01-19-2011

the

dailyaztec Wednesday, January 19, 2011

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Wh il e yo u

Vol. 96, Issue 58

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Antonio Zaragoza / Photo Editor

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gone h el l o

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Long

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Antonio Zaragoza / Photo Editor

NEWS Sentence reduced in Gov’s last hours

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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The Daily Aztec

Esteban Nunez gets nine years off his prison sentence HUTTON MARSHALL S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R

Six months ago, Esteban Nunez received a 16-year prison sentence for voluntary manslaughter and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. But on his last day in office, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reduced Nunez’s sentence to seven years.

Nunez was charged with the murder of Luis Dos Santos, a San Diego Mesa College student. Nunez and three other men were involved in a fight on the San Diego State campus that ended in the assault of four other individuals, including Santos. The fight reportedly occurred after Nunez and his friends were denied entrance into a fraternity party.

Nunez and the three others involved in the attack were initially charged with murder, but took a plea bargain to avoid the possibility of receiving a life sentence.

Although Nunez was not the one who stabbed Santos, he did allegedly stab another member of Santos’ party and went on to help destroy the incriminating evidence.

This 16-year sentence Nunez and co-defendant Ryan Jett both received went uncontested until

File Photo

Nunez (far right), will only have to serve seven of the original 16 years he was sentenced to for his involvement in the fatal stabbing of Luis Santos at an SDSU fraternity party.

Dec. 31, when Schwarzenegger, during his final hours in office, commuted Nunez’s sentence from 16 to seven years.

MCT Campus

Schwarzenegger reduced Nunez’s sentence during his last days in office as governor.

In a letter to the Santos family, Schwarzenegger stated he believes “(Nunez’s) sentence is disproportionate in comparison to Jett’s.”

According to a 2009 LA Weekly article, Leshanor Thomas — also accused in Santos’ murder — said in a search warrant, “Hopefully (Nunez’s) dad would take care of it and could get them off on selfdefense.”

Many, including San Diego District County Attorney Bonnie Dumanis who originally handled the case, have criticized the former governor for waiting until the last possible moment to commute the sentence, when he would face less backlash for his actions than he would have last year.

Nunez is the son of Fabian Nunez, former speaker of the California State Assembly, who worked with Schwarzenegger during his time in office. The two worked together on California’s global warming law, which was a pivotal

move in Schwarzenegger’s political career. Nunez now works with Schwarzenegger’s former communications director, Adam Mendelsohn, as a political consultant.

“This is dirty politics: cutting backroom deals. I guess if you’re the son of somebody important you can kill someone and get all sorts of breaks.”

— Fred Santos, father of Luis Santos Regardless of the timing, Schwarzenegger has been met with

a lot of controversy for the move, most voraciously from the Santos family. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Santos’ father Fred Santos said, “This is dirty politics: cutting backroom deals. I guess if you’re the son of somebody important you can kill someone and get all sorts of breaks.”

The commutation of Nunez’s sentence may face some legal repercussion as well. Communications Director Paul Levikow at Dumanis’ office said their appeals division is looking for any loophole to challenge this move. The San Diego District Attorney’s office handled Nunez’s case when he was initially sentenced. There is a definite feeling of obligation to explore what the situation’s “legal brevity might be, if there is one.”

According to reports by KPBS, the Santos family is also consulting legal council about the possibility of filing a lawsuit against the former governor.

Student murdered days before graduating murder-suicide occurred on the morning of Dec. 10.

Photo courtesy of Lourdes Frame

Ex-boyfriend killed Michel David and then shot himself ANA CEBALLOS S TA F F W R I T E R

While most students were preparing for their last finals and some even preparing to graduate, a

“Michel was the kind of girl that would never turn her back on anyone ... she even maintained a friendship with Dan, even after they broke up ...”

— Lourdes Frame, friend of David According to the San Diego Police Department, Michel David,

22, a San Diego State journalism student who was a week short of graduating, was allegedly shot multiple times by her exboyfriend, former SDSU student Daniel Shoemake.

Shoemake, 21, later took his own life with a handgun.

According to SDPD, the murder-suicide took place near 55th Street and El Cajon Boulevard.

David exited her apartment complex near College Area to walk her dog around 10 a.m., when Shoemake shot her multiple times with the assault rifle found near her body.

Shoemake then shot himself in his silver pickup truck, according to police and the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.

