Volume 9, Issue 8 by The Bottom Line (UCSB)

Volume 9, Issue 8 | Dec 3-Dec 9, 2014

UCSB’s Weekly Student-Run Newspaper

@tblucsb / thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu

ROSETTA

FERGUSON

KING LEAR

The Rosetta spacecraft delpoyed a lander on a comet for the first time in human history.

Students and faculty made their voices heard through rallies, protests, and a candlelit vigil.

London’s Globe Theatre brought their production of ‘King Lear’ to UCSB’s Campbell Hall.

SCI & TECH / 7

PHOTO / 4

A&E / 6

BSU Holds Public Forum and Protest March Following Ferguson Decision

Photo by Lorenzo Basilio | Photo Editor Students rally outside Storke lawn last Tuesday, Nov. 25.

Lexi Weyrick STAFF WRITER Responding to the grand jury decision to not indite Darren Wilson, students and community members gathered at the University of California, Santa Barbara for a public forum and march on Nov. 25. The forum began at 2 PM at Storke Tower and acted as a space for people to share their feelings and demonstrate their solidarity. In Ferguson, Missouri on Aug. 9, Wilson, a white police office, fatally shoot an unarmed black 18 year-old man, Michael Brown. Since the incident, people across the nation have been waiting to see if Darren Wilson would be tried for the death of Michael Brown. The St. Louis County grand jury’s decision to not indict Wilson was released on Nov. 24. Immediately, the Black Student Union on UCSB’s campus began organizing a full day of protest in response to the decision. “[We] actually held an emergency meeting with several BSU executive members at mid-

night on Tuesday… Sue created the facebook event at about 5 AM and from there we were able to share it across the university via orgsync, SA announcements, and the Black Studies Listserv,” said Jamelia Harris, a third-year black studies and sociology double major and the BSU outreach chair, in regards to planning the day of action. “We woke up at about 8 AM and began to chalk the university and search for professors who would be willing to make a statement to the public at our open forum.” “I was completely in disgust with the outcome of the verdict,” stated Harris at the beginning of the forum. The event began with opening remarks and participants were soon asked to hold hands and form a large circle. A moment of silence was shared before protestors began shouting out one word each to describe their feelings about the situation in Ferguson. Professor Jeffrey Stewart, Chair of the Black Studies Department at UCSB, was then handed the microphone to address the

crowd. “Our only hope for any kind of justice is with the federal system,” Stewart said before advocating for economic boycotts as means of effective, non-violent protest. “We’re really on the verge of becoming a police state in this country.” The event then turned over to an open microphone forum for participants. Many students and several community members used the space to share their emotions. In discussing her constant fear, one student stated, “We’re all criminals. We’re all looked at as these bad people no matter what.” Unique Vance, a second-year global studies major, contributed, “It’s not just a onetime thing. It’s not just Mike Brown.” Her comment held a sentiment shared by many at the event. “We are human beings, blacks are human beings. We are people,” one speaker shared. Community members were also welcomed to share the space created by the BSU. One woman gave her perspective as a mother: “My

son said, ‘I feel like saying something because it’s wrong.’ So, if my eight year old boy knows that it’s wrong, why can’t we all see that?” She added, “And as a mother, I stand with you. And as a mother, I am proud of you.” At the close of the public forum, organizers invited protestors to participate united in a chant, “All power to the power of the people, ‘cause the power of the people don’t stop! Say what!” After the chants ended, protestors then assembled into a group to march through campus and the streets of Isla Vista. “The most rewarding part of the entire day was the togetherness, solidarity, and compassion of the community,” Harris said of the event. “People were so eager to join our efforts and thus we would love to begin a coalition for community activism…social change happens when entire communities move in unison.” “This is an American crisis,” Professor Stewart said. “Human dignity is still a value in this country…at least among us.”

NATIONAL BEAT REPORT

Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson Not Indicted, Prosecutor Criticized Gilberto Flores NATIONAL BEAT REPORTER Following months of jury deliberations in the case of the Aug. 9 killing of 18-year-old black youth Michael Brown at the hands of Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson, a grand jury decided on Nov. 24 to not indict Officer Wilson of any crimes. The implications of this decision are such that Wilson will not be prosecuted for Brown’s death. After listening to over 70 hours of testimony and reading through thousands of pages of evidence, the grand jury concluded that there was not enough probable cause to indict Wilson. The decision has sparked protests throughout Ferguson and the rest of the country, with some turning violent. In the wake of the grand jury’s decision, Ferguson took a violent turn the night of Nov. 24. Several businesses were looted and torched, a multitude of gunshots were fired, and over 80 people were arrested. Other protests, peaceful or otherwise, arose in the aftermath of the grand jury’s

decision in major cities including St. Louis, Los Angeles, New York City, and even in Santa Barbara and on the UCSB campus. President Obama issued a public address following the grand jury’s announcement in which he urged for peace and calm. Stressing that there is “no excuse for violence,” the President reminded protesters that fixing the divide and distrust between communities of color and law enforcement “won’t be done by smashing car windows, it won’t be done by using this as an excuse to vandalize property, and it certainly won’t be done by hurting anybody.” Obama reminded protestors that the decision was the grand jury’s to make and that they should respect that decision and express their disagreement in a peaceful manner. The decision to leave the case in the hands of a grand jury was made by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCulloch. McCulloch has had close ties to the St. Louis Police Department throughout his career; his father was a St. Louis police officer who died in the line of duty while chasing after a black suspect. Many of his relatives, including

his mother and brother, have had ties to the St. Louis Police Department. McCulloch’s handling of the case has been criticized as unusual. McCulloch has the authority to bypass a grand jury and take the case directly to trial by requesting a preliminary hearing, where a judge would decide if a trial is warranted. Instead, McCulloch took the full investigation to a grand jury and presented them with over 5000 pages of evidence that included testimony from over 60 witnesses, which The New Yorker’s legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin has referred to as a “document dump.” McCulloch also did not ask the grand jury to endorse a specific charge, leaving the jurors entirely with the decision of which charges to bring against Wilson, if any. Usually, a prosecutor works with a grand jury to decide on criminal charges. “As a strategic move, it was smart; he got what he wanted without being seen as directly responsible for the result,” said Ronald S. Sullivan Jr., director of the Harvard Criminal Justice Institute at Harvard University. The Brown family’s lawyer, Benjamin Crump, publicly criticized Mc-

