TUESDAY October 25, 2011 Volume 97, Issue 34 W W W.T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M
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SDSU’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT N E W S PA P E R SINCE 1913
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SPORTS
SDSU legislative race heats up ANTONIO ZARAGOZA, PHOTO EDITOR
Sandy Coronilla assistant news editor Former democratic state Sen. Denise Ducheny announced her run for Congress last month launching what many have speculated will be a major in-party rumble with her senatorial successor, Juan Vargas. With Rep. Bob Filner now running for mayor of San Diego, the 51st congressional seat will be available for the first time since its creation in the early 1990s. “This summer people drew new maps and the new maps drew every place I ever lived and worked in San Diego,” Ducheny said. New district lines drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission added Imperial Beach, currently part of the 53rd Congressional District, to the 51st district. The southern coastal city is where Ducheny and her husband primarily reside, but when she first moved to San Diego after law school, the communities of Sherman Oaks and Logan Heights were her home. Ducheny said she anticipates a tough fight against Vargas, based on his campaign against former state Assemblywoman Mary Salas for the 40th senate district seat last year. California’s new primary system allows the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of political party, to move on to the November 2012 general election. The election could be a democratic dogfight to the bitter end. “He announced for this before anybody knew where the lines were,” she said. “His home is still in Golden Hill the last time I looked, which is not in this district.” Ducheny said Vargas, who unsuccessfully ran against Filner in the democratic primary three times, is jumping from one political seat to another and her former constituents are paying the price. “Constituents that I care about, who I represented for eight years, are basically unrepresented while he’s running for congress,” Ducheny said. “Constituents in Coachella Valley have called me and they’re very concerned because they never see him, they’ve never seen him, they’re never
going to see him because he’s running for congress and they would not be in his congressional district.”
Representing SDSU If Ducheny wins, she will represent San Diego State’s Imperial Valley campuses in Calexico and Brawley. The state of higher education funding has been at the top of her priority list since serving as a trustee on the San Diego Community College Board in the early 1990s. In both houses of the California legislature, Ducheny was the first woman and Latina to chair the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee. In the past 20 years, the state has severely diminished its financial commitment to the California State University and University of
13 years. She said it’s one of the pieces of legislation she is most proud of. “Those days seem like a dim history passed,” Ducheny said.
Border and immigration issues As a result of Ducheny’s involvement with the Border Legislative Conference, a group of lawmakers on both sides of the U.S. and Mexico border, she has built relationships with Mexican officials who she believes will help her represent the 51st district. The district spans the entire 140mile length of the California and Mexico border, and is a vital center of economic activity. However, the economic dichotomy that exists between the two countries can also be a challenge.
“I had to preside over a budget committee that actually put universities in those straits ... which was just very painful for me.” Denise Ducheny candidate for California’s 51st Congressional District
California systems in the face of state budget shortfalls. Students have faced double-digit tuition fee increases while student support services have decreased. “I had to preside over a budget committee that actually put universities in those straits the last few years, which was just very painful for me,” Ducheny said. “There are a lot of things you can cut before you raise student fees. It’s always a tough balance between what the fee should be and what the access is that you deny if you don’t.” But the state was $30 billion short and “it was one stroke of the pen when (former Gov.) Schwarzenegger walked in that knocked out $6 billion a year,” she said. While in the state assembly, Ducheny authored the College Affordability Act which rolled back student fees at CSU, UC and community colleges for the first time in
Particularly near the California border area, there are stark economic disparities in wages. The minimum hourly wage in San Diego is roughly equivalent to the minimum daily wage in Baja California. According to SDSU’s Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias, the U.S. border region is the poorest region of the country. At the same time, the northern border region of Mexico is among that nation’s most prosperous. Ducheny said the U.S. economy would benefit from creating more crossings along the border. There are currently 42 crossings. Approximately 4.8 million freight trucks crossed the border in 2008 participating in $366 billion in trade between the two countries. “Border issues are about moving cars faster,” Ducheny said. “And not waiting in line for two hours so that San Diego doesn’t get $6 billion in economic activity because nobody wants to sit in a two-hour line.”
Ducheny is currently working with Dr. Paul Ganster on the Three Californias Project, funded by the San Diego State University Research Foundation. She said the border needs to be viewed as one economic region with health and environmental issues so intertwined they’re impossible to separate. “If you don’t have healthy people on one side, you don’t have healthy people on the other side,” Ducheny said. “Diseases and tuberculosis — those things don’t care where the border is.” She pointed to shared environmental issues involving water, such as the polluted New River in Calexico, and potential threats to the region’s air quality such as improperly disposed of used tire piles. Although Ducheny says the national discussion about immigration has gotten offtrack in recent years, she plans to speak about the importance of the border region just as she did in Sacramento, if she is elected to congress. “I see immigration as an economic plus. I know that’s not a common political view these days,” Ducheny said. “I think it’s wrong to retrench and act like you have to keep folks out. In truth, immigration has always helped this country move forward. It’s always been a plus in the growth area.” Earlier this month, Gov. Jerry Brown signed the California Dream Act into law, granting conditional permanent residency to some undocumented students so they can access Cal Grants to help pay for their college education. Now, Ducheny said she would like to see the federal version of the act become reality. “I know what it means to have a position and some limited degree of megaphone to talk about issues,” she said. “Serving in Congress is the opportunity to try to become that voice for this region.” But first she’ll have to convince voters that she is a better choice than Vargas. “I would be very happy to see (Vargas) actually be our senator for the next eight years because we need somebody,” she said.
