The Bottom Line Issue 8 by The Bottom Line (UCSB)

TBL

THE

Associated Students, UC Santa Barbara Volume 7, Issue 8 | Nov. 14 - Nov. 27, 2012

BOTTOM LINE

Remembering David Propp

[] “You probably hear about a person being perfect after they pass away all the time, but this guy was actually perfect.” - Angelo Catalano, Propp’s friend and co-worker

Photo Courtesy of | The Rec Cen by AUDREY RONNINGEN Promotions Director This past Saturday, authorities identified a body found on the beach in Isla Vista as 21-year-old David Propp, a student at the University of California Santa Barbara. Propp, a fourth-year physics major, was involved on campus, working at the UCSB Recreational Center and participating in various musical groups up until the time of his death. A skilled singer, Propp was a long-time member of the student a cappella group “Brothas from Otha Mothas” and had a prominent role in the student production of “Grease”. The UCSB Rec Cen, where Propp was in training to be a supervisor, released a statement regarding his death, stating that, “David was a beloved member of our Rec Cen family. He was someone that everyone could look up to and learn from. His happiness was infectious, and he brightened the day of everyone around him. He is sorely missed, fondly remembered, and dearly loved.” One of his friends and co-worker of two years at the Rec Cen, Angelo Catalano, contributed his impressions of Propp. “Every story will be consistent with him being a really hard worker. He’s the most positive guy I’ve ever met in my life, 100 percent optimistic all the time, on his worst days,” said Catalano, a fourth-year psychology and philosophy double major. “He was the most genuine man. Everything he said was sincere, and he would never let a compliment go unsaid.” These positive words of remembrance extend far beyond those who knew him from work. Propp was involved in musical theater on campus, and played the role of Roger in the 2012 spring production of “Grease.” One of the cast members, second-year political science major Kevin Mahn, described what it was like being in the musical with him.

Student of Color Conference Opens Safe Spaces for Intersectional Discussions

“He had this contagious smile that could brighten up your day instantly. He was the kind of guy who never had a bad thing to say about anyone. I’m absolutely honored to have had a chance to work with him,” Mahn said. Music as a whole was a huge part of Propp’s life. The vocal group he was in, “Brothas from Otha Mothers,” or BFOM, will be singing at his memorial this Wednesday and performing a concert in honor of him on Saturday. Adam Courtin, one of his housemates and a fourth-year member of the group, said that they are planning on sending some of the funds from their performance this weekend to his family. “The brothers will stand for David Propp. I sang the same part as him; we were both tenor IIs. And whatever we can give to him, we will. He’s given a lot, and it’s the least that we can do,” Courtin said. The concert on Saturday will include a set that they had planned before they heard the news, but will also feature songs in Propp’s name, which he had done solos on before. Many of these—classics such as “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and “For the Longest Time”—will be performed at the memorial for Propp on Wednesday, as well. “He expressed himself really well onstage. I have a lot of respect for his quirk,” Courtin said. “He definitely connected through singing and performing, and I just got to connect with the guy on all levels. So many people did.” Propp’s death, which authorities say likely resulted from a fall off the Oceanside cliffs, came as a devastating shock to those close to him. He will be remembered as someone that people were drawn to, and as truly kind and sincere. His memorial will take place in the UCSB Rec Cen at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. This event will serve as an opportunity to commemorate his life, which was and will continue to be valued by everyone who knew him.

by HELEN LUC

One hundred and ten students representing the University of California Santa Barbara campus attended the 24th Annual Students of Color Conference held at UC Riverside Nov. 9 to 11. Alongside other campuses such as UC Los Angeles, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UC Davis, UC Merced, UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley, students attended several workshops where they were able to discuss various topics ranging from transracial adoptees and queer minorities to cultural stereotypes of sex and undocumented immigrants. The conference started off with a high note, as students gathered to eat breakfast together and enjoyed cultural performances put together by UC Riverside’s various campus organizations and listened to speakers in an inspirational opening ceremony. The theme for this year’s conference was R’ Stories: Embracing our Struggles as Tools for Transformation. In the workshops, students were given spaces to discuss issues pertaining to people of color and to share experiences and insight. As such a diverse group of students came together from different university campuses of varying areas, the workshop discussions were full of insightful stories and passionate attitudes from diverse perspectives, with every workshop being educational and enriching. The delegation leaders for UCSB at this year’s conference were Brandon Pineda and Navkiran Kaur. “I like seeing everyone come together to experience this,” said Kaur. “I’ve always enjoyed conferences because I learn a lot from them; they’re very hands-on and interactive compared to classroom environments. Also, I really enjoyed the caucuses, which are closed spaces [for people belonging in the same group], because they allow you to get into really intimate discussions.” Additionally, during the lunch break, students got the chance to enjoy an aptly termed “edutainment” as they watched more cultural performances, listened to speakers and were encouraged to get on the dance ﬂoor. In between the workshops, caucuses and seminars, students were able to contribute to the chalk walk, which displayed chalked art pieces relevant to what students learned at the conference, and the “trigger wall,” which displayed writings and drawings that students considered “triggering,” provoking them in either a positive or negative way. At the conference, students were given very inclusive spaces to freely discuss their ideas. Before speaking, students were encouraged to give their preferred gender pronouns, and all restrooms were labeled “gender neutral” as opposed to having them separated by sex. Additionally, rather than addressing groups of peers as “you guys,” students were encouraged to address groups of students with “y’all.” In this space, language catered to all different genders and races, allowing individuals to freely communicate without offending others. Throughout the course of the weekend, students were reminded to bring back the things that they learned to their respective campuses and to apply what they learned to their own lives. On Nov. 19, there will be a debriefing of the conference open to the entire campus in the SRB Multipurpose room from 5 to 7 p.m. where all UCSB students can share what was learned from the conference.

Community Raises Money, Spirits at Co-operoo by SELENA ROSS A diverse congregation of musicians, students and Co-op lovers came together at the Biko Co-op on Nov. 11 for Cooperoo, a dual concert and fundraiser for the Isla Vista Food Co-op’s Project We Own It. The project aims to solidify the currently ambiguous future of the IV Food Co-op, and Saturday night’s Co-operoo was one of its many efforts to raise money for the cause. Co-operoo featured performers such as a cappella groups Vocal Motion and Brothers From Other Mothers (BFOM), as well as popular local bands Givers and Takers, Junipero and Rainbow Girls. In addition to live music, Co-operoo also featured a beer garden, organic food sales and even a kissing booth, with the majority of proceeds going to the cause. “I think it’s a good way to bring the community together, to have some cultural entertainment,” said Andrew Dunn, a University of California Santa Barbara 2010 alumnus and coordinator of the event. “And to bring together people who support the Co-op. It’s really cool to show that musicians and artists and people from different background all support this effort.” The concert raised over $3,500 dollars for Project We Own It, bringing the cause even closer to its mid-November goal of $200,000 to pay off the down payment on the $1.4 million in loans taken out to buy the Food Co-op’s building. A $10 donation at the door was requested, although per Biko house policy, nobody was turned away if they forgot the money or could not afford it. “People were really enthusiastic at the door,” said Dunn. We anticipated people would think it was too expensive, but people were totally willing to donate or give more. Some people just donated and left if they couldn’t stay. There was a lot of enthusiasm to be generous.” The main theme of the night was one of collaboration and positivity. Older community members, college students and even several local high school students came out to celebrate the cause. “We had, like, dozens of people coming up to us saying, ‘I wish IV had more events like this’—with this vibe. It was really happy, really good vibes, all ages. It was a really positive atmo-

Arson on Cold Springs Trail in Montecito see page 2

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Photo by Margarita Baliyan | The Bottom Line Students gather to listen to music and raise funds for the Co-op at the Co-ooperoo beneﬁt event. sphere that you don’t really see in IV that often,” said Dunn. unwavering support. After the doors opened at 6 p.m., the night kicked off Overlooking certain mishaps with spills near equipment with vibrant performances from the pair of a cappella groups. during Rainbow Girls’ set, the whole concert went on without a To commemorate the recent death of David Propp, who was a hitch, despite the last band, Sleep State being unable to play due member of BFOM, attendees and performers alike wore orange to time restraints. headbands. The Food Co-op is donating a small portion of the “I think it was a fantastic success. I was really impressed proceeds to Propp’s memorial. with how respectful people were. We had alcohol, live music and After BFOM and Vocal Motion exited the stage, Givers dancing—all things that could contribute to people getting out and Takers took over—give or take a couple of their members. of hand, but people were great and just so respectful and so pas“We don’t really have a name; we’re about three-fifths of sionate about the cause,” said Dunn following the event. Givers and Takers up here,” said Adam Henry, lead singer of the In addition to performers and volunteers, Co-operoo also band, referring to the absence of two members. Despite that, received donations and support from local business: Coffee ColGivers and Takers kept the crowd happy, even taking suggestions laborative and South Coast Deli donated compostable utensils, and improvising. and I.V. Drip donated brownies. Junipero came on next, and as the audience grew more en“We saw a lot of local businesses, many of whom have a thusiastic and slightly more inebriated, the dancing increased, Green or local mindset, offering to help us out, which is great,” though never in a particularly unruly way. said Dunn. When Rainbow Girls took the stage, it was hard to find a Although closer than ever to reaching their goal, Project single audience member not enjoying him- or herself. The atmo- We Own It still needs donations and support. To donate, go to sphere the whole time at the concert was one of positivity and www.projectweownit.org.

