THE NEWSPAPER OF SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1913 VOLUME 99, ISSUE 30
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2012
Party buses’ safety under speculation
campus
Christina Koral Staff Writer
Party buses may seem like a safe mode of transportation when going out on Saturday nights, but without proper research, party buses can be dangerous and unsafe. The evening of Sept. 29, the San Diego State Police Department and the California Highway Patrol stopped 16 party buses in the San Diego area. Of those 16 buses, four were deemed completely inoperable by the CHP. Problems included a welded shut emergency exit, fuel leaking from the gas tank and a lack of air brakes, SDSUPD Captain Lamine Secka said. Along with alcohol consumption, CHP violations can make for a deadly combination against party buses. In early August, a 25-year-old Santa Cruz woman died after she fell out of a party bus on U.S. Highway 17 during a quarrel with another woman. It is unknown how the bus doors opened, and because the passengers interviewed were drunk, little answers regarding the situation were given. Similar situations are becoming more common, and the SDSUPD is trying to crack down on party buses. Students use party buses in order to avoid driving drunk to events and parties. However, party buses don’t always reduce the number of alcohol-related injuries and can make it easier for minors to consume alcohol. Secka said after engaging in underage drinking, freshmen take
COUNTDOWN TO VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE:
6 DAYS See page 3 for more on Maclemore and Ryan Lewis
courtesy maclemore and ryan lewis
mct campus
Young people casually drink inside a party bus. Before riding a party bus for any occasion, it is recommended to check the lations and safety of the driver and bus.
party buses early in the morning, which causes more problems by increasing alcohol-related medical issues in the residence halls. However, students don’t always keep safety in mind when selecting party bus companies. Few think about whether or not the company will enforce rules on drinking or safety. But not only can the bus company be cited for facility problems, the bus driver can also be at fault for not properly enforcing rules set by the CHP. “When searching for a party bus, the important aspects to
take into account are price and ambiance,” communication junior Kevin Shufford said. “Loud music, fluorescent lights and stripper poles give the party bus the ‘party’ atmosphere.” Secka advises students to not only consider fun, but also safety. “You get what you pay for,” Secka said. One compliant company is the Cali Party Bus of San Diego. This particular party bus provider ensures that the host of the party bus event signs a clear contract spelling out all rules and
regu-
restrictions. The company also makes sure that no one under 21 consumes alcohol while on the bus and assigns a chaperone to the bus for groups with a majority of the passengers under 21. Even though students don’t think signing a contract to party is very fun, it does protect passengers and their right to a safe night. Making sure safety guidelines are stated in a contract is important when looking for the right party bus for the night and will ensure maximum safety for all parties involved.
Earth-like rock found Taking more than 16 by Curiousity on Mars units may cost more Donna P. Crilly Staff Writer
Students who plan to sign up for more than 16 units in the spring semester may have to pay additional fees. In November, the California State University Board of Trustees will vote on whether
courtesy nasa-jpl- caltech /cornell /arizona state univ.
Ana Ceballos Assistant News Editor
Approximately two months after the Mars rover Curiosity touched the red planet, the third scoop of Martian soil was gathered yesterday and placed inside the rover’s on-board equipment for analysis. The first scoop was scraped on Oct. 7 from the Rocknest site, where the rover has been for more than a week. The scoop revealed a bright material in the sample. On Oct. 8, the “benign plastic” was identified as a piece from the rover. Another find during the rover’s extraterrestrial journey included a rock sample which NASA analysts
found resembled rocks from inside the Earth’s core. “This rock is a close match in
The third scoop of Martian soil was gathered yesterday ... chemical composition to an unusual but well-known type of igneous rock found in many volcanic provinces on Earth,” Curiosity co-investigator Edward Stolper of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena MARS continued on page 2
wait for almost the drop time and then drop nine of them,” San Diego State University Senate Chair Bill Eadie said. Eadie said the surcharge will prevent students from taking the spot of someone who really needs the class. He said it’s common for students to “shop seven classes and then only keep four of
The CSU system is finding ways to close the budget gap as well as help students to graduate in four years. to charge an additional $372 per unit for students taking more than 16 units. The CSU system is finding ways to close the budget gap as well as to help students graduate in four years. Capping enrollment at 16 units and charging additional fees per unit may help achieve those goals, according to the CSU Chancellor’s office. “What they (the CSU Board of Trustees) didn’t want students to do is routinely register for 21 units and then
them.” Some students with earlier registration dates add certain classes in order to hold spots for their friends with later registration dates. Eadie said additional fees per unit may alleviate this problem. Eadie said SDSU will also make the add/drop system more efficient by changing the way crashers attempt to add classes. “We’re addressing that by implementing an automated waiting list system,” Eadie said.
Check out Cody Franklin’s review of Maclemore & Ryan Lewis’ latest.
