Volume 7, Issue 24 by The Bottom Line (UCSB)

TBL bottomlineucsb.com bottomlineucsb.com

THE

Associated Students, UC Santa Barbara Volume 7, Issue 24 | May 22 - May 29, 2013

BOTTOM LINE Associated Students Senate Finalizes Budget for 2013-2014

ONE Campaign Hosts Carnival to Raise Awareness Regarding Global Poverty

by LILY CAIn AS Beat Reporter

by MOREY SPELLMAn

University of California, Santa Barbara’s chapter of the OnE campaign hosted an informational “carnival” event Monday, May 15, hoping to stress to students the importance of poverty prevention and disease control on a global level. “While OnE is a worldwide organization, it was only until a few years ago that students were challenged to make a chapter on the UCSB campus,” said Janet Kim, treasurer of the OnE campaign at UCSB. Started by rock band U2’s lead singer, Bono, in 2004, the OnE campaign has generated worldwide success, accumulating over 3 million members globally. At the event last Monday, OnE presented its campaign and goals to the UCSB student population. Located in the Student Resource Building’s Multi-Purpose Room, the carnival-style event provided an atmosphere for students to grab a bite to eat and learn about the global fight against poverty. The carnival featured a henna table and a popcorn machine in addition to games and activities aiming to teach students about poverty prevention. Students won prizes for guessing poverty-related statistics from around the world. Often the answers were surprising and clearly went to illustrate the main points that the OnE campaign hoped to drive home in the course of their brief public event appearance at UCSB. As a charity, OnE tries to differentiate itself from other charities in a number of ways. Instead of asking people for charitable donations or trying to persuade them to donate money directly, OnE tries to pressure political leaders for money in order to help support efforts to eradicate poverty in countries such as Uganda and Ethiopia. That isn’t to say that OnE doesn’t raise money for charity in other ways. On display at the carnival was one such endeavor: bracelets made from recycled paper that had been crafted by Ugandan women. This was not the first time that UCSB’s OnE campaign has tried to raise awareness of issues relating to poverty. Previous events have included hunger banquets in which individual participants are given food to eat based on the rations of a particular country. Depending which country a student receives, he or she is given a certain amount of food accordingly. Ileana Armendariz, the campus leader of the UCSB chapter for OnE, explains how she tries to emphasize that awareness and political pressure are what stand at the core of OnE. “We don’t want your money,” said Armendariz, “we want your voice.”

Santa Barbara Gang Injunction Provokes Protests, City Council Continues Discussion by CHEYEnnE JOHnSOn Staff Writer

Concerned community members filled the Santa Barbara City Council meeting on May 14 to protest the SB Gang Injunction, a referendum that was initially presented in 2011 and is still being debated in the City Council. Local grassroots organization PODER, People Organization for the Defense and Equal Rights of Santa Barbara Youth, held a rally outside of the City Hall building prior to the meeting’s commencement. The Gang Injunction was initially presented in 2011 as a solution to increased gang activity and gang related crime in the Santa Barbara area. Since then, the injunction has received criticism and support. Supporters claim the injunction will help decrease gang recruitment and activity while others believe the injunction leads to racial profiling and has no long term effects on gang activity. Gabriela Hernandez served as a coordinator for the protest and has been involved in PODER since the SB Gang Injunction was first presented. Hernandez believes the supports she grew up with should be reinstated to help prevent youths from joining gangs. “I was one of those at-risk youths,” said Hernandez. “I was in and out of juvenile hall and gladly, I had a lot of programs then...I had a therapist. My mom had a therapist...My case manager...And the difference I see between now and then is there was a lot more community policing.” Hernandez said the Gang Injunction is a ridiculously harsh punishment for gang activities. “So let’s just call this gang injunction what it is,” said Hernandez. “It is a life sentence for past convictions....and gang injunctions are actually based on racism. There are over 5,000 documented white supremacist gangs in California, but a gang injunction has never been discussed or imposed on them.” The Gang Injunction has come under fire for its vague language including the restriction that individuals listed on the gang injunction as gang members may not be in physical contact with any other individual on the gang injunction. The wording of the injunction has led to confusion over the injunction and its effects on individuals, including both those stated in the injunction and those outside of it. City Attorney Stephen P. Wiley said a woman whose fiance was listed

on the gang injunction came to him, worried that she would not be able to, under the rulings of the injunction, associate with her husband or face being placed on the injunction herself. “This injunction will not impact our defendants fiance unless she and her fiance decide to hang out with other gang members,” said Wiley. City Council Member Cathy Murillo said the injunction’s wording does not make clear this concept of regulation, and she encouraged Wiley to include it. “It really looks like if you’re near a school and you’re one of these injunction defendants,” said Murillo, “you might be contacted by the police. So I would offer that everything should be very carefully worded to give people some assurances.” Santa Barbara Chief of Police Cam Sanchez said the injunction will not change the way the police operates and the injunction will instead serve as a tool to help the police force fight gang activity. “Our proposal to the judge is that this is just a tool,” said Sanchez. “We may not get it from the judge or we may get an even more limited gang injunction, but I still believe and the department believes that this would be a good tool to have in our tool box to try to deter these things [gang activity] from occurring.” City Council Member Grant House inquired about the issue of racial profiling and community members worrying that the injunction will lead to targeting a specific class of people even if they’re not a part of the injunction. Sanchez believed combating this issue was a matter of training the police to behave professionally and appropriately. “I think that part of our training will be to focus on being professional,” said Sanchez. “We have had officers over the years that have not been who are no longer here. I’m a pretty tough disciplinarian, most people know that, and I think the focus is going to be on behavior...on criminal behavior.” Other communities members worried the behavior of the police and even those involved in the gang injunction are not the key issues. Daraka Larimore-Hall, chair of the SB Democratic Party, presented at public comment stating that the organization does not support the SB Gang Injunction.

Jeff Bridges Comes to UCSB see page 3

[

budget summary:

Of the $3,000 left over, $1,000 was allocated to Queer Commission $100 was allocated to Herstory

see GAnGS | page 8

Photo by Mark Brocher | The Bottom Line

see the full story | page 3

‘Life After Literature’ Conference

After weeks of meetings and hours of discussion, Associated Students Senate created and finalized the AS Budget for 2013-2014 at 6:02 a.m. on Thursday, May 26, 11.5 hours after their meeting started. The budget, which goes through Finance Board and AS President before being finalized by Senate, was tabled from previous weeks and special meetings were set up for Boards, Committees, and Commissions (BCCs) to voice their opinions. Two of the groups that were most vocal about funding were Queer Commission and Herstory, a yearly publication created by Womyn’s Commission. “A few years ago we had $70,000 and that got cut in half with budget cuts, so last year’s budget was $35,000,” said Chris Buck, a representative from Queer Commission. “This year we have $31,000 and we’ve been cutting things the last few years, just making things more efficient, trying not to lose events, trying not to lose being able to have resources for our community. There’s consistent budget cuts and if we keep seeing them, soon we’re not going to have the money to sustain the community we’d like to have on this campus and the safety we’d like to have.” After all the funding was allocated to different BCCs, Senate had approximately $3,000 left over to disperse to whichever BCCs they saw fit. About $1,000 of that was allocated to Queer Commission and $100 to Herstory. “This is a space for women, for feminism and equality to come together and show expression through forms of art,” said Womyn’s Commission Co-Chair Mariam Agazaryan. “I know [the Herstory budget] got slashed in half and I know a lot of other BCCs got their budgets cut…but I don’t think it’s fair that it’s being cut, we’re trying to do the best we can.” Despite being able to create its own budget, Senate mostly followed the budget President Sophia Armen had created, occasionally changing it themselves or taking Finance Board’s budget into account. The budget put forth by Finance Board, however, was created prior to AS Elections, and so it did not take into account two new lock-in fees from The Bottom Line and Commission on Student Well-Being. Finally, although $10.5 million was distributed, many BCCs saw drastic funding cuts from both their current budget and their requested budget. After the budget was finalized, a motion was made to reconsider Internal Vice President Mayra Segovia’s decision regarding the 12-11-1 vote on “A Resolution to Divest from Companies that Profit from the Military Occupation of Palestine.” The vote was contested as a result of a confusion in AS Legal Code, but the motion to reconsider was ultimately voted down, and the decision on the resolution remained the same. Bills to update a variety of legal codes for some BCCs including all the executive positions, Committee on Committees, and AS Food Bank, among others, were passed right before the meeting adjourned at 7 a.m. The next meeting on Wednesday, May 22, will be a transition meeting where all newly-elected senators and officers will be sworn in to begin their new term.