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World’s Reaction to US Election

5 Questions with Sophia Armen

see page 3

see page 4

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Time for a New Revolution? see page 5

Examing Essential Indie Computer Games see page 7

page 2 | News

Local News

The Bottom Line | Nov. 14 - Nov. 27

Cold Fire Heats Up Montecito Residents forced to evacuate, several homes damaged after suspected arson Nov. 6 by CHEYENNE JOHNSON Staff Writer

A fire started in the upper hills of Montecito around noon on Nov. 6. Evacuation orders were issued in the area surrounding the Cold Spring trail shortly after the blaze started. The fire was quickly contained and evacuation orders cancelled three hours after the start of the fire. The Cold Fire caused no damage to the surrounding homes and there were no reported injuries. Geri Ventura of the Montecito Fire Protection District commended those involved in the containment for their quick actions to ensure the fire did not spread to residential areas. “I believe that the response was fast and appropriate,” said Ventura. “We were fortunate that there were no other incidents going

on in the area, which availed several air resources that were able to continually douse the fire with water and retardant. Because there were no winds to speak of, the fire’s progress was not pushed at the speed in which we have seen with some of the other local incidents, like the Tea Fire and the Jesusita Fire. This particular fire was driven by the topography.” The Montecito Fire District, Santa Barbara City and County Fire, United States Forest Service, Carpinteria and Summerland Fire, Vandenberg Air Force Bases and others responded to the fire, as well as volunteers who were there to assist with any necessary evacuations. The Santa Barbara County Fire is currently investigating the fire as arson, and an unidentified man was detained on suspicion of starting the blaze. Ventura said he has not received any information on whether or not

they’ve identified the suspect. The blaze did not stop hikers from returning to the trail once the fire was contained and extinguished. Shannon Daniel, a resident from Oxnard who regularly travels to Montecito to hike the Cold Springs trail, said that she was initially very worried because the trail is one of her favorites, but that was happy to return once the area was deemed safe. Daniel said the recent upkeep of the trail and the homes surrounding it help ensure her safety, as well as that of fellow climbers “It looks like they’re keeping it clean,” said Daniel. Ventura said that while this fire was quickly contained, residents should still be vigilant and wary of the potential for disastrous fires. “We cannot stop a wind drive fire,” said

Ventura. “We can only try to protect those structures that lay in the fire’s path. In a slope-driven, or topography-driven fire like we had the other night, we can more aggressively attack the fire to prevent its spread. We recommend that residents pay close attention to the weather, and take precautions for themselves when the ominous trifecta of high temps, low humidities and high winds exists. Talk to your family members about your evacuation plan...Walk around your home and take a quick inventory of the things you would take if you only had minutes to spare. Pay close attention to weather reports.” Ventura urged residents to prepare for fires by having a survival kit near the car for easy access and to prepare for emergencies well in advance. “The time to prepare,” said Ventura, “is not when you are being told to evacuate.”

California’s Fire History: Jan. 1, 2012, through Nov. 3, 2012: 5, 673 Fires

129,319 Acres Burned

Jan. 1, 2011, through Nov. 3, 2011: 4, 281 Fires

56,345 Acres Burned

Five Year Average (same time interval): 4,831 Fires

Photo by Caitlin Griffin | The Bottom Line Montecito ﬁre burned at the top of Cold Springs Trail last Wednesday.

Selena Ross, Helen Luc, Emma Boorman, Elizabeth Aguilar, Giuseppe Ricapito Beatriz Gonzalez, Nicholas Hong, Selena Ross, Francesca Kentish, Matt Mersel, Lissa Gardener, Anjali Shastry, Deanna Kim, Courtney Hampton, Joanne Howard, Jordan Wolff, Cheyenne Johnson, Audrey Ronningen

Photographers: this issue

Margarita Baliyan, Caitlin Griffin, Eduardo Villatoro, Tim Fucci, John Clow, Sommer Sheffield, William Renteria The Bottom Line is sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of California, Santa Barbara. All opinions expressed in TBL do not necessarily represent those of the staff, of A.S. or of UCSB. Published with support from Campus Progress/Center for American Progress (CampusProgress.org). All submissions, questions or comments may be directed to bottomlineucsb@gmail.com.

The Bottom Line is an alternative voice on campus.... We provide a printed and online space for 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 publicize events. We welcome your questions, comments or concerns at bottomlineucsb@gmail.com or call our office phone at 805-893-2440.

192,054 Acres Burned

Source: Cal Fire

UC Davis Professor Elizabeth Miller Talks Socialism in Print with Santa Barbara by EMMA BOORMAN Staff Writer

University of California Davis professor Elizabeth Miller came to Santa Barbara to talk about the subjects of her upcoming book, “Slow Print: Literary Radicalism and Late Victorian Print Culture” on Friday, Nov. 9. Her talk on the work and inﬂuence of William Morris and George Bernard Shaw offered, to an intimate group of people in the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center, a brief but fulfilling look at socialist print media in the late 1800s. Miller first addressed William Morris, whose work with the Kelmscott Press and “The Commonweal” undermined the inﬂuence of capitalism on print by rejecting mass production and appealing to a smaller, specialized audience. “He wondered at times if print itself was part of the problem,” said Miller of Morris, talking about the increase in availability of books during his time. Morris was a reformer who believed print, as the product of capitalism, could not be used “to produce anything but apologies for capitalism,” Miller writes in her article “William Morris, Print Culture, and the Politics of Aestheticism.” “Morris’s horror at the ‘superabundance’ of books echoes Marx and Engles’s disgust at the absurd ‘epidemic of overproduction’ that characterizes capitalist modernity,” she said. To combat this, Morris attempted to change what contemporary print was at the level of production. According to Miller, Morris believed “typography had made the word into commodity.” During his work with the Kelmscott Press, Morris attempted to create books that

promised “a harmony of nature and craft after the socialist revolution” by creating what Miller called “the ideal book,” an aesthetically appealing object that expressed socialist politics by rejecting available forms of print, the technology that made wide-spread literacy possible. Of course, Miller noted Morris’s critics who valued the more democratic availability of books and publications. As a socialist who created expensive books aimed at an elite audience, Morris seemed like a hypocrite. However, his work became “part of a broader anticapitalist counterculture,” inﬂuencing people who produced cheaper products. Miller went on to address the work of George Bernard Shaw, who adhered to the “ideal book” standards set by Morris and shared his dissatisfaction with the mass production and commodification of print. He valued the craftsmanship of print, believing mass production corrupted what was once an art. A socialist like Morris, Shaw wondered if democratic mass production of print could exist without serving capitalism, the force socialist printers were attempting to resist. After the lecture, Miller’s small audience enthusiastically asked questions about the work of Morris and Shaw. Most of them were already somewhat familiar with the topic and inspired a lively dialogue about the ways print was used as an anti-capitalist tool. Elizabeth Miller’s talk, though brief, offered insight into an overlooked struggle between the democratic burgeoning of print and a socialist desire to reject capitalist inﬂuence during the late Victorian era. Her book, coming in December, will further explore this lesser-known but noteworthy topic.

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The Bottom Line | Nov. 14 - Nov. 27

page 3 | News

State News

Local News

Passage of UCSB Athletes Arrested, Potentially Proposition 30 Compromise School Prevents Pecuniary Reputation? Plummet

by GIUSEPPE RICAPITO

by ELIZABETH AGUILAR

Peter McGlynn and Holt Dunlap, of the University of California Santa Barbara Men’s Soccer and Basketball teams, respectively, were each arrested in the past week for personal indiscretions. Peter McGlynn was detained by campus police following the soccer game, a 2-1 loss against UC Davis on Oct. 28, according to the Santa Barbara Independent. After an emotional shouting match, McGlynn charged the referee and pushed him, an extremely serious infringement. Dunlap, on the other hand, was arrested near the scene of a trespassing incident in Santa Barbara on North Milpas Street. After allegedly entering a resident’s house, Dunlap escaped but was then caught later, and was identified by the victim. Dunlap has been suspended from the team pending a resolution of the case, also according to The Independent. McGlynn’s arrest was an emotionally charged byproduct of the loss of an important soccer match, while Dunlap was arrested on his own time, separately from his school and team. The soccer game against UC Davis has received dramatically more publicity because the incident with McGlynn occurred in front of a crowd of more than 2,000. In essence, Dunlap’s arrest followed in the wake of the school-wide response prompted by the soccer issue.