Culloch and the grand jury process in a statement following the grand jury’s decision. Crump stated that “the process should be indicted,” and that “a first year law student would have [done] a better job” of questioning Darren Wilson’s testimony. In August, Crump and the Brown family asked Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon to appoint a special prosecutor to the case. Officer Darren Wilson’s testimony to the grand jury demonstrated that he was very frightened of Michael Brown, even claiming he was afraid for his life. He said Brown reached into his police vehicle and punched him repeatedly, at one point grabbing Brown’s arm. Wilson claimed that it felt “like a five-year-old holding on to Hulk Hogan.” Wilson is 6 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs about 210 lbs, Brown was an inch taller and weighed 290 lbs. The investigation found that Wilson fired 12 shots, six hit Brown directly and two more grazed him. Wilson said in his testimony that he didn’t realize how many times he fired his weapon, nor whether he was hitting Brown, claiming that he kept firing because Brown kept approaching

him. “At this point it looked like he was almost bulking up to run through the shots, like it was making him mad that I was shooting at him,” said Wilson in his testimony. The National Bar Association expressed its dissatisfaction with the grand jury’s decision in a statement released Nov. 25. “The National Bar Association is adamant about our desire for transformative justice. While we are disappointed with the grand jury’s ruling, we are promoting peace on every street corner around the world,” said Pamela Meanes, President of the National Bar Association. The statement went on to criticize the process through which the decision was made, including the prosecutor’s handling of the case. “We will not rest until Michael Brown and his family has justice,” said Meanes. The Department of Justice has yet to conclude an independent investigation to see whether Wilson committed any federal civil rights violations. Even though Wilson was acquitted at the state level, there is still the possibility that Wilson could be charged at the federal level and receive a prison sentence.

2 | NEWS

TBL | Dec 3-Dec 9, 2014

UCSB Community Unites Behind Ayotzinapa

Photo by Frances Castellon | The Bottom Line Students silently protest against the Mexican government on November 20th at The Arbor. Ariana Arzani On Sept. 26, 49 male students from a teachers’ college in the rural town of Iguala, Mexico were violently confronted by police and gunmen believed to be affiliated with local cartel groups. Six students were killed at the scene and 43 were kidnapped, presumably murdered. The students were traveling to Iguala in order to protest what they believed were discriminatory hiring practices and advocate for education reform. The event sent shockwaves throughout Mexico and the international community, including the local community at University of California, Santa Barbara. In reaction to these tragedies, the UCSB community held a variety of events to mourn the lives lost and raise awareness about the issue. On Nov. 20, students, student groups, professors, and community members collaborated to organize an action at the Arbor, an information panel, and a candlelight vigil/vigilia. Student activists began the day by marching down the Arbor with posters and symbolically painted faces,

calling out the names of the 43 missing students in a roll call. Many demonstrated their support through their face paint: a vertical white line and a red handprint covering their mouths. Ariela Ariana, a third-year comparative literature major, explained the significance, stating “the white symbolizes life, the red symbolizes blood, and the hand over the mouth symbolizes the silencing that many face.” Idalia Robles, a first-year post-doctoral Chican@ studies major, took part in the action and described her involvement on campus, as well as the organization of the protests. “[It] rose organically when students in El Congresso, professors, and other individuals who had all been discussing ways to bring these issues to light were able to find one another and collaborate,” said Robles. The organizers not only protested in a high-traffic area in order to raise awareness, but also utilized social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr through hashtags such as #SBconAyotzinapa, or “SB

with Ayotzinapa,” according to Rubio. Following the action in the Arbor was an information panel, composed of Professor Gabriela Soto Laveaga, Professor Bill Robinson, and lecturer Faviana Hirsch Dubin, which attracted over 150 students, packing the Multicultural Center’s lecture hall and forcing dozens to sit in the aisles. Professor Laveage, who provided a brief political and historical context for the kidnapping and subsequent movement in Mexico, was inspired by the community efforts at UCSB. “It’s great to see the students taking this up as a cause,” Laveage said. “Students today are much more aware of what’s going on in societies around the world and not just their own, a lot of which has to do with social media but also an acute awareness of what’s happening around them, allowing them to organize quickly, as seen in the Arab Spring and the Occupy movement.” This heightened social awareness was echoed by the student participants, who expressed a desire to change the world around them and educate their peers.

Some protesters, like first-year anthropology major Stephanie Rubio, took part in the protests because they “feel passionate about giving the oppressed a voice, whether they are in Mexico, the U.S., the Middle East, or elsewhere.” Others, like second-year math major Alonso Martinez, wanted to “educate themselves and others about the issue because we have the privilege of being able to protest without fear of violence or death.” The final event of the day was the candlelight vigil/vigilia at the Goleta Community Center, which aimed to “serve as a safe environment for community members to express themselves, unite together, and commemorate their ancestors,” according Rubio. Many participants in the days events, such as a third-year post-doctoral Chican@ studies major Rosie Bermudez, expressed a desire to act following the events in Ayotzinapa. “[We] are outraged and want others to be outraged, and know that we are in solidarity with all the people in Mexico and around the world who are being oppressed,” said Bermudez.

Regents Approve Tuition Hike Amidst Student Protests Gwendolyn Wu STAFF WRITER The Regents of the University of California voted 14-7 to approve a gradual tuition hike, which will increase tuition as much as five percent per year, on Nov. 20 at the University of California, San Francisco. The plan projects a tuition increase from $12,192 for California residents during the 2014-2015 school year to $15,564 for the 2019-2020 school year. Tuition for out-of-state students will be raised from $22,878 during the 2014-2015 school year to $29,202 during the 2019-2020 school year. On Nov. 19, the Regents voted to approve a budget of nearly $27 billion for the 2015-2016 academic year, including an outline for the tuition hike and its uses. Money from the tuition increase will be used to increase funding for incoming freshmen and transfer students, accommodating up to 5,000 more students in the system. Additionally, the board plans to use some of the money generated to increase funding for scholarships and grants, including the recently implemented Middle Class Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships for undergraduate students with incomes up to $150,000. The tuition hike will go forward if the state government does not allocate more funding for the public higher education system. Many of the Regents have made it clear that the tuition hike is a last resort in response to less funding, blaming Sacramento for the widening financial gap. In particular, UC President Janet Napolitano has been vocal about how crucial the hike is, insistent

that it is being done to maintain current university faculty and staff salaries, increase the number of faculty hired, and add more undergraduates to the system. “Accessibility, affordability and academic excellence — these are the university’s constant stars,” said Napolitano. “And sound stewardship demands that we make the necessary choices to keep UC on a course true to the path these stars provide. This plan, in my view, does just that.” Tuition has been the greatest source of UC revenue since the 2011-2012 school year, trying to compensate for the $460 million budget shortfall from state funding levels in 2008. Tuition fees have also been frozen during the past three years. The rising costs of tuition are a sharp contrast to what the Office of the President claimed was a drop in the costs of educating a single student in the UC system back in September, at a previous Regents meeting. Gov. Jerry Brown, who also serves on the Board of Regents, voted no on the tuition hike, as did Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, Student Regent Sadia Saifuddin, Assembly Speaker John Perez, and Long Beach City College President Eloy Oakley. Brown appointed Perez and Oakley to the board earlier this week, in hopes of swaying the vote. Brown insists that the Regents should be looking at alternate, more creative approaches to enhancing education while cutting costs. The governor has suggested creating more online classes, granting credits for internships, and structuring consistent lower division requirements at all campuses for starters. “The pressure of not having enough money can force creativity

