12-09-2013

VOLUME 100, ISSUE 34

monday, december 9, 2013 jonathan bonpua, staff photographer

luke henning, assistant news editor

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2 NEWS

MONDAY, decEMBER 9, 2013

#coveredca

Editor in Chief leonardo castaneda managing editor ana ceballos

Covered

news editor hannah beausang Assistant news editor luke henning sports editor adriana bush opinion editor kenneth leonard entertainment editor david dixon features editor elisse miller

> New state-run health insurance program targets uninsured college students

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copy EDITORS erik dobko, david hernandez, madison hopkins, maria del carmen huerta photo editor monica linzmeier art director kaiem majed PRODUCTION DESIGNERS carlos jimenez, mark anthony santos web editor victor escoto ______________________________________ advertising director jesse castaneda a.s. sales manager jordan kato ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES tony disarufino, chase gillmore, matt kilefner, karla sotelo, marissa walsh, henry wan, kathleen williams ACCOUNTING & CONTRACTS kim le, janina de la llana PUBLIC RELATIONS kelly hillock, christina koral ______________________________________ GENERAL MANAGER jay harn graphics specialist chris blakemore ______________________________________ To advertise, call 619.594.6977 or email advertising@thedailyaztec.com For editorial inquiries, call 619.594.4190 or email editor@thedailyaztec.com PRINT The Aztec publishes twice a week on Monday & Thursday.

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Discover for yourself why our lead instructor has taught more SDSU students than anyone in the history of SDSU. Join us and be happy! Reserve PLEASE for finals.

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april testerman staff writer

Between planning next semester’s class schedule, cramming for finals, or making winter break plans, students may have another decision to make.

As part of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, government-run health insurance exchanges took effect this year and are attempting to attract young people to the new programs.

The highest rates of uninsured citizens in 2012 were 19-to-34 year olds, totaling 26.9 percent uninsured, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Getting college students, many of who fall in that range, to sign up is vital to the success of the new programs.

Covered California, California’s health insurance exchange, began outreach to students at San Diego State in October when two graduate students from the Graduate School of Public Health hosted town hall meetings on campus. Covered California said last month that an estimated 370,000 individuals have begun the application process so far, according to a PR Newswire article.

Changes in the law, options and protections Many students don’t need to worry about choosing a health plan for a while longer.

Because of a provision of the Affordable Care Act, children with parents whose health plans include dependent coverage may stay on their parents’ plans until age 26. Beginning in 2014, children can choose to stay on their parents’ plans even if they have another offer of health coverage through their employer.

Also beginning in January, health insurance providers can no longer deny coverage because of a preexisting condition.

Another provision of the law prevents health insurance policies from placing lifetime caps on coverage, the total amount an insurance company will spend on an individual with coverage.

That will benefit students with chronic conditions, whose coverage may have previously expired because of ongoing care from a young age, SDSU School of Nursing professor Willa Fields said.

The law also mandates that coverage includes what the government deems to be 10 essential benefits. Health insurance companies can no longer solicit plans that

don’t meet the government’s minimum standards.

That being the case, there are varying levels of coverage available through the exchange. Covered California offers plans ranging from “bronze” to “platinum” coverage. Lower-grade plans have lower monthly premiums, but individuals must pay a higher percentage of their health care costs in the form of co-pays and deductibles.

Subsidies are available for those who qualify based on income, age, ZIP code, household size and level of coverage.

Individuals who make less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level will qualify for some amount of tax credit.

“In round numbers for students, that means that if you’re over 26 (and) you make less than $45,000 a year as an individual, you will probably be able to get help from the government to offset the cost of health insurance,” Fields said.

The law also expands Medi-Cal, California’s health care welfare program, to individuals making less than $15,856 this year. Because of the Affordable Care Act, most individuals without health insurance will have to pay a penalty.

Students: expect expenses to rise Students in the 19-to-25 year age group are often uninsured for a reason, though there is some disagreement as to why.

Proponents of universal health care say young people often go uninsured because of the cost, while opponents say it may be an economic decision like any other.

“Students who no longer fall under parents’ health care and work part time in school may not have to pay at all,” Covered California Public Relations Representative Nicholas Rangel said. “If they just apply, it might not cost them anything.”

Rangel added financial aid is now available for all applicants, it’s just a matter of shopping the website and asking the right questions. The amount of potential aid for students is contingent upon factors such as age, income and part-time or full-time enrollment in school.

But for students who have gone without insurance this long, one thing is certain: Even if health care is made affordable with the new law, the cost of mandated insurance will add to currently uninsured students’ expenses, except those who qualify for Medi-Cal. Emily Yavitch, an English and theater arts senior at SDSU and writer for conservative

news site The College Fix, challenged the perception that the new law will lower people’s health care expenses.

“It doesn’t for the vast majority of people, it just doesn’t do it,” she said.

Yavitch said that young, unmarried individuals might choose not to be covered because they expect no immediate health issues and aren’t beholden to families. She added that because of federal standards on what care health plans must provide, individuals pay for care they don’t want or need.

For instance, all plans must cover prenatal care, which isn’t of use to men or elderly women, Yavitch said.

Medical plans used to be priced according to characteristics of the patient, such as age, and sex and the cost to the insurance company.

“And that makes sense,” Yavitch said.

“The costs have gone up because all the plans have to include everything that some people don’t need. So instead of just paying for what you need you have to get everything.”

Free care or free choice?

It had only been three weeks since Field’s daughter graduated from college when she tripped while stepping off a curb and broke her ankle.

“The cost of the surgery, had she not still been on my insurance, was close to $50,000,” Fields said. “She became convinced she would never go without insurance because she wasn’t sick. She didn’t have a chronic condition, she’s healthy like any other 21 or 22-year-old, but she simply tripped going off the curb. So you take a gamble if you don’t have health insurance.”

Fields said that low-grade plans provide for that exact scenario or other accidents that befall otherwise healthy individuals.

Yavitch believes the choice should be left up to individuals, and she’s not altogether happy about being allowed to stay on her parents’ health plan until she’s 26.

“I don’t want to be babied until I’m 26,” she said. “I hope at 26 I’m paying for myself for things. I just wish people our age would recognize how much we’re being screwed over. Because to make this system work, everyone has to pay in more, but what that really means is all of the people we go to school with are paying for all the adults.”

The Covered California website provides an interactive “Shop and Compare” tool, and Covered California hosts events across the state. Everyone is encouraged to access the site for more information on healthcare coverage.

NEWS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013

#Thecampaign

3

SDSU receives $2.3M in donations elpin keshishzadeh staff writer

In the past week, San Diego State has received two separate donations of more than $1 million from SDSU alumnus Jack McGrory and former Qualcomm executive, Sacramento Kings vice chairman and Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa owner Jeff Jacobs.

McGrory donated $1.2 million, his second significant donation to The Campaign for SDSU, which will be used on the three areas most important to him: the Joan and Art Barron’s Veteran’s Center; the School of Public Affairs and the Department of Classics and Humanities.