Voters approved the Proposition 30 tax increase, preventing $6 billion dollars in trigger cuts to public education in California on the United States’ election day, Nov. 6. Despite strong student support for the proposition, the specifics of how Proposition 30 will affect Californians in the short and long term may still be unclear. One immediate effect of Proposition 30 is that it will raise the sales tax in California, already the highest in the nation, by a quarter of a percent for the next four years. It also raises personal income taxes for seven years in increasing increments for any additional money an individual makes above $250,000. For example, people earning between $250,000 and $300,000 will pay 1 percent more on their taxes while those earning between $300,000 and $500,000 will pay 2 percent more, and so on. These personal tax increases are retroactive on income earned in 2012 and are expected to generate the $6 billion that many public institutions were already counting on before the proposition had even passed. This means that most public schools will not see an immediate change in classes or funding and that the improvements to public education are likely to be achieved only very gradually. An often-overlooked aspect of the proposition, however, is not what it does but what it prevents from happening. Had Proposition 30 failed, it is speculated that many K-12 institutions would have had to cut the school year short by 18 days in order to recover from budget cuts. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson spoke about the crisis that public education had narrowly avoided. “Passage of Proposition 30 means parents and students across the state can breathe a collective sigh of relief, knowing that our schools will have the resources to stay open for the remainder of the year,” said Torlakson. He also cited Proposition 30 as the measure preventing “the chaos of waves of pink slips, of disruption, just demoralization of the teaching workforce,” as well as preventing $1 billion in state funding which would have been cut from the budget as soon as this December. In a web chat on Nov. 2 between UC President Mark G. Yudof and other University of California faculty and staff, Yudof reported that if Proposition 30 failed, the UC schools would immediately see $375 million dollars in trigger cuts which would have undoubtedly led to a mid-year tuition hike of about 20 percent, or $2,400, for UC students. Since Proposition 30 was approved, these increases in tuition will not occur just yet; however, UC regents will soon vote on whether to increase supplemental fees for graduate and professional degrees earned within the UC system. A recent report by the Attorney General anticipates that the proposition will ultimately generate $6 billion dollars annually beginning with the current school year and continuing until 2016-2017. UC Santa Barbara’s own Chancellor Henry Yang explained the significance of the passage of Proposition 30 in regards to the school system’s budget. “Prop 30 enabled UCs to avoid the trigger cuts that were built into the state’s 2012-13 budget, which would have meant a reduction of $250 million to UC’s budget this year,” said Yang. “We are still facing significant budget challenges resulting from several consecutive years of state budget cuts. State funding for UC has dropped by nearly $900 million (or about 27 percent) over the last four years. Prop 30 did not restore this lost funding; rather it prevented additional, deeper cuts from taking effect.” With the California education budget in its current depreciated state, it seems that students, parents and school officials alike will simply have to wait to see any readily apparent improvements to public educations as opposed to its previous trend of decline.

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the ARGUMENTS

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“I get that two athletes getting arrested from UCSB reﬂects poorly on our school, but will I stop respecting the commitment they show to our university? No.” -Marcos Aguilar, Third year English and philosophy double major

“I’m disappointed. The shove [McGlynn’s] was even on video. We lose respect as a school of integrity when our players do these things.” -Christian Whitehair, Third-year economics and accounting double major

Aside from the firestorm of criticism that follows these sorts of events, it is apparent that the school Athletics Department is looking to move past the arrests. Tom Hastings, Deputy Athletics Director at UCSB, declined any additional comments on the issue aside from UCSB’s official press release about it. McGlynn has since been “removed from the team” and UCSB has opted to “forego any opportunity for postseason play this season.” This is an expected reaction from the school regarding athletic discipline, articulating the responsibility of the Athletics Department to regulate official violations. In the same press release regarding the Men’s Soccer incident, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mark Massari voiced his opinion to reinforce the decision. “I hold everyone in our program responsible for representing the university in a positive manner at all times, top-to-bottom,” said Massari. The Athletics Department at UCSB has a reputation for its professionalism and adherence to NCAA rules, but they don’t have the power to prevent infractions, they can only enforce appropriate punishments. After speaking to a few students familiar with UCSB Athletics, it seems as if some are willing to accept the arrests as individual infractions, not as an indication of the whole school’s guilt. “I get that two athletes getting arrested from UCSB reﬂects poorly on our school, but will I stop respecting the commitment they show to our university? No,” said Marcos Aguilar, third-year English and philosophy double major, and collegiate sports fan. Christian Whitehair, a third-year economics and accounting double major, was not as willing to give the students leniency. “I’m disappointed. The shove [McGlynn’s] was even on video. We lose respect as a school of integrity when our players do these things,” said Whitehair. The Athletics Department has reinforced that they will hold players accountable for their representation of the school, and the severity of the McGlynn and Dunlap situations are reﬂected in their official university punishments. Each of the students have been held responsible for both of their actions, but the effect of their decision reverberates to their respective teams and the university as a whole. With such a varied and well-opinioned school population, a diversity of viewpoints on the issue is expected.

So where does California’s money go? Government spending breakdown, 2012 - 2013: (Percent of Total Spenditures)

Higher Education - 7.1%

K-12 Education - 28.6% Environmental Protection - 1.0%

Health & Human Services - 31.2% Labor Development - 0.6%

Corrections & Rehabilitation - 7.8% Business, Transportation & Housing - 8.2% State & Consumer Services - 1.0%

General Government Spending - 7.0% Legislative, Judicial, Exective - 4.1% Source: 2012-2013 Govenor’s Budgett Summary

International News

International Relations Experts Analyze Worldwide Reactions to Obama’s Re-election by BEATRIZ GONZALEZ It seems that most people around the world have received the news of United States President Barack Obama’s re-election positively, according to British newspaper The Guardian. The Guardian collected the positive and negative comments on Twitter from all over the world, and used them to design a map featuring green points representing favorable comments and red points for negative ones. The map shows that there are significantly fewer red points worldwide. U.S. citizens also noticed this trend. “A survey taken a couple of weeks ago showed that most countries around the world preferred Obama [to] Romney,” said University of California Santa Barbara global studies professor Mark Juergensmeyer. In his opinion, President Obama won the foreign public opin-

ion debate because of his ability to make compromises in order to get things done. “Around the world Obama is viewed as more conciliatory, cautious and more open to cooperating with other countries than Romney would be,” said Juergensmeyer, who is also the director of the Orfalea Center for Global & International Studies at UCSB. “Most of Romney’s foreign policy advisors were the same people who were advising George W. Bush in the previous administration.” At the same time, China was experiencing political change with the reorganization of the Communist Party, whose leaders have been appointed for the next 10 years. Xi Jinping become the next Chinese President without the use of polls. According to the director of the Observatory of Chinese politics in Beijing, Xulio Ríos, Obama’s re-election is not bad news for China. “Although probably a different result wouldn’t affect...Chinese politics,” he said. Ríos also said that although managing its

domestic problems is China’s priority, relations with the U.S. still play a key role. “The relations with the U.S. will keep being a key issue marked by the mutual distrust to strategic partnership. The more nationalist the Chinese project is, the more reluctance it produces in Washington,” said Ríos. The United States is in a similar situation right now with the growing importance of its internal problems. Alison Brisk, a global studies professor at UCSB, also commented on this issue. “In general, foreign policy will be less of a priority…[U.S. policy will be] oriented towards pacifying existing U.S. problems in this term, because of the fiscal cliff and other urgent domestic problems,” said Brisk. Brisk said that it’s in the American interest that this crisis comes to an end and that the specific roles of the re-elected president become increasingly important.

“Obama does tend to seek multilateral solutions to issues like the global economic crisis, so we will certainly be talking to Europe about that,” Brisk said. “But the U.S. has less and less strategic interests in Europe, and even our trade relationships are tilting towards the Americas and the Pacific.” Concerning the future foreign policy, Professor Juergensmeyer doesn’t think that “there will be a great change in the U.S. foreign policy position, which has been pretty cautious under Obama.” Even democracy promotion around the world wouldn’t be a key issue during the new term. “I think generic democracy promotion and diplomatic criticism of crackdowns on political dissidents will continue, but I don’t foresee much increase or strengthening of U.S. sanctions or conditionality on specific regimes that chronically violate human rights,” said Brisk.

