01-24-2011
DESCRIPTION
Volume 96, Issue 60TRANSCRIPT
The bodies of a San Diego Stateinstructor and her husband werefound on Dec. 24 in their Temeculahome, more than a week after anapparent murder-suicide.
Nichelle Nelson, 43, was a lecturerand clinical supervisor in the EarlyChildhood Socio-Emotional BehaviorRegulation Intervention Specialist cer-tificate program within the SDSUDepartment of Child and FamilyDevelopment.
On Dec. 14, Nelson’s husbandJohn Arthur Reyes, 49, left an exple-tive-laced voice mail message for hisbrother saying he had killed Nelson,according to The Press-Enterprise.However, the brother did not receivethe message until several days later.
Reyes’ brother then drove to thecouple’s home and found Reyes’ bodyhanged in the master bedroom. TheRiverside County Sheriff’sDepartment was called and deputiesdiscovered Nelson’s body in thestudy. She had been strangled.
During Winter Break, news ofNelson’s death shocked the EC-SEBRIS program. Nelson guided asmall group of 16 students throughreflective supervision and field experi-ence during the fall semester.
Shane Padamada, in the graduatecertificate program, was one of thestudents who found out aboutNelson’s death from a news article aclassmate sent through the EC-SEBRIS e-mail list.
“I was speechless. I thought, ‘Ohmy God, I can’t believe this. There’sno way.’ I had to read (the article)multiple times for it to register,”Padamada said.
The murder method hauntedPadamada and others in the program.
Denise Arneson, also in the gradu-ate certificate program, said Nelsoncame to class on Nov. 9 and told themshe had been choked. Unknown tothe students, Reyes was arrested onNov. 7 on suspicion of assault, domes-tic violence and possession ofmethamphetamine.
“She came into class on a Tuesdayand apologized for her throat beinghoarse,” Arneson said. “I thoughtmaybe she had a cold, but then shetold us she had been attacked. Thatwas not the response we were expect-ing to get. It took a little while toprocess but then another studentasked her what happened and if shewas all right. She said ‘Yes,’ … but shedidn’t want to talk about it.”
The students were flabbergastedbut Nelson continued to lecture forthe remainder of class time. As thestudents trekked across campus totheir next class, they discussed whatthey had heard.
“We were very concerned for herand also concerned because myself,Denise and another student were con-sidering going to her house onThursday, the Veteran’s Day holidaythat we had off, to complete somehours that we needed,” Padamada said.
Padamada and Arneson said thestudents decided to ask for advice fromtheir next lecturer, Dr. Sascha Mitchell,who advised them to tell the depart-ment chair, Dr. Shulamit Ritblatt.
“(Nelson) did confirm that herhusband was the one who chokedher, that she reported him to thepolice and he was in custody of thepolice,” Ritblatt said. After Ritblattmade sure Nelson was safe, shereferred her to a mental health spe-cialist. Nelson agreed to contact theclinical psychologist and also said sheplanned to divorce Reyes.
INDEX:San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1913
TTOODDAAYY @@ SSTTAATTEE
Open Auditions, 9:30am —4:30pm, Theater building
First day to pick up ticketsfor basketball game on
Sat., Jan. 29
entertainment ... 2 features ... 3 opinion ... 4 sports ... 6 classifieds ... 7 backpage ... 8
Portman and Kutcher shine inracy “No Strings Attached.”
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NO STRINGS
Find out where to eat anddrink next to a fire.
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LIGHT THE FIRES
Dependency on tech hascaused social decay.
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TECH ADDICTION
dailyaztecMonday, January 24, 2011 Vol. 96, Issue 60 www.TheDai l yAz tec .com Tw i t te r : TheDa i l yAz tec
the
SDS-VIEW
The new semester brought with it The Daily Aztec’s redesigned website. Students can visit www.thedailyaztec.com for
the latest campus news, including many stories not published in the print edition.
THE DAILY AZTEC LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
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CRIME BEAT
Mugging on College Ave.Last Wednesday, one female stu-dent had her first day of the springsemester interrupted by a team offour muggers.
Two men approached the victimas she was walking alone on CollegeAvenue at 2:30 p.m. When the vic-tim refused to give the two herpurse, the suspects snatched it fromher, ran across College Avenue andjumped into a Ford Focus with twoother men inside. The car was lastseen heading southbound on Cresi-ta Avenue.
Child and family developmentjunior Kristen Caldwell was the vic-tim of a very similar crime inNovember. She was approached
from behind at approximately 8:15p.m. by a man carrying a gun as shewalked behind University Towersand had her schoolbag taken fromher. Moments later, she saw anoth-er man with the suspect as he fled,getting into a white Toyota with twoother men inside.
While it is unknown whetherthe two incidents are related, Capt.Lamine Secka of the SDSU PoliceDepartment said the connection “iscertainly something the SDPD willbe examining.”
Campanile Drive assaultEarly Friday morning, a female stu-dent was walking home when a
male pursued her, grabbed her armand punched her in the eye. The vic-tim evaded the suspect and con-tacted the police. The victim saidshe didn’t have anything the sus-pect could have taken besides herphone, which was in her pocket.