“An area I’m really connected to is the Veteran’s Center because I was in the Marine Corps and when I went (to SDSU) we didn’t have any support, so you were on your own,” McGrory said. “The Veteran’s Center has done a great job of providing support for the men and women coming out of service and are getting an education.”

Jacobs has donated $1.1 million to SDSU Athletics to support student-athlete scholarships and the Aztec Basketball Performance Center.

This donation supports a plan announced on Nov. 13 by SDSU President Elliot Hirshman and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jim Sterk for a 23,500-square-foot basketball performance center. The project is scheduled to begin late Spring 2014.

“There is no better entertainment in San Diego than a sold-out and rocking Viejas Arena, especially as a dominant West Coast power and a growing prominent player on the national men’s basketball landscape,” Jacobs told SDSU NewsCenter. “It gives me great satisfaction knowing I can contribute to the success of Aztec basketball and the continued ascendance of the Aztecs to the top of men’s college basketball.”

The campaign began in 2007 as a fundraiser to help maintain programs and create new opportunities for faculty, staff and students. According to NewsCenter, the campaign has now received more than 44,500 gifts, which include 81 gifts of $1 million or more.

Campanile Foundation CEO Mary Carleton said that the campaign was launched as a comprehensive fundraiser to support all the programs, with scholarships as its biggest goal. The campaign encourages donors to support the areas closest to their hearts, Carleton said.

Although the campaign has helped enrich existing programs, it has also created new programs, Carleton said.

“Some programs have come to the forefront during the campaign, like the Veteran’s Center. Starting in 2007, the idea of having a Veteran’s Center and supporting veteran students wasn’t really something we were thinking about,” Carleton said.

McGrory’s donation will also continue to provide funds for the Jack McGrory Interns program in the School of Public Affairs, which creates internships for undergraduate students in the program.

Hirshman displayed his gratitude to NewsCenter about McGrory’s donation.

“As an alumnus, faculty member, Campanile Foundation board member and passionate supporter of public administration, student veterans and classics and humanities, Jack (McGrory) has made extraordinary contributions to our campus,” Hirshman said. “We are extremely grateful for his continuing support.”

The donations from McGrory and Jacobs bring The Campaign at SDSU to more than $435 million of the original $500 million goal set back in 2007.

The recent gifts bring SDSU to less than $65 million of its donation goal Monica Linzmeier, Photo Editor

4 NEWS

MONDAY, december 9, 2013

#laplebe

La Plebe Latino club celebrates anniversary Andrea Ciardiello staff writer

On Thursday, Dec. 5, La Plebe, a group of former San Diego State Latino engineering students, reunited to celebrate its 30th anniversary with a commemorative photograph in front of the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center alongside President Elliot Hirshman.

In 1983, a group of Latino students, who later became known as the group La Plebe, arrived at SDSU. The beginnings of La Plebe can be traced back to this core group of engineering students that banded together as a result of their common cultural backgrounds during a time when the Latino presence at SDSU was scarce. La Plebe found that group members had naturally gravitated toward one another as a way to provide a social and educational support system for students that shared a Latino heritage, former La Plebe member Armando Garcia said. He graduated from SDSU in 1990 with a civil engineering degree.

“I think without this group, some of us may not have made it and dropped out,” Garcia said.

Many of the original La Plebe members didn’t graduate, Garcia said.

“The fact that we had such a big support system within the group really

La Plebe was born as an informal support network for Latino engineering students. It recently celebrated its 30th anniversary on campus

Jordan Owen, senior staff photographer

encouraged everyone to keep on going,” Garcia said. “More than anything else, that is why I am thankful for this group.”

La Plebe would often meet in the SDSU Love Library for study sessions and eventually adopted the Chicano Collection room as an unofficial meeting room and headquarters.

Throughout the years, other Latino

a big part of our lives. In some way or students joined La Plebe, creating a fashion on a daily basis La Plebe is part of more diverse group of majors, including our routine.” business, social sciences and education.

Today, La Plebe By 1990, the members are group achieved leaders in their recognition for professional fields, having 27 Latino A second generation and the group engineering of La Plebe is now remains connected students in that making its way as a reminder of year’s graduating through SDSU as its hard work and class. children of former achievements.

In 1996, La Plebe members have begun La Plebe also purchased a stone continues to be a paver during the attending the school. strong supporter remodeling of of SDSU Athletics the Love Library and regularly gets to show its lifelong together to attend football and basketball dedication to SDSU. The 30-by-30 paver, games. located in front of Love Library, reads, A second generation of La Plebe is “La Plebe, Aztecs since 1983” above the now making its way through SDSU as SDSU centennial emblem. children of former members have begun Former La Plebe member Ramon attending the school.

Riesgo, also a graduate of the 1990 class Criminal justice junior Rodrigo Peraza with degrees in aerospace engineering is the son of La Plebe member Marcos and Spanish literature, echoes Garcia’s Peraza, who graduated in 1990 with sentiments. a degree in civil engineering. He said “Initially, La Plebe started as an that to this day members of La Plebe academic support group. We came remain close friends, getting together for together to fill a void the system back holidays, special events and Aztec games. then didn’t provide for us. Together, we “I think it’s important to recognize encouraged each other and got through them because they’ve invested in this college,” Riesgo said. “And then it grew to school, supported so much over the what it is now, not only a group to hang years and deeply committed themselves out and have fun, but also a networking to involving themselves in the SDSU system for jobs and business ventures. community,” Peraza said.

For most of us, this group has become

NEWS

MONDAY, december 9, 2013 #VPsearch

5

VP candidates hold open forums Luke Henning

Assistant News Editor

San Diego State searches for new VP of Student Affairs

Following the retirement of 13-year Vice President for the Division of Student Affairs James Kitchen last spring, the San Diego State Office of the President assembled a search committee and put an ad on the Internet for potential candidates.

As of this week three finalists have been selected by the search committee: Eric Rivera, the acting vice president for Student Affairs; Jean Kim, the recently resigned vice president of Student Affairs at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; and Frank Lamas, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students at The University of Texas at Arlington.

Office of the President Chief of Staff Andrea Rollins said once all three candidates have held open forums with students, faculty and staff the search committee will recommend one of the candidates to President Elliot Hirshman, who can then make a decision.

Jean Kim

Last Wednesday, Kim met with faculty and students during the first of a series of open forums for each of the candidates.

Kim’s family emigrated from Vietnam to the U.S. when she was young. As an Asian American she is an early beneficiary of affirmative action programs during the late 1960s.

“As a woman of color, college diversity is an issue especially close to my heart,” Kim said.

During her career in education spanning more than 30 years Kim said she has spent much of her time fostering student diversity with a variety of different programs. In 1989, while working as the assistant dean of graduate student affairs at Stanford University, Kim piloted a program that allowed graduate students to live in student housing with a same-sex partner. This was the first program of its kind in a university in the U.S. Kim resigned from her last position at UMass, Amherst last year. Both she and the university refused to comment on the reason for her resignation. There was, however, some controversy during her last year at UMass.

According to the Massachusetts Daily Collegian, the school’s Graduate Student Senate voted no confidence in Kim in 2012 after she raised the fees for graduate student housing in an effort to open more housing for graduate students. The Graduate Student Senate was specifically upset that the price raise had been put into effect without the approval of students.