The Bottom Line | Nov. 14 - Nov. 27

page 4 | Features

Questions with Associated Students President

Just a Walk in the Park: Community Space in Isla Vista

by CHEYENNE JOHNSON Staff Writer

Photo by Tim Fucci | The Bottom Line

Sophia Armen Q:What has been the biggest challenge of your presidency? In meeting after meeting, in the news and in our daily experience, we see the university rapidly changing, as terms like “private use” or, recently, having a conference room named after “Southern California Edison” are the norm, meanwhile some students are literally having to choose between paying that expensive tuition or rent or eating. My other obstacle has been articulating to those who have been directly involved in Associated Students that we are not an extension of Campus Administration, as a matter of fact we are all AS…and too often we have to work and demand from the university maintaining even the status quo. Q: Have your views on the school, it’s government, and its students changed? If so, how and why? The idea that students should, as experts of their own experience, use their power collectively and take ownership of their university, and have every right and should have every ability to decide its future, is what I maintain consistently. Period. This university was a promise to the people of California; whatever special interests, including the Regents agenda whose priorities are often not in line with the students, we are fighting against this year. It’s important to always keep that in mind. We see that the complete disregard for the Master Plan is not even shameful anymore by Sacramento. Enough! Q:How does the passage of Proposition 30 affect your presidency? Do you have any plans now that it’s passed? Prop 30 was merely a band-aid. Imperative, yes, but ultimately there just to mitigate…cuts of devastating proportions that would have halted even basic functions of the University and was only a “buy-out” for a tuition hike for this year only… We as student[s] know the day in, day out obstacles we face as classes will get fuller, tuition will be going up and has been exponentially. Q: What effect do you hope your presidency has on the school and the UC system in the long term? I hope that my term helps change how students understand their own power and that every one student should have a say in their Association and in the university at large. I hope that my consistent checking of power, even my own, within the Association, makes representatives understand that no one has entitlement over Associated Students, that literally AS is the student body. Q: If you could change something about the UCSB campus, its government or its students, what would it be and why? I want SB to be a safe and inclusive place for all regardless of identity or background. AS does incredible work everyday and services that students need to know about and have a say in the priorities of AS! I am working on having students understand where their fees are going, engaging their opinions in that process and demanding that we have a say in the university at large.

Photo by Eduardo Villatoro | The Bottom Line by SELENA ROSS Isla Vista’s many parks, located every couple blocks, provide an escape from the bustling life surrounding them. “I think the parks are really an important part of the community, because we’re so dense,” said Rodney Gould, general manager of Isla Vista Recreation and Park District, who also explained that 24 parks were constructed in the aftermath of Isla Vista’s tumultuous activity in the 1970s. Today, the Isla Vista Recreation and Park District continues to oversee and maintain the parks, as well as other community efforts, such as graffiti abatement and Adopt-a-Block, a community garbage cleanup program. “The park district does more than just maintain parks. We’re really the only public agency in Isla Vista, so we just kind of take [other community efforts] on as community service,” Gould said. The parks range in size and function, from small bluff-top lookouts like Window-to-the-Sea, to neighborhood parks like Trigo-Pasado and natural open spaces that contain vernal pools. Each park offers unique facilities. Sea Lookout Park, better known by its colloquial name, Dog Shit Park, gets its strange nickname from its past history. Though it was an empty lot throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s and once deserving of its name, the area is now a well-maintained park on the 6800 block of Del Playa, and offers a large volleyball court and a

plaque commemorating the Isla Vista Tree—a huge cypress that once stood as a symbol of the community’s fight for self-governance. Little Acorn Park (next to Bagel Café) offers large grassy areas, a Bocce ball court, benches and a memorial to the 2001 Isla Vista Massacre, during which a student drove purposefully down the 65 block of Sabado, killing four and injuring a fifth. Trigo-Pasado Park is the only park with a rock-wall; it has an 11-foot climbing boulder for community use. Greek Park, on the corner of Embarcadero del Norte and Segovia, contains a concrete gathering area and is home to the many fraternity and sorority events, such as fundraisers and volleyball tournaments. While the parks do offer pleasant open spaces, some students hope for improvements. “I think the parks are nice when they are used. But they’re often not used by the students, because they’re a little dirty,” said Marie Stassinopolous, a second-year sociology major. “Cleanliness could be improved; that would be nice.” Michonne Behin, a second-year biology major, added that the current state of the parks doesn’t encourage visitors, saying that, “It seems just like the homeless people make use of it, but I mean the parks do have potential for more recreational things. But right now, that’s all I see.” Gould agreed that the parks have room for improvement; in particular, Anisq’Oyo’ could be bettered. “One of my goals is to get Anisq’Oyo’—to me that should be the gem of the entire district. It’s not

Librarians Here To Help Students Hit the Books by NICHOLAS HONG

The University of California Santa Barbara’s library provides a vast number of resources to help students succeed in their academics, but all of these resources would not be accessible if not for the librarians and staff employees who work meticulously to satisfy each student’s needs. Although quite a few students come to the library for the quietness in order to do work, the library has many services that visitors can utilize. “I enjoy the library because of all of its resources it has to offer, and it also lets me be in the zone when I need to focus,” said Parviz Mansoori, a third-year transfer student who majors in economics and accounting. The library has up to 20 working staff members that all have multiple jobs in order to keep the library maintained. In order to better complete these jobs, the librarians are sorted into several categories; a librarian in each category offers something a little different. There are subject librarians, who specialize in certain fields such as engineering, English or math. These librarians mostly help students who have questions specific to their major. Serial librarians work on up-to-date links and subscription changes for the UCSB library’s website, ensuring that all information is current and obtainable. The UCSB’s library website is also a useful way to find more information pertaining to a specific major. Search under “subject and course guide,” and a full list of majors will be shown. For those students who come to the library to get research done through books and computers, librarian Kristen LaBonte teaches a course called Introduction to Library Research. This course helps students to evaluate information and use the right Internet sources. This class is

at this point in time, but that’s very high on my list,” Gould said. Anisq’Oyo’ Park, in the heart of downtown Isla Vista, features a pond, children’s playground equipment and an outdoor amphitheater. Because of its amphitheater, public restrooms and electrical outlets, Anisq’Oyo’ is a favorite location for outdoor events, such as Earth Day during spring quarter. Other students believe the real purpose of the parks is for the families that live in Isla Vista. “It’s more for the families that live here, the kids, to give them somewhere to hang out, because anywhere that’s not the park is pretty much affected by alcohol and stuff like that. I guess it’s like the last safe haven they have,” said Bryant Sun, fourth-year economics and accounting major. Children’s Park, on the corner of Picasso and Abrego, caters specifically to families and children, featuring a handball court, playground and covered gazebo where the Children’s Park Recreation Program meets. Located in an area densely populated by families, Children’s Park provides an outdoor space for group events and family gatherings, though much of the playground could use improvement, according to Sun. The parks provide a unique bit of nature and open space to the otherwise densely populated area of Isla Vista, and without them, the area would be without any community space. Whatever their condition or use, the parks are a pleasant addition to the ocean-side landscape.

(Although they ask that you do not actually hit the books)

recommended for freshmen who are inexperienced in finding the right sources. Librarians are always willing to help students. If they are not teaching a class or helping out a student, the librarians can be found at the reference desk waiting for students to come ask questions. Librarians are not the only employees at the library; there are student staff members as well. If they are not cataloging books and journals, the students will gladly answer questions too. In the case of desperate times when a student needs to ask a librarian a question while the library Photo by John Clow | The Bottom Line is closed, librar- Jennifer Thompson (left) and Kristen LaBonte (right) are two UCSB librarians ians are still availto be answered promptly. my involvement on campus,” LaBonte said. able for contact; Librarians are here to help guide and at- Utilizing the provided resources and facilities librarians can always be reached at www.questionpoint.org. This website allows students to tend to the students, and they want students to on campus can ease a student’s burden during a stressful quarter. The library is a student’s comhave online chats with librarians 24 hours a day succeed. “My job is ever-changing; I am constantly panion and a safe haven, and so are the employand seven days a week. This service is in place to help students when a burning question needs on my toes and have a sense of fulfillment with ees who work there.

The Bottom Line | Nov. 14 - Nov. 27

Choosing to Remember by FRANCESCA KENTISH Staff Writer

In the last few years a myriad of research has suggested that we have the potential to erase our painful memories. We’ve all had bad days, excruciating breakups, earth shattering moments. And I know I just had a horrific midterm that I’d like to forget. Surely we’d jump at the chance to make all our bad memories magically disappear, but maybe this isn’t such a great idea. Recent research from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland indicated that people can be trained to suppress memories. Last year, researchers at the University of Montreal found the drug metyrapone ef-

fective in blocking the recall of bad memories, and researchers at University of California Los Angeles were able to erase the long-term memories of small marine snails. These are just a few of the recent studies in erasing memories and it looks like there is a completely real possibility that humans will be able to permanently block long term, painful memories. This sounds great in theory: if no one had bad memories the world would be a much happier place, right? Maybe not. People are shaped by their past experiences, good and bad. If the bad experiences are ignored then a whole chunk of that person’s identity goes missing. Humans tend to learn from their

past and their mistakes. Those excruciating breakups help to make people stronger, that horrific midterm hopefully teaches you to study a little harder and people figure out how to avoid having that bad day turn into their own version of “Groundhog Day.” Not only is personal growth at stake, but bad memories are often linked with fear responses. By choosing to remove certain memories, personal safety becomes a risk. While people shouldn’t spend their lives living in fear, it is an important tool we have. Fear tells you when to run, and when its time to get out of a scary situation. Getting rid of upsetting past events creates the see REMEMBER | page 8

page 5 | Opinions

Let’s Start a Revolution by ANJALI SHASTRY I recently watched “V for Vendetta” for the first time, and spent the following weeks deep in thought about what it would be like to overthrow the government. Stop, hold on, no. I’m not trying to overthrow our government—yet. It’s just that every time a Republican congressman opens his mouth and says things like women’s bodies will shut down and reject rape sperm if they are raped, or that if a woman is getting raped, they might as well enjoy it, it makes me wonder what kind of people we have elected into government, and what kind of country I live in. It isn’t exactly a fascist dictatorship where people are being oppressed in the “1984,” “Brave New World” kind of way, but I see things like war veterans not getting the benefits and care that they obviously deserve going to battle on behalf of the U.S., and then being thrown to the curb when their tours are done. I wonder how I can live in the land of the free, the home of the brave, but the people who are in charge are cowardly and bigoted. I want to fight back. Anybody can see just how stupid, ridiculous and generally horrendous these comments are. However, these comments are being made, and by the people in power! That’s the part that terrifies me. So then I started wondering: would people revolt? Would we take up arms and storm the Bastille that is Congress? America was founded on the premise that a government that does not promote the best interests of the people is a government not worth having, so in the Declaration of Independence, the clause was built in: see REVOLUTION | page 8

