09-20-2010

EATING IN

CAMPUS BIKE LANE

DIVERSITY

Save money with these helpful cooking ideas.

Are those green lanes practical on campus?

A.S. commissioners help promote new programs on page 5 campus.

dailyaztec page 3

page 6

the

Monday, September 20, 2010

Vol. 96, Issue 13

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1913

w w w. T h e D a i l y A z t e c . c o m

INDEX:

opinion ... 2

sports ... 4

TODAY @ STATE Art Exhibition, noon to 4 p.m., University Art Gallery Business Etiquette, noon to 4 p.m., Career Services

Tw i t t e r : T h e D a i l y A z t e c

news ... 5

features ... 6

classifieds ... 7

MISSOURI

SDSU

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24

Courtesy of Ernie Anderson

backpage ... 8

Courtesy of Ernie Anderson

The San Diego State football team got big-time performances from its defense and freshman running back Ronnie Hillman against Missouri on Saturday night, but it wasn’t enough, as SDSU fell 27-24 in Columbia, Mo.

Last-minute touchdown stuns Aztecs Missouri’s T.J. Moe scores a late 68-yard reception to ruin SDSU’s upset bid EDWARD LEWIS SPORTS EDITOR

Missouri receiver T.J. Moe juked Brandon Davis, broke through two defenders and in one 68-yard gallop, smashed the San Diego State football team’s hopes of a win in Columbia, Mo., on Saturday night.

SDSU had the lead. Up 24-20 with 51 seconds left in the game, the Aztecs were going to upset the No. 25 Tigers. But Mizzou quarterback Blaine Gabbert reared back, fired a

sideline pass to Moe, and the rest was history. Missouri, a 15-point favorite heading into the game, squeaked by SDSU 27-24 at Memorial Stadium.

“It’s always tough to lose a game that way, but we didn’t deserve to win it, the way we played,” head coach Brady Hoke told reporters after the game. “We didn’t play very well. We didn’t tackle well on defense all night long. We played a little bit tentative and we can’t do that.”

It was a night of severe highs and epic lows for the Aztecs.

In the game’s opening drive, Mizzou (3-0) marched 80 yards on nine plays and scored a touchdown just 3:16 into the game. SDSU (21) answered with an 80-yard drive of its own, using 10 plays in 4:10. But after those two scores, the end zone was hard to come by.

Both quarterbacks, Gabbert and junior Ryan Lindley, had plenty of time to throw the football in the pocket, but never got into a rhythm. Gabbert finished 28-for-51, while Lindley finished 20-for-44. Because of their struggles, both teams turned to their ground game. And that worked for the Aztecs.

Freshman Ronnie Hillman broke off a 75yard run just before half that cut Missouri’s lead to 17-14 at the break. Then, in the fourth quarter, Hillman broke off a 93-yard run with less than 11 minutes remaining to give SDSU its first lead of the night, 21-20. And after the Aztecs picked off Gabbert twice in the final quarter and kicked a field goal, it looked like SDSU was going to do the unthinkable: Upset a top 25 team on the road, 24-20.

But then Moe stepped in, caught a 68-yard touchdown pass with 50 seconds remaining, and crushed the Aztecs.

“We’re down; it’s a tough loss,” senior defensive back Jose Perez said. “We had opportunities to win the game. It was tough for us; it’s tough right now. All we have to do is bounce back and get things going again.”

There were plenty of positives to take out of the game for SDSU. Hillman rushed for 228 yards and two scores on 23 carries, becoming the 17th player in Aztec history to record a 200-yard rushing effort. SDSU’s defense posted two picks, one sack and forced a fumble.

But at the end of the night, the Aztecs lost to a team from a BCS conference for the 23rd consecutive time. And they did it in gutwrenching fashion.

“Complete disbelief,” Lindley said.

For more coverage of SDSU’s loss, read page 4

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The Daily Aztec

OPINION

Monday, September 20, 2010

FREEDOM HAWK

SDSU faculty fails in intellectual diversity

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just returned this summer from my third study abroad trip, marking my seventh time traveling to Europe in the past three years. If there is one thing I have taken away, it’s how messed up our university system has become in America. We have almost zero diversity of thought. After spending the better part of my seven trips meeting and conversing with professors from Oxford and other various European universities, I have found a common astonishment with them at the blatant, one-sided political agenda pushed by American academia.

I never considered San Diego State a hardcore liberal school while I was searching for universities in my final year of high school.

However, I have been deeply disappointed with the unanimous hard left stance taken not just by the political science department, but of all the departments at our university.

Before you even begin debating this point with me, walk down the political science department in Nasatir Hall and look at the posters and political cartoons up on the doors of our professors. Every conservative student at SDSU who has been in there

PATRICK WALSH S E N I O R S TA F F C O L U M N I S T

knows the feeling of hostility we face walking down that hall.

It’s odd, at a school that loves to toot its own horn about our vast racial, cultural and sexual diversity, we have completely missed the point. The fact is we have no diversity.

There is no diversity of thought. No debate in the ideological realm. Here, too, I can draw on my own personal experiences of being verbally shot down and graded down for having a semi-conservative stance on political issues.