Although it is not clear whether or not this may have factored into her resignation, The Daily Collegian published several articles critical of her performance as vice chancellor of student affairs.

Despite Kim’s somewhat stormy past with UMass, Amherst she said that her 16 years of experience as an administrator in Student Affairs have given her enough experience to successfully lead at SDSU. She said she plans to regularly meet with students in the dining areas to get to know students’ needs. She also plans to have a monthly dinner meeting with students at which she encourages them to voice any concerns they have with Student Affairs.

“I look forward to working with students at SDSU” Kim said.

Eric Rivera, San Diego State’s acting vice president of Student Affairs, held his open forum on Friday.

Jonathan bonpua, Staff photographer

Eric Rivera

After Kitchen’s retirement, Eric Rivera took on the mantle of acting vice president for Student Affairs. Rivera worked as the associate vice president of student affairs alongside Kitchen since 2006.

Originally from the Bronx, N.Y., Rivera has more than 20 years of education experience.

Rivera said his approach to the Division of Student Affairs is mainly research based. As the associate vice president for Student Affairs, Rivera spearheaded a research program aimed at determining which SDSU students were most likely to leave the university in the first two years.

When the data came in Rivera said he and his team identified commuters as the group with the least retention and turned his focus on this group of students, targeting them through programs such as Casa Azteca.

Casa Azteca currently serves 200 commuter students at SDSU, Rivera said. The program mainly aims to build a commuter community and has gained interest from several other local universities, Rivera said.

By targeting specific groups, Rivera said Student Affairs can more effectively accomplish its goal on campus.

“It’s important we stick to the data or there’s a chance we will completely overlook a problem,” Rivera said.

For example, Rivera said prior to looking at the data his department had targeted undeclared students, but when more research was conducted on the topic they discovered that undeclared students actually had a significantly higher graduation rate than declared students.

During his open forum on Friday, Rivera also placed a special emphasis on SDSU being a research university.

“As a (California State University) it is what really distinguishes us from the rest,” Rivera said.

Rivera plans on utilizing the research aspect of the university through a graduate student mentor program that will target commuter students, who he said still need special attention.

Currently, the Division of Student Affair is collecting data on exchange students and have several student retention programs planned to launch next semester.

look out for the last issue of the semester

Fun and Games December 12th

Jean Kim, former vice president of Student Affairs at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Luke henning, assistant news editor

6 aztec gaming

MONDAY, decEMBER 9, 2013

#wwe2k14

‘WWE 2K14’ is a knockout gaming win max saucedo staff WRITER

For many hard-core wrestling fans who feel World Wrestling Entertainment regularly ignores their wishes in favor of appealing to the broader audience of 8-to-15-year-old children and teenagers, the WWE video game franchise remains a much closer love letter to fandom.

Many of the older developers at Yuke’s Co., Ltd. the developer behind the franchise, most likely grew up watching Hulk Hogan’s epic clash with Andre the Giant at WrestleMania 3 or witnessing the beginning of The Undertaker’s now 21-0 perfect streak at WrestleMania 7 with a victory against Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka. The younger breed of developers probably have vivid memories of watching the two men who built up the WWE with a new attitude: Stone Cold Steve Austin and The People’s Champion, The Rock, and the duo’s three epic bouts at WrestleMania’s 15, 17 and 19. For young folks, such as myself, the recent WrestleManias featuring The Showstopper and The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels, Dave Batista, John Cena and Triple H all highlight the global phenomenon known as WrestleMania.

With this in mind, Yuke’s has set out to create the most realistic experience in its games, allowing players to relive, recreate and redefine the last 29 years of WrestleMania. The main focus of the newly branded “WWE 2K14” has now brought the WWE into the 2K Sports fold, giving the brand a chance at celebrating its biggest spectacle in a new game mode, “30 Years of WrestleMania.” From the start, you are given the treat of seeing some of the all-time greatest matches and rivalries that had their beginnings

photo courtesy of w2k

and ends at WrestleMania. Giving players historical goals to be fulfilled increases the experience and sense of authenticity.

Yuke’s performs a masterful job of locking down the elements that made its previous game, “WWE '13, Attitude Era” by incorporating WWE’s immense video library. Before most matches, players are treated to small video vignettes detailing the match that is about to be played, giving the player context that adds to the mystique and aura of WrestleMania.

As one can expect, unlocking the majority of the legendary arenas, managers and era-specific wrestlers requires fulfillment of the historical goals mentioned above. At the time of this review, the roster for “WWE 2K14” is massive with more than 80 wrestlers including the unlockables. For many who have wished to put CM Punk into a match with “Macho Man” Randy Savage, the dream has finally come true. Gameplay has taken a turn for the better since “’WWE '13,” as new grapple moves, finishers

and a starting run allow for an even more balanced experience. My recommendation for the versus modes (and boy are there a lot) is to play with a human competitor.

Don’t expect these matches to end quickly though, as the counter system most often results in an offensive counter to keep the gameplay rolling smoothly.

WWE Universe Mode returns, letting the player act as a pseudo-general manager, pitting WWE superstars against each other in an all-new rivalry system.

This gives the player control on who is feuding, which titles are on the line and what type of matches will occur.

The expanded roster is definitely a plus, because the locked rosters at the beginning of the year meant many current WWE stars were unfortunately not included. The boosted numbers game makes planning much easier. Yuke’s also ups the ante by expanding its famous Creation Suite, allowing the player to craft everything from championship belts, arenas, superstars, story arcs, finishing moves and

much more.

There are several silver linings however to make up for the flaws. Continuing legacy issues plague the in-ring game experience. Hearing Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler call matches for the current day generations makes sense, but becomes particularly cringe-worthy when you hear their stale, bored voices reacting to something that normally would be cause for loud screaming. For a game that values its authenticity, the exclusion of classic commentary by Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse Ventura or even Vince McMahon seems antithetical. If you can get used to the same old commentary, or maybe you’d rather just pipe in your own music instead of having to listen, I’m sure WWE won’t hold it against you.

The second issue is the Undertaker Mode. As is well known, The Undertaker’s most prized record is his perfect win streak at WrestleMania. Two modes are offered: in Defend the Streak Mode players are tasked with facing a gauntletstyle match, facing an increasingly more difficult wrestling AI. In Defeat the Streak Mode, you choose a wrestler to pit against a maddeningly difficult The Undertaker. Make no mistake, I like the concept behind these ideas; but in terms of balancing, the game isn’t built to handle this fairly. The Undertaker deserves to have more of his story fleshed out, not just a gauntlet mode.

“WWE 2K14” is a crowning accomplishment for Yuke’s, as it manages to capture that nostalgia-infused era that existed back during the age of titans, all the way to the present days of WWE superstars. By letting players relive their favorite WrestleMania moments, the developers hit a home run and cemented WWE “2K14” as a centerpiece franchise.

#assassinscreed4

‘Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag’ is a mixed treasure bag alek sanchez staff WRITER

Because Black Friday already passed, and Christmas is just around the corner, games are one of the items most frequently on sale. When you’re dropping a hefty $60 on a new release, you should always be wary of the quality of the game you’re buying.