Art comes alive at Chicano Park spotlight
Christian Benavides Staff Writer
Unity, pride, culture—all words flowing through the concrete walls of Chicano Park. Chicano Park, located near the intersection of Logan Avenue and Cesar E. Chavez Parkway, is more than a typical neighborhood park with a plain grass field and a standard playground. It isn’t a park with the most modern playground and fancy
The struggle for Chicano Park was one of the main struggles during the Chicano movement
Isidro Ortiz Chicano studies professor
benches. This park is more than a recreational area; it is alive and breathing, inhaling the customs, values and culture of the many people who visit and exhales its art, like tattoos with underlying meanings and bold statements. The murals covering Chicano Park are more than magnificent— they’re powerful. The location only adds to the gigantic spirit of this small park, sitting protestingly under the pillars of the San Diego – Coronado Bay Bridge and Interstate 5. Like its murals, this park has a lot of history and a powerful story behind it. CHICANO PARK continued on page 7
2
NEWS
Wednesday October 17, 2012 The Daily Aztec
Texan student sues university
World Beat
national
Tara Millspaugh News Editor
Abigail Fisher, a 22-year-old white woman from a long family line of Texas Longhorns expected to receive her acceptance letter in the mail from University of Texas. When she was denied enrollment, Fisher sued UT on the basis of not getting into the school because of her race, which she said violated her 14th Amendment rights. Fisher v. University of Texas reached the Supreme Court last week. On Oct. 10, the first trial with the introduction of opening statements was conducted. In 2003, a Supreme Court decision resulting from Grutter v. Bollinger deemed it is constitutional for colleges to
consider race in admissions. Since then, UT instituted a policy to automatically admit students in the top 10 percent of its Texas high school. This policy is meant to ensure automatic admissions for students from less academically rigorous schools in less affluent areas of Texas. It also challenges students who fall below the 10 percent threshold. The fact that Fisher’s case has been brought to the Supreme Court is under debate. Some say Fisher didn’t meet the qualifications of basic UT admissions. She graduated 82/674 in her class, earned a 3.59 GPA and scored below the UT’s mean SAT range with a score of 1180. Fisher’s high school record left her out of the top 10 percent automatic admissions. At 6.7 percent, white women
currently boast the lowest unemployment in the U.S. According to an article posted on Al-Jazeera, “states including Michigan and California, where affirmative action has been removed by referendum, foreshadow a bleak future for students in America’s poor, urban centres.” Chief Justice John Roberts is famously known for his statement during a 2007 affirmative-action, decision saying the “way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” The Supreme Court justices will refer to affirmative action policies currently in place throughout the U.S. and determine if Fisher was denied enrollment because of her ethnicity or because of her performance.
Newest Aztec Warrior talks to DA
Presidential candidates meet for second debate Last night, President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney met at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York for a town hall-style debate. Early reactions to the debate favor the president, who’s perfomance in the first debate was criticized for being too passive. After the first debate polls swung heavily in Romney’s favor. Political analysts put the pressure to succeed in the second debate on Obama. “A forceful Obama defended his policies and challenged Romney on shifting positions on key issues while arguing his Republican rival’s proposals would favor the wealthy if elected in three weeks,” CNN’s Tom Cohen wrote in an analysis of the debate.
campus from MARS page 1
Stacey Oparnica
said. “With only one Martian rock of this type, it is difficult to know whether the same processes were involved, but it is a reasonable place to start thinking about its origin.” According to NASA, the rock, which has been named
Staff Writer
San Diego State welcomes its newest Aztec Warrior, 20-year-old Kyle Anderberg. Originally from San Jose, the civil engineering junior competed against four other finalists on Oct. 1 at the Parma Payne Alumni Goodall Center and will begin his role in December. In addition to sitting on the Associated Students Student Affairs Board, he is the treasurer of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and the College of Engineering representative for A.S. Council. The Daily Aztec interviewed Anderberg about becoming the newest Aztec Warrior. DA: Why did you decide to try out to be the new Aztec Warrior? KA: It’s a funny story. At the end of spring semester, there was an A.S. Council retreat that we went on to the Mission Bay Aquatic Center. We were in a big circle … and there was an awkward silence moment and someone just yelled out, “I motion
historically correct. That’s when we came up with the Aztec Warrior and made sure we respected the Aztec culture, as well as the history of our school. paige nelson , photo editor
Civil engineering junior Kyle Anderberg stands in front of Hepner Hall. Anderberg is the newest Aztec Warrior.
that Kyle should be the new Aztec Warrior!” I guess because people said I looked like I could play the part. DA: So then you applied? KA: Yeah, I got on campus this semester and Channelle McNutt kind of pushed me toward it and told me I should try out. I got the email that they sent out to the entire school that said that they wanted a new one
STAFF MEMBERS 2012
(mascot) and I applied. DA: In your opinion, how does an Aztec Warrior represent SDSU? KA: It’s a lot of things. I mean, the Aztec Warrior is kind of the face of athletics. I’m the mascot. I go to a lot of different events. Also, there’s a historical background to it and I know, in the past, there were different names for it that weren’t really
Leonardo Castaneda..........Opinion Editor
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DA: How are you going to prepare for the position from here on out?
—Compiled by Assistant News Editor Ana Ceballos and Managing Editor J. Hutton Marshall
Jake Matijevic has a composition usually owed to processes inside Earth’s mantle, which result from crystallization of water-rich magma at an elevated pressure. A sample from the third scoop was placed into the Curiosity’s observation tray to determine its mineral composition. KA: I’m actually working with the old Aztec mascot, Mike Lopez. I’ve been doing a lot of workouts with him ... like four days a week. He has me on a strict diet. He knows what he’s doing and he’s coaching me the best he can. DA: I have one last question for you and it’s a question I’m sure many girls on campus would like to know. Are you single? KA: (Laughing) Yes, I am single. DA: Are you looking for a Mrs. Aztec Warrior? KA: I don’t know. That’s a tough one. I’m not necessarily looking for anyone, but if I happen to meet someone that’s cool.
