Ztec Island is hereby declared uninhabitable due to severe pirate infestation. A bounty is

offered to those who dare travel it for the return of the queen's five silver coins. Follow the clues left behind by the scurvy mateys and be rewarded tenfold.

A

Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012 Volume 99, Issue 55

issue

2 NEWSThursdayDecember 6, 2012The Daily azTec

Winter shelter brings hope to the homelesslocal

Hannah BeausangStaff Writer

Mother Mary Gayden is a well-dressed woman with a warm smile and a confident personality. At 59, Gayden has ministered for 40 years, and graduated from the San Diego Police Department Academy in 1996. She worked at the San Di-ego Convention Center for 10 years and says she had a family and a life bursting with potential.

Now, Gayden is staying in a homeless shelter. She found her-self widowed and homeless with a severe medical condition and has been living on blood transfusions since 2008. She never thought she would lose her home.

Gayden is currently living in an emergency winter homeless shel-ter. The shelter is run by Alpha Project, which provides accommo-dations for more than 200 people and 20 dogs.

The shelter opened on Friday, Nov. 23 and will remain open un-til April 1, 2013 to provide accom-modations for the homeless during the coldest months of the year. The shelter is located on 16th Street and Newton Avenue near down-town San Diego.

Living on the streets instilled Gayden with a sense of compassion and a new outlook on homelessness.

“Even doing ministry, I had a stereotype for why people are homeless and I found out that’s not the case,” Gayden said. “It’s hitting everyone. We have to come

together and deal with this.”According to the San Diego

County Regional Homeless Assess-ment Profile, at a point in time in January 2011, 9,436 people were homeless. Around 3,000 (32 per-cent) were in transitional housing and 936 (10 percent) were staying in emergency shelters. However, 5,456 (58 percent) had no form of shelter at that point in time.

President and CEO of Alpha Project Bob McElroy said the shelter is a “self-contained city” and one of the most influential

resources for the city’s homeless, even though it’s only operational during winter months. The shelter provides homeless people vital re-sources and care.

“We want people to be lifted up,” McElroy said. “We want them to have a better life, a safe life . . . We’re an empowerment program, not an entitlement program.”

Precedence at the shelter is given to the disabled, elderly and women. According to the Alpha Project, in 2011, 44 percent of those who stayed in the shelter were older

than 50 and more than 60 percent of clients had a disability, such as a mental illness, physical disability or other chronic illness.

People with criminal records and former gang members who would normally be turned away from the work force can take ad-vantage of work opportunities of-fered through the shelter.

Carlos “PeWee” Juarez, an ex-gang member, is a security guard at the winter shelter. He said working at the shelter has been life-changing.

“If I wasn’t here, I’d probably be

back in jail,” Juarez said. “A lot of people don’t give us opportunities or jobs because they don’t trust us, because we’re from the streets and from our past records. I’m an ex-felon and I’ve been in prison, but this gives me opportunity to grow and grow with the company. Now I’m a supervisor.”

The shelter provides a support system that creates a respectful com-munity to foster hope and dignity.

Those staying at the shelter re-ceive nightly meals prepared in a county-certified kitchen. Rest-rooms and toiletries are provided, along with health screenings from the Mobile Clinic for all visitors as well as follow-up treatments for cli-ents with ongoing needs. People at the shelter can also obtain referrals for transitional or permanent hous-ing options, employment opportu-nities and other support services.

Debby Brown, who is 59 years old, has stayed in the shelter for five seasons. She said the shelter provides her with resources to help her become self-sufficient. She has brought her service dog along with her to the shelter and is grateful for the strong sense of communi-ty. Brown says she is on the way out of her plight of homelessness and plans to take advantage of the available resources.

Brown stressed one fact more than anything: the shelter gives her a sense of belonging.

“I don’t want to be recognized for being poor,” Brown said. “I want to be recognized for being me.”

59-year-old Debby Brown lets her Pomeranian, Jélon VeiVei, drink from her watter bottle. The Alpha Project opened the shelter last month near downtown San Diego and provides accomodations for more than 200 people and 20 dogs.

paige nelson, photo editor

NEWS 3ThursdayDecember 6, 2012the daily aztec

Israeli Consul discusses Middle East affairscampus

Antonio ZaragozaEditor in Chief

Ambassador Ido Aharoni, the Is-raeli consul general of New York, visited San Diego State yesterday as a guest lecturer in a religious studies class. During the hour-long lecture held in Nasatir Hall, students listened to the ambassa-dor speak about general miscon-ceptions of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Religious studies and lecturer Lori Stewart said the ambassa-dor’s talk was comprehensive and valuable to students.

“The ambassador gave us an excellent talk on issues in the Middle East right now, from the Arab Spring to Israeli-Iranian relationships to international di-plomacy,” Stewart said. “It was a rather far-reaching and informa-tive talk.”

