.

The problem with continuing to cut resources, Marlin said, is maintaining quality education at SDSU. Marlin said the cuts also hinder

SDSU’s ability to carry out quality research. SDSU is the only research school within the California State University system and was the number one small research university in the country from 2006, according to News Center.

According to Marlin, SDSU is looking to increase the number of out-of-state and international students in an effort to generate more revenue.

Hirshman said SDSU is also turning to private funding to meet university expectations. The University is in the fifth year of a seven-year fundraiser with a goal to raise $500 million. So far, the fundraiser has raised more than $340 million.

Hirshman, Marlin and other speakers at the council meeting addressed A.S., reminding it to take part in SDSU’s success in the current academic year.

“Leadership starts here,” Hirshman said to A.S. council. “It’s not a slogan, it’s an ethos. That ethos, that leadership ethos, is what we do best.”

A.S. council meetings are open to the public and take place at 3:30 p.m. every Wednesday in the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center.

Opinion

Tuesday September 4, 2012 the daily aztec

3

Deadline laws protect students, LGBT youth how many times you’ve hash tagged #beerpong on Twitter is hard, it’s not.

This bill passed both the Senate and the Assembly unanimously, raising the obvious question of what our representatives are hiding on their social medias.

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antonio zaragoza , editor in chief

Students protest CSU fee increases.

T

o understand middle school is to understand the California Legislature. Aug. 31 marked the last day of this year’s legislative session and the beginning of our elected representatives’ summer break. But before they could sign each other’s yearbooks, rush home to play the latest “Madden NFL 13,” and find their summer love, they had to get something, anything, done. You know, so they wouldn’t get grounded when they got home.

So last week, senators and assembly members alike (may have) put on some smooth jazz, (possibly) lit some scented candles and got busy with the dirty, sexy business of lawmaking. Here at The Daily Aztec’s Opinion section there are few things we love more than lawmaking, be it Democrat-on-Democrat, Republican-on-Republican or even bipartisan. We tried to cover it all for our avid readers, but as a wise animated character on “Futurama” once said, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” What we did manage to do was compile the top five passed bills we think are most relevant to San Diego State’s wonderful populace.

Keep in mind these babies are so fresh out of the oven they have yet to be taken to Gov. Jerry Brown, where, if he approves of them, he will spank them to get the breathing going and then sign the soft part of their craniums.

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AB-472 Controlled substances: overdose: punishment Don’t be fooled by the whimsical title – this bill is here to save lives.

It grants immunity to anyone seeking medical help for a drug overdose.

It also protects anyone aiding the person overdosing. People seeking medical help “in good faith” cannot be charged for having controlled substances or related paraphernalia in their possession or for being under the influence of illicit drugs. It won’t protect anyone trying to buy or sell drugs and it doesn’t grant immunity for situations such as driving under the influence.

If this bill is signed, it will hopefully encourage people who have overdosed, as well as those around them, to seek professional medical attention. No more “Pulp Fiction”esque adrenaline shots to the heart.

This is one of those preciously rare undigested kernels of pragmatism the legislature passes through every once in a while, usually when they’ve been eating a lot of fiber.

Leonardo Castaneda Opinion Editor

When someone is overdosing, the first priority should be to keep that person alive, not to arrest him or her or anyone else trying to help.

Counseling and drug rehabilitation is available, but only if they survive.

San Diego’s former mayoral hopeful and independent media darling Nathan Fletcher voted against this bill.

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SB-960 California State University: campus-based mandatory fees In what may be the biggest change to the CSU in decades, this bill will overhaul how individual schools manage fees. To be clear, this only applies to campus-based fees, such as the one we are paying for the construction of the new student center.

If this bill is signed, money from existing fees cannot be reallocated without the majority vote from either the student body or a “specified campus fee advisory committee” consisting of mostly students. This is important because some cashstrapped schools have begun taking money from existing campus-based fees to cover institutional costs that should be paid for by the CSU. If schools aren’t able to shuffle funds around willy-nilly, it might reveal shortfalls in funding from the CSU they had previously been able to conceal. Future fees will have to be used exclusively for whatever express reasons they were enacted.

This is not the decentralization of CSU power down to the students many people have been waiting for, but it’s a very big step in the right direction.