WRITERS THIS ISSUE: Gilberto Flores, Bailee Abell, Gwendolyn Wu, Ariana Arzani, Montana MacLachlan, Kyle Roe, Lyndsi Ibarra, Matt Mersel, Bryn Lemon, Sarah Beaver, Judy Lau,, Vall Vinai, Shomik Mukherjee, Khanh Tran, Lexi Weyrick

that otherwise can’t be considered,” said Brown. “The only way to keep costs down is to change the cost structure in a more fundamental way than you now have an appetite to.” Over 300 students from schools in the UC system traveled to San Francisco to protest the tuition hike. Student protesters tried to physically keep the Regents from voting, forming a human chain to keep them from entering the building on Nov. 19, when a key committee of Regents voted 7-2 to move the proposal forward. Other protesters spoke up before and during the voting process, chanting slogans like “Hey, hey, ho, ho, tuition hikes have got to go” and “No cuts, no fees, education should be free” at the Regents. Some protested the Board of Regents’ decision to increase salaries of senior management officials. Others directed attention at how the Regents did not announce their plan to vote on the tuition hikes sooner, preventing students from taking action beforehand, as many protesters mentioned during the public comment section of the open board meeting. “Protests are great, but meeting with people, talking to the state legislators, writing to the media [could be more effective],” said Lacy Wright, a first-year art history major who attended the UCSF protests. “Our voices and opinions need to be heard before things go to vote.” As students wait to see if state funding will increase, they will continue to protest the tuition hikes on campus. Associated Students UCSB Lobby Corps will continue to push state legislature to increase funding for the UC system, in hopes that tuition hikes will be kept to a minimum.

CORRECTIONS

ILLUSTRATORS THIS ISSUE: April Gau, Amy Chase PHOTOGRAPHERS THIS ISSUE: Cindy Chang, Michelle Maldonado, Frances Castellon, Kelly Xin, Lorenzo Basilio, Tiﬀany Wu

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.

The Bottom Line provides 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 events. We welcome your questions, comments, or concerns at bottomlineucsb@gmail.com, or call our oﬃce phone at 805-893-2440.

3 | FEATURES

TBL | Dec 3-Dec 9, 2014

Gauchos Give Back at Food Truck Cinema Lyndsi Ibarra In celebration of “Food Truck Cinema: Gauchos Give Back,” hosted by UCSB First, Gauchos at University of California, Santa Barbara gathered on the cold Wednesday evening of Nov. 19 at the UCen Lawn to give back to their community, enjoy some entertainment, eat delicious food, and the watch the film Anchorman near the sparkling lagoon. As an entrance fee, attendees were simply asked to bring a can of nonperishable food that would be given back to the university community as a donation to the Associated Student’s Food Bank. “I thought it was a really good idea to require a donation,” said fourth-year English and psychology major Emily Ogle. UCSB First is an organization, sponsored by UCSB alumni, that is based on emphasizing and promoting student philanthropies. UCSB First supports other philanthropic organizations, hosting the following groups at the event: Dance Marathon at UCSB, Active Minds at UCSB, Education Abroad Program, UCSB DJ Club, UCSB MultiCultural Center, and of course, the AS Food Bank. Co-chair Jessica Fenton, a fourth-year political science and communication major, said that this organization hosts numerous events, such as the philanthropy awards dinner, Storke Tower tours, Senior Breakfast, Let it Snow, and the Senior Class Gift Campaign. The spirit of giving continued as seniors received free class T-shirts with their

graduating year. There was even more giving when UCSB First Co-Chair Anne Hamner announced the senior class gift that would be left behind: a donation to the Student Safety Enhancement Fund. This fund was created in light of the Isla Vista shooting that occurred last spring, and with the donation, UCSB and its partners will work to improve the community’s communication systems, infrastructure, and emergency preparedness. The event featured an assortment of food options from two food trucks, whose owners made the generous decision to donate 10 percent of their profits to the AS Food Bank as well. The Burger Bus served a variety of burgers, falafel, and different choices of french fries. Fourth-year psychology major Kristi Gedris said, “Despite it being dark and cold the food was good. I had the cheeseburger with [jabanero] jelly and it was surprisingly delicious.” There was also food provided by Georgia’s Smokehouse, who served up a variety of barbecue dishes and Southern comfort food. Cesar Viveros, one of the truck employees says, “This event is really good for local businesses such as ours, especially because sales were pretty steady for a couple of hours. We had a pretty good turn out.” In addition to BBQ, Georgia’s Smokehouse conveniently sold coffee, hot chocolate, and popcorn for students to keep warm and enjoy the film. “I really like the foodtrucks,” said Sierra Tau Tau Pele, a fourth-year psychology student. “I liked the free entry and I think it’s a nice alternative to partying.” Second year sociology and anthropology

Photo by Kelly Xin | Staff Photographer

A student orders from the Burger Bus.

double major Brenda Arellano had a similar opinion. “It’s a nice start to draw away from the party scene and creates options for students,” she says. “It’s also really nice coming out to campus to have a good time and have to study or do school.” There was also a special appearance by the one and only Olé. Students lined up to take photos with the mascot and a frame that read “#stayclassyUCSB,” a reference to the featured film. Later in the evening, everyone gathered on the center of the UCen lawn to watch Anchorman, which was projected onto a big blue inflatable screen

tied to weighted trash cans. Friends, couples, and students relaxed on the grass as they watched the comedy against the backdrop of the lagoon, and the buzz of the food trucks’ engines hummed in the background while the aroma of hamburgers and pork sliders lingered in the air. Fenton said that UCSB First received 157 attendance cards (people who did not RSVP on Facebook) and received a total of 670 RSVP’s. The event also filled up around three bins with canned goods, donating a total of 252 items to the AS Food Bank in time for Thanksgiving.