Disney Acquires Lucasﬁlm, Plans Three ‘Star Wars’ Installments Photo Courtesy of | Focus Features

The Dark Side: by LISSA GARDNER

As everyone has heard by now, Disney has bought out Lucasfilm, the company that has been producing the “Star Wars” movies since 1977. While some fans are overjoyed, others have been treating the news with a little more skepticism. I remember what a treat it was to be allowed to go to the cinema with my father to watch the final “Star Wars” movie almost a decade ago. “Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” was a mind-blowing succession of lightsaber duels and gunfights. Upon numerous re-watchings over the years, however, Anakin’s moody tantrums that inevitably lead him to the dark side in order to save the woman he supposedly loves began to grate a little. The overbearing moral preaching of the force also went from puzzling to downright annoying. The new movie is set to be released in 2015 and, ten years later—with fans ten years older—you have to question what Disney has to say that will be able to reach the wide audience a new “Star Wars” movie will inevitably attract. A new film will drag the next generation of kids into the “Star Wars” franchise, and I begin to wonder if this is the main reason that Disney bought the company. Not only is there a large backlog of films, toys, books, magazines and a TV show that new fans can buy into, but Disney will also be able to incorporate more “Star Wars” into its theme parks all around the world, boosting their revenue. With another movie, there will be the opportunity to create a new market, so it is likely that it will be about getting as many new, sell-able characters out to the audience as possible. While the company may have learned something from the negative reception the prequel trilogy received amongst critics, it is likely that a lot of action and a basic plot will be used to once again get kids hooked on the brand name. Additionally, with the acquisition of Lucasfilm, Disney is now in control of most major players in the current market for children’s films—since it already owns Pixar, Marvel and the Indiana Jones and Muppet franchises alongside its traditional popular cartoon movies. With the revenue from all of these films going straight to Disney, it will be that much harder for other companies to compete with them. One of the only really successful film series to come out in recent years that does not now belong to Disney is the “Harry Potter” series, which has now completed production under Warner Brothers. With fewer options of where to sell film rights, potentially Photo Courtesy of | Wallyspam good ideas might not make it to filming. As far as the scope for stories goes, the “Star Wars” universe is large enough and complicated enough for there to still be some good stories. On the other hand, George Lucas presumably had a plan for the series last time around and, while the original trilogy was good, the prequels were downright bad. Any links to the old series will be thought out after the fact, which means that new films are likely to feel distant from the originals. With Lucas acting as creative consultant, there will probably be few discrepancies, but the question is whether we can really care about any more people in this particular world. Finally, I find it impossible to support anything that might mean that Jar Jar Binks or his descendants end up on my TV screen once again. It’s time to let the “Star Wars” brand die and allow new and better sci-fi to take center stage.

The Light Side: by MATT MERSEL Staff Writer

If the news hasn’t reached you by now, Disney recently acquired Lucasfilm, George Lucas’ company and the force (no pun intended) behind, among other things, the “Star Wars” series. Disney then immediately announced “Star Wars: Episode VII” to be released in 2015, which will begin a new trilogy in the storied franchise. In the midst of this chaotic news, only one thing can be said: Hallelujah. It seems that in the general public, the jury is still out on whether this is a good thing or not. Let me assure you, though, that this is one of the best things that could have happened to the beloved “Star Wars” series. But before some of the die-hard fans come and break down my door with torches and pitchforks saying that Disney will now ruin the franchise (and I’m honestly shocked that some people actually hold this opinion), let me explain myself. Let’s begin with what is undoubtedly the biggest victory that has resulted of Disney’s acquisition: George Lucas is out of the picture. Gone. His grubby hands are off of this series for good. That may sound like a harsh thing to say about the man who pretty much created “Star Wars” from the ground up, but with myself being a fan of the series, I know that many people share this opinion. The brilliance of “Star Wars” has always been the meticulously constructed world, and how grand the scope is. Watching the films really felt like escaping into a new universe filled with lightsabers, X-Wings, Death Stars, Jedi and more. However, I think we can all admit here that the acting, dialogue and story weren’t exactly top of the line. Watching “Episode IV” is great, but if I have to hear Mark Hammil (Luke Skywalker) shout “C-3PO! C-3PO!” one more time, I might just tear my hair out. And let’s not forget the train wreck that was the prequel trilogy. I could say more, but do I even need to? Lucas has a brilliant creative mind, but he just isn’t cut out for writing. Or directing. Or producing. Leaving Lucas with any control of “Star Wars” would just lead us to another film like “Clone Wars.” And that’s why Disney has him attached as a creative consultant, and that’s it. Score one for Disney. A big question still looms, however: is Disney up to the task of taking a well-respected franchise and improving it while not alienating its fan base? Now let me tell you a story. On New Years’ Eve of 2009, Disney bought a company called Marvel. I think you already know where this is going, but let me continue. Disney promised that it would not change the nature of the Marvel characters or their franchises, but some fans were still dubious. Their fears were put to rest on May 4, 2012, when “The Avengers” was unleashed. And no one ever worried about Disney owning Marvel ever again. Score two for Disney. I see no reason that this can’t happen for the “Star Wars.” Besides “The Avengers,” Disney has brought us films like “Curse of the Black Pearl” (no, there are no other “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies) and even “The Prestige” in conjunction with its subsidiaries. If a genius like Christopher Nolan or Joss Whedon can get their hands on “Star Wars,” it may be the renaissance that the brand sorely needs. That, and Mark Hammil, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher have already entered talks to reprise their roles for the new trilogy. We may have Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia back. Score three for Disney. Lucas is out and Disney is in. With the “Star Wars” name desperate to regain its former glory, this is one of the best things that could have happened. Disney has already shown an understanding of the franchise (see: the excellently-received “Star Tours”), and with its film track record, there is no reason to be pessimistic. Pardon the cheesiness of the following phrase, but I see no other way to effectively both conclude my thoughts and send the new owners of “Star Wars” off with my blessing: May the force be with you, Disney.

page 6 | Arts & Entertainment

The Bottom Line | Nov. 14 - Nov. 27

Globe Theatre’s Production of ‘Hamlet’ on Nov. 9 Deﬁes Convention, Falls Short

The Player King appeared cunning and devious in some scenes, warm and consoling the next; while these are key elements to the deceptive nature of his character, Tyrrell presented these Shakespeare’s character Hamlet once dechanges unconvincingly, leaving the King as clared, “Frailty, thy name is woman.” Globe more of a triﬂe annoyance than the evil villain he Theatre’s performance of the eponymous play is supposed to be. on Nov. 9 in University of California Santa The lack of emotional depth and draBarbara’s Campbell Hall raises the question of matic character interactions may not be the whether their performance is, instead, the true fault of the actors and actresses. Artistic Direcname of frailty. tor Dominic Dromgoole planned on trimming While Michael Benz gave an emotional down the play—as he states in an Oct. 6 article and exquisitely turbulent performance as the by The Boston Globe, he wanted to remove “all title character, less-than-impressive performancof the pomp and the seriousness es by other actors detracted and the rather excessive faux from the caliber of the gravity that it usually carries play, and peculiar song around beside it.” While I and dance numbers vicommend his attempt to reciously distracted from the vamp the classic play to add dramatic nature of the play his own spin to it, his rendiand overall ruined what tion of “Hamlet” seemed could have otherwise been more like a decision to take a stirring and gripping perthe easy route rather than a formance. full effort to breathe new life The play started as into the play. By adding lighta lively eye-opener that hearted dancing and songs gripped the audience, beand downplaying the more ginning and ending with serious elements, Dromgoole similar rounds of the cast added a childlike element to a dancing to drums and grown-up play. tambourines. Overall, the perforHowever, with a mance of the play did not theatre hypnotized into live up to its dramatic and silence by Benz’s death as thought-provoking predecesHamlet, the sudden and sors. Rather than leaving the inexplicable dancing that immediately followed Photo by Caitlin Griffin | The Bottom Line audience contemplating the potential for insanity and fixshattered the illusion and Tom Lawrence (center) as Horatio in Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre’s production ation humans possess, it felt harshly detracted from the of Hamlet at Campbell Hall. like the audience was left in solemn statement on mada comparably upbeat mood. ness and obsession the play aims to represent. gant praise. Foster seemed uneasy demanding I exited Campbell Hall feeling that Globe TheThis is not to say Globe Theatre didn’t respect of the Queen, whom she portrayed as atre’s production of “Hamlet” was rushed, lacking depth and the chance for the actors, besides present an entertaining and enthralling rendi- weak and lacking strength. tion of the classic Shakespeare play. They gave Tyrrell multitasked as both the Player King Benz, to demonstrate their abilities. To quote Hamlet, “Let me be cruel, not a truly honest performance, which highlighted and the Ghost of King Hamlet, an intelligent the tormented and conﬂicted mind of Hamlet. decision considering the small size of the cast, unnatural.” Unfortunately, this performance was both. With Benz undeniably grasping the majority but his acting choices left much to be desired.