The Daily Aztec is an independent, student-run newspaper published regularly Monday through Thursday, when classes are in session, and distributed on the campus of San Diego State.
Antonio Zaragoza......................Editor-in-Chief Email: editor@thedailyaztec.com
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DA: What do you think about an Aztec Warrior social media account? KA: I don’t think anyone in the past has done that. I kind of joked around about having an Aztec Warrior Instagram or something like that. I don’t know if they’d want to do some type of social media for me. I’m open to something like that. That’d be cool to have a fan page.
Osama’s driver wins court appeal Osama bin Laden’s former driver won against a U.S. appeals court conviction that he gave material support to terrorists. Salim Hamdan, detained in Guantanamo Bay in 2001, was the first detainee to be sentenced by a U.S. military commission in 2008. Hamdan, accused of supporting terrorism, was found by the U.S. Court of Appeals to not constitute a war crime. He admitted to working for a wage along with the al-Qaida leader in Afghanistan. He claimed he worked for the money and not in support of the war against the U.S. Material support for terrorism is a common charge against Guantanamo detainees.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Wednesday October 17, 2012 the daily aztec
3
‘Heist’ earns its place in the hip-hop canon
turn it up
Cody Franklin Head of Aztec Gaming
Every generation has an artist who revolutionizes the game. Names like Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin and Daft Punk come to mind. Ladies and gentlemen, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis might just be those artists today. Well, OK, they might not have that legendary status yet. But they do have killer raps about shopping at thrift stores for your grandpa’s style and golden-mulleted eagles that rudely relieve themselves on pedestrians. I’d say that’s almost as good.
If you hadn’t guessed already, Macklemore’s lyrics aren’t exactly typical of the rap/hiphop scene. Before the release of “The Heist,” I had never heard about Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. However, the album quickly exploded on iTunes, skyrocketing to No. 1 within hours of release. Now that I’ve had the chance to listen to it, I feel like the universe robbed me of years of enjoying one of the best artists I’ve ever listened to.
If you hadn’t guessed already, Macklemore’s lyrics aren’t exactly typical of the rap/hiphop scene. In “Thrift Shop,” Macklemore espouses the virtues of shopping at thrift stores. In “Gold,” he dreams up a world where everything is made of, well, gold. However, most of the songs on the album are much more serious. “Same Love” is one of the most moving songs I’ve ever encountered, calling for equal rights for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender community, with an equally powerful music video. Macklemore raps, “The right-wing conservatives think it’s a decision / and you can be cured with some treatment and religion / man-made, rewiring of a pre-disposition / playing God / Ahh nah, here we go / America the brave / still fears what we don’t know / and God loves all his children it’s somehow forgotten / but we paraphrase a book written 3,500 hundred years ago.” In a genre that often promotes drinking and drugs, Macklemore chooses to instead detail his battle with addiction in “Starting Over.” “Wings” tackles the dangers of consumerism through Nike shoes saying, “They told me to just do it / I listened to what that swoosh said, Look at what that swoosh did / see it consumed my thoughts, Are you stupid, don’t crease ‘em, just leave ‘em in that box / strangled by these laces,
Bundle has great deals and reads Kevin Smead Entertainment Editor
If you’re reading this thinking, “Wait, didn’t I just see something about this a few weeks ago?” you are absolutely correct. The Humble Bundle team is back with a whole new set of awesome things you can pay as much as you want for to help our charity. However, this time, the team isn’t bundling games—it’s bundling books. To be completely correct, it’s a bundle of e-books for Amazon’s Kindle, Barnes & Noble’s Nook, computers or various forms of Apple products. Like the games, these books are all Digital Rights Management-free and available on a number of different platforms. Before you stop reading, thinking to yourself, “Man, video games are so much cooler than stupid books,” hold on. These are some pretty stellar books by some incredible authors. If you’re new to the Humble Bundle deal, here’s the way it works: You pay as much as you want for a set of six e-books. However, if you pay more than the average contribution (as of writing this, it’s approximately $13.11) you also gain access to an extra set of e-books by other, bigger name authors, which in this case are Neil Gaiman, Dave McKean and John Scalzi. Also added were comic collections by Internet favorites Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik, who are better known as Tycho and Gabe from the hit web comic “Penny
Arcade,” as well as “Volume 0” of xkcd. All of the books in this bundle are a form of genre fiction, and proceeds can benefit the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. The other proceeds can go to the Child’s Play Charity and the Humble Bundle organizers themselves. So far, for this bundle alone, the donation total is currently more than $738,000. No matter how you decide to split up your contribution, your funds will go to a great cause. For a full list of books and how to purchase them, check out the list below. For more on the Humble Bundle and to sign up for information on future bundles, check out humblebundle.com.
