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Mass killings of civilians in Syria con-tinues as the conflict between theSyrian military, led by PresidentBashar al-Assad’s regime, and theopposition named the Free SyrianArmy, grows more ferocious.

Inspired by the uprising in Tunisiaand Egypt, the protests began in thesouthern city of Dera in March of lastyear. Al-Assad’s regime respondedwith a brutal crackdown, killingmore than 5,000 people so far,according to the U.N.

Last week, twin bombs exploded inAleppo, Syria’s second largest city,killing 28 people. One bomb went off

near a park, killing children as well asother civilians, regime-controlledSyrian State television reported.

FSA denies any responsibility forthe bombings, and blames the Syrianarmy forces for the blasts.

Syria’s third-largest city Homs, acentral area for the uprising, hasbeen bombarded for more than aweek straight by the Syrian govern-ment, resulting in a significant num-ber of casualties.

Those opposing the Syrian govern-ment seek the ousting of al-Assad,who took office following his father’sdeath in 2000. Al-Assad’s family, a

minority Alawite (Shiite) sect, hasbeen in power for 40 years in Syria, apredominantly Sunni country.

San Diego State Professor AhmetKuru, an expert in Islamic and MiddleEastern studies in the Department ofPolitical Science, said the relationshipbetween Shia and Sunni Muslims isdetermined by political and socio-economic conditions.

“If President Assad’s family hadrespected basic human rights of itscitizens, then the people would nothave opposed the regime so strong-ly. It is a matter of freedom, not reli-gion,” he said.

President Barack Obama con-demned the Syrian government’sassault against the protesters.

“Al-Assad must halt his campaignof killing and crimes against his ownpeople now. He must step aside andallow a democratic transition to pro-ceed immediately,” he said in a state-ment from the White House.

The United States, France andBritain, along with 13 other councilmembers, voted in favor of a recent

U.N. resolution aiming toward anintervention in Syria. The resolutionwas vetoed by China and Russia.

“Russia and China have tried to pro-tect the Assad regime despite the masskillings, and a major reason is thatRussia and China regard the Assadregime as the most anti-American Arabstate in the Middle East,” Kuru said.

D A I L Y A Z T E CThursday,

February 16, 2012 N E W S2

Last Thursday, the Liberty Instituterelaunched its “Don’t Tear MeDown” campaign as an effort tokeep the Mt. Soledad VeteransMemorial Cross erect. The Liberty Institute is a “nonprofitorganization to protect freedoms andstrengthen families by impacting thelegislature, media, grassroots, and thecourts with the truth,” according tothe organization’s website.

Built in 1954, the cross has beenthe subject of legal battles for morethan 30 years. The American CivilLiberties Union and other activistgroups have attempted to removethe statue because of its religiousconnotation. Recently, these groupswere victorious after the Ninth CircuitU.S. Court of Appeals deemed thecross unconstitutional.

Now, the Liberty Institute and thou-sands of veterans are fighting back bytaking the case to the Supreme Court,where they hope to set a precedentconcerning religious symbols andmemorials. The organization filed apetition for a writ of certiorari to theSupreme Court, meaning the SupremeCourt will examine and review thelower court’s case and determine ifthe right verdict was made.

“This cross does not exclude peo-ple like me. Somebody in Washington(Jewish War Veterans of the UnitedStates of America) joined with theACLU. This decision does not repre-sent all Jewish war veterans. Supportthis monument. It doesn’t excludeanybody,” Col. David Epstein, aJewish retired army veteran, said.

Others have come out in supportof the cross in different ways. Singer-songwriter Jon Christopher Davis hasmade his original song “Don’t Tear MeDown” available for purchase oniTunes. Most of the proceeds will goto the Liberty Institute’s fight for theMt. Soledad cross.

A website, donttearmedown.com,has also been created in support ofthe cross, promoting its value as awar memorial.

EElliissssee MMiilllleerrstaff writer

CRIME BEAT

SSiixx--yyeeaarr--oolldd ssttoonneedd ffrroomm PPSS55A report was made to the SanDiego Police Department lastSaturday by a witness who report-ed suspects throwing rocks at a 6-year-old girl. When police arrivedat the scene they were unable tofind the suspects or collect anyadditional information to carry outan investigation. Suspects werelast seen leaving PS5 on 55 Street.

PPaarrkkoouurr ppaarraallyyssiissOn Sunday, a female San Diego

State student practicing parkour,a training method focused onmoving around obstacles withspeed and efficiency, lost herbalance while climbing theIndustrial Technology building.After landing on the ground, itwas reported she was unable tomove, at which point she wastransported to Alvarado HospitalMedical Center.

–Compiled by Staff Writer AnaCeballos

IIllggiinn KKaarrlliiddaaggcontributor

Soledad Crossruling appealed

MCT CAMPUS

Backlash ensues afterappellate court rulescross unconstitutional

MCT CAMPUS

Violence continuesas death toll climbsto more than 5,000

“Al-Assad must halt his campaign of killing and ... allow a democratic transition to proceed immediately.”

Barack Obama, president of the United States

Syrian rebels call for president’s removal

D A I L Y A Z T E CThursday, February 16, 2012S P O R T S 3

MEN ’S BASKETBALL

It’s not like the San Diego Statemen’s basketball team hasn’t lost agame this season, but the latest set-back felt pretty devastating.

After UNLV lost to TCU on Tuesdaynight, last night’s game between NewMexico and SDSU became a battle forsole possession of first place in theMountain West Conference.

The Aztecs were playing at homeand had already beaten the Lobos in“The Pit,” but none of that matteredas New Mexico came into ViejasArena and dominated SDSU, win-ning by a final score of 77-67.

The result means the Aztecs arenow tied for second place withUNLV, while New Mexico is all alonein first place.

The loss was the second straightfor SDSU. It was the first time in 80games the Aztecs have droppedback-to-back decisions.

Head coach Steve Fisher wasimpressed by the Lobos, who earneda season-defining win last night.

“Tonight we played a team thatplayed better than anybody we’veplayed to date,” Fisher said. “Theybeat us — I don’t think we lost. Theybeat us, they were very good.”

Lobos leave impressionAll season long, the two teams in theMountain West that have been getting

most of the love from the nationalmedia have been SDSU and UNLV.

Those are also the two teams that arenow in New Mexico’s rearview mirror.

The Lobos came into Viejas Arenawith a chip on their shoulder and itshowed.

New Mexico took the lead with15:40 left in the first half and neverrelinquished it.

Drew Gordon dominated theinside with 17 points and 17rebounds, while Kendall Williamsdominated the outside, scoring 21points and going 5-for-6 frombehind the arc.

Gordon hopes the win will help thenational perception of the Lobos andget them more national attention.

“All season people have been talk-ing about San Diego State and UNLVgoing at it, so this is a nice win toput us sole in first,” Gordon said. “Ithink we will get a little more recog-nition for being in the hunt to winthe conference.”

Down but not outNo doubt the loss was tough for theAztecs, but the team knows it has to

regroup in a short amount of timebecause the conference is so difficult.

