Volume 9, Issue 6 by The Bottom Line (UCSB)

Volume 9, Issue 6 | Nov 12-Nov 18, 2014

UCSB’s Weekly Student-Run Newspaper

@tblucsb / thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu

VETERAN

STELLAR

Servicemen marched down State Street to honor Veterans Day with a celebratory parade.

INTERNET

Find out if Interstellar shoots for the moon or fails to break the stratosphere.

PHOTO / 4

The US lags far behind other countries in internet speeds. Do Americans have the worst the world?

A&E / 6

SCI & TECH / 7

AS BEAT REPORT

AS Finance Board Attempts Funding Freeze for Students of Color Conference Bailee Abell AS BEAT REPORTER Associated Students External Vice President of Statewide Affairs Melvin Singh refuted a recommendation for the AS Senate to freeze the funding for the Student Commission on Racial Equality during the Nov. 5 meeting of the AS Senate at the University of California, Santa Barbara. On Nov. 4, after receiving word of the potential freeze, SCORE published a press release entitled “SCORE Autonomy Under Attack by Associated Students, led by EVPSA Melvin Singh” to their Facebook page. The press release was a response to the AS Finance Board request to cease funding SCORE “based on allegations that SCORE violated student government bylaws through their Student of Color Conference delegate selection process, disallowing all accepted delegates from going to SOCC.” The press release stated that Singh attempted to “take over jurisdiction” of the SOCC delegation

as well as freeze SCORE’s funding, which is used to pay for transportation and accommodations at SOCC as well as fund other projects on campus. It then urged SCORE’s supporters to email Singh, as well as attend public forum during the Wednesday meeting of the AS Senate, to voice their concerns. These allegations of misconduct, according to Singh, were false. “I don’t want to give them the message that I am taking away their autonomy, but I was a little upset with how things were going,” said Singh, who also stated that his role is to keep communication open between UCSB students and the University of California Student Association. As the EVPSA, Singh is a UCSA liaison and has the role as the delegation leader for SOCC. According to AS Finance Board Chief Financial Officer Andre Theus, Singh tried to give SCORE their freedom, but was also denied acceptance to attend SOCC with

Photo by Cindy Chang | The Bottom Line EVPSA Melvin Singh argues SCORE’s false allegations against him.

the SCORE-led UCSB delegation. Singh stated that he and his Chief of Staff Hannah Herrera met with SCORE co-chairs, and were able to convey to SCORE that Singh had nothing to do with the freeze. He recommended that the Senate not ratify the freeze, as he wanted to make sure UCSB students could still attend SOCC. SCORE later edited their press release, removing all allegations made against Singh and urging SCORE supporters to contact

Theus instead. Like Singh, Theus also recommended that Senate not ratify the freeze. He stated that prior to Singh and Herrera’s meeting with SCORE, he sent the organization an email asking the co-chairs to send the SOCC delegate applications as well as the list of accepted applicants to AS Executive Director Marisela Marquez, so that she would blind out the names of the applicants, allowing them to be reviewed for possible unjust selection

practices. Though this was a potential path to resolution, the email did not lead to action. Theus, a fourth year and former senator affiliated with the Open People’s party, has applied to be attend SOCC every year and has yet to be a chosen delegate. “Any immediate solution to this problem must be created here in the legislative branch,” said Attorney General Hector Contreras during his report. He declined to speak further on the issue.

ISA Glow Party Lights Up the Night Ariana Arzani The International Student Association hosted their first annual Glow Party in the Santa Rosa formal lounge on Nov. 8. The event drew a crowd of both international and domestic University of California, Santa Barbara students who danced in the darkness, illuminated by neon glow sticks. According to ISA President Denise Lee, the event was hosted as a means for international stu-

dents to ease into the culture of UCSB. “Making friends as an international student is not easy at first, especially if you are shy or not very outgoing, which is why the ISA tries to help international students build friendships and branch out culturally,” said Lee. Officers and volunteers transformed the formal lounge with disco lights, vibrant streamers, and upbeat songs. Guests at the party were greeted at the door

Photo by Kelly Xin | The Bottom Line Students wearing glow sticks have fun during the party.

with a wide array of brightly colored glow sticks provided by ISA, and many participants sported vibrant neon clothing to match the night’s theme. The event quickly reached its maximum capacity with over 120 participants who responded online to attend. ISA provides international and domestic students with the opportunities to build global friendships and better understand other cultures. According to Lee, in order to achieve this, ISA hosts dozens of social, academic, and cultural events throughout the year. ISA Social Chair Emily Liu said that she understands the benefits of the association as an international student herself, and hopes to see as many international students “meet new friends, enrich their college experiences, and better adapt to American life” as possible. Kathy Chen, an ISA member, said that she appreciates the organization not only because of the variety of the events, but also their regularity. “They host a weekly event called Coffee Hour, which helps international students get togeth-

Photo by Kelly Xin | The Bottom Line ISA members and participants taking group photos.

er,” said Chen. “It can be difficult to relate to American students at times, but with international students we are all on the same page and better understand one another.” Many ISA members share the same sentiment, particularly because unlike domestic students, international students cannot return home on long weekends or holidays. As the ISA Director of Social Activities, April Zhou tries to plan events during these

breaks. “We will be going to Yosemite this year and eating a Thanksgiving dinner together, which makes many of us feel like we are in a home away from home,” Zhou said. To learn more about the ISA and their upcoming events, visit their weekly Coffee Hour, which welcomes domestic, international, and EAP students, held every Friday from 4 PM-6 PM in the Multicultural Center Lounge.

NATIONAL BEAT REPORT

Fossil Fuel Industries Fund Midterm Election Campaigns Gilberto Flores NATIONAL BEAT REPORTER With the results of the Nov. 4 midterm elections, Republicans hold a majority of seats in the US Senate, meaning the GOP will also be taking over all Senate Committee chairmanships starting January 2015. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) is a senior member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, which is responsible for overseeing the Senate’s climate policy. Inhofe has publicly expressed his belief that climate change is not a man-made problem. After last Tuesday’s sweeping gains for Republicans in the Senate, Inhofe is now likely to be the new Chairman of the committee. The new Republican Senate majority effectively places Inhofe in charge of the Senate committee responsible for reviewing “matters relating to environmental protection and resource

utilization and conservation,” according to the committee’s official website. Inhofe had previously held the position of Chairman of the Committee from 2003 to 2007. He has been an active skeptic of climate change for the past 20 years of his career, but lately Inhofe’s position on the issue had become much more outspoken. In his 2012 book, entitled “The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future,” Inhofe explains his skepticism against the theory of climate change, calling it a “conspiracy” that will hurt the oil and gas industries. The oil and gas industry is a very important sector of the local economy in Inhofe’s home state of Oklahoma and the lower Great Plains region, a part of the country that in recent years has been devastated by record temperatures, massive water shortages, and extreme weather events like tornadoes. Oil

