17 minute read
The graduate student strike and demon
"TOY STORY 4" Script to Screen: The Universal Messages of
Advertisement
VANESSA SU | Arts & Entertainment Editor
On Feb. 29, UC Santa Barbara’s (UCSB) very own Pollock Th eater hosted a screening of family-favorite Pixar movie "Toy Story 4" followed by a discussion featuring the movie’s co-screenwriter Stephany Folsom. Th roughout the movie, the audience, which seemed to contain a plethora of eager Pixar fans, roared with laughter at the clever jokes in the dialogue and intently watched Woody struggle with his individual journey of fi nding where he belongs.
Th e last part of the classic "Toy Story" movie series, "Toy Story 4" focuses more on cowboy Woody’s story arc as he faces an identity crisis as new owner Bonnie’s toy. As he tries to make her childhood as happy as possible, he battles with the struggle of accepting the idea that children eventually lose interest in toys — an idea that resonates with a bigger message related to loss and acceptance.
Despite being fi lled with cheerful, fun toys and humorous dialogue, "Toy Story 4" contains an important message on “what do you do when society tells you [that] you don’t belong,” as emphasized by Folsom in the post-screening discussion. Eager to answer questions and detailed in her answers, Folsom went into a tremendous amount of detail regarding her journey as a screenwriter before landing the position of co-screenwriter for the "Toy Story 4" movie.
Folsom shared that before she was contacted by Pixar regarding this opportunity, she had debated on giving up her dream of screenwriting after attending fi lm school and landing several small scriptwriting and fi lm-related jobs. However, her light at the end of the tunnel arrived when her script "1969: A Space Odyssey: Or How Kubrick Learned to Stop Worrying and Land On the Moon" made it onto the Black List, a popular forum for fi lmmakers and writers to share their material.
Perhaps this opportunity is what allowed Folsom to develop a creative drive that can be seen through the carefully crafted dialogue and character relations seen in "Toy Story 4." For example, Bo Peep's arc is also highlighted in the fi lm as she fi nds her happiness in being a “lost” toy that gets the opportunity to explore and play with many children rather than belong to one kid.
With her bright personality and sense of cheerfulness, Folsom
joyously disclosed to the audience behind-the-scene moments such as how Keanu Reeves inspired details of his character, Duke Caboom during his initial meeting with Folsom to discuss the character. She recalled, “He suddenly jumps on the table and starts posing … just like how Duke Caboom does,” to the delight of the elated audience.
Notably, she mentioned that Pixar has a policy of not thinking of the audience during the production process of fi lms, contrary to popular belief. Th rough this sort of mentality, the animation company’s movies tend to be able to strike the heartstrings of audiences of all ages, not just children, with their universal messages.
A well-developed series still loved by many fans around the world, the "Toy Story" series has allowed audiences to experience the emotion behind the simple action of toys being given away to new owners or the idea of gratitude and companionship. Th e ability of Pixar to show these sentimental values in their fi lms is commendable and shows a promising future for their upcoming animations. Illustration by Echo Dieu | Sta Illustrator
KIMPTON GOODLAND Loves UCSB PARENTS & ALUMNI
So much so, that in addition to offering the most stylishly laid-back coastal California vibe, we provide some of the best discounts around. Simply visit: thegoodland.com/santa-barbara/ucsb-hotels
5650 Calle Real, Goleta, CA 93117 | (805) 964-6241 | @goodlandsb
Woos with Traditional UCSB Gamelan Ensemble Indonesian Music
RICHARD SMITH | Staff Writer
In the most recent performance of the World Music Series, the UCSB Gamelan Ensemble impressed listeners in the Music Bowl on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon. Led by Richard North, the ensemble was joined by its original founder, Don Howell, as a special treat. Gamelan is a style of music from Indonesia, more specifi cally Cirebon in the island of Java.
All members of the ensemble played bell-like percussion instruments, save for one fl ute, mostly played by Howell. Most of the instruments were large apparatuses made from carved teakwood that held bronze “bells” of diff erent sizes playing diff erent tones, with variations of this making up the majority of the orchestra. Th e instruments had a wonderfully sparkling ringing tone, all in harmony with each other, making a mysterious sound when all combined.
Th e audience was diverse and included students, elderly people, and children. North was especially happy that children were present, as he voiced that in Indonesia, gamelan performances often have several children present, sometimes playing near the musicians. Before playing, he stated that the pieces would be in pelog tuning, which has no Western equivalent. Gamelan music is commonly heard in Indonesia during royal palace ceremonies, village harvest celebrations, and other similar events.
Th e fi rst piece, "Semerangan," was a slow and meditative piece involving all of the percussion, fl ute, and even some chanting vocals from all of the performers. Immediately following this piece was "Semerangan Besar," which was identical to the fi rst except for a shift in tonal range and adjusted rhythm.
North described the piece as “romantic and complex,” while the fi rst was more “bright and sharp.” He also stated that this second piece was the favorite of the sultan in Indonesia, giving him a chance to mention that palace offi cials and Indonesian gamelan musicians have given praise to the UCSB Gamelan Ensemble for their outstanding musical talent and performance skills.