]

5 Questions with April Scatliffe

Critique of Abercrombie & Fitch

see page 3

see page 4

[

Extravaganza Review see page 5

]

Hana Kitchen Review see page 5

The Bottom Line | May 22 - May 29

page 2 | News

May Revision of CA State Budget Increases Fund for UC System Proposes Increase of $2,754 per K-12 Student through 2017 by AnIS VIJAY MODI Staff Writer

A revised version of January’s state budget was unveiled last week by the office of Gov. Edmund G. Brown. Despite tightening the belt on state spending, the adjustments, commonly known as the May Revision, detail a five-year plan to increase state spending on California’s public education system. The plan outlined in the new budget promises to provide $1,046 more per K-12 student this year than the last one, and an increase of $2,754 per student through 2016-17. Under this new spending plan, the University of California system will experience a spending increase of about 20 percent over the next five years. “These measures will provide not only the additional fiscal stability to meet UC mandatory costs, but also funding to re-invest in the quality initiatives that will support the governor’s plan

for additional performance outcome measures,” said Patrick Lenz, the UC system’s Vice President for Budget and Capital Resources. All in all, the budget plans to inject $17 billion into California’s public schools over the next five years. This presents a much-needed turnaround for a public system that experienced staff layoffs and shortages over the last few years. “Everybody will feel the change, because it reverses the downward trend in state funding of the UC system and gives us budget increases for the next four years,” said Todd Lee, UC Santa Barbara’s Assistant Chancellor of the Office of Budget and Planning. “The progressive decrease in state funding over the last decade or so has directly affected our school. These funds will help us address areas that have been underfunded or ones that even went unfunded at all during that time period.” The budget commits state funding of the UC system as a whole to an increase of 5 percent in the 2013—14 fiscal year and then 5

percent, 4 percent, and 4 percent through fiscal year 2016-17. “This budget builds a solid foundation for California’s future by investing in our schools, continuing to pay down our debts and establishing a prudent reserve,” said Brown in a press release accompanying the release of the new state budget. “But California’s fiscal stability will be short-lived unless we continue to exercise the discipline that got us out of the mess we inherited.” According to the California Department of Education’s statistics, the state funds some 10,000 public schools that are home to over 6.5 million students—the largest public school system in the United States. “It does not make up for all the cuts in state funding that happened in recent years,” Lee added, “but it is important that the downwards trend in state funding has ended and replaced by an upwards trend. It is definitely a step in the right direction.”

PROPOSITION 98 FUNDING

* General Fund amounts include Education Protection Account funds.

Writers: this issue Elizabeth Aguilar, Thomas Alexander, Lily Cain, nura Gabbara, Ashley Golden, Coleman Gray, Cheyenne Johnson, Matt Mersel, Anis Vijay Modi, Julian Moore, Marissa Perez, Janani Ravikumar, Audrey Ronningen, Yuen Sin, Kyle Skinner, Morey Spellman, Andrea Vallone, Grethel Vega, Allyson Werner

Photographers: this issue Ayeyi Aboagye, Mark Brocher 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.

by THOMAS ALEXAnDER Isla Vista Beat Reporter Another Isla Vistan weekend came to a close this Sunday, May 19, with a smattering of arrests and citations but no major criminal activity. According to Isla Vista Foot Patrol statistics, deputies cited five people for Minor in Possession violations and 10 people for open container violations. Four Isla Vista residents were cited for the town’s loud music noise ordinance, while 10 rowdy revelers were rounded up and arrested on Drunk in Public charges. notably, this Sunday marked UCSB’s 35th annual Extravaganza Music Festival. While thousands of students flocked to Harder Stadium to enjoy a lineup of local and larger acts, Sunday’s festivities ran relatively smoothly, and the weekend wound down on a safe and upbeat tone. “It was a busy weekend,” commented Isla Vista Foot Patrol Lieutenant Ray Vuillemainroy, “and obviously Extravaganza contributed to the crowds that we normally see in Isla Vista, but there are no major incidents to report.”

(dollars in millions)

Extravaganza Weekend Filled With Music, Crowds, Arrests

Photo by Ayeyi Aboagye | The Bottom Line

national

Oklahoma Senators Reverse Opinion on Federal Relief Aid to Request Funding for Tornado Relief by JULIAn MOORE National Beat Reporter

After a string of disastrous tornadoes ripped through their home state this week, Oklahoma Sens. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) have requested federal funds to assist with disaster relief. But just a few months ago, both Oklahoma legislators worked to deny the same federal relief to states affected by Hurricane Sandy. Both senators have defended their requests by categorizing their states’ needs as necessary spending, but the position has left them and other proponents of relief fund reduction in an awkward political position. But the two senators are among a growing list of opponents to federal relief aid who have requested help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). According to Think Progress, 31 senators who voted against supplying disaster aid to regions affected by Hurricane Sandy had requested similar federal money prior to the storm in their respective states. Last December, Sen. Inhofe characterized the $60.4 billion federal aid package aimed at helping Hurricane Sandy victims as a “slush fund,” referring to unrelated spending projects contained within the bill. In fact, the original bill contained $150 million aimed at supporting Alaskan fisheries (presumably unaffected by Hurricane Sandy) and a combined 6 billion for the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Smithsonian Institution for roof repairs that occurred before the storm. Still, more than $13 billion of the spending not pertaining to “relief ” was to be spent on preventative measures for future storms. The original Sandy Relief bill was delayed until early January, when the overall figure was de-

flated to just over $50 billion, including most of the $47.4 billion aimed at storm recovery in the bill’s first incarnation. Referred to as “pork barrel spending” in Washington parlance, the costly non-Sandy related projects were also reason enough for Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) to try to reduce the Aid package. When a fertilizer factory later exploded in West, Texas, causing thousands of dollars in damage, however, Cruz also reversed course and called upon FEMA to assist in managing clean up and recovery at the blast site. At the time of Hurricane Sandy, Sen. Cruz, too, had cited excessive pork barrel spending as part of his justification for cutting aid to affected states. At the time the Hurricane Sandy bill was in Congress, both Coburn and Inhofe defended their attempts to cut what they argued were extraneous costs attached to money for disaster relief on the East coast. Inhofe has since pointed out, however, that the money that he and other Oklahoma legislators have asked of FEMA are effectively different than that of states hit by Sandy. Both in Texas and in Oklahoma, the damage caused by disasters have been small enough to fit into FEMA’s regular budget, which according to the Guardian is currently near $7 billion. Hurricane Sandy, which caused roughly $50 billion in total damage, forced FEMA to ask Congress for additional cash, and so took additional spending often needed to pass measures through Congress. Sen. Coburn announced on Monday that any additional funds granted to areas in Oklahoma affected by the recent tornadoes would have to be off-set by cuts in the federal budget.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS A PROUD MEMBER OF

Our web magazine offers hard-hitting journalism, analysis, and multimedia on issues of the greatest concern to young people; gives young writers, reporters, artists, and others the chance to publish nationally; and builds a community of progressives interested in issues, ideas, and activism.

The Bottom Line | May 22 - May 29

page 3 | Features

#1 Singles

Questions with

April Scatliﬀe

Communication major second-year

#2 Doubles Women’s Tennis Star

by JEnnY HOnG Staff Writer

Q: How did you get involved with tennis? A: When I was little, my dad coached my brother and sister. They’ve been playing before I did and it kind of became a family thing. When they started learning how to play in tournaments, I started to play as well. And so yeah, my dad was all three of our coach.

‘Life After Literature’ Explores Literary Professions

Q: What’s the best part about working with your team? A: I would say that the best part would be the friendships that I have made. You get so close to your teammates because you go through so much together. You have to suffer through every practice together, every tournament, and every stress, but you get so close to these girls because you all are so competitive and want to win. We’re in the same team so it’s really fun and yeah, it’s awesome having people who can relate to you and have the same goals as you.

by KYLE SKInnER Staff Writer

Q: What was your biggest challenge you faced while trying to achieve your goal as a tennis champ? A: The biggest challenge I’ve faced as an athlete, well, I guess in general, it was really hard to just fully commit myself to playing tennis. In high school, I had a lot of friends who weren’t tennis players or athletes, so it was hard to sacrifice all the fun I could have had in high school, including to fit into parties on the weekends with my friends. Every weekend, I would be off to some kind of tournament. I would even have to miss some school. So, dedicating myself to one thing was the biggest challenge. But, when I was a sophomore in college, that’s when I realized that it was what I really wanted to do, so I tried to make that sacrifice and it was very well worth it, I would say. If you really want to be your best, especially with a sport, you have to spend majority of your time with it. Q: Do you plan to pursue tennis even after college? A: I don’t plan to pursue it professionally because that just takes a whole another level of love for the game because it’s very hard to do. I’m definitely going to play it for the rest of my life and probably still compete and everything, but I’m not planning on playing professionally because if I wanted to do that, I probably would not have gone to college. I would have started playing [professionally] in high school. But I’m going to play for the rest of my life and hopefully, teach my kids too, because it gave me so many opportunities and I love it.

Photo Courtesy of | April

Q: Why do you love tennis? A: It’s hard [to answer] because all sports, you have a love and hate relationship because they’re hard and they take up so much time. But overall, you just love it. I can never ever quit and the reason for that is because I think it made me so strong mentally and obviously because it’s a sport, it’s fun. I love being competitive and when you work for something and you get results from it, it’s a great feeling. And tennis is a very individual sport, so you just feel really really good when you’re doing well. There’s a lot of pressure involved because you don’t really have anyone helping you [during the game]. I think it’s a very fun sport. There’s a lot of dimensions to tennis. It’s not just about hitting the ball, there’s a lot more to it. It’s a huge challenge and it’s fun.