and gas companies have also been among the largest contributors to Inhofe’s re-election campaigns. Inhofe has also spoken out against the Environmental Protection Agency, comparing it to the Nazi Gestapo. Currently, Inhofe serves as the chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight, which is responsible for “oversight of agencies, departments, and programs within the jurisdiction of the full committee, and for conducting investigations within such jurisdiction.” This includes oversight of the EPA. According to the Guardian, Inhofe is likely to advocate for amending or repealing the EPA’s rules for cutting power plant emissions, an important component of President Obama’s environmental agenda. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report on Nov. 2, which warns that 95

percent of the emissions that lead to climate change are man-made. The report stressed that the ongoing debate over whether climate change’s cause is man-made should cease, as the evidence unequivocally suggests that climate change is real, caused by man-made factors, and that its impacts are present on every continent. The IPCC urges governments to be committed to stopping and combating climate change, including every nation reducing their reliance on fossil fuels down to zero by the end of this century. The IPCC stated in a press release that “[i]f left unchecked, climate change will increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems.” The report released on Nov. 2 by the IPCC is actually a “Synthesis Report” that summarizes the findings of the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report, which was released over the past 13 months and

prepared by over 800 scientists. According to the press release, it is “the most comprehensive assessment of climate change ever undertaken.” Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), the current Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, responded to the IPCC’s report on Nov. 2, stating, “the world’s top scientists are telling Members of Congress and policy makers around the globe that we cannot just try to adapt to climate change. Instead we must act now to reduce dangerous carbon pollution or it will it lead to irreversible impacts for human health, food and water supplies, and vital infrastructure.”

See ELECT | Page 2

2 | NEWS

TBL | Nov 12-Nov 18, 2014

– ELECT

Continued from page 1

In Santa Barbara County, environmentalists faced a defeat when Measure P, the ballot initiative that sought to ban hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” and other oil extraction techniques in the county, was overwhelmingly voted down with about 63 percent of voters voting against the measure and only 37 percent voting for it. Opponents of Measure P argued that the initiative was anti-business and was designed to eliminate the oil and gas industry throughout the county. Supporters of the measure said it would have had no effect

on conventional oil drilling and would have left intact all existing operations. According to a Nov. 5 KPCC report, “oil companies, most from out of state, poured money into the No campaign, [contributing] 20 times what the Yes side had in Santa Barbara.” An Oct. 21 Washington Post article also revealed that, with the total amount of money spent on both sides, Measure P became “one of the most expensive local ballot initiatives in history.” The article cited findings that energy companies including Chevron Corpora-

tion, Aera Energy LLC, and Occidental Petroleum contributed $7.6 million into the No on P effort, while supporters of the initiative raised $300,000. “The total combined spending, around $8 million, amounts to more than $18 for every one of the 435,697 people who live in Santa Barbara County,” stated the article. Bans on fracking were passed in San Benito and Mendocino Counties, but fracking and other high intensity oil extraction techniques are not as present in those counties.

AS COSWB Helps Students Relieve Stress Through Yoga Madison Mead The Associated Students Commission on Student Well-Being held the first of a series of Free Fitness Wednesdays in the Student Resource Building on Nov. 5. The event provided students a break from midterm studying with a relaxing yoga night, according to Kareena Hundayl, a third-year biology major. As a fitness coordinator for COSWB, she organized the event along with Breanna Casas.

The purpose of COSWB is to increase awareness and promote student well-being through various events, according to the commission co-chair, Lauren Nagra, a third-year biology major. “Often, in college, students forget the importance of wellness because they are so busy with school,” said Nagra. “Student wellness events on campus are important because not only do they increase awareness of the importance of well being, they provide students

Photo by Tiﬀany Wu | Staff Photographer UCSB students participate in Free Fitness Wednesday.

with options to improve their wellbeing.” For the first night of Free Fitness Wednesdays series, they planned yoga, a mentally and physically relaxing activity. “Through these fitness events, I want people to feel comfortable to come explore new activities and meet new people who share their interests,” said Hundayl. “For this event, Stephanie, our fantastic yoga master, is here to help bring people to chill, get rid of their stress, calm down, especially after midterms.” Megan Roy, a fourth-year environmental studies major, has been doing yoga for quite a few years. According to Roy, yoga is like active meditation: it brings clarity, provides a physical workout, and encourages students to respect and take care of themselves. Rochelle Perera, a third-year biology major who attended the event, had a positive experience and said that it allowed her to destress. “I really like how the instructor put emphasis on releasing any negativity in your body and mind and feeling yourself as just a single entity in that room and not anywhere else,” said Perera. “It’s really beneficial as a weekly activity to step away

Photo by Tiﬀany Wu | Staff Photographer UCSB students in child’s pose.

from your busy schedule to reflect and be able to let go for an hour.” Participating in yoga and other fitness activities can be expensive and time-consuming for students, said Roy, and events like Free Fitness Wednesdays help make doing so easier for students. “It’s great they are doing all of this for free because yoga can be really expensive,” said Roy. “It makes it really accessible and raises awareness about good healthy habits. Especially with school being so stress-

ful and busy, it’s easy to develop unhealthy habits.” COSWB also has a weekly yoga series for students from 6 PM-7 PM on Mondays at the Santa Catalina residence halls. According to Kareena, Free Fitness Wednesdays are a fall quarter experiment to try and get students involved; their goal is to have a weekly activity for winter quarter with a consistent location, where it will be easy for students to drop by and participate in promoting wellness.

LGBT Tea Time at the RCSGD

Photo by Tiﬀany Wu | Staff Photographer

Steven Lopez and Nathan Holt share a good laugh.

Andrew Jimenez listens to Mars Moreno’s discussion about the LGBTQ community.