Th e ensemble continued to play slow and elegant pieces that were structured to alternate between strictly composed segments and improvised segments.
Both of these styles of playing are no mean task: the composed parts are strict, must be memorized (no sheet music), and complex while the improvised portion still requires the ensemble to remain in sync.
Th e ensemble was even skilled enough to react to specifi c drum beats by North to change tempo on cue — an exhibition of their passion and love for their music. Likewise, performers often switched instruments between songs, demonstrating their wide range of musical knowledge of various instruments.
Later in the show, they played "Cina Nanagi," which changed the pace from contemplative to festive, allowing for the veteran members of the ensemble to show off some serious skill. Surprisingly, according to North, these faster pieces are the much more ancient compositions, while the slower ones are fairly contemporary. In fact, despite each instrument being thousands of years old, the gamelan orchestra was only developed in the 1700s.
Th e fi nal piece was "Batangan," which is traditionally played for the sultan whenever he would arrive or leave the setting. Ensembles are traditionally expected to stop whatever they’re playing in order to play this if the sultan should decide to come or go.
Th is musical event, part of a series held by the MultiCultural Center every Wednesday, was once again a stunning and virtuosic performance put on by the UCSB MultiCultural Center.
Future performances of the World Music Series are showcased on Wednesdays at 12 p.m. in the Music Bowl. Photo by Richard Smith | Sta Photographer
Quantum Explodes Research
AT
UCSB
XANDER APICELLA | Science & Technology Editor
Aquantum revolution is coming, and UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) is leading the charge. In a talk at the Good Space in Goleta — last Th ursday, Feb. 27 — three UCSB professors, the presentation’s expert panelists, made that clear. Th ese grandiose titles and achievements speak to the degree to which the fi eld of quantum computing, and quantum physics in general, have benefi ted from the research and innovations of UCSB professors over the last decade.
Dr. Zhenghan Wang is a UCSB professor on permanent leave building Microsoft’s fi rst quantum computer as a researcher at the company’s Station Q. Dr. Ania Jayich is an active UCSB professor and a co-director of the world’s fi rst ever Quantum Foundry, an institute funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and being built at UCSB. Dr. John M. Martinis leads a lab group that was hired by Google to develop their fi rst quantum computer. He is now lead research scientist at Google’s Quantum AI Initiative — the leader of the team responsible for the company’s Quantum Supremacy announcement at the end of last year.
Classical computing — performed by devices like your laptop, phone, and micro-controllers in various products from cars to digital clocks used in daily life — operate by sending and receiving information in the form of bits, which can then be decided to perform the desired operation. Bits have two states, they can either be a zero or a one.
Quantum computing uses entangled quantum bits, or qubits, to perform its operations. Th ese qubits need not be only zero or one, they are probabilistic rather than defi ned. Th ey are neither zero nor one, but somewhere in between. Th is concept is diffi cult to wrap one’s head around, but it can reap major benefi ts in certain algorithms and functions classical computers already use today. Th e major diff erence is, these operations can, in certain cases, be tried much faster.
For certain searching algorithms, for example, a classical computer can only test one possibility at a time, because it represents a well-defi ned, single item in the search. Th e probabilistic, not-here-nor-there nature of qubits gives a quantum computer the ability to actually test multiple possibilities at once in a search, and in situations complex enough this drastically cuts down on the search’s runtime.
Th is is, in essence, what quantum supremacy is — what Martinis and his team demonstrated at Google. It is not the overall superiority of quantum computing, but the ability of quantum computing to far surpass classical computing in some cases. In the team’s paper, published in the Nature journal on Oct. 23, 2019, they demonstrated this with their Sycamore processors by using it to “sample one instance of a quantum circuit a million times.” Th is operation took their computer, which generated quantum states on 53 qubits, approximately 200 seconds. According to their estimates, it would take a cutting-edge supercomputer around 10,000 years to perform the same task. Th is increased effi ciency, Martinis said, will begin to show its value in optimizing all our industries as the technology advances, talking about optimizations to products like cars, batteries, and even medicine.
Wang’s team at Microsoft’s Station Q is taking a diff erent approach toward quantum computing, creating a topological qubit, which they believe will yield more stable and scalable quantum computers.
Furthermore, they have developed useful technologies at Microsoft just by understanding how a quantum computer works. Th eir insights have improved magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) — allowing them to either image in 30 percent of the original time, or get 30 percent better resolution than pre-existing technologies.
Jayich also mentioned MRI in relation to her work — she has an interest in the broader applications of quantum: applying its concepts to not just computing but other fi elds, as well. Her work in quantum sensing could allow a quantum MRI device to pick up magnetic fi elds from individual proteins, whereas the current technology requires around one quintillion conductors to get a meaningful image.
Th is focus on the broader scope of quantum makes perfect sense for her work. As co-director of the newfound Quantum Foundry at UCSB, she will be driving toward the institution’s mission — the creation of materials for various quantum fi elds including sensing, computing, and communication. She will also be at the forefront of a push to create a “new quantum workforce,” a push that will begin at UCSB. She even mentioned the strong possibility of a quantum emphasis or major at the university in the near future.