According to Kiza Chapman, David’s coworker at The Cheesecake Factory in Chula Vista,

the two met three years ago in Pleasanton, a suburb east of San Francisco, and moved to San Diego to attend college.

“He was too obsessed with her,” Chapman said. “He often said that if he couldn’t have her no one else could.”

According to Chapman, Shoemake was a member of the United States military and had problems with alcohol abuse that led him to check into rehab early last year.

David’s funeral took place in Pleasanton a week after her death, where both David and Shoemake were raised.

Lourdes Frame, a close friend of David’s, said hundreds of David’s friends remembered her in an emotional candlelight vigil in front of her apartment complex here in San Diego.

“There was not a dry eye in the crowd,” Frame said. “I will always remember her as one of the kindest and most loving people I met in San Diego.”

Frame also noted David’s relationship with Shoemake, after their breakup.

“Michel was the kind of girl that would never turn her back on anyone, she was just so loving and never had problems with anyone,” Frame said. “She even maintained a friendship with Dan, even after they broke up about a year ago.”

Frame, who is still in shock from the occurrence, was left with no bad memories of her good friend, and believes that every person who met David would feels the same way.

“I will never forget her,” Chapman said. “You just don’t meet people like Michel these days.”

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The Daily Aztec

RELATIONSHIPS

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Breaking up a friendship with civility Facebook, text messaging and mutual friends can ease ending friendships AMY DEVITO S TA F F W R I T E R

Breakups are oftentimes unpleasant for both parties and tend to leave those involved fearful of how to go about breaking off the relationship. Most people have experienced the dissolution of a romantic relationship, but terminating a friendship presents different complexities.

So the question becomes: When a friendship has run its course, what is the most appropriate way to break up with a friend?

There are several avenues to go about handling a breakup, and it is essential to cogitate before taking any initiative. Luckily, today’s generation has technology to make the thorny situation less prickly.

Although the Facebook empire seems to keep people interlocked with one another, it can actually grease the breakup wheels. Sending a private message, chatting or “defriending” someone can be the stern and distant friendship ax. Those who choose to deliver their severance packages electronically risk offending the opposing party. The other parties may take umbrage and view the sender as cowardly. However, this situation does mitigate the possibility of a face-to-face altercation.

Texting reigns supreme in the digital communication world and manages any conversation, proving that few words can go a long way. Shooting a text cuts to the point and can ease tension. If a solution is to be found via texting, it is only fair to explain everything and be mindful of the friend on the other end.

“When I had to break up with a friend recently I handled the matter by texting, being upfront with them in the most polite possible way,” sophomore Supi Bhullar said.

“It’s definitely hard to not come off rude, but sometimes there’s not much that can be done when a friendship is coming to an end.”

Facebook and texting may facilitate some breakup situations, but conversing directly proves to be an appropriate approach for several occasions. When pursuing the matter in person, it is imperative to maintain a mature and polite demeanor.

The conversation has significant potential for emotions to erupt, and it could easily escalate into a hostile confrontation. To prevent war from breaking out, it’s important to remain composed and respectful, and make sure to explain everything thoroughly. This will make the breakup go as civil as possible.

“When it comes to breaking it off with friends, it’s crucial to get everything out there and to talk about it all, especially if two people are disagreeing,” junior Ariel Warstadt said. “When my friend and I weren’t getting along too well anymore, I called her up and explained why I was upset with her and made sure to leave no room for interpretation.”

It’s important to see what can be done to reconcile any unresolved issues and let both voices be heard while expressing points of view. Acting with civility will lessen the possibility of smear campaigns.

Asking a mutual friend or another third party to help mediate the process may be a wise decision. However, it is important not to force mutual friends to choose sides. This will only lead to lasting resentment.

Breakups are most always problematic. By ending a relationship with a friend respectfully and amicably, all parties will walk away without feeling they were treated poorly.

Chelsea Massey / Staff Photographer

Making sure both people’s feelings are respected is the key to ending any relationship on amicable terms.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

RELATIONSHIPS

The Daily Aztec

7

Impress future in-laws with genuine interest What to do when meeting a significant other’s family for the first time EMMA SECKER S TA F F W R I T E R

Some students may have spent their breaks meeting their significant other’s family for the first time. Others might have this special occasion to look forward to as this year progresses. For those who have yet to step foot into their special someone’s home, there are codes of conduct to follow to ensure the milestone is a smooth and positive one.