For a base donation, you receive: “Pirate Cinema” by Cory Doctorow “Pump Six” by Paolo Bacigalupi “Zoo City” by Lauren Beukes “Invasion” by Mercedes Lackey “Stranger Things Happen” and “Magic for Beginners” by Kelly Link
For donating more than the average, you also receive: “Signal to Noise” by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean “Old Man’s War” by John Scalzi “xkcd: volume 0” by Randall Munroe “Save Yourself, Mammal!” and “The Most Dangerous Game” by Zach Weiner “Attack of the Bacon Robots” and “Epic Legends of the Magic Sword Kings” by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik
courtesy of macklemore and ryan lewis
Macklemore (right) and Ryan Lewis’ (left) new album is a love-letter to all things hip-hop by dealing with themes that aren’t always found within the genre. While the lyrics and rhythm on the album are great, the backing music is equally as excellent.
laces I can barely talk.” Each song covers vastly different issues in a very different ways. “Jimmy Iovine” features a heavy beat and rapid-fire rapping, while “Cowboy Boots” is laid back, accompanied by banjos and a choir. Many of the songs feature other artists during the chorus. You might not have heard names like Wanz, Mary Lambert, Buffalo Madonna and Eighty4 Fly, but after listening to “The Heist,” you’ll likely head to
their iTunes pages. I’ve never been much of a music junkie, and I’ve never repeatedly listened to one artist or album ad-nauseum. However, “The Heist” changed that. I just can’t turn it down. I listen to every song over and over, each as strong as the last, which is quite a feat for music these days. Do yourself a huge favor and pick up this album. When you’re done, I promise you’ll be asking for (Mackle)more.
REVIEW
album: The heist RELEASEd: oct. 9
Rating:
4
FEATURES
Wednesday October 17, 2012 The Daily Aztec
All photos by Copy Editor Amanda Guerrero
Barrio Logan’s Chicano Park has become the home of these breathtakingly beautiful murals under an intrusive I-5 overpass from CHICANO PARK page 1
Chicano Park was built with difficulty and hard work from the people of the community Barrio Logan. Barrio Logan was and still is a predominantly Mexican-American community. Since the 1930s, the neighborhoods were harmed by abrupt changes. At one point, access to a local beach and pier was destroyed to make room for the U.S. Navy and its industries. In 1963, I-5 cut through the community and in 1969, the feet of the Coronado Bridge stomped on the very core of Barrio Logan. “The struggle for Chicano Park was one of the main struggles during the Chicano movement in San Diego during that time period,” San Diego State Chicana and Chicano studies professor Isidro Ortiz said. “At the time that the struggle occurred, you can say that Barrio Logan was on its way to extinction because of the rezoning and the moving of industry there. The community was lacking many resources, including a park.”
The forced relocation of families brewed anger toward San Diego officials. At first, the community did not know it could stand up against such actions as residents of San Diego. Furthermore, community members decided it was too late for action and settled for the park the city council promised to build in return for the intrusive additions to the city. But building Chicano Park did not come easy. A park was promised to keep the unrest of the community to a minimum and in reality, a park wasn’t going to be built. The city began preparations to build a California Highway Patrol station instead. Once community members found out, word spread like wildfire. Everyone with a passion to keep the community intact joined the occupation of the patch of land, which belonged to them since the very beginning. Community members made human chains to block off the bulldozers and others planted flowers, trees and cacti. The occupation lasted 12 days, while city officials and San Diego residents held meetings regarding
the park. Almost four years later on April 22, 1970, construction for the park began. It was a great deal of importance because at first the community members believed they didn’t have many rights, but then stood up for themselves. “I believe the biggest importance of the park is that it stands as a symbol of resistance and perseverance in Barrio Logan,” SDSU student Laura Moreno, who is a member of a community organization in San Diego called Unión del Barrio, said. “Also as a place where murals represent the Chicano struggle, where various Danza Azteca groups practice each night as a community and a park that has become an ultimate representation of struggle and political advancement for all people.” It was in 1973 when history was written by the people living in the community, beginning with Salvador Torres, an artist who received his master’s degree in painting and drawing at SDSU. During the conflict about the piece of land, Torres began to envision a park that also acted as a canvas for the storytelling of the people in Barrio Logan. In 1969, he founded the Chicano Park Monumental Public Mural Program and received permission from the city to begin the murals.
The library at SDSU actually holds one of Torres’ paintings. It can be found on the first floor of the library addition. On the painting are the words “Viva La Raza.” Torres made this painting through anger and frustration in response to San Diego Gas and Electric. When the company released a series of advertisements degrading Mexican culture. Torres said to Latina/o Art Community: “Subsequently, as I worked on this painting, my ‘coraje y sentimiento’ (anger and feeling) arose and animated ‘La Huelga’ image (‘The Strike’ image of the United Farm Workers) in its transformation into a Phoenix rising. My translation of ‘Viva La Raza!’ is ‘Long Live Humanity!’ Art was essential for expression especially at a time when discrimination was at its peak. Chicano Park is a canvas the Barrio Logan community needed to restore its pride. A famous mural at Chicano Park is called “Varrio Si. Yonkes No!” which was a collaboration between Raul Jose Jacquez, Alvaro Millan, Victor Ochoa and Armando Rodriguez in 1977. This piece expresses frustration about the many Anglo-owned junkyards infesting the community and contaminating people’s homes and yards. Moreno pointed out several other pieces.