“They outplayed us tonight andthey got the better of us on ourhome court, but we have to bow ourheads back this week. It’s tough,”junior guard James Rahon said afterthe game. “We have to make sure weget this one in Colorado Springs thisweekend. It was a tough loss tonight,but we’ll try to get this next one.”

Fisher knows his team and knowsit will be prepared come time forSaturday.

“I have no doubt that we will beready on Saturday, that’s the jobdescription,” Fisher said. “We’ve gotcharacter kids that will compete hard.”

News and notes

After being held scoreless for mostof the game, junior guard ChaseTapley heated up for seven points inone stretch of the second half tobring SDSU within six points.

Sophomore guard Jamaal Franklinsuffered an ankle injury, but Fishertold the media after the game hedidn’t know how Franklin injured it.

AAnnttoonniioo MMoorraalleesssports editor

UNM 77 | SDSU 67

PETER KLUCH, SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Double trouble; SDSU loses second straight

“All season people have beentalking about San Diego Stateand UNLV going at it, so this isa nice win to put us sole in

Drew Gordon,UNLV forward

D A I L Y A Z T E CThursday,

February 16, 2012 S P O R T S4

Advanced Test Preparation

BEHINDTHE NUMBERS

SPONSOREDBY

Advanced Test PreparationScore Higher, Aztecs!

10

4

15

16

6

2

Assists earned by junior guard Chelsea Hopkins

Steals by Hopkins

Points scored by Nahinu

Rebounds grabbed by junior center Malia Nahinu

Number of points Lobos scored in the first half

Number of times in a row Aztecs won at The Pit

1,000 Career mark surpassed in points by junior guard Courtney Clements

10 Number of turnovers had by Aztecs

FOR SDSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN ’S BASKETBALL

It was like a dramatic play, a showcasethat had some of everything.

A tense setting: The Pit. A risingaction: A 20-point lead. And a plot:Getting off to a hot start, handling over-whelming pressure and having a strug-gling star shine on the stage in the end.

The San Diego State women’s bas-ketball team (19-5, 9-1 MW) stopped ahuge comeback to take a 57-44 winagainst the New Mexico Lobos inAlbuquerque, NM last night.

In the victory, junior center MaliaNahinu earned her first career dou-ble-double scoring 16 points, grab-bing 15 rebounds and getting fivestrong blocks.

Junior guard Chelsea Hopkins added12 points and six assists, while juniorguard Courtney Clements reached amilestone of scoring more than 1,000points in her collegiate career (Arizona/ SDSU) with eight.

“We planned to exploit thembecause last time they showed us a2-3 defense,” Nahinu said. “We want-ed to get the ball inside and thenpop it back out.”

Popping it out wasn’t necessary aftertip-off as Nahinu scored seven of theAztecs’ first 14 points.

“That kind of was our game plangoing in,” SDSU head coach BethBurns said. “ Heck, that was ouroffense in the first half.”

The Aztecs’ MW leading defenseheld the Lobos to just 22.7 percent fromthe field and forced 12 turnovers to putSDSU ahead 24-10 at the break.

Still, UNM was ranked the best 3-point shooting team in the conference(.380) coming into this game, remind-ing SDSU the game was still not over.

“Our plan was just to continuing get-ting big stops,” Nahinu said. “We had tolock onto to them defensively.”

Already prepared with the defensivemindset for the second half, Clementsquickly came out with the hot hand.She scored back-to-back jumpers fol-lowed by a layup to give the Aztecs ahuge 20-point lead.

Rattled with a slow start, UNMresponded with a 7-0 streak andcontinued to attack. Led by seniorforward Porche Torrance, who fin-ished the game with 20 points, theLobos put together a 19-8 run with8:31 remaining.

The momentum-shift, mixed withthe loud energy in the crowd, put theAztecs to the test with just a 45-39 leadwith 5:19 remaining.

Somebody had to step up, andquite fittingly, the struggling sopho-more guard Kiyana Stamps was thatsomebody. Until that point, Stampshad missed 24 consecutive field goalattempts throughout the last threegames.

The past was suddenly forgotten,however, as she knocked down aclutch 3-pointer with the shot clockexpiring.

“She had to take the shot,” Burns said. Things continued to fall the Aztecs’

way as Torrance fouled out with 3:22remaining, quieting the arena.

Stamps then put an end to the last ofUNM’s hopes after nailing anotherthree to put the score at 57-42.

“We were glad it was her, if anyone,to come up with the big shots at theend,” Nahinu said.

SDSU will try and continue to stretchits one-game lead in the MW when ittakes on Air Force at 2 p.m. on Saturdayin Viejas Arena.

RRuubbeenn MMeezzaacontributor

SDSU 57 | UNM 44

Aztecs hold off Lobos to claim 19th win

FILE PHOTO

“We planned to exploit thembecause last time they showedus a 2-3 defense. We wanted toget the ball inside and then popit back out.”

Malia Nahinu, junior center

D A I L Y A Z T E CThursday, February 16, 2012F O O D & D R I N K 5

Breakfast may have a reputation forbeing the most important meal of theday, but how many people actuallybegin each day with a healthy bite?

A recent online poll from TheDaily Aztec asked students if theyincorporate breakfast into their dailyroutines. The results found that, of 34total voters, 59 percent eat breakfastevery day, 15 percent eat in themorning more often than not, 21percent sometimes manage to eatbreakfast and 5 percent never do.

That 41 percent who claimed notto regularly partake in a morningmeal are missing out on the abun-dance of nutrients and benefitsbreakfast can offer.

According to livestrong.com, eat-ing breakfast improves memory andenhances cognitive performance,particularly when processing com-plex visual challenges. But the bene-fits of a healthy breakfast don’t stopwith the brain.

Eating breakfast, preferably withinan hour of waking up, can jumpstartthe metabolism process. However, ifthe meal is skipped it can result inthe opposite effect.

“When you skip a meal, you slowdown your metabolism so you storefat, you raise stress hormones andyou break down muscle,” AztecRecreation Center personal trainerand holistic health coach EvelyneLambrecht said. “Studies show thatpeople who eat larger meals in themorning eat less the rest of the day,and lose more weight and keep it offeasier than people who ate smallermeals or nothing.”

On days when the “snooze” but-ton has been hit one too many timesand mornings are hurried,Lambrecht suggests consuming awell-balanced meal to give the daysome much-needed momentum.

“You should have a balanced break-fast, meaning it should include somegood protein and good fat as well assome healthy carbs,” she said. “Themorning is a great time to eat somestarchier carbs.”

Have leftover grilled chicken sittingin the refrigerator? Use it. Lambrechtrecommends incorporating leftoversinto a morning meal as long as thatmeal includes those healthy proteins,carbohydrates and fats.

“You don’t have to eat breakfastfoods for breakfast,” Lambrecht said. “Ilove eating dinner leftovers in themorning.”

Some students may reach for foodsthat require as little preparation as pos-sible, such as bagels and toaster pas-tries. Or they may stop by Starbucks topick up a quick Frappuccino and deca-dent blueberry muffin before class.Lambrecht advises against this.