This year, Ubisoft released the latest iteration in the fast-growing “Assassin’s Creed” series, just in time for the holiday season. This time, you should try your best to grab it on sale—it’s not quite worth the full $60.

I have been a huge supporter of the “Assassin’s Creed” series ever since the first game dropped in 2007. It was a breath of fresh air for console gamers: an openworld, historically fictional stealth-action game. But don’t let the “IV” in “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag” fool you; this is

actually the sixth console release in six years. I’m not the biggest fan of yearly releases. One of my biggest gripes is, what makes this so much different than last year’s game? As much progress as there has been in the series, there have also been too many steps back this year for my taste.

Spoiler Alert for “Assassins Creed III” With the death of the series’ leading man, Desmond Miles, you take control of an unnamed Abstergo Industries employee.

Using Desmond’s memories, the player's job is to collect as much information as he or she can to create the most cutting-edge, realistic pirate film. Basically, researching the very game being played. It’s all very meta and surreal, almost laughable when you first hear it, but it gets the job done for moving the story forward. With Desmond’s death, developer Ubisoft Montreal had the opportunity to stray away and start a new storyline. As usual, supernatural hijinks

photo courtesy of assassinscreed.ubi.com

ensue and we’re back where we started.

End Spoilers.

You play as Edward Kenway, a pirate turned assassin and grandfather to the main character of the previous game. He’s just as deadly and cunning as all the other main characters, but what’s off-putting about playing as Edward is that he has little to do with the Assassin organization.

He literally finds the clothes of a fallen assassin, throws them on, and continues on his piratey way.

The disassociation from the previous

games doesn’t stop there. Missions are highly repetitive and teeter on borderline annoying, as you tail, eavesdrop and follow targets, perform remedial tasks and do little of actual assassinating of any important targets. One of the first quips I ran into was how Ubisoft Montreal decided now would be a good time to change up the controls, six iterations into the series. The animations this year feel as if they’ve taken a step back. Free running, a staple and defining point of the series, has taken a hit, See assassin’s creed, P7

MONDAY, decEMBER 9, 2013

aztec gaming 7

#battlefield4

Battlefield > The newest first-person shooter is a strong installment in the popular video game series

photo courtesy of mct campus

jordan pollock staff WRITER

IIt seems as if it were yesterday that we were booting up our consoles and PCs and loading them with “Battlefield 3.” But alas, that was two long years ago. The good news, however, is that we have a brand new “Battlefield” game to sink tens of thousands of hours into.

Normally there was a good stretch of years between “Battlefield” games. But in the case of “Battlefield 4,” it only took developer EA Digital Illusions CE two years to make it. So let's see how it did.

There are spoilers below.

The story for “Battlefield 4” brings nothing too amazing to the table. It's a pretty standard first-person shooter story. You play as Sgt. Recker of the U.S. Marine Corps, and as a Marine you and your squad are tasked with increasingly dangerous and nearly suicidal missions.

This is, of course, because you are a part of the only squad that can actually get things done in the game. Sure, the emphasis of “Battlefield 4” is that you and your squad should work together to get things done, but when you and only three other people are the only people competent enough to turn the tide of a war, something must be going wrong in the military.

Granted, since you're stuck with your

Assassin’s Creed Continued from P6

visually and physically.

Edward moves in a clunky fashion, and the game makes it almost too easy for players to traverse what would be challenging heights and narrow lengths.

The series had it down by the second game—the controls were tight and the animations were fluid. But now, “Black Flag” feels as if it has taken way too many steps back. It’s the small muck ups that are

squad through all seven levels of the campaign, you'd think you would at least grow to like them and care about them, right? Well, unfortunately you're never really given a chance to get attached to any of them. The levels go by too fast and there aren't even enough levels to begin with.

Full disclosure: At the end of the game, you have to make a decision that changes virtually nothing about the way the game ends. Again, if the story was better, it might elicit some kind of emotional response. Unfortunately, it doesn’t.

The real saving grace of “Battlefield 4” is the online multiplayer. It truly is the greatest part of the game, and really the only reason to play the fourth part of the series. With the advent of the next generation consoles, “Battlefield 4” achieves some semblance of what PC gamers have been experiencing for years.

In the “Battlefield” multiplayer staple “Conquest,” players are treated to a 64-man match with tanks, ships, planes, helicopters and other vehicles accessible to anyone willing to pilot them. At some level, as the battle gathers steam and becomes more chaotic, the maps slowly begin to morph from user-generated explosions, gunshots and even natural disasters.

Other modes include “Rush,” which tasks one team with destroying two bases that are situated deep within the defensive

team's territory. But when those two points are destroyed, the map is opened up and an additional two points become available to be defended or destroyed. The match continues like this until either the defending team can dwindle the attacking teams respawn counter to zero, or the attacking team destroys all the bases.

Of course, there's always “Team Death Match,” “Obliteration,” “Capture the Flag” and a few others.

baffling, and these small things add up to hurt the user experience. At the end of the day, it’s a little disheartening to longtime fans, such as myself, to see how much a series can change, and not always for the better.

But enough about the bad. Let’s focus on what “Black Flag” brought to the table this year. “Black Flag” took the naval battles that were a side feature from “Assassins Creed III” and made them a complete component to the game. You are able to freely sail from port to port in the luscious Caribbean islands, upgrade ships to your personal

liking and even command a small fleet. You invest so much time on the ship and away from land, it’s almost too hard to dock in the ports and get back to reality grinding away the mission objectives. “Black Flag” stands better as a glorified pirate simulator than an “Assassin’s Creed” game. Even though the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 aren’t the latest generation of consoles anymore, the game still looks great on dated hardware. The islands, oceans and jungles look amazing. Filled with vivid colors and vibrant landscapes, you’ll enjoy every minute you have soaking in the

A Word from the Writer I'm going to take a moment and explain a “Battlefield” moment that happened to me. I was playing a “Conquest” match on a map called “Golmud Railway” that has an actively moving train as a capture point.

My team had a gunship flying above the map and was laying death from above on the opposing team. I spawned inside of the gunship and helped shoot at opposing ground vehicles.

Unfortunately, the other team had some good fighter jet pilots that were about to bring the gunship down. I decided to bail out at the last second. As I began free falling, I heard the gunship explode above me as a jet streaked by. I fell fast toward the earth, pulled my parachute and landed safely behind capture point B. I noticed a sniper standing on a nearby house, but he hadn't noticed me yet. I ran

inside the building and found his radio beacon that enabled him and his squad to spawn wherever it was placed. Instead of destroying it, I decided to run upstairs and take out the sniper. When I got to the top floor, however, I realized the sniper had a bodyguard.

Luckily for me, he wasn't paying attention and I was able to run up to him and perform a melee kill. The sniper met the same fate. After that, I ran back downstairs to the radio beacon just in time to perform a melee kill on the sniper and two of his squad mates as they spawned.

Then I proceeded to destroy the beacon, and rush back outside to help my team capture point B. While out there, I threw some C-4 onto a tank and destroyed it just as an enemy hit me with an all-terrain vehicle. Things like this only happen in “Battlefield.”