The sad part is that it doesn’t stop at the political science department. I have had history classes, biology classes and even a Spanish class in which the professor couldn’t help themselves from blaming former President George W. Bush and Republicans for everything from horrors of the Mexican cartels to leveling of women’s wages.

Throughout the past three years, I’ve come to know many professors from the Oxford Study Abroad Programme. I have heard

countless lectures by them and I can honestly say that I have no idea what their political affiliations are. They are professionals. They are more interested in giving their students the tools to learn and think for themselves than attempting to indoctrinate them with their own left-wing theories. These professors regard American academia as a joke.

Our professors have become so conspiratorial and politically tribal that they have detached themselves from the objectives of their occupation. We know we have a problem when the center-left countries of Europe are telling America, a center-right country, that our academy is run by leftwing lunatics; and they are correct.

As students, we must call for a change because it truly is depriving us of a meaningful education. I have listened to two professors here at SDSU tell me that Bush and Halliburton were probably behind the attacks of 9/11. I have had enough. It’s fine to have those views, but when the “powers that be” at SDSU keep hiring people who share their own political viewpoints while alienating professors and students who disagree with them, we are the ones who suffer. Without intellec-

tual diversity, we will enter the workforce with a narrow education. I wouldn’t support this one-sidedness if it were reversed and the faculty staff all bloviated on conservative talking points on a daily basis.

This is an easy fix. When I first joined The Daily Aztec, it was very one-sided politically, especially here in the Opinion section. Since then, we have come a long way through taking on diverse minds. We now have several different staff writers with true diversity. It’s not just me versus the Marxist regime anymore. The same could be done with the SDSU faculty.

Challenge the ideas of your professors during in-class discussion. Do not hesitate to write your persuasive paper against the position of your professor’s political agenda. Do not accept the SDSU faculty’s claims of diversity on campus. The true essence of diversity is born with dissent.

—Patrick Walsh is a political science senior.

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

A GUEST’S PERSPECTIVE

Buy cage free eggs to support animal rights

MCT Campus

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ext time you bite into an egg and cheese biscuit on campus, you’ll be happy to know it’s no longer served with a heaping side of guilt. San Diego State has put its foot down against the unethical manufacturing of caged eggs, allowing the bad juju to vanish from our breakfast scrambles.

On Aug. 25, SDSU made the switch from caged eggs to cage-free eggs, which offers an “animal-friendly” meal for students. Nearly 325 million hens across the U.S. produce eggs while living in uncomfortably small quarters. Caged hens typically spend their lifespan confined in wire pens, referred to as “battery cages,” piled on top of one another and placed side by side throughout warehouses.

According to The San Diego Union Tribune, Paul Melchior, SDSU’s director of dining services, stated, “San Diego State University is thrilled to announce our new cage-free egg policy … We’re proud of how seriously we take animal welfare, sustainability and food safety. Switching away from caged eggs is a tremendous way to demonstrate this commitment.”

PAIGE NORDEEN CONTRIBUTOR

I feel proud knowing the university I attend takes an honorable stance for animal rights. SDSU overlooks the higher financial cost of cage-free eggs and instead acknowledges the physical cost it bears upon detained hens. Confined to the scanty wired boxes and deprived of their natural movements, caged hens have little to no quality of life. According to the Humane Society of the U.S., the cages leave less than the width of a sheet of paper between the birds.

Raw skin and loss of feathers are affects caused by hens consistently rubbing against each other. The battery cage prison does not provide enough room for hens to move around or even comfortably lay the eggs we all love to eat. The pitiful conditions these animals have to endure — imposed by poultry farmers and supported by consumers — have vastly been out of sight, out of mind.

SDSU has successfully turned that around and taken charge, reinforcing an enhanced

living environment for the hens.

However, with change, criticism inevitably follows. SDSU and other universities — including some of our neighboring California colleges — are taking heat concerning the fear of salmonella in cage-free eggs.

The Humane Society of the U.S. tested the number of cases in 10 different studies, all of which depicted higher rates of the disease in caged eggs. So now that we’ve eliminated that criticism, what will come next?

According to The San Diego Union Tribune, Bernice Nevarez, owner of a poultry farm in Ramona, stated that the hens are “running around in their own manure … We totally see that having more control of the manure is a much better and cleaner way to do it, but you can’t explain that to some people … I think SDSU is doing what they think will help when they don’t really know the whole picture.”

I “totally” can relate to Nevarez’s frustration; especially when I checked out her website and found photos depicting the picturesque free-range environment she so openly bashes. Eben-Haezer Poultry Ranch neglects to post images of its caged hens, and ironi-

cally opts for the farm-fresh vision that tickles you pink when you see those little guys roaming free. I wonder why.

Poultry farmers are slowly getting the hint that the public desires produce that abides by standards of decency and humane treatment. Much to their dismay, the veil has been lifted and the demand for cage-free eggs prompts a new order of business.