“Stick to real foods, not processed,”she said. “A Frappuccino is not break-fast. A Starbucks mocha Frappuccinohas 60 grams of sugar. That’s about 15sugar cubes. You’re better off getting acup of oatmeal there and getting a reg-ular coffee or Americano on the side.”

Is the inevitable crash worth amoment of satisfaction? Muffins andother sugary foods may not be such agood idea if a long day of classes andstudy sessions is in store.

“Muffins are dessert foods, notbreakfast food,” Lambrecht said. “Same

with bagels, Pop-Tarts, donuts andmost cereals. They not only containway too many bad ingredients, (but)they are very high in sugar. When youeat these high-sugar foods, yourblood sugar spikes and then crashesand you’re irritable, hungry and can’tpay attention in class.”

To put an end to energy rollercoast-er rides and possibly improve academ-ic performance, be sure to wake upearlier. This allows adequate time formorning meal preparation.

One simple meal option is a proteinshake. Blend together a nutritiousshake with half a bag of frozen berries,a generous helping of spinach, abouthalf a cup of coconut milk, water, cin-namon and vanilla extract, followed bya scoop of protein powder that doesnot contain artificial sweeteners.

For those who consider sleep just asimportant as breakfast, Lambrecht hasa bit of advice: Set aside time duringthe evening prior to prepare a well-bal-anced morning meal. One great optionis her specialty, little egg “muffins.”

To make these muffins, simply mixscrambled eggs with chicken sausageand fresh veggies. Then pour the mix-ture into a muffin pan and bake. In notime, a healthier alternative is created.

Director of San Diego State DiningServices, Paul Melchior, recommendsanother dining option for students liv-ing on campus: The Dining Room atCuicacalli Suites.

“(It) is your best alternative to cre-ate a balanced diet full of variety dueto the customization concept there,”Melchior said.

With so many simple and healthydining options available, it’s time forbreakfast to reclaim its role as the mostimportant meal of the day.

SStteepphhaanniiee SScchhaauueerrstaff writer

Morning meals make for healthier habits

BROOKE VALLS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

B A S E B A L L6

Adversity is nothing new to San DiegoState. After having lost four starters —three to graduation and one to the NBAdraft — the San Diego State men’s basket-ball team entered this season with littlemedia attention, with experts and analystsalike touting 2012 as a “rebuilding year.”

So much for that. So, too, did the SDSU football team —

after having lost a plethora of starters,among them the school’s top two widereceivers (both of whom were NFL draftselections), the Aztecs were widely regard-ed as non-factors on the gridiron last year.

An 8-4 regular season later — one thatended with a berth to the New OrleansBowl, no less — and there was nothingbut praise for yet another SDSUsquad that had highlyexceeded expectations.

Aztec baseballwould like to thinkit’s next.

“Expectations are high,” junior pitcherBryan Crabb said, referring to a 2012 SDSUbaseball squad that will look to mirror thesuccesses of its athletic counterparts thathave notoriously thrived in most recentcampaigns largely attributed to contribu-tions from young players.

Head coach Tony Gwynn and companyare working hard to mold a baseball teamfull of young talent into contenders in a com-petitive Mountain West Conference. Theteam finished fourth in the standings lastyear at the conclusion of the regular season.

While SDSU enters its 2012 campaignwith a bit of senior leadership in first base-man Jomel Torres and catcher / utilityChris Wilson — both named to theMountain West Preseason All-Conferencesecond-teams by College Sports Madness— the majority of the roster is comprised ofyoung talent, with the Aztecs expected tostart at least five sophomores.

Leading the charge for an SDSU sopho-more baseball class that looks to take the MWby storm, both immediately and in years tocome, are Cole Swanson, Cody Smith and TimZier. In regard to preseason All-Conference

teams, the former two — Swanson and Smith— were named to the first team, while Zierwas selected to the second.

Smith and Zier look to anchor a lineup thatcollectively batted an anemic .258 in 2011.

A Freshman All-American selection lastseason, Smith will be the cornerstone ofthe Aztecs’ outfield. Regarded as a five-tool player, the speedy Smith was near-perfect in swiping 15 bases in 16 attemptslast season while hitting .311, good forsecond-best on the team, and number oneamong regular starters.

The then-freshman also tied for the teamlead in triples last season with four, anddisplayed impressive power, hitting twolongballs while also being one of fourAztecs to drive in 30 or more runs.

Zier will return to his starting position atsecond base this season after performingadmirably there as a freshman. With a .301batting average last year that netted him ateam-best 66 hits, Zier also ended the sea-son by reaching base safely at least once ineach of the team’s final 16 games, while hit-ting safely in the final 14 — streaks he willcarry into the 2012 campaign.

The extremely young trend also carriesinto the pitching rotation.

At its forefront is sophomore Swanson,who enjoyed a wildly successful

freshman campaign that sawhim garner Freshman All-

American accolades.

At 6 feet 5 inches, the tall southpawthrew consistently throughout the year,and improved in time for conference play,finishing the league season with a record of3-1 and a very solid 3.27 ERA.

Corey Black also threw very well in hisfirst year of collegiate play, amassing ateam-high 78 strikeouts while posting a3.23 ERA. While he saw limited action inthe field last season, the sophomore isexpected to strictly be a member of theAztec pitching staff this year.

Look for Swanson and Black, who werealso first and second on the team ininnings pitched last season, respectively,to emerge as standout pitchers for theAztecs this season.

Among the rest of the sophomores wholook to play significant roles this year arecatcher Brad Haynal, infielders CodySlader and Evan Potter and outfielderDillon Bryant.

A recruiting class ranked 25th in thenation doesn’t hurt, either.

Mostly comprised of freshmen, SDSU’sincoming baseball class provides immedi-ate improvement to the pitching staff.One of these pitchers is MichaelCederoth, who enters his first collegiateseason with a huge upside. After havingbeen drafted by the ArizonaDiamondbacks in the 41st round,Cederoth, who throws in the mid 90s,opted to attend SDSU.

A junior with a fitting name, TravisPitcher is another draftee added to the ros-

ter who will make an impact this season. Freshmen Steven Pallares, Brandon

Thomas and junior Ryan Doran also headlinea highly touted incoming group of pitchers.

Catcher Jake Romanski and third base-man Ryan Muno lead a talented group offreshmen position players who also look tohave their presences felt right away.

While optimism is justified, many wouldexpect growing pains out of a team com-prised of many players who have no morethan one year of collegiate experience.

“We have a team that is both very talent-ed and young,” Crabb said. “But we won’tuse youth as an excuse. Expectations aredefinitely high.”