When first meeting the family of one’s significant other, it is important to achieve the delicate balance of being oneself while demonstrating the etiquette conducive to making a successful first impression.

According to The Boston Globe Magazine columnist Robin Abrahams, the first step concerned characters can take toward impressing their significant other’s family is proper preparation. Prior to the meeting, Abrahams advises asking their partner questions about his or her family to gain basic background information. This ensures sore subjects are avoided, traditions and customs are honored and no toes are trodden upon. In addition to asking proper questions, students are advised to also prepare for questions they might have to answer in return.

“Talk with your sweetie in advance about how to handle any sensitive questions,” Abrahams said. “This includes questions that might not even sound ‘sensitive’ to you but have a lot of family baggage attached to them.”

Practicing discretion of this sort is crucial in many cases of ingratiating oneself with a boyfriend or girlfriend’s parents. While the parents are paramount, other family members should not be left by the wayside.

Chelsea Massey / Staff Photographer

Meeting a significant other’s parents is important, but can be an anxiety-inducing occasion in a relationship.

“Make sure you pay a lot of attention to the older generation, the little kids and the household pets,” Abrahams said. “Not only will this make a good impression on everyone else, but the elderly, children and animals are a lot less likely to be judgmental or pass on gossip about you, so time with them is both well and safely spent.”

Public relations junior Brittany Weber said she always makes an effort to befriend the siblings of her significant others.

“It’s important to parents what siblings think,” Weber said. “When my brother has girlfriends, my mom and I talk about her openly and share our opinions. It helps to have siblings as an ally, especially since you can generally be more yourself around the brothers and sisters than the parents.”

If one is staying the night at their significant other’s home, it is important to receive accommodations respectfully. While some families may be fine with their children shar-

ing a bedroom with their special someone, other families may feel this is inappropriate.

Weber said when she and her boyfriend stay at her family’s house, they always sleep in separate rooms. The two only feel comfortable sharing a room when staying at his house.

“Since my boyfriend has a single, dating mom I don’t feel awkward sleeping in the same room when we visit,” Weber said. “But, when there are little brothers and sisters around, or when we are in the same house as my traditional parents, he sleeps in another room to not send a bad message.”

Rules of etiquette such as these depend on the family in question, as some behaviors are appropriate to one family but not another.

Gift giving is a gesture one traditionally extends toward the family of their significant other when meeting them for the first time and another instance when a conservative approach is typically better.

According to Abrahams, one should bring a gift the family can share, such as a DVD, board game or baked goods. These gifts involve the whole family and appeal to the general taste of families falling anywhere on the casual-conservative continuum.

Though there are several tactics students can employ to impress the family of their significant other, it is also important for students to show who they truly are and not let their personalities be eclipsed by social etiquette and protocol. Abrahams encourages readers to be a good sport but not a robot.

“Either the relationship won’t work out and it ultimately won’t matter what these people think of you, or else it will work out and they’re going to have to get used to you as you are,” Abrahams said.

Weber agrees the most important thing her family looks for in her boyfriends is their sincere and genuine interest in her. Demonstrating they are comfortable and striving to be close with the family is a student’s best route to success when interacting with a significant other’s family.

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WHILE YOU WERE GONE

The Daily Aztec

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

9

FOOTBALL

Poinsettia Bowl champs AGUSTIN GONZALEZ A S S I S TA N T S P O R T S E D I T O R

After San Diego State sunk Navy 35-14 in the Poinsettia Bowl, senior running back Brandon Sullivan stood on the field with his helmet in his hands — tears of joy streaming down his face.

But they weren’t just any tears from an SDSU 35 emotional running back, for SDSU (9-4), NAVY 14 they symbolized the exorcising of demons — the 2-10 season of two years ago; the 41-year bowl victory drought; the firing of two head coaches in a four-year span.

“It’s a family right here,” Sullivan said. “It’s a bunch of brothers out here, and I’m real proud to be a part of this team.”

Ronnie Hillman rushed for 228 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns as the Aztecs romped the Midshipmen, winning their first bowl game since 1969.

In the postgame press conference, quarterback Ryan Lindley, who threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns, couldn’t say enough about the freshman running back.

“He’s got great balance, great speed,” Lindley said of Hillman, who earned Poinsettia Bowl Offensive MVP. “He’s got God’s blessing and talent and he uses it well. I’m glad that he’s sticking around for the next four years.”

