Volume 8 Issue 12

Volume 8, Issue 12 / Feb. 5 - Feb. 11, 2014

@tblucsb / thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu

CATALYST

OBANZAI

FREEDOM

Professional Chef Sugimoto Setsuko cooked up authentic Japanese cuisine at the MCC.

UCSB’s newly-revived literary arts magazine launched its first issue at the IV Food Co-op.

When we thank the troops for our freedom, what are we really thanking them for?

FEATURES / 3

PHOTO / 4

OPINIONS / 8

THE breaking Yard & MATT KIVEL

AS BEAT REPORT

AS Senate Addresses Food Bill Backlash, Learns About Online Education

Photo by Lorenzo Basilio | Staff Photographer

Second-year anthropology major Carlos Lopez discusses AS Week of Revenue.

by Kelsey Knorp AS Beat Reporter Photo by Mark Brocher | Staff Photographer

The Breaking Yard performs at Biko on Feb. 1, 2014. Read more on page 6.

Meningitis B Vaccine Approved for Use at UCSB, Will be Administered Later This Month

U

by Julia Frazer Staff Writer

niversity of California, Santa Barbara Student Health announced on Friday, Jan. 31, that the FDA has approved the use of the serogroup B meningococcal vaccine for the UCSB community. The vaccine will be administered at no charge starting Monday, Feb. 24.

The CDC recommends the following groups receive the vaccination that protects against meningococcal disease serogroup B: all undergraduates, University Immersion Program students, and a small number of faculty, staff, and graduate students who have certain medical conditions or who live in dormitory-style residence halls.

“The specified groups were recommended by the CDC to receive the vaccine because young adults and people with certain medical conditions are at increased risk of getting meningococcal disease, especially those who live in close quarters, such as dormitory-style residence halls,” Student Health Executive Director Dr. Mary Ferris said in an open letter to students.

The vaccine will be provided free of charge to groups eligible for the vaccine, and there will be a two-week vaccination clinic for the first dose, which will be available at the Multi-Activity Center (MAC) of the RecCen from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Feb. 24 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Feb. 25 to 28 and March 3 to 7.

The vaccine requires two doses for a more complete protection. The second dose will be available in the spring.

“I believe the vaccine is an important preventative measure, but I am not in any hurry to get vaccinated due to my busy schedule,” said fourth-year psychology major Alex Sicaud.

The Student Health Office recommends that any students who cannot get the vaccine during the two-week clinic make

separate arrangements with the Advice Nurses.

The new vaccination protects against meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B bacteria, the strain that caused the four cases just a few months ago. Though UCSB has not experienced further cases of meningitis since November, the CDC recommends the vaccine to help protect the community against meningococcal disease.

“Cases can be separated by several months before they reoccur,” said Ferris in a recent interview.

According to the CDC, the serogroup B meningococcal vaccine has not been approved for use in the United States except for to control a specific outbreak under an Investigational New Drug application. The CDC explains that the vaccination has been approved in the European Union, Canada, and Australia after thorough clinical trials demonstrating the vaccine’s safety and efficacy.

Concerned UCSB parent Leisa Cosentino plans to encourage her daughter to get the vaccine.

“I understand and appreciate that the FDA has a very rigorous testing procedure in place for all of its drugs and vaccines,” said Cosentino, ”but feel that the current health issues in play at Princeton and UCSB merit immediate attention.”

UCSB Student Health strongly encourages that all students be vaccinated to stop the outbreak. Students receiving the vaccine should plan to bring their UCSB Access Card and should allot at least 45 minutes to attend the vaccine clinic. This time allotment is on account of forms to complete and sign before receiving the vaccine, wait times, and a 15-minute waiting period after receiving the vaccine for observation purposes.

IV BEAT REPORT

It’s Good to Have Options: Resources to Protect and Educate Student Tenants

T

by Giuseppe Ricapito IV Beat Reporter

he Isla Vista housing season has begun, and for many students, the hectic pressure of assuring housing involves weeks, if not months, of planning, organization, and deliberations—confirming your contractual consent (affirmed by the financial backing of your co-signer) as well as figuring out where, and with whom, you will plan to spend a school-year.

But before you reserve a house or apartment, you better be sure you can stand living in it. This certainty, prior to the ink drying on the lease agreement, can better prepare a tenant for possible disputes with property owners. If something does happen—from arbitrary charges and personal discrimination to outright neglect—residents have local outlets dedicated to the advocacy and education of Isla Vista tenants.

Aaron Jones, Associated Students Assistant Director for Community Affairs, Student Engagement and Advocacy is the manager responsible for the Isla Vista Tenants Union (IVTU).

While explaining the IVTU’s role in tenant advocacy, Jones paraphrased, offhand, the mission statement of the organization.

“We’re here to help and service and support student and non-student members…by taking on the charge of broadening awareness and bringing education to Isla Vista [residents] about their rights as tenants,” Jones said.

“The very structure of IVTU allows any resident of Isla Vista to be a member of the Union by design,” he continued. “There is a general lack of understanding and awareness amongst tenants about their rights…and about what property owners can and cannot do.”

The IVTU Office is located at 6550 Pardall Road, sharing the second story above the new I.V. Associated Students building with the Isla Vista Legal Resource Center. Though Aaron acknowledged that the Tenants Union cannot provide legal advice, “they are able to do a much broader service” because legal information is literally available on the other side of the room.

While the IVTU represents all local residents—from students to working families—the UCSB Community Housing

Office (CHO) offers a variety of residential services to UCSB students, faculty, and staff throughout Isla Vista, Goleta, and Santa Barbara. Providing rental housing information, roommate and property owner dispute resolution, and educational workshops, CHO is a resource for education and mediation rather than advocacy.

Jennifer Ja Birchim of CHO reinforced that the organization did not consign to a bias when hearing about negligence or mistreatment from either tenants or property owners.

“We are a really neutral third party between tenants and landlords,” she said. “We want to educate students on their rights and responsibilities…so they’re going in with eyes wide open. They can be held accountable and the owners can also be held accountable.”

Ja Birchim noted that a foundational issue for student residents was that about 75 percent of students sign leases without reading and digesting their contractual obligations. She encouraged that students be “proactive” and not only construct “super clear…roommate agreements,” but also understand the “steps to be able to resolve issues with the management company.”

Alba Moreno, the IVTU caseworker, provides resources and supportive services for Isla Vista residents. Conversations with Moreno, Jones noted, revealed a variety of potential issues between tenants and property owners. Due to the diversity of potential disputes, no single problem stood out as most common.

But the tenancy horror stories can range from mundane and erroneous to downright strange. Jones explained that on one occasion, a woman was charged an $800 fumigation fee for an entire property because the building owner blamed her for an infestation.

In some cases, a predatory property owner can charge residents for maintenance operations or distorted violations of a leasing contract. The IVTU frequently receives student and non-student reports of “excessive fees tacked onto their rent for things they didn’t necessarily have anything to do with,” Jones explained.

See TENANTS | Page 2

Associated Students Senate mitigated concerns about the recently passed “Bill to Create a Standing Policy to Regulate Expenditures on Food at Meetings” and heard a presentation about new online education at its meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

Numerous AS boards, committees, and commissions (BCCs) either presented at the meeting or had their concerns read to the Senate regarding the bill, which limits the use of student fees in purchasing food for BCC meetings, though allowing for a few specified exceptions. These exceptions include events or programs, one banquet per quarter for voting members, and general meetings whose attendance is expected to exceed 75 students. In any case, the bill limits quarterly food expenditures to a total of $500.

Third-year Navkiran Kaur, Golden Pacific Region Chair for the United States Student Association (USSA), was the first to voice her discontent with the bill during her report that evening. “[It] definitely screwed over a lot of students who depend on that food,” Kaur said. “I mean, it is coming from student fees, and I think students deserve to be fed with their own student fees.”

Kaur’s disapproval stemmed mainly from worries that the ban would deprive low-income students of an important source of sustenance that they might not otherwise receive. She noted also that the bill could severely hinder BCCs such as AS Food Bank, whose primary functions revolve around food.

Six members of AS Community Affairs Board (CAB) attended the meeting to present their various objections to the terms of the bill. They conveyed to the Senate how various programs, such as those orchestrated by the Child Care and Hunger/Houseless divisions of the organization, will be adversely affected by the budgetary restrictions.