According to the Campus Com-munity Crime Alert issued for theincident, the suspect is a whitemale, approximately 5-foot-10-inch-es to 6-feet tall weighing 160 to 180pounds with light blond hair. Thesuspect was wearing a dark hoodedsweatshirt and blue jeans, with nofacial hair.
Anyone with information relat-ing to these incidents can call CrimeStoppers at 619-235-8477.Antonio Zaragoza / Photo Editor
Read the rest of the storyonline at thedailyaztec.com.
Instructor dies inmurder-suicide
Nichelle Nelson foundstrangled, voicemail
points to husband
The Daily AztecMonday,
January 24, 20112 ENTERTAINMENTPASS THE POPCORN
Now that it’s past the date for Oscar submis-sions, Hollywood can start having some funand dole out the less serious films. “NoStrings Attached,” one of the first truly goodromantic comedies to hit the silver screenthis year, stars A-listers Natalie Portman andAshton Kutcher.
The plotline isn’t the typical boy-meets-girl scenario. In this case, Adam (Kutcher)and Emma (Portman) decide after years ofembarrassing encounters, it’s time to elevatetheir relationship into something moreunorthodox: friends with benefits. Adammakes the easy decision to become Emma’sboy toy after a 45-second drunken romp. Itseems to be all fun and games for a while,until Adam develops feelings for Emma.That’s when the complexities begin, and themovie seems to carry an interesting questionwithin the subtext: Can people check theirfeelings at the door when having casual sex?
The few awkward moments of the movieinvolve the character’s parents and crassnude scenes, but those can be easily over-looked in favor of the incredible supportingcast. Mindy Kaling (“The Office”) and new-comer Greta Gerwig execute the role offunny roommates perfectly, and the surpris-ingly hilarious Ludacris and adorably funnyJake Johnson play Adam’s pals. Be warned,the underbelly of female relationships is onfull display, which may make the men in theaudience a bit queasy.
Portman seems to have a really good timewith a lighter role, which is a stark contrastfrom her dark, twisted character in “Black
Swan.” For the women in the audience, itwon’t be hard to envy pretty Portman as sheplays every man’s fantasy. She’s a beautiful,petite doctor who wolfs down pancakes andchugs milkshakes all while sexing it up withhunky Adam.
Kutcher, on the other hand, is slightlytypecast as a partying frat boy living in LosAngeles, but he pulls it off with his boyishgood looks and swagger. For most of themovie, Kutcher’s character is simply goingalong for the ride, which strikes an eerieresemblance to his acting career. He has yet tosurprise anyone with the roles he plays andseems to be riding the tide in his latest film.
In an interesting twist, “No StringsAttached” reverses the roles of typical rom-coms. Instead of the girl pining for the guy,this movie displays a young, professionalwoman unwilling to commit to her hotfriend with benefits. It’s nice to see a ratedR film capture the complications of thistype of relationship without being too crassor overgeneralized. The outcome is interest-ing, and worth watching simply to find outif relationships can remain platonic whensex is involved.
It’s often difficult to enjoy a movie wherethe main characters get together in thebeginning, but “No Strings Attached” showsviewers the comical side of having a friendwith benefits. There are plenty of laughs forall, but this one may be best left to the ladiesfor girl’s night out.
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Movie: No Strings AttachedDirected by: Ivan ReitmanRelease Date: Jan. 21Grade: B+ Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher challenge the idea of friends with benefits in “No Strings Attached.”
Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Portman and Kutcher shine in racy comedy
Monday,January 24, 2011 The Daily Aztec 3FOOD & DRINK
Dine and drink fireside at these hot spots
It’s common knowledge: San Diego has greatweather. While fellow Americans are busyzipping up their parkas and maneuveringthrough a flurry of frozen roads during theicy winter months, San Diegans are taking iteasy in flip-flops under clear skies. However,there is one inconvenient truth about SanDiego’s superior climate: Sometimes, it getscold. This is by no means true for San Diegotransplants from the Midwest or East Coast,but for locals, anything below 70 degrees isdownright frigid. Luckily, San Diego offers aperfect remedy for the occasional cool night:fireside drinking and dining.
For the 21 and older crowd, the GaslampQuarter is an ideal place to stop and savorSan Diego’s most intoxicating hotspots.
Located at 275 Fifth Ave. upstairs fromThe Old Spaghetti Factory, Dussini Loft Barboasts an impressive 10-foot-long fireplacesurrounded by comfortable seats and cock-tail tables. A perfect location to warm upwith one of the bar’s signature cocktails,patrons willing to venture away from thisheated alcove may also find Dussini’s expan-sive billiards room to be a playful alternativeto the typical downtown diversion.
Those seeking more classic comforts ontheir night out may want to explore The
Tipsy Crow, located at 770 Fifth Ave. Thisbar occupies a building more than 130 yearsold and features three distinct levels thatcater to three distinct tastes. Though all lev-els are worth acknowledgment, guests look-ing to warm up on a cold night may findthemselves drawn to the bar’s top floor,known as The Nest. This lavishly decoratedlounge lays claim to two fireplaces, a rich lawlibrary, hardwood floors and heavily uphol-stered furniture fit for many heated eveningsof fun and indulgence.