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SB-1349 Social media privacy: postsecondary education Members of the legislature must have really been looking for the youth vote this coming election.

SB-1349 is another bill that will give power back to students from all public and private higher education institutions in the state. If this bill is signed, universities and colleges will no longer be able to require students or applicants to disclose their social media information. They cannot punish, threaten to punish or even ask nicely for students’ and potential students’ Facebook accounts. If you don’t think this is a big deal, imagine the grad school of your dreams asking for your Facebook username and password, then rejecting you

because of those that-can’t-possiblybe-legal-in-America photos you took in Cancun. Perhaps in the future this bill will expand to include similar restrictions on employers asking for social media information.

However, remember that SDSU, and any other school you attend or apply to, still has your name, email, address and social security number.

Nothing is stopping them from looking you up and finding those Cancun pictures – you really should delete those. If you think tallying up

SB-1315 Imitation firearms: regulation: County of Los Angeles Odds are you haven’t heard about SB-1315 and its sister bill AB2333 unless you’re a member of California’s airsoft community.

If you are, you’ve probably been up in non-lethal imitation arms because of these two laws being hailed by airsoft enthusiasts as attempts to kill their sport. AB2333 was signed into law last week, imposing a fine of up to – wait for it – $100 dollars for a first offence of allowing a minor to take a BB gun without his or her parent or guardian’s consent.

SB-1315 on the other hand allows Los Angeles – where many airsoft gun manufacturers are based – to pass stricter laws regulating the sale, possession and use of imitation guns.

This law doesn’t actually change anything; it simply opens the door for regulations, in one city, if that city feels like it. What is interesting about both of these bills is the outrage it has incited in the airsoft community. The legislature is being accused of attempting to regulate a family-friendly hobby that allows children and

adults to come together and shoot each other in pretend wars with impressively realistic toy guns.

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SB-1172 Sexual orientation change efforts What may be the most commonsensical bill in this list is also the most controversial. SB-1172 makes it illegal for mental health practitioners to perform sexual orientation change therapy on patients younger than 18 years old.

Some parents who are concerned their child may be homosexual use what is known as reparative therapy in an attempt to change them. In an enlightened bit of lawmaking the state of California declares, “Being lesbian, gay or bisexual is not a disease, disorder, illness, deficiency or shortcoming.” Therefore, the state cannot conscientiously allow children to be treated for a disease that does not exist. Especially when that treatment has been proven to cause a myriad of long-term health problems, such as depression and suicidal tendencies (the bill lists at least 23 separate health risks).

The counter claims were to be expected. Some feared this bill violates a parent’s right to do whatever they choose with their child, regardless of the risks. Others claim that there isn’t enough science to disprove reparative therapy. Presumably, we should therefore keep using innocent children as guinea pigs until we have it figured out.

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photo

Tuesday September 4, 2012 The Daily Aztec

‘Aztec Nights’ brings students together on the mesa

campus

antonio zaragoza , editor in chief

antonio zaragoza , editor in chief

Thousands of students have made it out to Aztec Nights this year for the mild weather and good company. Carnival rides, slam dunk contests, dancing and go-cart rides were enjoyed by many as well as a record-breaking twister contest. Free Slurpees?

Yes please!

katie foster , staff photographer

katie foster , staff photographer

antonio zaragoza , editor in chief

katie foster , staff photographer

antonio zaragoza , editor chief

katie foster , staff photographer

SPORTS

Tuesday September 4, 2012 the daily aztec

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from FOOTBALL page 1

12 21

SDSU head coach Rocky Long and the Aztecs dropped the season opener to Washington, 21-12.

antonio zaragoza , editor in chief

SDSU took some time to find a nine carries, with Muema finished rhythm. On a defensive miscommu- with 32 yards and one touchdown on nication by the Huskies, Katz found 11 carries. a wide open junior wide receiver “That’s our identity,” Katz said.