It was also noted that much of CAB’s food is purchased at the Isla Vista Food Cooperative, meaning the student fees being spent are put back into circulation within the student community. A contract that CAB and several other BCCs have with the co-op regarding the organizations’ purchase of gift cards is now in violation of the bill.

CAB co-chair Kaitlyn Christianson gave the last of these testimonies, at which point she implored the Senate to communicate more effectively with the BCCs they are assigned to oversee.

“The fact that this bill passed, I think, means a lot of the BCCs are in the dark,” Christianson said. “This is affecting BCCs on a huge scale.”

Other organizations, such as the AS Isla Vista Community Relations Committee and AS Coastal Fund, expressed their concerns in the form of letters read to the Senate by various presenters.

AS Attorney General Sawyeh Maghsoodloo recommended making semantic revisions to the bill in order to correctly reflect the authors’ intention and to avoid too heavily restricting BCCs who depend on food expenditures. As currently written, she said, the bill imposes the $500 cap on all AS entities, which is not necessarily in keeping with the authors’ original premise of restricting only those BCCs whose spending is considered excessive.

Though the bill’s first author, On-Campus Sen. Andrew Neiman, was not in attendance, co-author and Off-Campus Sen. Jimmy Villarreal agreed that clearer language must be incorporated into the bill’s existing terms. This led the Senate to approve the creation of an ad hoc committee devoted to the examination of food policy later in the meeting.

External Vice President of Statewide Affairs Alex Choate gave a report that evening about the recent meeting of the University of California Regents, during which she touched upon a project called the Innovation Learning Technology Initiative. The initiative involves a website for UC students allowing them to take classes online that they may not be able to fit into their regular school schedules.

These classes will likely implement forums that allow students to interact with the professor as well as their classmates in order to still facilitate human interaction similar to that experienced in a live instruction setting. According to Choate, the Regents see this form of online education as a positive reinforcement to the education students receive through their live-instructed classes.

“The Regents have made it very clear that they want to use it as a supplement rather than a substitute for education, which is great,” Choate said.

Another significant presentation made that night was the proposal by two students of a mobile application that would better publicize campus events, including those put on by AS, and consolidate them into a single campus calendar that would include a map depicting their locations. Additionally, AS President Jonathan Abboud announced the passing of the SURF Initiative Referendum, which will put the plan for construction of a new University Center into motion.

That evening, Senate also passed “A Resolution to Approve the Creation of an AS Strategic Plan,” which will allow plans to be put in place for more efficient transition of AS projects between academic years, and “A Bill to Update the UCSB AS Elections Code,” by consent, which was tabled at its previous meeting.

The Bottom Line | Feb. 5 - Feb. 11, 2014

Page 2 | News

Winter Symposium Brings Academics Together to Discuss War on Poverty

by Anthony Gomes

In an effort to recognize the growing problem of poverty in the United States, University of California, Santa Barbara organized a symposium on Friday, Jan. 31, where esteemed figures of academia and activism discussed topics varying from community action, social policy, and workplace justice.

The event was organized by Alice O’Connor, professor of history at UCSB, and was inspired by the 50th anniversary of former President Lyndon B. Johnson’s state of the union address in which he declared America’s first war on poverty. This address would eventually be the launching-point of Johnson’s “Great Society” legislation; social policies enacted under the Johnson administration would serve as the backbone of all contemporary social policy.

President Barack Obama’s state of the union address revisited this notion of combating economic inequality and poverty.

“The cold hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are

working more than ever just to get by, let alone get ahead, and too many still aren’t working at all,” Obama said in his speech.

Legislation put forward during the Johnson years were, and are still, controversial.

“This democracy would put poor people into direct conflict with the national power structure,” said Annelise Orleck, professor of history at Dartmouth College.

Orleck focused the majority of her discussion on the 1971 storming of the Caesar’s Palace casino in Las Vegas, Nev. This protest was led by Ruby Duncan in response to Nevada’s cutting of welfare programs earlier that year.

Out of this turmoil, Duncan would form the Operation Life organization to provide all the survival necessities: food, shelter, health-care, for the impoverished families of the Clark County, Nev., area.

“What if poor mothers ran the world? It would be a better place,” said Orleck in conclusion to her discussion.

Pete White, founder and co-director of the Los Angeles Community Action Network (LACAN) and lifetime resident of South Cen-

tral Los Angeles, noted the tremendous irony of the close proximity of wealth and poverty in Los Angeles.

“The most-concentrated area of poverty is limited to a 50-block area surrounded by highrise businesses on the west and government buildings on the east,” White said.

On lobbying the state and national government for social policy expansion, White claimed that LACAN had aided in passing numerous policies but many had been retracted or defunded soon afterward before the “spoils” had a chance to reach the people. White continued by articulating the dire need to monitor these newly-enacted policies over the “long haul” to see which policies provided the best results and which could be defunded.

Since the end of Ronald Reagan’s presidency, a variety of legal services, social policies, and entitlement programs have been cut or defunded completely as a means of balancing the national budget. Even under President Obama’s administration, federal funding for these programs has become a minute minority and state funding in California has become the

primary source of funds.

In most recent years, a new category in welfare-recipients has developed: “the working poor,” people who are partially employed but whose income does not equate to the average standard of living.

The largest challenge facing the poor is the fact that they don’t have proper representation in government, nor do they have appropriate council when they face workplace injustice.

One organization aiding in this legal assistance is California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (CRLA), which mainly assists individuals involved in California’s agricultural industry.

In 2006 CRLA sued California’s dairy industry winning over $27 million in benefits for unpaid wages, overtime, and penalties.

“If you continue to push the envelope, you will be pursued by the federal government; we are one of the most audited organizations in the U.S.,” said José Padilla, executive director of CLRA. “But the idea that poor people can go [to the government] and lobby and have their voice heard is integrated into [CLRA’s] philosophy and makes it worth it.”

Maybe Third Time Will be the Charm for AS Restructure Program

by Andrea Vallone STAFF WRITER Since October, the ad hoc committee created to restructure Associated Students Legal Code has put forth its plans twice to a room of unimpressed BCCs (Boards, Committees, and Commissions) and AS senators. The most recent presentation, on Friday, Jan. 31, in the GSA Lounge, showcased the committee’s extensive adjustments to their first proposal, and ultimately concluded in yet another stalemate.

The committee was formed to structurally increase the efficiency, collaboration, operation, and fiscal responsibility of AS. It aims to “assess how Associated Students can be better organized and work more cohesively and unified as an organization.” AS President Jonathan Abboud and the committee have encouraged participation throughout the Association in this restructure; however, they do not have many allies.

Essentially, in its latest form the restructure is intended as “an aerial change, not an on-the-ground change,” stated AS Internal Vice President Ky Scarlet. The main changes to the Legal Code are the introduction of “units,” new ASUCSB workgroups, and the most contended issue–the selection process for boards, committees, commissions, and unit directors.

According to the restructure mark up, a unit is an “opera-

tional facet of ASUCSB with either a single function or multiple functions” that carries out different kinds of services to the student body, campus, local community, or ASUCSB itself.

For example, Community Affairs Board would operate as a unit whose main function is volunteer opportunities for students.

The new ASUCSB workgroups hark on the aspect of unity and collaboration that the committee wishes to encourage.

Workgroups would function as a forum on specific topics for BCCs to come together and exchange ideas. The workgroups would take place the second week of each quarter and BCCs could attend whichever workgroup they feel would best benefit their charter or organization. BCCs would only be required to attend one workgroup.

Upon presenting workgroups and units, the GSA room was mildly quiet; however, when the selection process was brought to the table, hands shot up and a speaker’s list had to be created in order to lull the chaotic room. The selection process was suggested to encourage fairness and consistency across BCCs and to increase accountability in appointments that occur through internal elections or presidential appointment.