National Geographic’s Kobie Boykins Takes UCSB to Infinity and Beyond Kyle Roe STAFF WRITER Growing up in an area far enough from bright city lights to look towards the night sky and marvel at the Milky Way, spread out in a seemingly infinite panorama from horizon to horizon, would leave a lasting impression on anyone. For Kobie Boykins, this inspiration, coupled with a deep seated fascination with electrical devices, fueled a passion for space exploration eventually resulting in a job as a leading engineer in NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Boykins shared his experiences working on the missions responsible for landing the rovers Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity on Mars in Campbell Hall on Sunday, Nov. 23 as the second installment of University of California, Santa Barbara’s Arts & Lectures’ “National Geographic Live!” series. The presentation began with a short video with exciting and captivating shots of natural phenomena and wild animals, reminding the audience why National Geographic has remained a relevant and widely read magazine for almost 130 years. However, from that point on, all the visuals were directed upwards toward space or indoors to a high-tech NASA laboratory. Boykins described the process each rover went through to land on the red planet, shedding away layers of machinery into the chasm

Photo by Cindy Chang | Staff Photographer NASA engineer Kobie Boykins discusses Mars exploration.

of interstellar space as they outlived their usefulness, with a keen and endearing enthusiasm paired with detailed mechanical information regarding the machines themselves. He joked about how the rovers Spirit and Opportunity were almost named Beavis and Butthead until a young Russian immigrant girl submitted an essay describing how the spirit of America was providing the opportunity to make dreams come true. As exciting as space travel is,

the rovers’ missions while on Mars, and the results obtained from each, were the real attraction. Spirit and Opportunity acted as geologists; both rovers drilled into the soil of Mars, collecting samples in search of hematite, a mineral known to precipitate out of water. Not only did both rovers find significant concentrations of hematite, confirmed to have originated from water in Mars’ Meridiani Planum plain after further analysis, but also varying concentrations of salt by elevation.

The salt found on the red planet was more concentrated in soil lower in elevation and less concentrated in soil higher in elevation, suggesting the surface of Mars was once covered by a salt water sea similar to Earth’s until it slowly receded and Mars became the dry, rusty landscape it is today. On the other hand, Curiosity is acting as a biologist. Its assignment is to seek out any remnants or current expressions of life. In an awesome turn of events, Curiosity’s first drilling found an environment that could

support microbial life. Now that we know water once existed on Mars and have obtained more evidence of extraterrestrial life on the red planet, space researchers have generated new questions requiring an entirely new set of answers. Boykins particularly wants to know why water disappeared off of Mars’ surface and if that could happen to Earth’s oceans, focusing on planetary protection as well as biological discovery. The answers NASA finds could fashion a new perspective on how we treat our planet and what our destructive habits could mean for Earth’s future. At a few points in the presentation, Boykins took a step away from the images of space crafts and dusty Martian fields to wow the audience with vivid pictures of galaxies throughout the solar system. Boykins showed the audience the pictures, “not because they’re beautiful, but because they make us think of different things.” Usually, the sentiment says human beings are insignificant compared to the vastness of the stars, but doesn’t that just mean there’s more ground to cover, more space to explore? Kobie Boykins certainly thinks so. If you didn’t make it to this breathtaking event, UCSB’s Arts & Lectures is hosting two more National Geographic Live events this school year: “Spirit of the Wild” with Paul Nicklen on Jan. 11 and “Extreme Planet” with Carsten Peter on March 1.

5 Questions with an Overnight Davidson Library Custodian Montana MacLachlan STAFF WRITER

1. How long have you been an overnight custodian at the library?

Two months, so I am relatively new here. I moved to Goleta from Colombia a few months ago, and take English classes at City College during the day. When I first began, it was challenging but now I have a set routine.

assigned to clean each floor, and I am assigned to the first. I clean the hallways, security office area, computers, tables, vacuum, wash the floors, take out the trash, and clean the bathrooms, spending a few hours on each section. When students leave garbage, pens and pencils, water bottles, and paper, it adds to our list of responsibilities for the evening.

4. What can we do to make your job easier?

The best part is that I have made a lot of friends through this job, and people are typically pretty friendly. UCSB is a beautiful campus, on the inside and out. As people might think, the overnight shift is not that bad. I sleep from 5 PM to 10:30 PM You get used to it and adjust to a schedule. I actually prefer the graveyard shift because there are so many people around during the day. That would be more stressful. At night there is less traffic.

Sometimes I will intentionally make myself visible to students while I’m cleaning, in hopes that seeing me will prompt them to clean up after themselves. However, this tactic seldom works. A lot of students are pretty dirty, even when they see us they do not always consider to clean up their mess. I definitely understand students are stressing, some are even here all throughout the night, but I am also stressing because I am at work. They are always very focused, so I will always do my job. I just wish it would be easier to clean.

3. What is the worst part of your job?

5. What advice do you have for students?

The toughest part is cleaning up after students. We have scheduled responsibilities to complete each night. There is one staff worker

I would say to be more organized. The students all look so young, and are often disorganized. Also try not to fall asleep!

2. What is the best part of your job?

This week, The Bottom Line took a peek into the nightly responsibilities of library workers during the graveyard shift. Jason Diaz, 40, is an overnight custodian at University of California, Santa Barbara’s Davidson Library. Diaz arrives to work just before midnight and leaves at 8 A.M. the next day.

Photo by Michelle Maldonado | The Bottom Line UCSB custodian Jason Diaz (left) explains the best and worst parts of his job.

4 | PHOTO

Photos by Lorenzo Basilio | Photo Editor

TBL | Dec 3-Dec 9, 2014

Students march through UCSB and Isla Vista after the events of Ferguson.

UCSB RESPONDS TO

FERGUSON

Supporters come out to voice their opinion on Tuesday Nov. 25

Students discuss ideas about raising awareness of injustice during the Walk Out event on Monday, Dec. 1.

Jamelia Harris asks everyone to share their feelings and thoughts to their peers.

5 | PHOTO

TBL | Dec 3-Dec 9, 2014

A UCSB student quietly reflects.

Leslie Zapata in a moment of silence.

Candles in the Mike Brown candlelight vigil.

UCSB students look on during the vigil.

Vigil for Mike Brown Photos by Tiffany Wu | Staff Photographer

Luptia Perez, Gustavo Castillo, and Leslie Zapata stand in solidarity.