Aharoni began his lecture by discussing the concept of the Arab Spring. He said the word “Spring” creates misconceptions about events that have unfolded throughout the last18 months in the Arab world.

“Spring’ implies two things—first that we are looking at some-thing that is seasonal and second-ly, we are looking at something that by definition will be positive or will have a positive impact,” Aharoni said.

The ambassador also said it was not realistic to expect ma-

jor changes in a year or two but rather that change may require several generations. He said the shifts happening in the Arab re-gion could have wide-ranging ef-fects on the future.

“Maybe we are looking at a process that would redefine na-tional boundaries in the Middle East that will in fact serve as the undoing of the Sykes-Picot Agree-ment of 1916,” he said.

The Sykes-Picot agreements, signed by England and France, divided their influence in the re-gion, thus creating many of the different nations, that comprise the Middle East. The nations created by the agreement largely disregarded religious, ethnic and tribal affiliations. Aharoni em-

phasized if the world is truly wit-nessing a realignment of bound-aries and borders in the Middle East, then a long period of insta-bility should be expected.

In his lecture, Aharoni also discussed the theory of demo-cratic peace, in which democra-

cies do not display aggression against one another and are not destroyed by tyrannies.

“A more democratic Middle East, by definition, is a safer Mid-dle East for Israel, which is why Israel whole-heartedly supports those forces who call for more freedoms and more democracy in the region,” Arahoni said.

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Aztec, the ambassador discussed recent events between Israeli and Palestinian people, as well as Israel’s outward im-age. One of the key topics from the ambassador’s discussion was the worldwide misconceptions of Israel and the Middle East. He said one of the biggest challenges is to share the image of Israel as a beautiful country filled with history, art and culture in a time when most people around the world are only exposed to images of violence and conflict.

“When I come to visit SDSU, my main message is that Israel is more than just its problems with its neighbors,“ Aharoni said.

Aharoni discussed the Israeli settlements and the recent deci-sion by the Israeli government to build on an area designated as E1. The decision to build up to as many as 3,000 new homes in the area came soon after the United Nations General Assembly up-graded Palestine’s status.

“Some people say Israeli settle-ment activities is the No. 1 obsta-cle to peace, but what most peo-ple don’t know is that the conflict

between us and the Palestinians is not necessarily about land,” Aharoni said. “Theoretically speaking, if Israel decided tomor-row to remove all settlements and all settlers from the West Bank, like we did in Gaza, and hand it over to the Palestinians, it would be hard to find one person that could guarantee that we would have full, comprehensive and fi-nal peace agreement with the Pal-estinians the next day.“

Some students did not agree with Aharoni’s Israeli-Palestin-ian point of view.

In a written statement, co-chair of Students for Justice in Palestine Nadine Hassoun, said, “Aharoni is serving as the head of Brand

Israel, Israel’s propaganda cam-paign to hide its atrocities and war crimes against the Palestin-ian people and its continuous vi-olations of international law, in an effort to show Israel’s prettier face… His talk in SDSU on the Arab Spring is an attempt to de-flect attention away from the lat-est happenings in Palestine, such as Israel’s attack on Gaza and Israel’s recent announcement of the illegal settlement expansion on more Palestinian land.”

Nonetheless, the ambassador stood by his word and ended the interview by stressing the most important element is for there to be compassion and goodwill among both parties.

Consul General of Israel, Ambassador Ido Aharoni (middle) visits the SDSU campus. Aharoni discussed the Israeli-Palestinian relationship with a religious studies class.

antonio zaragoza, editor in chief

...my main message is that israel is more than just its problems with its neighbors.

Ido AharoniConsul General of Israel

4 SPORTSThursdayDecember 6, 2012The Daily azTec

Aztecs look for seventh straight win against UCSB

SDSU is ready to avenge last season’s loss to USD

Logan BurnsContributor

men’s basketballAlex RigginsContributor

women’s basketball

BackcourtAztecs: Coming off a 28-point performance against the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins, junior guard Jamaal Franklin led the No. 17 San Diego State basketball team to a 74-62 win against Texas Southern University Monday night at Viejas Arena. The combination of Franklin and senior guard Chase Tapley is a reason the Aztecs had early success this season. Franklin and Tapley are the top two scorers on the team. Franklin averages 19.9 points per game, while Tapley averages 12. Gauchos: The two leading backcourt players for the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos are junior guard Kyle Boswell and freshman guard Michael Bryson. The two are not as formidable as the Aztecs’ Franklin and Tapley, but Boswell scores 9.3 points per game, while Bryson averages 6.5.Edge: Aztecs

FrontcourtAztecs: The Aztecs have a number

of quality forwards such as senior DeShawn Stephens, sophomore J.J. O’Brien and freshman Winston Shepard. The scoring leaders among this group is Stephens, who averages 7.7 points per game, while also averaging 5.7 rebounds per game. O’Brien has played well lately, now averaging 4.7 points per game and Shepard is capable of bring the ball up the court.Gauchos: The leading scorer for the Gauchos comes out of their backcourt. It is sophomore center Alan Williams, who puts up an average of 16.1 points per game and also plays 26 minutes per game. His matchup against Franklin will be an exciting one.Edge: Aztecs