Jayich and the other panelists have shown how far UCSB’s experts have pushed the fi elds of quantum physics. Th e rapid creation of new jobs and research positions surrounding Goleta and Santa Barbara shows that UCSB will be an integral part of the radical change that quantum is bringing to the world. Illustration by Lauren Luna | Staff Illustrator
The Gi conomy’s mpac on merica’s Dispara e ou h
SOFIA LYON | Staff Writer
As younger generations enter the workforce, the reality of an arising “gig” economy, a job market in which careers operate on an independent-contractor basis rather than as part of a larger company, grows more apparent. What with the advent of social media and artificial intelligence (A.I.), the job market continues to expand into unprecedented territory.
This is part of a trend in which young people grow more disillusioned with the world they live in — continuing the tradition of disparate, disconnected, and distressed youth.
The job market, with the increasing relevance of A.I. among other things, is rapidly changing. It is difficult for us to imagine what kinds of careers will exist in a decade from now. It is also rapidly evolving with the creation of industries, namely social media. Young people are able to create their own brands and businesses, often unintentionally, with major success — all without a college degree. This kind of lifestyle is becoming more and more attractive amongst young people. On the other hand, with more young people electing to pursue higher education in general, traditional stable careers tend to be more competitive. Also, since so much labor and service-related work is now automated, humans are running out of jobs to do.
As a result, white-collar positions which focus on creating said technology or doing jobs automation cannot supplement are more difficult to come by because
the supply cannot match the demand. Th is seems to explain why so many young people are looking to make their own work, either via creating small businesses or looking to infl uence social media.
Given this uncertainty, it’s no wonder why the younger generations are forced into a similarly uncertain fate; the quick progression of politics, technology, and culture has pushed us farther into a whirlwind of change, one we can scarcely keep up with.
Th is move towards instability within civilization has occurred gradually, as each consecutive generation sought disruption and reform. Whether it be the move towards civil rights, freedom of identity, or a push away from capitalism, each generation of young
people grows more restless within limitations and more eager to fi nd ways to turn conventions on their heads.
However, the byproduct of such ambition is often surprise upon reaching adulthood —surprise that one’s will is determined largely by untouchable variables of society at large. What follows this realization is a scramble to subscribe; to understand the status quo of our predecessors and adapt. But the aforementioned variables working beyond our control continue to change, irrespective of each new, young generation's confusion.
Th e instability of future job markets is no surprise to our already evident disconnection and disillusionment. Finding a traditional, “secure,” career is no lon
ger a guarantee for anyone — regardless of a college degree. Young generations are well aware of this, as many aspects of the world we expect to inherit are unstable.
Th e state of the physical planet, escalating political tensions, contention on issues of social justice, and economic growth or decline — the fate of the future already hangs precariously between prosperity and collapse. And we are already so spiritually removed from either of those outcomes, having resigned to the mere chaos of our current predicament. Why should our future economic interests be any diff erent? Illustration by Drew Buchanan | Sta Illustrator
The Bottom adle
Illustrations by ESTHER LIU | Social Media Coordinator Recipe courtesy of Esther Liu
Ladle illustration courtesy of CleanPNG
UCSB March for COLA
PHOTOS BY GRAEME JACKSON | Photo Editor
1
3 2
4
1. A rally consisting of over 1,000 graduate students, undergraduate students, and faculty members at UC Santa Barbara took place on Thursday, February 27th in support of a cost-of-living adjustment for graduate students.
2. Members of campus began to congregate during rush hour as they discovered the rally beneath Storke Tower.
3. The UC Student-Workers Union UAW 2865 has not only played a supportive role in the graduate student strike at UCSB, but also has been integral in pushing COLA initiatives at other UC institutions.
4. Stopping at other heavily trafficked areas on campus, the march grew in size over the course of it’s journey.
5. Undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members all held the megaphone and contributed their voices to the cause throughout the rally and march.
6. Following the rally beneath Storke Tower, the coalition of students and administration members participated in a march to the Mosher Alumni House.
6
7. Arriving at the Mosher Alumni House, participants in the march looked to make a statement by dispersing it’s numbers around the area and repeating COLA related chants.
8
8. The graduate student strike and demonstrations of this variety are intended to continue on UCSB’s campus as well as on other UC campuses until an agreement can be reached.
BATTLE of the BANDS
PHOTOS BY MCKENNA WOOD Contributing photogrpaher
1
4 3
1. Nick Sultan of Pretty Cheeky gives an electrifying solo performance during his band’s set
2. Closeout’s unique rock sound kept attendees engaged with a change of pace from other acts.
3. Andrew Zakoor of Yung Fuzz has managed to seamlessly integrate alto saxophone melodies into different songs across within their jazz aesthetic.
4. TASTEGOOD describes themselves as “IV's coolest girl band.” Their performance in The Hub yielded the most praise from members of the audience, and they went home as Battle of the Band victors.