The Dude Comes to IV Jeff Bridges Appears at Magic Lantern ‘Tron’ Screening

Photos by Mark Brocher | The Bottom Line

UCSB student, Sarah Feldman, having her photo taken with the Dude.

by MATT MERSEL Staff Writer Isla Vista was recently graced with the presence of Jeff Bridges, an Academy Award winning actor famous for his appearances in “The Last Picture Show,” “Tron,” “The Big Lebowski” (where his role as protagonist “The Dude” earned him his perennial nickname), “Iron Man,” “Crazy Heart” (for which he won the Oscar for Best Actor), and “True Grit,” among many others. His appearance was part of a “Tron-AThon” hosted by the Magic Lantern program this Monday at the IV Theater. The event featured showings of both “Tron” and “Tron: Legacy” (both of which he stars in) preceded by a Q&A session with the legendary actor. The students who attended the event were rewarded with one of the most lively and comical interviews in recent memory. The Dude fielded questions from the audience about a wide range of topics, including his lesser-known movies such as “The Amateurs,” his music career with his band Jeff Bridges and the Abiders, and the methods that were used to produce the special effects in the original “Tron.” The audience ate up every word, and it was clear that Bridges was speaking to some of his most loyal fans. Some audience members even brought up the 1958 TV series “Sea Hunt,” his first acting role, which starred his father Lloyd and included guest spots by his brother Beau as well.

Writing About Life For Life

Aside from answering questions from fans, Bridges’ appearance was motivated by his desire to spread the word about his latest philanthropy with the organization Share Our Strength. This humanitarian organization is focused on ending child hunger in the United States, and their newest campaign, “no Kid Hungry,” seeks to provide summer meals for children who are dependent on being fed by school meals throughout the year. Bridges has served as the national spokesperson for the organization and has been actively participating in events around the country. Before the general Q&A, I was able to snag a quick personal interview with Bridges as fans swarmed him and ask if he has any projects coming up that he is excited for. “I’ve got two ‘in the can,’ as they say,” Bridges explained. “The first one is a movie called ‘R.I.P.D,’ and you can find a trailer for that on my website. There’s also another one called ‘Seventh Son.’” “R.I.P.D.” features Bridges and Ryan Reynolds portraying undead police officers, while “The Seventh Son” is a fantasy film in which he stars alongside Julianne Moore. Bridges also had a bit to say about his music career. “I’ve been focusing on my music a lot more lately. We actually have a show coming up at SLO Brew, and my daughter Jessie is going to be opening for me.” For anyone interested, the show is on Aug. 23 in San Luis Obispo. The Dude fin-

Two College of Creative Studies literature students hosted “Life After Literature,” a collection of panels featuring local writers and University of California, Santa Barbara alumni that have made a living off of writing. The event took place last Saturday in the Student Resource Building. The event was organized by Kat Wilcox and Julian Moore, both fourth-year CCS literature students at UCSB. Along with a team of coordinators, the two created four panels of experts of different focuses: journalism, advanced degrees, campus publications, and creative careers. Each panel consisted of professionals or experts in the area of discussion. In the journalism discussions, there were writers from local newspapers, such as Santa Barbara Independent writer D.J. Palladino, to writers from campus publications, such as The Bottom Line’s own Cheyenne Johnson. The advanced degrees panel featured Kay Young, an author, scholar, and UCSB professor who received her MA and Ph.D from Harvard; Pavneet Auklah, a former UCSB writing teacher and Ph.D candidate; and Teddy Macker, a poet, essayist, translator, short story writer, and Professor of Literature at UCSB who received his MFA in poetry from UC Irvine. The Creative Careers panel consisted of Amber Wallace, the CEO of Dowitcher Designs; Alisha Westerman, Copywriter for The Designory; and Caryn Bosson, the Senior Manager of Communications at TreePeople. The goal of this event was to bring together the many different areas of writing that people could get into after graduation. “It’s kind of silly that we haven’t had all of the writing hubs under one roof before,” Wilcox said. “If we all came together, we could do a lot more.” She said that she felt like they needed to provide the students with a career resource. “As a graduating senior, I felt as if there wasn’t much in the way of writing career services for students, so I wanted to bring them all together in this event because I figured others may have felt the same way.” The event was opened by a welcoming address from the dean of the College of Creative Studies, Bruce Tiffney. He talked about how literature is an extremely important part of our everyday lives and it is great that an event like this could bring everyone together. The wonderfully organized panel discussions featured a moderator, usually either Wilcox or Moore, who facilitated the discussions and allowed the audience to ask the professionals questions. The students were very intrigued by what the panelists had to say and became involved in the discussion by asking questions. The panelists encouraged the students to pursue their passion for writing as well as for higher education. Joe Donnelly, executive editor of Mission and State, Santa Barbara’s new narrative journalism initiative, told his audience, “Write where you can. If there’s one thing that journalist should be are standard bearers for critical thinking, and higher education provides people with that.” Many students attending figured the event would help them out in the long run. Thomas Skahill, a third-year CCS literature major, said, “I came so that I was able to make an informed decision about what career I wanted to pursue later in life.” Laura Lombardo, a third-year English major, also thought about life after college. “I want to explore the options on what to do after college with an English major, although I aspire to be an editor one day.” In between panel discussions were receptions on the third floor patio of the Student Resource Building, where attendees could mingle and talk with the panelists to ask them more indepth questions. Moore and Wilcox were fantastic hosts, providing guests with food and drinks in between discussions, as well as greeting every guest personally, making sure they felt comfortable being at the event. All in all, “Life After Literature” seemed to be successful in raising awareness of the importance of writing. As Dean Tiffney said, “Words are the cement of our civilization.” ished his interview with a message from Share Our Strength, noting that it is his “main focus” as of right now. Between the event staff that was rushing him into the theater for his interview and the crowd of fans begging for pictures, that was, unfortunately, all I was able to personally ask Bridges. However, be sure to look out for more Magic Lantern screenings at IV Theater every Friday and Monday. As a select few lucky students learned this week, you never know who might show up.

The Bottom Line | May 22 - May 29

page 4 | Opinions

Abercrombie & Bitch by nURA GABBARA Staff Writer Perfection at its finest. Materialism is a must. Glamorous, sexy, and cool. Reserved exclusively for sizes XXS and zero. That’s Hollywood for you. And Abercrombie and Fitch is following their footsteps. You can smell an Abercrombie and Fitch store a mile away. But only those so-called cool, good-looking kids are going to be baited by that saccharine emanation that clouds our noses with fakeness. Hollywood takes everything that makes us human—our flaws and imperfections— and glosses over them with pounds of makeup and high-end fashionista finds to create a perfect materialistic image of what we as humans should desire to look like. It’s an image, not a reality. And desire, we do. Targeting our vulnerabilities is not a novel concept in this money-hungry economy and it is what Mark Jeffries does phenomenally as the CEO of youth fashion retailer Abercrombie and Fitch. In an interview with Salon magazine held seven years ago, which has only recently gone viral, Jeffries had some controversial comments, that resulted in an utmost uproar, on whom he ideally envisions as wearing his clothing. “We want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that...We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends.” Hitler tried to create a utopia inhabited by only pure, beautiful creatures, to rid the world of imperfections, and he failed. He was also a sociopath. Jeffries is attempting to get away with a modern-day version of Hitler’s ridiculous ideology that spurred racism and the death of millions. It may not be as conspicuous or as literal as the Holocaust, but in a sense, the same messages are being dispersed to society:

that only worthy people can tread these waters. “In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids. We go after the cool kids. A lot of people don’t belong, and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.” But can we blame Jeffries for being moneyhungry, for following in the footsteps of Hollywood and, and every other greed-driven company, for wishing he was good-looking, and for desiring to be the cool kid he never was before? We can blame Jeffries for imprudently and blatantly releasing his plethora of disturbing words to the world, for marginalizing youth who are curvy, who don’t have expendable cash, who aren’t a size zero, who aren’t what is deemed “attractive,” who don’t have perfect fresh-from-the-beach hair, and who don’t have “sexy” bodies. We cannot, however, blame Jeffries for being a smart marketer and targeting the customer’s aspirations because consumers truly look up to Hollywood images and try to become that unattainable image. Jeffries’ marketing campaign was cleverly designed to provoke customers who sought to be cool and good-looking to purchase his merchandise. While other companies halt any mention of their goals, they all strive for the same perfect image that they hope their consumer epitomize—which is all too often composed of airbrushed anorexic models. However, these companies will provide merchandise ranging in the XXL’s for both men and women most likely for profitable purposes. According to youtube video “Abercrombie and Fitch Gets a Readjustment,” Abercrombie says they would rather burn their damaged clothing than donate them to the poor and homeless. That’s pretty heartless. Abercrombie and Fitch is a projection of unattainable perfection. There is no such thing as perfection. There is no such thing as a utopia where only beautiful creatures inhabit. Abercrombie and Fitch should be a store no one shops at until Jeffries has an attitude adjustment and a reality check.