TBL | Dec 3-Dec 9, 2014

6 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

‘Smash 4’ Heats Up the Competitive Gaming Scene Once Again Matt Mersel EXECUTIVE CONTENT EDITOR By now, the reviews for the newest installment in the venerable Super Smash Bros. series, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, have already come in. Unofficially known as Smash 4, the game was released to universally positive reviews, which praised the new gameplay that blended the fast-paced and frenetic action of fanfavorite Super Smash Bros. Melee with the slower Super Smash Bros. Brawl, which many felt was too plodding to capture the same kind of action that made the series a staple in the competitive gaming community. Additionally, the roster received a bump from 39 fighters in Brawl to a 49-character lineup, revamping many of the moves and physics of the Nintendo mascots who returned for this iteration. But while many play Smash for fun, there is dedicated group who play the game at a competitive level, taking each other on head-to-head in tournaments that

are viewed by hundreds of thousands online through websites such as Twitch. It’s been almost two weeks since the game’s release, so how has the Smash 4 meta-game fared in its early days? Competitive Smash Bros. players are well aware of the series’ almost hidden technical nature. When Melee was released, keen players soon realized that there were ways of moving faster and in different ways than the game’s physics would seem to allow. This led to tactics like “Lcanceling,” which allowed players to cut down the time it took between a fighter landing on solid ground and being able to input commands, and “directional influence,” or “DI,” which could affect how a character flies through the air after being hit, allowing seasoned players to stay alive longer. This set the competitive players apart from the average player, as performing these techniques took a great deal of precision and practice, and even 13 years after its release, the competitive Melee scene has contin-

ued to evolve and attract new combatants. Smash 4 was made with the intent of bridging this gap, cutting out the needlessly exacting techniques while still allowing room for players to hone their skills and improve. With that as its basic mission statement, the game mostly delivers. Smash 4 is certainly a fair middle ground between Melee and Brawl as far as pacing goes, and it’s clear that the team led by series progenitor Masahiro Sakurai tried their best to give the game its own identity within the series. However, competitive players will notice the continued absence of “L-cancelling” which began with Brawl, and furthermore, the technique of “edge-hogging,” or holding on to the ledge of the stage so players trying to recover after being knocked off are unable to grab on, has also been removed. While “directional influence” still remains a part of the game, these changes have dramatically changed the flow of matches, rewarding strong defensive play and

risky, precise off-the-edge maneuvers more than in any other installment. Additionally, it takes much longer to take a stock from an opponent, and as such, the general rules for tournament play give each player two lives, as opposed to four being the standard in Melee and three being standard in Brawl. Another main selling point of Smash 4 was the promise of solid and stable online play, which was hard to come by in the previous entry, Brawl. Especially notable is the debut of “For Glory” mode, which matches players up one-on-one in two-stock games without items on flat, even battlegrounds without stage hazards. So far, online play has held up reasonably well, though players should expect to encounter mediocre connections and input lag every so often. It’s a nice touch, and “For Glory” takes itself seriously by tracking progress over a player’s online career and assigning global rankings, but it still can’t match local competitive multiplayer. For the

exacting Smash player, input lag can be just enough of a hindrance to be discouraging, and tournament-legal stages with platforms are not allowed in this mode, which removes a crucial element from true competitive play. Despite all of this, however, “For Glory” is a welcome addition that proves the development team behind Super Smash Bros. is truly beginning to embrace the series’ role in the competitive gaming community. There’s still much to be seen out of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and until the game has time to stretch its legs or players have the time to learn the boundaries of the gameplay, its true competitive potential will remain unclear. However, it’s undeniable that the Super Smash Bros. team has done their best to create an experience with a unique and balanced feel that’s sure to inspire years of experimentation and evolution. The series has been riding high for more than a decade, and Smash 4 is set to keep that fire burning.

actors, these skilled players were forced to devise a method of portraying the 16 key roles, as well as many other ensemble parts. Therefore, all but two performers were assigned double-, and in some cases, triple-roles through the use of minor costume changes. Despite the novelty of this, I can imagine that this stylistic choice could have been

incredibly confusing to an audience member unfamiliar with the play. Another potentially confusing directing decision was Buckhurst’s choice to have the actors that were appearing in a following scene wait on stage during the previous one. To see a character who is currently being discussed on stage witness this interaction, only to later appear and

seem unaware of what has occurred while he was “off stage” simply did not work. That being said, the production had many strengths and to an audience familiar with the play, and was brilliantly produced. The acting was phenomenal, especially taking into account the challenge of playing so many different roles in one

production. The musical transitions between scenes were effective as the simplest integration of an accordion or a drum could elevate the action and change the tone of the scene without all the elaborate incorporation of an entire band backstage. On the topic of music, the curtain call felt wildly inappropriate as the actors got back up to end the show in an out-of-place song and dance number. After a heartfelt and incredibly moving death scene betwixt Lear and Cordelia, this ending felt out of place and off putting. As the tears dried on my cheeks, I felt annoyed that the beautiful death scene was so quickly interrupted by a moment like this. On the whole, though I didn’t necessarily believe the production deserved the standing ovation it received, I was quite satisfied with my three hours in Campbell Hall, and really admired the work of each of the actors. The actors’ performances were brilliant and this rustic approach to a well-known play proved refreshing. The University of California, Santa Barbara Arts & Lectures Series provided a wonderful opportunity for UCSB students and Santa Barbara locals to be able to experience this inspired production from the Globe Theatre Company from London on our very own campus.

Globe Theatre’s Production of ‘King Lear': The Work of a Fool, or a Visionary? Bryn Lemon STAFF WRITER

For an all-too-short two performance run, the Globe Theatre Company graced our modest Campbell Hall with a production of Shakespeare’s King Lear. Bill Buckhurst, the director of the piece who often works for the Globe, envisioned a production in which the audience felt they were viewing a troupe of actors putting on a play in a comfortable viewing experience akin to that of the original production in the Globe Theatre in London. This vision led to the incorporation of instruments within the piece played by the actors themselves, the mingling between the actors and the audience before the performance, and many other unique directing choices throughout. Perhaps it was that Alex Mugnaioni (who primarily played Edgar), came and flirted with me before curtain call, or the introduction from the company at the beginning that welcomed us as an audience to the stage, that prevented me from first immersing myself within the action of the piece. However, once finally settled in, the production was innovative, incredibly gripping, and very well performed. Facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge of having only eight

Photos by Kelly Xu | Staff Photographer King Lear performs his monologue.