The golf team continues its tough slide through the fall season.
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E N T E R TA I N M E N T Check out what Elizabeth Olsen said about her new movie.
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OPINION
Marcus pulled out the cooler and we sat in the sun and drank. After a few minutes of silence, Marcus asked, “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done to a customer?” B A C K PA G E
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W E AT H E R : PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH: 62 LOW: 55 SUNSET: 6:04PM
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D A I LY
AZTEC Tuesday October 25, 2011
SPORTS
MEN’S GOLF
WO M E N ’S S O CC E R
Aztecs move on from tough fall SDSU is off to a rough start this season Michael Manbert contributor After entering this season as the sixth-ranked team in the country, the San Diego State men’s golf team seemed primed to make waves on a national scale this year. However, things haven’t gone as the team and its fans had hoped or expected thus far, as the Aztecs haven’t performed to potential through their first three tournaments of the season, placing third twice and fourth once. Despite having three players named to the Golf World 50 Men’s College Players to Watch prior to
SDSU ATHLETICS
the beginning of the year in Todd Baek, J.J. Spaun and Alex Kang, none have seriously contended for an individual title in a tournament this year. While sophomore Baek has two top five finishes to his name this year and Kang has one, neither have been closer than Baek was at The Prestige at PGA West, where he trailed individual champion ChengTsung Pan by five strokes. The Prestige also featured inconsistency the likes of which has plagued SDSU throughout the course of the first three tournaments, as Baek and Kang turned in scores of 10 and 9 under par, respectively. However, Wilson Bateman, Matt Hoffenberg and Spaun rounded out the Aztec starting five with a combined score of 7over par, each shooting well above their season averages. While the Aztecs have faced some stiff competition in all of their tournaments thus far including Stanford and Oregon, who are two of the topranked teams in the country, they have seen their national ranking slide from sixth to 23rd. Although SDSU has yet to place in the top four of tournament play, it is a somewhat disappointing start after last season in which they won seven tournaments — second only to last year’s consensus No. 1 Oklahoma State. “We have been in contention to win two out of the three events we’ve played, but have just made too many mistakes,” head coach Ryan Donovan said. “We’ve got to become more disciplined with our course management decisions. We have four months to prepare before spring, and expect to come out strong.” Expect the Aztecs to be prepared for the San Diego Intercollegiate Classic, their next scheduled tournament, which will mark the beginning of their spring schedule. The Aztecs will host at the San Diego Country Club on Feb. 13 and 14.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Enthusiasm high for men’s hoops Antonio Morales sports editor Last season’s San Diego State men’s basketball fans created one of the best home-court advantages in the entire nation. Now that SDSU has lost four of the five players from the starting lineup a season ago, the crowd will be even more critical than it was before. And from the looks of it, Aztec fans are trying to play their part in keeping Viejas Arena as one of the best home atmospheres in the country. Last season, 3,300 season tickets were sold. Following a Sweet-16 appearance, the demand for season tickets has skyrocketed. According to Steve Schnall, associate athletic director, 5,400 tickets have already been purchased for this season. Last season’s success appears to have solidified the fan base for the men’s basketball team.
“We’ve already broke every school record for season tickets sold and for the base season,” Mike May, SDSU athletic department’s spokesman, said. Student tickets are now available after ticket distribution began yesterday and even though there has been a policy change for student ticket distribution, excitement for men’s basketball is at an all-time high. “The Show” will remain prominent at home games this season, and that’s something warmly welcomed by head coach Steve Fisher. “We will continue to need the ‘The Show’ and the crowd to be as big a part, and maybe even more so, than what they’ve been in the past to help this team be successful,” Fisher said. Schnall said the students are one of the main reasons behind the increased ticket sales. “They are as much of a reason as why we’ve seen a increase in sales,” Schnall said. “Students create an amazing atmosphere, one of the best in the country right now.”
Walker wills SDSU to win
DUSTIN MICHELSON, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Cat Walker scored two game-winning goals this weekend
“We are excited to be coming home with two wins ... We’re looking to keep our momentum going to get another win on Friday versus UNLV.”
Danielle Gaut contributor San Diego State senior midfielder Cat Walker proved she is one of the best soccer players to ever wear an SDSU jersey on Sunday by scoring the game-winning goal in a 1-0 overtime victory against Air Force. The Aztecs concluded their weekend road trip with a tense win against Air SDSU 1 Force (6-9-3, 14 MW). The AFA 0 victory moves SDSU to 9-6-3 overall and 3-1-1 in Mountain West Conference play. “Today’s game was a little more exciting than we would have liked,” Walker said. The Aztecs, who were unbeaten in the last 10 matches against the Falcons, proved to remain the dominant team from the start. SDSU’s offense kept its opponent’s defense busy with seven shots on goal in the first half alone. Sophomore midfielder Sophie Metz was the first to capitalize in the final
Cat Walker, senior midfielder third with a strike on goal within the first two minutes of play. The Aztecs maintained primary possession of the ball throughout the first half. It took nearly 30 minutes until the Falcons were able to get their first shot on goal. Freshman goalkeeper Rachel Boaz was awarded her first and only save of the game. Despite outperforming Air Force in the first 45 minutes of match play, SDSU was unable to finish scoring opportunities and the game remained scoreless at halftime. The Aztecs’ momentum carried on into the second frame as SDSU’s strikers continued to create scoring chances in the offensive half. The Aztec’s defense remained just as strong shutting down the Falcon’s offense and allowing no shots in the half. As the clock ticked down and regulation time concluded, the score
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
remained tied at zero and was sent into overtime. Fifty-nine seconds was all it took for SDSU to triumph against Air Force thanks to a game-winning goal by Walker 10 yards out to the right corner. Freshman forward Kelsey Booth was credited with the assist. “It was great to get a win against a well-conditioned and disciplined Air Force,” Walker said. In addition to the win on Sunday, the Aztecs shut out Wyoming 1-0 this past Friday. Walker had a standout weekend scoring the game-winner at Wyoming as well. “We are excited to be coming home with two wins,” Walker said. “We knew Friday was going to be a good game because Wyoming is a hard-working team. We’re looking to keep our momentum going to get another win on Friday versus UNLV.”