Tim Vizzi, who scored a 47-yard “That’s what we have been practicing touchdown to make it 14-6 in favor all fall camp. To us, we don’t really of Washington. The reception was think about it. We’ve been going for it Vizzi’s first career touchdown. on fourth down, we’ve been going for The third quarter proved to be a two every time during the scrimmages deciding quarter in the game as the we’ve had. That was just the mindset Huskies forced two fumbles against we had going into this game.” the Aztec offense, including scoring “I thought we showed some tougha 44-yard touchdown on a fumble re- ness in the second half,” SDSU head covery to make the score 21-6. coach Rocky Long said. “I was very After two fourth down conversions, disappointed in the turnovers in the the Aztecs marched right back and first half and I was very disappointed responded with a 1-yard touchdown the way the defense played. We made run by sophomore running back a lot of mental errors and we’re not Adam Muema. playing very aggressive. In the second After failing to execute a two-point half, we didn’t make as many mental conversion earlier in the game, the errors and we were a heck of a lot Aztecs would try again, but would ul- more aggressive.” timately come up unsuccessful.

The Aztecs drop to 0-1 on the Katz would finish the game with 128 season, while Washington starts 1-0. yards and one touchdown through SDSU look to rebound at 4:30 p.m. the air. Senior running back Walter this Saturday at Qualcomm Stadium Kazee led SDSU with 86 yards on against Army.

Men’s soccer comes up short against Notre Dame The San Diego State men’s soccer team opened the 2012 season with a 3-2 loss to No. 15/20 Notre Dame Friday evening at The adidas/IU Credit Union Classic.

In the 38th minute, the Aztecs got on the board when junior defender Robbie Friese found junior forward Jordan Ongaro, who headed it past Irish goalkeeper Will Walsh.

Down 3-1, SDSU scored again when junior midfielder Blake Wise sent in a cross that was headed it by junior midfielder Casey Meuser in the 84th minute.

The Aztecs kept the pressure on in the final minutes, but ultimately ran out of time for a comeback.

Meuser finished with three shots, while six other Aztecs finished with one shot apiece.

Notre Dame’s Ryan Finley finished the game with two goals.

team won the 2012 Holiday Inn Mission Valley Aztec Challenge.

With three wins this weekend, SDSU now sits at 50 on the season.

Against Utah State, senior middle blocker Andrea Hannasch finished with 15 kills and three blocks, while sophomore outside hitter Michelle Waber finished with 14 kills and 11 digs.

Junior middle blocker Emily Harris and Waber were named to the all-tournament team, while Waber picked up the tournament MVP honors for the second consecutive weekend.

This weekend, the Aztecs will take part in the Verizon Volleyball Challenge in Honolulu. SDSU faces No. 6 Hawai’i at 7 p.m. this Friday at the Stan Sherriff Center.

Other participants in the tournament are defending national champion and No. 3 UCLA and Idaho.

Volleyball wins 2012 Aztec Challenge Four Aztecs finished with double-digit kills as the San Diego State volleyball

Women’s soccer defeats No. 5 Pepperdine Friday night’s contest against No. 5 Pepperdine was significant for more than one reason.

Other than playing under the lights at the SDSU Sports Deck for the first time in program history, the Aztecs looked to record its second win against a top-5 ranked opponent in the Mike Friesen era.

Behind senior midfielder Megan Jurado’s 58th-minute goal, the No. 25 Aztecs defeated the Waves, 1-0, to move to 5-0 on the season. It was also SDSU’s fifth consecutive shutout for the first time since the 2004 season.

Pepperdine drops to 3-1 on the year. The goal was Jurado’s second of the year.

“One of the things that was exciting about tonight’s win was we played very well,” head coach Mike Friesen said. “I felt like we were very dominant in the possession and had seven or eight very good chances.

Pepperdine is a good team and for us to be that dominant on a night like tonight is just really rewarding.”

SDSU returns to action this weekend when they travel to Minnesota to take part in the Minnesota Gold Classic. The Aztecs will face off against Minnesota on Friday before taking on Iowa State on Sunday.

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features

Tuesday September 4, 2012 The Daily Aztec

New iPhone app brings fact-checking to the digital age

science

& technology

The Super PAC App allows users to take the policial process into their own hands. Fact-checking has never been easier.

Eric Dobko Staff Writer

With the U.S. presidential election looming around the corner, the fateful bombardment of deceptive, misleading political ad campaigns has returned once more.