The caged egg system is cruel. We would be foolish if we neglected to support an alternative way to produce eggs in an animal-friendly environment. SDSU has jumped on the bandwagon and made a valiant effort to reduce the production and sale of caged eggs. Now our student body can contribute by purchasing egg products on campus.

When shopping at your local grocery store or market, spend the extra dollar to buy the free-range carton. It is often said that animals have no voice, so let us speak for them.

—Paige Nordeen is a media studies senior.

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

OPINION

Monday, September 20, 2010

The Daily Aztec

3

A GUEST’S PERSPECTIVE

Bike lane should be removed from campus walkway

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t’s happened to me and it’s happened to you. That agonizing moment when you dust off your pants, pick up your books and go buy another latté. It’s that second when you realize you’re not only late, but that you’ve humiliated yourself in front of hundreds of your peers. It’s hilarious to everyone but you, and it totally sucks.

Honestly speaking, I wouldn’t have been in such a cynical mood if the obnoxious green lines of the bike lane would stop hurting my eyes for five seconds while I dragged myself to class. That being said, you can understand my state of mind.

Thanks to the new San Diego State bike lane, I’ve witnessed several victims get served by the sidewalk. The majority wouldn’t notice these assaults as easily if those fluorescent green lines would stop screaming for attention. They force our eyes directly to them, you have the bike lane to thank for that.

With more than 4,000 incoming freshmen alone, it’s no wonder SDSU students decide to utilize bikes, scooters and skate-

ALYSSA CLARK CONTRIBUTOR

boards on campus. The “Eco-Friendly Club” developed the bike lane to reduce gas emissions from cars, and to motivate students to consider alternate transportation. The only thing this giant sticker has done is cut down my desire to go to class, and decrease my motivation to go onto campus whatsoever.

Simply put, the bike lane is counterproductive and needs a face lift.

When trying to get from Storm Hall to College Square in 10 minutes, the need to bike, skate, or scoot is justifiable. Last time I checked, no Olympic power walkers attend SDSU, and no one likes to show up late, sweaty and out of breath to class.

The main thing I can’t understand is how a 100-yard stretch of sidewalk space is productive for pedestrians or cyclists?

Campanile Walkway is not the best place to insert the bike lane because not only is it blockaded by the Farmers Market on

Thursdays, but the only classrooms that are somewhat close to it are those in Hepner Hall, and honestly, who wants to see that God-awful green color when walking to an 8 a.m. class?

Also, the length does not inspire students to ride to school. What is the actual gain in using a bike or skateboard? Is it really worth coasting for five seconds on a bike, or zig-zagging through pedestrian trespassers on a skateboard? I’d rather burn the 18 calories by walking the 100 yards, thanks.

Grievances aside, adding a bike lane is not a bad idea.

Students would benefit from the addition of a productive pro-wheels system. The asphalt streets are the perfect location for the bike lane because they line the perimeter of campus. It accesses GMCS, Arts and Letters, EBA, Storm / Nastir halls, the pedes-

trian Bridge, Life Sciences, North Education and other buildings by a simple flight of stairs. If the new lane is instated, pedestrians who choose to walk in the lane should be cited for breaking a school policy.

The more respect the lane gets, the more it will be used. All I’m asking for is a more efficient lane that people will use and enjoy. This idea can bring a great change to our school, and hopefully work will be done in the near future to make it happen.

SDSU works hard to remain eco-friendly, and we should all contribute to the effort when the new lane is up and running.

—Alyssa Clark is an English sophomore.

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

A GUEST’S PERSPECTIVE

American car culture is wasteful and impractical

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et the thrill of driving aside for a moment and ask yourself why you love your car. Besides the independence four wheels can give you, cars are inefficient, expensive, dangerous and a blight on our urban areas. Yet no one seems to question the dominance of the car in the American transportation network. For better or for worse, we are the “Car Culture.” It’s time to rethink the personal automobile. I’m not trying to make those of you who drive cars feel guilty. I only want to show you how you’ve been duped into thinking there are no valid alternatives. Whether you’re worried about bleeding money or carbon emissions, public transportation is the way to go.

It is we students who benefit most from public transportation. If it is easy enough to get around the city by bus, train or trolley, we stand to save quite a pile of money.

Think of congested parking lots, incredibly expensive parking permits and a college budget and you’ve got the plight of the average San Diego State student. The amount of space on campus dedicated to parking structures is truly mind-blowing. We are lucky enough to have a trolley station and bus stop right on campus as well as student-price Metropolitan Transit System passes.

I don’t own a car. I often take the trolley from the SDSU transit center to Old Town and then get on the Coaster to see my girlfriend in Carlsbad. It’s easy and fairly inexpensive. Still, there is plenty of room for improvement. Many areas of San Diego remain inaccessible. Fortunately, this situation is about to improve.

... there were 34,172 fatal crashes in 2008 causing the deaths of 37,423 American drivers, passengers and pedestrians ... automobile accidents in the U.S. account for ‘one death every 13 minutes.’

A massive five-year project to revamp San Diego’s trolley system is scheduled to begin Sept. 22. The blue and orange lines will receive the most attention with infrastructure being updated and old trolley cars replaced with new low-floor light rail vehicles.