IntangiblesAztecs: Playing at home is always an advantage and the Aztecs are close to playing flawless basketball right now. The team improved its free throw shooting and transition offense since its season opener against Syracuse. SDSU’s bench is much stronger than UCSB’s, which is a huge intangible for this Aztecs squad. Franklin is steadily

putting himself in the National Player of the Year discussion.Gauchos: The Gauchos have a premier scorer in Williams, who is very similar to the Franklin. If UCSB can isolate Williams and get him open shots, this game may be closer than people think.Edge: Aztecs

CoachingAztecs: Steve Fisher has his team rolling since the debacle on the U.S.S. Midway against Syracuse. Fisher is establishing a much more open offensive scheme, letting his premier perimeter players shoot the ball more leisurely. An example of this game plan was shown during the UCLA game, when the Aztecs knocked down eight 3-point shots. Fisher looks to have his team on a path to a potential NCAA appearance yet again. Gauchos: Head coach Bob Williams is the man at the helm for the Gauchos. Williams previously coached at UC Davis, where he won the 1998 NCAA Division II National Championship and was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II Coach of the Year. Williams is all-time leader in wins at UCSB.Edge: Aztecs

Prediction Aztecs 70, Gauchos 48

Backcourt Aztecs: Senior guard Courtney Clements had 25 points and six rebounds in a big win against the University of Southern California on Friday. The performance helped Clements collect her second consecutive Player of the Week honor from the Mountain West Conference. Senior point guard Chelsea Hopkins also had a successful game against the Trojans, with 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists. The two seniors combine to average 29.3 points per game.Toreros: University of San Diego also has the reigning West Coast Conference Player of the Week junior guard Amy Kame. She won the honor after putting up this incredible stat line in the Air Force Tournament: 17.5 points, nine rebounds, eight steals and seven assists per game in the Toreros’ two wins. Junior guard Alysse Barlow provides a nice complement with 8.3 points per game. Edge: Even

FrontcourtAztecs: Sophomore forward Erimma Amarikwa, a 6-foot-1 sophomore forward, leads the frontcourt with 9.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. The Aztecs

rotate five players at the forward and center positions, each of which average between five and 10 points per game. Senior center Malia Nahinu is always a mismatch at 6 feet 6 inches tall. Toreros: Sophomore forward Katelyn McDaniel and freshman forward Maya Hood don’t start, but both play big minutes and average more than 10 points per game. McDaniel has made 21-of-24 field goals and 21-of-23 free throws, while playing just 19.7 minutes per game. Edge: Aztecs

IntangiblesAztecs: The Aztecs have faced some stiff competition this season, which has prepared them for difficult opponents such as USD. After winning the MWC regular season and tournament titles last season and reaching the NCAA Tournament, SDSU’s experience demonstrates its advantage against USD. SDSU surely does not want to lose the city championship, either.Toreros: USD is 6-1 and currently riding a five-game winning streak. The Toreros will be playing at home in the Jenny Craig Pavillion after traveling to Viejas Arena last year and beating the Aztecs 56-45. Edge: Toreros

PredictionAztecs 66, Toreros 59

The No. 17/15 Aztecs go into tonight’s game with a 26-game winning streak against teams from California.

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5 ThursdayDecember 6, 2012The Daily Aztec Fun and games

Booty on Campus

While I was in (a place in the library)______________ on the fifth floor of the Love Library—crouched in the fetal position recovering from my (area of study)__________exam – I noticed a (adjective)____________ tile that appeared dislodged. I precariously lifted the scratched porcelain and found a small (noun)____________. Attached beneath the tile was a map dated Aug. 3, 1723 with a blueprint of the campus. I was so (adjective)_____________about the map, the following night in a drunken stupor, I (adverb) ________________ mentioned it to some friends at a (location)___________ on College Avenue. As I left the house, I noticed the familiar tattoo of a (adjective) _________ (animal)_________ on the (body part)___________ of my (course name)______________ teaching assistant. I smiled at (SDSU teaching assistant’s name), but (he/she) returned my gaze with a malicious glare. I went back to (residence hall on campus)_____________, confused by our strange encounter, but still (emotion)_________________ about the map.