“Battlefield 4” is a fantastic entry into the “Battlefield” series. Though it may be hampered by a forgettable plotline, the multiplayer aspect is second to none. Although it should be noted that “Battlefield 4” doesn't look great on the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, whereas the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC versions deliver amazing experiences. This isn't to say you can't have as much fun on last gen consoles, but after playing on the next gen, it's way too hard to go back.

surroundings. It’s a nice upgrade from the sandy cities inside Jerusalem, or the snowed out early North American colonies.

Take “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag” for what it is. Jump in looking for a solid, engaging pirate game, but don’t go looking for the next cutting-edge “Assassin’s Creed.”

You won’t find any of that buried treasure here. You’re much better off on your own enjoying the seas, no matter how rough they get.

Rating: 3.5/5

8 aztec gaming

MONDAY, decEMBER 9, 2013

#bestof2013

The Best of Gaming: 2013 Through the eyes (and fingers) of the Aztec Gamers

Destiny. courtesy of bungie

tomb raider courtesy of mct campus

Most Anticipated

Best Multiplayer

Best Story

Game of the Year 2013

by Alek Sanchez

by Hollyanne Setola

by Jordan Pollock

by Max Saucedo

When thinking about 2014, the first game that instantly comes to mind is “Destiny.” Hailing from Bungie Studios, a company famous for a little series called “Halo,” “Destiny” is Bungie’s first release for next generation consoles. Set in a futuristic postapocalyptic Earth, players are thrown into a world full of chaos and mystery as they defend the last safe city on Earth. One of the biggest features noted from “Destiny’s” E3 reveal was the heavy customization and RPGlike leveling and abilities. “Destiny” combines the frantic action of a firstperson shooter, while allowing players to modify and tailor their own special characters, creating a unique experience for each player. Incorporating largescale multiplayer action, such as dropin/drop out co-op and live community events where you and 15 other players must work together to take on an objective, “Destiny” has Aztec Gaming pumped for the next generation of console games. Given its extensive and famed track record, we have plenty of faith in Bungie to deliver a top-notch game. Whether you’re waiting patiently or impatiently, “Destiny” can’t come any sooner.

There have been many multiplayers released this year, but two of the biggest were “Call of Duty: Ghosts” and “Battlefield 4.” Both franchises are constantly compared from the graphics to the realism, but “Call of Duty: Ghosts” doesn’t even come close to the stunning graphics and intense gameplay of “Battlefield 4,” especially for PC gamers.

In terms of graphics, “Battlefield 4” makes “Call of Duty: Ghosts” look as if it was created by indie game developers. The vivid imagery of the military battlefields leaves you feeling as though you’re truly a part of something much more than a video game. From driving tanks, jeeps and boats to flying helicopters, planes and jets, “Battlefield 4” is much more than a typical “run-and-gun” first-person shooter.

Although, there may be some issues in terms of server connection, latency and various bugs, developer Electronic Arts promises to fix these issues before releasing future expansions. “Battlefield 4” is a game that can’t be missed, and is available not only for PC, but also for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Between the stunning visuals and endless options for gameplay, “Battlefield 4” is going to continue to be the multiplayer to beat.

This year has brought us some of the greatest games of the last generation of consoles. After seven years, it’s almost as if developers waited to send off the PS3 and Xbox 360 with fantastic games that will make us always remember those wonderful machines. Earlier this year, "The Last of Us," developed by Naughty Dog, introduced us to a ruined world filled with people that would do anything to survive. In this world we met Joel and Ellie, an unlikely duo that were on a trek across the once thriving U.S. “The Last of Us” truly proved that video games could have stories that can engage us in a way that might one day surpass storytelling in movies and TV. The only bad thing about “The Last of Us” was the fact it only came out for the PS3, so Xbox 360 and PC owners didn't have a chance to play it.

It's okay though, there's always “BioShock Infinite.”

Game of the Year 2013 certainly proved to be a knockout success for the quality of games and gaming.

Games such as “BioShock Infinite,” “Grand Theft Auto V” and “Splinter Cell: Blacklist,” to name a few, have vastly changed the way games are made and sent the final year of this video game generation on fire. A true Game of the Year combines levels of storytelling, innovation and "replayability" to craft an experience that changes the way players see a video game. With that in mind, Aztec Gaming has selected “Tomb Raider” as its 2013 Game of the Year.

The Crystal Dynamics development has been years in the making and the polish shows from the get-go. Beautifully rendered island set pieces provide a gorgeous backdrop for gaming’s No. 1 leading lady, Lara Croft. A compelling story and fun and gritty gameplay combine to create an unforgettable experience.

This makes the choice obvious as “Tomb Raider” brings a thrilling and beloved heroine back to the gaming world in an awe-inspiring spectacle.

What is the Aztec Gaming Network?

What We Do:

Battledield 4. courtesy of mct campus

We are authors of The Daily Aztec's gaming news, previews, reviews and other related articles. Gaming news for university students, by university students. First and foremost, we are gamers.

OPINION

MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013

#time4finals

9

Final exams create unnecessary stress marissa ochoa

As finals draw closer one question is on students’ minds the entire time: How much does the final exam count towards the class grade?

Students have experienced professors with different ideas as to what a final should actually entail. Some allow essay finals, multiple choice tests or group projects. No matter what is considered a final, one thing is certain: They always count for the majority of students’ overall grade. I’m not saying a final exam shouldn’t be administered, but cramming in a semester’s worth of information into one test and counting it for more than two-thirds of a student’s grade isn’t the best way to measure how much a student has learned. One test can’t possibly measure someone’s overall understanding of a subject. The fact that we’re aware of the consequences of failing a final puts an extreme amount of pressure on us. Why is there such an emphasis on one exam? Can’t professors evenly spread out their grading rubric?

I remember a particular class I had in which four exams were given during the semester, and each exam focused on a portion of the class. All of the tests were worth the same amount of points. By spreading out the exams and allowing each test to be worth the same, I was relieved of a lot of unnecessary stress. When finals arrived, I wasn’t worried about failing because there was no final that could disprove my grasp of the class. One key reason why I didn’t fail the class was also because I was engaged throughout the entire semester. It was portioned in quarters, which made it extremely easy for me to focus on one topic at a time. I never had to go through the process of overwhelming myself with an entire semester of information. If all classes followed in these footsteps, finals week wouldn’t be as daunting as it currently is.

When professors create final exams to be worth a huge portion of the grade, it doesn’t give any wiggle room for students to work on their grades. You wouldn’t expect to hit a home run on your first swing at the plate, so teachers shouldn’t expect the same from students.

Although most classes do administer more than one exam, the final is always the make-orstaff columnist

Courtesy of thinkstock

break point. I don’t see why one test must count more than another. Why do classes have to end with a huge project or test? An exam that’s worth more won’t magically give students the ability to understand every concept taught on that subject. All it proves is that students are excellent at pulling all-nighters during times of high stress. Our generation isn’t incapable of hard work. However, hard work doesn’t equate to acing a 300-point exam.