Stations on various lines will be added and improved and the green line, which runs

RANDY WILDE CONTRIBUTOR

through SDSU, will be extended to go all the way downtown instead of stopping at Old Town. A project to run a light rail track to the UCSD area was also approved in May. These measures are certainly a step in the right direction, but should only be seen as the beginning.

Ditch your car and take advantage of this new and improved network of public transportation. With all environmental arguments aside, let’s talk economics and common sense. At first glance the car is sleek, aesthetically pleasing and efficient. Beneath the exterior of polished steel and chrome is up to 5,000 pounds of metal, plastic and rubber. It runs on fuel lodged deep underground that took millions of years to form, massive investments to extract and refine and many of your tax dollars to subsidize. It takes an average parking spot of 325 square feet to store the beast. This monstrosity usually transports a measly few hundred pounds of human being. Still sound efficient?

If you own a car, I don’t have to tell you how expensive it is. According to a Department of Labor study, the average consumer unit owns 1.9 cars and spends a whopping 17.6 percent of their average income on transportation including car purchase, fuel and other expenses. That’s nearly as much as insurance, education and health care combined, which make up 18.4 percent.

It is the single largest category apart from housing. If your new car costs about $20,000, then you pay the original purchase price again in maintaining and fueling the car in a mere 2.3 years. Gas prices have become a huge burden for drivers and will only grow as oil production and consumption continues to skyrocket. Even these high prices are kept artificially low by subsidies and externalizing various costs to the environment and government spending on technology, infrastructure, shipping, and most importantly military deployment to protect oil production and shipment. Those are your tax dollars. On the other hand, your money could go towards building a clean, convenient, and efficient system of public transportation, making your life easier and more affordable.

Safety is another huge issue for the automotive industry. According to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System Encyclopedia, there were 34,172 fatal crashes in 2008 causing the deaths of 37,423 American drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Car accidents.com claims that automobile accidents in the U.S. account for “one death every 13 minutes.” These numbers are absolutely staggering and the dangers are especially real for college students and young

Courtesy of Metropolitan Transit System

Solely relying on cars is short-sighted and impractical. Public transportation will serve the city for generations.

people. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that car crashes are the leading cause of death among 15 to 20 yearolds. Drunk driving is also a major killer of college students. If you want to drink alcohol and remain mobile, just hop on a bus, train, or trolley — no designated driver required.

The upcoming trolley renewal project is a step in the right direction, but it is not enough, not even close. As those who stand

to benefit the most, it’s time students spoke up about improving our local transportation infrastructure.

—Randy Wilde is an international security and conflict resolution junior.

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

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SPORTS

The Daily Aztec

Monday, September 20, 2010

SON OF A PITCH

Lots to take from the upset that never was battling the most accurate passer in the nation and hostile fans in their MIZZ-OU-RAH shirts on the road. It all looked so promising, just like how the Typhoon’s vixen gave me a seductive stare, followed with a flirty smile and a “Hi. Wanna buy me a drink?”

The next thing you know, they allow a 68yard pass with less than a minute left to lose 27-24 (disappointing, like the way my interaction with said blonde ended: with an empty

Courtesy of Ernie Anderson

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ou hear it all the time: coaches saying that tackling is always about “the angles.” For the San Diego State football team on Saturday, it wasn’t. Linebacker Miles Burris was covering Missouri wideout T.J. Moe on Moe’s game-winning touchdown reception, only to have defensive back Jose Perez knocked into him, taking both Aztecs out of the play.

Although he looked to be getting in position to have a good angle on the tackle, Burris ended up on the ground watching Moe scamper 68 yards to pay dirt.

Saturday’s loss to the No. 25 Tigers (3-0) was almost one of the most dramatic upsets in SDSU history. The atmosphere at McGregor’s was electric after the Aztecs took the lead in

Courtesy of Ernie Anderson

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

the fourth quarter: The beer was flowing, the disgruntled Mizzou fan behind me left early, the Mike Singletary-look-alike next to me was making humping motions and my colleague Matt McClanahan scared away a 264-year old lifelong SDSU fan who reminded me of Father Time. Celebrating the football team like that is not a familiar sight here on Montezuma Mesa.

But the Aztecs (2-1) turned out to be a bigger tease than the curvy blonde I met at Typhoon’s the other night. They were up 2420 with 51 seconds left against a ranked team,

“This wasn’t the fourth quarter meltdowns against Wyoming and UNLV of last year. After having the victory seemingly in hand on the road against a top25 team only to have it ripped away mercilessly, this one hurt more. chair next to me, $8.50 poorer and no phone number or kiss to show for it).

Good thing I didn’t get emotionally invested in the conversation with blondie. I did, however, get emotionally invested in the game.

This wasn’t the fourth quarter meltdowns against Wyoming and UNLV of last year. After having the victory seemingly in hand on the road against a top-25 team only to have it ripped away mercilessly, this one hurt more.

A win would have made SDSU 3-0 for the first time since before I was born, and with a very winnable home game against Utah State next week, it would have put the team on the nice little path to bowl eligibility.