“Senate, at the end of the day, is in charge of ratifying appointments. The senate is above all of us–including me,” Abboud said. “The point of this new process is to have them involved in the process so they know what’s going on. Previously, every time

TBL 2013-2014 Staff Executive Managing Editor | Cheyenne Johnson Executive Content Editor | Parisa Mirzadegan Copy Editor | Camila Martinez-Granata News Editor | Lily Cain Features Editor | Katana Dumont Opinions Editor | Anjali Shastry Arts & Entertainment Editor | Deanna Kim Science & Technology Editor | Matt Mersel Photography Editor | Magali Gauthier Senior Layout Editor | Haley Paul Senior Layout Editor | Robert Wojtkiewicz Layout Editor | Beth Askins Layout Editor | Morey Spellman Multimedia Editor | Brenda Ramirez National Beat Reporter | Allyson Werner Isla Vista Beat Reporter | Giuseppe Ricapito Associated Students Beat Reporter | Kelsey Knorp Promotions Director | Audrey Ronningen Advertising Director | Marissa Perez Staff Adviser | Monica Lopez Writers this issue: Kelsey Knorp, Giuseppe Ricapito, Julia Frazer, Allyson Werner, Lexi Weyrick, Julian Levy, Mimi Liu, Judy Lau, Andrea Vallone, Anthony Gomez, Justine Estrada, Kelsey Gripenstraw, Helen Luc, Coleman Gray, Katana Dumont, Dasha Sadovnikova, Peter Crump, Sam Goldman, Photographers this issue: Mark Brocher, John Clow, Ivy Kuo, Lorenzo Basilio, Benjamin Hurst, Hector Lizarrga Illustrators this issue: Hector Lizarrga The Bottom Line is sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of California, Santa Barbara. Opinions expressed in TBL do not necessarily represent those of the staff, AS, or UCSB. Published with support from Generation Progress/Center for American Progress (genprogress.org). All submissions, questions or comments may be directed to bottomlineucsb@gmail.com or content.tbl@gmail.com.

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appointments have gone up, they just kind of pass through, rubber stamped up the stream. If they wanted to object an appointment they couldn’t because they don’t even know who they’re rejecting because they haven’t been involved in any part of the selection process.”

The only exceptions to the proposed selection process would be KCSB and The Bottom Line. According to Abboud, “this is because they are the press and it is absolutely critical for the sanctity of their organizations to be separated from the government.”

“You said it’s a matter of standardizing hiring, but BCCs operate in different ways, so standardizing the selection process is counterintuitive–we do different things,” Chris Cubbison, AS Program Board Concerts Coordinator, said in response. “We know what is specific to our BCC and that power is slipping now.”

Reiterating their desire to create a restructure most agreeable with all BCCs, Abboud and the restructure committee made adjustments on the spot, taking into consideration the BCCs’ complaints. The selection process presented was entirely scrapped during the meeting, and a new one will be formed and proposed at a later date.

According to the current Legal Code, should any revision occur, the Senate has to give a two-thirds vote to approve it.

NATIONAL BEAT REPORT

UCSB Students Respond to Obama’s Immigration Stance

by Allyson Werner NATIONAL BEAT REPORTER

During the 2014 State of the Union Address on Tuesday, Jan. 28, President Barack Obama spoke about a variety of issues that affect University of California, Santa Barbara students, including immigration. Immigration has become a familiar subject in the UC community, especially following the hiring of Janet Napolitano as UC president.

In a broad, overarching statement, Obama said, “If we’re serious about economic growth, it is time to…fix our broken immigration system.”

Obama touched on the economic aspect of the immigration issue.

“Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have acted, and I know that members of both parties in the House want to do the same,” he said. “Independent economists say immigration reform will grow our economy and shrink our deficits by almost $1 trillion in the next two decades.”

“

reform done this year.”

“My parents were immigrants, and I believe in equal treatment for all immigrants and citizens of the U.S.,” said a UCSB first-year who wishes to remain anonymous.

This student described Obama’s statement as “inspired” and “hopeful.”

Other UCSB students were not quite as enthralled with Obama’s stance on immigration and pointed out the hypocrisy in Obama’s words.

Gloria Campos, co-chair of Improving, Dreams, Equality, Access, and Success (IDEAS), an organization dedicated to protecting the rights and interests of undocumented students, questioned Obama’s broad statement and passionately defended families who have been affected by the current immigration policies.

“Funding for immigration enforcement under

When people come here to fulfill their dreams—to study, invent, contribute to our culture—they make our country a more attractive place for businesses to locate and create jobs for everybody.

-President Obama

One UCSB student, who wishes to remain anonymous, addressed the economic aspect of the immigration issue.

“I’m for immigration reform because immigrants give a positive investment to our country,” the student said. “The U.S. dumps billions to maintain detainees, deportations, and the border all for immigrants who have not committed any crime other than the civil offense of being in a country without legal status. It’s just not logical.”

In addition to economic concerns, Obama addressed individuals who immigrate to the United States in order to increase their quality of life.

“When people come here to fulfill their dreams—to study, invent, contribute to our culture—they make our country a more attractive place for businesses to locate and create jobs for everybody,” he said. “So let’s get immigration

–TENANTS “Its so all over the board,” said Ja Birchim. “There isn’t one commonality, its mostly things in terms of maintenance requests and security deposit disputes are a big one.”

The CHO also provides a videotaping service so that residents have concrete documentation about the state of the residence upon moving in and moving out.

“Having reviewed some of the trends in our case management over the years, there are some property owners and management companies that we hear about frequently,” Jones said. “And there are others that we don’t hear about at all.”

Jones could not, however, specifically mention property managers with whom students have had recurrent disputes.

”

[Obama’s] administration has continued to increase by billions,” she said. “Deportation numbers since he took office have hit a record number of over 2 million people.”

Campos also questioned Obama’s dedication to the immigrant population.

“President Obama has the executive power to stop the record breaking numbers of deportations occurring under his administration today,” she said. “He cannot claim to support our community or any kind of justice if he fails to acknowledge the separation of families [due to deportation] continuing each day he fails to take action.”

Many other students seemed dissatisfied with Obama’s stance on immigration; however, 80 percent of respondents to a brief survey admitted that they had not watched President Obama’s State of the Union address.

Continued from page 1 The IVTU is also researching a “Rate My Landlord” resource modeled on the popular “Rate My Professors” website, but there are still a few issues to be sorted out in its current stage.

“There are legal challenges and things we need to be mindful of,” said Jones. “We can’t convey what can be considered slanderous or defamatory.”

The CHO will be conducting a “Mocktail Happy Hour” in their on-campus office from 4 to 5 p.m. every Thursday in February for students to network over new housing and learn about the mutual responsibility of rents and leasing.

As a last kernel of advice, Ja Birchim suggested that students should “know whom you talk to.” And always, she said, “get things in writing.”

Visit our website to read the full story.

CORRECTION: On page 1 of The Bottom Line’s Jan. 29 issue, it was incorrectly stated that Ajinkya Joshi is the external vice president of statewide affairs. In actuality, Joshi is from the office of the EVPSA.

The Bottom Line | Feb. 5 - Feb. 11

Features | Page 3

Sugimoto Setsuko Brings

Japanese Cuisine to UCSB Photos by Benjamin Hurst | Staff Photographer

by Justine Estrada Traditional Japanese cuisine expert Sugimoto Setsuko came to the MCC at University of California, Santa Barbara this past Thursday, Jan. 31. Setsuko, along with her translator, led several guests through a wonderful demonstration of some of her famous dishes.

Setsuko’s cuisine, “Obanzai,” is prepared through the seasons in order to create meals that are not only economical but also ecological. Setsuko pre-prepared three courses of dishes for the event so that guests could try her versatile cooking. Her first dish, called nimono, can be made with either fish, meat, tofu, or vegetables. Setsuko chose to make the dish with pumpkin, which she took and simmered in a stock that included soy sauce, iriko (cooked/ dried anchovies), and sugar. All ingredients were picked up on her way into Santa Barbara. Setsuko also gave some pointers on how to be able to make the dish on your own.

After a few instructions Setsuko

allowed the guests to try a sample of her dish.

“It’s really good,” said Cindy Shen, a second-year music composition major. ”I definitely want to try to make this dish at home.”

All the guest seemed very pleased and enjoyed the dish. Setsuko said to pay attention to the combination of the savory and salty flavors, as mixing totally different flavors of ingredients allows a dish to challenge your taste buds.

For her second dish, Setsuko prepared namasu, a traditional Japanese dish that has no heat involved. The dish is a very simple one, with only two main ingredients: radishes and carrots. It also has a sweet and sour flavoring to it as well as a certain texture on the ingredients due to the addition of salt.

“It’s delicious,” said Jessica Corbin, third-year psychology major. “You can taste the salty and sweetness.”