Finals aren’t complete wastes of time, but the approach to what a final should accomplish is completely misconstrued. A final shouldn’t be looked at as the only thing standing in the way of a passing grade. A final should be treated as any other portion of the class, with no particular emphasis and no special week for said exams. The stereotype of finals week unfortunately rings all too familiar and needs to be changed. Is it that difficult to change the system? Numerous professors have done so—why can’t others follow in their footsteps?

We need to reevaluate what a final is and if it benefits students’ learning abilities. Students take classes to immerse themselves in knowledge, not stress out about one exam. I know I’m not the only student dreading the upcoming week, and it’s unfortunate that the last week of our semester has to be spent worrying about one test. However, unless students voice their opinions on this subject, there will never be any relief from the overwhelmingly stressful final exams.

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SPORTS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013

#aztecfb

10

The perseverance of Quinn Kaehler matthew bain

senior staff writer Not many Division I college quarterbacks start their NCAA career midway through the first quarter in front of 104,984 fans against the No. 3 team in the nation. Even fewer complete their first five passes and end the game with a touchdown and 216 yards. And I can almost guarantee that only one of those quarterbacks has seen every episode of “The Office”—twice.

Aztec junior Quinn Kaehler is that one-ofa-kind quarterback.

Thrown into the leading role of a floundering offense in the second game of the season, Kaehler hit the ground running and won seven of the 10 games he started. Kaehler epitomized consistency; his passer efficiency rating frequently ranked among the nation’s best and he completed 60 percent of his passes. His 17 touchdowns and 2,796 passing yards weren’t too shabby, either.

Kaehler quickly won over fans with his skills on the field and his unassuming demeanor off the field.

This humble quarterback’s road to success often winded in and out of certainty, but he found his way to Qualcomm Stadium as a San Diego State Aztec.

This is Kaehler’s story.

football team as a walk-on. Unfortunately, the Aztecs already had three solid quarterbacks and turned Kaehler away.

Unable to stay away from the game, Kaehler finished the fall semester and transferred to Diablo Valley College in Spring 2011, where he took off as a Viking.

He grew exponentially as a smart and efficient quarterback, and he outplayed three other quarterbacks for the starting job by the middle of his freshman year.

He returned for his sophomore season in 2012 and put up video game statistics: 60.5 percent completion rate, 4,044 yards and 38 touchdowns.

Still, however, no Division I scholarship offers came.

Pre-SDSU years Let’s start way back, when Kaehler was much younger.

Kaehler gravitated toward sports as a kid. He loved all sports, but he loved football most of all.

“Football excited me— especially watching quarterbacks play,” Kaehler said with a smile. “Then I started playing quarterback and I’ve been playing ever since.”

Despite his love for the game, Kaehler received no Division I scholarship offers as the starting quarterback of California High School in San Ramon. Kaehler excelled academically, however.

He earned a 3.9 GPA and was accepted by SDSU for Fall 2010. He enrolled at SDSU and decided to try out for the Quinn Kaehler has 17 touchdowns and 2,796 passing yards. monica linzmeier, Photo Editor

“He’s always flown under the radar,” Kaehler’s father, Robert, told The San Diego Union-Tribune. “He’s always had to come from behind. But that’s his style.”

But finally, one Division I school did take notice. Kaehler eagerly enrolled at SDSU for the second time in three years in Spring 2013.

“It was a good situation with a new offensive coordinator coming in, so everyone was starting from the same level,” Kaehler said. “It seemed like a good fit; I liked the coaches and everything just seemed to be right.”

Back at SDSU As a walk-on, Kaehler started as the sixth-string quarterback that spring. But, he’d been used to fighting his way up the ranks for a few years now; he thought he could do it again.

“You always believe in yourself, but I just wanted to give it my best shot and see if it worked out,” Kaehler said.

It definitely worked out. By the end of the semester, Kaehler moved up four spots on the depth chart to the backup slot behind junior Adam Dingwell.

Kaehler said he just wanted to help the team in any way he could as SDSU began its 2013 campaign.

In a surprising change of fate, Dingwell played below expectations and struggled with a back injury in the first two games, so Kaehler helping out “in any way possible” quickly turned into playing as the starter. And Kaehler didn’t get any cupcakes; his first minutes on the field came at the Buckeyes’ stadium against then-No. 3 Ohio State University.

“There were a lot of things (going through my head during the game),” Kaehler laughed. “I was shaken a little bit and really nervous, but once you just play a little bit, you realize it’s just football.

It’s the same from the time you’re little, the kids just get bigger and faster and stronger.”

Kaehler proved that SDSU had a legitimate starting quarterback during that OSU game. Like Kaehler said, he settled into the game and eventually led an impressive scoring drive in the third quarter. He completed all four of his passes on this drive for 55 yards, including the touchdown pass to senior fullback Chad Young. He ended the game 22-36 for 216 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

SDSU head coach Rocky Long named Kaehler the starting quarterback three days later, and Kaehler never looked back.

Thriving as the starter Kaehler’s confidence grew with every game. He stood strong in the pocket and rolled comfortably out of the pocket to extend plays. He flexed his football IQ and completed more than 64 percent of his passes in his first two games. By Kaehler’s third game as a starter, offensive coordinator Bob Toledo granted Kaehler the same offensive control that he stripped from Dingwell after Week One. With these new responsibilities, Kaehler could choose to run one of two selected plays depending on the defense’s pre-snap schemes.

Kaehler wowed fans in his first game with these responsibilities against the University of Nevada, Reno. He completed

23 of 32 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning touchdown in overtime. Kaehler finished the game with a raw quarterback rating of 92.0 out of 100. One could definitely argue that SDSU’s emotional victory against Nevada changed the course of SDSU’s season.

Students know how the story unfolds from there, “Mr. Consistency” came to play every game and helped lead the Aztecs to a 6-2 Mountain West Conference record.

Kaehler believes his unconventional route to success taught him a lot and helped him develop into the quarterback and person he is today.

“It’s like playing a football game,” Kaehler said. “You always have ups and downs—you never play perfect games.

So when the bad parts hit, you just have to keep going and keep your eyes on the ultimate goal, and hopefully it works out.”

Kaehler’s character Just as impressive as Kaehler’s on-thefield performance was his humility off the field. Kaehler often deflected praise and gave it to his team. Take his response when asked to describe his development as a starter after the Nevada game, for instance.

“I think the rest of the guys are playing really well and coach Toledo is calling great plays and we had the running game going,” Kaehler said. “So (when we ran a) play action pass, there were guys open, and of course the receivers are making plays.”

With that kind of mindset, it’s no surprise that Kaehler’s favorite part about the season was his team.

“This is the first time since high school where I’ve felt a strong team where everyone’s into it for the team to win a game and that’s what they care about,” Kaehler said. “They’re all great guys, and they always have my back, so it’s really fun to play with them.”

Kaehler also takes his student responsibilities seriously. Seeking a degree from SDSU’s highly-ranked College of Business Administration, Kaehler works to balance football and school.

“The tough part is you have to plan (your schedule) out because there are days and weeks where football is really busy, so if you know that you have tests or papers or projects due that same week you have to do it in advance,” Kaehler said. “And if we do get a day off, you have to spend that day mostly doing homework or studying or that kind of thing.”