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FOR SDSU WOMEN’S SOCCER
Advanced Test Preparation
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Wins for SDSU this season
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Game-winning goals scored by Cat Walker last weekend
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Goals scored by Walker this season
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Goals for Hannah Keane this season
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Shutouts for Rachel Boaz
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Goals allowed by Boaz
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Saves for Boaz
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Goals scored by the Aztecs
Advanced Test Preparation
Score Higher, Aztecs!
D A I LY A Z T E C Tuesday, October 25, 2011
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
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PA S S T H E P O P C O R N
‘Martha’ showcases great upcoming talent
COURTESY OF JODY LEE LIPES
Olsen shines in front of the camera, Durkin shines behind it David Dixon staff writer Fox Searchlight Pictures’ marketing behind “Martha Marcy May Marlene” mostly focuses on Elizabeth Olsen’s remarkable acting. It does not really give any general indication what the tale is about. This is a smart move, because first-time writer and director Sean Durkin tells his story in a mysterious way and gradually reveals information. Even the title is not supposed to make sense for quite some time. Olsen plays the main protagonist, a young female living in a place that does not seem to belong in the 21st century. There is the sense something is wrong with her lifestyle, and she abruptly decides to run away from it. The film then goes back and
forth in time to show why she decided to leave her old world, and depicts her trying to start a new phase of her existence. The audience is dropped into the story in such a way that questions are immediately asked about the main character. Eventually, everything starts to come together, but Durkin still keeps situations tense until the final credits. The ensemble is uniformly excellent. John Hawkes, Hugh Dancy and Sarah Paulson all play complex individuals. Durkin could have easily made his supporting players onenote caricatures, but he develops each person into an unpredictable soul who is capable of more than the audience expects. Olsen is spectacular in every moment of her performance. During certain scenes, she comes across as a kind young woman just looking for a place to fit in, while in her darkest moments, she can be scary and is sometimes deliberately emotionally distant. It has been a while since sex
Dreamlike and nightmarish, this is at times a disturbing escapade. However, there is so much intelligence in how things are handled that repeated viewing is needed for full appreciation. and nudity has been so intricate to a plot. It is not handled in a gratuitous manner, but as a way to deepen and expand the heroine. Olsen deserves all the praise she is getting for her portrayal, and hopefully will have a terrific future on screen. In his debut feature, Durkin directs in the style of a mature storyteller. He finds time to enhance the depth of the narrative, by filming little details such as the chores that members of Olsen’s old community work on. The big pic-
ture is equally important, and the director treats all sequences with care. This not only applies in a visual sense, but also to the original plotline. Music from composers Daniel Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans is handled beautifully. Creating tension when needed, the soundtrack is sparse, yet memorable. Cinematographer Jody Lee Lipes films a vision that is simultaneously elegant and horrific. It has a dark look to it that still finds serenity in nature.