the venom behind the denim Photo Courtesy of | everystockphoto.com

Why ‘Brave’ Princess Merida’s Makeover Shouldn’t Matter by JAnAnI RAVIKUMAR Staff Writer With the success of one of Disney’s newest animated movies, “Brave,” lead character Merida has officially been crowned as the 11th Disney princess as of May 11, 2013. But here’s the catch: Merida got a makeover, and her new design is a bit slimmer and sexier, complete with the same gratuitous sparkles that bedazzle all other princesses in the lineup. A few days later, after angry backlash from Merida fans, Disney promptly revoked the new design. The problem didn’t lie in Disney’s new design, however, but in people’s reaction to it. Simply put, if you don’t try to squint and scrutinize every little detail, Merida’s new design isn’t all that different from her old one—a bit more cartoon-like, maybe, but you can still recognize it’s Merida. So her new dress makes her look a little slimmer. It’s not that different. It doesn’t change the message of her movie. What’s the big deal? “Merida was the princess that countless girls and their parents are waiting for—a strong, confident, self-rescuing princess ready to set off on her next adventure with her bow at the ready,” reads “Keep Merida Brave,” a Change.org petition demanding that Disney reconsider Merida’s new design. How exactly does Merida’s new design change her character? If you look at her new design in terms of art style instead of in terms of subliminal messaging, the answer becomes clear: Disney had to make her look at least a little similar to the other princesses if she wasn’t going to stand out in the lineup. Merida’s not the only one who got a makeover either; all the princesses did—even older ones like Cinderella and Aurora. Why should Merida get special treatment and stay the same? But people feared what sort of message Merida’s new design would send to little girls everywhere. Merida, who so nicely taught children that marrying Prince Charming isn’t everything, apparently told little girls, with her new design, that they needed to be slim to be considered beautiful. But wouldn’t people rather assess her character based on her movie rather than the merchandise surrounding her? These critics don’t give children enough credit. When I was a little girl, I too was enamored by the glamorous Disney prin-

cesses. Being a girl of Indian descent, I think it’s safe to say that I don’t bear a strong physical resemblance to any of the Disney princesses, except maybe Jasmine, but even that’s pushing it. Did that stop me from dressing up as Aurora, Belle, and Mulan for Halloween as a child? not at all. It never occurred to me that I was different in any way from the princesses because I looked up to them for their character rather than their looks. I wanted to be strong and resilient like Mulan. I wanted to be smart, caring, and compassionate like Belle. Just because I didn’t look like them didn’t mean I couldn’t be like them. And that’s still the case today. In Disneyland, just try to count how many little girls of all races and sizes dress up as princesses such as Cinderella and Aurora. How many of them do you think care that they don’t look exactly like the princesses? The controversy surrounding Merida’s new— now discarded—design ultimately boils down to political correctness. In other words, the constant need to tiptoe around people’s feelings and the fact that people live in constant fear of offending the people around them. Body image and self-confidence have always been important, even to college students like us, but I think we’re being too sensitive regarding Merida’s new design and reading too much into it. The fact is, it isn’t Disney that’s perpetuating the notion that skinny is beautiful; it’s the people who took issue with the design and demanded that Disney change it. What was it that Belle taught us? To not judge a book by its cover and to accept everyone regardless of appearance or size. We should all do the same for Merida. We should follow the morals these same Disney princesses taught us in

After

Photo Courtesy of | msn.com

their movies and remember one very important thing: that Merida—and, by extension, any other Disney princess—is not defined by her looks.

Before

Op-Ed: We the Women of the United States by GRETHEL VEGA University of Southern California Graduate Student and UCSB Alumni We are End Fake Clinics. We are feminists. We are queer. We are students .We are for reproductive justice. The reproductive justice approach to activism historically arose from the perspectives of women of color as a way to push the mainstream reproductive rights movement beyond their focus on abortion and birth control. Women of color recognized that the pro-choice framework was limited and exclusionary because all women don’t have equal choices and because all choices are not deemed equal. Reproduction goes beyond the workings of the body; how we understand reproduction is social, historical, geographic, political, and discursive. It changes over time and is impacted by the spaces and the places where we live. The reproductive justice approach brings together the concerns of reproductive rights movements with a broader focus on social justice, and, in doing so, works to change the broader structures that impact how people experience reproduction. Reproductive justice is recognizing that age, class, race, ability, sexuality and gender shape reproductive experiences. Reproductive justice is working to expose the dangers of crisis pregnancy centers, the unregulated anti-abortion centers that lure young and poor women with the promise of free pregnancy tests, and disguise themselves as neutral medical providers, but give false information regarding sexual and reproductive health. Reproductive justice is de-stigmatizing and celebrating abortion rather than denouncing it. Reproductive justice is acknowledging that birth control can be dangerous and that it is not just a woman’s responsibility. Reproductive justice is preventing environmental toxins from entering women’s bodies. Reproductive justice is condemning capitalism. Reproductive justice is seeing sex work as labor. Reproductive justice is not seeing disability as a burden. Reproductive justice critiques the medicalization of childbirth; it is celebrating alternative ways of child bearing and rearing. Reproductive justice is challenging the assumption that women of color and low-income women are not equipped to be mothers. Reproductive justice is imagining alternative constructions of motherhood. Reproductive justice is advocating for a living wage. Reproductive justice issues are trans issues. Reproductive justice is fighting the shackling of incarcerated women during childbirth as well as the broader prison industrial complex and its targeting of communities of color. Reproductive justice is ending the deportations of undocumented people and the separating of families. Reproductive justice issues are queer issues. Reproductive justice is imagining alternative ways of being, living and existing in our world. As members of End Fake clinics, we work to both raise awareness about these issues and create change at UCSB and in our various communities. In 2011, UCSB became the first university in the country to pass a ban that prevented crisis pregnancy centers from advertising on our campus. Other cities and universities have passed “truth in advertising” bills that require CPCs to state that they do not provide abortions. But UCSB went a step further to ban CPCs from advertising through any Associated Students entities on our campus. We are now working to prevent network Medical, a local crisis pregnancy center, from advertising in our campus coupon books. Throughout the year, we organize film screenings and talks by activists and academics that feature alternative perspectives on reproduction. This week we hosted a film screening of “The Business of Being Born” which outlines the problems with the medicalization of birth and the benefits of natural childbirth. Midwives from the Santa Barbara Birth Center led a discussion afterwards. And we counter the lies that circulate about abortion through our ongoing “Truth about Abortion” poster campaign. End Fake Clinics comes together to inform ourselves and the broader campus community about issues that are not often discussed. We spread awareness of reproductive justice issues and perspectives on our campus through both our radio show, The Reproductive Justice Power Hour, on KJUC and also through a new poster campaign that critiques both anti-abortion and mainstream pro-choice ideologies. Look for these posters today. You can see the posters all over campus. see OP-ED | page 8

The Bottom Line | May 22 - May 29

page 5 | Arts & Entertainment

‘A Streetcar named Desire’ Drives Audiences to UCSB’s Performing Arts Theater by AnDREA VALLOnE Staff Writer I, like many others in my cohort, have a distinct impression of Tennessee Williams’ play “A Streetcar named Desire” based on Elia Kazan’s 1951 cinematic rendition of the play starring Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando. With groundbreaking performances from hunky yet terrifying Brando and whimsical, pitiful Leigh, I admit that I was unable to suppress my predispositions before watching the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Department of Theater and Dance’s rendition. But much to my surprise, I didn’t have to. Irwin Appel’s direction coupled with

UCSB-blooded actors effectively upheld the genius in William’s deceivingly simplistic play, which ran from from May 9 to May 19 at UCSB’s Performing Arts Theatre. The storyline chronicles the lives of three main characters during a hot summer in new Orleans: Stella (Grace Morrison), her husband Stanley Kowalski ( Joe Samaniego), and Stella’s visiting younger sister Blanche DuBois (nicole Caitlin Abramson). Stella and Stanley reside in a congested street-level apartment, which practically summons tension when southern belle Blanche comes to stay with them after losing the DuBois’ ancestral plantation. This strained relationship triangle manifests itself through intisee STREETCAR | page 8

Persian Culture Show Displays Traditional and Contemporary Literature, Music, Dance by MARISSA PEREz Staff Writer Filling the Multicultural Center theater to capacity, the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Persian Student Group and Project nur worked together to put on the 35th annual Persian Culture Show on May 19. The show featured a wide variety of acts of dancing, singing, music, and poetry recitation. Beginning with a skit which briefly covered some of the important thinkers, writers, and poets from throughout the history of Iran, the show offered students, faculty, and members of the community a chance to learn about different elements of Persian culture. Following the skit was a dance to “Gol Pari Joon,” which chronicled the story of courting suitors. Later in the night, the show featured several other dances, including a belly dance routine by some of the members of Persian Student Group and a lively mashup

of various modern Persian dances. Shadeh Rassoulkhani, a first-year psychology major who performed in the belly dance routine, said the group practiced routines for several weeks before the show, putting in work on both choreography and learning their routines. Several students also performed live music for the audience, many of whom seem to recognize the pieces. Marjan Riazi performed a solo piano piece, Seth noorzad performed a solo violin piece, and Mazy Karandish performed a variety of both old and new Persian instrumental pieces on the sitar and the oud, accompanied on the drums. Performers also showcased Persian poetry throughout the night. Students read from the works of Forough Farrokhzad, one of Iran’s most influential poets of the 20th century, as well as a piece from the famed 13th century poet Rumi. The speakers read see PERSIAn | page 8