“There are several that are important to me,” Moreno said. “One is the ‘Chicano Takeover’ mural where it depicts from the bottom up the history of Chicano Park. The other mural is a smaller one across the street by the handball courts that began to name all the victims of operation gatekeeper, the physical border reinforced in the ‘90s and since then, thousands of people have lost their lives crossing.” History seeps from the very walls of Chicano Park. “It is a very important symbol of a community being able to wage a successful struggle, to make the principle of self-determination a reality and also to influence and provide the space that it needed and wanted,” Ortiz said. Even passing by in your car, you’ll feel the extraordinary power of the murals. The park is a like a book and will continue to teach future generations of Barrio Logan and anyone who visits. The park is continuously used for important Mexican holidays such as “El Grito” and the yearly celebration of Chicano Park Day. It is used as a place of congregation for the sake of unity and for the preservation of a beautiful culture.
FEATURES
Wednesday October 17, 2012 the daily aztec
5
Sausage and beer highlight OB Oktoberfest
travel
& adventure
Erik Dobko Staff Writer A disorderly display of debauchery dedicated to the divine, delectable, dipsomania-inducing drinks for the decadent desires dogging the diverse denizens of drunkenness—I speak of an event none other than the cheerfully tipsy celebration known as Oktoberfest. Originating in Munich, millions flock to Oktoberfest from all around the world for 16 spirited days of steins, sausages and St. Pauli girls. This year, guests consumed a dizzying 1.8 million gallons of beer; consequentially the festival saw a 20 percent increase in the number of people drinking themselves into unconsciousness, known in
Participants were pitted against one another in a race to see who could wolf down 10 weiners the fastest... photo by j. hutton marshall , managing editor
Debauchery beckoned, and the citizens of Ocean Beach answered. The OB Oktoberfest packed this beach-side corner of Newport Avenue from dawn to dusk.
Germany as “Bierleichen,” or “beer corpses.” It’s not a place likely to find too many ascetics. This last weekend, Ocean Beach held its own German-themed booze-fest. The city’s streets were packed with corset and lederhosen-clad OBialites getting sauced to the sound of German oompah music, bellowing out the toast “Ein prosit, ein prosit, der gemütlichkeit”—a cheers to friendship, hospitality, happiness and frivolity. And that it was, with emphasis on the latter. Vulgar vocalist and entertainer Jose Sinatra hosted the bash, complete with gold chains, slickedback hair and tight leather pants stuffed with raunchy, oversized faux genitalia. With his singing of everything from “Eat Me” to his own guttural version of “Lovin’ You,” onlookers didn’t stand a chance. The carnal creature also
performed with his saucy band, Jose Sinatra and the Jagerettes. As Sinatra tells his audiences, “My music turns up my own pentup anger about worldwide hatred into a missile of love, penetrating the moist darkness and planting a cogent seed of caring, of kindness, of Jose Sinatra.” In what seemed an attempt to break the world record for irony, Sinatra also conducted for the festivity’s sausage-eating competition. Participants were pitted against one another in a race to see who could wolf down 10 wieners the fastest, while striving to retain both their stomachs and their dignity. The “winner” of the contest declined an interview in a kindhearted tone as he struggled with his new battle of avoiding cardiac arrest. Other Oktoberfest competitions included the sausage toss, the
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stein-holding competition, the Mr. & Mrs. Oktoberfest contest and the Brat Trot, a fivekilometer beach race in which runners are hindered by pork-link adornments. Live bands played throughout the weekend while the ale and Jägermeister flowed out of the beer garden like a ruptured fire hydrant. One of the attendees, University of California, San Diego student Michael Berkebile, talked about his experience at the event. “We meandered down into the hordes of Oktoberfesters to a spectacle that was right on par with what we had expected. Lederhosen and dirndls were aplenty, as was booze-breath and sausage grease,” he said. “Oral expulsion didn’t actually occur until when the all-women stein chugging contest was onstage. It seemed most of the competitors
were sufficiently inebriated before starting, but this hardly slowed them down.” He continued, “Besides such festivities, the food smelled amazing and the atmosphere was beautiful. All the traditional tenets of the Oktoberfest culture being worn and eaten meshed nicely with the typical Ocean
Beach steez in a thoroughly entertaining fashion.” To sum up the experience, Oktoberfest turned out to be a raucous, yet easygoing celebration not to be forgotten. The only condition, however, is to make sure when the morning comes, you’ll be able to remember it.
My music turns up my own pent-up anger about worldwide hatred into a missile of love, penetrating the moist darkness and planting a cogent seed of caring, of kindness, of Jose Sinatra Jose Sinatra OB Oktoberfest Host
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T
OPINION
Wednesday October 17, 2012 The Daily Aztec
Office Hours: Jennifer Imazeki, economics
Leonardo Castaneda his week, The Daily Aztec is Opinion Editor starting a new series called Office Hours, featuring interviews crease taxes, businesses will flee and with San Diego State professors all that kind of stuff. I work in educadiscussing current news topics. These experts explain everything from local tion and the conversations I have with people tend to be not around elections to international policy. The Daily Aztec spoke with economics anybody leaving the state … so much professor Jennifer Imazeki about as employers elsewhere hoping to lure California’s economy and the benefits Californians away from California and shortfalls of Propositions 30 and … Not necessarily because of the tax 38. The interview has been edited for burden or anything like that, but size. Visit thedailyaztec.com for the because our schools have so many full transcript. problems.