Despite his success as a Division I quarterback, Kaehler stresses that he sees himself first as a member of the SDSU community.

“I don’t want (my peers) to think any different of me than any other student would,” the business major adamantly said. “Hopefully, if they get to know me they would think of me as a friend. I would never want them to think of me as the starting quarterback and have that be some meaning more than just a regular student.”

There’s Quinn Kaehler’s story, ladies and gentlemen. But be ready for more because this “The Office” fan’s story is far from ending. Next, Kaehler will help lead the Aztecs to its fourth straight bowl game against the University of Buffalo on Dec. 21 at 3:30 p.m. MT in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise, Idaho.

MUNDO AZTECA

LUNES, DICIEMBRE 9, 2013

#Alcaldiasd

11

Profesor analiza a Faulconer, Álvarez Ventura Olvera escritora

El 19 de noviembre se llevaron a cabo las elecciones para alcalde de la cuidad de San Diego. Los postulantes que obtuvieron la mayor cantidad de votos fueron Kevin Faulconer, con el 42.2 por ciento, y David Álvarez, con el 27.2 por ciento. Ambos se disputarán el cargo de alcalde en una segunda ronda que está proyectada para el principio del próximo año. En entrevista para Mundo Azteca, Isidro Ortiz, profesor de estudios chicanos y especialista en temas relacionados con movimientos políticos, ofreció su análisis con respecto a este tema, explicando cómo es que afecta a los estudiantes de la Universidad Estatal de San Diego (SDSU), así como a la comunidad latina de San Diego.

Mundo Azteca: ¿Cómo se comparan los candidatos? ¿Cuáles son las debilidades y fortalezas de Faulconer y Álvarez?

Isidro Ortiz: Son muy jóvenes.

Ambos son ex alumnos de SDSU. Esta es la primera vez; se trata de un acontecimiento histórico. Cuando Faulconer era estudiante aquí, fue muy conocido por estar involucrado en la Asociación de Estudiantes (A.S.).

Esto podría significar una ventaja para Falcouner, ya que podría ser recordado.

En la elección, la familiaridad con el nombre cuenta mucho. Faulconer es más conocido y puede ocurrir que durante la baja participación electoral en California, sean los republicanos quienes vayan a

votar, en su mayoría. El desafío de Álvarez será conseguir que sus votantes salgan a ejercer su derecho.

MA: ¿Se consideraría que la población latina se verá más propensa a votar por Álvarez, dado que es latino?

IO: Los latinos son diversos políticamente, tal como son diversos social y económicamente. Hay zonas como Barrio Logan, que han sido descuidadas durante gobiernos anteriores.

Bob Filner, por ejemplo, llegó al poder prometiendo que iba a resolver los problemas de las comunidades que históricamente habían sido descuidadas.

MA: ¿Ha estado trabajando Faulconer en conseguir que los votantes que simpatizan con él se interesen por votar?

IO: Faulconer ha sido más visible. Dada su ratificación por el partido republicano, tendrá acceso a una gran cantidad de dinero para la campaña. La pregunta sería si el dinero será capaz de compensar el número de votantes.

MA: ¿Cuánta influencia tiene el dinero en estas circunstancias?

IO: No hizo gran parte de la diferencia en las primarias, porque una gran parte del dinero se había ido a Fletcher, pero él no ganó. No obstante, el dinero es por lo general de uso; compra una gran cantidad de tiempo al aire y páginas en los medios impresos.

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MA: ¿Considera usted que los estudiantes de la universidad estarán más inclinados a votar en esta elección ya que ambos candidatos son ex alumnos de SDSU? ¿Se ha fomentado la participación de estudiantes de la universidad por parte de los candidatos?

IO: Desafortunadamente, los estudiantes son considerados un grupo que no vota, a quien no le importa. Sé que Álvarez hizo un esfuerzo para que esto se lograra durante la elección primaria.

MA: ¿Por qué cree que los estudiantes de SDSU son estereotipados como una comunidad que no se preocupa por cuestiones políticas?

IO: Yo creo que sí les importa. Muchas de las organizaciones que existen en el campus se dedican a cuestiones que se considerarían políticas. Por ejemplo, MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán) y AChA (Asociación de Activistas Chicanas), históricamente han sido de las organizaciones latinas más influyentes. En el pasado, no participaban en la política electoral, pero en esta ocasión ambas organizaciones se presentaron a votar.

MA: ¿Cuál cree que será el caso en materia de relaciones internacionales y asuntos fronterizos durante la nueva administración, dado que Bob Filner se mostró muy interesado en fortalecer las relaciones con Tijuana?

Profesor Isidro Ortiz analiza a los candidatos a la alcaldía de San Diego. Cortesia de

Isidro ortiz

“Los latinos políticamente, tal como son diversos social y económicamente.”

- Isidro Ortiz IO: Filner tomó una decisión y abordó temas que ningún otro alcalde había hecho. Sabemos que hay cuestiones que son importantes en ambos lados de la frontera, como el aire y la contaminación del medio ambiente. Ambos candidatos han articulado que van a hacer un esfuerzos por mejorar las relaciones con Tijuana, a raíz de la administración de Filner y todo lo que comenzó cuando él luchó por establecer a esta ciudad como una prioridad.

12 THE BACK PAGE

monDAY, december 9, 2013

#selfie

In defense of the selfie iving in the 21st Lhascentury certainly its benefits— elisse miller

features editor

a robot-voiced entity named Siri can tell me how to get to the nearest gas station, I can have a full, up-to-theminute conversation with my friend who’s studying in a different country thanks to iMessage and this thing called the Internet can answer virtually any question that I’ll ever have. However, none of these feats of technology delight me quite like witnessing the capturing of a selfie.

Sure, I love taking selfies. I’ve loved the process since my middle school days when I took plenty of selfies for my Myspace page. The classics were the “in-the-mirror-with-the-camera-flashon” selfie and the “hold-the-camera-atextremely-high-angles” selfie. Don’t act like you haven’t been there.

My passion for the selfie has only grown. My greatest accomplishment to date is the “Mona Lisa” selfie I took when visiting Paris this summer. The Louvre will never be the same. But what I love even more than taking selfies is witnessing someone else take a selfie.

I was at an In-N-Out Burger on a Saturday night a few weeks ago. As I was waiting for my cheeseburger to go, I noticed two girls to my left also waiting for their food They couldn’t have been older than 15. What did they decide to do while waiting? Take selfies.

I was fascinated. One whipped out

her iPhone and the posing began.

After the best duck face was achieved, the girl excitedly brought her phone down and, I’m assuming, posted it to the social media venue of her choice, if not several. I haven’t studied the selfie process enough to be able to differentiate which are Instagram, Snapchat or Facebook profile picture selfies. All I know is that filters were most definitely involved.

It’s an incredibly intimate moment to witness. You watch as the picture’s subject tries to find the best lighting, contemplates several head tilts and, my personal favorite, figures out what facial expression to make. Serious selfie? Kissy-lips selfie? Raisedeyebrows-and-looking-coy selfie? Waytoo-large-grin selfie? The options are limitless.