Extravaganza Makes Gauchos Go Bananas

Enthusiastic front-row fans are stoked to see headliner Kendrick Lamar up-close and personal at UCSB Extravaganza on Sunday. by AnIS VIJAY MODI Staff Writer This year’s highly anticipated Extravaganza festival promised and delivered students at the University of California, Santa Barbara an unforgettable concert experience on May 19. The treasure hunt-themed festival took place at UCSB’s Harder Stadium. Clear skies and warm weather set the ambience for the day, which kicked off around 1 p.m. with Alpha Phunk, the winner of UCSB’s Battle of the Bands competition. Sofia Melo (vocals), Larcy Hall (MC), Vincent Loris (drums), Bobby Beresford (trumpet), Blake Bennett (guitar), Miller Wrenn (bass), and Ben Pearse (keys) boast a musical maturity that contrasts with their length of time together as a group. The band had only played together for a few months before competing in Battle of the Bands and landing the opening spot. Their unique mixture of funk, jazz, and rap started the afternoon off on a flavorful note. “I didn’t know them [Alpha Phunk] before today, and I liked them. They were good as an opening act,” said Craig Martow, a psychology major and attendee. The large stage failed to intimidate the band, who

showed off their instrumental arsenal with songs including the crowd-pleasing “Blue Phunk.” The high-energy and spirit of the band’s show transcended their performance; the band members interacted colloquially with each other backstage and seemed more like a family than just a group of musicians. “It was really amazing being up there after going to these shows in the past,” said Hall. Loris added, “I don’t think anyone was nervous. We play together so much that it comes natural to us.” Orange County’s The Growlers carried on the funky vibes with their psychedelic California-style rock, a genre they like to call “Beach Goth.” “We don’t have a plan going into the studio,” said Brooks nielsen, the band’s frontman. “Everyone in the band writes, one person listening to reggae and the other to country music, so that has a big influences on our sound. We don’t know what we’re doing before going in the studio; we write as much as we can and put the finishing touches on it.” Based on how many students sang along with nielson’s resounding see EXTRAVAGAnzA | page 8

Blake Bennett of Alpha Phunk

Samoan Reggae artist J Boog brings his unique sound to the stage at UCSB Extravaganza, creating a mellow mood before the craziness of Dada Life.

Soﬁa Melo of Alpha Phunk

The Bottom Line | May 22 - May 29

page 6 | Arts & Entertainment

Not Your Daddy’s Daft Punk: ‘Random Remix to Ignition: Access Memories’ and the New EDM Duo Explores Musical Posby MATT MERSEL Staff Writer The boys are back, and boy, is it good to see them again. Legendary electronic duo Daft Punk has finally returned with their first proper studio album since 2005’s “Human After All” (excluding the soundtrack to 2010’s “Tron: Legacy”), titled “Random Access Memories.” now at this point, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter are living legends, and they have already redefined electronic music multiple times in their careers. That being said, I wondered if their newest effort would live up to the legacy. The first step in understanding “Random Access Memories” is un-learning much of what characterized Daft Punk in the past. Sure, you’ll hear the signature robotic vocals and refined production, but that’s where the similarities end. This is a new type of electronic dance music, far removed from songs like “Technologic” and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.” If it wasn’t apparent from the feeling of the lead single “Get Lucky,” “Random Access Memories” is a much different take on the genre, featuring full instrumentation and the incorporation of styles like disco, 80s synth pop, and some good old-fashioned funk. The stellar opening track “Give Life Back to Music” is a perfect introduction to this new Daft Punk, showcasing their

revitalized direction while retaining the expected funky guitar riffs and distinctive vocals. As the album continues, so do the experiments with sound and style, which are almost unanimously excellent. “The Game of Love” and “Within” explore R&B territory, and disco takes over in several tracks, including “Lose Yourself to Dance” and “Get Lucky” (both of which feature n.E.R.D. lead singer Pharrell Williams) as well as “Touch,” which is assisted by legendary songwriter Paul Williams. “Giorgio by Moroder” pays homage to the long history of electronic music production, featuring some biographical spoken sections by the titular famed Italian producer Giorgio Moroder. The tracks “Motherboard” and “Contact” show the duo experimenting with a much wider range of sounds and themes. I could go more in-depth and describe at length what makes each song amazing, but the success of the album comes not from each individual song’s merits, but how it fits together Photo Courtesy of | daftpunk.com and does what Daft Punk does best: readjusts the trends. Pop music nowadays is experiencing a shift. Just a year ago, it seemed like every song on the radio had some kind of electro-house or dubstep influence, making the fusion of pop and electronic dance music commonplace. Lately, however, more and more artists are testing out the same variety of fully instrumented, retro-inspired productions that Daft Punk have embraced.

Hitchcock-themed Reel Loud Film Festival Set to Be a Bloody Good Time by YUEn SIn Staff Writer A smoldering romance between psychopaths. Self-reflexive murder intrigues unfolding within the cinema. Hilarious mediations on the banal failures of everyday life. These are just a few of the kinds of student films set to premiere at the 2013 Reel Loud Film Festival, which will take place on May 24 at the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Campbell Hall. Reel Loud is a fully student-run film festival which started in 1991 as a way for students associated with the UCSB Filmmaker’s Co-op to showcase their work publicly. now into its 22nd year, the festival recently made a major shift from its traditional 16mm film to digital format. The Reel Loud selection committee recently narrowed down this festival’s picks to ten silent films accompanied with original music by some of UCSB’s young talent, in line with the festival’s collaborative approach. “I think we’ve got some really strong films in the line-up this year, and combined with the Hitchcock theme it’s going to be a shocking evening for all,” said festival director Hilary Campbell, a fourth-year film and media studies major.

In addition to seeing the familiar facades of Isla Vista and Santa Barbara transform into cinematic backdrops on screen, audiences will also get to enjoy live music from groups like The Fire Department and naked Voices, as well as dance and stand-up performances in between the films. Multiple accolades will be up for grabs at the festival, including an Audience’s Choice award, which will be voted upon by the audience, as well as awards for best photos, editing, and live accompaniment. Fourth-year history and film studies major Chester Howie, whose short comedy film, “Birthday Boy,” was picked to be in this year’s lineup, said that “it is an honor just to be included in UCSB’s biggest film festival,” given the nature of the tough competition from many talented filmmakers this year. In fact, the competitive element of Reel Loud is ultimately obscured by the very nature of Reel Loud as “a celebration of the art of telling a visual story while enjoying the incredible creative works that many of UCSB’s young filmmakers and musicians have to offer,” he added. Tickets are on pre-sale at the Film and Media Studies office (Room 2433) for $10, and for $12 at the door in Campbell Hall on May 24.

sibilities of the Guitar With Versatile Performance by AUDREY ROnnInGEn Promotions Director A modest yet attentive crowd gathered on May 16 at Karl Geiringer Hall to hear Ramon Fermin and David Gonzales, also known as the Ignition Duo. The performance demonstrated the versatility of the guitar, as both musicians showed off a range of musical sounds and styles that varied from classical to modern. The Ignition Duo formed in 2011 with the mission of exploring the genres of “new music” and progressive rock. They split their performance into two well-defined halves, starting out with 20th century classical guitar duets and then shifting to contemporary rock pieces that came off as fascinating and often intentionally abrasive. Although these two styles are at the opposite end of the modern musical spectrum, they also held unexpected common ground. Pieces from both halves of the program shared a world music influence, and much of the music was interactive in its call-and-response between the two instruments. Fermin and Gonzales began with “no Feathers On This Frog,” a minor key piece by Serbian-born American composer Dusan Bogdanovic. The work commenced slowly and developed into a main theme that appeared first through harmonization, and then again as the two guitars traded off with the melody. After a dramatic finish, they moved into the Brazilian “Jobiniana no. 1” by Sergio Assad. This mellow piece contrasted with its faster predecessor, yet fell into the same vein of responsive guitar parts and a constantly moving, flowing sound. “Impulses” gave a hint at what was to come after intermission, and started with sharp, dissonant chords from both instruments. The edgier piece stayed true to the classical theme of the first half, though, and mixed harsh sounds that seemingly came out of nowhere with quiet, modulating harmonies. In their last number before intermission, the duo played a three-movement piece called “Tango Suite” by Astor Piazzolla, an Argentine composer. The dance influences permeated all sections, and made for an interesting sound when combined with the composer’s modern take that shook up the traditional tango rhythm. The duo incorporated electric guitars in the second half, which began with a twist when Fermin took the stage for a solo of Clarence Barlow’s “…Until…”. The unexpected and exclusive use of harmonics in the piece resulted in a metallic sound quality that one wouldn’t typically associate with the guitar. While the piece did have a decipherable melody, a lack of fixed rhythm made its tones seem more like separate intervals and gave it an overall feel of disconnect. next was a guitar adaptation of Steve Reich’s “nagoya Marimbas,” which was commissioned for the music conservatory in the city of nagoya, Japan. The piece was quick and lively, and compared to the one prior, far more melodic. The finale was perhaps the most experimental out of all the selections. “Double negative,” which was featured at the 2013 Switchboard Festival in San Francisco, jumped off with extremely discordant notes that recurred in the majority of the piece. A handful of sweeter-sounding tunes accompanied it, yet the emphasis seemed to be more on the difference between notes than their similarities. Like other bands in the genre, the Ignition Duo’s focus on experimental music utilized instruments in unusual ways that expanded on their capabilities. The contrast between the two halves was especially important to the performance, and showed how guitars can move beyond classic sounds into areas that are notably innovative.