Dreamlike and nightmarish, this is at times a disturbing escapade. However, there is so much intelligence in how things are handled that repeated viewing is needed for full appreciation. “Martha Marcy May Marlene” is a tremendous drama with an unforgettable lead performance that will hopefully launch the career of a fresh filmmaker. As long as viewers don’t enter the theater with too much information beforehand, spectators will find this to be a haunting and superb achievement. Information about “Martha Marcy May Marlene” can be found at foxsearchlight.com/marthamarcymaymarlene
Movie: MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE Distributed by: FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES
Directed by: SEAN DURKIN Release date: OCT. 21 Grade: A
U P C LO S E A N D P E R S O N A L
Olsen describes experience as lead actress The DA has a chance to discuss “Martha Marcy May Marlene” David Dixon staff writer Elizabeth Olsen stars in “Martha Marcy May Marlene,” an intense drama about a young woman trying to escape an unusual community. During the phone interview, Olsen seemed like a nice person who is very dedicated to the craft of acting. Be forewarned, there are a few spoilers in this interview. The Daily Aztec: How much leeway did director Sean Durkin give you to become the main character versus sticking to the script? E l i z a b e t h O l s e n : The great thing about Sean as a director is he presents himself as an open book. He has every single character’s backstory figured out in his head, and he has all these answers, but he also says, “If you have questions ask me, and I’ll give you my answer. But, I’m open to everything that you want to bring to the table.” So, he is very specific in what he wants, but he’s not a micro-
“... I truly believe that everyone should see this movie more than once because it is so smart ... I had such a great time watching it.” Elizabeth Olsen, l lead actress in “Martha Marcy May Marlene” manager. No one really wanted to deviate from the script. The only way to deviate was probably by minimizing some of the language just by nature of rehearsal and figuring out exactly what was needed. DA: Was there any particular actor you tried to channel while portraying Martha? EO: No. However, after I told someone that I was doing a movie about a cult, the person said, “Have you seen ‘Holy Smoke’ with Kate Winslet?” By watching that film, I felt confident to be put in situations that were physically and emotionally vulnerable. It also gave me an understanding of how nudity could be used in a way
for it to tell a story, as opposed to being gratuitous or sensationalized. DA: How was it working with the seasoned actor John Hawkes? EO: He is really funny and kind. What I learned from him and actress Sarah Paulson is how much an actor can do for you when it’s your coverage, and they’re not even on screen. He always asked, “If there’s anything you need me to do with your coverage, tell me.” And I’m just thinking, “Just be here.” DA: What scene was the most memorable for you to film? EO: The most memorable, because it was the most difficult, was the lake
house party scene. There’s only one cut in that whole scene, and we never shot more than six takes the whole film. It was challenging, and I remember trying to find out the rhythm of that scene and how to build a climax without any cuts. It was interesting to have all the extras there, because they’re really just people from the town where we were filming. DA: The Sundance trailer was the first time you saw the film. How did you feel? Was it like coming to it with fresh eyes? EO: Not at Sundance. It was very confusing to watch the movie because it was my first time seeing myself on screen. To me, it was like a moving photo album. When I got to see it in Cannes, that was my first experience being able to distance myself from it, and it was so interesting to watch, because I truly believe that everyone should see this movie more than once, because it is so smart, and there are so many things hidden and framed specifically, and lines that all come together that you won’t be able to notice just on the first watch. I had such a great time watching it. It was also a hard time though. I’m in every frame of the movie, and so that was difficult to watch. I don’t
really necessarily enjoy watching myself for that long. The same is true with a movie I am in called “Silent House.” I’m in every frame of the film, so my first experience watching myself in that was overwhelming. But I do love “Martha” a lot. DA: What do you hope people take away from the movie? EO: The reason why I love the script so much is because I truly think it’s an original and unique story. What I want people to get out of it is just a new cinematic experience. I think experiencing this film is something … that people don’t get watching any other movie. “Martha …” is more like a 1970s film like a Robert Altman or Roman Polanski movie. I think for modern audiences, there’s just nothing like it. I hope that people go in with an open mind, and trust that you don’t always have to have the answers to everything you see; that you are treated as an intelligent audience member and can figure out your own story while watching it and also just get behind this woman’s psychology which I think Sean does really effectively. It is a really fun ride. When I was reading the script, I was so excited to turn the next page and figure out the next puzzle piece.
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D A I LY
AZTEC Tuesday, October 25, 2011
OPINION
Desalinated water is toxic solution to crisis ew things are as vital as water to our survival, not just individually but as a nation. The struggle to secure this precious resource will only become more desperate in the coming years. Recently, KPBS reported four key water districts in the Southwest, including the San Diego County Water Authority, are turning to seawater in an attempt to manufacture water security. But plans to build desalination plants in Southern California have stalled recently because of legal and environmental challenges. Undeterred, they are now hoping to build a plant just 15 miles south of the border in Rosarito, Mexico. There are currently two competing proposals, both centered around an existing power plant in Rosarito. One proposal would produce 50 million gallons of water a day, which the U.S. and Mexico would then split. That plant has the best chance of being built and has recently passed an early round of design tests. The second, more ambitious idea is to build a plant that could produce as much as 100 million gallons of water a day. The plant would be financed by the Cayman Islands-based Consolidated Water Co. alongside Mexican investors, and would send much of its output to the U.S. Regardless of which plant gets built, desalination in Mexico is far from the solution to the region’s water woes. It simply kicks the can of water security a few years down the road in a cost-ineffective and environmentally destructive manner.
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Leonardo Castaneda senior staff columnist
The process of turning seawater into tap water is a seemingly simple yet destructive one that relies on reverse osmosis. In case you’ve forgotten high school biology, here’s how it works: First, huge amounts of ocean water are sucked into the plant. Often fish eggs, larvae, plankton and other organisms vital to the ocean’s ecology are sucked in with the water. The water then goes through a series of membranes that filter the water until it’s safe to drink. Alongside the safe drinking water, brine is created. Brine is a mixture of extremely salty water, the carcasses of all the dead organisms captured and killed by the process and all the toxic chemicals used to purify the water. This brine is
ROB PIPER, STAFF ARTIST
pumped back into the ocean, where it can raise the toxicity and salinity of the area near the plant and destroy the fragile coast ecosystem. And in the end there is no guarantee the water destined for human consumption is truly safe. Toxic chemicals such as boron, present in seawater and other chemicals and organisms that leak in during the desalination process, can bypass filters unless expensive purifying steps are taken. One of the main reasons water districts and investors want to desalinate water in Mexico is to circumvent the environmental and legal regulations in California. To assume these same people will go through great lengths and costs to ensure the quality of that water is a foolish gamble we cannot take. But even beside the environmental damage and health risk, desalination isn’t an economically viable source of water for San Diego. One of the most cost-effective plants in the world, being built in Carlsbad, can sell water for just $2.90 per kilogram of water. That’s inexpensive compared to other plants around the world that average as much as $9$10 per kilogram. But it’s still more than the current cost of water. For areas such as the Otay Water District, that means a 45 percent rate increase. And the cost of desalinated water is only going to get higher. Because desalination is highly energy intensive, energy costs account for almost half the cost of producing desalinated water. As fuel prices continue their steady rise into the stratosphere and energy becomes more expensive, desalinating water will only become
more expensive. The treatment plants add to the problem by increasing demand, leading to higher energy prices. Added to the already high cost of desalinated water is the small problem of getting it here from Mexico. One way would be to let Mexico keep the water from the plant and reduce its allotment from the Colorado River. However, Mexican officials refuse to reduce its already shrinking share of the river’s water. The only alternative is to build a pipe across the border to transport the water. That would require a presidential permit from the State Department, and could potentially make the plant’s water prohibitively expensive. The truth is desalination plants offer temporary water security at huge economic and environmental costs. There is a simpler path toward better long-term water security for the region. Instead of making more water, we should increase water conservation and efficiency. By increasing the cost of water in the region, we can help reduce demand to a sustainable amount. We have to accept that expensive water is our new reality. The difference is what we will be paying for. We can pay more to damage the environment and increase our reliance on carbon and fossil fuels. Or we can pay more to use our resources in an intelligent and sustainable way.