Hungry For More: A Mostly SpoilerFree ‘Mockingjay – Part 1' Review Sarah Beaver STAFF WRITER As the familiar four-toned whistle resounded throughout theater 3 of Goleta’s Camino Real Cinemas, excited audience members whispered to each other in anticipation for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1. The 8 P.M. “premiere” showing was completely sold out beforehand, and the 9:30 P.M. showing fi lled up reasonably quickly as well. Clearly, there is a considerable Hunger Games fan presence in the area, as the vast majority of the audience seemed to be collegeaged or just slightly younger. In a move that has been met with more derision than excitement, the final installment of the Hunger Games book series has been split into two movies, with the first of these two penultimate chapters premiering on Nov. 21. Th is trend of splitting movies has been seen in other popular series such as Harry Potter and Twilight. Whether or not this actually benefits the movie is questionable, but there is no doubt that it brings in considerable profits for the movie producers, and by splitting Mockingjay into two movies, there will be much more hype surrounding the final movie. However, this did not take away from the cinematic experience of this movie, though it was not as action-packed as the second half will surely be. Mockingjay – Part 1 was more of a set-up for the second half of the installment. There was not a lot of action, but when there was it had everyone on the edge of their seats, and there was a considerable amount of character development. The protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, went through quite a lot at the end of Catching Fire, and this movie illustrates how she deals with those obstacles. Jennifer Lawrence does a fantastic job of portraying Katniss once again. Her ability to portray Katniss’

emotions is remarkable, and the scene at the end—you know which one I mean—had everyone in the theater on edge. Also very impressive was the transformation Josh Hutcherson went through to correctly portray Peeta Mellark in this movie. He was stick-thin and truly looked sickly, and his highly emotional performance was one that will be remembered alongside Lawrence’s. Liam Hemsworth was also consistent and had very good chemistry with Lawrence throughout her struggles in this movie. It was nice to see a bit more of Prim Everdeen (Willow Shields), Katniss’s younger sister. There was some character development, as well as some comic relief involving her beloved cat, Buttercup. As mentioned before, the fi lm spent plenty of time fleshing out its characters in preparation of the series’ conclusion, and this was true for many of the less significant characters such as Haymitch, Effie, and Finnick, who become much more significant in this movie and will be of even more importance in the finale. Elizabeth Banks, who plays Effie, did a great job of both appealing to the audience and retaining the “Capitol” essence of her character. Woody Harrelson also did not fail to make the audience both love and hate him as he becomes an even more significant part of Katniss’s life. Perhaps the most heart-wrenching aspect of the movie was the performance of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who plays Plutarch Heavensbee. Though he fi lmed a good bit of the movie before his tragic death, you could already sense some fi lmmaking effort put in to working around his absence. What the second installment of the movie will do to work around his part, we do not know, but he will definitely be missed on screen. Overall, the movie did a good job of translating the book to fi lm, and fans of the novel

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. should not be too upset with this adaption. One of the benefits of splitting a book into two movies is that there is more time to include all of the important things that would otherwise be left out in a shorter version. However, as mentioned before, this movie was mostly a set up for the final one. Nothing

too vitally important was left out, from what I can remember, and for those that did not read the book, it was not too confusing to follow. It was an entertaining and enjoyable fi lm to watch, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone while the world eagerly awaits the cinematic conclusion.

TBL | Dec 3-Dec 9, 2014

7 | SCIENCE AND TECH

UCSB Researchers Develop Synthetic Blood Platelets Judy Lau STAFF WRITER

Researchers in the Department of Chemical Engineering and at Center for Bioengineering (CBE) at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have created nanoparticles that can mimic the shape and flexibility of the human body’s platelets. Ordinarily, platelets are able to accelerate healing processes; this new development in nanoparticles will open new doors for possible therapies and treatments. Platelets are blood cells whose function is to stop bleeding. They are important in the human body because they support blood coagulation and provide defense for patients in many situations, including injury, illness, or surgery. Blood coagulation is familiar to anyone who has experienced minor injuries, such as a

cut or a scrape. Blood rushes to the site of the injury and within minutes, the flow stops as a plug forms at the site. The tissue around the plug works to knit itself back together and eventually disappears. “When someone has a wound, human platelets migrate towards the wound and bind to the site of injury and to each other,” said professor Samir Mitragotri. “The platelets release a chemical signal to call other platelets to the site and seal the wound.” Blood coagulation uses a series of signals to promote the clotting of blood and enables freeflowing fluid to bring healing factors to the injury. Coagulation is a combination of various substances primarily found in platelets, where the blood component accumulates to form the initial plug. Injuries that are more severe usually need

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more treatment, healing, and control. This is where platelet-like nanoparticles (PLNs) come in. These tiny particles behave like human platelets and can be added to the blood flow to supply and support the patient’s natural platelet supply, initiating the healing process and allowing physicians to begin or continue the necessary treatments. “The key to this platelet lies in the platelet’s mimicry of a human platelet,” said Mitragotri.“ They imitate the shape and flexibility of the natural platelets. The surface of the synthetic platelets contains proteins that have the same biochemical components as its human counterparts. Thus, it can summon other platelets and bind to them. Additionally, the synthetic platelets dissolve into the blood once their usefulness is gone, thus minimizing complications.” Synthetic platelets also have a longer shelf life and can have other applications in medications and therapies for patients with specific conditions. “The synthetic platelets differ from human platelets because they cost less, have a longer shelf life, and can be stored onsite,” said Mitragotri. “This is extremely helpful in times of emergency or disaster, which is when these

blood components are needed the most.” With PLNs, physicians can strike a finer balance between anticoagulant therapies and wound healing in older patients with nanoparticles to target where clots are forming without triggering unwanted bleeding. Bloodborne pathogens and other infections can be minimized with antibiotic-carrying nanoparticles. The particles can be designed to fulfill certain requirements and travel certain parts of the body, leading to better diagnostics and targeted therapies. “The thing about hemostatic agents is that you have to intervene to the right extent,” said Mitragotri. “If you do too much, you cause problems. If you do too little, you cause problems.” Further research into PLNs involve investigations regarding how well the technology and synthesis can scale up, as well as more practical matters involving translating the PLNs from the lab to the clinic, which involves storage, stability, manufacturing, and sterility, as well as clinical testing. Research for this study was conducted in collaboration with scientists at the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Apply now! Live, intern, and earn academic credit in Washington, D.C.or Sacramento. All majors welcome. Work in any field. email: ucdc@Ltsc.ucsb.edu call: (805) 893-3090 visit: duels.ucsb.edu/opportunities

Photo by Taylor Yeerong | Staff Photographer Chemical Engineering professor Samir Mitragotri discusses his research regarding synthetic platelets.