But although Saturday was a heartbreak, it was the kind of heartbreak where you find a smoking hot Alpha Chi Omega sister to be your rebound girl. The Aztecs showed resilience going into an intimidating environment as the underdogs and completely silencing Columbia, Mo. for 10 minutes in the fourth quarter. Oh yeah, and we found out that Ronnie Hillman kid isn’t a one-week wonder, too.

The dynamic freshman rushed for 228 yards and two touchdowns coming on runs of 75 and 93 yards. He’s the real deal, and looks like a lock to earn Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors for a second straight week. It’s also refreshing to hear the humble Hillman downplay his achievements with his teamfirst quotes after every game.

SDSU earned $800,000 by playing in Missouri last weekend, which is nice, but pulling out the upset would have been even sweeter.

This calls to mind a famous saying that has to do with having your cake and eating it too, but I don’t want to sound unoriginal or cheesy.

Until next time, you stay classy San Diego.

—Agustin Gonzalez is a journalism senior.

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

The SDSU volleyball team dropped three matches this weekend. Check www.thedailyaztec.com for a full recap.

News

Monday, September 20, 2010

The Daily Aztec

5

AS increases diversity awareness on campus New diversity commissioners have plans for change ALEJANDRA PAZ CONTRIBUTOR

File Photo

Safe Zones is one of the programs that will be used to emphasize diversity at SDSU.

Associated Students has doubled its emphasis on diversity and added a second diversity commissioner position for the first time.

T h e t wo c o m m i s s i o n e r s , Channelle McNutt and Janelle Fejeran, will serve during the 2010-11 academic year.

McNutt and Fejeran will work jointly to make diversity more essential than it has been in the past years.

The shared position includes understanding as many diverse students as possible.

“In its entirety, a diversity commissioner is essentially supposed to foster cultural understanding of different ethnics, socioeconomics, sexual orientations and individuals- different things that relate to diversity,” McNutt said.

Currently the diversity commissioners are working with Safe Zones, a program on campus that allows students to better accept the differences that come with diversity. “Safe Zones is a training for students, faculty and staff to become more resourceful, and welcoming to all issues concerning diversity,” Fejeran said. “Orientation, sex, gender, but specifically for the LGBT community.”

In addition to Safe Zones, both commissioners are working on the Cultural Competency Certificate Program, which is available to San Diego State students, staff and faculty and provides seminars, workshops and service learning opportunities which all relate to promoting diversity. They are also working with Aaron Bruce, director of diversity at SDSU, uniting as many organizations as possible, working with individual students, solidifying their position to be better known and taking The Koala off SDSU campus.

“I am excited to see that Associated Students is putting forth additional effort to make diversity a priority for our campus.”

—Aaron Bruce, director of diversity In McNutt’s opinion, The Koala does not do anything for SDSU and promotes the exact opposite of what their position necessitates.

“That is just a publication that does not support our position, doesn’t support A.S. and doesn’t support the mission statement of the university we attend,” McNutt said.

Bruce will work with Fejeran and McNutt to solidify the position of the diversity commissioners. Fejeran and McNutt have a good dynamic, according to Bruce.

“I am excited to see that A.S. is putting forth an additional effort to make diversity a priority for our campus,” Bruce said. “Janelle and Channelle make a perfect team. I look forward to working with them.”

The diversity commissioners also spoke about how important diversity is to A.S. President Grant Mack. According to both commissioners, Mack focuses on meeting their needs to make diversity essential on campus.

“He really finds diversity as a highly important issue,” Fejeran said. “Something that needs to be supported, something that needs to be addressed and something that definitely needs expertise from two intellectual, committed and passionate people.”

Diversity is not a priority for many students, nor do they know who the diversity commissioners are, McNutt and Fejeran said.

“Allowing students to know that there is a person that will relate to them on any and every circumstance, whether it be the color of their skin, how they felt that day, how they look physically, how they feel mentally — they have a person within their student government that will relate to them on any given day of the week, on any second or time on their watch. We will be there for them,” McNutt said.

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FOOD & DRINK

The Daily Aztec

Monday, September 20, 2010

Smart hints for the enthusiastic sushi eater JESSICA GOODWIN S TA F F W R I T E R

Sushi. It’s been in the United States since the 1960s and has seen a renaissance in the last 20 years as witnessed through the countless sushi restaurants opening all throughout San Diego. Now, it is even sold in premade packages at grocery stores.

There are many known health benefits to eating sushi, such as the rich source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids that it provides, but there are also some health concerns that consumers may want to think about before diving in to a full plate of Nigiri once a week.

With the myriad of sushi bars entering the restaurant scene in San Diego, it may be tricky for the untrained eye to discern which establishments are worthy of consumer standards and which ones are amateur.

Paul Johnson, the owner of Sushi on the Rock in La Jolla, recommends customers take note of how busy a place is. If it’s slow, the fish might not be used as quickly as it should and could reach consumers’ plates when it shouldn’t. He also said to take note of any fishy smells a restaurant might have (bad sign), to eat at well-established restaurants and to ask the chefs and servers about the quality of the fish.