Aztecs going through youth movement

MMiicchhaaeell MMaannbbeerrttstaff writer

SCHEDULE

Feb. 17-19 vs. Washington

Feb. 21 at UC Riverside

Feb. 23 vs. Kansas State

Feb. 24 vs. Oregon State

Feb. 25 vs. Kansas State / Pacific

Feb. 28 at Cal State Fullerton

March 1 vs. Cal Poly

March 2 vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee

March 3 vs. San Francisco

March 4 vs. Cal State Northridge

March 6 at Long Beach State

March 9-11 vs. Saint Mary’s

March 16-18 at New Mexico

March 20 vs. San Diego

March 23-25 at Cal Poly

March 27 vs. UC Riverside

March 30-Apr. 1 vs. Air Force

Apr. 3 vs. Cal State Fullerton

April 5-7 at UNLV

April 9 vs. San Diego

April 10 vs. Long Beach State

April 13-15 vs. New Mexico

April 17 at UC Irvine

April 20-22 vs. TCU

April 27-29 at Air Force

May 1 vs. UC Irvine

May 4-6 vs. UNLV

May 11-13 at Texas A&M

May 15 vs. Loyola Marymount

May 18-20 at TCU

May 24-25 Mountain West Tournament

SDSU is looking to buildoff of the growing painsof 2011

“We have a teamthat is both verytalented andyoung, but wewon’t use youthas an excuse.Expectations aredefinitely high.”

Bryan Crabb,SDSU junior pitcher

FILE PHOTO

P R E V I E W 7

San Diego State senior pitcher BaileyMicetich stands in the middle of the pitchingcircle of SDSU Softball Stadium as she waitsfor her teammate to get set in the batter’sbox. The sun slowly begins to disappearfrom view as each Aztec softball player stillwears her red game-day uniform from theteam pictures taken earlier that day.

“Three more outs,” yells head coachKathy Van Wyk.

This will be the last half-inning of theinter-squad scrimmage. Practice is almostdone. The stadium lights turn on asMicetich looks for the sign from her catcher.

One by one, the batters dig in to face theteam’s top returning pitcher from last sea-son’s NCAA Regional squad.

Three up, three down. The Woodlandnative runs back to the dugout and high-fiveseach teammate heading in from the field.

“We all put in the work together,”Micetich said. “We all support each other.”

That team chemistry has made theAztecs a national power with seven tripsto the NCAA Tournament in the last 11years, including four consecutive. Micetichhas participated in the last three.

The Aztecs began their season lastweek against Texas Tech as a part of theKajikawa Classic at Arizona State inTempe, Ariz.

Arizona State is the team that ended theAztecs’ 2011 season. The Sun Devils arealso the defending national champions.

It was May 22 when the Sun Devilsbeat the Aztecs, 6-1, at Alberta B.Farrington Softball Stadium on their wayto a national championship season as theNo. 1 overall seed of the NCAA Division ISoftball Tournament.

Micetich did not pitch in that last game.Instead, then-senior Samantha Beasleytook the loss. Micetich had pitched the pre-vious game, a 6-4 win against Long BeachState to give the Aztecs one more breath oflife. Throughout five innings of work,

Micetich allowed only one earned run andthree hits while striking out three of the 23batters she faced.

But that was a long time ago. This season, Micetich knows she will be

the “center of attention” on an Aztecsteam that is receiving votes in boththe USA Today/NFCA andESPN.com/USA Softball pollsand was ranked No. 23 byCollege Sports Madness.

“To be honest, I like tobe the center of atten-tion,” Micetich said asshe laughed. “I like totouch the ball everysingle time.”

With all eyesbeing on her,College SportsMadness presea-son pitcher of theyear hopes shecan lead theAztecs to a level ofsuccess not seensince the 2001 sea-son, when SDSUcame within inchesof its first-everWomen’s CollegeWorld Series berth.

“Ultimately, I want usto win a Mountain WestConference championship,”Micetich said. “I’ve beenwaiting for that for three years.I want that and then I want us toget out of that regional and make itto a super (regionals), then get to theCollege World Series.”

Those look like lofty goals for a softballplayer who wanted to quit the sport at anearly age, but decided to stick with it.

“My mom was the one telling me, ‘No,you’re not going to quit; Yes, you’re goingto go pitch for an hour,’” Micetich said.“Even when I wanted to quit softball, (myparents) were the ones who told me to fin-ish, and look at me now.”

Micetich would go on to have an extraor-dinary high school career, winning four let-ters at Pioneer High School and helping thePatriots win four consecutive Tri-CountyLeague championships, as well as a 2006section championship.

Individually, Micetich captured leagueMVP honors in her final three years and all-league for all four years. During highschool she was also named an all-statesmall school’s selection and was aSacramento Bee All-Metro first and sec-ond-team selection.

This led to serious recruiting attention.“The schools that were looking at me

ultimately came down to Nevada-Reno,Fresno State and here,” Micetich said.

“We (the coaching staff) loved hermotion because she’s just slow, methodicaland smooth, and very deliberate with herdelivery,” Van Wyk said. “We liked thatpoise. Immediately when we called her,she sounded thrilled and very excited. Ithink we were one of her top choices rightaway. We were able to land a good one,but I don’t think we knew how good.”

Her first year on Montezuma Mesa,Micetich was named the MWC Freshman ofthe Year after totaling 19 wins, 11 shutoutsand 180 strikeouts. Other awards she

received herfreshman year includ-ed making the All-MWCteam and being named theMWC Pitcher of the Week twice.

“I almost started crying at practicewhen coach told me I won Freshman ofthe Year,” she said.

As a junior, Micetich would again findherself on the All-MWC team as she went20-12 with a 1.85 ERA and 164 strikeoutsin 174 1/3 innings. She would be namedthe MW Pitcher of the Week three timesand was chosen as a part of the 2011Easton NCAA Division I All-AmericaThird-Team.

A season like that leads to high expecta-tions for this season, a season in whichMicetich is the straw that stirs the drink.

“I think that she is in a leadership posi-tion as a pitcher just because it’s inherentin the position,” Van Wyk said. “She wantsto have a great senior year. She wants togo out and finish strong. Her performancesfrom the past have gained her a lot ofrespect from her teammates, so it’s goingto lead us to a great season.”

As Micetich enters her final season asan Aztec, she can’t help but to feel mixedemotions.

“It’s bittersweet,” Micetich said. “I’mexcited, but I’m a little sad because it’s mylast season, but I mean what better way togo out with a bang.”

Regardless of this season’s success,Micetich will enjoy every moment.

RRyyaann SScchhuulleerrstaff writer

SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

Micetich commands attention for SDSU

“Ultimately Iwant us to win aMountain WestConferenceChampionship.I’ve been waitingfor that for threeyears.”

Bailey Micetich,SDSU senior pitcher

Feb.17 vs. Notre Dame, Oregon State

Feb. 18 vs. UCF, UC Davis

Feb. 19 vs. UCLA

Feb. 23 vs. Oklahoma, Texas

Feb. 24 vs. New Mexico State

Feb. 25 vs. Iowa State

Feb. 26 vs. Stanford, Cal State Northridge

March 1 vs. BYU

March 2 vs. Fresno State, Charlotte

March 3 vs. Saint Joseph’s, Nevada

March 4 vs. Long Beach State

March 6 vs. Maine

March 9 vs. Butler, Connecticut

March 10 vs. California

March 11 vs. Purdue, Oregon

March 13 vs. Quinnipiac

March 15 vs. Harvard

March 16 vs. Purdue

March 17 vs. Quinnipiac, Valparaiso

March 18 vs. Long Beach State

March 23 vs. Princeton, at Pacific

Mach 24 vs. Saint Mary’s

March 27-28 at Arizona

April 13-15 vs. Colorado State

April 18 at San Diego

April 20-22 at New Mexico

April 25 vs. Cal State Fullerton

May 2 at Cal State Fullerton

May 4-6 vs. Boise State

May 10-12 at UNLV

The senior pitcher looksto continue her greatcareer on the mound

FILE PHOTO

P R E V I E W 9B A S E B A L L8

Catcher - Kristin May

This May sister will be starting at catcher this sea-son, where she split some time with EvaSahatdjian last year.