Touchdown! A Recap of the Rosetta Spacecraft Events Vall Vinai STAFF WRITER The Rosetta spacecraft successfully deployed its lander, Philae, to Comet 67P/ Churyumov-Gerasimenko after a ten year journey spanning 6.4 billion kilometers on Nov. 12. This is a tremendous feat that has been accomplished for the first time in history. Perhaps one of the greatest challenges was operating Rosetta from Earth—scientists needed to safely land Philae on a rotating comet traveling 40,000 mph. Agilkia, the landing site, was chosen six weeks before landing, based off of images collected 30-100 kilometers from the comet. “Our ambitious Rosetta mission has secured a place in the history books: not only is it the first to rendezvous with and orbit a comet, but it is now also the first to deliver a lander to a comet’s surface,” said Jean-Jacques Dordain, the European Space Agency (ESA) Director General. This has great implications for finding answers to questions that scientists have asked for years. “Rosetta is trying to answer the very big questions about the history of our Solar System. What were the conditions like at its infancy and how did it evolve? What role did comets play in this evolution? How do comets work?” said Matt Taylor, ESA Rosetta project scientist. Meanwhile, Philae has successfully collected images and samplings of the comet, showing significant amounts of dust and debris of all sizes. The lander has found organic molecules essential for life on the comet. “[Philae] was able to ‘sniff ’ the atmosphere and detect the first organic molecules after landing. Analysis of the spectra and the identification of the molecules are continuing,” the DLR German Space Centre issued in a statement. The sample is still being interpreted, but scientists are hoping that the molecules collected will be an important connection to the origins or Earth. “There has long been indirect evidence of organic molecules on comets as carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms have been found in comet dust,” Professor John Zarnecki of Open University and deputy principal investigator on one of Philae’s instruments said, “It has not been possible to see if these are form-

ing complex compounds before and if this is what has been found then it is a tremendous discovery.” Additionally, Philae has successfully collected images and samplings of the comet, showing significant amounts of dust and debris of all sizes. Unfortunately, the system’s camera technology was developed long before the recent rapid growth in camera technology. “When the camera was developed 20 years ago, memory cards did not exist,” the German Aerospace Center’s Stefano Mottola. “ROLIS [the camera] therefore has a limited amount of memory—just 16 megabytes, which is one thousandth of the amount of data that can be stored on today’s USB sticks.” Philae has completed its mission before hibernation. Until there is sufficient sunlight to fall on Philae’s solar panels, there will not be enough power to wake it up. “We still hope that at a later stage of the

mission, perhaps when we are nearer to the Sun, that we might have enough solar illumination to wake up the lander and re-establish communication, ” said Stephan Ulamec, lander manager at the DLR German Aerospace Agency. In the meantime, Rosetta continues its 30 kilometer orbit around the comet. On Dec. 3, Rosetta will move down to 20 kilometers for 10 days, then will return to 30 kilometers. “The desire is to place the spacecraft as close as feasible to the comet before the activity becomes too high to maintain closed orbits,” says Laurence O’Rourke at the Rosetta Science Operations Centre near Madrid, Spain, “This 20 kilometer orbit will be used by the science teams to map large parts of the nucleus at high resolution and to collect gas, dust and plasma at increasing activity.” Rosetta’s mission is far from over. If all goes according to plan, Rosetta will be the first spaceship to experience the development

Illustration by Amy Chase | Staff Illustrator

of a comet’s coma. Scientists also plan to travel with the comet towards the sun. “With lander delivery complete, Rosetta will resume routine science observations and we will transition to the ‘comet escort phase’,” says Flight Director Andrea Accomazzo, “This science-gathering phase will take us into next year as we go with the comet towards the Sun, passing perihelion, or closest approach, on 13 August, at 186 million kilometers from our star.” Thus far, Rosetta remains in excellent condition, with all parts and systems working as expected. “It’s been an extremely long and hard journey to reach today’s once-in-a-lifetime event, but it was absolutely worthwhile. We look forward to the continued success of the great scientific endeavor that is the Rosetta mission as it promises to revolutionize our understanding of comets,” said Fred Jansen, ESA Rosetta mission manager.

TBL | Dec 3-Dec 9, 2014

8 | OPINIONS

UC Tuition Hikes Take Us One Step Closer to the Loss of Public Education Shomik Mukherjee STAFF WRITER I was interested to learn a couple weeks ago that the schools in the University of California system were once free from tuition. Those days are long gone, but the designation of the universities within this system as “public” still holds great weight when it comes time for students to decide upon the university which they will attend. These students go in knowing that while their schools may not share the luxury of being undeterred by funding, as many private institutions are, they will at least offer a valuable education, and a relatively inexpensive one at that. Unfortunately, the last part of that assessment now stands to be challenged. A couple weeks ago, the University of California Board of Regents passed a proposed raise in tuition costs for students attending in schools in the UC system. Under the new system, students will have to pay as much as five percent more in tuition than they already do for each of the next five school years (meaning tuition for California residents will rise nearly $3000 in that time). The move has had its share of proponents and opponents alike. Janet Napolitano,

the president of the UC system, supported the change heavily as she believes the tuition hikes will aid in retirement benefit plans for faculty as well as streamline money into maintaining jobs and departments within the UC system. Meanwhile, California governor Jerry Brown, who is also a UC regent, had opposed the motion before the vote, insisting that the UC system consider cutting costs internally instead of placing the burden on the students. The students themselves had taken to marching and protesting the motion before the vote and continue to be widely against the hikes after the Board voted to pass the motion by a count of 14 to 7. The larger implication of this rise in tuition is not the increased payment, however, but the lack of value that the system is placing in its students. Public universities exist for a reason, and a good one at that. Their presence offers a service to students, one that necessitates a commitment to education without requiring, and indeed expecting, deep pockets. One could certainly contend that many students attending schools in the UC system are exempt from paying tuition, thanks in large part to grants that families can receive if their incomes are low enough. However,

that leaves the rest of the UC population out to dry. I’m speaking of those students, like myself, whose families generate enough income to be deemed capable of sending their children to a UC with little to no financial aid, but still feel burdened by the hefty numbers that fill their bills when it comes time to pay. Now, these families are being told that their payments will only become more straining as time moves forward. These hikes are doing nothing short of tossing around, much like a rag doll, those UC students who fall above the cut-off for tuition costs but are far from immune to the weight of those costs. UC schools offer to me exactly what it offers to a student going to college on a full grant: a public service. The fact that families like my own are designated, by those that offer financial aid, as being able to pay the current tuition fee does not indicate that they can withstand any unannounced raise that the system throws their way. The problem here is more indicative of a systematic failure to accumulate funds from state government than any dastardly plan cooked up by Janet Napolitano, and as such, the cries to remove her from office come off as misdirected

Illustration by April Gau | Staff Illustrator outrage, as are the ridiculous signs around campus blaming UCSB Chancellor Henry Yang for receiving a raise in salary, which, in the big picture, is largely inconsequential. Yet, as time continues, it will be more and more disconcerting that we UC students are consistently told

of our ability to affect the future, all while the system guarantees that the only aspect of our future in which we can be confident is an exorbitant sum of money we will deposit to the University of California in the name of a public education.