Kristen Golan, a nutrition senior at San Diego State, said she doesn’t eat sushi on Mondays because fish markets are closed on Sundays, and therefore at least two days old by the time it gets to the customer. Golan said she is cautious about sushi consumption because of what she has learned in her nutrition classes. She said she tries to stay

away from the prepackaged sushi and stick to high quality restaurants.

Two crucial differences between a thrifty sushi joint and a pricier one are the quality of fish and the knowledge of the chefs.

Johnson said that cost is no matter for his establishment and therefore gets the highest quality of fish flown in from all across the world. Also, he has highly trained chefs who are some of the best in San Diego, he said.

Having highly trained sushi chefs is essential for ensuring that the fish is cut and handled properly. Skilled sushi chefs are knowledgeable about fish from different regions of the world and know what to look for in terms of parasites.

Johnson said there are about a dozen local restaurants whose owners invest in the highest quality of fish and don’t mind spending top dollar for top quality. He recommends Sushi Ota in Pacific Beach and Hane Sushi in Banker’s Hill, which are two of the best in his opinion.

Along with the concerns of quality and food handling is the concern of mercury intake. In a study commissioned by The New York Times in 2008, it was discovered eating six pieces of tuna per week, which was served at 20 sushi restaurants in Manhattan, would exceed the acceptable limit of the Environmental Protection Agency.

The group that conducted the study, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, said the findings would most likely be similar nationwide, according to MSNBC. The risks of eating sushi are there, just as with consumption of any raw meat such as beef carpaccio, tuna tartare or ceviche. Being an informed sushi consumer, knowing where

Vittoria Picone / Staff Photographer

to go and what to order, is likely to decrease the risk of an unpleasant night of food poisoning. Be aware of the risks but continue to enjoy the--- unique Japanese cuisine that is so prevalent here in San Diego. Here are some helpful tips that may encourage safer sushi eating: —If eating at less expensive restaurants, stay away from the spicy rolls covered in mayo — it’s hard to tell what fishy smells are hiding behind those strong, fatty ingredients.

—If buying prepackaged sushi, try sticking to the simpler rolls, such as the California Roll and not ones that contain a lot of raw fish.

—When possible, try spending a little more money at high quality restaurants that are well established and have good reputations.

—Be aware of how much sushi is being eaten each month; fish is high in mercury and in large amounts can be harmful.

—Hop online and check out an establishment’s ratings on Yelp.

Inexpensive and healthy eating choices 4. While tofu is cooking, prepare pasta of choice (substitute wheat or whole grain for a healthier option).

5. Add cup of cooked broccoli (frozen broccoli can be bought for less than $1 at Ralphs).

6. When tofu is done, toss ingredients together with fresh, store-bought pesto and then it is ready to eat.

Advantages: While this is one of the more time-consuming items to prepare, if made in large batches this dish can last for as many meals as one desires. Pasta is great to prepare in bulk and is still tasty to eat as a leftover. Tofu is inexpensive and healthy, and broccoli is easy to preserve and use for future meals if frozen.

Homemade Pitza Katie Fisher / Staff Photographer

EMMA SECKER S TA F F W R I T E R

With the economy in the gutter and fast-food establishments aplenty, college students often feel as though they have to choose between eating nutritious and eating what is inexpensive and easy. One does not need to have seen “Fast Food Nation” or consider the escalating issue of American obesity to guess which option usually wins.

However, what many college kids don’t know is there are easy and affordable ways to prepare meals at home that are far more nutritious than fast food or frozen meals.

One does not need to sacrifice nutrition for convenience. Listed below are recipes and meal ideas students can cook up that are easy and inexpensive as the fast-food diet many consume.

Homemade Burrito Before rushing off to buy a value meal burrito at Taco Bell, stop and consider the simplicity of making one fresh from home. The only necessary ingredients are pinto beans, flour or corn tortillas (wheat for a healthier option), cooked chicken and cheese.

Directions: 1. Drain a can of pinto beans and heat over stove top for approximately five minutes or until warm.

2. Mix in cooked chicken bits if desired (or leave out for vegetarian).

3. Place in large, whole wheat or flour tortilla and sprinkle with cheese of choice (cheddar and jack go well with this meal).

4. Roll, and enjoy.

Advantages: This meal is very quick to prepare and the ingredients can be stretched into many meals. Beans are inexpensive and protein-packed, and if home-prepared, chicken and tortillas are not greasy or depleted of nutrients as they generally are at fast-food joints.

Directions: 1. Spread both sides of bread (wheat or multigrain for a healthier option) with pesto.

2. Stack meat with cheese of choice and top with sliced tomatoes.

3. Cook on any grill or stove top until cheese is melted.

4. Remove from grill and chow down.

Advantages: An economical meal requiring basic ingredients students can almost always find in their kitchen and simple, healthy and easy to add or subtract ingredients and condiments depending on food preferences.

Grilling is healthier than frying and preserves the nutrients in the meat and veggies.