Again it is time for the nation’s aspiring leaders to attack and slander one another with distorted, fictional claims about themselves and their opponents. Such claims may resemble something along the lines of “As your candidate for president, I will eliminate all taxes and bring America into a new age of enlightenment,” or “I promise to withdraw military presence that we have stationed in more than 130 countries around the world.” Or even, “My opponent is a sadist and strangles kittens for his own pleasure.” Sometimes it gets difficult to really know the authenticity of their statements.

With the ocean of misinformation fed to the public through television screens, a method of filtering out the lies and getting the truth is imperative. With the new Super PAC App, you can filter information through your iPhone. The app allows users to listen and identify political

paige nelson, photo editor

advertisements (much like Shazam does with music), referencing the audio waves with a database of factual claims about the ads from objective, nonpartisan, thirdparty sources.

Originating from a class project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the app was conceived when co-founders Dan Siegel and Jennifer Hollet met in a course at the school’s renowned Media Lab. With Siegel’s interest in both politics and campaign spending combined with Hollet’s background in broadcast journalism, the fusion of their abilities produced Super PAC. Using the latest audio fingerprinting technology, they developed a user-friendly method of combating political propaganda, which is ideal for those who don’t have time in their busy schedules to research every claim that they hear in the media.

In an interview with CNN, Siegel elaborated on the motives for developing such a tool. “Some of these ads are complete distortions of the truth and you can quickly discover that if you have some trusted news source telling you so,” Siegel said.

“And some of the ads are completely accurate and are telling you really valuable in-

formation that can help make you a more informed voter. And you need to know that, too.”

A super PAC is a political action committee, which can raise and spend an unlimited amount of funds on political races.

Super PACs have emerged in the presidential race because of two federal court rulings back in 2010. Since then, more than $300 million has been given to approximately 780 Super PACs, contributing to the metamorphosis of our country into a plutocracy, or a nation ruled by the rich.

Because of the Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court, super PACs can exist. With this limitless financial capacity for unions, individuals and businesses to dedicate money to their campaign of choice, this year’s presidential election is set to flood the airwaves with commercials, both factual and inaccurate.

“That means that sometime in midAugust or late August, there’s going to be, particularly in swing states, no more (nonpolitical) commercials,” Siegel continued. “And I suspect that’s going to feel very weird to the average person.”

In order to combat the manufacturing of consent by political parties and the groups that fund them, the Super PAC App feeds users valid information about everything

related to the commercial. Such information may include the name of the organization, its goals, its affiliation to the official campaign, how much money they’ve raised, and how much they’ve spent. On another screen, the application examines and scrutinizes individual claims made in the ad, giving the user an enhanced sense of the reality behind what their TV tells them to believe everyday.

San Diego State students Brianna Corn and Kayla Delucia offered their thoughts on the app and its possible repercussions on American society. “It will be eye-opening for a lot of people when they find out that the things they hear and see are often lies,” Corn said.

“It’s a really good idea for people to be able to see what’s actually going on, rather than to just blindly trust the commercial.”

In addition Delucia said, “I think that it would be a really helpful tool, as most people just go off of what they hear from friends or family. Having something that could figure everything out for them cuts out a lot of the effort, solving one of the main problems today … that people are just too lazy.”

It seems inarguable a tool promoting truth and awareness in politics is a great invention.

The question is whether Super PAC App will actually have an effect on the American masses.

While people may have reservations about interracial dating, the experience can be life changing. from INTERRACIAL page 1

In fact, many of the students I spoke to seemed to favor the idea of dating within their own race. San Diego State senior Tahitina Berhanu, who is Ethiopian, said she has been curious about dating other races, but ultimately feels comfortable with people from her culture. “I’m drawn to [dating Ethiopians] because we have the same culture, the same food, same traditions,” Berhanu said. “I feel like I’d have to explain more to [someone of a different race] because I can’t speak my language freely around them … it just won’t come naturally.”

SDSU junior Jose, who is Mexican would rather date people with a Mexican heritage. “It’s not the same. Ideally it’s better to date someone of the same ethnicity.

[For me] she has to be Mexican ... the communication wouldn’t be as good with anybody else. Latino culture has more indirect language,” Jose said.

The more students I surveyed, the more frequent such responses became. One Caucasian student said that dating a African-American girl would be a “culture shock” and that his family would be more comfortable with him dating a Hispanic or an Asian girl.