PRO/CON Recently, a proposed ban that would criminalize the sale of tobacco and nicotine products was struck down in the town of Westminster, Massachusetts. Should we be concerned that these products will remain on the marketplace, or is this failure actually for the greater good? Illustration by Amy Chase | Staff Illustrator

Déjà Vu: Prohibition Edition Khanh Tran At the end of October, the Board of Health in Westminster, Massachusetts proposed regulations that would criminalize the sale of tobacco and nicotine products, intending to improve the welfare of the community—especially the youth—as a whole. Had the proposal not been snuffed out by the impassioned opposition of the public on Wednesday, Nov. 19, the town would have been the first in the nation where no one could purchase cigarettes. Despite the health board’s meaningful intentions, the people were correct in their convictions, averting what would have been an outrageous development. “The tobacco companies are really promoting products to hook young people,” Westminster Health Agent Elizabeth Swedberg said in The Boston Herald. She is correct in that modern youth is easily tempted by the consumerist nature of tobacco advertisements. Yet, banning the product would not solve the problem. In fact, it only eerily conjures up a specter of déjà vu from the past—the disastrous experiment of the Prohibition Era enacted by the 18th Amendment and subsequently repealed by the 21st Amendment. Now, do not get me wrong—I am not advocating mass smoking or something like that. I am merely pointing out the arbitrary nature behind the ban. If there is one thing that the failure of Prohibition taught us, it is that banning something only encourages people to seek it, often with extreme and illegal measures. It did not end drinking and will not end smoking. It will only intensify it by morphing it into an underground activity, followed by the rise of new crime syndicates in pursuit of the inevitable black market of tobacco. Then, it is only a matter of time before crime rates, corruption, and the eventual outcry for repeal arrive. What would the people get from this predictable set of sequences? Nothing except wasted tax dollars. Not to mention that such regulations would trespass on people’s personal freedoms and harm the local businesses of Westminster, leading to not only an additional burden on

the current state of the economy but also to individual liberty. “I think people are really angry because they feel this is being shoved down their throats,” said Joyce McGuire, a Westminster nonsmoker who opposes the regulations, in the NY Daily News. By attempting to ban cigarettes on the grounds of necessity for the public good, these health board legislators are imposing their own ideals of morality into the community, trampling over the people whose country was founded on the principles of limited government and natural rights. As such, it is no wonder that the people of Westminster were so vocal in their dissent. Michael Fratturelli, owner of Westminster Liquors said in International Business Times that no one is going to “stop smoking because this town decided to ban cigarettes”— a ban that would result only in the value of the local businesses going down. Indeed, just like alcohol, cigarettes and tobacco products have sadly become an integral part of the economy. People will only travel to neighboring towns to obtain the products, nullifying this whole ban and exacerbating its economic detriments even further. Instead of tackling this issue head-on with such brute-force tactics, legislators should emulate President Barack Obama’s 2015 federal budget proposal and increase the tax for tobacco product, using the subsequent revenue to fund education. Not only would this discourage the overall trend of tobacco consumption but also put the much-needed emphasis on education, an important factor in shaping the youth’s perspective in life. It determines the path they are on. The people of Westminster spoke out against the policy not because they adore cigarettes and its side effects, but because they feared that the United States is relapsing back to its faulty trend of prohibition. Across the country, there has been a rising trend in laws attempting to restrict products that are deemed too harmful to youths, from the defeated New York City soda ban to the looming junk food laws. Instead of swinging its banhammer around, what the country needs to do is shift its focus to education, which defines where the new generation is heading towards.

Tobacco Kills, and It’s Time to Fight Back Kyle Roe STAFF WRITER Thanks to millions of government dollars, extensive ad campaigns, and an estimated 100 million deaths throughout the entire 20th century, most people are aware that smoking kills. Besides hospital cancer wards, the last people you need to advertise smoking’s adverse health effects to are the members of Westminster, Massachusetts’ Board of Health, who have proposed a ban on the sale and distribution of tobacco and nicotine products. The measure has townspeople in an uproar, even those who are not smokers, who see the law as a violation of their human rights and a destabilizing setback for local businesses. If these voices are expected to coincide with the Health Board’s views, a compromise somewhere in between current tobacco laws and an outright ban must be struck. However, there is no law guaranteeing Americans a right to tobacco and, no matter who sells the tobacco, smoking cigarettes is an addictive activity directly linked to various life-threatening illnesses that afflict millions of people worldwide. Revealing statistics published by the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) reveal that medical conditions attributed to cigarette smoking kill about 480,000 people per year. These include deaths not only caused by directly smoking cigarettes, but through involuntarily inhaling second-hand smoke. According to the American Lung Association, people who live in the same residence or work in the same building as a cigarette smoker have a 20-30% higher chance of developing lung cancer. Cancer itself is the second most common cause of death in the U.S., accounting for about 1 in 4 deaths, and lung cancer is responsible for the most cancerrelated fatalities in both men and women. As for the lawfulness of this measure, there is no law currently on the books guaranteeing American citizens the right to smoke tobacco. The only legal clause that could be interpreted as a protection of cigarette smoking is the 9th

Amendment in the U.S. Constitution, which states, “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” Blanketed in the broad protection of basic rights not specifically listed in the Constitution, smoking is classified in that category simply because it is not illegal and therefore law enforcement has no authority to prohibit anyone from smoking tobacco. That also means if the sale of tobacco is made illegal at a local level, in an area like the city of Westminster, then no federal law will contradict the local law and the measure would have no legal barriers except the approval of a local government body. In Westminster’s case, this body would be the local Board of Health. Additionally, Westminster residents are worried about the effects of the measure on local businesses, specifically convenience stores that, for as much as a third of their revenue, rely on sales for both tobacco and miscellaneous products tobacco smokers buy in addition to cigarettes. The measure compromises the livelihood of the town’s convenience store owners, or at least a large fraction of them, but is there a moral high ground for selling these destructive products to the townspeople? Either way you look at it, this is an economic dilemma any lawmaker will be hard pressed to ignore. If we are to move forward on limiting people’s exposure to the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes, politicians should focus on limiting the amount of nicotine, tar, and other poisonous substances commonly found in cigarettes. That way, storeowners will retain earnings from selling watered down cigarettes and smokers will not experience as many addictive or health-endangering side effects. The policy is not a comprehensive victory against tobacco, but it will be progress. In the long run, compromise is a more agreeable and permanent solution than an outright ban. Nevertheless, Westminster’s ban on tobacco sales is a positive progression towards a future where tobacco smoking is much less common and lethal.