Setsuko has a simplicity to her dishes, but she also pays great attention to detail, such as the length of the vegetable when cutting it. It is

A sliced pumpkin and a prep bowl are displayed at the Kyoto cuisine demonstration in the MultiCultural Center on Jan. 30, 2014. incredible that the combination of so few ingredients could make such a powerful dish, with virtually no heat and only a few vegetables marinated in some vinegar and salt. The crowd appeared very pleased by the namasu, as their clean plates verified.

For her last dish, Setsuko prepared dashi, which is a basic stock for making soups. She had the audience try each individual ingredient separately before having the dish as a whole. In the soup, she used two main ingredients: kelp and bonito flakes. After guests sampled the bonito flakes, stock kelp was given in a cup as a drink. The kelp had a fresh taste to it, which gave the audience Setsuko demonstrates how to properly cut pumpkin. an idea of how the two ingredients would work together for the stock.

After the stock was given out, it was clear how eclectic Setsuko’s style of cooking is. As a chef, Setsuko is able to take simple everyday ingredients and create a dish truly representative of her culture. Those lucky enough to sample her dishes are bound to experience a burst of exceptional and unexpected flavor.

A variety of soy sauces are integral to the preparation.

Setsuko explains food preparation.

New Oxfam Club Aims to Educate

by Kelsey Gripenstraw Staff Writer While many students have a desire to help solve global issues such as poverty, oftentimes real action is stifled because of the difficulty of figuring out where to begin.

Organizations such as Oxfam make tackling these world-encompassing problems more accessible.

“As students we know about hunger and poverty, but we can’t really experience it,” said third-year sociology major Veronika Libao, who started University of California, Santa Barbara’s Oxfam America club during fall quarter 2013. The UCSB club consists of about 15 members who meet every Thursday in various classrooms in the Student Resource Building (SRB). The club promotes itself via tabling and social media.

Last quarter, the club worked

with Habitat for Humanity to help build a small community of homes in downtown Santa Barbara, and they are currently finalizing plans for a Hunger Banquet. Although the FeelGood SB club at UCSB also put on a Hunger Banquet, the concept differs greatly from that of the UCSB Oxfam America’s club.

“It’s a visual experience of what hunger is,” said Libao of their planned Hunger Banquet. “You get a card telling you if you’re lower class, upper class, middle class, and it’s proportionate to the population’s percentage of those classes. As lower class, you just get rice, middle class, you get rice and beans, and upper class you get a full course.”

The club has set a tentative date of Feb. 27 for their Hunger Banquet. They are seeking support from various academic departments by asking if they can offer extra credit for attendance, and are looking for

funding through Associated Students. The event will be free.

Libao applied to be an Oxfam Change Leader after reading about the opportunity from a Sociology listserv email. Oxfam annually selects one Change Leader applicant from each applying university for a week-long training conference in Boston during the summer. Each change leader is later responsible for founding—or leading the current— Oxfam club at his or her university.

“We want to be really hands-on,” said Libao of the club’s plans for the rest of the academic year. She added that they are searching for more community service opportunities, especially in regard to educating small children.

Oxfam America is an arm of Oxfam international, a global organization working to eradicate poverty and various other social injustices, according to the group’s website.

The U.S. wing works with over 90 countries by attacking the roots of the problems, aiming for long-term improvement rather than the bandaid like assistance that comes from the distribution of material things.

“For such a large and influential organization to be affiliated with the university is important because it offers students another great opportunity to get involved in the community,” said the club’s Vice President Omar de la Cruz, a thirdyear sociology major, ”whether it’s volunteering to build low income housing, cleaning up the beaches around IV, or engaging in a variety of other community service or public outreach events.”

“Right now, we’re in that position in our lives when all these things really matter,” said Libao of the importance of acting now in the face of issues like poverty. “It’s our future. We’re very outspoken, es-

pecially in this generation. We just have a great influence in these kinds of things.”

Libao said that her work with Oxfam is fulfilling because it’s a selfagency mission.

“When you think about social injustice, you wouldn’t want to call it looking down on someone, but when you think about helping someone, it puts you in a higher position. It’s more about equality. It’s more like I’m helping you because we both should have equal rights.”

You can apply to be UCSB’s next Oxfam Change Leader by submitting an application on Oxfam’s website by April 1. Check the current club’s Facebook page (www. facebook.com/OxfamAmericaClubatUCSB) for the specific meeting location each week and for updates on new projects, and visit oxfamamerica.org for more information about the larger organization.

Page 4 - 5 | Photography

Photos by John Clow | Staff Photographer

UCSB students Devin McNaughton and Josh Goodmacher listen to poetry and prose readings from the magazine.

Two students chat at the launch party.

Story by Helen Luc, Staff Writer

L

ast seen in 2007, The Catalyst— University of California, Santa Barbara’s newly revived literary arts magazine—officially debuted its return with a launch party on the evening of Thursday, Jan. 30, at the Isla Vista Food Co-op.

With rows of art pieces from featured artists, performances by local musicians Helo and Cub’b, live poetry and prose readings from featured writers, and free food samples from the co-op and local vendors Rock Rose Provisions and Imla’kesh Organics, the showcase drew together a large crowd of students, professors, community residents, and art enthusiasts to experience and appreciate the artistic endeavors of UCSB’s students.

“It’s exactly how I imagined it would be,” said third-year English major Natalie O’Brien, about the magazine finally coming into fruition.

The Catalyst’s editor-in-chief, O’Brien explained that she first received the idea to re-kindle the magazine during a conversation about starting a collaborative writing club with UCSB English Professor Candace Waid.

O’Brien said that the purpose of the magazine is to “bring together people at UCSB in addition to bringing together different types of media in a collaborative effort”–exactly what was happening at The Catalyst’s showcase.

Much like the magazine’s distinctive display of various literary genres and visual art mediums, the entire showcase was marked by its diverse display of art.

The music ranged from the soothing rock sounds of Helo to the down-tempo, experimental beats of Cub’b. The visual art displays included paintings on canvas and wood, as well as photography, prints, and

sketches.

The poetry and prose readings were performed live by UCSB students, including Ben Moss, Cabriah Ross, Chris Cubbison, Brandon Pineira, Marissa Dadiw, Marcos Aguilar, Tommy Alexander, Sean Nolan, Josh Goodmacher, Ryan Yamamoto, Emily Hunt, Molly Hamill, Matt Malmlund, and Nikkie Sedaghat.

First-year College of Creative Studies art major Vijay Masharani had eight of his paintings on display at the showcase. One of his works, titled “The Suburbs,” represents “how people construct their identities in a suburban environment, whether it be through going to different places or doing drugs, etc.” This painting, Masharani explained, was inspired by his own neighborhood in Belmont.

Another artist whose works were displayed at the showcase was third-year linguistics major Amanda Excell, who worked on a series of prints in the theme of Sailor Moon. Excell explained that most of her works are based on humor and pop culture, and that this particular series consists of “buff men dressed as sailor girls.”

“It’s good that art is displayed because now people can see the artistic side of Isla Vista,” said Excell.

During the poetry-reading portion of the evening, Emily Hunt, fourth-year comparative literature major and French minor, read her poem, entitled “Sestina.”

Written while she was living in Paris, the poem allowed her to adopt a voice that she described as similar to that of a “lovelorn 40-year old man.”

Hunt said that she feels great about being featured in The Catalyst, because as a writer she is trying to get published as much as possible. Hunt also expressed

her gratitude toward the significance of The Catalyst in contributing to culture at UCSB. Many of the attendees of the showcase were pleased at the overall production of the magazine and the organization of the event.

“It’s nice to see all this creativity in IV,” said second-year biology major Maya Setungamudali. “You don’t often get this type of vibe here. Sometimes you can forget that students are so artistic.”

Setungamudali was not the only one who enjoyed the atmosphere of the showcase. Many other students commented on the festive ambiance of the event with its displays of art, free food, great music performances, and mixture of dialogue centered on art and literary pieces—all against the backdrop of an otherwise ordinary evening at Isla Vista.

The turnout of the evening was high, and the limited 750 copies of the magazine were running out quickly. The Catalyst as a magazine can be expected to be a true catalyst—as its name implies– in contributing to the underrepresented art culture of UCSB, bringing together students to create pieces that truly create “reactions.”