The Daily Aztec: What do you think the biggest challenge facing the California economy is right now or in coming years? Jennifer Imazeki: California has, for whatever reason, developed this culture of direct democracy, right, (with) the propositions. And because of Prop 13 decades ago, it is very difficult to increase taxes in this state. It is very easy to increase spending, especially when you are going to the people and asking them, “Do you want this good thing, or that good thing.” It’s really easy for the public to say, “yes, we want all these good things” and they rarely want to pay for them. It’s just human nature but unfortunately, it is the way things get done in California. DA: Do you see California’s economy improving? JI: I don’t necessarily think California is in a worse position than a lot of other states in terms of potential for growth and things like that. There’s always this argument about if we in-
DA: Do you think either Proposition 30 or 38 will do enough to reinvest in education? JI: Both of them are good from the perspective that they raise revenue that is sorely needed … What surveys have shown repeatedly is that people are willing to pay higher taxes to fund schools. When you ask the question that way: “Are you willing to put more money into schools?” they say yes. “Are you willing to put more money into schools even if it means higher taxes for you?” Yes. Surveys repeatedly show people are willing to pay more if it means the money goes to schools. So, the big issue is: How do we ensure that the money actually gets to schools? Because, in California, even though people are willing to pay more for school, they don’t believe that the money will actually get to the schools. So both Props 30 and 38 make these claims about the money going to education and the biggest argument going for Prop 30 is that the budget was passed assuming Prop 30 would
pass. So, there are these trigger cuts that if Prop 30 doesn’t pass we know these cuts will happen. And to me the strongest argument if you’re a proponent of education, regardless of everything else in it, is that that we know if it doesn’t pass, these things will happen, these cuts will happen … Basically they made a budget expecting a certain amount of money … Prop 98, which passed decades ago, determines how much of the general fund goes to K-14 (kindergarten through community college) education. Unless the Legislature votes to specifically put Prop 98 aside, they don’t have a say over how much money goes to pay for K-14. But that is also why the UC and CSU have gotten hit—because our budgets are still discretionary. There is still wiggle room for the legislature … Prop 38 doesn’t really have any impact on the CSU at all because the money from Prop 38 goes into a fund that can only be used for K-14. The only impact that it might have is that there is this provision in Prop 38 to use some of the money for general obligation bond payments. And that is something that would otherwise come out of the general fund so it does kind of supplement that one piece, one item that is in the general fund. DA: And in theory those savings could be passed on to… JI: Other parts of the budget; no guarantee what parts of the budget it goes to. There’s nothing in Prop 38 that specifies about the CSU or UC, or anything about what the impact
would likely be. DA: I know the big issue with Prop 30, especially the one Molly Munger had, was that it wasn’t guaranteed money for education. JI: It does say that the money raised from Prop 30 goes into a fund that can only be used for education. At least this is my understanding and I could be wrong, but if I understand correctly it essentially, even though it is earmarked for education, it’s technically part of the general fund. There is an article in The Sacramento Bee and there is an analogy they use, and I think it’s accurate. Suppose you got your monthly expenses and you’ve been paying $400 a month for groceries and your mom just suddenly, on a perpetual basis, gives you a $200 gift card that can only be used for groceries. Because money is fungible, you spend that money on groceries but that frees up $200 that can be used for other things. It doesn’t mean you’re spending more on groceries. DA: You’re not going to spend $600 on groceries, you’re going to move that money out to other expenses. JI: People who argue (Prop 30) isn’t new money for education—my understanding is that’s basically what Prop 30 is doing. It’s bringing money that is earmarked for education but it doesn’t say you can’t reduce what was already being spent. DA: It counts toward the mandated amount of funding. JI: That’s true this year, but going
forward the way it’s structured the money coming in is earmarked for education but it is considered part of the general fund. If we get $5 billion from Prop 30, then the $5 billion that was going to be spent on education can now be used somewhere else. It doesn’t guarantee that the amount going to education is going to expand. DA: So if Proposition 30 passes, it could maintain the status quo with the current level of funding. If it fails, then it automatically leads to cuts. JI: Right. The other thing that gets even more complicated is Prop 98. (It) says that if the general fund increases, spending for education increases. DA: Because it’s based on a percentage of the whole. JI: Going with the gift card analogy, the gift card could technically be construed as an increase in your overall income of $200. The analogy in the newspaper was: Say you got an agreement with your landlord that if your income increases, he gets 50 percent. So he’s expecting you to give him $100 of that extra $200 that you got as a gift card. That’s the argument for why there would be more money for education. Prop 98 says that if the general fund goes up, money for education goes up.