The junior hit .233 a year ago, with two home runsand 13 RBIs.

She has proven to be a good fielder behind theplate, too. She only recorded one error in 169chances in 2010.

The other catchers listed on the roster are red-shirt freshman Wendy Tamayo, who transferredto SDSU from Nevada, and freshman KaitlinConnors, who was playing at La Costa CanyonHigh School last year.

First base - Justeen Maeva

Maeva, who previously transferred from CalState Bakersfield, was the Aztecs’ best hitter aseason ago.

The senior can hit for power and for average.Last season she batted in 39 runs, hit a teamhigh .348 and sent home runs over the fenceseven times.

She was also tied for the team lead in hits with 54.

Expect more of the same from the power-hittingfirst baseman in her senior season.

Second base - Katie Mathis

Mathis is expected to be a major contributor at sec-ond base this season.

She was hampered by injuries last year, whichcaused her to play in just 31 games.

Mathis is a sophomore from Bear River High Schoolin Grass Valley.

The other two players listed at second base arefreshman Jacki Campa and junior Tiffany Corder.

Campa is a true freshman from Bonita High in LaVerne, Calif.

Corder transferred to SDSU from UC Santa Barbara.

Right field - Patrice Jackson

Jackson sat out last season and used her red-shirt year.

She is supposed to be the starter in right fieldthis season. In 2010, Jackson started 25 games,two in left field and 23 in right.

She hit .194 in 72 plate appearances that season.

She has gotten off to a blazing start in 2012.Through six games she is hitting .500 withthree home runs and seven RBIs.

She’s racked up 19 total bases and her sluggingpercentage is .950.

Left field - Lorena Klopp

Klopp has already worked her way into theSDSU record books.

She hit 15 home runs last season, which set thesingle-season record for the Aztecs.

She has already broken the career record forhome runs, which was 17, and it’s only thebeginning of her sophomore season.

She also set the school record for extra-base hitslast year with 25.

Klopp spent most of her time in left field, andshould spend most of her time there this sea-son, too.

Centerfield - Hayley Miles

Miles put together an impressive performancelast season — so impressive she was namedMountain West Freshman of the Year.

She hit .344, knocked in 29 runs and had fivehome runs. She tied Maeva for the team leadwith 54 hits.

She led the team in doubles with 11 and walkswith 22. She has a knack for getting on base,too. Miles led the team with a .440 on-basepercentage.

She was also one of two players to start all 55games last year.

DP/Utility - Kamerin May

The other May twin is back for her junior season. In2011 May had a respectable .281 batting average.

She started 51 games, had 43 hits, seven doubles,four home runs and 19 RBIs.

Her slugging percentage was .405.

Early this season, May has been used primarily asa pitcher. In her first four appearances her recordis 1-2. Her ERA is 3.00 and she has struck out 15batters in the 16.1 innings she has pitched.

Shortstop - Fiana Finau

Finau is a freshman from Hilltop High School.

Even though she has only played in two gamesthis season, she is batting .400.

Finau is playing shortstop, where she is replacingJen Wisneski, who was one of the senior leaderson the team last year.

Third base - Ashley Rose

The other corner infielder is back for her seniorseason.

Rose started 52 games last season. She is strongwith her glove, as she had a .969 fielding per-centage.

At the plate, Rose hit .217 last season with fourdoubles and 17 RBIs.

She has started slow through this season, onlybatting .133, but expect her to improve her bat-ting average as the season goes on.

Left field - Dillon Bryant

Despite hitting a mediocre .268 last year, Bryantfinished the season strongly, hitting .387 in theAztecs’ final 10 games.

Slated to begin the game on the bench, Bryantwas thrust into a starting role against Cal StateNorthridge on March 8 last year and made themost of the opportunity by hitting his first colle-giate home run.

Bryant is expected to be the starting left fielderfor SDSU and the coaching staff that expectshim to respond with consistency and improve-ment in 2012.

DH/utility - Chris Wilson

Wilson is one of two seniors who appears to havea starting role in 2012. After having split time asa starter at catcher and in the outfield last year,expect Wilson to again garner playing time atboth positions.

Wilson, who tied for the team lead with fivehomers and was third on the team with 33 RBI.,will also be utilized as a DH this season.

Wilson performed exceptionally during leagueplay, hitting .315 with four homers, three of whichcame against Air Force on April 21, which tied theAztecs’ single-game home run record.

First base - Jomel Torres

Torres brings leadership and experience to theteam.

The senior also brings a powerful bat, with whichhe knocked in a team second-best 36 runs last year.

Despite his power, though, Torres walked anastonishing 43 times this past season. He alsonotched a team-best .428 on-base percentage.

After having recorded a .984 fielding percentageduring his 48 appearances at first base, expectthe versatile Torres to put forth yet anotherstrong showing in 2012.

Catcher - Brad Haynal

A local product of Rancho Bernardo High School,Haynal started at catcher on 27 occasions lastseason prior to suffering a twisted knee whileplaying behind the plate against Air Force onApril 21. He would only appear in six contestsafter the incident.

The righty brings a strong arm and a powerfulbat to the table for a San Diego State squad thatexpects significant contributions from many of itsyoung players in 2012.

Shortstop - Evan Potter

Potter is a sophomore infielder who is renowned forhis defensive abilities.

Potter did not fare exceptionally well at the plate asa freshman last season, hitting just .205. However,he did manage to walk 18 times, and was hit byeight pitches. Potter had a respectable .340 on-basepercentage and managed to score 24 times afteramassing just 26 hits.

Regardless, Potter is in line to return to the startinglineup at shortstop in 2012 following a 2011 seasonin which the versatile athlete also saw playing timeat second and third base.

Center field - Cody Smith

Smith is yet another Aztec who put forth anabsolutely stellar freshman season that saw himhit a solid .311 last year.

His reward?

A spot on the Freshman All-American team, forstarters.

Also a second-team all-Mountain WestConference selection last season. The sopho-more will undoubtedly return to center field in2012 — a position where the speedy Smith, whostole 15 bases in 16 attempts last year, is expect-ed to thrive.

Pitcher - Cole Swanson

As a freshman last season, Swanson went 4-2 while posting an impressive 3.27 ERA inleague play.

In doing so, the 6’5 lefty earned Freshman All-America honors. Swanson will look to again setthe tone for a young pitching staff that looks to begreatly improved with a very talented incomingclass added to the roster.

Second base - Tim Zier

Zier is a talented player who looks to be a cor-nerstone of the SDSU roster throughout the nextfew years. He started at second base in 34games and in left field for 19, look for him totransition almost exclusively into the startingposition at second base.