I met up with (friend’s name)_____________, who told me a (adjective) ____________ pirate named (professor’s last name)________________ was on campus looking for a hidden (noun)____________. At that moment, I (past tense verb)__________ out of ner-vousness. I asked (person), “Where was the last place you saw this pirate?” My friend ex-plained to me (he/she) had seen (same professor)___________ atop Parking Structure 55, jack-hammer in hand. I (past tense verb)___________ home, grabbed a (tool)_____________ and rope to rappel the levels of the structure. After mapping out my attack, I (adverb)________________ approached the parking structure and crouched behind a (adjective)______________ (car model)__________________. I heard the repetitive clamor of crushing concrete, and soon spotted the (same professor)_____________, along with (his/her) scallywag (same TA)_______________. I stepped on a noisy (noun)_______________, revealing my pres-ence to the pirates. Suddenly, the (same TA)___________, who was a master of parkour, sprang from a parked (mode of transportation) _________________, and wrapped (his/her) arms and legs around a supporting pillar. (He/she) hurdled a moped, jumped across the structure, lassoed (him/herself) to a (object)________________ and lunged at me with a (weapon)______________, impaling my (body part)______________. “Ahoy, where’s that map?!” he demanded.

I awoke suddenly in my bed to the voice of my roommate. “Goin’ on a (favorite coffee shop)__________ run! What do you want?” (roommate’s name) _____________ yelled through my door. I wiped the sweat from my (body part), and looked around for my map. Outside I heard the cry of a (bird type) ___________ and the distant, muffled thud of a jack-hammer.

6 ThursdayDecember 6, 2012The Daily Aztec

7ThursdayDecember 6, 2012

The Daily Aztecscavenger hunt

Clues1. Hot dog! I wonder where this silver piece is!

2. Where all parts of the world are welcomed and understood, as long as they're willing to make the hike out here. (No, not your hippy drum circle.)

3. I'm open during the day, and also when it's dark, although sometimes it's tricky finding a spot to park. Hark! I'm the ...

4. Everyone's got an equal opportunity to center in on this silver piece.

Note-Scallywags stumblin' upon all four Silvarrgghhh pieces can come claim ye booty from 9 a.m.

to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday of next week at The Daily Aztec! Yarrgghh!

-Our booty be limited! Scour ye lands quick!

What this means: -You have to get all four pieces to get a prize.

-You can claim your prize between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. any day next week at the front desk of The DA

-Prizes are limited. If you do the scavenger hunt and we're out of prizes, tough luck.

6 ThursdayDecember 6, 2012The Daily Aztec

7ThursdayDecember 6, 2012

The Daily Aztecscavenger hunt

Clues1. Hot dog! I wonder where this silver piece is!

2. Where all parts of the world are welcomed and understood, as long as they're willing to make the hike out here. (No, not your hippy drum circle.)

3. I'm open during the day, and also when it's dark, although sometimes it's tricky finding a spot to park. Hark! I'm the ...

4. Everyone's got an equal opportunity to center in on this silver piece.

Note-Scallywags stumblin' upon all four Silvarrgghhh pieces can come claim ye booty from 9 a.m.

to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday of next week at The Daily Aztec! Yarrgghh!

-Our booty be limited! Scour ye lands quick!

What this means: -You have to get all four pieces to get a prize.

-You can claim your prize between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. any day next week at the front desk of The DA

-Prizes are limited. If you do the scavenger hunt and we're out of prizes, tough luck.

HERE’S THE WARRIOR?

8ThursdayDecember 6, 2012

The Daily AztecFun and games Fun and games

find the warrior among the crowd, mateys!

want to

on campus?www.thedailyaztec.com/jobs

work

OPINION 9ThursdayDecember 6, 2012the daily aztec

The Daily Aztec remembers Christmas past

Kenneth LeonardSenior Staff Columnist

Editors and writers remi-nisce about some of their most cherished Christmas memories and traditions.

Without question, the greatest and most sacred Christmas tradition in my home is watching “Die Hard” on Christmas Eve. I have a few Christmas movie traditions, including an annual viewing of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” on Thanksgiving and a handful of “A Christmas Story” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” screenings, but there is no question in my mind what the king of all Christmas movies is (hint: Bruce Willis is in it). For those naysayers who don’t think of “Die Hard” as a Christmas movie, I implore you to watch it again with an eye for Christmas themes. It’s a parable with a message of compassion and slaying eastern European terrorists, and, Alan Rickman is in it, which makes it a prequel to “Love Actually” in an alternate universe. Also, “Die Hard” has a sequel which also takes place during Christmas, so technically “Die Hard” is not just the greatest Christmas movie, but the best Christmas series of all-time. Yippee ki-yay, mofos.

Heather RushallSenior Staff Columnist

My all-time favorite Christmas movie is “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” because it brings back

some of the best holiday memories from my childhood.

When I was young, my two brothers, my sister and I would watch this movie with our parents while munching on my stepdad’s specialty: popcorn and peanut M&M’s mixed together in a giant bowl.

The movie is Claymation and features Santa Claus, Rudolph and Rudolph’s family in a snowy wonderland. Rudolph meets a bunch of rejected, broken and thrown away toys and together they learn the meaning of Christmas and Rudolph’s purpose as Santa’s guide.