San Diegans unable to legally imbibe neednot feel left out. Located at 4445 Lamont St.in Pacific Beach, Lamont Street Grill is anexcellent option for couples seeking an acces-sible, romantic night out. The restaurantoffers both indoor and heated outdoor seat-ing, and by planning ahead couples can snagone of the few tables located in close proxim-ity to the patio’s welcoming fireplace. Enjoy awarm meal by the crackling fire and top offthe evening with one of the restaurant’s com-plimentary chocolate-covered strawberries orseasonal fruits.
Looking for a more casual place to warmup with friends? Ortega’s, a Mexican Bistro,provides an invitingly contemporary atmos-phere with a cozy bar-side fireplace fit for sip-ping signature pomegranate margaritasbefore heading into the main restaurant forBaja-style lobster and homemade tortillas.Ortega’s Cantina has open seating for all ages,and is located at 141 University Ave.
Finally, every good student knows study-ing is sometimes best done away from thedistractions of noisy neighbors or rowdyroommates. Cutters Point, located at 6011 ElCajon Blvd. in the College Area, is a conven-ient and cozy alternative to residence hall orlibrary-based study sessions. The best part:This shop has an easily operated fireplace
available to all guests. So, make sure to pick aseat close to the fire and enjoy a hot cup ofcoffee while cracking the books.
Don’t give in to the chill. With all the fire-side dining San Diego has to offer, warmnights are never too far out of reach. Goahead and grab a bite, grab a drink and enjoythe heat.
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Antonio Zaragoza / Photo Editor
The crowd congregating around TheCottage in La Jolla on the corner of FayAvenue and Kline Street is constant. Youngcouples hold hands, students and elderlyfolks are common customers, all morethan willing to wait their turn for a seatbeneath a cozy heat lamp outside. Locals,or anyone who has recently purchased aguidebook, know where to come for tastySouthern California cuisine and primepeople watching.
The Cottage, renovated from a home thatwas built in 1915, offers generous portionsof usual breakfast favorites for around $10,including omelettes, eggs and goods (bothbaked and battered). Manager Jackie Beorisgushed about one of the more popularorders, stuffed French toast, described ascountry-style French toast stuffed withstrawberry compote and mascarponecheese. Breakfast is served until 11:30 a.m.on weekdays, noon on Saturdays and 3p.m. on Sundays.
The lunch menu features soups, salads,burgers and sandwiches averaging $12. Theveggie sandwich, complete with double veg-etable patties, melted cheddar and grilledonions on sourdough parmesan cheesetoast, is a standout. As dishes are served sur-
prisingly quickly, diners’ “oohs” and “aahs”are audible from the sidewalk.
Beoris said the restaurant is constantlybusy, no matter the time of year.
“We’re definitely busiest on the week-ends,” Beoris said. “The wait can get to bearound 30 to 40 minutes.”
Free coffee and snacks are served tothose who brave the wait on weekends.After salivating over other customer’s din-ing choices, it’s easy to see why this restau-rant is a popular choice.
One couple visiting from the U.K., Loisand Colin Nicholas, heard about TheCottage and its pristine reputation from avisitor’s guide.
“It’s so packed in here,” Colin Nicholassaid between bites of a crumbling pastry.“That’s always a good sign.”
The abundance of staff makes cus-tomers forget about how packed the placeis, constantly refilling drinks and makingsmall talk. The handicap lift, installedafter a renovation in 2009, makes therestaurant easily accessible to the fre-quenting older demographic.
Owners John and Laura Wolfe currentlymanage the original Cottage in Wellesley,Mass. Beoris said there are plans to openanother on the East Coast in April, whichwill reflect the same casual, SouthernCalifornia feel of the other two locations.
The Cottage is more than the averageLa Jolla eatery and sure to please a varietyof diners.
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San Diegans swoonfor Cottage cooking
Courtesy of The Cottage
At first glance, Convoy Street seems entirelyforgettable. Located in Kearny Mesa betweenAero Drive and Clairemont Mesa Boulevard,the densely populated stretch of this concreteartery appears little more than a commonstring of strip malls and car dealerships. Buttake another look.
Posted signs are written in Asian charac-ters with English subtitles. As loyal veterandiners may already know, tucked behindthose signs are some of the city’s mostauthentic Korean, Japanese and Thai restau-rants — to name a few. This is not just anyother street; Convoy is unexpected, alive andbringing Asian flavor to San Diego.
Convoy Tofu House, located at 4229Convoy St. in Convoy Center, is no exceptionto the block’s subtle intrigue. Don’t go inexpecting five-star ambience. The menus areplastic and the radio music is crackling withstatic. The food, however, is just the kind ofthing that makes this street memorable. Thisrestaurant offers distinctive Korean dishessuch as bibimbap, a hot bowl of crispy rice,vegetables, meat and egg; bulgogi, marinatedmeat cooked over an open flame; and a vari-ety of tofu stews at prices ranging from $9 to$17. These costs may be atypical for the gen-eral area, but when looking for a taste ofKorean cuisine, Convoy Tofu House is foodfrom the Seoul.