A well-rested Hillman showed why he was named to the All-Mountain W e s t Conference first team and danced his way to a 22-yard touchdown run at the 9:06 mark in the first quarter to open up the scoring for the Aztecs.

SDSU came out firing and stuck it to the Midshipmen secondary in the first quarter.

Wide receiver

Vincent Brown had seven receptions, 152 yards and a 53-yard touchdown in the opening quarter and set a Poinsettia Bowl record for receiving yards — before halftime. The Aztecs’ passing game consisted of only Lindley to Brown in the first quarter. No other Aztec had a catch.

Navy (9-4) runs a triple option offense consisting of mostly pitches and quarterback keepers, but down 14-0, Midshipmen quarterback Ricky Dobbs showed why SDSU couldn’t just focus on the run. He fired a pass to Greg Jones for a 30-yard touchdown which cut the Aztecs’ lead to seven.

SDSU and Navy traded rushing touchdowns — a 37-yarder by Hillman, and a one-yard scoring rush by Dobbs — to make the halftime score 21-14 in favor of the Aztecs.

Hillman added a receiving touchdown and another rushing score in the fourth quarter to bring the final score to 35-14.

Then-head coach Brady Hoke said this win helped cement the legacy of the senior class.

“There’s a lot of tradition, a lot of legacy here that we feel like we are accountable for as we go out and play every day,” Hoke said. “We think about the past and the present and the future Aztec warriors. How about the endurance of the offense? They hung in there. This is a great Navy team. It’s great to win this football game.”

Antonio Zaragoza / Photo Editor

sp orts S MEN’S BASKETBALL

No. 6 Aztecs still unbeaten EDWARD LEWIS SPORTS EDITOR

The almighty Duke has a loss.

So does Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Villanova and BYU. But as students wake up and go to class for the first time in about a month today, the San Diego State men’s basketball team still hasn’t suffered a defeat.

SDSU is one of just three NCAA Division I basketball teams in the world that can say that.

“We feel like we can play with anybody,” SDSU sophomore forward Kawhi Leonard said.

Since the end of the first semester in mid-December, the Aztecs have gone 8-0. They’ve beaten a UNLV squad that was receiving votes, they smashed a dangerous New Mexico team in The Pit by 10 and they won all of their first four Mountain West Conference games.

And on Monday morning, when the polls were released, SDSU fans were upset that their undefeated basketball team was only ranked No. 6 in the nation.

“It says we have a very special team and our fans notice it,” senior point guard D.J. Gay said on Monday. “When they’re down that we didn’t move up, that just shows that the backing that we have from this city and it’s something special.”

It’s easy to see why Gay said it’s special. His team is 19-0 and has at least five résumé

victories (Gonzaga and New Mexico on the road, St. Mary’s, Wichita State and UNLV at home). Yet when he was asked if he was surprised that his squad sat behind three one-

very, very good basketball team that’s confident with 10 victories, having beaten Utah, having led UNLV for the majority of the game and they will be com-

SON OF A PITCH

MCT Campus

o, after a week of suspense and drama that rivalled any mediocre early afternoon soap opera, Brady Hoke officially dumped San Diego State for the University of Michigan.

But were you surprised at the season finale of this soap opera? You shouldn’t have been. Because it was evident from the start that this wasn’t a match made in heaven.

The SDSU-Hoke marriage fell victim to the pitfall that all failed relationships have in common — one party loved the other more than the other loved it.

From the get-go, Hoke let it be known that Michigan was his ultimate career goal, his Holy Grail, his dream girl.

When Hoke first met SDSU, the football program was like the cute girl with glasses sitting in front of you in class, dressed in sweats and not wearing any makeup. She wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous, but there was definitely potential.

Hoke got her a makeover, ordered contacts to replace her coke bottle lenses, bought her a new wardrobe overflowing with “barely there” clothes and took her to the Poinsettia Bowl, where SDSU showed on national TV that it was legit.

But Michigan is like that gorgeous Alpha Phi you were hooking up with for

Bye Bye Brady AGUSTIN GONZALEZ A S S I S TA N T S P O R T S E D I T O R

a while freshman year (Hoke was the defensive line coach there from 19952002). The two of you may have broken up, but you were always still in love with her. She has everything: the status, the killer rack, the good looks, the rich boosters and the winningest program in college football history.