Although there are a limited number of prints, the magazine will be available in PDF form on The Catalyst’s website for those who missed the showcase. The website also has submission forms for students interested in contributing to the magazine.

“I was very excited when I heard about The Catalyst since our school lacks a medium for arts and since the culture of IV is small,” said second-year political science major Christina Vargas. “I hope funding for this continues.”

Brandon Pineira reads his

Attendees sample food do

The Bottom Line | Feb. 5 - Feb. 11, 2014

Helo playing at The Catalyst launch party.

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The Catalyst Hosts Literary Arts Showcase

UCSB student Charly Chambers reads The Catalyst while manning the sound board.

Emily Wetheson and Lucas Ryden of Rock Rose Provisions give out samples at the launch party.

Mariah Tiffany sells her photographs at the event.

poem, “Strangers.�

onated by the Co-op.

Morey Spellman exhibits his photography.

The Bottom Line | Feb. - Feb. 2014 The Bottom Line 5 | Nov. 2711, - Dec. 3

Page 6 | Arts & Entertainment

TBL Covers the SB International Film Festival

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David O. Russell Honored with Outstanding Director of the Year Award

by Coleman Gray STAFF WRITER

The 29th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival gave its first Tribute Award to David O. Russell on Friday, Jan. 31. In this star-studded and celebratory event held at the beautiful Arlington Theatre, Russell was awarded the Outstanding Director Award for his authoring of the brilliant, Oscar-nominated “American Hustle.”

The night began at the Red Carpet where Russell was joined by director Matt Livadar, producer Erin Krozek, and actor Wade Earp of the SBIFF World Premiere documentary “Cowboys & Queens.” Director Jason Brown and actors Gabriel Sunday and Dawn Sharpe of SBIFF Premiere “Falcon Song,” Rob Steinberg of “12 Years a Slave,” as well as Oscar-winner and Award Presenter Melissa Leo were also present.

Leo was especially happy to be a part of this experience, saying “I am thrilled to honor David. He means so much to me, and I owe him so much that I am so happy I can help honor him.”

In the retrospective event, Russell kept the audience thoroughly entertained and continuously laughing throughout his on-stage interview with SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling, as he recounted his growth as a filmmaker and as a person. Russell initially took us back to his days of “pretending to write” and making Kodak short films with childhood friends from his neighborhood. But Russell quickly turned that “pretend” writing into actual writing, for less than 10 years later he would submit multiple short films to the prestigious Sundance Film Festival to great acclaim.

“It was a great experience,” said Russell. ”I had never worked on a film before and I knew nothing, so I did everything so as to not embarrass myself.” And he has continued that level of

creative control ever since.

Russell, who never went to film school– now a rarity in the film world–had received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and New York state to make a short film, which he would actually turn into his first feature-length film, “Spanking the Monkey.” He has always been an ambitious filmmaker, and the coming-of-age incest story announced to the film world that this young auteur was going on to do great things.

But the night was not all about his accomplishments. Durling and Russell went through his darker period in the mid-2000s, when he struggled with divorce, the failure of his movie “Nailed,” and his son’s battles with bipolar disorder. However, Russell continuously stated that he needed those bad times to make him a “better writer, director, and person.”

During those lean years, the “nadir” as he called them, Russell realized the importance of family and the depth of interpersonal relations among people who love each other, and he has since channeled that into his writing and directing. His last three films–”The Fighter,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” and “American Hustle”–demonstrate his great knowledge and understanding of the human condition. They are some of the best films of the decade, garnering 25 Oscar nominations between the three.

For Russell, this award is very special. Last year he helped honor Jennifer Lawrence, who starred in his “Silver Linings Playbook, and in doing so decided to write her a character in “American Hustle.” Just one year later, it would be Russell on that Arlington Theatre stage who would receive what might be his last award before a potential Best Director Oscar.

This event kicked off the Tribute Awards, but there are still more to come, including events honoring Cate Blanchett, Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruce Dern, Oprah Winfrey, and Robert Redford.

Cate Blanchett

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Honored with Outstanding Performer of the Year Award

by Katana Dumont FEATURES EDITOR

Cate Blanchett is as talented as she is charming. Blanchett radiated on stage last Saturday night at the Arlington Theater, where she was being honored with the Outstanding Performer of the Year award at the 29th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Blanchett was being honored for her performance in “Blue Jasmine,” directed by the revered Woody Allen.

The pairing of Blanchett and Allen in “Blue Jasmine” is a captivating collaboration.

Blanchett’s powerhouse performance of a washed up, troubled New York socialite and Allen’s innate ability to craft a character and weave a tale left many viewers mesmerized.

Pete Hammond, film critic and interviewer for the event, summed it up nicely during his introduction speech, when he said, “What is it about Jasmine that we just can’t get out of our head?”

Blanchett’s performance as the protagonist, Jasmine, was strikingly beautiful. “[It] reminds us again of the incredible range of Cate Blanchett,” said Hammond.

During Blanchett’s interview with Hammond, she revealed what appeals most to her when deciding to pursue a film. Blanchett emphasized that the role itself is not the driving force in her decision, but her primary motivation depends on who the director and costarring actors are, as well as the challenge of a role.

“I always try to find the challenge,” said Blanchett. ”The challenge isn’t necessarily always the lead role.”

Attendees were shown clips and montage reels of Blanchetts’ film history, ranging from her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in “Eliza-

beth,” her gender-bending performance as Bob Dylan in “I’m Not There,” and to her role as Galadriel in “The Lord of the Rings” series, along with numerous others.

Over the years Blanchett has worked with an illustrious range of directors, from Martin Scorsese to David Fincher, some of whom she has worked with more than once, such as director Peter Jackson. Blanchett described Jackson as having “such a refined sense of ugly,” in reference to his work in “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” series.

Despite her extensive acting career, Blanchett remains humble. Unable to acknowledge her level of success, “you never feel you arrive anywhere in particular as an actor,” said Blanchett.

Presenting the award was Rooney Mara, Blanchetts’ co-star in the upcoming film “Carol,” directed by Todd Haynes. In a shaky voice, Mara recalled the moment she knew she wanted to be an actor–after seeing Cate Blanchett at her local movie theater in “Elizabeth” when she was 13.

Blanchett, both a film and stage actor, accredits much of her achievements to her extensive involvement with the Sydney Theater Company, whom Blanchett made a point to recognize in her acceptance speech, along with all the other talented actors she has had the pleasure to work with.

“I do not know how to do this thing called acting without being alongside all these other actors,” said Blanchett.

Blanchett is a force to be reckoned with, both on and off the screen, as was evident from the way she wowed the audience with her articulate and intelligent responses and graceful demeanor.

“She really has an aurora and a presence about her,” buzzed one attendee at the close of the event.

ing An Even

with

The g n i k a e Br Yard at the ge a r a G o Bik

The Breaking Yards’ Mel and Stephen Baker in a pre-show interview.

by Dasha Sadovnikova The Biko cooperative on 6612 Sueno serves as a sort of haven for artists and art-lovers alike to share and enjoy various forms of self-expression. On Saturday, Feb. 1, The Breaking Yard, a group of musicians from Portland, Ore., performed in the intimate Biko garage, along with Los Angeles based singersongwriter Matt Kivel. The night reflects the mission of the venue by creating unique works of art through the collaboration of diversely talented individuals.

Starting off the night was The Breaking Yard. The group, which received its name from the striking imagery of a place where ships are fragmented and reassembled, the nautical term for which is the breaking yard, currently consists of five members. The band collectively plays a variety of instruments, at least one of which you’ve probably never heard of: Mel Baker on vocals, harmonium, violin, guitar, glockenspiel, and mandolin; Stephen Baker on acoustic guitar, vocals, and harmonium; Joseph Krause on drums and chains; Jesse Thompson (temporarily in the place of Miles Orion Butler) on banjo, glockenspiel, mandolin, and electric and lap steel guitar; and Matt Widmann on the hammered dulcimer.

The band’s utilization of these eclectic musical tools results in modernized folk music that occasionally emulates the electronic and has been described as “cinematic.” Their performance itself was a spectacle, featuring the musicians engrossed in their respective, often foreign-looking instruments and set against the heavily painted interior of the dimly lit garage.