It’s a cute flick, but corny and definitely one for the kids. Now, I watch it every year with my daughter, who is 4 years old. She can press “play” three or four times in a row and love it just as much every time.

For me, Christmas is all about family, so sharing the traditions I experienced as a child with my little one is a treasure I’ll cherish forever.

Madison HopkinsStaff Columnist

The best Christmas gift I ever received was a remote-controlled dinosaur. My uncle gave me a foot-tall T.rex fighting machine, while all my brother got was a measly little herbivore. One would think this happened when we were very young, but I was a senior in high school and my brother was already in college. A little known fact about me is I have an irrational fear of dinosaurs coming back to life and eating me.

Needless to say, I was not a huge fan of my unique gift at first. However, with my power to master the remote, I gained control of the monster of my nightmares and conquered my childhood fear. That Christmas, I saw miracles do happen, even when they’re just really weird.

Amanda GuerreroStaff Writer

Every Christmas Eve, my siblings and I don our coziest pajamas and arrange ourselves on the couch, leaving enough space for Dad and Mom to squeeze in and wrap a blanket around all of us. The bright flash of the TV fills the room as “The Santa Clause” fills the screen.

Every year, we watch Tim Allen become Santa Claus as if it was just as new and even more magical. As I snuggle next to my sister, I forget about the wrapped-up trinkets and half-eaten cookies in the living room until the screen goes dark, with only the glow from our Christmas tree lights around us.

J.Hutton MarshallManaging Editor

Every Christmas Eve, my family feebly revives our religious beliefs. I shouldn’t say every Christmas Eve. There was a time when my brother, sister and I were children and our undeveloped minds gullibly grasped onto religion. But luckily, our minds developed past this superstitious

phase. Kidding, but throughout the years, as we’ve all matured and moved away, the five of us Marshalls have attended church less and less. When I go home each winter, I go along with the show. It’s not too bad. Last year, we snuck out shortly after Holy Communion to go to Buca di Beppo. When it’s only once a year, church is kind of like rewatching an old movie you used to love when you were a kid and realizing why you don’t really watch it anymore. It’s a good reminder all godless heathens should experience.

Leonardo CastanedaOpinion Editor

The thing about getting a bicycle for Christmas is there is virtually no way to wrap it so it doesn’t look like a bike. Sure, you can put it in a large box and wrap that, but un-less you grew up in a house where large-screen TVs are a normal kid gift, then you know there’s a bike in there.

That’s what makes it great. I saw the gift and I knew it’s was a bike. All you have to do is unwrap it. There’s no doubt, no moment of horror when you open a box to re-veal a puce-colored sweater. The to-tal connection between expectation and reality that comes from a bike rarely exists in the real world, and I cherish the memory all the more for it. It’s also a great excuse to never wrap presents—I want everyone to know exactly what they’re getting, right from the start.

Caitlin JohnsonStaff Columnist

...And An Alcoholic New Year

Christmas is a time of cheer,with lots to eat and too much beer.I truly adore this time of joy;I’m 25 but still get toys.It’s hard not to love my family,yelling and cursing while playing Wii.When the battles are won (though someone has lost),we toast to the winner—a couple of shots.I’ll never forget these times we share,all warm and fuzzy like a teddy bear.But now I fear this poem is beginning to stink,so Merry Christmas to all and to all a good drink!

Edward HendersonFeatures Editor

My twin sister and I would campout in an opening under the staircase adjacent to our Christmas tree in hopes of catching Santa. To pass the time, we played a game called “Snoop Dogg and the Dog Pound.” I would pretend to be Dr. Dre and she would act as Snoop Dogg. There was no objective to the game, just random, pretend phone calls using our thumb and pinky, talking about escaping from the dog pound—riveting stuff. After hours of laughs and bad West Coast accents, we would eventually fall asleep. I can’t wait to see her during the break, so we can rekindle this holiday tradition.

10 OPINIONThursdayDecember 6, 2012the daily aztec

Celebrate Christmas for own sake, not religion holidays Kenneth Leonard

Senior Staff Columnist

Every year, various media outlets criticize atheists and secularists for waging an

alleged war on Christmas. Isn’t it time for us to collectively stop pretending Christmas is still a religious holiday and appreciate it for the hedonistic, commercialized celebration it truly is? Like clockwork, billboards spring up in December, encouraging passersby to “Keep the ‘Christ’ in Christmas” or reminding all of how “Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” I’m sorry to inform you religious types, but axial tilt is the reason for the season and Christ is as insignificant to Christmas as Janus, the Roman god of doors and gates, is to January.

Where are all of the religious activists in the spring, who insist on keeping Eostre, the Germanic goddess of fertility, in Easter? Have we forgotten how she’s the reason we have eggs, bunnies and chocolate? When will I pass a billboard suggesting we keep the Thor in Thursday? I hope you drown in some kind of tsunami made of irony if you read the last couple of sentences and said something to yourself along the lines of, “Yeah, but everybody knows Thor isn’t real.”