Can you blame Hoke for going back?

Ladies, let me teach you a lesson.

Ten times out of 10, a million times out of a million, when faced with the choice, we’re going to go for the looks and the status. There’s no Taylor Swift fairytale garbage. That’s a fact of life, and there’s nothing you can do about it — except maybe get a boob job, work out, develop a cooler-than-you attitude and play hard to get (à la Michigan’s flirtations with Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh and LSU’s Les Miles). Even Swift, up in the bleachers, gets left for the cheer captain. (Ironically, Swift gets around more than most girls I know, but I digress.)

But fear not, SDSU fans; you will love again. In fact, somebody better is right here under your nose: Rocky Long.

Long took New Mexico to five bowl games in the last seven years that he

was head coach there, proving the man can flat-out coach. He’ll also be able to retain most of the recruits that Hoke and Co. had in place before throwing up the deuces and walking out the door.

Not only that, but SDSU’s not going to suck again now that Hoke has left.

The Aztecs aren’t going to be Ball State.

Sure, Hoke instilled a tough, winning mindset in the program and led the Aztecs to their first bowl victory in more than 40 years, but that mindset and expectation to win every week won’t leave for Ann Arbor like offensive coordinator Al Borges and half of the staff will. Long should maintain the status quo and keep the team on the right track for years to come. He’s proved that he’s a committed man and won’t just toot it and boot it. (He spent 11 total seasons coaching at New Mexico.)

Hoke may have been love at first sight, but now SDSU is alone, thinking about what could have been, what should have been. There really isn’t much left to say, except …

Bye bye, Brady.

—Agustin Gonzalez is a journalism senior.

—This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.

FOOTBALL Antonio Zaragoza / Photo Editor

loss teams in the polls, Gay responded calmly.

“I’m not surprised at all,” Gay said. “We’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

SDSU will try to keep its undefeated season alive tonight when it plays Air Force (10-6) at home. It’s the only game the Aztecs have on their schedule this week, and could be the victory that finally bumps SDSU into the top five.

“We’re playing a team (tonight), and this is not coach talk, that is so much better than the Air Force team we’ve seen the last two years,” head coach Steve Fisher said. “They’re a

ing in, as we, with an intent on doing whatever they have to do to win.”

Long ready to replace Hoke EDWARD LEWIS SPORTS EDITOR

AT A GLANCE

VS.

W H E N : 7 p.m.

W H E R E : Viejas Arena WHY TO W A T C H : SDSU, ranked No. 6 in the country, will try to keep its unbeaten streak alive tonight.

There wasn’t a team meeting, a farewell press conference or a tearful goodbye.

Brady Hoke sent out a mass text message to his players, and with that, he was off. So long San Diego State, hello Michigan.

“It was a long night of travel flying here,” Hoke told reporters shortly after his hiring at Michigan. “But we would’ve walked to the University of Michigan. The Rockies would have been tough, but we would have walked here.”

While one coach couldn’t wait to get out of San Diego, another was ready to

step up and lead the city’s only Division I football program: defensive coordinator Rocky Long.

Hours after Hoke bolted for the head coaching job at Michigan, SDSU Athletic Director Jim Sterk named Long SDSU’s new head coach.

And after he signed on the dotted line to become the Aztecs’ 18th head coach in SDSU football history, Long believed he got the better gig.

“This is a much better deal,” Long said. “We’ve got things started here.

They’ve got a lot of work to do there.”

Hoke reportedly offered Long the defensive coordinator job at Michigan, but Long turned it down once Sterk asked him to be SDSU’s head coach.

Other coaches on Hoke’s Aztec staff, however, took his offer. Offensive

coordinator Al Borges is gone.

So is offensive line coach Darrell Funk, running backs coach / Antonio Zaragoza / Photo Editor recruiting coordinator Jeff Hecklinski, linebackers coach Mark Smith and, arguably most important, strength and conditioning coach Aaron Wellman.

But Long expects to fill out his coaching staff within the next few weeks, and he expects to be the Aztecs’ head coach for a long time.

“This is not a stepping stone for me,” Long said. “This is going to be my last coaching job. I hope it lasts 10 to 15 to 20 years.”

10

The Daily Aztec

OPINION

Wednesday, January 19, 2010

Gun laws give more than illusions of safety

J

ust before finals week last semester, San Diego State student Michel David was walking her dog outside her apartment complex on 55th Street when she was brutally gunned down by her ex-boyfriend, Daniel Shoemake. After a verbal confrontation and multiple gunshots, Shoemake, a former SDSU student, proceeded to commit suicide with a handgun in his truck. David was a week away from graduating.