Diners looking to spice things up maywant to check out Chilies Thai Gourmet.
Located in the same parking lot as TheOriginal Pancake House at 3904 Convoy St.,this restaurant wins notable reviews asConvoy’s tiny Thai secret. With spice levelsranging from 1 to 10, even seasoned flameswallowers are urged to think twice beforeordering high on the scale. The restaurant’spink walls and plastic cushions may chal-lenge the “gourmet” concept of its title, butChilies Thai Gourmet doesn’t fail to serve afoodie’s choice of dishes at a reasonableprice. Both lunch and dinner menus offertraditional Pad Thai, pan-fried rice noodleswith hot sweet sauce, peanuts and beansprouts; special vegetarian plates and a vari-ety of Thai curries at prices around $7 forlunch and $10 for dinner.
Looking for a new date night restaurant?Wa Dining Okan can inject spice into anyrelationship or palate. Located next to Nijiya,a bona fide Asian market, Wa Dining Okanbreaks away from the typical Americanexpression of Japanese food as merely sushior tempura. It serves tapas style platters suchas Nagasaki-style braised pork and gobosalad (stacked high with fried gobo root)with prices ranging from $5 to $13 everynight. This restaurant is a stylish Japaneseeatery without going over the top, andbecause of its small size and popularity, reser-vations are recommended.
For those who have not yet journeyed toKearny Mesa’s little Asia, a culinary adventureawaits. These three restaurants are only ataste of what Convoy Street has to offer, andwhatever one’s tastes may be, something newis waiting to be discovered..
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Authentic Asian cuisineon Convoy St surprises
File Photo
The Daily AztecMonday,
January 24, 20114 OPINION
’m deleting your friends onFacebook, tearing down thewalls of your house onSecond Life, digging upyour crops on FarmVille
and seizing your precious iPhone,TV and MacBook. If I had justaccomplished this miraculous mis-sion, how would you feel? Wouldyou feel free, relieved even? Orwould you be overwhelmed with afeeling of helplessness?
Considering most of us cannoteven imagine going a single daywithout using one of our electron-ic devices, I think it’s safe to sayour dependence on technologyhas finally reached a dire anddetrimental breaking point.
The invasion of these gadgetshas completely taken control ofour lives, morphing us into pixel-crazed zombies while simultane-ously fueling an obsessive globalfixation on the virtual world. Forthe skeptics who refuse toacknowledge the extent and gravi-ty of our technological obsession,consider the results of a recentsurvey conducted by Nielsen,which revealed half of allAmericans have a social network-ing profile and spend about 23percent of their time on social net-working websites.
The staggering figures aren’tdifficult to believe when consider-ing Facebook has roughly 500 mil-lion active members around theworld who collectively spendmore than 700 billion minutes amonth perusing the site.
I could hack away forever atthe countless studies about mediause, hoping they could dispensethe dosage of reality we so desper-ately need, but it is our own indi-vidual scrutiny of technology’snegative effects on our culture that
will allow us to truly comprehendthe extent of our addiction.
Simply take a minute toobserve what a typical social gath-ering with friends and family hasdisintegrated into, seeminglyovernight. Instead of engaging in acontinuous and attentive conversa-tion, many tune out mid-sentenceto text, e-mail or check theirFacebook or Twitter, consequentlyinstigating others to do the same.The clicking of QWERTY keypadsquickly replaces laughter and con-versation; illuminated by the lightof their cell phone screens, friendsare suddenly too busy tweetingabout how much fun they’re havingto actually enjoy their company.
Sadly enough, we may spendmore time chatting about our livesthan actually living them. A studyconducted last year by the KaiserFamily Foundation revealed “… 8to18 year-olds devote an averageof seven hours and 38 minutes …to using entertainment mediaacross a typical day, which is morethan 53 hours a week. Andbecause they spend so much ofthat time ‘media multitasking’ —using more than one medium at atime — they actually manage topack a total of 10 hours and 45minutes … worth of media contentinto those seven and a half hours.”
You’d think with the amount oftime and energy people invest intotheir virtual worlds, they wouldneed a break every so often — notso. Apparently, about two-thirds ofyoung people say the TV is usual-ly on during meals, and just underhalf say the TV is left on “most ofthe time” in their home, even if noone is watching.
What this tells me is that we’reafraid of being out of the loop,afraid of being disconnected. Likebrainwashed fanatics, our mindsare working around the clock,subconsciously searching for thenext fix, the next notification, thenext vibration to alert us from theother side. This begs the questionof whether or not, during thecourse of a day, we are ever com-pletely detached from technology.Even more curious is how wewould be affected if, for an exten-sive period of time, we were notgranted access to our gizmos andgadgets of choice.