The only people who really celebrate Christmas as a purely religious holiday nowadays are an extremely small minority

group of hyper-vigilant religious fundamentalists. The rest of us are celebrating a break from work and school, time spent with family and, of course, the opportunity to exchange gifts with loved ones. It’s time for our culture to embrace Christmas for what it is and stop taking the religious aspect so seriously. The American Christmas deity isn’t Jesus anyway. It’s Santa Claus and anyone who says differently is in denial.

Think about it—human beings created gods in our image since the dawn of time. Santa is America’s. Santa is omniscient—he knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness’ sake. Santa is also pretty much omnipresent at least one night out of the year, namely Christmas Eve. He adheres to a moral code and disperses rewards and judgments accordingly. Santa is believed in by millions of people who pray to him (usually by writing letters where they ask for certain gifts, but they’re still prayers). Beyond all of these obvious parallels to other deities, Santa is the perfect representation of American culture. Just as the Aztecs had Tezcatlipoca and Camaxtli, who reflected their status as part of a warrior culture, we have a bearded, old, fat man who celebrates consumerism and excessive consumption.

You may be saying, “Listen here, atheist boy. It’s not right to plagiarize other cultures and annoint your chosen savior as everyone’s god.” I disagree. Ripping off other people’s cultural observances and labeling them as your own is precisely how we got the Christmas we all know and love and I see no reason to stop commandeering whatever parts of various holiday celebrations I enjoy.

I enjoy the whole idea of kissing under mistletoe and I don’t really care about how Druid priests used mistletoe in winter ceremonies 200 years before the alleged birth of Jesus or how the kissing tradition comes from Scandinavian culture, where people associated the plant with Frigga, the goddess of love. All I really, truly care about is how much fun it is to notice someone standing under the mistletoe, walk

over, suggestively arch an eyebrow and hear him say, “Dude, get away from me.”

Religious people, don’t take it personally. Our culture is outgrowing certain practices in favor of other ones. As the world moves beyond the Jesus-oriented Christmas and embraces the Santa-flavored Christmas, don’t think of it as a war against Christmas. Try to think of it as evolution. Wait, I forget you guys don’t like that word. Uh, think of our generation’s Christmas as a celebration which had an origin in another preexisting type of celebration—and there are distinguishable inherited differences because of modifications in successive generations. It’s nothing like evolution, I swear.

The bottom line is, there is no real war on Christmas. Go to a mall. Turn on the radio. Look around and it quickly becomes obvious how Christmas-obsessed our culture is. Christmas isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and the very concept of a war on Christmas in our culture is pretty silly. Furthermore, the illusory idea that Christmas is under attack promotes animosity between various ideological groups, who could get along with each other much better if the vitriolic rhetoric was dialed down and some mutual understanding was achieved. This season, whether or not we respect each other’s worldviews, let’s spread around some Christmas cheer. Merry Christmas, everyone.

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opinion 11Studying abroad is the experience of a lifetime

study abroad Denisa Caldova staff Columnist

It all started March 8 when I found out I was one of the two lucky students from

Erasmus University Rotterdam who would spend a whole semester at San Diego State. We were sitting in a lecture hall as our exchange coordinators handed out name badges with the location covered by a sticky note. I remember my coordinator coming toward me, handing me my badge and saying, “I want to see your face when you take the Post-it off.” I guess I looked really funny because I reacted like a little kid getting a very anticipated present for Christmas.

Nine months later, my exchange is at its end. It is bittersweet, especially because I still remember my long flight to San Diego and my first few days here. I’m returning to Europe soon, where I’m going to start an internship at a magazine and finish my bachelor’s degree. Even though I’m happy that I’m getting my degree soon, I wish I could stay in San Diego a bit longer.

Every year, many international and American students decide to go abroad. I would strongly recommend it because it brings so many benefits and experiences to a person’s life.

As an exchange student, you experience a new culture. Even though Europe is full of American products, coming to study in the U.S. adds a totally new perspective. Having American roommates and being

surrounded by American students on a daily basis helped extend my understanding of American customs and habits. For instance, it was a great experience to be in the U.S. for Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Until studying in the U.S., I had only heard about these important days from friends or seen them celebrated on TV. However, after experiencing a crazy Black Friday surrounded by thousands of people running around frantically to get the best deals, I realized how powerful consumerism is nowadays. Also, spending Thanksgiving with an American family is something absolutely different than in Europe. Back home I was never asked to say out loud what I’m thankful for in front of other people because we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in Europe. When I had to do it, I honestly felt strange because I felt like what we are thankful for is something personal. One thing, is crystal clear, though: It’s always best to experience something firsthand.