Zier is a contact hitter through-and-through.Expect the Escondido High School product to con-tinue hitting leadoff for the Aztecs.

Third base/INF - Cody Slader

Switch-hitting Slader will likely be the startingthird baseman for the Aztecs.

After having made the transition from shortstop tothird base throughout the course of the last fewgames last year, expect the sophomore and his reli-able glove to remain at the hot corner this season.

While the SDSU staff knows what it’s getting fromSlader as a fielder, he hit a lowly .222 last seasonwith an anemic .298 on-base percentage. TheAztecs will need more contributions from thewiry sophomore in 2012.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SDSU ATHLETICS

—Compiled by Staff Writer Michael Manbert —Compiled by Sports Editor Antonio Morales

or more than forty years the Research Department of

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There are research opportunities for all ages. The physicians' leadership in local and national organizations and educational endeavors keeps them at the forefront of knowledge regarding advances in the treatment of these disorders. In addition to these

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Your choice to become involved in a clinical study should provide you with greater awareness of your medical condition as well as the process of development of medication to treat it. You could be part of an ongoing process which could be of benefit to all patients in the long run.

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B U S I N E S SS P O T L I G H TO F T H E W E E K

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Go to www.thedailyaztec.com/jobs and apply today!LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

Apply to be a writer for the Spring 2012 semester

WRITE HERE,WRITE NOW.

“Is this legal?” asks the gaping maw ofCIA rookie / audience surrogate MattWeston (Ryan Reynolds) as he wit-nesses intelligence thief extraordi-naire Tobin Frost (DenzelWashington) being waterboarded in aSouth African safe house. For a filmthat fancies itself a thinking man’saction movie in the vein of the“Bourne” trilogy, one would think aCIA agent working a black-ops sitewould know whether so-called“enhanced interrogation” techniquesare legal or not.

And that’s one of the biggest prob-lems of “Safe House.” Where JasonBourne had the luxury of amnesia toexplain his crisis of conscience andlack of information, writer DavidGuggenheim and director DanielEspinosa solved their dilemma bymaking Matt Weston an idiot.

As Matt watches Tobin’s torture,unnamed paramilitary / terrorists /no-goodniks storm the safe house toextract Tobin and retrieve a flashdrive McGuffin full of ostensibly sen-sitive data. After every other CIA

agent is killed, it’s up to Matt to spiritTobin away to another safe houseseveral hours away. Naturally, Tobinescapes on foot in the show-stop-ping centerpiece action sequence ofthe film. Matt disobeys orders fromCIA headquarters to give up thesearch for Tobin out of some desper-ate need to prove himself (yes, thephrase “off the grid” is used).However, the more he learns aboutTobin and the possible contents ofthe flash drive, the harder it becomesto justify his pursuit.

The wonderful irony about “SafeHouse,” which grapples with themorality of data and intellectualproperty theft for the greater good, isthat it borrows so many story ele-ments, it should have been called“The Bourne Facsimile.” Embeddedsubcutaneous microchip? Check.Estranged European girlfriend?Check. French reunion withestranged European girlfriend?Check. Haircut montage to hideidentities? Check. Blurry handheldaction sequences? Check.Oversaturated, gritty film stock?Check. Even the excellent BrendanGleeson and Sam Shepard act asstand-ins for “Bourne’s” Brian Cox andChris Cooper, respectively. It doesn’thelp that the trailer for “The BourneLegacy” is attached to this film.

That’s not to say “Safe House” isn’tentertaining. Espinosa obviouslystudied his source material in metic-ulous detail while editor Richard

Pearson’s jump-cutting gives the filman energetic, jittery feel. Also,Washington, in full “Training Day”mode, turns in a monster perform-ance that singlehandedly boosts thequality of the film.

Just try not to think too hard.

D A I L Y A Z T E CThursday,

February 16, 2012 E N T E R TA I N M E N T12

AAnnddrreeww YYoouunnggeerrsenior staff writer

Denzel Washington takes direction from Daniel Espinosa regarding his role as on-the-run ex-CIA agent Tobin Frost. | MCT CAMPUS

Movie: SAFE HOUSE

Distributed by: UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Directed by: DANIEL ESPINOSA

Release Date: FEB. 10

Grade: C+

The exciting movieunabashedly parallelsthe “Bourne” trilogy

PASS THE POPCORN

Film ‘Safe House’borrows heavily

The wonderful irony about “SafeHouse” ... is that it borrows somany story elements it shouldhave been called “The BourneFacsimile” ... That’s not to say(it) isn’t entertaining.

San Diego State’s School of Theatre,Television and Film begins thisyear’s spring semester with a showsuitable for the whole family. Theaward-winning “Squawk” is about apeace song competition in a socie-ty of birds. Entertainment isinevitable when the competitiondoes not go according to plan, asthe birds cannot seem to agree oneach others’ ideas for the big event.

“Squawk” is advertised as “idealfor all children under the age of 90.”

The performance is directed byMargaret Larlham, who was respon-sible for writing and directing theenjoyable kid-friendly short play,“Symphony of Clouds (MusicalAdventures of the Boy Mozart).”This raises expectations for“Squawk,” as “Symphony of Clouds”was a success with audiences.

The creators of “Squawk” are EllisPearson and Bheki Mkhwane, twoSouth African men who have col-laborated on pieces for more than adecade. While they have gone theirseparate ways, Pearson andMkhwane’s creative work continuesto be performed around the world,including in the U.K., Ireland,Pennsylvania and now San Diego.

While it is hard to find a goodamount of information about theplay’s other productions online, the

South African newspaper Mail &Guardian wrote a very positive reviewof an earlier version of “Squawk” thatplayed at the Playhouse Opera. Thereview praised the writers for theirunique storytelling.

“It’s a sharp tale … The dialogue isclever and fast-paced; no wonder, itwas devised by this talented two-some,” the reviewer wrote.

“Squawk” sounds like it will beanother theatrical success for SDSU.While adults will probably end upenjoying themselves at the veryleast, this could be a great opportu-nity for extremely young ones to beintroduced to the awesome powerof live theater.

Tickets and information about“Squawk” can be found attheatre.sdsu.edu.

D A I L Y A Z T E CThursday, February 16, 2012E N T E R TA I N M E N T 13

DDaavviidd DDiixxoonnstaff writer

ALL THE WORLD ’S A STAGE

RELEASED FRIDAY

“Ghost Rider: Spirit ofVengeance”Nicolas Cage remindsmoviegoers that he reallyloves comic books withanother iteration of the“Ghost Rider” series.Johnny Blaze (Cage) isrecalled from hiding todefeat the devil.

“The Secret World ofArrietty”This animated film is anadaptation of MaryNorton’s “The Borrowers”from the renowned studiothat produced “SpiritedAway” and “Ponyo.” Aminiscule 14-year-oldinhabits the recesses of asuburban home with herparents. They “borrow” tiny,often trifling items from thebig family to survive.

“This Means War”

Two CIA agents (ChrisPine and Tom Hardy) fightfor Lauren (ReeseWitherspoon), whom theyare both dating.Lighthearted yet intenseespionage and gun bat-tles ensue.