To put a spin on this, take alook at the recent poll by The NewYork Times / CBS News, whichrevealed the countless layoffscaused by the recession actually
gave way to men and womenspending more time with theirfamilies, consequently resulting ina 23.5 percent increase in sales ofboard games in 2008. Now imag-ine for a second that all forms oftechnology suddenly ceased tofunction; having a conversationwith someone would mean speak-ing instead of typing, and peoplewould spend time with each other
for the enjoyment, not to dousethe event in limelight for all ofFacebook to see.
Instead of staring at a TVscreen with a headset on and con-troller in hand, people would playgames with each other. The virtuallife, which we so often value morethan the life around us, wouldcease to exist. We would nolonger watch the world from our
bedroom windows, but wouldstep outside to live it.
—Stacey Oparnica is ajournalism sophomore.
—The views expressedin this column do notnecessarily reflect theopinion of The DailyAztec.
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The invasion ofthese gadgets hascompletely takenover our lives,morphing us into pixel-crazed zombies whilesimultaneouslyfueling anobsessive globalfixation on thevirtual world.
Artwork courtesy of staff artist Rob Piper
Technology is becoming our worst addiction
OPINION Monday,January 24, 2011The Daily Aztec5
Noise violation fines in College Area are unjustf you drive down College Avenue on aFriday night, you’re bound to witness afew spectacles: You’ll see at least onegaggle of freshly liquored underagegirls, ambling home from a fraternity
party in tiny, open-toed heels and tiny, expos-ing miniskirts.
If you drive down farther, you’ll undoubt-edly also see a sulking group of tenants talk-ing to a multitude of cops after their houseparty was broken up. You can probably guesswho’s having the better night.
There’s good reason for the glumness.Often accompanied by the visit from ourfriendly neighborhood cops is a $1,000-per-tenant noise violation, which was instituted aspart of a pilot program against “mini-dorms”in the College Area.
The program, specifically the “administra-tive citations” aspect, was a desperate move inan area known for contention between collegestudents and growing families. “Mini-dorms,”are broadly defined as “single dwelling unitsoccupied by multiple adults, which … adverse-ly (affects) local single dwelling unit neigh-borhoods,” which have three or more livingagreements. These tightly packed homes hadbeen causing problems with fellow neighbor-hood families. After several community dis-cussions, the $1,000-per-tenant ticket wasfound to be an appropriate response to thegrowing mini-dorm problem.
Three years later, it has become woefullyclear how much the program has failed. Thecommunity has a valid right to address themini-dorms issue, but the draconian response— often unceremoniously given by policebefore even giving a warning — is entirelymanipulative of the student community livingnear San Diego State.
In a report given by the City of San Diego,an estimated $272,000 in funding per yearwould be generated from the program.What’s odd to me is that officers are expectedto use their own discretion when giving thefine, though they work for the very institutionthe money goes toward. Considering the sta-tus of the city’s budget and the unpopularityof students in the surrounding area, it’s alltoo clear the damage this “solution” can hold,especially to a group already reeling fromincreasing fees.
But even further, there’s a surprising lack ofconditions in the program. There doesn’t haveto be any drinking — even underage drinking —for a fine to be given. Nor is there any definednumber of guests to warrant the fine. Even ifyou’re asleep or not participating in the tran-spiring event and the police show up to bust,you’ll be on the hook for the fine as well.
Conceivably, any raucous poker night orsports-watching event among students couldend with a $1,000-per-tenant fine — providedthe tenants make enough noise to be heard50 feet away from the house.
I’m not going to pretend the majority ofthese fines don’t take place at overinflatedhouse parties, nor will I defend someoverzealous idea about a student’s right toparty. Enough of that has been done by TheBeastie Boys.
What I would like to point out, however, isthe glaring absence of fraternities from the listof offenders. While the fraternities are certain-ly eligible for the fine, they’re not targeted thesame way the “mini-dorms” around SDSUare. A $1,000 fine — coupled with a potential(and astronomical) court fee that can exceedthe fine itself, if the person facing the chargewishes to get the fine reduced — can bankrupta student and effectively end their educationat SDSU, especially considering they mustpay the $1,000 within 10 days of the offense.
Fraternities, however, must pay a $3 fine
for each of its members after a noise violation,and another fee ranging from $25 to $50depending on the time of the violation. Eventhen, each fraternity is doled out a specificnumber of noise permits per semester, whichallows them to break the noise violation until11:30 p.m. that night, leaving them to be asloud as they choose with little or no interven-tion by police.
I’d like to call into question the idea of giv-ing fraternities a free pass to party, regardlessof the rules they have governing that setamount of time. These same institutions hostunderage drinking and a slew of other illegalactivities, but somehow escape the scrutiny ofhouse parties with not even a tenth of thenumber of partygoers.
As for the draconian fines, communityservice is a far more appropriate punishmentfor noise violations. Charging students an out-rageous amount of money does nothing butfurther separate students from the communi-ty. Students should be able to work toimprove the community instead of being bleddry — and risking an end to their educations.
—Chris Pocock is a journalismjunior.