Spencer Phillips The Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity at the University of California, Santa Barbara hosted identiTEAS–a one year-old quarterly program that focuses on fostering relationships between communities by providing an open space for discussion–on Nov. 5 in the Student Resource Building. IdentiTEAS is a program organized by the RCSGD once per quarter that focuses on a particular intersection of identity within the queer community, whether that be of race, sexual preference, gender identity, or religious affiliation. This quarter’s intersection was queer and Chicano, a joint effort between the RCSGD and the student organization La Familia de Colores. According to Melba Martinez, a fourth-year feminist and Chicana studies major and the primary organizer for the event, this session of identiTEAS achieved its purpose of providing a space for discussion of the queer and Latino intersection among those who belong to it and with those who do not. “I work for the RCSGD and with La Familia

de Colores, so this event was really meant to allow for a space to have dialogues that are uncomfortable to have in other spaces,” Martinez said. “Also the idea of having it as an open space is an idea of bridging gaps within communities [while] also focusing on a specific identity.” IdentiTEAS is unique in that it is an “open space” focused on a group of people. Events centered on discourse devoted to a particular demographic can tend to be “closed spaces,” caucus-like environments that allow free discussion among a group of people likely to share similar experiences. Having an open group that remains focused on a single demographic allows other groups to get a more intimate understanding of what the group in question goes through. For queer Chicanos, the issues can range from a conflict with machismo culture to coming out in the face of a heavily religious family. While it may seem as if these topics are exclusive to the queer and Chicano intersection, the discussion made these experiences relatable to a wider audience by relating them to themes of external and self-judgment and codeswitching–not just languages and accents–but

identities. Due to this, while about half of the participants dominated the discussion, careful management and relatable confessions made it so that at some point in the evening, everyone participated. One of the participants, Flavio Cruz, a second-year transfer mathematics major, said that the event was an eye-opening experience. “I feel like it was nice to hear other people’s perspective and know that what I felt they also felt, and that I wasn’t alone,” Cruz said. According to RCSGD’s Assistant Director Klint Jaramillo, fostering relationships among diverse and “mission-tasked” communities is one of the RCSGD’s goals. “It’s important for people of color to come together and share their experiences with one another and also open spaces so that both communities come together and talk about building alliances and more of this multicultural identity that we try and erase when it comes to diversity,” said Jaramillo. According to Jaramillo, this is the reason for RCSGD’s programming, which spans events from IdentiTEAS to a variety of social mixers,

WRITERS THIS ISSUE: Spencer Philips, Madison Mead, Bailee Abell, Ariana Arzani , Remle Scott, Jonathan Montenegro, Gilberto Flores, Shomik Mukherjee, Kyle Roe, Sarah Beaver, Vall Vinai, Janani Ravikumar, Neha Pearce, Khanh Tran, Coleman Gray, Gwendolyn Wu

ILLUSTRATORS THIS ISSUE: April Gau, Hector Lizarraga

and the LGBTQ mentoring program, as well as general support for queer organizations on campus. Other programs–most notably the Safe Zone workshop, which provides education on how to discuss and advocate for the LGBT community–are another part of the RCSGD’s mission of providing education and a safe space for everyone. This part of the RCSGD’s mission was signified by its shift in name in 2001 from the Queer Resource Center to the broader name of the Resource Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity. “I think our mission is to create inclusive, safe spaces for everyone,” Jaramillo said. “So that not only our LGBT community feels included and supported for the center, but also for our straight allies to come into the center and feel comfortable talking about sexuality in general. Queer issues are not only issues affecting queer people or issues of the queer community are not issues only affecting queer people or by queer people–everyone should be invested in learning about issues affecting the LGBT community because oppression oppresses everybody, not just one particular group.”

CORRECTIONS

The Bottom Line provides a printed and online space for

PHOTOGRAPHERS THIS ISSUE: Tiffany Wu, Cindy Chang, Jonathan Montenegro, Leah Armer, Joshua Hsu

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.

student investigative journalism, culturally and socially aware commentary, and engaging reporting that addresses the diverse concerns of our readership and community. This is your community to build, share ideas, and publicize your issues and events. We welcome your questions, comments, or concerns at bottomlineucsb@gmail.com, or call our oﬃce phone at 805-893-2440.

TBL | Nov 12-Nov 18, 2014

3 | FEATURES

Hollow Revenue for IV Businesses Halloween Weekend Jonathan Montenegro Whether it is an increase in supplies or an increase in staff, businesses around Isla Vista have always been prepared in anticipation of the boom in business that comes along with the dramatic increase of customers during Deltopia and Halloween–both local and from out-of-town. This year’s Halloween, however, seems to tell a different story. Businesses all over IV were surprised at the dramatic decrease in revenue they made in comparison to previous Halloweens, which came as an inconvenience since these businesses say they appear to have over prepared. A cashier from Keg N’ Bottle reports that the liquor store brought in extra hands from neighboring Isla Vista Market for the normally hectic nights, but ended up not needing them at all. Liquor stores, restaurants, and clothing stores all appear to have been affected negatively, but the bright side to this is that these businesses do not report losing money; they simply did not make as much as they usually do during the

holiday. However, businesses in IV also bank on these large events to make the money they otherwise do not make over summer break, when less students are in town. A representative from Freebirds, IV’s beloved late night nacho stop, reports that even they ended up receiving only half as much business as they are accustomed to during the holiday. Jeanne Choi from Sweet Jane said, “[We] had two registers this time so it was a little bit better.” She compared this Halloween to past Halloweens in saying that they usually have “lines out the door and hectic craziness whereas this year… it wasn’t as crazy.” Many factors had a part to play in this drop in consumer activity over the holiday. Among the ones most commonly blamed on by the IV businesses, however, were the increased police activity and the weekend rain. In an attempt to deter fiascos like the riots of Deltopia 2014 from occurring again, police officers increased their presence. Many IV residents chose to stay indoors and encouraged outof-towners to stay out.

Photo by Cindy Chang | The Bottom Line Woodstock's pizza was one of the many businesses to feel the effects of this slow Halloween. It appears as though campaigns to “Keep IV Safe” and “Keep IV Local” really did the trick, especially since the message to stay out of IV

was able to reach a large radius of people through efforts such as Pandora ads. “We’ve been here for a very long

time so we know what it’s like,” said Woodstock’s Manager Josh Mantovani. “But this Halloween was definitely the slowest.”

SexInfo Online Spreads Knowlegde, Not STDs Remle Scott Most of us dread the culminating “sex talk” from our parents, but how much does it really teach us? On top of that, sex is still a taboo subject when it comes to education. Because of the misinformation regarding sex, SexInfo Online is a club organization dedicated to providing “comprehensive sex education based on the best research…to ensure that people around the world have access to useful and accurate information,” according to their website. Run by the University of California, Santa Barbara’s sociology department, SexInfo Online was founded in 2003 and is overseen by professors John and Janice Baldwin. Carly Haack, a fourth-year marine biology major, runs and facilitates the organization, and she is the lead coordinator of their website. However, the website is maintained by about 20 students. Consisting of a team of five to six webmasters, an editor, coordinator, and staff writers, SexInfo Online reaches out beyond the UCSB campus to around the globe. The articles written for the website are based on the most up to date information, and SexInfo Online only uses information and research from the last five years. Using social media platforms like YouTube and Twitter, the staff shares information on human sexuality and addresses topics such as putting on a condom, masturbation, contraception, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases. The website has sections ranging from “Ask the Sexperts” to “FAQs” to “Test Your Knowledge.” Questions range from to “How should I come out to my parents?” to “Am I pregnant if my partner came in the pool?” The team answers questions from social communicative viewpoints, like advice on how to verbalize your intentions and what is and isn’t considered consent. The organization also addresses questions from a physiological standpoint; the website would answer the latter question with, “Sperm have a very difficult time traveling through water, so if the man ejaculates into the water of a bathtub or shower, away from the woman’s vulva, pregnancy is very unlikely. However, sexual intercourse in a pool or a bathtub is not an effective way to stop sperm. If the man ejaculates into the vagina or even on the vulva while in water, their chance of pregnancy is just as high as in the corresponding activity in dry air.” About 20 to 30 questions are submitted to the organization every week and writers reply to topics they feel they are most knowledgeable with and questions that they feel are important to address. “We meet once a week on Tuesdays and sit around a table answering questions that are sent in from all over the world,” said fourth-year staff writer Matt