LEONARDO CASTANEDA IS AN ECONOMICS AND JOURNALISM SOPHOMORE.
D A I LY A Z T E C Tuesday, October 25, 2011
OPINION
Pharma cashes in with HPV shot very Monday afternoon I pick up my 12 year-old son from school and the first thing out of his mouth is the new joke of the week that his teacher writes on the blackboard. Here’s his latest: “If you go sunbathing and bring a book with you, will you be well read? Get it, mom? Well red?” We share a chuckle and drive home talking about our busy days at school. This conversation, while super corny to an outsider, I’m sure, is the perfect example of the mindset of a typical 12-year-old child. Though he is growing up quickly, his days are still filled with jokes about bodily functions and Nerf wars with the neighborhood kids. The extent of his major decisionmaking process involves whether to spend his allowance on a Wii game or yet another Nerf gun that will out-blast Bobby’s. And this is why the idea of him making serious health decisions without my knowledge and consent is concerning, to say the least. Earlier this month, Gov. Jerry Brown approved AB 499, allowing children as young as 12 years old to get vaccinated against sexually transmitted infections such as human papillomavirus without parental consent. It’s a simultaneous slap in the face to parents and kickback for special interest groups. Now, please don’t misunderstand me. I’m neither a religious zealot nor am I politically conservative, as proponents of this bill may have you believe. It bothers me parental consent isn’t a factor in AB 499, but not nearly as much as it infuriates me to know that state legislators, beholden to special interests, are using our children to line the pockets of multibillion dollar pharmaceutical companies. A recent trend has sparked my curiosity. Who remembers the H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak of 2009? Remember how we were all going to die? Right. So, we didn’t. The World Health Organization, however, called it a global pandemic. They couldn’t help but strongly advocate a global vaccination effort against what was clearly going to cause us all to oink ourselves to death. In reality, swine flu was just another media-hyped health scare. Then, last year, California experienced an outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough). State departments of public health urged the public to get vaccinated. Legislators even succeeded in passing a law that now mandates whooping cough inoculations for all incoming seventh graders. However, after a four-month long investigation by a nonprofit news organization on the San Diego State campus, it was discovered that most cases of whooping cough were reported from people who had been vaccinated against it. Months later, this investigation led the Centers for Disease Control to admit that immunity is waning in the already administered, and now legally mandated, whooping cough vaccination. Along with University of California Los Angeles, the CDC began to test its effectiveness. In other words, every seventh grader is getting a vaccination that may not even work. So yes, we have issues involving efficacy of vaccines and legitimacy of epidemics. But why the recent cuddle fest between statutory law and vaccines? It hasn’t always been this way. Let’s take a closer look at San Diego assemblywoman Toni Atkins who sponsored the HPV legislation and those who supported the bill.
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Shot is dose of sexual health
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n Oct. 9, a California bill allowing minors to receive vaccinations against human papillomavirus without parental consent was signed into law. To say the bill caused controversy is an incredible understatement: Religious conservatives decried the bill as more proof of our morally bankrupt and sex-crazed society. Parents raged about how more of their parental freedoms were being taken away by the big, bad government. Everywhere else in California however, minors became safer from an increasingly widespread and harmful disease. Truly, the threat of HPV is real. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in America. An estimated 20 million Americans — 50 percent of sexually active adults — have HPV. Most of the 12,000 annual cases of cervical cancer, which often cause infertility and as many as 4,000 deaths, happen as a direct result of HPV infection. And the disease causes a cocktail of other cancers, including cancer of the anus, penis, vagina, vulva and oropharynx.