Modern Vampires for a Modern Day:

Vampire Weekend’s Un-Appeasing Beauty by COLEMAn GRAY When Vampire Weekend burst onto the scene in 2008 with their brilliant and eponymous debut album, and their delightful lilting that captures a crisp new England morning better than a Thoreau musing, critics hailed them as bright lights of a more defined indie rock genre. They gained renown for playing to college-educated 20-somethings who could appreciate both the simplicity and complexity of their subtle messages about life. But with that sensibility, some labeled them (and correctly so, in my opinion) as a group of privileged Ivy Leaguers who simply mused on their so-called “problems” with a childlike ignorance to actual issues outside their own white, upper middle-class bubble. Five years later, with the May 14 release of their adventurous third album “Modern Vampires of the City,” I’d say that the label has lost its stick. Vampire Weekend’s new album does not adhere to the light, pop sentiments of their previous two albums; instead, it takes the band in a new direction, both in musicality and subject matter. Despite this experimentation, “Modern Vampires” asserts itself as the album Vampire Weekend fans (and critics alike) have longed for. This new direction is not outward, but inward—”Modern Vampires” is the first work in which Vampire Weekend becomes sentient of its position in the musical zeitgeist, while also demonstrating the doubt of modern America. While some might classify this change as “dark,” I believe “deep” is a more apt description. Gone are the upbeat ditties about refreshing Mexican beverages and punctuation debates; more self-reflexive songs ranging from stories of depression to parodies of the pop music industry take center stage. The opening track “Obvious Bicycle” immediately conveys this shift. Beginning with a decidedly more somber tone than the previous albums, the chorus encourages the listener to bear with this new musical style, and the more experienced feelings of the band. “Obvious Bicycle” comes across as the antiillusionist third album equivalent of their 2008 hit “Campus.” In “Campus,” the speaker tries to woo a girl back to bed

with fancy clothes and personal grooming, whereas “Obvious Bicycle” portrays a man disillusioned with the world in which “no one’s gonna spare their time” and he “must face the razor” alone. This new, deeper sentiment permeates through the double single “Diane Young”/”Step” as well. Vampire Weekend employs a guitar riff reminiscent of punk to further emphasize their move away from everyone’s expectations. In doing so, they not only show their development, but also poke fun at the clichés of modern pop. With the self-reflective title “Diane Young” the

off, as it blends this blatant critique with a minimalistic, yet moving simplicity. But the most obvious shift in musical aesthetic is prevalent in the third track, “Step.” The song begins with a tonguein-cheek ode to the allusion-driven lyrics and sound of their previous albums; however, it soon morphs into an experimental piece about growing older and wiser while regretting the passage of time. In “Step” one can almost feel the increasing age and wisdom of Vampire Weekend, as this track demonstrates their musical departure from ‘East Coast preppy surf ’ pop to a more experimental vibe, and even features a noticeable, yet oddly beautiful pitch shift in the chorus and various unconventional recording processes. With these effects, Vampire Weekend almost says, “that was who we were, but this is who we are.” While the feeling of the album is different, the greatness of Vampire Weekend shines through. The lyrics still attract the English literature major in all of us and will send us frantically searching for the meaning behind allusions faster than a Google search. Tracks such as “Hannah Hunt,” “Ya Hey,” and “Young Lion” especially stand out among this unceasing musical wit, and are masterworks in their own right. While all these aforementioned songs are brilliant examples of music, the rest of the album is just as spectacular: a musically and emotionally seamless flow of a genre revolution. In the chorus of the album’s second track “Unbelievers,” front man and lyricist Ezra Koenig asks, “I’m not excited, but should I be?” And “Modern Vampires of the City” answers with a resounding “yes.” For those longtime Vampire Weekend fans, this album is a revelation; it’s an unapologetic, sonic spectrum of brutal honesty. It is a departure from their music of the past, but Photo Courtesy of | vampireweekend.com manages to maintain the essence of the band that drew so many in. For new converts, this band reiterates their outsider status by making a pun of the pop album will forever shift their perspective of what indie rock trope of dying young, and also through the use of auto-tune and can be. And it is with this new understanding that one can incessant repetition of “baby.” However, this piece deviates from truly experience the brilliance of Vampire Weekend, and what current pop music in a way that only Vampire Weekend can pull music can be.

The Bottom Line | May 22 - May 29

page 7 | Health & Lifestyles

‘Why Can’t They Just Pull Them Up?’ Forum Discusses ‘Colorblindness,’ Racial Inequality

by Elizabeth Aguilar Staff Writer “Do you feel it is intrusive on civil liberties to create such ordinances?” University of California, Santa Barbara Assistant Professor Felice Blake showed a short Youtube clip for a forum audience that was literally overflowing out of the campus Multi-Cultural Center (MCC) on Tuesday, May 14. The audience had gathered to listen to Blake speak about a racial and ethnic phenomenon described as “colorblindness.” The video, which originally aired the day before current President Barack Obama was elected in 2008, depicts Obama answering a question about clothing ordinances being posed to him by an MTV interviewer. Obama responds, “I think passing a law about people wearing saggy pants is a waste of time…any public official who is worrying about saggy pants probably needs to spend some time focusing on real problems out there.” In her forum, Blake discussed the largely unacknowledged effects of these ordinances on minority groups in a lecture meant to illustrate the results of colorblindness, or indifference toward the racial impact of institutional poli-

cies because they have not referred explicitly to race. However, she also emphasized the need for “new dialogue space” within which discussions about racial inequalities could take place. Blake cited examples such as the racial disparities prevalent in incarceration rates and in sentencing policies as well as police profiling and brutality as some of “very real, everyday-life” social inequalities that persist today. Colorblindness is not just relevant to the field of criminal justice. Blake aptly portrayed colorblindness as having “tentacles across many different areas.” The complications of racial inequality make it tempting to ignore the problem by assuming an aloof position of colorblindness, says Blake, but efforts should be made “to create the space and language to determine what ails us.” What Blake means exactly by “what ails us” is illustrated in strikingly personal terms by the American Sociological Association. In its statement on “The Importance of Collecting Data and Doing Social Scientific Research on Race,” the ASA asserts that “failure to gather data on this socially significant category would...hamper progress toward understanding and addressing inequalities in primary social institutions...such as schools, labor markets, neighborhoods, and health care...”

More and more voices are beginning to, as Blake puts it, “air grievances” about the inequalities experienced as a result of sometimes unconsciously biased, racial perceptions operating within a surprisingly high number of the institutions which have been governing daily American lives for decades. In 2008, the election of Obama was one of the national institutions around which a racial dialogue naturally grew. Despite its acclaimed progressiveness, many people within an emerging grassroots movement said that this event, much like the Civil Rights Act of 1960, provided an opportunity for social conservatives to ignore the persistent, unacknowledged marginalization of minority groups by pointing out the affirmative action no one could reasonably deny was taking place. Ironically, by the end of her lecture, Blake’s forum transformed into the dialogue space which she had referred to earlier. An older woman passionately related her helplessness and outrage at having a guard of color assigned to search her belongings after being profiled and suspected of stealing a compact disc from UCSB’s Davidson Library. Citing this experience, Blake pointed out the “common patriarchal system” of using minorities “to survey and police” each other, a system leading to what she referred to as “inter-com-

Relationship Expert Reid Milhalko Will Discuss Sex and Relationships at Loma Pelona Center by Allyson Werner Staff Writer With the sudden arrival of Facebook pages like UCSB Hook-Ups and UCSB Confessions, Isla Vista’s hook-up culture has been placed in the spotlight. For this reason, campus organizations such as the Women, Gender, and Sexual Equity Department (WGSE) have hosted a variety of events on sexual harassment in IV. In fact, WGSE will be hosting sex and relationship expert Reid Mihalko on Wednesday, May 22 at 7 p.m. in the Loma Pelona Center (LPC). WGSE includes Women’s Center Programs; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Resources; Rape Prevention Education Programs; and a Non-Traditional Student Resource Center, all of which host programs to inform UCSB students of problems facing UCSB’s campus. Mihalko, who has spoken about sex on NPR, CBS, Fox News, Oprah’s “Our America,” and more, will give a presentation called “How To Be a Gentleman AND Get Laid: Navigating consent, sexual freedom, partying, dating, relationships, and what it means to be a man on campus,” which has received significant recognition for combining science, pragmatism, and humor. “The primary message I want to convey in ‘Be A Gentleman AND Get Laid’ is that men (and women) can have more and better sex, achieve deeper intimacy, and create a reputation that’s respected by role modeling transparency, self-expression and integrity,” said Mihalko. “In short, you can make dating, mating

and relating more fun, more healthy, more conscious and inspire people for it.” Mihalko explained that the individuals have become increasingly sexually curious; however, at the same time, they lack the communication skills to appropriately express themselves. “While the sexual revolution and the Internet has given us some permission to be more sexually free and curious, most men and women have inherited culture’s shame, mixed messages, and poor communication skills when it comes to speaking truthfully about our wants, needs, desires, and fantasies,” he said. Milhako’s talk will target men and emphasize the act of gaining consent prior to intercourse; however, he encourages women to attend as well. “While it’s true my interactive lecture will target the men of UCSB, everyone is welcome,” he said. “All students regardless of gender, relationship status or sexual orientation will gain valuable insights on how they can make sex and love less confusing, feel safer, and way less shameful. I’m going to shorten everyone’s learning curves in regards to dating and sex so that you don’t have to make as many mistakes in life and love as everyone around you.” Emily Crutcher of the WGSE hopes that Milhako’s lecture will attract more men to the issue of sexual harassment and IV’s unfortunate rape culture. “This topic has been framed as a women’s issue ,” she said. “I would like to change that.” For more information, attend Milhako’s interactive lecture in the LPC on May 22. Photo by Mark Brocher | The Bottom Line