—The views expressed in this col-umn do not necessarily reflectthe opinion of The Daily Aztec.
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ou openFacebook andyour eyes dart tothe top of yournews feed. An old
high school friend’s DUImugshot glares back. Shameon you, Trey Parker Blitzin.I don’t know this guy any-more. Click. De-friend.
Public shaming is makinga comeback, and theHuntington Beach PoliceDepartment is consideringthis “scarlet letter” approachto punishment to help curbthe rampant drunk drivinggoing on in its city. Whiletarring and feathering isn’tso common any more,judges all across the U.S. areleaping at alternatives to tra-ditional prison sentences.This shift away from heavy-handed prison sentencingtoward more creative formsof exacting justice representsa major improvement in howwe deal with crime.
As a country, we lovethrowing people in prison:The U.S. has the most pris-oners per-capita of any coun-try in the world. Our prisonsare woefully overcrowded,sparking loud protests fromhuman rights advocacygroups. Recidivism is alsoatrociously common: Morethan 67 percent of releasedoffenders are re-arrestedwithin three years.Alternative punishmenttakes an enormous amountof strain off the beleagueredU.S. prison system by keep-ing petty criminals out ofprison, and allowing hem topay their debt to society inother ways. Some form ofcommunity service oftenaccompanies public shaming as a punish-ment, meaning our convicts are out better-ing the world instead of cutting deals in theexercise yard to avoid getting shanked.
Keeping people out of prison preventsthem falling into the criminal culture perva-sive in the Big H ouse. Prison fosters anatmosphere of fear and criminal camaraderiemore than one of rehabilitation, which isone reason we see staggering gang affiliationfigures in prisons.
The genius of alternative punishment liesin its ability to produce guilt, which isessential to the rehabilitation process.Removing people from their comfort zone
and forcing them to interact with those theyhave harmed creates an atmosphere thatinspires contrition. People who have com-mitted crimes need to feel genuine remorsefor what they have done if they are evergoing to change and be successfully reintro-duced to society.
Did your parents ever catch you stealing acandy bar from the checkout line at a grocerystore when you were a kid? What was worse,getting grounded or being sent back in to
explain what you’d done to the manager?Obviously, with incarceration numbers as
high as they are, we can’t have everyone whosteals a candy bar proclaiming his or herguilt from a street corner. What we can do isshift our punishment system toward inspir-ing reconciliation between the offender andthe offended. We can force thieves to returnstolen property, facilitate meetings betweenthe robbed and the robber and force theguilty to confront the reality that they areharming other human beings. We can makecriminals feel bad for what they’ve done,change perspectives and alter behavior.
So far we’ve focused oncrime resolution, but alterna-tive punishment has hugepotential to prevent crime aswell. The jury is still out inregard to the effect of the con-troversial Megan’s Law, whichrequires convicted sex offend-ers to register into a databaseaccessible to the public.
However, rape and sexualassaults by adults decreasedmore than 56 percent from1993 to 2004. A study by theWashington State Institute forPublic Policy “found a 70 per-cent reduction in felony sexrecidivism” following theirimplementation of sex offend-er registry. While the point ofthe registry is to inform thepublic about potential dan-gers in the community,shame is certainly an effectivedeterrent. That shame clearlycorresponds with an encour-aging decline in violent sexu-al crimes.
Can law enforcement andthe justice system replicatethe success of Megan’s Lawwith DUI offenses? Shameand embarrassment areincredibly powerful emotions,and are only amplified by theamount and intensity of therelationships they affect.
Consider the followingdirectly from Facebook’s sta-tistics page. There are morethan 500 million activeFacebook users. The averageuser has 130 friends and isconnected to 80 groups, com-munities, and events. Groupsand communities includeschools, employers, religiousorganizations, clubs, relatives
and local neighborhood organizations. Nowimagine your mugshot appearing in millionsof news feeds. All those people would knowthat you endangered lives in your communi-ty, potentially even their own.
Beyond making that cameo on the head ofthe Facebook news feed, I’d hope anyonewould have the sense to just take the cab ride.
--John Anderson is an International Securityand Conflict Resolution Senior.
--This column does not necessarily reflect theopinion of The Daily Aztec.
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YPublic shaming is an effective alternative to prison
Artwork courtesy of contributor Tammi Kendrick
...community service isa far more appropriate punishment for noiseviolations.
The Daily AztecMonday,
January 24, 20116 SPORTS
Apply to be a Managing Editor of The Daily AztecApplications for paid Spring 2011 position now open!
Applicants must have:• Knowledge of newspaper operations, journalism ethics and media law• One year of collegiate newspaper experience• 60 or more units of completed coursework; minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0• Must be enrolled in at least six units at SDSU
Duties include:• Work 18 hours a week; must be available Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays• Reads copy and edits stories for content• Arranges supervisor meetings and prepares performance evaluations• Assists editor in chief in day-to-day management
Interested persons should request an application from Ruthie Kelly, editor in chief of The Daily Aztec, via email to [email protected]. Completed applications will be accepted immediately; interviews will begin to be conducted on Monday, Jan. 24. Position will be filled by Jan. 31.