Sonically, the show transcended the sum of its parts, resonating against the walls to reverberate within the cores of its listeners, as powerful live music tends to do. At times movingly

Photos by Mark Brocher | Staff Photographer upbeat, at times eerie and gradual, always somewhat soothing, the sound produced by The Breaking Yard created a welcoming space, inviting those in its presence to sway along to its circular rhythms.

The quintet has been consistently extending this invitation to audiences across the country since the end of October, when it began its first full-length, entirely self-managed tour of 35 states, traveling as far eastward as Vermont in a 1989 Chevy van. With only 10 days left of touring before returning to Portland, the band described the experience as unpredictable, transformative, and, as Baker attempted to generalize it, “amazing and awful and everything in between there.”

A common highlight for the members was the connections that they forged with other musicians and randomly encountered citizens of the various cities along the tour route. Often relying on the kindness of strangers, they managed to couchhop their way across the country and back without paying a dime for lodging. And strangers, it turns out, can be remarkably kind to people who share their passions for as little as $10 a performance, which was the donation price at the Biko show.

“There’s always free beer,” Widmann stated fondly, when asked what his favorite part of the trip was.

Another positively altering aspect of the tour was the strengthening of the bonds between the band members themselves, who spent a significant portion of the past three months in an enclosed space and the entirety in each other’s company.

While Mel and Stephen Baker formed their relationship several years ago in Virginia, setting the foundation for The Breaking Yard with bandmate Butler (who was not present at Biko) in January 2012, the other three became members of

Artist Matt Kivel and girlfriend Emily Hunt. the quintet at various moments since the band’s formation.

Thompson was swooped up at a show in Nashville, Tenn., on the westward leg of the journey; Krause, who quit his jobs in Seattle to join the tour a week before its commencement, was introduced through Butler; and the band met Widmann, a student in Portland who had spent his summer working on a fishing boat in Alaska, through Craigslist.

Though their immediate plans following the tour mostly involve recuperating after a life-changing three months, the band is optimistic about its future. They will embark on a tour in Scotland and Ireland in June 2014, and, in terms of composition, intend to broaden the boundaries of their characteristic blend of modernity and tradition by featuring more hip-hop and electronic influences.

When asked to impart words of wisdom on aspiring musicians, Stephen declared that commitment is key, with which Mel agreed, adding that the ability to learn from any experience is essential. Krause emphasized the advantage of being surrounded by a diversity of talents, accrediting the strength of the band to the musical variety of its members.

“Be deliberate,” said Thompson, deliberately. “And take every opportunity that you can.”

Widmann’s advice was simply to “say yes.”

Kivel, who closed the show, performed a number of mellow songs in his mesmerizingly clear characteristic falsetto, casually joking with his listeners in between songs. The crowd was packed tightly, seated on the floor, which contributed to the warm intimacy of the set.

“This is hands down the best crowd I’ve ever played for,” the singer praised his audience, to a response of whoops and applause.

The Bottom Line | Feb. 5 - Feb. 11, 2014

& Tech The Bottom Science Line | Nov. 27 |- Page Dec. 37

Coin, The Programmable Credit Card Coin, an electronic card that can store and dynamically emulate your credit, bank, and rewards cards, may lighten your wallet in more ways than one.

Coin acts like a credit card chameleon. Its goal is to replace the multitude of cards in your wallet with one programmable card. Coin comes with a small reader that you use with your smartphone to scan your credit, bank, gift, or rewards cards. The info is then stored in an official mobile app and sent to the Coin card via Bluetooth. With the push of a button, Coin’s dynamic magnetic strip switches between and emulates the plastic in your wallet. There is a small screen that displays the emulated card’s name, as well as the expiration date and CVV. Coin swipes just like a conventional card and can be used in ATMs as well.

Coin was first unveiled as a crowdfunding project in November 2013. Pre-ordering the device cost a total of $55, and, according to an interview with CNN Money, founder and CEO of Coin Kanishk Parashar said that their startup goal of $50,000 in pre-orders was met in just 40 min-

utes. The company has since gone on to raise $15 million in Series A funding according to CrunchBase.

Crowdfunding the project proved Coin’s popularity, but also opened a discourse of criticism. After funding the project, some buyers were less than thrilled with the prototype. According to ValleyWag, one crowdfunder, upon seeing a prototype demonstration video of Coin, said that it “actually doesn’t look as good as I thought it would at this point. Looks like it’s going to break when he tries to switch card num-

bers.” In response to the criticisms of the device, Parashar said in an interview with CNN Money, “Everyone forgets that this thing is six months old. It takes time to put it everything together fully [sic].”

There are also concerns from the tech community regarding Coin’s proposed security features. According to the Coin website, their “servers, mobile apps and the Coin itself use 128-bit or 256-bit encryption for all storage and communication (http and Bluetooth).”

Coin will also utilize a tethering system with your smartphone, in that it “can alert you in the event that you leave it somewhere, automatically disable certain device functions based on proximity to your phone, or fully deactivate itself based on the amount of time it’s been away from your phone.”

A caveat with the technology behind Coin is its finite battery life.

Coin doesn’t have a rechargeable battery and in an interview with TechCrunch, Parashar said that “they will last about two years.” After that time, a new Coin card will have to be purchased, and at the proposed $100 price point, this may dissuade some consumers.

Legal issues have also arisen

Photo Courtesy | Coin, Inc around Coin. In a recent article from Recode, it was revealed that Amazon had filed for a patent in March of

“

the Amazon patent application as well as the question of how Coin will protect the technology it’s creating.”

Everyone forgets that this thing is six months old. It takes time to put it everything together fully.

“

by Julian Levy Staff Writer

–Coin CEO Kanishk Parashar

2012 that describes a programmable card very similar to Coin. The patent has not yet been granted. Recode contacted Parashar regarding the issue, but he “declined to comment on

It remains unclear if Coin will meet the expectations of its buyers or simply lighten their wallets. Coin is expected to ship to its pre-order customers this summer.

UCSB’s Rothman Lab Embarks on Cellular Research in Nematodes

by Mimi Liu Staff Writer The Rothman Lab, headed by principal investigator Professor Joel Rothman, leads research involving the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. His lab is composed of about 20 people, including postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduate lab assistants.

“When a fertilized egg is transformed into a complex multicellular animal, how do cells learn when to divide, differentiate or die at the proper time and location? We are investigating the mechanisms that regulate these processes,” the lab description states.

Dr. Davon Callander is a postdoc who has been with the Rothman lab since May 2013. She has a Bachelor’s in Physiology and Developmental Biology, a Master’s in Neuroscience, and a Ph.D. degree in Marine Biology.

“I study C. elegan’s responses to environmental stressors,” Callander said. She mentioned her Ph.D. work

with mussels, and how “challenging [it is] to see what’s going on inside of them.” This is certainly not the case for nematodes, where every single cell can be seen under a microscope.

“The genetic tools [available for studying] C. elegans are pretty phenomenal… you can do so much and it’s just thrilling,” Callander said.

“Every individual cell can be seen.”

C. elegans is the first animal to have its genome fully mapped, and it has been used in labs for research for over 60 years. However, there are also 97 different strains of nematodes that have evolved naturally throughout different parts of the world. Callander’s project studies organ asymmetry and its prevalence in different strains of nematodes.

“We’re bilateral on the outside, but inside, we’re not symmetrical,” Callander said, about humans.

“There are genetic mutations that allow fully reversed insides, but if they don’t fully reverse, you’re in trouble.”

Mirror twins are an example this– identical twins with asymmetrical

organs. In the case of a full reversal, both individuals have functioning organs, but there is an almost certain result of organ failure if only some of the organs reverse.

“If you poke the embryo [of C. elegans], you can disrupt the position of a certain cell division, which leads to whole animal reversal,” Callander explained. “We have discovered that the major organs, the gut and gonad, can be reversed, independently of the whole animal. The major proportion of tissue is reversed–it’s astounding!”

“Understanding the genetic basis for reversal is important,” Callander said, in regard to preventing this asymmetry from happening in humans. Callander’s research primarily studies what influences this reversal, as well as its implications for human health.

“We just submitted a paper for a special issue of a journal about symmetry,” Callander said.

The Rothman lab’s other projects include studying cell reprogramming and Parkinson’s disease.