In Tucson, Ariz., a deranged gunman killed six people and wounded 13 at a political rally in front of a Safeway store.

The victims include 9-year-old ChristinaTaylor Green. She was about to meet Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords when her young life was mercilessly taken

from her.

Giffords, the assailant’s main target, was shot in the head point blank. She has been hospitalized and is slowly improving from her critical condition.

As reasonable human beings, we can’t even begin to grasp these two unspeakable acts. All we can do is try to learn from these tragedies to prevent more innocent people from dying this way in the future.

Of the 2,503 homicides in California in 2005, almost 75 percent were committed with a gun.

Approximately, 1,100 fatal firearm accidents occur ever year in the U.S., along with 18,000 suicides with firearms.

Unfortunately, this is rarely what we do.

Instead, confusion gives way to anger and grief to finger-pointing. Blaming either side

LEONARDO CASTANEDA S TA F F C O L U M N I S T

of the political spectrum for this tragedy is unnecessarily inflammatory when considering shooter Jared Lee Loughner seemed to lack any clear political perspective.

President Barack Obama tried to gleam a worthy message of civility and human fellowship from the rubble of the Tucson tragedy. Hopefully this new politeness miraculously reigns in politics for at least a few weeks. But this is a lesson countless tragedies have failed to make permanent.

We can never fully understand the why because the motivation to murder in cold blood is too wholly foreign to our hearts and minds. What we can learn from all of this is the how: How two individuals with such murderous intents were able to get their hands on tools whose sole purpose was to kill and destroy.

David’s murderer, Shoemake, used an assault rifle to kill the unarmed 22-year-old. The weapon’s name alone invokes images of armed forces attacking heavily armed fortifications in intense warfare. Why a 21-year-old needed this type of weapon in San Diego is hard to fathom.

Loughner, on the other hand, used a semiautomatic Glock 19 pistol. This is a relatively easy-to-conceal handgun favored by much of law enforcement. It was also available, along with an extended clip like the one Lougher allegedly used, at the Tucson gun show a week after the shooting.

Gun laws in California are some of the most restrictive in the nation. That being said, it is still ridiculously easy for almost anyone to buy a gun. A person 18 and older can purchase a shotgun or rifle provided they also possess a driver’s license.

For handguns you must be at least 21 and pass a safety demonstration. It is illegal to carry a concealed handgun, but how often can authorities feasibly intervene when people break this law? If someone’s goal is to commit a crime or go on a shooting spree it’s hard to see how that rule would deter them at all.

The key question is: Do guns make us safer, or simply provide the illusion of safety? Of the 2,503 homicides in California in 2005, almost 75 percent were committed

with a gun. Approximately 1,100 fatal firearm accidents occur every year in the U.S., along with 18,000 suicides with firearms. In a state where 31 percent of the population owns a firearm, Loughner was stopped by unarmed bystanders.

Guns do not protect us. Their availability allows criminals, murderers and psychopaths such as Loughner and Shoemake to carry out their deranged plans. The response to increased gun violence has often been more guns, as booming sales at the Tucson gun show have proven. Guns beget more guns. As individuals arm themselves against their neighbors, we enter into an arms race that ultimately makes us less safe.

What we need is stricter gun control.

Handguns and assault rifles in particular should have no place in our homes.

Fortunately, some attempts at sensible gun control are being made. A new law in Sacramento requires purchasers of handgun ammunition to register with an ID and thumbprint. From January 2008 through June 2009 this new database found that 151 ex-felons purchased handgun ammunition, a number that included 15 gang members, four sex offenders and two convicted murderers. It’s hard to imagine that a legal system in which sex offenders and murderers can freely purchase ammunition is somehow making us safer.

A similar state-wide law was passed recently but it is being challenged in court ahead of its Feb. 1 enforcement date. The challengers, second amendment advocates fearful of losing their rights, show why gun control is such an emotionally charged issue.

The right to bear arms is an important part of the constitution to help protect early American citizens from a tyrannical

government or foreign invasion. We cannot extrapolate that into a modern day need for widespread handguns and assault rifles. It doesn’t make us more secure as a nation or as individuals. It makes us less trusting and safe. It stands in the way of complete human fellowship and can not only enable, but incite, acts of unspeakable violence.