It’s like we have a Yougurtland of delicious people on campus but everybody’s stuck on their favorite flavor, refusing to try a free sample. Where are all the people who are down with a swirl?

thinkstock

Well, it turns out there are many people on campus who find interracial dating to be acceptable and even fun. An SDSU freshman male said, “If she’s hot, she’s hot.”

SDSU junior Ashley Melendez believes interracial relationships can work. She has been in an interracial relationship for almost two years. Melendez is Puerto Rican and African-American and her boyfriend, Johnathan, is Mexican. “[This] is the first interracial relationship I’ve had.

It was more about his personality,” Melendez said. “Being in an interracial relationship has definitely opened my mind to new things. I would encourage everyone to date outside their race at least once in their life.

You never know until you try. Let go of all the stereotypes and just see what it’s like.”

There are plenty of people who have proven love can transcend color. It wouldn’t be fair to deny yourself true love and happiness simply because you’re afraid to step outside the comfort zone.

Interracial dating is so much more than the issue of skin color. It is an issue of culture, religion and even classism. At the end of the day, interracial dating is a personal decision between you and the person you may or may not be interested in. No one can truly say whether interracial dating is “good” or “bad.” We all have the right to date whomever we please without having to explain ourselves. But never forget there are always different options. You might just like what you find.

features

Tuesday September 4, 2012 the daily aztec

7

Breaking the ice: how to approach someone special

advice

Victoria Valenzuela Staff Writer

With a new semester comes endless opportunities to meet new people in your classes, residence halls, apartment complexes or simply standing in line at Starbucks. Somewhere along the way, however, you may find a particular individual who catches your eye. It might be that guy sitting in the front row, or the girl who lives a few rooms down. Whatever the case, the act of approaching a new love interest can be quite nerve-racking.

Throughout history, society seemed to create its own set of guidelines for handling romantic relationships.

There exists a basic etiquette while executing “the approach” which seems to be common sense, but at the same time completely foreign.

The first step to forming any relationship is to “break the ice,” or to introduce yourself. Sounds easy, right?

Not always. It can actually prove to be the most challenging part of the whole equation, as making a good first impression sets the tone for whether or not you’ve established a connection.

Your approach is key, and there are many different techniques you can use to hopefully spark a conversation, instead of the other person awkwardly scurrying away. SDSU senior Tiffany Fernando has had good luck offering random compliments to

people she met in the elevator. “I used to always find a compliment or see what [the other person] was carrying,” Fernando said. “Leaving a little mark on someone’s day makes you more memorable and makes people more friendly toward you.”

Showing genuine interest in the other person is also important because it demonstrates that you truly want to get to know them. Ask what kind of coffee they are drinking or what book they’re reading. Relate the conversation to school-related matters if nothing else comes to mind. When talking to someone new, SDSU senior Octavio Hernandez uses a similar tactic. “Ask what major she is in or what classes she is taking,” Hernandez suggests. Junior Kristen Erickson also believes showing an interest is a good way to talk to someone new. “Ask them lots of questions about themselves and give them your full attention and be fully involved and interested in what they have to say,” Erickson said. “Make them feel special.”

If saying someone’s hair looks nice or their backpack really matches their eyes isn’t quite your game, try humor. Say something funny to get the other person’s attention.

“For me, it’s all about laughter,” San Diego State junior Danielle Gardner said. “I love it when a guy can make me laugh.”

While pick-up lines may seem unconventional or something that only

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Sweeping gestures can score a lot of points, but sometimes a subtle approach works better.

works in movies, it just might prove to be a unique opener for starting a dialogue with someone, so long as you don’t ask if they are wearing space pants or tired from running through your mind all day.

With any of these suggestions, however, comes caution. It is crucial to keep your ego in check, as excessive confidence is not always attractive.

“Don’t try to act too cool and collected and try too hard to impress,” Erickson added. “It can make you come off as fake or just make you look completely ridiculous.”

More than anything, show your true self, as honesty is also a key component to any successful relationship.

While this may seem daunting, it all boils down to confidence. This may sound easier said than done, because sometimes nerves overcome you until you can barely form a sentence. Sometimes all it takes is saying “hi” with a friendly smile to open the door to conversation. In doing so, you should realize even if the person doesn’t respond the way you would like them to, there are always other “fish in the sea.”