Tofu Pesto Pasta Panini While for some, homemade sandwiches are reminiscent of the smashed, bland, perhaps crustless and overall contemptuous main course of elementary school lunch boxes, fear not, for this sandwich is much tastier than those. This gourmet sandwich is no more time or energy-consuming to prepare than the common sandwich, but is incomparably tastier. For this meal, the only ingredients required are pesto spread, chicken or cold cut meat of choice, tomatoes and cheese.

Students don’t need to be vegetarian to enjoy this delicious and simple meal. To make this scrumptious and healthy pasta, the necessary ingredients are tofu, pasta, pesto and broccoli (if desired).

Directions: 1. Cut up tofu into bite-sized squares (can be purchased any supermarket for less than $2 a package).

2. Sprinkle tofu squares with salt and pepper and place in ungreased baking pan.

3. Cook uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

This creative version of the common pizza uses pita bread as a substitute for carb and calorie-packed pizza dough. Tasty and easy for students to prepare, this meal beats out buying a greasy pizza from any inauthentic chain. Pitas (wheat or white), marinara sauce, cheese, and toppings of choice are all that is needed.

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spread pita bread with marinara sauce and sprinkle on cheese and toppings of choice (pita bread can be bought at Vons for $3.09 a dozen).

3. Bake Pitza until edges are a toasty, golden brown color.

Remove Pitza, let cool.

Advantages: In three simple steps one can satisfy their pizza craving while still being economical and healthy. Few ingredients are necessary, but many can be added to enhance and personalize the Pitza. Pitas are healthy and inexpensive, and all ingredients can be kept in the fridge to be used for several meals.

The recipes listed above are only a few of the many quick, healthy and economical meals even the most novice chefs and timepressed college students can prepare. Buying ingredients in bulk and cooking at home saves students money in the long run and is more conducive to a healthy lifestyle. Those iconic golden arches and tantalizing aromas wafting from Trujillo’s may beckon, but don’t succumb to the sirens’ call. A home-cooked meal is right around the corner.

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ACE’S CASE

Methods for moving on

A

Monday, September 20, 2010

m I the only person who thinks “rebounds” are a really stupid idea?

My friends all recently conspired to go through breakups in a domino effect, one right after another. I blame the economy. But regardless of whose fault it is, I’ve spent a lot of time lately sitting on bar stools watching my friends find their “rebounds.”

I would compare “the rebound” to when you twist your ankle, and it really hurts, so you tell your friend “I sprained my right ankle!” And in response your friend stomps his foot on your left ankle. You yell, “Ow! Why did you do that?” and your friend smiles and says, “But you aren’t thinking about your right ankle anymore, right?” This works because your mind can only concentrate on one pain at a time; however, your body still has to recover from both.

Breakups suck. I’d compare a good breakup to getting impaled through the chest with a tree branch. It’s painful and annoying. But what’s even more excruciating and irritating is when your friends immediately call you and say, “Oh my gosh! I saw on Facebook that you went from listed happy and blissful to impaled with an oak bough through the chest! Does it hurt? Can I take you out for drinks and wiggle it around for a little bit?”

The appropriate response to such a statement would be “Uh, yeah it hurts. I have a tree sticking out of my chest and every time I breathe I get splinters in my lung cavity.” However, one instead makes an inane comment about how it was mutual.

KRISTEN ACE NEVAREZ S TA F F C O L U M N I S T

Then your friends will all agree (everyone in the room will suddenly become bobble heads, nodding in unison “yeah” “yeah” “yeah”) that it is time to tell you that they all thought your ex-love was an idiot the entire time. This loosely translates to: “Hey kid, you got dumped and you have poor judgment!” You then laugh in response and mention again about it being a mutual decision.

It is absolutely inevitable they will inform you they are taking you to a club and plan on finding you something hot and meaningless to distract you from the pain.

They will proceed to drag you out to a dark bar and introduce you to a queue of tall strangers with more highlights than ESPN in pursuit of the perfect “rebound.”

Tangent advice: Anyone interested in going into the therapy circuit should just park it on a bar stool and hand their cards out to women and men who look especially dolled up. These people don’t want a date, they want a validation buddy. There is money to be made here, I can just feel it. They should just throw a psychiatrist’s couch on every corner of the Gaslamp … but I digress.

After a breakup, my roommates threw me a “pity party.” As in, everyone came to the party dressed like a celebrity or cause you should feel sorry for. Now while my ex-Mrs. Woods, Elin Nordegren, costume went over quite well, I had to wonder: Is this how grown-ups are supposed to deal with their problems?

We’re mature adults who balance jobs, friends, school and family, yet we ride the six stages of breakup grief like a Magic Mountain theme park roller coaster. We are able to operate potentially dangerous automobiles and bowl without the bumper lanes on the gutter, yet we can’t resist writing passive-aggressive breakup Twitter updates?

I did a little research, and according to Louann Brizendine’s book “The Female Brain,” love is now a documented brain state that shares circuits with obsession, mania, intoxication, thirst and hunger. (As in, love is a disease. I knew it. It’s a trick designed to continue the procreation of the human race.)