by CHEYENNE JOHNSON Staff Writer

of the audience’s attention, however, the other actors appeared to fall short or to simply not act in accordance with their characters. Carlyss Peer’s performance as Ophelia fell particularly ﬂat, lacking a great deal of emotional clout and depth up until Ophelia’s descent into insanity, which, though sad to watch, held little of the heart-breaking sentiment associated with her lunacy and subsequent death. Miranda Foster and Dickon Tyrrell served as the Player Queen and King, respectively, and while their performances were admirable, they were nothing astounding or worthy of extrava-

MFA Open Studios Event Showcases Imagination, Innovation by JOANNE HOWARD Staff Writer Multiple art mediums were manipulated in eclectic ways and presented to the public on Friday, Nov. 9, when the Master of Fine Arts program at UCSB held its fall 2012 Open Studios event at Harder Stadium. The event, which started at 5 p.m., presented both the completed and in-progress works of 11 students enrolled in the university’s intense two-year MFA program. Open Studios offers an opportunity for other UCSB students and the greater community to view the collections in a relaxed setting, complete with refreshments. Sommer Sheffield, who works under the name Sommer Roman, exhibited pieces centered on themes of feminism and labor, using the textile industry of the early 20th century as inspiration. In particular, her totem poles, three separate works of colored yarn spools stacked several feet high, were created with the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in mind. Their simplicity reflects Sheffield’s fascination with the objects themselves as implements of textile production, but on a deeper level the totem poles explore considerably more complex ideas. In her artist’s statement found at her website, sommerroman.com, Sheffield says of her work, “Using mundane materials and remnants of consumer culture, I create pictures, objects, and environments that explore ideas of regeneration, resilience, and imagination.” Her other works at the event included large, 3D fiber figures made to look like pincushions and moss. I thought Sheffield’s pieces were the most romantic in the show, which I find particularly valuable in avant-garde work that typically lacks that sort of whimsical aesthetic quality. Clare Little’s studio had an animalistic presence, characterized by several pieces of furniture and décor infused with animal forms. Little is especially interested in the unique position of humans as a link between nature and the divine, and I found her focus especially provoking. “This relationship between the feral and the tame has become my focus of exploration,” she writes on the Graduates 2014 page of artsite.arts.ucsb.edu. She emphasizes this in pieces where domestic objects are infused with an animal figure, like a prosthetic otter hanging above a lamp or deer heads emerging from a mirror. Little uses these works to symbolize animals as poltergeists coming out of architecture. One in particular, called “Fear and Failure,” consists of a growling bear head—with gold painted teeth and frosted flowers around its mouth— emerging from a flat table surface. The illusion that the bear is sinking into the surface conveyed the concept of how fearing to take action will automatically lead to failure, because no action is taken at all. Whereas Little’s art showcased Mother Nature, Sterling Crispin’s studio highlighted modern development via a fusion of technology and art. One of her pieces involved a hologram created for military use. Crispin makes a point of using the material not for its original purpose, but rather for beauty and poetry. He explains the piece’s complex foundation on his

Yarn spool totem poles by Sommer Shefﬁeld. website, sterlingcrispin.com: “An even field of points occupies the image making the illusion and sensation of space visible, without burdening the viewer with a symbol, sign, or reference to the outside world. With each new row of points deeper in space their even distribution is disrupted progressively with a fractal turbulent pattern…As the form becomes more turbulent the number of points decreases, allowing it to dissolve and decay, thereby introducing entropy into a digital and static interior world. This turbulence takes the form of a ghostly apparition, at once seeming like a human form and a wisp of smoke. In the deepest space visible within the hologram, an aura of turquoise light shimmers, calling the viewer to gaze into the maw of an incorporeal void.” According to Crispin, technology is inherently a part of humans. The hologram itself is an

Photo Courtesy of | Sommer Sheffield element of our material world, but the image we begin to see reveals an ascent to the enlightened mind. For me, Crispin’s studio showed the most innovative and revolutionary work. He created a complete reversal of roles for a particular material, and that is exceptional. Aside from the aforementioned artists, Open Studios also included a piñata fashioned after the likeness of its creator, Ryan Bulis, and various exercises that visitors could do themselves, such as entering a booth, drawing a selfportrait and hanging it on a wall or making a paper airplane out of a drawing. Other artists at the event include Alexander Bogdanov, James Cathey, Cathy Ellis, Alison Ho, Tristan Newcomb, Maria Rendon, Chris Silva and Erik Sultzer. The event exhibited not only the diversity of interests within the MFA program, but the artists’ inherent and developed talents as well.

Final Warhol Film Shines In Its Solitude

by DEANNA KIM Staff Writer Often called the original “Brokeback Mountain,” Andy Warhol’s “Lonesome Cowboys” is humorous and entertaining. This film is the last of the Andy Warhol film series put on by the Carsey-Wolf Center, and was shown at Pollock Theater on Wednesday, Nov. 7. It is also the last film made by Warhol, because he was shot in June 1968 and forced to edit “Lonesome Cowboys” while recovering from his injuries. “According to the original publicity poster, ‘Lonesome Cowboys’… represents ‘the true story of men among men and the woman who tried to interfere,’” representatives of the Carsey-Wolf Center stated in a handout given at the showing. At first I was confused about the storyline, or the intended storyline. It was supposed to be a Western spin on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” but the only constant themes are the Western clothes, nudity and beautiful boys. I understood it was set in the Midwest and was about cowboys and a girl named Viva, but it was hard to follow the plot and the character’s personalities in detail. Paul Morrisey, an American filmmaker and a Warhol superstar, even wrote a script for “Lonesome Cowboys,” but it was never used by Warhol. In fact, I felt that Warhol did not care too much about the narrative or dialogue at all. He seemed to use an idea or theme and film his cast in their natural environment— or, depending on the situation, the most natural they could be. In retrospect to “Screen Tests,” “Kiss, “Blowjob” and “Chelsea Girls,” Warhol not only uses a hands-off approach in directing, but also lets the plot change or disappear entirely. In order to enjoy Warhol’s films, I had to stop looking for a tangible story and take the raw, stripped-down beauty of the scenes, actors and dialogue individually. “Andy had a camera on a tripod and had a little device… an on and off switch. So he would watch…be filming…and turn [the camera] off… maybe watch again and turn the camera off. People didn’t know if the camera was on or off,” said Julian Burroughs, who appeared in “Lonesome Cowboys” and was present at the showing. “I think you could see a lot of people would play into the camera…that’s how we got our little moment of fame…and if you get his attention, you could get on the film.” Warhol continued to break gender roles, social norms and stereotypes through each character chosen for “Lonesome Cowboys.” Their “acting” is rarely scripted and is more role-play and improvisation. The characters in the films are pretty much being themselves, just in cowboy clothes. The film has many aspects to ponder about, whether it was the scene itself or the message it was sending. Controversial scenes include the opening scene with almost full-on nudity, a rape scene, cross-dressing scenes and more; Warhol redefined and mocked society’s definitions of social norms throughout the film. Even the filming process itself was controversial, as Warhol was investigated by the FBI as tourists and onlookers alerted authorities of obscene occurrences. The FBI files ran investigations under some charges such as one that stated, “... everyone was gathered around the corral area. They were taking various shots and poses. They had sound equipment recording all the conversation. The language was vulgar and ‘hippish’… One fellow…stated that he enjoyed sexual relations with a horse more than he did with a man or girl....The man with the receding hairline and large head was on a horse and another man was up in a tree hanging by his feet and was kissing this large-headed man on the lips...” Although the FBI and onlookers found pressing charges on these things warranted, I found them intriguing and even humorous. The characters stated insightful remarks about people, such as, “Money is for someone without character and can’t get any f**** without it.” Or, “You feel lonesome. You can’t find anybody that you love more than yourself. So you’re lonesome…and it’s the best feeling in the world.” The movie wraps up as one of the characters decides to leave the cold, hard West and another character tells him, “You’re running away.” In which he replies, “I’m happiest when I’m running.” Clearly, this cowboy felt in his element when separated from the rest of the pack—and in a way, so was Andy Warhol.