—Compiled by JohnAnderson

COURTESY OF TWENTIETH CENTURY FOXMCT CAMPUSCOURTESY OF DISNEY PICTURES

‘Squawk’ starts ThursdayThe latest play totake stage at theExperimental Theatre

T H E D A I L Y A Z T E C . C O M

Photographers andconcertgoers:

Send your high-res photos to entertainment@thedailyaztec.com

to have them published in theentertainment section.Please address emails:

“Daily Aztec concert photos” andremember to include your name,

major, graduation year.

D A I L Y A Z T E CThursday,

February 16, 2012 E N T E R TA I N M E N T14L IVE AND DANGEROUS SNEAK PEEK

Last week’s Local Brews LocalGrooves All-Access #7 concertextraordinaire was nothing short ofdynamic. This event was brilliantlydeveloped by Cathryn Beeks, localradio host of “The HomegrownHour” on 102.1 KPRi. Beeks createdthis extravaganza as a method to getmusic lovers out of the house to lis-ten to amazing local music. She didthis by presenting it in one of themost appropriate venues San Diegohas to offer: The House of Blues.

Last Friday, 14 bands were able toshow a near sold-out venue theirchops. The artists formed a minimusic festival, as each act was allot-ted a 20-minute set. The resultswere performances that wouldn’thave seemed out of place on amore exciting episode of “AmericanIdol.” Chasing bands from stage tostage with friends – there were twostages, three counting the restau-rant stage upstairs – made ventur-ing to and fro fun.

The lineup included The FabulousRudies, 321 Stereo, Ryan Hiller, MadTraffic, Manganista, 28 North andS03 on the main stage, while BitterSober, Scott Wilson, Chris Carpenter,Bass Hamza, Uniform Victor, LastGolden Bear and Just Like Jennaperformed in the Delta Room.

Although from Los Angeles, 28North was undoubtedly a crowdfavorite with a sound that paralleledMy Morning Jacket. And even

though the Delta Room is approxi-mately one-tenth the size of themain stage, the bands that playedthere knew how to work the crowd.True local boys Just like Jennaproved a tiny stage doesn’t neces-sarily mean a small audience: Aucontraire, with an area filled tocapacity, listeners still found itappropriate to dance the nightaway to this rock band’s sexy style.Though the time flew by, Just likeJenna had enough time to tease thecrowd into seeing it perform in thenear future.

Perhaps the only downfall of theevening was the strict rule thatalcohol was to stay in the room oron the level where it was. Manypeople spoiled by Las Vegas get-aways attempted to step onto thestreet for a quick transfer from roomto room only to be disappointed bya bouncer at the door.

The next LBLG All-Access Festevent is expected to be held in June,so save the date. In the meantime,stay in the loop about all these awe-some bands and shows. Check outthe calendar on listenlocalsd.com.

IIssaabbeellllaa PPllaacceestaff writer

Local Grooves rocks HOB

ISABELLA PLACE, STAFF WRITER

It’s only 8:30 p.m. and the line outsideEveoke Dance Theatre in North Parkhas already begun to wrap around thebuilding. Doors don’t open for anoth-er half hour, yet the diverse crowdcontinues to grow. Love for spoken-word poetry is the common bondthat has brought this blend of specta-tors representing different ages, racesand belief systems together.

Every first and third Thursday ofthe month at 9 p.m., Eveoke DanceTheatre hosts Elevated.Since 2005,Elevated has been the premiere spo-ken-word poetry showcase in SanDiego. Jerrica Escoto, a graduatestudent at San Diego State and fre-quent performer at Elevated,explained why the event draws sucha diverse crowd.

“Poetry isn’t just for one group ofpeople; it’s a human experience.Poetry takes emotion and creativityand makes it a link that brings peopletogether,” she said.

The event began when a collectiveof local poets decided to create a plat-

form for members of the communityto share their opinions, viewpointsand life stories through poetry.

Elevated is home to some of thebest spoken-word artists in the world.Rudy Francisco, the reigningIndividual World Poetry Slam champi-on was among those who broughtthe venue to fruition.

“I think what makes our venue sospecial is that it feels like home,”Francisco said. “Not only is the showentertaining, but in every poem youhear, you can cling onto somethingthat was said and relate to it.”

That feeling of home is evidentwhen walking into the venue. A spir-it of camaraderie fills the room aspeople take their seats and sharetheir excitement about the promiseof the evening.

Once the first poet steps to themicrophone, however, a thick silencedescends over those in attendance asthey prepare to ride the wave of emo-tions the poem takes them on. Thefirst show of every month is an “openmic” where anyone can perform. Thesecond show is a “poetry slam” wherepoets compete and five random audi-ence members serve as judges.Winners of these slams get to com-pete for a spot on San Diego’s poetryslam team on a national stage.

“It’s not your usual night out likegoing bowling or to the movies” SDSUsenior Mick Walsh said. “You’ll experi-ence an aspect of San Diego like younever have before.”

EEddwwaarrdd HHeennddeerrssoonnstaff writer

Elevated hosts a bimonthly slampoetry competition

North Park hometo spoken word

C L A S S I F I E D S THE DAILY AZTEC DOES NOTENDORSE OR SUPPORT ANDHAS NO AFFILIATION WITH THEPRODUCTS OR SERVICESOFFERED IN THE CLASSIFIEDSSECTION.

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D A I L Y A Z T E CThursday,

February 16, 2012 B AC K PAG E16

Difficulty Level: 4 out of 4

Instructions: Complete the gridso each row, column and 3-by-3box (in bold borders) containsevery digit 1 to 9. For strategieson how to solve Sudoku, visitwww.sudokudragon.com

Solutions available online atwww.thedailyaztec.com

©2012, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

AACCRROOSSSS1 USAF NCO5 CrŹme de la

crŹme10 Jazz devotees14 “Tulip chair”

designerSaarinen

15 Plant need16 Crowning17 Some HDTVs18 Hopelessly lost19 Pasta/rice brand

word20 Basic computer

command21 “Check, mate”22 Common Cape

Cod feature24 Restaurant

kitchen work-load

26 Get one’s teethinto

28 BushspokesmanFleischer

29 Invoice word30 Encourages31 “__ a problem”32 Palm tree starch33 Organize, in a

way34 Incidentally, in

IMs35 Massachusetts

school ... and adescription ofthe two-wordmeeting thatoccurs at eachcircled letter

38 Summer settingin Chi-town

40 Off-the-wallresponse?

41 61-Across curl44 Rival45 Catchall check-

box46 One point from

a service break48 Football’s

Parseghian49 Thing to cook

up50 “Just like that!”