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OPINION
Wednesday October 17, 2012 the daily aztec
7
Use public transit to reduce gas dependence
I
had an epiphany recently as I stood at the gas pump, wincing as I watched the scrolling numbers eat away at my bank account. I realized this trend of rising gas prices isn’t going to disappear. It might make gradual descents sometime in the near future, but how long could it really last? There’s only so much oil we can tap and it’s bound to run out eventually. If we’re going to be forced into independence from oil, now is the time to start. The recent rise in the cost of gas could be what we need to break our gas-guzzling habits. San Diego is one of the greatest cities to live in when you consider alternative transportation. Extensions have made the trolley more accessible and designated bike paths are abundant around the county. I began riding the trolley to school this semester, and it has already proven cheaper than driving. According to sandiegogasprices.com, on Monday the average price per gallon of gas in San Diego was $4.605. Divide it by your car’s miles per gallon and you get the cost of driving one mile. I did the math and driving my 2003 Honda Civic costs approximately 16 cents a mile. Taking the trolley instead of my car to campus three days a week is saving me at least $20 a month in gas. That’s additional cash I can put toward the holidays or, you know, buying myself the new Wii U. It’s obvious driving less has
paige nelson , photo editor
Caitlin Johnson Staff Columnist
its advantages. Finding alternate routes will lessen the impact of pollution from vehicles. The Center for Sustainable Energy notes California is “the ninth largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world and a third of this carbon dioxide comes from fossil fuel-burning vehicles.” This comes as no surprise with so many cars on the road (we might have Los Angeles to thank for
that). With alternative modes of transportation, we can help improve this issue by contributing less to it. Minimizing the number of cars on the road will also alleviate traffic. There is nothing worse than a 10-minute commute becoming a 45-minute drive because too many cars needed to take the same on-ramp. It’s a terrible way to spend the afternoon, even with the new Justin Bieber album. Organizations throughout
the county are encouraging the community to drive less by offering incentives to those who choose to kick the car habit. SD Bike Commuter, an extension of Bike San Diego, is “a business discount program for cyclists,” according to its Facebook page. The goal of this program is to get more local businesses such as shops and restaurants to offer discounts to customers on bicycles. There are currently close to 60 businesses offering up to 20 percent discounts just for
arriving on your bike. Blind Lady Ale House, Captain Kirks and Empire House are just a few of the businesses on the expanding list. With so many great options already available, we can have a good time limiting our dependence on unsustainable resources. One of the best parts about using public transportation is the fact that a designated driver has already been assigned. No more wallowing in the corner with a Diet Coke as your friends live up a Friday night. Now you can have as much (responsible) fun as the rest of them. Pain at the pump is just the first of the problems we will face if we don’t start making changes. The future of transportation is already here—we just need to take advantage of it. Cutting your drive time by just one or two days a week saves resources and money. The fate of our own well-being is in our hands. It’s time to take hold of the sustainable steering wheel and do something about it.
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Wednesday October 17, 2012 The Daily Aztec
Forbidden interdependence
fiction
Vogue Robinson
Y
Contributor
ou can be a lady when you’re with me,” John said. He laid there on his back with his eyes closed, fingers perfectly interlocked and placed across his torso in satisfaction “Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.” Samantha sat on the far end of the couch in between his legs, television in front of her, his hands at her left. She’d never had a man say that to her before. She wasn’t exactly sure what he meant, but something inside her knew he was right. The word “lady” was becoming more relevant in her life and she wasn’t sure how the secret feminist inside her could embrace the term. As a young girl, someone told her, “Ladies don’t curse!” She hadn’t planned on removing the curse words from her vocabulary. What makes a man’s mouth more fit for expletives? What did being a lady mean anyways? From Samantha’s perspective, ladies were never allowed to have fun. You can’t curse, you have to wear frilly dresses, spend an exorbitant amount of time on your appearance and you can’t be loud. Yet here, she sat in a living room belonging to a very handsome man, wearing leggings and a T-shirt, no makeup, cursing between bites of pizza, and he told her she could be a lady. How? Samantha was raised by a woman who never made men her highest priority. Her mother, Tessa, was a self-proclaimed “Jill-of-all-trades.” Tessa could mend a fence, plant a garden, fix a roof on a playhouse and unclog a toilet. Samantha remembered accompanying her mother to a variety of hardware stores and purchasing her first gardening shovel.
“Sammie, you’ve always got to be able to take care of yourself, by yourself,” her mom would say. Sowing seeds of independence in her daughter’s mind was her priority. Independence was a survival skill for women of that family. Tessa’s sister, Ida, had been married twice. The first was a man who had an appreciation for painting the color purple into her skin. The second husband was more kind, but lacked the will to live. He passed away five years after marriage, leaving Ida with their three children. Twice, Tessa watched her sister fall apart under the assumption that some man would be her saving grace. Tessa would raise no such daughter. John’s statement swam around Samantha’s mind for an entire week before she caught it. Maybe John’s statement was an invitation. He was inviting her to be vulnerable with him. When John took Samantha out, there was never any pressure. He didn’t criticize her language. He complimented her intelligence and kindness. She remembered their first date. They walked around Millennium Park for hours, discussing the different architectural shapes of each work of art. As the sun sank into the horizon, she could sense how comfortable he had become with her. She linked elbows with him and they continued their walk. When a police car drove by, she could feel his muscles tighten slightly and he slowed his pace. She smiled to herself, “This guy is trying to protect me.” He was genuine in his approach, open about his story, and exceptionally clear about his personal goals. For a moment, Samantha considered
loving this man enough to trust him. But that idea was too lofty a goal for a first date, so she put the idea out of her mind. Before the pizza and the invitation, she found herself dancing around his questions like a ballerina in a mine field. He wanted to know about her mother’s past relationships. He even asked her about her father, a topic Samantha rarely visited. The more John probed, the further Samantha retracted into herself. She had so many answers she wanted to give him, but her heart wouldn’t release them. Independence doesn’t lend itself to partnership or trust. Or can it? Samantha realized her mother had been trying to teach her about love. When a woman is pregnant, she shares her body with her child. Everything she takes in, so does the child. A woman’s internal organs are rearranged to make room for new life to enter this world. Women can experience love as a form of sacrifice, as a form of giving. It is in the very nature of our bodies to open up and provide comfort. Some women realize the power in the love they represent. Others, like Samantha’s aunt, cannot find the value in what they have to offer. Samantha was somewhere in the middle. She could see her worth, but not the value in sharing herself. Samantha always pegged herself as a giving person: loving, kind, nurturing … just like her mother. But being inaccessible … well, this was new. She had to ask herself, “Can I invite someone into my garden?”