The Bottom Line | Nov. 14 - Nov. 27

page 7 | Health & Lifestyles

In the Mind of a Killer: GMOs: Labeling Woes The Psychology Behind The Aftermath of Prop 37 School Shootings by AUDREY RONNINGEN Promotions Director

To this generation of young adults, the words “Columbine” and “Virginia Tech” go hand in hand with vivid images of tragedy and terror. Although in a factual sense these places are both educational institutions—a high school and a university, respectively—they have become better known as the sites of two of the most grisly school shootings within the past fifteen years. Moving forward to 2012, it seems that this type of seemingly unprovoked violent crime on school campuses is returning, this time in a way that is much more close to home for students in California. This past April, a former student of Oikos University in Oakland opened fire and killed seven in what appeared to be a premeditated attack, according to an ABC news report. There have also been two shootings at the University of Southern California—one also in April that resulted in the death of two students, and another in late October that left four wounded. Adding to these events is the release of the “Angel of Death,” David Attias, former University of California Santa Barbara student who ran over four students with his car in 2001. An article from Southern California Public Radio’s website reported that Attias’ move from a mental hospital to an unlocked community facility will still involve close supervision. Despite this reassurance, his release still serves as a reminder to the UCSB community of the possibility of premeditated violence, even in our own laid-back town of Isla Vista. Any attack that leaves innocent people dead is devastating; however, this type of violence is especially terrifying because it is hard to determine the motivation behind it. Since crimes like these are solely due to the actions of the shooter, figuring out “why” is one of the only ways to help identify future potential threats. It is difficult to make broad generalizations, but there are a few statistics that stand. Newsweek reported data from a Secret Service study of school shooters in the past 26 years, stating, “In this cohort, all shooters were male, 81 percent warned someone overtly that they were going to do it, and a staggering 98 percent had recently experienced what they considered a significant failure or loss.”

The Newsweek article, by Dave Cullen, author of “Columbine,” went on to divide shooters into three different categories: psychopaths, psychotics and depressives. Psychopaths are closest to the “cold-blooded killer” stereotype—they are often externally charming, masking the fact that they have no emotional attachment to living things and a deep hatred for the world. As Cullen puts it, “They are hyperrational. They just don’t care about our pain.” Psychotics often conversely harm others as an expression of their internal conﬂict, and would often be clinically categorized as schizophrenic. The last type is the depressive killer, who sees the rest of the world as the reason for their mental misery and decides to dole out what, in that unstable state of mind, is an according punishment. A report from the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, a department of the Federal Bureau of Intelligence, took a slightly different approach by focusing on social as well as psychological motivators. On the psychological side of it, the study sites a lack of coping skills, a sense of entitlement, dehumanization of others and a sudden change of behavior among the characteristics of school shooters. As far as the role of social factors, this report also identifies a recent failed romantic relationship, a troubled relationship with parents, little parental authority and detachment from the school and its students all as contributing factors. However, above all else this study emphasizes that these traits should not be given considerable weight by themselves, and that there is no particular combination that can successfully predict whether or not a student will lash out in that way. “No one or two traits or characteristics should be considered in isolation or given more weight than the others,” the report stressed. This last piece of information adds a more complicated dimension to this attempt to explain school shootings. Although experts have identified common factors in the profile of school shooters, it is extremely difficult to know what exact mix of traits will lead someone to kill others. With the research available now, we have a vague look inside the mind of a gunman, but are still unable to complete the whole picture.

Photo by William Renteria | The Bottom Line by JORDAN WOLFF Staff Writer Many students are probably well aware that Proposition 37 was a California ballot measure in the past election that dealt with the issue of whether or not genetically modified foods should be labeled as such. The proposition would have made it illegal for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) to call themselves organic foods; however, it was shot down 53.1 percent to 46.9 percent. I will be the first to admit that I hardly knew anything about this topic leading up to the election, and at first glance there didn’t seem to be anything too terribly wrong with knowing what is in our food. In fact, it seemed kind of smart to me, although most of the state was in disagreement. This made me want to dive more into the subject. GMOs are genetically altered foods that are slightly changed to create an entirely new product for the seller’s convenience. Foods are genetically altered for various reasons. For example, genetically modified corn is just like normal corn, only altered by scientists to add a certain amount of pesticide to help the plant survive. According to naturalnews.com, some of the most common GMOs can be found in products such as corn, soy, cotton, papaya, rice, tomatoes, dairy products, potatoes and peas. Many people have strong opinions regarding GMOs and their place in the food industry. Some people feel they are a technological breakthrough for the better, while others feel they are an unnatural risk that could potentially open up a Pandora’s Box of unexpected consequences. I asked fourth-year psychology major Catherine Pohlman how she felt about Proposition 37 not passing. “I am personally disappointed that it didn’t pass,” said Pohlman. “Companies like Monsanto and all the ones that produce GMOs should be held accountable for what they produce—whether people think this is a good thing or a bad thing. We should be able to trace it to them.” As I did more research on GMOs, I learned that America produced and consumed more than half of the world’s GMOs. “Other countries already label GMOs,” Pohlman commented. “They are not okay with it. So for us to be a leader of it makes us look like we really don’t care how it could negatively affect our health and our agriculture.” “It seems very unnatural,” said third-year sociology major Morgan McCollum. “It doesn’t add up. On one hand Americans are trying to promote a healthier lifestyle but on the other hand they act completely oblivious to GMOs. Our food is already full of crap and the fact [that] they’re throwing more crap into it, that’s just silly.” I asked Paul Warden, a global studies teaching assistant pursuing a Ph.D. in history at University of California Santa Barbara, why he thought Proposition 37 failed. “It may be the way that this particular prop was worded,” he explained. “Or the clauses of this prop weren’t appealing and maybe that was correctly exposed. What I think is so sad about it [is that] it’s not really a political position. This isn’t even that progressive. A progressive proposition would say to eliminate GMOs, this was simply the right for the people to know what food contains GMOs.” Warden then discussed what could be done in the future about the topic. “We have to educate consumers,” said Warden. “We have to educate young people. We need leaders, youth leaders in their communities talking to their parents, talking to their siblings, talking to their community and educating them in a way that is non-confrontational. But in a way that says, ‘let’s all take a step in the right direction to ensure that we’re making the right choices and that we’re informed.’” I followed by asking him what UCSB students can do about this movement right now. “Contact the food co-op and don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t know something. Dare to be stupid and ask questions. Ultimately I want people to know that they have resources in the community. There are people in the community that would love to help them and give them more ideas to eat healthier.”

The Bottom Line | Technology

The Humble Indie Bundle Continues to Delight: Examining a Rare Collection of Computer Games by MATT MERSEL Staff Writer On May 4, 2011, a small game developer called Wolfire Games released the Humble Indie Bundle, a collection of computer games from Wolfire and other independent developers for Mac, Windows and Linux. The five titles could be bought on a pay-what-you-want model, allowing consumers to pay as little as 1 cent for the entire package. However, the Humble Indie Bundle was conceived as a charity project, and as such all proceeds from the Bundle went to small game developers and associated charities, with each customer deciding how much of their payment they wanted to go to which organization. The experiment was an enormous success. During the week of its availability, the first bundle raised over $1 million, with each of the five game developers receiving over $150,000

Machinarium

Previously released as part of the second Humble Indie Bundle, “Machinarium” is a traditional point and click adventure game by Amanita Design. Reminiscent of such cult favorites as “Grim Fandango” and “The Secret of Monkey Island,” the gameplay is nothing more than the genre would suggest: pointing and clicking. The challenge comes from discovering how certain items can be manipulated, combined, and utilized within the environment in order to move the quirky robot protagonist from one scene to the next. With the robot himself able to grow and shrink at will, it adds a new vertical dimension to the adventure game formula, bringing a touch of originality to a genre that has been dormant for many, many years. Otherwise, there’s nothing groundbreaking here. It’s a solid game that will please fans of adventure titles with its devious puzzles, but it’s probably the least good item in the Bundle. Still, “Machinarium” does its job, more than justifying a donation above the average (roughly $6 at this point).

Crayon Physics Deluxe

Originally part of the Humble Indie Bundle 3, “Crayon Physics Deluxe” is a (predictably) physics-based puzzler from Finnish game designer Petri Puhro. The game consists of a collection of levels where the only object is to roll a ball to collect a star placed somewhere on the screen. The only action besides rolling the ball is drawing a shape with a crayon, which will appear in the world and react realistically based on the physics engine. Objects don’t just ﬂoat in the air; they have weight, and this can lead to all sorts of interesting solutions to the seemingly simple puzzles. The ball is on one platform and the star is on another? You could just draw a line to serve as a bridge and roll the ball over… or, you could draw a giant hinge, attach an even more giant hammer and use the physics system to hit the ball across the gap like a golf ball. Extra stars are given to complex solutions, and the fun of this title is just tinkering around with the physics, seeing what works in any given situation. With a memorable presentation featuring all crayon-drawn aesthetics, it is a home run for this solo developer.