Friske, who is double majoring in communications and film & media. He has been writing for the site since his sophomore year. Friske described that he began writing articles for SexInfo Online when he took Human Sexuality, also known as Soc 152A, an introduction course to the main aspects of human sexuality. He signed up for the honors section, which took the top 15 students from the class. Like many courses at UCSB, Soc 152A is geared towards research and engaging in further knowledge of the subject. Based on their writing capabilities and their

general knowledge and interest in human sexuality, students in Soc 152A were given the opportunity to write for SexInfo Online and reach out to people around the world. “We each have different topics we write articles on each week, and try to address all aspects of human sexuality. I focus my articles on LGBTQ topics and body image in social media” says Friske. As a communications and film & media major, he likes to focus on that aspect of human sexuality, such as how it is perceived via social media and how people communicate, but the writers of SexInfo Online vary

in major and background. There are biology majors, sociology majors, and students ranging from freshmen to seniors. “For instance, the biology majors like to focus on physical topics like STI’s,” said Friske. “I think we have an article on all of them with pictures.” Based on “top pages” and “key words,” SexInfo Online can see which particular topics are most popular. Many searches and questions are sent in regarding pregnancy and virginity. “We get a lot of hymen questions, especially in regions of

the world like India, where virginity is socially constructed,” said Friske. “We try and make these topics seem normal and relatable. It a very human thing, the physiological aspects are the same all around the globe and we are trying to give people the information they need.” The writers are making a “Pregnancy Probability Quiz,” which is coming out soon. It does not determine whether one is pregnant or not, but by asking a series of scientific questions, the quiz gives an approximate likelihood of pregnancy based on the answers given.

Middletown: A PlAy written by

will eno

directed by

toM whitAker

nov 14 – 22 UCSB PerforMing ArtS theAter

Student tickets $13 A bit like a post-Beckett Our Town, Middletown looks at the accumulation and effect of the tiny moments that make up our lives - and how we are constantly vulnerable to these tiny moments, which may in fact change the angle of our entire life, or not.

Purchase tickets online at www.theaterdance.ucsb.edu, by phone at 805.893.2064 or at the Associated Students and Theater/Dance box offices.

TBL | Nov 12-Nov 18, 2014

4 | PHOTO

VETERANS DAY

PARADE

Photo by Jonathan Montenegro | The Bottom Line Vehicles of the era parade down State Street.

Photo by Leah Armer | Staff Photographer A man dressed as a soldier waves to bystanders at the Veterans Day Parade.

Photo by Jonathan Montenegro | The Bottom Line Well-organized fly-over during the State Street Veterans Day Parade.

Photo by Leah Armer | Staff Photographer Spectators wave American flags at the Veterans Day Parade.

5 | PHOTO

Photo by Leah Armer | Staff Photographer

TBL TBL| |Nov Nov12-Nov 5-Nov 18, 11, 2014

Military aircraft commence the Veterans Day Parade.

Local veterans groups, the Sea Cadets, UCSB ROTC Surfrider Battalion, and others marched down State Street this Veterans Day Weekend to honor veterans and active duty members with WWII reenactments and vintage military aircraft flyovers.

Photo by Jonathan Montenegro | The Bottom Line

UCSB ROTC's Surfrider Battalion stands ready to march.

A machine gunner and driver ride down State Street in a Dodge WC51.

Photo by Jonathan Montenegro | The Bottom Line Two tank operators show off the war machine as they are carried down State Street.

Photo by Leah Armer | Staff Photographer A man waves from a USMC vehicle during the Veterans Day Parade.

Photo by Leah Armer | Staff Photographer

People on a float wave to spectators on State St.eet.

Cub Scouts ride in a military vehicle down State Street.

TBL | Nov 12-Nov 18, 2014

6 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Finding Your Voice in TV: Mitchell Kriegman Gives UCSB Students His ‘Rules to Live By’ Sarah Beaver STAFF WRITER Magic Lantern Films hosted Mitchell Kriegman on Friday, Nov. 7 to give a talk about how to express yourself in television. Kriegman is the creator of popular shows such as Clarissa Explains it All and Bear in the Big Blue House. He has also written for shows such as Rugrats, Saturday Night Live, and Doug. Although that television work may be what he is best known for, Kriegman’s writing is not restricted to television — his new Young Adult novel, Being Audrey Hepburn, was released in September. When asked how he got into the TV industry, Kriegman said, “I was desperate to express myself.” He started creating content and was eventually recognized by someone who got him into the business. His years of experience and expertise definitely give Kriegman the credibility to give a talk such as the one that he gave Friday night, but there were less people there than one might expect. It is a shame that not more people were there to hear this intelligent and entertaining man give his advice about finding your voice and having confidence in your own work. For anyone interested in the arts, it was a useful and worthwhile event to attend. The program began with a medley of clips from the various works of Mitchell Kriegman, including some that are not found elsewhere. After the clips, he gave a talk about finding your voice in which he gave the audience his

ten “Rules to Live By.” Some that stood out are as follows: 2. Inspiration is overrated. “Don’t depend on it,” said Kriegman, “It’s unreliable. You know, it comes and goes. It’s not something you can always be.” 4. There are no bad ideas. “Of course there are some terrible ideas,” said Kriegman, “but your ideas are not the bad ones.” 7. Define your own victories. 8. Where you’re standing now is not where

you’re going to be. Kriegman’s final rule was to ask yourself what you as an eight year-old would say to you now. The idea is that no matter how much you have done, you have accomplished so much and grown since you were eight. Your eight year-old self would probably see you as the coolest big kid (or adult) ever. After his talk, there was a Q&A in which students could ask any questions that they wished to ask him. There were several ques-