After reading that alarming information I did some more scientific research and according to “Mad Men’s” Don Draper, “Lost’s” Jack Shephard and “Romeo and Juliet” a failed relationship is pretty much a reason to go into a mad tailspin. OK. So maybe “rebounds” are a cheaper methadone. I can’t judge.

To my readers who relate to anything I just said, don’t worry about it. Eventually you’ll wake up and decide to cry in the shower, as that’s more economical.

Then you’ll realize you just described it as economical, and you’ll laugh.

That’s when you know you’re going to be all right.

BY LINDA C. BLACK, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (9/20/10) Vary your routines this year. A new outlook makes relationships feel fresh and delightful.You get on the same wavelength with others when you allow family, children and partners to share in fulfilling your dreams.

ARIES (March 21 - April 19) - Today is a 6 Use your willpower to create an umbrella protecting everyone in your circle. Rely on logic to resolve emotional distress. Move forward with creative projects.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - Today is a 7 - If everyone works in teams of two, a lot more gets accomplished. One pair may go off in some wild, imaginative direction, but that's all right.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 7 Activities move forward like a well-oiled machine. Maintain control over the wheel, and you stay on track and get plenty accomplished.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 7 Yesterday's accomplishments put you and a close person in a really good mood.You jump into the week's activities with great ideas and strong emotional support.

LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 7 Someone needs to take the lead. It doesn't have to be you. Balance between criticism and optimism may not be as simple as you'd think. Consider all possibilities.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is a 7 - To take in all the action today would require a

very wide-angle lens. Ask someone to record part of it for review, to savor it later.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is an 8 Choose a direction early and follow it.You get a lot more done if you don't switch gears every time someone opens their mouth. Keep your eyes on the prize.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is an 8 - Inject a note of optimism into every activity today. A lot needs to get done, but nobody appreciates a grumpy attitude. Do it with a smile.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is a 7 - Best results come from concentrated, logical thought. Plan each detail to allow for flexibility along the way. Each person contributes to success.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 6 - As long as you remain in charge, you meet all your goals (and more).To create a livelier mood for others, tell stupid jokes and laugh at theirs.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is a 9 - You have all your ducks in a row regarding your personal task.You discover that others have also done their work to move a joint project forward.

PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 6 You'd like to stay on the intellectual side of any argument. Let others wax emotional while you keep your head. Group consensus evolves late today. © 2010,TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

SUDOKU

BY THE MEPHAM GROUP

Level:

—Kristen Ace Nevarez is a theater arts senior.

1 2

3 4

Instructions: Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.

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

Solution available online at www.TheDailyAztec.com

LOOKING THROUGH OUR LENS

© 2010 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.

CROSSWORD

A SHOOTING (ROCK) STAR Staff Photographer Katie Fisher captured this shot of a high flying, dirt biking daredevil at the Uproar Fest at Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre in Chula Vista.

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ACROSS 1 Persian Gulf emirate 6 Aptly named novelist 11 Check for drinks 14 Rocket scientist Wernher von __ 15 Use for dinner, as dishes 16 Realm from 8001806: Abbr.

17 Jazzy O’Day 18 On the __: broken 19 Approx. landing hr.

20 Daydreaming 23 More intimate 25 __-mutuel: type of betting 26 Funny Costello 27 Abel’s slayer 30 Tsar or emperor 32 It follows the overture 34 Pressed for time 36 Failing to grasp a key element 41 Conceived of 42 IRS agent 43 What ballerinas dance on 46 Slangy agreement 48 HVAC measure 49 Utah city near Provo 50 Uproar 52 Not expected back at work until tomorrow 58 Econ. yardstick 59 Nebraska city 60 Tee shot 63 Mauna __ 64 Lees competitor 65 Ocean ship 66 Bigger picture: Abbr.

EDITED BY RICH NORRIS AND JOYCE LEWIS

Solution available online at www.TheDailyAztec.com 67 Kosher deli offering 68 Sharp-eyed bird DOWN 1 Trade name abbr.

2 Caterer’s vessel 3 Controversial financial rescues 4 Cars 5 “Be right there!”

6 Get a better int. rate, probably 7 Make on the job 8 Working busily 9 “The lady __ protest too much”: “Hamlet” 10 Automaker Ferrari 11 Store to “fall into,” in old ads

12 Prefix with -scopic 13 “Scram!”

21 New employee 22 End result 23 Littleneck, e.g.

24 Centers of activity 28 Actress Swenson 29 Smartly dressed 30 Obstetrician’s calculation 31 Psychic’s asset, for short 33 “Surely I’m not the only one?!”

35 South Korea’s first president 37 Altar promise 38 “Drinks are on yours truly” 39 MLB league 40 Letter-shaped fastener

43 Flip back and forth, as an onoff switch 44 Like some denim patches 45 Letter-writing friend 47 Circular gridiron gathering 51 “West Side Story” heroine 53 Music genre that experienced a ’50s-’60s revival 54 Sign of the future 55 Sitarist Shankar 56 That’s partner 57 Corned beef dish 61 Commercial prefix with -cro 62 Prior to