Photo Courtesy | Dr. Davon Callander

Google, Samsung Patent Agreement Strengthens Ties Between Mobile Powerhouses

by Peter Crump Staff Writer Google and Samsung have signed on to a cross-licensing agreement that will cover their current patents as well as future patents filed in the next 10 years. The deal comes amid an ongoing legal dispute between Samsung and Apple, with the latter suing the former in 2011 for patent infringement. It appears then that the agreement aims to strengthen the existing ties between Google and Samsung against stiff competition from Apple.

The companies have yet to disclose any financial information regarding the deal, nor was it specified if the deal was limited only to the Android market, Google’s operating system that is frequently featured in Samsung products. However, the agreement will not transfer ownership of the patents between the companies, so Samsung would not be able to use Google’s patents against Apple or another party in any ongoing lawsuit, according to the Wall Street Journal. While the specific stipulations are still in the dark, Allen Lo, deputy general counsel for patents at Google, explains, “By working together on agreements like this, companies can reduce the potential for litigation and focus instead on innovation,” according to the New

York Times.

Similar sentiments were mirrored by the head of Samsung’s Intellectual Property Center, Seugho Ahn, quoted by CNET saying, “Samsung and Google are showing the rest of the industry that there is more to gain from cooperating than engaging in unnecessary patent disputes.”

With much of the agreement still not known, the question remains as to whether or not the deal was partly, if not primarily motivated by the ongoing Apple/Samsung lawsuit. Apple originally filed suit against Samsung in April of 2011 for copying the design of its products according to CNET. Samsung countersued two months later over patent infringement, and the initial trial began in August of 2012 with the jury ruling in Apple’s favor and awarding them $1 billion. Soon after, however, Judge Lucy Koh, the presider of the case, called a retrial to recalculate some of the damages included in the lawsuit. The new trial is scheduled for March of this year.

In the meantime, Koh urged both Apple and Samsung representatives to try and reach a settlement outside of court before the trial is set to begin. Both companies have tried out of court settlements in the past; however, no attempts have been successful. Still, CNET reports that chief executives of

both Samsung and Apple, along with a number of lawyers, have agreed to meet with a mediator to resolve the ongoing dispute.

The mediation is scheduled for Feb. 19, and in the meantime, the dispute continues into its fourth year.

Even though these litigations have hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line, they would have little financial impact on Apple and Samsung, both of which generate billions of dollars in revenue each year, according to CNET. However, the new alliance between Google and Samsung may prove to be troubling for Apple. According to the New York Times, Google’s Android operating system is used in 81 percent of smartphones around the globe, most notably in Samsung products, while Apple’s iOS system is used only in 13 percent of smartphones worldwide.

Still, there have been recent rumors that either Google or Samsung would end their existing relationship and develop their own respective hardware and software, similar to Apple’s iPhone and iOS. The New York Times reports that Samsung has been developing its own mobile operating system, Tizen, for some time now, though it recently has encountered some financial setbacks. However, this patent agreement between Samsung and Google appears to put any plans to separate the mobile hegemony on the back burner, at least for now.

South Korea Bans Unremovable Smartphone Applications

by Lexi Weyrick Staff Writer Earlier this week, South Korea passed a ban on manufacturers putting unremovable applications on smartphones. The nation’s Ministry of Science, Information and Communication Technologies, and Future Planning has decided that features on smartphones that cannot be removed by the consumer are “bloatware” and should not be a permanent fixture on phones.

Bloatware is a term that refers to software that requires a high amount of random access memory (RAM) due to its many features.

The permanent applications that may still be pre-installed on smart-

phones are applications that enable Wi-Fi connectivity, customer service, near-field communication, and app stores. The hope is that by banning unremovable applications, consumers will be less inconvenienced by the clutter on their smartphones and their battery life will last longer.

Furthermore, South Korea hopes to dissuade unfair competition within the industry.

The biggest positive that will result from the ban is the RAM that will now be available for consumer usage. Manufactures such as Samsung and LG (both South Korea based companies) will be able to remove a lot of the bloatware on the smartphones, leading to a 16 gigabyte (GB) phone having much

closer to 16 GB of memory for the consumers to utilize, for example.

For reference, the Samsung Galaxy S4 promises 16 GB of space, though with all of the bloatware installed on the phone, it only has about 8.6 GB of usable memory.

Samsung may decide to appeal the decision, while it is less likely that LG will follow suit.

Another question that arises from this ruling is on how this will affect Samsung and LG devices that are shipped internationally. It is most likely that the ruling only applies to those devices that are to remain in South Korea, but there is a possibility that the decision may affect the companies as a whole. This would mean that all devices shipped out

to the rest of the world would have to be equipped with removable applications.

The ruling does not state, however, that the phones must not have any of the bloatware applications already installed on the device. Due to this, smartphone manufacturers can still pre-install all of the same applications, but now those companies must make sure that the applications can be deleted or removed from the device.

This ruling mostly applies to consumers of Android phones. Apple has generally always worked to keep battery-draining and space-consuming applications off of the iPhone, but Androids have been riddled with wireless companies forcing useless

applications on to the smartphones.

Currently, Android uses can root their phones in order to remove the excess bloatware, but there is a fair amount of technical skill required in order to be able to do so. Now, South Korea’s decision will allow individuals of all technical backgrounds to remove pesky applications. The country’s biggest goal concerning the ruling was to decrease the inconvenience imposed on consumers and to remove what the South Korean Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning described as an “abnormal practice.”

On whether the United States and other parts of the world will follow South Korea’s example, the possibility seems very unlikely.

The Bottom Line | Feb. 5 - Feb. 11, 2014

Page 8 | Opinions

The Academy Has Their Work Cut Out For Them

by Coleman Gray STAFF WRITER

As Oscar night approaches, and the biggest movies, actors, and directors–and the rest of the world–prepare to celebrate the best of the year in film, we are once again met with controversy surrounding the films the Academy has chosen to honor. In a truly memorable year for film there are bound to be some differences in opinion over who should have been honored. However, increasingly the controversies that surround Oscar night do not revolve around the merits of the films chosen, but rather how and why the big, bad Academy picks them. Recently, this all-seeing entity has taken even greater flak for its lack of transparency. But while they say they are the most knowledgeable and have the best interests of the film world in mind, the inherent anonymity of the organization refutes this notion. What exactly do they have to hide?

A recent investigative piece done by the Los Angeles Times found that the autonomous and largely anonymous Academy is made up of 94 percent Caucasians and 77 percent males, and many have argued that a certain amount of “white guilt” is what leads to many of the Academy’s choices. But while that may subconsciously sneak into the minds of the voters, I argue that the reason films based on such topics as slavery, war, and politics consistently win big at the Oscars is not due simply to the obligation

of the voters, but rather the quality of the films and staying power that they might have. For if drama, emotional strife, and change are what great movies are based on, these types of films have it in bunches.

“12 Years a Slave” is this kind of film, and it is also one of the favorites to win Best Picture this year. And while it is the only one of the nine nominated to feature a predominantly non-white cast, if it were to win, one could not point to the color of the actors’ skin as the reason, but to the utter brilliance of the filmmaking, acting, and story. From the beginning, the life of a free northerner kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841 is just a more powerful story than a road trip moving between an alcoholic octogenarian and his son in the case of “Nebraska,” or the drugand sex-fueled romp through the early ‘90s of “The Wolf of Wall Street.” But “12 Years a Slave” also offers something to the Academy voters that the other eight films nominated for Best Picture might not be able to: legacy.

If you ask somebody to name a Best Picture Winner from the 1990s, odds are they would say something like “Schindler’s List,” “Braveheart,” or “Titanic” before they mention “Shakespeare in Love” or “American Beauty.” In 1979, the family drama “Kramer vs. Kramer” took home Best Picture; in 1980, the intimate “Ordinary People” won; and in 1998, “Shakespeare in Love.” These movies have since become footnotes in film history, while movies that they beat for the grand prize, such as “Apocalypse Now,”

“Raging Bull,” and “Saving Private Ryan” still occupy a major position in the collective film consciousness. The embellished or symptomatic atrocity/war/disaster film is usually more memorable than an esoteric one. These kind of “big” movies seem to have a definite advantage in the Best Picture race because they are the safe or conservative vote. It is better to vote for the film that will be discussed and debated in 20 years than the one that might become a Jeopardy question.