Sandy Coronilla assistant news editor According to Maplight.org, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that provides citizens and journalists with transparency tools to shine light on the influence of money on politics, Atkins is quite cozy with the pharmaceutical industry. The California Medical Association, a professional organization representing California physicians, also makes a nice bedfellow. During the past two years alone, the pharmaceutical industry has donated more than $10,000 to Atkins, including $1,000 from Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp, a subsidiary of Merck & Co. Inc., the pharmaceutical company that just so happens to make Gardasil, the primary HPV vaccine. Atkins also received another $1,000 from GlaxoSmithKline, the pharmaceutical company that makes Cervarix, the other HPV vaccine. It isn’t listed anywhere in Atkins’ bill that the author of the legislation has received donations from the very pharmaceutical companies that will directly benefit from it, but it should. Now, if $10,000 isn’t enough to convince you, perhaps $112,100 is. That’s the amount the CMA donated throughout the past two years to Atkins and the 11 assemblymen who voted in favor of AB 499. It’s also interesting to note that some of the assemblymen, who voted in favor of AB499 and received donations from CMA, also received donations from GlaxoSmithKline and Merck. Specifically, GlaxoSmithKline donated to assemblymen Nathan Fletcher, Fiona Ma and Henry Perea. Merck donated to Fletcher, Ben Hueso and Richard Pan. Why should we be concerned about a harmless group of doctors who like to throw their money around like guys at a strip club on all-you-can-eat cheeseburger night? Because they benefit in a couple of important ways. First, Gardasil and Cervarix are not — pardon the pun — one shot deals. For the vaccines to work, three doses are required throughout a six month period. Doctors benefit from multiple office visits. Someone has to pay for those office visits and for the vaccination itself. Without parental knowledge and financial support, I doubt kids are going to spend their hard-earned allowance to get jabbed. My guess is that taxpayers are going to pay. Second, physicians also receive monetary incentives from insurance companies to vaccinate their patients. Therefore, when you see the CMA supporting legislation, as they did with Atkins’ bill, and donating superfluous amounts of money to political campaigns, as they did with multiple politicians who voted in favor of AB 499, you must ask yourself what this bill is really about. It could be the noble intention of protecting our daughters from cervical cancer, or maybe just a guise to line the pockets of Big Pharma and keep our state legislators in their comfortable leather desk chairs.
Chris Pocock opinion editor So while we’re at it, let’s talk about a few of those other government interventions: When the Top Ramen flambé you were cooking lights your kitchen on fire, government-paid firefighters drive shiny governmentowned fire trucks to put it out. When burglars break into your house and steal your entire “Jersey Shore” collection, government-paid police officers attempt to find and prosecute the criminals responsible. The list goes on and on. The bottom line is, it’s the government’s responsibility to protect us from injury, death and disease. And hell, the fact you’re even reading this column is proof enough they do a pretty good job of it. I believe parents should have a role in the health of their children. But I find it hopelessly unrealistic for minors as young as 12 years old to approach their parents about their future sexual health. Call me nuts, but I don’t see that conversation going well with the average set of parents. What is more likely to hap-
But it’s not the vaccine itself that’s infuriating critics. The wave of outrage stems from the fact that 12-year-olds ... are assumed to be seen by the government as of a ripe age for performing the horizontal mambo.
SANDY CORONILLA IS A JOURNALISM SENIOR.
DESIGNED BY ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR RICHARD MCPHETERS
But it’s not the vaccine itself that’s infuriating critics. The wave of outrage stems from the fact that 12year-olds — normally seen as too young to be having sex and thus having sexual diseases — are assumed to be seen by the government as of a ripe age for performing the horizontal mambo. In the words of Paul Rondeau, director of communications for American Life League: “The known medical risks and controversy demonstrate the true nature of this legislation: Sexual zealots in Californian politics believe that 12year-old boys and girls are sexual animals that have no need or ability to control their own behavior.” But it wasn’t because of any assumption preteens were christening the bedsheets that our “sexual zealots” passed AB 499. No, the reason this vaccine is available to minors as young as 12 years old is because of other reasons. “Ideally, females should get the vaccine before they become sexually active and exposed to HPV,” the CDC website states. “This is because they may have already gotten one or more of HPV types targeted by the vaccines.” In other words, the vaccine is meant for when it’s the most effective: as a preventative measure, not after sexual activity has begun. Then there’s that other notion — that the big, bad government is stepping on the inalienable American freedoms of parents. During a recent Republican debate, Michele Bachmann spoke about a similar Texas law forcing “innocent little 12-year-old girls to have a government injection.” Anger at government intervention — especially in cases where parental freedoms are limited — is commonplace in our society.
pen is for the minors to risk it if and when they become sexually active. And therefore, the cycle of HPV — which condoms fail to completely protect against — spirals onward. And finally, the great and powerful rhetoric machine’s favorite argument against the HPV vaccine: Gardasil is unsafe. Appearing on the “Today Show,” Bachmann presented her belief of the drug’s “dangerous side effects” based on a conversation she had with a mother, who blamed the vaccine for causing “mental retardation” in her daughter. Some sources have even blamed the drug for causing Lou Gehrig’s Disease and a host of other complications. The belief the HPV vaccines cause mental and neurological diseases is not only scientifically unfounded, it’s rooted in fiction entirely. In fact, the CDC has stated the vaccines carry “no serious safety concerns.” It is exactly because of this false belief, however, that many parents hold back their child from receiving the vaccine. This rhetoric machine has proven itself more harmful than the drug itself. Do I value the right of parents to make decisions for their children? Absolutely. But I also value the minors’ right to protect themselves from harm — sexual or otherwise. Even more importantly, I value the ability to have children with my future wife — whoever she may be — and for her to live free of cervical cancer. That freedom is real. And who knows? We may have the sexual zealots to thank for that.
CHRIS POCOCK IS A JOURNALISM SENIOR.