— Leonoardo Castaneda is a business administration freshman.

— The views expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.

Artwork courtesy of Opinion Editor Tom Hammel

12

ENTERTAINMENT

The Daily Aztec

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

POP ROCKS

PASS THE POPCORN

True ‘Beliebers’ get a chance to shine

Another year, four shades of brilliance Quirky Brits lead lives of quiet desperation in this relatable drama DAVID DIXON S TA F F W R I T E R

Tom and Gerri are a happily married couple whose warm and inviting home provides refuge for those they care about. Most of their friends and family are depressed and disturbed individuals who yearn for a better life.

Tom and Gerri listen to their problems and treat them with compassion and goodnatured humor.

Mike Leigh’s film “Another Year” does not develop in a stereotypically cinematic fashion. Instead, the characters reveal more and more about their present state as four seasons come and go. To his credit, Leigh allows the audience to empathize with relatively normal people at the center of the story. In fact, nearly all of the characters are sympathetic and likeable in one way or another.

The cast is full of actors and actresses who manage to seamlessly create their roles by giving them three-dimensional personalities.

Academy Award winner Jim Broadbent depicts Tom as a husband who is full of vigor and quick wit. European Film Award winner Ruth Sheen plays Tom’s wife Gerri as a

relaxed woman who has unconditional love for those who matter to her.

As great as Broadbent and Sheen are, the person who leaves the biggest impression is Lesley Manville as a very troubled friend named Mary. When introduced, the audience assumes she is an upbeat individual who likes to flirt with men and live in the moment. Several scenes later, she is revealed as a mess of a human being whose happy-golucky attitude is a mask for neurosis and depression. Mary could have been played as a downbeat protagonist of a quirky drama, but Manville conveys the maudlin character with dignity and personality.

Leigh’s down-to-earth direction and writing is authentic and surprisingly lively, with the dialogue unconventionally realistic at times. Dick Pope should also be mentioned for his cinematography. He was able to film in a way that was visually appealing without feeling too stylized.

“Another Year” is a sensible drama with a believable cast and indisputable emotion.

Although the action on the surface may seem mundane and pedantic, the experience for the viewer is a quietly powerful one.

Movie: Another Year Directed by: Mike Leigh Release Date: Jan. 14 Grade: AInformation on “Another Year” can be found at sonyclassics.com.

Courtesy of MCT Campus

AMANDA MACIAS S TA F F W R I T E R

More than 150 San Diego 13 to 17-year-olds swarmed Fashion Valley Mall at Macy’s Center Court this past Saturday for a chance to attend the premiere of tween singing sensation Justin Bieber’s film “Never Say Never” as well as a Bieber meet-and-greet. San Diego yielded a vast number of potentials for the competition, and although many fans were turned away, the support for the contestants remained intact.

Shana Leon was the third person in line for the contest, and despite arriving at 3 a.m. (more than five hours before the contest registration began) the surprisingly energetic teen managed to describe in detail why she is Bieber’s number one fan.

“I’ve been with him since day one” Leon said, “Back when he used YouTube videos to promote himself. It’s about liking him for his personality, not just his music.”

Each of the 50 contestants were critiqued by a panel of judges on three specific categories: singing ability, Justin Bieber style and overall performance. Contestants were allowed to choose from three predetermined Bieber songs for the competition: “USmile,” “Baby” and “Never Say Never.”

Channel 93.3’s radio personalities Frankie V., Geena the Latina and Sonic comprised the three-judge panel.

After two hours of back-to-back performances and a brief deliberation, the competition came down to two finalists.

The finalists were then asked to participate in an immediate “sing-off”, which would determine who would reign supreme between the two “Beliebers.” With some audience approval and more deliberating by the judges, 15-year-old Demetrius Forbes was announced victorious.

Forbes was not only the second person in line for the competition, but one of only two male contestants. When asked about his participation within the competition he replied, “I’m doing this for my brother and sister we really like him and I wanted to be a good big brother. I’m confident that I have the best chance in this competition.” Forbes is one of 20 finalists eligible for a Bieber meet-and-greet in conjunction with the previously awarded trip to Los Angeles for four to the premiere of “Never Say Never.”

Bieber’s documentary “Never Say Never” hits theaters next month. For more information please visit justinbieberneversaynever.com.

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