While all nine films nominated are excellent, the two Best Picture favorites, the aforementioned “12 Years a Slave” and “Gravity,” are the only ones that I believe are guaranteed to be discussed in 20 years. “Her” was easily my favorite movie of the year, but is an acquired taste and is more of a meditation on love and life than a Best Picture-kind of film. “The Wolf of Wall Street” was a disgusting amount of fun, “Philomena” was sweet and very enjoyable, but the visual spectacle of “Gravity,” and the all-around power of “12 Years a Slave” will stay in the public’s mind for years.

I expect “12 Years a Slave” will win Best Picture this year because of many factors: it features a diverse cast, which sends a positive message to people of color; it has a “big” story and potential legacy; but, most importantly, it truly was a great film. But in this outstanding year for film, any of the nine nominated films deserve to take home the grand prize. For once, even the Academy cannot mess this one up.

In Defense of Our Freedoms?

A Closer Look at the Role of Today’s Troops

by Sam Goldman STAFF WRITER After over 12 long, difficult years of war, 2014 is expected to be a significant year in the U.S.’s drawdown of troops from Afghanistan.

This arm of a protracted struggle against terrorism represents the latest reiteration of a post-World War II American tendency to wage war on more abstract enemies than concrete ones. In the 18th century, we saw Americans fight the British, and in the 1940s the Axis powers. But since World War II, the enemies have become less tangible; for the longest time afterward we fought communism and, since 9/11, terrorism. While there have been physical opponents on the other side of our recent wars–Viet Cong, al-Qaida–the United States has focused its attention more on battling their ideologies. This ideological focus is evidenced by the drawn-out fighting accompanied by rather vague end strategies and terms like “containment” and “War on Terror.”

In the minds of many Americans, however, another abstract battle is being waged by our troops: that in defense of our freedoms. During his recent State of the Union address, President Obama stated that, “because of the extraordinary troops and civilians who risk and

Illustration by Hector Lizarraga | Staff Illustrator lay down their lives to keep us free, the United States is more secure.” He told the story of Cory Remsburg, who, on his 10th deployment, was nearly killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, leaving him with terrible injuries and disabilities. While Remsburg is a quintessential example of a hero, he was not actually fighting to maintain our freedoms, but to combat terrorism.

Though much of the military’s efforts nowadays still help to prevent terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, they are no longer defending all the freedoms and rights we presently enjoy.

Terrorist attacks do not, as horrific as they are, constitute a loss of freedom. Rather, they are generally retribution for actions and culture that the perpetrators despise; they are not a real or viable attempt to systematically repress us, the American people. We are still able to speak our minds, vote, and bear arms. We would be in danger of losing our freedom if there were a legitimate threat to take over the government and repress us or to wage a war on our soil. The chances of these things ever happening are rather slim, however, and the more abstract war that American troops are fighting is not in defense against these particular threats.

One can still argue that our troops indirectly protect our freedoms. Without a military, there would be a much greater incentive for groups such as al-Qaida to legitimately come in and attempt to force their way to power here and impose restrictions on us. The military’s existence, then, is some form of assurance of our freedoms, but only in this very basic way. Our military does not have to deploy troops to another country to provide this assurance.

We no longer fight people trying to repress us, but people who, by their own efforts as well as our own, have been defined by, and are often only seen as, their ideology. The wars we now fight focus heavily on eliminating or containing radical fundamentalism and often supplanting it with the freedoms and western mindset that we have in the U.S. Because of our need to be at direct odds with something has replaced communism, which had replaced far less abstract enemies as our target. The effect has been that we are fighting battles that our freedoms don’t hinge on. While preventing terrorist attacks helps save lives here–our freedom to live, one might say–the other freedoms people often think of when discussing the military are not affected. The bravery and strength

of American troops are obviously admirable, but we need to realize the actual connection between them and the continuing existence of our freedoms. If we can finally bring home the rest of our troops in Afghanistan this year, we should greet them with appreciation for their attempt to stabilize and help that country and not risk perpetuating the idea that their current mission is vital to our freedoms.

Changing our military discourse to better reflect reality might not paint the military in as glorified a light, but it might help to ease the societal pressure on the still-patriotic Americans who just don’t view the institution with near-religious adoration. Having the proper perspective should help bridge the gap between Americans who view the military indifferently and those who embrace it enthusiastically. Everyone appreciating it from the same, accurate viewpoint will mean less tension and fewer instances of accusing each other of being unpatriotic or ungrateful. The military’s roles overseas have often been controversial since the turn of the century, and a better understanding at home of what our troops do for us–something that we should strive for in and of itself–could benefit us in knowing how to better interact with the rest of the world.

Snowden’s Nobel Peace Prize Nomination is an Oxymoron

by Andrea Vallone STAFF WRITER In a sort of ironic twist of fate, President Barack Obama and Edward Snowden may very well have to engineer a sense of camaraderie this upcoming October. On Jan. 29, Edward Snowden, former National Security Agency contractor who distributed a trove of government documents to journalists last year, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Despite the friction Snowden has generated at home, abroad in Sweden, Professor Stefan Svalfors nominated Snowden in a letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee stating that Snowden should be considered for the Nobel on account of his “heroic effort at great personal cost” and that he had shown how “individuals can stand up for fundamental rights and freedoms.”

Not surprisingly, this nomination has sparked a frenzy of disputes, flooding the political discussion already so entrenched by the controversy that is Snowden. CNN published a Snowden Index that revealed the antithetical opinions that have been circulated by the press and social media. Quotations range from “he is a hero,” “freedom fighter,” “we owe him gratitude” to “[he is] a traitor and a criminal,” “it’s treason,” and “he is merely narcissistic.”

Granted, not all Peace Prize winners, let alone nominees, have been unanimously adored: Henry Kissinger in 1973, Yasser Arafat in 1994, Wangari Maathai in 2004, and even Obama in 2009. In fact, Svalfors stated that part of his reasoning for nominating Edward Snowden was because Snowden would “help to save the Nobel Peace Prize from the disrepute incurred by the hasty and ill-conceived decision to award U.S. President Barack Obama [the] 2009 award.”

So how should you feel about Snowden’s nomination? Is Snowden finally being validated for his self-sacrifice, or is it an insult that he was even mentioned in the same sentence as “Nobel Peace Prize”?

According to the organization’s website, the Nobel Peace

Photo Courtesy | Laura Poitras/Praxis Films Prize is an award for “the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” That is an excerpt from the Will of Alfred Nobel himself. I wouldn’t say that Snowden leaked a colossal amount of private government information to hungry journalists to unite nations, curtail military operations, or to promote peace congresses.

Bård Vegar Solhjell, a former environment and education minister for the Socialist Left Party, said “there is no doubt that

the actions of Edward Snowden may have damaged the security interests of several nations in the short term… We are, however, convinced that the public debate and changes in policy that have followed in the wake of Snowden’s whistle blowing has contributed to a more stable and peaceful world order.” So yes, what he sort of did as an accidental byproduct was to initiate a dialogue between nations about surveillance and advocating greater privacy. But what definitely happened in the short term was that he wreaked havoc on U.S. diplomacy and national security.

I do feel that what Snowden did could have only been done with courage–he was able to recognize that what he and his supervisors and his country were doing was unjust. As he grew disillusioned with his own government, he wanted to disclose and terminate this violation of privacy. It is a difficult thing to stand up against the authoritative conventions that most worker bees take for granted, but leaking unrelated information, such as the status of U.S. spies in Pakistan, may have been harmful overkill and definitely could have been approached in a less publicized way.

But even in my own appreciation for the David and Goliath paradigm, I am not blind to the blatant irony of Snowden proclaiming, “remember, I didn’t want to change society. I wanted to give society a chance to determine if it should change itself ” –from his hideout in a country where citizens can’t be openly gay, let alone have freedom of speech.

Should Snowden stand with Nobel Laureates such as Nelson Mandela, who served over 27 years in prison and was denied the right to attend his mother’s and son’s funerals during his long fight to end apartheid? Or Liu XiaoBo, the 2010 Nobel Prize winner who wasn’t even aware that he had won during his fourth prison term in China where news about the award was immediately censored? Even Aung San Suu Kyi, a political prisoner who was on house arrest for 15 years in her fight for democracy in Burma? I guess we will just have to wait and see what the committee decides in October–and hey, maybe if he does ending up winning he’ll finally emerge from his sanctuary in Russia.