These four months in San Diego also opened my eyes in a more academic sense. As an exchange student, I experimented with class schedules. This means even though I’m a journalism major, I still took a few psychology classes. When I come to San Diego, my main academic goal was to see if I could write for a newspaper. I have been fortunate enough to become a writer for The Daily Aztec. This experience gave me a lot of new

knowledge and made me realize I really want to be a journalist after I’m done with school.

Often, people think of an exchange as a break from studying and a time for parties. However, I think it’s important to balance both—exchanges aren’t only about the number of parties we attend.

It also wouldn’t be a proper exchange without traveling. Being able to visit cities such

as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Houston, San Francisco and Chicago in a four-month period is something I will never forget. No matter where a person chooses to study abroad, I highly recommend traveling. This is the time in a person’s life with the most opportunities to visit new places and they should not waste the experience.

Finally, my exchange brought many new people into my life,

whether it’s my new American friends who helped me during my stay in San Diego or my international friends who are also here on exchange. These are people who I will always share memories with because we spent four months living together in the same place. These are the valuable bonds that I hope won’t disappear once we leave back to our home countries or how I like to call it, back to reality.

mct campus

Thursdaydecember 6, 2012the daily aztec

12 BackpageThursdayDecember 6, 2012The Daily azTec

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Today’s BirThday (12/6/12) - Enjoy alone time, and savor moments with loved ones this year. Romance, partnerships and networking bustle until June, when career and finances shift into overdrive. Reflect on what’s important, and keep to your plan. Give attention to health.

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

aries (March 21 - april 19) - Today is a 7 - Okay, you can shop now ... don’t overspend from guilt. Keep it light. Others ask your advice. Reaffirm a commitment. Get your message out. Accept a grand social invitation.Taurus (april 20 - May 20) - Today is an 8 - Your dream is in action. Create flexible structures, and don’t forget a deadline. While reason and emotion argue to a standstill, romance hovers nearby. Look for hidden resources.GeMini (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 9 - You’re gaining skills. Be watching for a need to fill, and stay respectful to folks who feel strongly. There’s a serendipitous meeting. It’s a safe bet. Make a wish.CanCer (June 22 - July 22) - Today is an 8 - Completing old tasks pays best, so decrease obligations. Take care of a friend. Supply the food. You can find what you need nearby. You’re admired for sticking to your standards.Leo (July 23 - aug. 22) - Today is a 7 - Stillness is restful. Balancing powers and keeping your word is essential. Get cleaning out of the way. You’re attracting more attention. Hold on to whatever you’ve gained. Consider all possibilities.VirGo (aug. 23 - sept. 22) - Today is a 9

- An old friend can help you make a dream real. Think about it. You have plenty of luck. Delegate to a perfectionist. Find another way to cut costs.LiBra (sept. 23 - oct. 22) - Today is a 6 - Naturally, you’re in the middle of the controversy. A bonus boosts self-esteem. Devote yourself to the task. Private meetings are best. Don’t fret a temporary setback. Win the prize.sCorpio (oct. 23 - nov. 21) - Today is a 9 - Physical effort works today. Spend time outdoors. Make a new connection. Increase vigilance; you get through where others fail. Postpone travel and impulsiveness. Stick to work ... it’s profitable.saGiTTarius (nov. 22 - dec. 21) - Today is a 7 - Your logic spreads. Rise to the occasion. You may respectfully disagree with an opinionated person. Pay back a favor, after paying bills. Celebrate an attractive person’s loyalty.CapriCorn (dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 9 - Someone has a great idea about renovating your home. Consider options privately. You have the skills required. Continue to check off the list. If traveling, consider comfort first.aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is an 8 - Confer with your team. Postpone travel for now... stay with the group. You get more if you act quickly. Others find you fascinating. Enlist help with subtle bribes.pisCes (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 7 - Simplify matters. A crazy scheme could work, but don’t start a new project yet. Physical effort helps clarify your thinking. Love hits you like a feather. Disrupt the status quo.©2012, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

HOROSCOPE by Nancy Black,Tribune Media Services

SUDOKU by The Mepham group,Tribune Media Services

difficulty Level: 4 out of 4

instructions: Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9.

Solutions available online atwww.thedailyaztec.com

©2012, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

CROSSWORD by Rich Norris & Joyce Lewis,Tribune Media Services

Across1 Sundsvall rollers6 Trickeries11 Pops14 Portion out15 Knighted conductor16 Took in17 Typically pink-flowered bloomer19 Paris pronoun20 Title words preceding “beneath the milky twilight,” in a 1999 hit21 “So relaxing!”22 Worrisome engine sound23 Gateway Arch architect26 Set straight29 Hit, maybe30 Breeders’ Cup event31 Loses on purpose34 Light touch37 Key Egyptian artifact unearthed in 179941 Coll. applicants42 Big name in beer43 Mindless process44 Manitoba tribe46 Blood sugar regulator49 Postwar reception53 Neutrogena rival54 Like “ifs” and “buts”: Abbr.55 Throw a feast for59 Back talk60 Tools of the mischievous god hidden in 17-, 23-, 37- and 49-Across62 Cézanne’s summer63 Pad user64 Light wash65 Le counterpart, in Leipzig66 Like-minded gps.67 Guide