The Daily Aztec is an equal opportunity and at-will employer as defined by California law.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Wyoming
TCU
Utah
New Mexico
Brigham Young
Colorado State
Sat., 1/29/11
Sat., 2/5/11
Tue., 2/8/11
Wed., 2/16/11
Sat., 2/26/11
Sat., 3/5/11
Mon., 1/24/11
Mon., 1/31/11
Mon., 1/31/11
Wed., 2/29/11
Mon., 2/21/11
Mon., 2/28/11
7:30 a.m.
7:30 a.m.
7:30 a.m.
7:30 a.m.
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7:30 a.m.
Game Game Night Pick Up Starting TimePick Up Date
Last October,before the 2010-11 season officially began, the San Diego
State men’s basketball team had played in front of just eight sold-outcrowds in the nearly 14-year history of Viejas Arena.
Antonio Zaragoza / Photo Editor
Last tickets available on a first-come basis
Conference) and at press time were ranked No. 6 in the country inboth the AP Top 25 and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. The school announced last week that all general public tickets hadbeen sold for the team’s final six home games. The only tickets remain-ing are allotted for students. With a valid Red ID, students can pick uptheir tickets on a first-come, first-served basis at these times.
By March,SDSU will have played in front of 13 sold-out crowds this season
alone. The Aztecs are undefeated (20-0, 5-0 Mountain West
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6
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15.7
Viejas Arena sellouts this season
Points per game by leading scorer Kawhi Leonard
Times Viejas Arena sold out before this year
SDSU’s current ranking in the polls
Wins for SDSU this season
Losses for the Aztecs
2 Undefeated teams left this year (SDSU and Ohio State)
6 Home games remaining for SDSU
Monday,January 24, 2011 The Daily Aztec 7CLASSIFIEDS
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The Daily AztecMonday,
January 24, 20118 THE BACK PAGETODAY’S BIRTHDAY (01/24/11) Find a
spark that lights up the love for learningyou once had as a little kid.Your experi-ence, combined with a refurbished curiosi-ty, provides for an exciting year of discov-eries. Remember to balance your timeindoors with plenty of time under the sun(or the stars).
To get the advantage, check the day's rating:10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
ARIES (March 21 - April 19) - Today is a 6 -There may be bumps along the romanceroad. Focus on your work, where you'llsucceed easily.Things will open up in yourlove life later.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - Today is a 7- To get everyone on the same page,reveal your reasoning. Otherwise, theymiss the point.Take extra time to developdeeper understanding.Then actions flow.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - Today is an 8 -You want it all to be effortless, but morework is required than you imagined. Still,you get where you need to go. Persistencepays off.
CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 7 -At home or away, your thoughts focus onresponsibility. Act independently, but don'tlose sight of career goals. Make notes tofollow up on later.
LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 7 -Contact a distant resource for new infor-mation. Original thinking emerges from theconversation. Partner up with someone toput those ideas into action.
VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is a 6 -You've been saving up for a special treat,and today's the day.You know where toget it, so enjoy the process. Don't worryabout what others might think.
LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 6 -Consider your next moves carefully. Putaside the wilder ideas, and follow a steadypath.You can go it alone if you want.Gather later to share stories.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 7- Everyone loves your suggestions for finaltouches that improve a project. Make anychanges in a logical order to preservework already done.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Todayis an 8 - Take creative inspiration fromsomething in your home - something oldand full of memories.Tell its story tosomeone who doesn't know it yet.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today isa 7 - Remain true to personal convictionsas you share your desires with others.Logic only goes so far. Express stronglyheld values, which may be unreasonable.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is an8 - Conversations and communicationsabound.The news is mixed: some sadnessand some joy.Take a walk in nature tothink about it a bit and refocus.
PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is an 8- Consider developing a new habit, inde-pendent of what you were taught in thepast. Old rules give way to new possibili-ties. Opportunities arise.
© 2010,TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.
Level: 1 2 3 4
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BBYY LLIINNDDAA CC.. BBLLAACCKK,, TTRRIIBBUUNNEE MMEEDDIIAA SSEERRVVIICCEESSDAILY HOROSCOPE
© 2011 The Mepham Group. Distributed byTribune Media Services.All rights reserved.
Instructions: Complete the grid soeach row, column and 3-by-3 box (inbold borders) contains every digit 1to 9. For strategies on how to solveSudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.