What’s even better about the public selfie is how bold it is. It’s a declaration to all those around—“I look hot in this moment, I’m going to capture it, and damn it, you’re going to watch.”

Ever since the In-N-Out incident, I’ve noticed a spike in public selfies. At house parties, there’ll be a girl checking herself out in that forward-facing camera on her phone. It seems that our campus has even become the perfect venue for the selfie. I’ll admit I’ve taken a few while walking to class.

Recently, the Oxford English Dictionary announced “selfie” as its

words

65 Students’ hurdles 66 Kick out

word of the year. Critics of millennials took it as one more piece of evidence to provide that we’re one of the most selfish generations yet—we’re forming Netflix addictions instead of fighting in world wars. But you know what we are doing? We’re learning to love ourselves.

There’s nothing immoral or harmful about appreciating the bodies we were born with. It’s a victimless crime that for some reason really irks a few folks.

If a couple double-taps on my latest Instagram selfie make me feel better about myself, that doesn’t make me an attention whore; it makes me someone who is genuinely interested in cheering myself up a little.

People feel incredibly awkward when witnessing this harmless act, but why?

Because we don’t know how to react to self-love. Our parents hardly had to deal with such unadulterated praise of the self. It’s not our fault that such a self-indulging activity is foreign.

However, we can adapt, and create a culture that praises individuals who take the time to appreciate themselves.

I mean, the fact that I’m composing a brief essay on the topic proves that we’re making a step in the right direction.

These little reminders of self-worth can be vital in preventing full-on breakdowns. I’m a firm believer that if I look good, I can conquer anything.

And if a quick snapshot helps me forget about massive student debt or the lack of a job waiting for me after graduation, who’s to say that’s so wrong?

numbers

Down

Across

1 Gem weight unit 6 Three-line Japanese poem 11 Container for Peter Pan 14 “You __ busted!”

15 Past prisoner, for short 16 Prefix for a lifesaving “Pen” 17 “Why bother?”

19 Bit of Morse code 20 Trivial gripe 21 Stow cargo 22 “57 Varieties” brand 24 Purr former 25 Plane for a small airstrip, briefly 27 “Why me?”

33 Entire 34 Neeson of “Schindler’s List” 35 Carps at

37 Blubber 38 90-degree pipe piece 39 Clinton’s vice president 40 Johnson of “Laugh-In” 41 Island dance 42 Beast with one hump or two 43 “Why worry?”

46 Pet food brand with a ProActive Health variety 47 Chimpanzee, e.g.

48 Equally strange 51 Northwestern pear 53 Revolutionary Guevara 56 Logician’s proof ending 57 “Why not?”

61 Spoon-bending Geller 62 Musical Merman 63 Eucalyptus-eating marsupial 64 Civil War prez

1 Abel’s older brother 2 Class for potential painters 3 Remainder 4 Residue in a smoker’s tray 5 “You missed the deadline” 6 Pay attention to 7 Wheel-supporting shaft 8 Cold bagful for a party 9 Bout enders, briefly 10 Without footwear 11 “Star Wars” warrior 12 Neat as __ 13 Big name in hotels and crackers 18 Hiker’s route 23 Stretch out 24 Phone screening service 25 Underwater experiment site 26 Tiny Dickens boy 27 Pier 28 Do-it-yourselfer’s book genre 29 Indigenous Alaskans 30 Grand Roman home 31 Judd of country music 32 “Snowy” heron 33 Fighter’s org.

36 Salt, on the Seine 41 Partner of haw 42 Baked treat often wrapped in fluted paper 44 Gizmo 45 Brewer’s kiln 48 Greenish-blue 49 Balkan native 50 Drooling toon dog 51 Red root vegetable 52 Lubricates 53 Bloke 54 Ice fishing access 55 List-shortening abbr.

58 Suffix with Wyoming 59 Old videotape type 60 Fenway team, for short

HOW TO PLAY: Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box contains every digit 1 to 9.

Difficulty Level:

3/4

ALL SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.THEDAILYAZTEC.COM or IN OUR NEXT ISSUE’S CLASSIFIEDS CROSSWORDS, SUDOKU, AND HOROSCOPES COURTESY OF TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC., ©2013.

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thefuture

Today’s Birthday (12/9/13) - A creative or spiritual quest calls you to new flavors, destinations and experiences this year.

New Year’s Day brings financial gifts, arriving into March. Remember that career powers up through practice, networking and group collaboration. Springtime fun and romance add spice and creativity at work; share it far and wide, especially after August. Talk about what you love.

HOW IT WORKS: 10 is good, 1 is bad.

Aries (March 21 - April 19) - Today is a 5 - Don’t let the haters get you down. If you stumble, make it into part of the dance.

Increase your influence this week with small, incremental steps. The more you learn, the stronger you’ll become. Take time for yourself.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) - Today is a 5 - Decrease time spent in committees.

Accept applause; you’ve earned it. But beware, costs are higher than expected. Use your experience and wisdom to effectively strategize. Stash away any surplus funds.

Preserve backyard fruit for later delight.

Gemini (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 5 A distant acquaintance makes a power play.

Let another person argue for you. Use subtle persuasion. Keep decreasing expenditures and debt. Consider a radical suggestion and maintain objectivity. Perhaps a bold change could boost you up a level.

Cancer (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 6 - You can do a job yourself and save money.

Update equipment. Plan for emergencies.

Make the changes you’ve been contemplating.

Keep increasing your awareness on a subject of passion. Cut unnecessary chatter.

Emotional strength is evident.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 6 - Firm up plans, and make sure to include a fun factor. Work out a new team budget. You’re very attractive now. Stay cool and move quickly. Strengthen a loving relationship.

Complete all assignments before diving into the next adventure.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is a 6 Invest in home improvements this week. The work involves cleaning up a mess or making repairs. The changes will benefit the whole family and you’ll wonder why you waited so long to get started. Then celebrate.

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 7 - Do your homework patiently. Stand firm for what you know is right and exceed all expectations. You have everything you need. The more money you save the better.

Maintain objectivity. The key is in providing excellent service.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 5 - Accept a generous offer. You have abundant resources through your friends. Let others plan the details and route. Provide emotionally persuasive content. Dig into a household project. Tidy up. Postpone a shopping trip. A compromise can be achieved.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) Today is a 5 - Your brilliance is revealed through surprising new information. Handle disagreements. Challenge your limits.

Ponder the situation. Are you convinced about the direction to go? If someone else doesn’t like the plan, wait. Express your own needs and desires clearly.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 5 - You can do this. Increase your holdings (and confidence) over the coming week. Your ideas are accepted. Discover hidden treasure. The action is behind the scenes. Spread out and get to work. Make plans and work out details.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is a 7 - Enjoy the applause as you power on.

Keep your momentum. Get help building your dream. The anticipation builds. Private effort pays off now. Monitor results and stash income for an increase in value. Others are impressed.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 7 - Persuasion works now. Increase your comfort level. Imagine how you’d love it to turn out. Decrease debts and your dependence on others this week. Free someone up. Share time or resources with someone who obviously needs it.