Down1 Grain holder2 Jai __3 Mass robes4 Raspy-voiced “Like a Rock” singer

5 Where the anther is6 Dallas-to-Houston dir.7 Wedding dances8 HI hi9 Highest peak in the Calif. Cascades10 “Sprechen __ Deutsch?”11 Single-and-looking group12 Do a makeup job?13 Stoop18 “Unfaithful” co-star22 One that stands to prevent a strike24 More strange25 Soft-spoken painter Bob26 Liberal subject?27 1939 Garland co-star28 Defroster alternative32 “Who am __ say?”33 Moral principle

35 Con36 Summer intern, often38 Plural medical suffix39 Stock holders?40 John Wayne classic45 Campanella of Cooperstown47 North of Paris48 Mascara mishaps49 Sank, in a way50 High class51 Cary of “The Princess Bride”52 Blond comic strip teenager56 Secretary of Education Duncan57 Get whipped58 Fancy pitcher60 Org. with Eagles61 Hardly shows of support

Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com

It was Friday the 7th but it may as well been Friday the 13th. Students turned into brain-fried

zombies, professors turned hellish, power hungry monsters and the lecture hall became a graveyard marking the inevitable fate of the San Diego State students. Every seat read like a tombstone, “Here lies so and so … he failed his final exam.” It was almost finals week, but it felt more like Judgment Day.

Moans and groans filled the campus air. Everywhere I turned, the zombies were chanting, “test, test, test;” there was no escaping it. As I walked through campus, I attempted to find a location to escape all the madness. But to my dismay, I had unknowingly and foolishly stumbled into the zombie breeding ground; known commonly as the 24/7 Study Area.

The chairs were as dingy and gray as the looming clouds outside the library window, and the tables were as cold as the heartless professors. The fluorescent lights were dim, like a candle down to its last flicker. It was the perfect setting for a horror story. The only thing missing was Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” playing from the library speakers.

As I attempt to find a place to settle in zombie land, eyes follow me as I walk down the center aisle. Tables are guarded like precious jewels and in the eyes of every study group is a piercing look screaming, “These seats are taken!”

I found a seat at the corner of a long table in the center of the room. I pull out my cold, silver laptop, open my books and begin studying.

In the library, all the usual suspects were in full swing.

The Overachiever: The one who complains about every measly little point and cries if she doesn’t get an A.

The Procrastinator: The one who does all his assignments last minute and begs for extra credit.

Shellie StampsStaff Writer

humor

The Socializer: The one who can never complete any work because she’s addicted to Facebook and Twitter or constantly sending texts.

And, The Conspiracy Theorist: The one who always hears some terrible rumor about the test.

All overwhelmed with their hellish academic woes.

Suddenly, a shrill cry comes from the corner of the room, breaking me from my studies.

“I worked on this for like 40 hours!” It was the Overachiever, her shrill scream terrified her classmates. “I’m telling the professor that she didn’t work on this with us!” Her cheeks were as red and hot as a stove top.

Meanwhile, the Socializer stays pecking at the keys of her MacBook Pro like an angry chicken pecks at the ground. “Picture! Picture!” she groans while pointing to her computer screen. Her studymates, filled with annoyance, urge her to study, but all she can study is her ex-boyfriend’s pictures.

At the computer station, the Procrastinator waits in line for a chance to type his final paper. He fidgets and rolls his head back, continuously checking his phone, counting down the seconds to grab a computer and start his assignment.

Finally, a computer opens up and the Procrastinator takes a seat at the desk. He pulls out his notebook, flips through his notes

and begins typing his 10- page paper.

Meanwhile, the line at Peabody’s Organic Coffee grew by the minute. Coffee steamed and machines whistled like a freight train on the way to academic hell, picking up passengers along the way.

As the coffee line grows, the Conspiracy Theorist tries to convince his study group that the test is rigged. “I think he hates us. Everybody I talked to said the test is really hard. I heard last semester nobody got an A.”

Time ticks on as the suspects frantically attempt to finish their assignments. With only hours before their exams, every moment becomes a fight for academic survival.

As the Procrastinator finally finishes his paper (or some of it, anyway), he is stopped in his tracks when he realizes there is no money on his RedID card.

In a last attempt to save his pathetic grade, the Procrastinator drags his limp, sleepy legs from table to table begging for money like a lifeless vagabond.

With the clocks ticking like metronomes marking time to a death march, the Socializer, the Procrastinator, the Overachiever and the Conspiracy Theorist pack up their laptops, throw on their backpacks, exit the library and prepare to meet their fateful judgment. Happy finals week!

Finals usuals suspects in 24/7 study area

joaquin junco contributing artist