51 To a greaterextent

53 Expert in poppsychology?

54 Vinaigretteingredient

55 __ ideal world56 First name in

bologna59 One-named

illustrator60 Touch down61 Fire sign62 Stepped heavily63 What some los-

ers have toresist

64 Cary of “ThePrincess Bride”

65 “__-mite!”:“Good Times”catchword

DDOOWWNN1 Severe fear

2 Bolts down3 Fictional wolf’s

disguise4 Talking-__:

tongue lashings5 Somewhat far6 Past curfew7 Part of TGIF8 “Catch my drift?”9 Acquired by, in

the big leagues10 “The Alienist”

writer11 Cartoon hero

with antennae12 Twelve-note

scale, e.g.13 Séance contact21 Lovable droid23 Clumsy ham-

merers’ cries25 Square dance

complement26 Hobby with

hooks

27 30-Down genre30 Classic film

involving a splitpersonality

34 A sleeper hitmay be on it

36 Went wild37 Bee complex38 Circles around

the sun39 Landers lead-in42 “My sympathies”43 Exhortation

from a gift giver44 Clan45 Chances for

photos47 Lake Erie city50 Small openings52 Fades to black53 Create57 Tee size letters58 Bully59 Flight board

abbr.

Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (2/16/12) Frugality ispractical; conserving resources is a naturalexpression. Whether it's energy, money orresources that you're saving, it's always agood idea to stash some for later. Studiestake you to unexpected places. Explore andboldly discover this year.

To get the advantage, check the day's rating:10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

ARIES (March 21 - April 19) - Today is an 8 -You've got tons of energy for making bigstrides toward final outcomes. Don't worryabout details right now. Your easy humorlets you coast to victory.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - Today is an 8- A slow morning leads to big pictureconversations with a broad outlook. Takenotes. New doors are opening for greaterleadership.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 7 -Continue developing partnerships inimpossible places. In case of doubt, reviewthe instructions. Put yourself in anotherperson's shoes.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 9 -As if you're not busy enough, there's morework coming. Someone shows you how touse technology to increase productivity.Two heads are better than one.

LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 9 -Don't wait until the last minute to finishprojects. It's about to get intense, and youwant to make it to the finish line. Relaxwith friends after a job well done.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is a 7 -You keep your family together with yourcapacity to see both sides of the story.Create better communication channels.Don't get too serious.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 7 -You get a morale booster. Now see if youcan pass it on. There are manyopportunities for growth, especially in yourrelationships. Let them know what youheard.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 7 -There may be morning grumpiness orfrustration. Get into projects with diligenceand passion, and afternoon energy relaxes.Look for beauty, and find it.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today isa 9 - Put the pieces together. There'snothing that can stop you now. You canalways get help for the puzzles you don'tunderstand. A friendship thrives.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a5 - Enjoy the sunshine, if you can. Apartner's encouragement empowers you.Face-to-face interactions produce greatideas. Follow your schedule.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is a 7- You can really make it happen. Surroundyourself with those who truly support yourcreative vision. No need for extravagance.

PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 7 -Enjoy peaceful moments. See yourself in anew light. Your enthusiasm and creativityare quite attractive. You're moreappreciated than you know.

©2012, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

BY NANCY BLACK,TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICESHOROSCOPE

BY THE MEPHAM GROUP,TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICESSUDOKU

BY RICH NORRIS & JOYCE LEWIS,TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICESCROSSWORD

PLEASE NOTE:The views expressed in the written works of this issue do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.Letters to the editor can be sent to letters@thedailyaztec.com. Story ideas can be sent to tips@thedailyaztec.com.

C O N TAC T :GENERAL INFORMATION

619.594.4199FOR ALL OTHER CONTACTS, PLEASE VISITthedailyaztec.com

HUMOR

When I became a killerhen I was little,there was noth-ing I wantedmore than a dog.Actually, that’s a

total lie. I think there was nothing Iwanted more than a pony, but,within reason, there was nothing Iwanted more than a dog. It wasalways my understanding that dogswere friendly, cute and made you abetter person. These are the thingsyou learn when you’re raised by aTV. I remember begging for apuppy, especially a cocker spaniel,because they were the cutest crea-tures I’d ever seen.

Instead, I was told dogs weremessy and a lot of work. Knowingthat, my parents would ask, wouldn’tI be better off with my swing set?

I was better off with my swing set,but this is not something you’re will-ing to admit when you don’t receivewhat has been at the top of yourletter to Santa every year since youcan remember.

We’d had cats before, both ofwhich ran away around the time mybrother was born, forever instilling inme the idea that cats were psychic.But no dogs. We bought fish andstuck them all in a giant fish tankand let one of the cats (that was, Isuppose, less psychic than the other)sit there and watch them circlearound the tank endlessly, imaginingherself a little goldfish lunch. Now,that cat never actually killed thosefish. She just sat there, licked her lipsand dreamed of the day she couldhave the lunch she desired. I don’tblame her. It’s like sticking a freshlymade, home-cooked meal in front

of a college kid, then putting a lid onit and swatting them every timethey try to reach for it. (I’m sure halfof you now have an extraordinaryamount of sympathy for my cat.)

What actually ended up killing myfish was the rocks at the bottom ofthe tank, which each fish, one byone, decided to try swallowing.You’d think, after watching the fishbefore them die swallowing saidrocks, they would steer clear. But Iguess fish, which I’d already deter-mined were not as psychic or self-controlled as cats, were not toobright. So, one by one, we watchedeach fish go the exact same way.

I should’ve taken it as a sign.I’d never thought of myself as

being particularly bad with animals. Imean, they are — for the most part— cute, cuddly and easy to care for.You feed, you bathe, you pet, youtake outside. And the reward? Agiant, real-life stuffed animal you willnever be teased at for snugglingwith while watching old JuliaRoberts movies late at night. Fish areslightly different. They are less cud-dly and not terribly fond of beingpet (so I’ve learned), but require lessmaintenance. They are also the onlypets permitted in the dorms.Therefore, my roommate and Ibought ourselves a betta fish.

Mind you, I’m the kind of personwho likes to give everythingnames, from my childhood teddybear (astutely named Teddy) to myGPS (Emily). I do not forget these

names. I use them often. So, at thepoint I find myself writing this col-umn and not remembering thatfish’s name, you know it must havebeen a disaster.

The girls across the hall managedto keep their betta fish alive for afew days — three, I believe. Iremember their fish’s name. Master-Betta. We have clever neighbors. Ourfish survived less than 24 hours andhad a name that will escape me forthe entirety of this piece, I’m sure.It’s not that he wasn’t taken care of.My roommate had bought a fish-bowl, decorations, rocks for the bot-tom and a whole tin of fish food. Allfor a 22-hour fish.

We never did figure out how hedied. We only know he came intoour lives one late afternoon and bythe time class ended the next day,had entered the realm of toiletbowls and porcelain heaven.

Although he wasn’t in our livesfor long, He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named-Because-We-Forgot madea lasting impression on us.Together we laughed, we cried andwe learned about life; primarilythat I should be thankful my par-ents never let me have a dog.Because if I can kill a fish in 22hours, there’s no telling the horrorthat might occur should I have theopportunity to care for a dog.

Thank you for the life lesson,dear fish, and may you rest peace-fully in your toilet bowl in the sky(or in the men’s restroom on thesecond story).

—Bree Lutjens is a public relationsfreshman.

BBrreeee LLuuttjjeennsscontributorW

Photo Editor Antontio Zaragoza captured this group shot of enthusiastic fans at last night’s men’s basketball

game. Despite losing the game, the spirit of the Aztec fans remains strong and unbreakable.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

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