Photo by Leah Armer | Staff Photographer Mitchell Kriegman explains how to find your voice in TV.

tions about writing and creating that Kriegman answered with several personal stories and knowledgeable advice. The personal touches to his answers made the Q&A feel very intimate and relaxed. Though there were not quite as many people there as there could have been, everyone there seemed genuinely interested in the Mitchell Kriegman and his work, so the environment was friendly. The last part of the event was a book signing for Being Audrey Hepburn. The books were being sold at the signing, and with the Magic Lantern ticket stub, you could get four dollars off of a copy that Kriegman would personally sign. Many of the people at the event purchased books and several stayed and got to chat with Mitchell Kriegman one-on-one. When asked what the main point he wanted to get across to the students, he said “for them to feel like they can do it.” He related it to one of his rules, saying that writers and other creative people should not be discouraged by rejection. While attendance was somewhat lacking, the people that went had an experience that not many can say they have had. Being Audrey Hepburn is in stores now, and if you are a fan of Clarissa, or any of his work, this book is bound to be one you enjoy. “Young Adult is a marketing category, said Kriegman, “older people can read a younger protagonist.” So no matter what age you are, check out his book centered around a young girl who finds herself wearing the famous black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

‘Interstellar’ Proves to be a Cinematic Triumph Shomik Mukherjee It has been ten years since I first turned over the final page in Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, a challenging science fiction children’s novel dealing with inter-dimensional travel, complex scientific ideas, and the ultimate power of love. When I first put it down, I wasn’t quite sure exactly how the plot in the novel had worked, but I was mesmerized. I felt as though I too had been transported through multiple dimensions and had emerged a different person, which was a rather dramatic sentiment for an eight year-old boy, but a satisfying one nonetheless. Rarely since then have I encountered, in the science fiction genre, an experience that could mimic the boyish wonder that L’Engle had evoked from myself. Today, however, I’m proud to say that Christopher Nolan’s film Interstellar, which released in theaters Nov. 7, is such an engrossing and visceral film, that as the credits rolled, I was as giddy as an eight year-old boy, deep with wonder about the universe and my place in it. Similar to Inception, a previous Nolan film which released in 2010, Interstellar has its fair share of structural challenges, and I myself required two viewings to feel completely comfortable with its intricacies. To go further than scraping the surface of the story in this review would do a serious injustice to those who haven’t seen it yet, and thus I’ll attempt to tread lightly. As any viewer will see, however, the brilliance of the film goes much further than simply the plot.

Interstellar | Photo Courtesy of Paramount Pictures The plot in question tells of a future world in which a mysterious blight and heavy dust storms have destroyed the world’s crop production. Essentially, Earth is no longer a planet that can be inhabited by humans. In archetypal fashion, the task of finding humanity a new home falls largely on the plate of one man, Cooper, portrayed by Matthew McConaughey. Cooper, a former pilot, must leave his family behind and embark on an intergalactic mission to survey several planets and find one that can either save the humans of Earth, or place a new colony of embryos to

ensure humanity’s survival, provided that the former plan is unsuccessful. In many ways, this is McConaughey’s film. The ongoing “McConaissance,” or the recent success of McConaughey in serious roles, now has another shining addition to its list, with the brilliance with which McConaughey depicts both Cooper’s flair for adventure and burning desire to return to his loving children. The cast of characters embarking on the mission include a number of scientists, one of which is portrayed by Anne Hathaway in quite an understated, but nonetheless effective, per-

formance. The most compelling supporting characters in the astronaut crew, however, are not the humans but two robots, TARS and CASE, who don’t simply provide comic relief but serve as the most endearing robotic sidekicks I’ve come across in film since C-3PO and R2D2 of the original Star Wars trilogy. Michael Caine, a staple of Nolan’s films, steps in to portray an aging professor who sets the plan in motion. Yet, as the crew embarks on a journey to several vastly different planets, the astronauts are anything but prepared for the enormous difficulties they are bound to face. What is pleasing about Interstellar is Nolan’s resistance to using action as the main driving point of the plot. Indeed, the most compelling sequence in the film is one in which the crew desperately tries to dock its vessel to a larger station in space. This, in turn, is a remarkable aspect of the film: amongst the many science fiction efforts that are released yearly, the film doesn’t need to rely on explosions or fight sequences to raise excitement in the viewer. Yet, the ultimate mastery in Interstellar lies in Nolan’s ability to capture a poignant human story amidst all the scientific discussion that the film offers. At the base of all the complex ideas lies the everyday man in Cooper, whose love for his family pushes him forward as much as it holds him back. In this sense, the film is not just enthralling but deeply moving, and the greatest praise I can offer is that the late Madeline L’Engle, author of A Wrinkle in Time, would likely be very proud. Interstellar is nothing else if not an instant classic.

T-Swizzle, the Rise of Online Music, and the Death of the Album Kyle Roe It is a rarity when a bestselling album can simultaneously mark a major annual landmark for the music industry yet dig another foot into its grave. Taylor Swift managed to achieve this feat with the spectacular sales of her new album 1989, released Oct. 27, selling an impressive figure of 1.287 million albums in her first week, the first platinum album of 2014. Despite the success of this album, why has it taken until November for an artist to sell a platinum album in an industry where CDs alone used to account for $15 billion in revenue? The depressed album sales of 2014 are a continuation of the precipitous decline in album ownership beginning in the early 2000s, when the public changed the culture of music listening and ownership forever by logging onto their computers. This transition began in 2001 when peer-to-peer (P2P) programs like Napster began gaining popularity. Suddenly, instead of having to drive to a record store and pay money for music, you could simply log onto Napster and receive the songs from someone who had already bought them. Napster marked a turning point in the way music was distributed, showing listeners a method for acquiring copious amounts of music without spending copious amounts of money. By 2003, the iTunes store became a legal online marketplace, so anyone could buy music on the internet without using controversial P2P software. Even though consumers were now legally paying for music online instead of exclusively downloading through P2P, iTunes gave people the option to buy individual songs off an album without

purchasing the entire product. But why is 2014 such a lackluster year, even compared to such a dismal decade? Even more puzzling, why have iTunes sales dropped 13% from last year? Some point the finger at online music piracy, but multiple studies have shown piracy has a positive effect on music sales, at least in recent years. A more plausible answer is the rise of online music streaming services, spearheaded by Spotify. According to Nielsen SoundScan, music streaming activity in 2013 increased by 32 percent while music sales decreased by 6.3 percent. Billboard also reports that Spotify boasts “40 million monthly active users including the 10 million paying [subscriptions] – one in four.” The 30 million who use the software for free have unlimited access to thousands of artists’ entire catalogs from the comfort of their laptop. Additionally, BBC reports that artists earn $0.007 per stream, a mere fraction of a cent. Some artists, like Taylor Swift and Thom Yorke, have chosen to take their music off Spotify in protest of these low wages. However, both of these artists already have well-established and loyal fan bases. Can new artists risk losing Spotify as a platform for promotion? Will their earnings fall even further? Moreover, as more people pick and choose which individual songs they want to listen to off of a streaming service like Spotify, or want to download from iTunes, fewer people listen to full albums than ever before. Now, sales of individual songs totally overshadow album sales. According to CNN Money, 1.4 billion digital singles were sold in the United States in 2012 “dwarfing CD