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D A I LY
AZTEC Tuesday, October 25, 2011
FOOD & DRINK
Organic service delivers Abundant Harvest Ani Araya contributor In a perfect world, shopping for healthy and balanced food products would be simple. However, hectic school schedules and financial limitations force many students to abandon their desires to shop and eat organically. But as it turns out, the ideal concept of a health-conscious world is not as far-fetched as one might believe. Abundant Harvest Organics is a California-based delivery service that brings fresh, homegrown produce to the doorsteps of homes within specific community areas. Every week, Abundant Harvest Organics does the work by traveling to pickup locations with a box of pre-ordered goodies. This service offers a wide variety of mostly seasonal, organic fruits and vegetables. But it doesn’t end with two sections of the food pyramid. Organic meat options can also be added to boxes, along with organic dairy products such as butter, cheese, raw milk and pasteurized eggs. An assortment of nuts, beans and herbs are also available. “Your taste buds and your wallet will thank you,” San Diego coordinator for Abundant Harvest Organics Kristin Keller said. “You’ll enjoy fruit with real flavor and veggies that you actually want to eat. All the while, you’ll save money compared to shopping at the grocery store or farmers market, and you’ll be supporting sustainable agriculture rather than the cruelty and pollution of factory farms.”
Every Thursday, Abundant Harvest Organics is featured at the e3 table during the San Diego State Farmers Market. Samples of melons, peaches, grapes and Asian pears are available for shoppers to taste. Abundant Harvest Organics decided to take a step further by offering home delivery of organic and healthy produce to SDSU students. “It’s easy to eat healthy when wonderful organic produce is ready for you,” Keller said. “Toss together a salad, chop up veggies with fresh herbs for an easy sauté or grab a crisp, sweet apple on your way to class – you’ll quickly gain energy and improve your health.” The ordering process starts through the Abundant Harvest Organics website, abundantharvestorganics.com. After signing up for the delivery service, a confirmation email from a community host will be sent with a specific date and time of the weekly delivery. There are two different sized boxes priced for home delivery: a small box for two people is $21.80 and a large box for four people is $36.80. The option to pick up at a location is discounted from the home delivery price. The content of the boxes varies week to week with certified organic products. Along with the guaranteed supply of produce, add-ons are available at an affordable extra cost. Peaches, pomegranates and wild Alaskan salmon are just a few of the many delicious additional options to choose from. According to Abundant Harvest Organics’ website, an alliance of Central California small family farm-
KAYLA MILLER, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
ers cultivate the superior quality of produce for local communities. The newsletter and website include each featured product accompanied with the name, contact information or link to the farmer’s website. “With Abundant Harvest Organics, you can know your farmer,” Keller
said. “The produce is from a group of small family farms, which ensures that you always get a wonderful variety, and you’ll always know which farm grew every fruit and vegetable you receive and have the confidence that your produce was grown with care.”
Abundant Harvest Organics wants to bring the family farm to the SDSU campus. Students can mention The Daily Aztec and receive a special discount of $5 on the first delivery for those who sign up with Abundant Harvest Organics.
D A I LY A Z T E C Tuesday, October 25, 2011
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AZTEC Tuesday, October 25, 2011
B AC K PAG E
All while on the clock ost of all, more than anything, I took the job because my brother worked there. We were both young, we were both searching for something better. But until then, our jobs in the garage paid the bills. We ate lunch together, Marcus and me, in the concrete courtyard behind the shop. The previous owner hired some men to stack cinder block walls taller than the ceiling, I guess to prevent backdoor break-ins. It was quiet out there. The sounds of traffic from the boulevard never jumped into our conversations. A banana tree and an old, withering avocado tree occupied the corners of the courtyard, but because of the walls’ height, the sun only briefly touched their leaves around noon each day, which was the same time we would break for lunch. When we sat on the benches, the trees seemed to wake for us, but they were only stretching for their lives. This Sunday we worked a half-day. Marcus pulled out the cooler and we sat in the sun and drank. After a few minutes of silence, Marcus asked, “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done to a customer?” “How do you mean?” I popped open a can. “Like, have you done anything while you were on the clock that made you feel guilty?”
M
Mason Schoen fiction writer I touched a branch on the avocado tree. The browning leaves gently fell off. “You’d have to give me an example.” “OK,” Marcus said. “OK, like this: One time this woman came in the shop. Said her car wouldn’t start. Said she needed it to drive her kid to school, said her kid’s father wasn’t around anymore and could I give her a deal? If we could just figure something out, she’d have her car. So could I give her a deal?” He set the can down and crossed his arms. “She ... touched me. So I gave her a deal. And I always felt bad about it since. It wasn’t right. That’s what I mean. Have you ever done something like that?” “Sure,” I said. “We’ve all done something like that.” “What’d you do?” I tried to remember the details. I said, “A few months ago, this gorgeous girl came into the shop right? And her car needed, I don’t know, nothing big. I forget. But I fixed whatever it was. Then I started another problem. So, think about it like this: Maybe I replaced the fuel filter, but put a tiny leak in the radiator.” “I get it. She has to see you again and again.” “Exactly. Eventually, after so many times together, I get this girl
to let me take her out. That night, though, when I arrived at her place, she said she couldn’t go out with me. She said her dog was having puppies. I thought she was lying, but she took me inside. She walked me past the rooms of her house until we reached the kitchen. The dog had passed her first puppy. But it wasn’t breathing. And she said, ‘Can you fix it? Don’t you know how to fix it?’ As if I could just open the stillborn up like the hood of a car and replace some seals, some tubes and the puppy would breathe again.” “What happened?” The last of the sun slipped below the top of the wall. We sat there in shaded courtyard. I felt like we were being swallowed by some great mouth. “We dated for awhile,” I said. “But she kept asking the same question: ‘Can’t you fix it?’ I don’t know. I guess when we were together, I treated us like I treated her car.” We sat there so long I almost forgot where we were. Evening set. The walls afforded us a view of the night sky protected from the city’s light pollution. I could only make out one star above us though, so dim, so far away, I wondered if it wasn’t only a plane flying slowly overhead, and if so, I wondered if any of its wings had been sabotaged by someone not wanting some other person to leave.