SSoolluuttiioonn aavvaaiillaabbllee oonnlliinnee aattwwwwww..TThheeDDaaiillyyAAzztteecc..ccoomm
EEDDIITTEEDD BBYY RRIICCHH NNOORRRRIISS AANNDD JJOOYYCCEE LLEEWWIISS
AACCRROOSSSS1 Where many
knots are tied6 Tabula __: blank
slate10 Elmer’s product14 Ballerina’s rail15 In __: stuck16 Bear with too-
hot porridge17 Twisty-horned
antelope18 Powerful wind19 Tiny army
marchers20 Comfortable sit-
uation to live in,with “the”
23 Anonymous Jane24 Research facility25 Songwriter Neil27 A deuce used as
an ace, say32 Store, as a hose33 “Much __ About
Nothing”34 Beethoven’s Third36 Li’l Abner’s cre-
ator Al39 Went to the polls41 Cyberchuckle,
and a hint to thispuzzle’s fourlongest answers
42 Cake maker43 “Born Free”
lioness44 “Romeo and
Juliet” city46 Before, to
Shakespeare47 “Free Willy” crit-
ter49 Turns on, as an
engine51 What mirrors do54 Golfer’s support55 Dot-com’s
address56 Low-paying but
rewarding proj-ect
62 Very dry, asChampagne
64 Musical quality65 __ but wiser66 Nuts67 Ending for exist68 Leaves out69 Actress Sommer70 Nut, e.g.71 Past or present
DDOOWWNN1 Adam’s second
son2 Refrain syllables3 Mouse catcher4 Golfer Palmer5 Showing shame6 Brand over
spaghetti7 Brand under the
sink8 Spanish toast
9 Part of USA10 4.0, for one: Abbr.11 Minnesota-based
dairy cooperative12 Pulitzer author
Sinclair13 Relaxed21 Angle iron22 NBA’s __ Ming26 Glittery mineral27 Breaker at the
shore28 People magazine
focus29 “Like that’s going
to work!”30 Romeo or Juliet,
e.g.31 Christian’s dress-
es?35 Coagulate, as
blood37 Lima’s country
38 Get ready, briefly40 British peer42 Like a stroller at
the shore, shoe-wise
44 Moves out45 Peacekeeping gp.
since 194948 Animation col-
lectible50 “Out with it!”51 Moscow money52 Filmdom’s Flynn53 Steakhouse steak57 Grimm beginning58 Oboe or bas-
soon59 Chief Norse god60 Docs for doggies
and dogies61 Gaelic language63 Stubbed digit
CROSSWORD
SSoolluuttiioonn aavvaaiillaabbllee oonnlliinnee aatt wwwwww..TThheeDDaaiillyyAAzztteecc..ccoomm
HUMOR
he 2022 World Cupwill be hosted by acountry smaller thanthe state ofConnecticut.
I’m sure you’re not familiarwith Qatar unless you’ve beenstaring at your globe with amicroscope in your spare time.It’s a little peninsula of landextended into the Persian Gulfthat FIFA believed would be bestsuited to host the World Cup.
Last year, 3.18 million peopleattended the World Cup in SouthAfrica. Qatar’s population isapproximately 1.6 million. Howcould such a small country beatout the United States as a “better”country to host the World Cup?
Oh yeah, I forgot, Qatarreportedly has 14 percent of theworld’s natural gas and the sec-ond highest GDP per capita. Ithas too much money and notenough people: every economist’sdream. Prior to the discovery ofoil, Qatar’s economy relied onfishing and pearl hunting.
Overall, it’s not a bad turnaround. The average high temper-
ature in July is 115 degreesFahrenheit. I hope coach doesn’tforget the Gatorade at customs.
While most of this is bad newsbecause the United States won’thost the World Cup for at least 10years, I think this Qatar placecould end up being the new spot.Think about it: All the Arabnations are loaded from sellingoil, but they know they cannotrely on this natural resource for-ever. The obvious thing for anycountry to do with billions ofextra dollars is to turn itself intothe craziest, most insane partylocation in the world.
Neighboring Arab country,Dubai, is doing the same thing.It’s building islands in the ocean.It’s dumping sand into the sea tocreate money from the sale of thatsand. I’m pretty sure that was myidea in like fourth grade. It’saccomplishing feats of architecturethe world never knew possible,
and all in the spirit of making itscountry a desirable place to visit.
Qatar has 10 years to make itslittle country look like Las Vegas,or what Las Vegas would looklike if it were sitting on 14 percentof the world’s natural gas.
All I’m saying is start savingup now, because you don’t wantto be the one left out of all thecrazy stories and cool inside jokeswhen your best friends get backfrom S.W.A.T’s “Spring BreakQatar 2022.” That’s a regret noman wants to live with.
I think the Arab nations finallyget it. They might not have thesame “party” image as, say,Amsterdam, but they finally under-stand the best thing to do withmoney is have a good time. It’s theArab nations’ way of saying, “Hey,I know it’s hot as hell over here,but we’re ready to party.”
-Matt Powers is a marketing junior.
-This column does not necessarilyreflect the opinion of The DailyAztec.
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S TA F F C O L U M N I S T
Spring break Qatar 2022
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GENERAL INFORMATION
619.594.4199
EDITOR IN CHIEF, RUTHIE KELLY
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NEWS EDITOR, SARAH KOVASH
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FEATURES EDITOR, MATT DORAN
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SDS-VIEW
Photo Editor Antonio Zaragoza captured Zuma gently ambling onto the court. He may look sweet now, but he’s biding
his time until he rips the UNLV Rebels apart limb from limb.
Zuma the Jaguar likes riding the pole to success