Senior John Carlo Gucilatar supports this notion. “Know that rejection is not a bad thing,” he said.

The next time you introduce yourself to someone you want to get to know or simply strike up a conversation with, the easiest thing to do is just say hello. Be friendly, show interest or even offer a compliment or two. Hopefully it will lead somewhere. It may not. Either way, you took a chance. You put yourself out there. In the end, that’s all that matters.

8

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Tuesday September 4, 2012 The Daily Aztec

Restoring my faith in humanity

humor

Hayley Rafner Staff Columnist viva la netherlands

I think of myself as a pretty optimistic person. I’m nice to strangers, almost always have a smile on my face and if you laugh at my jokes, I pretty much assume we’re best friends. This gets me in trouble. I trust people too easily, I wear my heart on my sleeve and if you have a beard and tattoos, I have already fallen in love with you (regardless of if we’ve met.

If we haven’t, hit a sister up).

Naturally, I get hurt a lot. But it’s fine. It makes me who I am. I’d rather feel it all than be numb.

However, there is one area in my life where the little shining light of optimism comes equipped with a dimmer switch. If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know I have little-to-no faith in my generation, myself included.

(All I do is watch reruns of “Nip/Tuck” and talk about drag queens. Honestly, what am I doing to change the world?) As a result, I’ve kind of lost faith in people as a whole. In general, I don’t think people are very nice.

No one smiles back at me on the street, people snicker behind my back pretty much all the time (I mean, can you blame them?) and I can’t say I’ve found a group of genuinely good people.

But all of that changed this summer when I had the opportunity to host three Dutch travelers. When my mom called me and asked if I was interested, I jumped at the chance.

After all, there’s only so much I could do in an apartment without air

conditioning in the middle of summer (other than die of heat stroke).

I won’t lie, I was nervous. I’ve only lived in San Diego for four years and while I’ve seen the sites and know some cool burger joints, I wasn’t sure how to keep my new friends occupied. Not to mention I had never met these people in my life and knew nothing about them or what they enjoyed doing.

Little did I know, my time with them would be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

I ended up showing them around the Gaslamp District, then had lunch in Pacific Beach. We checked out the sea lions at went to the La Jolla Children’s Pool and ended the day with their very first 7-Eleven Slurpees. After a funfilled day in San Diego, I joined them

the most inherently good people I have ever met. They smiled and said hello to every stranger they passed on the street, were grateful for something as small as sugar for their coffee and had smiles on their faces during every event.

There they were, three friends from Amsterdam wandering around America for the first time by themselves. They reached out to a community of hosts and stayed on different strangers’ couches every night (something I have seen far too many episodes of “Law and Order” to ever try). They even used maps to get around. Maps.

No GPS. Paper maps. Who does that anymore?

I trust people too easily, I wear my heart on my sleeve and if you have a beard and tattoos, I have already fallen in love with you (reguardless of if we’ve met. If we haven’t, hit a sister up). for their last day in California and showed them some fun in Los Angeles, where we saw the Hollywood sign, got a tour of the “Grey’s Anatomy” set and even got a picture with Patrick Dempsey. Lastly, we enjoyed coffee in Silver Lake (hipster breeding ground, truly unnerving), Brazilian food and a comedy show on Sunset Boulevard.

I spent two full days with three complete strangers and by the time we had to say goodbye, I was overcome with a ridiculous wave of sadness. I had never been so affected by people in my life. Even after such a short time together, it was clear they were three of

My two days with the “Dutchies” affirmed there are nice people left in this world.

And it doesn’t stop at nice. I wish there was a word better than “good.” They’re just good people. No catches, no gimmicks. Thanks to Lisa, Judith and Pepijn, my faith in humanity is restored.

So the next time you’re feeling down about life and humanity as a whole (as I often feel every time I hear a Nicki Minaj song), remember the “Dutchies.”

HOROSCOPE

by Nancy Black, Tribune Media Services

Today’s Birthday (9/4/12) - These last few years show what’s important. Friends and family keep you nurtured. Your career and finances grow with steady watering over the coming year. A new educational discovery sparks after October. Challenge: take action for the future while enjoying the moment.