LO O K I N G T H R O U G H O U R L E N S
HOROSCOPE TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (10/25/11) Let someone whose opinion you respect teach you about your health and vitality. Share exercise outdoors, or drop a stale practice for one that refreshes. New opportunities arise that require expert advice. Don't hesitate to ask. 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 9 — Relax and let others support you. Listen carefully for a valuable insight. Pay special attention to your relationships. It's not a good time to take risks. TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - Today is a 7 — Discuss an upcoming purchase and plan it in the budget, while keeping your bucks in the bank. Focus instead on filling your hive with honey. Wait for a good sale. GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - Today is an 8 — One who loves you sees you bigger than you see yourself. Adopt their view, even temporarily. You can learn a lot from children, who aren't afraid to tell the truth. CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 7 — Take on more homework, even if it complicates things. In the end, the extra effort will be worth it. You may even find a hidden treasure in the details. LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 6 — Still no gambling allowed, except regarding affairs of the heart. You can create a new reality as long as you're not attached to the outcome. Why not go for it? VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is a 9 — Tear it down to rebuild. Starting over can give a stronger foundation. Avoid
BY NANCY BLACK, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES going against your core values, and double-check everything. Work with another. LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is an 8 — Your sense of harmony and selfconfidence are especially appreciated today. Lead by example for a fruitful phase. Your energy's contagious, and many hands make light work. SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 7 — It's okay to think about it for a while. Don't push yourself (or your luck). Remember that cash isn't everything, and count your blessings instead. The money will come. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is a 6 — Conversation with a friend helps clear your mind. Sometimes you have to let the current take you, rather than fight it to exhaustion. You could end up at a better destination. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 7 — There's more to the situation than simply facts and logic. Look for options in less tangible factors. Follow a strong recommendation, and revise plans as needed. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is an 8 — Previous barriers have dissolved, so take advantage to wrap up old business. Outrageous dreams now seem possible. Take on more responsibility, and rely on your team. PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 7 — You may find yourself confronting an authority. Be respectful, and talk politely. They may actually listen. There could be a test. You're up for it. ©2011, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.
BY THE MEPHAM GROUP, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
SUDOKU
Difficulty Level: 1 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. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudokudragon.com Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com ©2011, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.
CROSSWORD
EARLY BIRD Staff photographer Katie Fisher captured a serene shot of this still San Francisco morning last weekend as the sun slowly stretched awake behind the Golden Gate Bridge.
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ACROSS 1 Persian __ 5 Argentina’s Perón 9 Spectrum producer 14 One of two Monopoly squares: Abbr. 15 Not a supporter 16 Greek column type 17 Morro Castle site 18 Desktop image 19 Bakery array 20 Posh digs for comic Billy? 23 Owing too much money 24 Getaway for Gandhi 27 Feathery accessory 28 Barley beards 30 Latin 101 verb 31 Fine cotton 34 Rumors about comic Eric? 37 Decree 39 Spring mo. 40 Public commotion 41 Theme song for comic Chris? 44 Yankee nickname since 2004 45 Radius starting point: Abbr. 46 Lower intestinal parts 47 Work in a museum 49 Major or Mrs. of old comics 51 Deo __: thanks to God 55 Topics for comic Martin? 58 Sunday singers 60 Part of IBM: Abbr. 61 “The Man Who Fell to Earth” director Nicolas
BY RICH NORRIS & JOYCE LEWIS, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com 62 Plunder 63 Abate 64 Give off, as light 65 Sculls in a quad scull, e.g. 66 1974 Gould/Sutherlan d spoof 67 Retreats with remotes DOWN 1 Name on some fashionable sunglasses 2 Complete reversal 3 Algeria neighbor 4 Scene from the past, in films 5 Game called zesta-punta in Basque 6 “I give up!” 7 On
8 1492 caravel 9 Some cubist paintings 10 Exterminator’s target 11 Feature of some pens 12 “Sprechen __ Deutsch?” 13 Game show VIPs 21 Furthermore 22 January 1st song word 25 Kind of acid in protein 26 Hybrid bike 28 Leader in Athens? 29 Existed 31 Roost 32 “What did __ deserve this?” 33 Windows manufacturer
35 Go out with 36 Strewn 38 Like a well-fitting suit 42 D’back or Card 43 Aggies and steelies 48 British rule in India 50 Temple U. setting 51 Bold 52 “Ready or not, here __!” 53 Ordered takeout, say 54 NCOs two levels above cpl. 56 Exec’s rackful 57 Breeze 58 Zagreb’s country, to the IOC 59 Blazin’ Blueberry drink brand