sales by a factor of seven.” And with this changing mindset, fewer people than ever appreciate the album as an art form. When was the last time you listened to an entire album all the way through without pausing; not as background noise, but paying atten-

tion to it as if it were a movie? Listening to full albums as a pleasurable activity is lost on our generation, to the point of sounding silly, and in a culture where most only buy certain songs off an album and ignore the rest, it’s no wonder. The point of an album is to explore, ideally, to lose

Illustration by April Gau | The Bottom Line

yourself, within an artist’s sounds. If more people realize the value in owning an album, the experience of listening to it in full, and the quality of sound of physical CDs and vinyls then album sales will increase again. Until that day, the music industry’s grave grows deeper and deeper.

TBL | Nov 12-Nov 18, 2014

7 | SCIENCE & TECH

Plous Award of 2014-2015 goes to GIS Assistant Professor Krzysztof Janowicz Neha Pearce STAFF WRITER

Krzysztof Janowicz, Assistant Professor for Geographic Information Science (GIS), has been presented the University of California, Santa Barbara 20142015 Plous Award. This recognition is awarded to assistant professors who have conducted exceptional research, and contributed excellent teaching methods, creative accomplishments, and overall value to the intellectual community of the campus. Janowicz came to UCSB to oversee the STKO lab at UCSB for the Department of Geography’s GIS area and to fill the role of assistant professor, following his Ph.D at the University of Munster and a year of professorship at Pennsylvania State University. He teaches courses focusing on maps, spatial thinking, and software engineering geared towards geography. Among his other titles, he is the program chair for the Cognitive Science Program, co-editor and founder of the Semantic Web Journal, community leader of the 52° North Semantics Community, and a Faculty Research Affiliate of the Center for Information Technology and Society. Janowicz has a vast range of published works: a multitude of short papers, web and journal articles, and three books. Additionally, he had a previous role as the head of a software engineering

and consulting company in Germany. “You know I’m the one who gets the award because some person needs to get the award, but the award is equally for my department who are super strong supporters and for my students,” said Janowicz of the Plous Award. “When I publish I very often publish with my students and I think it’s fair that they get their fair share of recognition.” The Space and Time for Knowledge Organization, or SpatioTemporal Knowledge Observatory (STKO) lab, headed by Janowicz is comprised of Ph.D students: Grant McKenzie, Yingjie Hu, Song Gao, Bo Yan, Marcela Suarez, Jiue-An Yang, Yiting Ju, Blake Regalia, Li Gong, and Su Yeon Han. The team strives to create easy access, retrieval, and use of information via technology. The lab develops software, documents their work in the form of papers, and creates data for public use. One of Janowicz’s focuses involves using time to create predictive models of space, especially relevant in social media applications such as Yelp, Four Square, and Google Maps. It is then possible to examine the categories of locations that people frequent, not the specific locations. GIS itself can use semantic web ontology technology to study retrieval and use of information. For example, it can determine the

Photo by Joshua Hsu | The Bottom Line Krzysztof Janowicz is an Assistant Professor for Geographic Information Science and Geoinformatics. best placement for a fire station to maximize range of access; Janowicz is particularly intrigued by the variation in definitions of places throughout the world, which makes retrieval and coding of information more complex. The definition of a forest, for example, can vary throughout the world by different specifications such as tree height, tree population, and tree width. “The frustrating fact that we are facing is that in each single country on this planet, what makes a forest a forest is differently defined,” said Janowicz. “If one country would

define what makes a forest a forest only in terms of the height of the tree, then someone who’s interested in selling wood would go in there and cut out every other tree because that doesn’t count as deforestation.” Janowicz laments the difficulty in searching for scientific information on the Internet and is working to ease this process. He wants to create an observatory to explore what he calls ‘the second universe’ or ‘the universe of data,’ and hopes to stay at UCSB to further his work. This is the study of web science, which is concerned with the exponentially

growing amount of data in the world and the desire to connect and analyze it. “For instance, it was very shocking for me during the IV shooting… that you had to go to social media to learn what was going on, and it took a while until the media caught up to that,” said Janowicz. “But how great would it be if we could have all of it streaming into this great observatory, and we could immediately see people talking about [it, and] Instagram pictures. How good would it be if we could put that all together?”

US Internet: Worst in Vall Vinai

The U.S. lags behind most of the world when it comes to internet speed and affordability. However, other cities such as Seoul provide their citizens with the fastest internet speed in the world. It takes 1.4 minutes to stream a high-definition movie in the U.S., while in Seoul it would take seven seconds; Seoul boasts incredible connections of 1000 megabits per second for $30 a month. In comparison, the U.S. averages 9.8 megabits per second speed for $300 a month. Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bucharest, and Paris are comparable–they provide relatively the same high internet speeds at around the same low price. Meanwhile, the U.S. considers 25 megabits per second to be high-speed and continues to uphold its high prices. The reason the U.S. lags behind these cities isn’t because of a technological gap; it’s a result of an economic problem. There’s a lack of competition in the broadband industry. “It’s just very simple economics,” said Tim Wu, professor at Columbia Law School. “The average market has one or two serious Internet providers, and they set their prices at monopoly or duopoly pricing.” This explains why online videos, such as YouTube, have to buffer. “You may think it’s the YouTube application… [or] something wrong with your computer,” said Susan Crawford, professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. “It’s probably the network provider making life unpleasant for YouTube because YouTube has refused to pay in order to cross its

Illustration by Hector Lizarraga | The Bottom Line wires to reach you. And we’ll be they were wrong and we’ve come seeing much more of that kind of into an era where these markets activity in the future.” have consolidated and for most It was originally thought Americans, their only choice for that two or three major internet high-speed, high-capacity Internet providers would compete against connection is their local cable each other to provide low prices for monopoly.” American consumers. 75 percent of Americans have “The Federal Communications only one internet provide option in Commission (FCC) in the their area, usually Comcast, Time early 2000s really thought that Warner, AT&T, or Verizon. “Stop and let that sink in: competition would do the job of regulatory oversight — that that Three-quarters of American homes would protect Americans,” Susan have no competitive choice for the Crawford says. “As it turns out, essential infrastructure for 21st

century economics and democracy,” Tom Wheeler, chairman of the FCC said. Countries in Europe encourage competition among broadband companies by requiring these companies to lease space in the wires carrying broadband to people’s homes to rival companies. “The big internet providers [in the U.S.] have little reason to upgrade their entire networks to fiber because there has so far been little pressure from competitors or regulators to do so,” said Crawford.