Splice

in proceeds and the rest being donated to two charities. The average purchase was around $10, with several donations of $1337 and some as high as $3000. A dedicated company was soon established to oversee the Bundle project, and there have been multiple iterations across several platforms. Some Bundles generated as much as $5 million, thanks to the inclusion of heavy hitting games like “Braid,” “Psychonauts” and “Amnesia: The Dark Descent,” as well as generous donations from industry royalty such as Valve founder Gabe Newell and “Minecraft” creator Notch. This past Thursday, Nov. 8, the Humble Indie Bundle for Android 4 was released, with five games—six if you are willing to pay above the average donation of around $6—available for Android phones as well as Mac, Windows and Linux. With three games returning from previous Bundles, is this collection worthy of your donation and of the Humble Indie Bundle name, which has featured some of the best indie games of the decade?

“Splice,” a title by the developer Cipher Prime, is a puzzle game centered on splicing and mutating segments of genes in order to match a desired shape, which essentially boils down to clicking and dragging portions of the sequence into place. This game is almost impossible for me to describe on paper; it has some of the most unique mechanics of any puzzle game in recent memory. Individual genes cannot be removed from the sequence, so if they are moved, they must be reattached at other ends of the segment. However, manipulating one side of the sequence will cause a mirrored movement in the other half, created some mind-bending scenarios. Throw in genes that will extend or split the sequence in half at certain intervals, and it becomes clear that “Splice” does not play around. If you have a propensity for puzzlers, this is one title that you should not miss out on. Rarely does a puzzle game completely break the mold, but Cipher Prime has managed to create something truly awesome.

Euﬂoria

A play on the traditional real-time strategy game, “Euﬂoria” by developers Alex May, Rudolf Kremers and Brian Grainger centers on colonizing asteroids by using small, orbiting ships called “seeders” to plant various assortments of trees (a nod to the Dyson tree hypothesis, which maintains that a plant could grow on a comet). At the same time, a race of seeders known as “greys” attack and colonize asteroids in the same space, creating a battleground in which to command your army of ships and trees. Planting a Dyson tree on an asteroid will spawn more units that can be used to engage enemies or colonize further, while planting defense trees will release mines that destroy enemy units. The game ends after one side has completely colonized the space. The game mechanics here are easy to learn, with only a few story mode levels needed to feel like a capable commander, and the presentation is minimalistic and quite beautiful. While not the strongest of the bunch, it’s still a great game, and one that would shine given a little more development power. But hey, that’s what this charity is for, right?

Waking Mars

“Waking Mars” is a platforming adventure by developer Tiger Style, which takes place in the subterranean caverns of the titular planet, where humans have recently discovered an ecosystem of plants called the Zoa, as biologist Liang searches for a lost rover. In order to explore the caverns, Liang must collect seeds of the various life forms and plant them in specific areas, causing organic barriers to open and reveal new areas. The gameplay is relatively simple, and as the game progresses it becomes necessary to revisit previously explored areas for more seeds, but there is a clever, puzzle-like process involved in conquering each area. In terms of story and presentation, “Walking Mars” is one of the most well-realized titles in the Bundle. It is also the longest game, taking up to 10 hours to finish. With “Waking Mars” usually costing $5 by itself, it’s a steal as part of the collection.

Superbrothers: Sword and Sorcery EP

Certainly the most interesting game of the bunch, “Sword and Sorcery EP” is a collaboration of game developers Superbrothers and Capybara games with Juno Award-nominated musician Jim Gunthrie, featured originally in the Humble Indie Bundle V. More an experience than an actual game, the title features a sword and shield wielding protagonist on a mythical quest filled with simple combat, magical dimension hopping between the real and a “dream” world and rudimentary point and click exploration. This game is made memorable based solely on its presentation. It features a stylized 8-bit aesthetic that is completely unique, even in the midst of numerous “retro” indie games. The music is also featured heavily, as Gunthrie weaves a composition of pleasant sound effects, dreamy atmospheric pieces, and dark and frenetic arrangements. Rather than hold the player’s attention through riveting game mechanics, “Sword and Sorcery EP” builds suspense by offering an intriguing story and a beautiful world that makes finding each new detail about and musical composition a game unto itself. It is truly excellent, and probably the best game in the package.

If you haven’t predicted my recommendation at this point, be assured that this Humble Bundle is well worth the price of admission—a no-brainer when the whole package is available for as low as a penny. The six games offered here demonstrate just why this project is critical to the video game industry. These small developers pour their hearts and souls into these titles, and

what results are top-of-the-line experiences that need to be brought into the public eye. Even the least impressive games in the Bundle would be well worth their normal price, and while this is not the best Bundle to be released, it would be a shame if you passed up this opportunity to donate to a great cause and receive six excellent games.

The Bottom Line | Nov. 14 - Nov. 27

page 8 | Continuations

REMEMBER,

continued from page 6 possibility that the fear response created by that memory might also be erased, might allow threatening situations to happen again. There are extreme cases where I would support the eradication of memories. For sufferers of post traumatic stress disorder—veterans, rape victims and children who have suffered from abuse—the ability to remove certain memories would allow people to live normal lives without inhibition. However, for the majority of people memories do not inhibit a normal life. A pill or quick-fix memory forgetting session could do much more harm than good. People could become reliant on forgetting, and I don’t see how erasing memories is very different from alcoholics or drug addicts trying to forget pain—a solution very few people would condone. The research on memory eradication is important and has huge potential. It has the power to better the lives of thousands of people who have gone through terrible things. I do not see it as a healthy or ethical option for the majority of people. Pain, heartache and awkward moments are just as important the good ones we hold on to. The events we’d like to forget usually fade away in time, and the ones we don’t serve an important reminder to teach us lessons and help us grow. The human brain is an amazing thing, and I would never choose to have my mind spotless.

REVOLUTION,

continued from page 5

“whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government.” This means that when we are so dissatisfied with the government that it is suppressing our rights, we have the right to overthrow said government. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that we should. There is a difference between making your voice heard and altogether overthrowing the people who don’t listen. Now, we had a revolution—the Occupy movement—but that was not much of a revolution at all. It was more a large number of people cranky because they were poorer than the obscenely wealthy, holding signs in front of cameras and chanting, “We are the 99 percent!” There is no real change that can come from pure protest and no constructive criticism. Americans want their voices heard rather than a complete 180-degree change— we don’t really want acts of revolution, but rather the promotion of awareness of what we want. With complete change comes chaos, and that is a nightmare to envision at this point in American history. Should an actual revolution take place, we would, as a country, be far too vulnerable to deal with the repercussions of our selfishness. Americans are far too comfortable with their daily lives to want a real revolution, Egypt-style. Americans have one of the best standards of living in the world. We are an established nation, and the only power struggles are handled with comparative elegance. Yes, there is lots of mudslinging and irritating ads that keep playing on the radio (yes, I’m talking to you, Abel Maldonado), but at least our congressional representatives do not pick up knives and run at each other in order to assume power. Most families in the U.S., even the poorest families, have modern conveniences such as electricity and running water. The poverty that we have is psychological, where parents want their children to live the lives of aﬄuence that we see glamorized on television, the excesses of modernity. People are too comfortable, and what they want

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to do is complain about things that they are not doing anything about. There is no Arab Spring revolution happening here, because that would lead to a chaos that we can envision and would prefer to avoid. Even when people here revolt, what it really means is that people will have large protests that get nothing done, or people will change their Facebook statues and profile pictures. Even when we protest, we don’t move from our couches. How serious are we about our revolution, or are we just bitchin’ and moanin’? Initially, I honestly did want to pick up my torch and march on Washington, but revolutions today are more subtle than that. They are philosophical and technological. We need to be intelligent. It is true that the government exists to serve us, but they are simply an extension of us; they are an organized coalition that serves in our best interest on our behalf. In other words, we cannot expect governments to do all the work. We need an ideological revolution. The United States of America was an experiment predicated on hard work, intelligence and drive. We are a nation of doers, of thinkers and of innovators. We have elected into office some very backwards, bigoted people who don’t always have the peoples’ interests in mind, and instead prioritize those of corporations and other large organizations that are not representative of the American population. I want my rights protected. I don’t want to feel scared and uncertain of my future. I want a revolution of our attitudes toward the government. I don’t want to hate our government, and I don’t want to fear it. I want to control it, because the government is an extension of me. It is an extension of us. We have to stop complaining and start telling them what they need to know. I want to march on Washington to make a change. So here, I would like to make a call to arms. I ask everyone to pick up their weapons. But instead of swords, pick up pens. Instead of guns, pick up books. Instead of complaining, provide alternatives and give constructive criticism. Let’s stop being negative and start being smart. In that alone, I think we can start a revolution.