UCSB Hosts Debate on Drone Warfare

by Taylor Griffith Staff Writer On the evening of May 15, the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Arts and Lectures and the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center (IHC) hosted the Arthur N. Rupe Great Debate. The discussion was among eminent professors and attorneys about the pragmatic, moral, and legal ramifications of drone warfare. Drone warfare is “one of the most prolific issues up for debate today,” said one of the participants, Mary Ellen O’Connell, in her opening remark. O’Connell, a research professor of international dispute resolution at the University of Notre Dame, has been studying the use of drones since 2002 and was the panelist who opposed the use of lethal force with drones. “International law is the relevant law for the debate,” she said. “Outside of war zones there is no tolerance for collateral.” Furthermore, “inexpert discussion is used to validate the law,” resulting in a “global war concoction” for justifying drone strikes. O’Connell states in her CNN article “When Are Drone Killings Illegal?” that “the United States is engaged in armed conflict only in Afghanistan. To lawfully resort to military force elsewhere requires that the country where the United States is attacking has first attacked the United States.” Another panelist, David Cole, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center, began with a powerful example of a drone’s potential pragmatism. He stated that in 2000, a drone sighted a figure matching the description of Osama bin Laden. If the drone were armed with hellfire missiles, the harrowing events of Sept. 11, 2001 may have been prevented. However, Cole went on to express a few reservations regarding the use of drones for lethal force. His main criticism rested upon the secrecy involved in carrying out drone strikes. “If it is not transparent, it is against the law,” he said. Cole’s critique is aimed at the Obama administration’s mode of operation regarding drones. According to his article “What’s Wrong With Obama’s Drone Policy,” the Justice Department’s “white paper,” the document that defends the legality of the U.S. use of drones, “maintains that the president can kill an American citizen who is not a member of Al Qaeda, not on a battlefield, not participating in hostilities and not engaged in or planning an attack against the United States when he is killed.” “Surely if the president claims the power to kill any of us without trail, we have a right to know the standards and procedures he will use,” Cole said. Avery Plaw, the third participant and an associate professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth advocated the use of drones in war, assuming “reasonable oversight.” “The use of drones has been tactfully effective,” but a “consensual compromise” from the political territory involved is essential in adhering to international law, he said. Plaw cited the notion of proportionality found in Michael Walzer’s book entitled “Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations,” as a cornerstone for his argument. Walzer states that proportionality, in just war theory, is: “to weigh ‘the mischief done,’ which presumably means not only the immediate harm to individuals but also any injury to the permanent interests of mankind, against the contribution that mischief makes to the end of victory.” Plaw is arguing that the end, preventing mass destruction due to terrorism, justifies the controversial means—a utilitarian argument of sorts. “The nature of conflict is changing,” said the moderator Jeff Greenfield in the concluding remarks, reminding the audience that see DRONE WARFARE | page 8

munal antagonism.” Despite the decades-long prevalence of these issues, she says that there is still “a collective absence of knowledge.” These are the rhetorical conundrums that Blake seems to suggest arise when attempting to describe racial issues, which have existed for decades but are just now being realized and conceptualized within racial consciousness. At the end, one audience member suggested that in an effort to counter this absence of knowledge, “what we can do is pursue an active policy of listening.” Married couple Rose and Lyndon Rochelle seemed to agree. Lyndon spoke thoughtfully as he addressed the forum audience, “We all wear our clothes the way we do for a reason...I think it’s time to start respecting each other as human beings even if we don’t share the same culture.” Rose also said, brightly, “I think it’s pretty clear that people like what makes them different.” It was obvious from the audience members’ responses that they were thinking critically about the issues particularized in Blake’s lecture. Whether or not they would be motivated to further action by Blake’s urging that they also make a “collective effort to recognize each other” is another matter, which only time and discussion will be able to chronicle.

Foreign Culinary Traditions Right at Your Doorstep by Anis Vijay Modi Staff Writer There are a number of long hidden culinary gems many students are not aware of, sitting right outside their doorsteps. The lure of exotic scents draws a crowd of customers into local restaurants. However, not many of us know that specialty markets hold the wonders of these cuisines right on their shelves. As longtime residents of Isla Vista or on-campus housing, University of California, Santa Barbara students quickly establish their go-to dining options. After all, this area is packed with places that cater to our every need. The Italian pizzas and pastas, Mexican burritos and enchiladas, and even Vietnamese and Indian cuisines are all within our reach—and at student-friendly prices. But once in a while, the selection of restaurants around us gets somewhat monotonous. There are also some students among us that have mastered the art of cooking a good meal, but many of us have not. The charm of undercooked pasta or soft rice, including the time it takes to make these supposedly delicious meals, does not appeal to many students. And no—instant ramen does not count as a home-cooked dinner. Bur what better way is there to explore the riches of foreign cuisines than by taking a shot at making it yourself ? Ethnic food markets such as the Indo-China Market in Goleta and Pennywise Market located in Santa Barbara give all of us just such a chance. From the outside, Indo-China market seems to be just another small retail store in the line of random shops located next to the Goleta branch of chain superstore Kmart. One step inside, and the illusion of foreign lands sneaks into your breath. The smell of Indian spices, unrecognizable Chinese ingredients, and different products from all over Asia are all mixed together within the shelves of this mom-and-pop-sized supermarket. A quick run through the store will turn up products from India, China, Japan, Indonesia, and even unrelated luxuries popular all over the world such as Cadbury’s or Kinder’s delicious chocolate treats. Some of these products could be easily mixed in to any regular home-cooked dish and give it an exciting boost of unfamiliar taste. A couple of clicks on your computer, on the other hand, make it easy to find recipes for exotic dishes from all corners of the world. Places like Indo-China come in handy when a crazy ideas such as making your own sushi or Indian platter come into mind. Pennywise Market, located in a quiet, residential part of Santa Barbara, is even more unassuming than the former. A look from the outside will not give rise to suspicion that a whole different part of the world hides between the walls of this small family-operated Indian market. One step inside makes customers feel as if they have just arrived at a small Mumbai food shop. The smell and looks of this store are topto-bottom, 100 percent Indian. People could find all of their Indian cuisine needs here, from an entire microwavable meal made in 10 minutes, to the smallest of ingredients and spices required to make one such meal all by yourself. For many students, these markets could help spice up some of their old rice and beans favorites. After all, one touch of Indian spice could give your homemade pasta a wonderful twist. Yet, these places also give many students (including myself ) the opportunity to go back to their roots and comfort themselves with home-like flavors. For those of us who have been raised on the laps of foreign culinary traditions, places like Pennywise and Indo-China Market provide a nice break from the all-American pizza and hamburger take-outs. The all-encompassing nature of these stores gives everyone a chance to find something that they would love, whether they are dedicated followers of foreign cuisines or someone just waiting to get a sip of a new taste. They provide a chance to find something exotic to add to every meal, be it a small touch of foreign flavor or an entire meal cooked to order— just like at the restaurant across the street from your house.

page 8 | Technology/Continuations

The Bottom Line | May 22 - May 29

Twitter:

Earth’s Mood Ring...Kind Of by ASHLEY GOLDEN Web &Technology Editor

Valentines Day 2013 was the happiest day of the year. The saddest? Monday, April 15, the day of the Boston Marathon bombing. How do we know this? Something called a hedonometer—and it’s mining Twitter data to gauge the world’s daily happiness levels. How it works: words are assigned a happiness rating from 1 (sad) to 9 (happy). The analysis is made up of a random sample of about 50 million tweets, or roughly 10 percent. This gives the happiness rating for that day.

Users can look at data by year from 2008-present at hedonometer.org. Multicolored dots represent the data on a graph and can be hovered over for details. The most prevalent words for that day are listed, along with the date and the happiness rating. There are also maps that show hot spots on the globe where the most tweeting occurs. An obvious problem with this tool? Not everyone tweets. Not only are there people with access to the technology who not tweet or who may tweet things that don’t accurately portray their emotional state, but there are entire countries that don’t have access to Twitter.