The implications of this internet downfall are tremendous in the scope of global competition. “Unless somebody in the system has industrial policy in mind, a long-term picture of where the United States needs to be and has the political power to act on it, we’ll be a Third World country when it comes to communications,” Crawford warns.

Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo Crashes Janani Ravikumar STAFF WRITER Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo conducted a powered test flight on Oct. 31, which resulted in tragedy, according to the official website. After breaking the sound barrier and quite literally reaching for the stars, SpaceShipTwo quickly began to disintegrate. SpaceShipTwo broke apart and started disintegrating mere seconds after igniting its rocket engine for a test run above California, severely injuring pilot Peter Siebold and killing co-pilot Michael Alsbury. The test run was originally intended to be part of a larger project that would eventually culminate into a commercial passenger service to sub-orbital space, hopefully to be introduced next year.

Siebold, who had already been flying Virgin Galactic’s spaceships for a decade, had to rely on his own experience and instincts to survive, according to the Los Angeles Times. He had a parachute, but no spacesuit to protect him from the harsh environment as he plummeted to Earth. His landing in the Mojave Desert smashed his shoulder, and he was discharged from the hospital on Nov. 3. SpaceShipTwo pilots wear only thin flight jumpsuits, which offer little protection against the frigid atmosphere–a decision made by aerospace pioneer Burt Rutan, who designed the predecessor SpaceShipOne. The craft was made by winding fibers into a strong pressure vessels, and Rutan wanted smaller hatches to preserve the craft’s strength. This left no room for large spacesuits. Christopher Hart, the acting chairman

of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), revealed to the BBC that the vehicle’s descent system was activated prematurely–a system meant to slow and orient the vehicle on its return to Earth. This technology was not meant to be activated so early on in the flight and should not have engaged in an accelerating ascent. “At Virgin Galactic, safety is our guiding principle and the North Star for all programmatic decisions,” said Virgin Galactic’s official statement. “Our culture is one of prioritizing safety as the most important factor in every element of our work, and any suggestions to the contrary are untrue. We are committed to learning from this incident and ensuring something like this can never happen again. To that end, we will work closely with the NTSB and will focus

intense effort on its findings and guidance.” Virgin Galactic is striving to learn from this incident and to move toward making the dream of commercial space exploration a reality. According to the official site, another SpaceShipTwo is currently in development. “For Virgin Galactic, everything rests on our vision of creating accessible and democratized space that will benefit humanity in countless ways for the generations to come,” said the official statement. “Like early air or sea technologies, the development is not easy and comes with great risks, but our team of more than 400 dedicated engineers and technicians are committed to realizing the potential of this endeavor. From research, to travel, to innovation, we believe that the technology our industry is pioneering is crucial to the advancement of humanity.”

TBL | Nov 12-Nov 18, 2014

8 | OPINIONS

1,500 Angry Social Justice Warriors Surround Redskins Team Bus From the Journal of John Isaac Cornwell, Jr. “I write this in a time of great peril; our journey has been temporarily slowed, and I fear we may never start again. We are currently surrounded. Our team buses have now circled the wagons in an attempt to protect ourselves from this approaching hoard. Our convoy has been flanked by a hoard of social justice savages, seemingly hell-bent on unleashing an onslaught of Twitter arrows and verbal spears intended to amplify a fairly recent controversy. And here I am, huddled on the floor of my team bus, writing by candlelight, and leaning against a 350-pound right tackle out of Oklahoma named Trent… “But before we get into any rumblings of controversy, gather ‘round folks, and let me tell you a tale of a football team. The Washington Redskins are an NFL team with a proud tradition, home to such football icons as Slingin’ Sammy Baugh, John Riggins, and Joe Gibbs. A team that had Doug Williams, who became the first African-American quarterback to win the Super Bowl in 1988. A team with uhh…Kai Forbath? “Well, we’re not quite as proud anymore, but still, we’re an NFL football team, dagnabbit! Now, here we are stuck in the middle of a 3-6 season with a quarterback more beaten down than the sidewalk out front of Belle’s Brothel out in Silver Springs, a run game that has yet to hit the ol’ dusty trail, and a coach who is playing Butch Cassidy’s younger brother Stephen to his better, and more famous brother. “But while these on-field struggles may be akin to trying to ford your Conestoga

across the Platte, our biggest hurdle seems to be of the onomastical variety (that’s the study of names for all you folks lacking in book learnin’). The name which we have used for decades is now under fire, by those who can’t seem to separate a team name from some made up injustice du jour. If you’re a fan of irony, it’s us Redskins who are now under attack. “I may be biased because I am a player for the team (yes, the backup punter is a player!), and I’m not some big city vegan mixologist like those causing the fuss or nothin’, but I believe when most people hear the word “Redskins,” they don’t think racial slur, they think about a football team. In a 2010 psychological study commissioned by the University of Missouri, it was found that ‘only one participant explained the accurate meaning of the term “Redskin” [referring to a derogatory slur for a Native American] out of 300 surveyed.’ But, I am one to refute that data and say that, I would imagine roughly 299 gave the accurate meaning of the term: an NFL player. “Currently, teams with such ethnicallybased nicknames such as the Indians, Braves, Fightin’ Irish, Canucks, and Ragin’ Cajuns grace our sports pages every day, but they continue to function with little public outcry. Why the ‘Skins don’t get this treatment is beyond me. “This is really the heart of the issue: is the word ‘redskin’ offensive, or has it gone beyond its extremely antiquated origins to just mean a team moniker? The University of Notre Dame proudly uses its moniker, and can you really argue that “Redskins” is so

much more offensive than “Fightin’ Irish”? The term ‘redskin’, which the protestors consider a contemporary racial slur, hasn’t even been heard in these here parts since 1859! Even with all this current upset, a recent poll found that only 18% of responders feel that the name ‘Redskin’ is offensive to Native Americans, and even less support changing the team name. Because the football team in Washington is what ‘Redskins’ means today. “But, for some reason, it is this minority who shout the loudest. While our country remains at war in the Middle East, the poverty gap gets wider by the day, and the same politicians stay in office, no matter what they do, the people who shout about the

Redskins’ name continue to shout about the Redskins’ name. Let’s all just leave the Redskins alone; there are much more important things to get all hot and bothered about. Sometimes we just have to face the facts that this overly-sensitive, white guilt-fueled pity and anger is not the same as actual progress. And changing a team’s name is not a form of reparation. “At least I can take solace in the fact that I believe soon enough these so-called passionate people, who consider themselves so offended by the name, will move on to the next ‘injustice’ to feel high and mighty about, and we will hopefully be hearing “Hail to the Redskins” at NFL games for years to come.”