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 6 - You’re entering a two-day profitable phase. New evidence threatens complacency.

A breakthrough develops regarding your perspective on money and finances. A friend inspires your dream. Share the results.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) - Today is a 5 - You’re on top of the world, and you know it. Finishing what you promised is most impressive. Over the next few days, redesign your situation for the better.

Gemini (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 7 - Dress the part. Following the rules helps.

Patience is required today, so take your time.

You don’t have to choose yet. Encourage your team, which has brilliant ideas.

Cancer (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 5 - You’re entering a cooperative period.

Communicate straight up, without arrogance, gullibility or fear. Find a way to work smarter in teamwork, and then bask in the sun with friends.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 5 - Fierce competition could lead to career advancement. A female supplies key information. There’s a test coming, and you may need to turn down an invitation.

Encourage someone.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is a 6 - Look into the future and imagine where you want to be, then start taking the necessary steps to get there. You could be like Merlin, and live backwards into the present. Visualize it.

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 5 - Make love a priority. You can solve any problem through partnership. Listen and learn. Count coins and pay bills for the rest of this period.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 7 - Stay out of somebody else’s argument.

Delegate to a worthy partner for awhile.

Work can be fun, too, you know. Infuse meetings with imagination.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is a 6 - Postpone expansion (translation: add to your savings). You’re entering a work phase, and your status is going up. Avoid distractions. Postpone travel and launching new ventures. Gather information.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 6 - It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it ... extra points for being gentle. Today and tomorrow are good for fun and games. Keep track of winnings.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is a 5 - Be a gracious host and leader, even if there’s a disagreement. Your home and family could require more attention. Check instructions again. Let friends know what you’ve discovered.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 5 - Plan carefully. Don’t try a new trick now.

Find another way to work smarter to provide the requested services. Push past old barriers.

You can do it. ©2012, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

SUDOKU

by The Mepham Group, Tribune Media Services

Difficulty Level: 2 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 ©2012, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

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Across 1 Banned chem. contaminant 4 Confess 9 Pie-in-the-face sound 14 __ Na Na 15 “One of __ days ...”

16 Break down over time 17 ‘60s-’80s Bosox star 18 Talk big 19 Cattle breed named for an English county 20 Socioeconomic tension 23 Get well 24 Dawdler who prefers to remain horizontal 27 Skinny guy’s nickname 32 Modern recording device 33 Take exception 34 Toast starter 35 Spot for a peel 38 Wages sans overtime 41 Grammy-winning Dr. 42 Big name in trading cards 44 YouTube shorts 46 Dalmatian’s dinner, perhaps 47 Informative stroll through the forest 52 Auto racing safety device 54 Pulitzer-winning author James 55 “Same here,” and what might be said about the start of 20-, 27-, 38- or 47-Across 60 Stimulate 62 Bonkers 63 Colony member 64 Like intense pain 65 Change one’s pants?

66 Cardinals’ home: Abbr.

67 Young cardinal’s call 68 Warehouse supply 69 Digit with a ring, maybe Down 1 Intimidates, with “out” 2 Swiss Alps abode 3 Mideast market 4 Wagering venues, briefly 5 “__ Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

/ Daily Aztec

by Rich Norris & Joyce Lewis, Tribune Media Services

Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com 6 Uncluttered 7 Pre-1991 atlas abbr.

8 “Downtown” singer Clark 9 Swamp plant 10 Church dignitary 11 One of an amorous pair 12 Big fuss 13 Decimal base 21 Tried to avoid a tag 22 Martini liquor 25 Always 26 Two capsules, say 28 Cardinals’ beaks 29 Show for early risers, briefly 30 Urban transport 31 Build 34 Overblown publicity 35 Symbol on Texas’s flag 36 Golfer’s shirt

37 Sewn-on ornamentation 39 Not sing.

40 Hair dryer?

43 Contaminate 45 Do in, as a fly 47 “Stillmatic” rapper 48 Big game venues 49 Horrified 50 Simple shelter 51 Stovetop pot 53 Censor’s sound 56 Religious sect 57 Film director Preminger 58 Fraction of a min.

59 Geeky sort 60 NCAA’s __-12 conference 61 “__ bin ein Berliner”