Windows 8.1 Update to be Free by ASHLEY GOLDEN Web &Technology Editor The latest update to the Microsoft operating system known as Windows 8 will be free for users who already have the OS. Not surprisingly, the company has dubbed this update, previously known by the codename “Windows Blue,” Windows 8.1. Not much is yet known about this update, set to be released later this year. The update plans to address confusion and complaints users have had with Microsoft’s latest operating system. These complaints include everything from the lack of a simple start button and home page—currently buried beneath a fancy interface—the touch gestures of trackpads, and the ever-changing live tiles and hidden widgets. There is a strong argument to be made that this new system is a vast improvement over the old one. It is allowing Microsoft to stay competitive in this new age of tablets, touch devices, and more complex smart interfaces like smart houses and appliances (you can now program your refrigerator to sense when it is out of something—say, milk—and order it from the

store for delivery for you). However, less techsavvy users familiar with the older way of doing things have been struggling. International Data Corp., a leading data and statistics firm, has stated there has been a 14 percent decline in worldwide PC sales last year. It speculates that Windows 8 was a major contributing factor. Unfortunately, the company has released very little information on the specifics of what problems 8.1 will address. One way the new update is looking to improve is by making it more compatible for smaller devices, such as 7-8” tablets, for which the current interface is a bit too bulky and cumbersome. Windows Marketing and Financing Chief Tami Reller assures consumers they can buy Windows 8 now with no worries of missing out on any of the features or functionality 8.1 will have to offer. Yet one question remains: if such hype is being given to the free-ness of Windows 8.1— when historically Microsoft has always had decimal updates be free upgrades—does that mean that pay-for-use upgrades are on the horizon for Windows users?

STREETCAR continued from page 5

mate and powerful character interactions. The play adheres to Williams’ design through its setting, which is an intimate black box setting with very minimal set and props. However, Appel adds a hint of spice when he breaks all walls of the theatre and has his actors sit directly in the audience at times, truly immersing viewers in the action. In some scenes, I felt voyeuristic; in others, I forgot there were actors and that I was even watching a play. Appel deliberately invites audiences into the intricate dealings between the characters, which makes the tragic plotline even more heart wrenching. Due to my aforementioned predispositions, I was prepared to be highly critical of the mere physical appearance of the characters. Upon first gaze I gathered that, despite Blanche being brunette, all major characters including Eunice and Mitch fit their physical roles impeccably. This immediately led me to think of the pitfalls of type casting, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the actors’s abilities lived up to their appearances. But, boy was I wrong. Eunice (Erin Margaret Pettigrew) immediately launched into an exemplary performance, arousing laughter and smiles all throughout the room in the early scenes of the play. Samaniego managed to instill fear by prowling across stage and throwing his ever so suggestive meat package at a blushing Morrison. Abramson wowed the audience with her extravagant and burdensome vernacular layered with her comedically ironic behavior and clever blocking. In arguably the most renowned scene (Stanley screaming “Stella!” anyone?), Samaniego’s performance elicits an overwhelming sense of empathy despite his harshly brutish mannerisms; one can’t escape pitying him. Morrison is so convincing in her unhealthy love for Stanley, you can’t help but think you’ve been in her position before. Caldwell and Abramson portray Mitch and Blanche’s innocent courtship as dolefully ill-fated, and leave you fruitlessly begging Williams for a happy ending. What is also notable is Appel’s close consideration for the acoustics throughout the play. With a very talented music ensemble, the play is scored just perfectly enough to tug at your heartstrings. McVay’s rendition of Julie London’s 1955 “Cry Me a River” is a beautiful touch. Moreover, off-stage interactions cleverly and artistically take place in the Performing Arts Building’s foyer, creating illustrious echoes that rattle the black box. My hat goes off to the cast and crew of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Appel and his actors rose to the challenge and truly enlightened the many lucky attendees who managed to catch a show.

GANGS continued from page 1

Larimore-Hall disagreed with how long it took the SB City Council to bring this issue to public comment. “This is a town in which putting in a Bevmo almost shut us down with public comment and public outcry and public discussion, where trimming a tree is a matter for discursive exercises and community dialogue every day and every week,” said Larimore-Hall. “Somehow this is the first time that there’s a public hearing about something that’s already cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars and will have a major, major impact on this community.” Chelsea Lancaster, a student program adviser who spoke during public comment, said this injunction would not handle the issue the way it’s promoted as doing. “This will not work. Look at what’s happening in Oakland. Look at what’s happening in Chicago. Look at what’s happening in Los Angeles. We are better than this. We are not those cities. We are smarter,” said Lancaster. The City Council will continue to discuss the gang injunction past public comment and the city council meeting, and no definitive date for a decision on the issue has been set.

DRONE WARFARE continued from page 7

we are amidst a drastic change in the method of warfare. Technological advances, which have enabled catastrophic damage at the push of a button, paired with the nature of terrorism—namely the intentional and devastating murder of innocent lives with guerrilla style tactics—have amplified the urgency of defense, but the question at hand is: to what extent does the end justify the means, and are those means even legally possible, given current international law? This was the question addressed in this year’s Arthur N. Rupe Great Debate, contributing to a further progression in the discussion and resolution of this immensely important issue.

OP-ED continued from page 7

We are End Fake Clinics. For more information, search End Fake Clinics on Facebook and check out our website: http://endfakeclinics.wix.com/efc We meet on Tuesdays at the Women’s Center at 6pm. Join us as we explore various reproductive justice issues and work to make our campus and communities more just.

Creators of the hedonometer address these concerns on their website saying Twitter is ever expanding and becoming a more reliable source with every passing year. They also don’t claim it gives an accurate portray of the world’s feelings. However, despite its limitations, the program is far from useless. For hotspot areas such as major cities, it can give a fairly accurate idea of how happy that area was on any given day. It also has the potential for expansion. Instead of focusing on only happiness levels, this tool could look at other variables such as anger, hope, or political climate. The hedonometer has the potential to provide society with an introspective look at itself.

PERSIAN continued from page 5

ems both in Farsi and English, and provided a brief background about each of the famed poets’ lives. The Persian Student Group also read another Rumi poem called “All Through Eternity” at the closing of the show as a message of solidarity toward one of their co-presidents who recently experienced a family tragedy. Following the show, attendees gathered in the MCC lounge to enjoy a sampling of traditional Persian food. “I think [the Persian Culture Show] is great because it exposes students to the Persian culture. There’s a lot of stigma and misunderstandings these days surrounding Persian culture,” Rassoulkhani said. “The president and all the officers put in a lot of work into this. There’s a lot of passion here. And it’s like a big family; everyone’s really welcoming. I’m glad I found this community here at UCSB.”

EXTRAVAGANZA continued from page 5

lyrics, the band appeared to be well-received by the audience. “I love The Growlers,” said third-year student Andrew McLean. “They are my favorite band in the world. They were an excellent choice for Extravaganza and I am happy that they made it.” J Boog and the Heavy Rain band followed suit with heavy-hitting reggae beats infused with island spirit. Their moving music fit the sunny day, and the crowd embraced their jams with open arms. J Boog got students dancing, clapping and repeating his rhymes with talent resounding the spirit of reggae’s best and brightest. They ended their set on a high note when they returned to the stage to perform Bob Marley’s famous “Jammin.” For those who waited around afterward, J Boog hung out in the crowd after the show. “My cousins go here, so we went to say hi,” J Boog said. “I went to go see them and everyone came by and asked for pictures.” When asked about the UCSB crowd, J Boog replied enthusiastically. “It was lovely, man! Santa Barbara is a great place to perform; it’s sunny right now, and it’s a great day to perform,” he said. “Students come out here and rage; they party, and they showed us much love.” In a message to aspiring musicians out there, J Boog noted that making music is somewhat like doing homework. “If you know music and that’s what you want to do, make sure you do it full power, and no side-stepping at all,” he said. “It’s just like homework, you know, you have to do it every day and make sure you do it right.” By the time Dada Life (comprised of Olle Corneer and Stefan Engblom) came on stage, students were ready to go bananas—and that is exactly what the Swedish DJs did. Their famous electro house music epitomized the notorious IV lifestyle, and prompted plenty of fist pumping and jumping for the duration of their set. A notable element of their show was their hit “Kick Out The Epic MotherF**ker.” They used the intro part of the song to both start and end their dynamic set. In true Dada fashion, they also threw bananas into the eager crowd throughout the set, and paid tribute to their penchant for the yellow fruit through a remix of Gwen Stefani’s 2004 song “Hollaback Girl.” Kendrick Lamar closed the set under the setting sun, mixing together songs from his older mixtapes and his record-selling album “good kid, m.A.A.d city.” It was not difficult to find fans of the Compton native in the audience, as many students in attendance shamelessly recited his sometimes questionable lyrics. Lamar made sure to include his lead singles “Swimming Pools” and “Poetic Justice,” providing both die-hard fans and new converts opportunities to sing along. “A lot of my friends came here for Dada Life, but I am a big Kendrick Lamar fan,”said Jackie Lee, a third-year mathematics major. Overall, this year’s lineup succeeded in appealing to the different musical tastes of the UCSB community, which is what AS Program Board strives to achieve every year. The ultimate result of the ASPB’s time and effort proved that #X13 truly marked the spot. Photos by Ayeyi Aboagye | The Bottom Line