Illustration by Hector Lizarraga | Staff Illustrator

Give Me Liberty, or

Give Me Death with Dignity Khanh Tran

Brittany Maynard was only 29 years old when she discovered that she had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. After exhausting all of her available medical options and alternatives, she and her family moved from California to Oregon, where the right to die is legal. On Saturday, Nov. 1, Maynard chose to end her life, surrounded by her grieving loved ones. Her young age and circumstances have revitalized the ambivalent debate surrounding the controversial issue of right-to-die. Human beings are born into this world with the right to life. But does that mean they also get to choose whether or not to forfeit their lives? According to a Gallup Poll from in June 2006, about six in ten Americans support the notion of assisted suicide. Yet, despite this astonishing number, only 5 states in the U.S. support the right to

die. Legislative actions had been brought in other states, including California in 2007, but failed to succeed. This is due to the overwhelming backlash from religious groups claiming that life should be maintained, no matter the conditions a terminally ill patient might be in. Moreover, other opponents fervently fear that legalizing such a right would cause suicide to become a social norm. And that is the problem with their views. Death with dignity is not suicide. The terminally ill patients are simply seeking a way to accelerate their imminent and inevitable death. The ugly truth is that the general public is afraid of approaching the detested topic of death, equating the right to die with suicide. But Maynard’s case demonstrates the crucial considerations individuals deliberate on before they make the ultimate decision. “After months of research, my family and I have reached a heartbreaking conclusion: there is no treatment that would save my

life,” Maynard wrote in her op-ed for CNN. She was sensible and rational in her decision–she did not want her family to witness her painful battle and inevitable loss to brain cancer. She went through a tediously long process of obtaining residency in Oregon just to obtain a comfortable option because her home state did not offer it. Having the choice in her hand let her live the short days of her live in joy, knowing that she could go any time. She did not want to commit suicide, but die with dignity. The right to die allowed her an option to end her life on her own terms, in a comfort and peaceful setting surrounded by her loving family. Should the right to die proposition return to California for consideration again, it should shorten its lengthy list of restrictions and qualifications. In the original legislation, patients would have to have a prognosis of death within six months to be prescribed such an option. Furthermore, they would

have had to undergo much psychiatric counseling and warnings, along with a two-week waiting period. The bill should be revised so that doctors would not be obligated to recommend such an option, avoiding the common complaint that death is becoming a desensitized alternative. However, it is time that the American public stop viewing death as a taboo topic. Death is a certainty in every life, and instead of shying away from it, we should approach it in a rational and calm manner. Many victims of incurable diseases do not want to spend their final days in the hospital, with their body dependent on several medications and tormented by multiple surgeries. No one has the right to tell others to live their lives with a prolonged torture of emotional and physical pain. Legalizing the right to die would not cause suicide to be a norm, but humanize it and provide a safe and controlled exit for those who really need it.

in lectures, where hundreds of students (1,049 in 8 AM Biology) sit in cushy seats with halfformed desks in auditoriums like Campbell Hall. Many are asleep, others texting, and some watch the stage intently. A professor speaks into a crackly microphone and gestures wildly at the powerpoint presentation behind him. These classes are accompanied by sections and labs, supplementing the education with TAs who can help students understand

what’s going on. This lecture setup is incredibly ineffective. Students grow distracted as lecture drags on, wondering if this is a waste of time and money. We sit through lectures on history and chemistry, yet don’t retain what professors try to teach us. Is that what we should bear when tuition for the 2014-2015 school year is $12,192 (and nearly triple that for out-of-state students)? Many students don’t go to lecture if they study from home. Some professors record their lectures and post slideshows online, encouraging many students to “go to class” from the comfort of their bed. Some classes simply repeat the points emphasized in the reading. Why go to class if you can just read and only show up to take exams? Dr. Robert Samuels, a lecturer with the Writing Department at UCSB, previously taught lectures at University of California, Los Angeles. Samuels talks to students extensively about their experiences as members of these large classrooms. “The main problem seems to be large lecture classes. Sometimes they can be effective, and I want to stress that,” Samuels said. “I’m not saying all large lectures [are bad]. I’m saying there can be some good ones; I’m saying that there is this tendency [to be less effective].” Professors try to make their lectures interactive, recognizing the flaws of this method. For example, many use iClickers, asking students questions in an attempt to take attendance and keep them somewhat awake. Others may ask questions aloud, garnering responses from the audience. But only a few. People don’t absorb the material fully. While some are visual learners and learn through slideshows, for many, lectures aren’t conducive to learning. Attention spans wane; information goes in one ear and out the other.

Simply put, it is boring to sit there and apply what you’re learning to the real world. “There is little opportunity for students to speak and write in classes. Students are trained to passively listen to experts, to be passive citizens,” explained Samuels. “If you spend time being silent, it doesn’t train you to be a democratic citizen. It doesn’t lead to a democratic process [in society].” Warning bells toll at the prospect of a passive population. It would be reassuring if we could make informed decisions that can change the nation, as a democracy should do. But are we developing that at UCSB? Many professors come here to research, and for some, their talents don’t lie in teaching effectively. If students aren’t encouraged to be active participants in class, it could cause major problems in the future. If the current system is flawed, what can be done to fix that? Some suggest classes be turned into seminar-style sections. Sections and labs are a good foundation for teaching, although still flawed due to the shortage of TAs and lack of connectivity with the professor. They promote an in-depth analysis of course material and allow students to apply what they’ve learned. Another solution proposes that students capitalize on UCSB’s status as a research university. “Students, from day one, should be engaged in the research process,” said Samuels. “They should be doing their own research, their own examination of other people’s research, and they should be actively involved in it.” Should we really stand for exorbitant higher education fees if we aren’t getting the quality of education we deserve? We protest tuition hikes yet never bring attention to the fact that we don’t retain the information we learn in these class settings. Perhaps it’s time to closely examine what’s plaguing the system.

A Different Kind of Examination: Looking at Lectures Gwendolyn Wu STAFF WRITER

I craned my head around Embarcadero Hall, counting how many people had showed up to lecture. Half the class appeared to be there—an impressive turnout. On the day of my midterm, the house was packed. Most general education classes at the University of California, Santa Barbara are taught

Illustration by April Gau | The Bottom Line