HOROSCOPE
by Nancy Black, Tribune Media Services
Today’s Birthday (10/17/12) - A shift in perspective regarding spending habits, credit and debt leads to greater financial security and freedom this year. Sate your craving for cultural, spiritual and philosophical education with travel, reading and good conversation. Create a masterpiece or two with what you learn. 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 5 Pay close attention. Success is particularly fun now. A female offers an opportunity; follow through. Talking it over helps. Catch up on communications. There’s good news. Taurus (April 20 - May 20) - Today is a 7 - Write a love letter or a romantic novel. Find a way to work smarter, and it seems easy. You advance through the kindness of others. Show your appreciation. Gemini (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 6 You’re especially charming. What you have to say is important. Don’t waste your energy in negativity. Listen to others, and ask questions. A female provides an answer. Cancer (June 22 - July 22) - Today is an 8 - You know what you’re talking about. Sort, file and discard for maximum productivity. Be unstoppable, and gather up treasure. Make sure your partner hears your ideas, too. Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is an 8 - Generate creative brainstorming with your team concerning communications. There are excellent conditions for group discussion. Ask probing questions, and share what you see. Fall in love again.
Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is a 7 - Write down a dream. Arrange a social gathering, or join one already in progress. Initiate communications. Others help behind the scenes. Let them know what’s needed. Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 6 - Completion leads to abundance. Questions lead to more questions. A female pitches in to help with the right words. Change your tune ... you’ll love the new sound. Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is an 8 - Do your best work, and admiration results. Don’t forget to thank others for their input. Conditions are good for tender, in-depth conversation. Contact distant relatives. Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is a 5 - Whenever you’re stuck, stop and listen. A female has a creative solution. Use your special sensitivity to advance, possibly together. Balance romance with career. Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 7 - Spread your wings. Nothing can stop you now. Write down your experiences for future reference, a novel or a memoir. Others love your ideas. There’s good news from far away. Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is a 7 - You’re in the emotional spotlight, but don’t be afraid to perform. Play for a standing ovation. You’re free to express yourself at home. Remember what’s really important. Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 7 - It’s time for travel, even if through books or imagination. Your self-expression helps improve a relationship. Write a poem or a song, or paint something. Develop secret talents. ©2012, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.
SUDOKU
by The Mepham Group, Tribune Media Services
Difficulty Level: 3 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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tara millspaugh , news editor
Rocky the Possum takes a moment to rest in a tree outside East Commons.
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Across 1 Hip-hop fan 5 Les __-Unis 10 Olympian’s goal 14 Smidgen 15 Chevy Blazer, now 16 Orchestral wind 17 *One to four inches per day, for bamboo 19 Endorse, in a way 20 Rice-__ 21 Toga party costume 23 Take part in a 1920s fad 26 Like a prof. emeritus 27 Big pitcher 28 *Noted scythe bearer 33 Lowly laborer 34 Goody two shoes 35 *1973 Thomas Pynchon novel 41 Concerning the ears 42 Japanese noodle 43 *Wrestling style that forbids holds below the waist 46 First responders, briefly 50 Cyclotron input 51 Meeting 53 Eleanor Rigby, for one 57 Snorer’s problem, perhaps 58 Hops drier 59 *Pearl Jam genre 62 Attend to, as a job opening 63 Come out with 64 Wrath, in a hymn title 65 “South Park” co-creator Parker 66 Nonlethal weapon 67 Recipe amts. Down 1 Oaf 2 Take for a time 3 “Becket” star 4 No page-turner 5 Ordinal suffix 6 Roofer’s goo 7 Obsessed fictional captain
/ Daily Aztec by Rich Norris & Joyce Lewis, Tribune Media Services
Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com 8 For the full nine months 9 Garden apparatus 10 Dad-blasted 11 Drama award 12 Theater section 13 It might be pounded out 18 “True dat,” quaintly 22 Do more than listen 24 “__ Around”: Beach Boys hit 25 “Iliad” setting 29 “Recapping ...” 30 Pint seller 31 Old Japanese capital 32 Remote button 33 Test showings 35 Silence 36 Robot play 37 “Now We __ Six”: Milne
38 Thoughtless way to stare 39 Nutritional figs. 40 First-class 44 Lousy liquor 45 Mobster’s code of silence 46 Lively wit 47 They may have fake IDs 48 Work boot feature 49 Treacherous types 52 Freelancer’s encl. 53 Like fuzzy slippers 54 Poker holding 55 Cruise destination 56 Wearying routines 60 Once known as 61 Canine warning that the answers to starred clues have in common, initially