Winter 2020, Issue 3 by The Bottom Line (UCSB)

FEBRUARY 05, 2020

STILL

VOLUME XIV, ISSUE XII

Mental Health Town Hall On Friday, Jan. 31, UCSBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Associated Students Office of the President (ASOP) hosted their first annual Mental Health Town Hall.

NEWS | PAGE 2

Shoe Horoscopes

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As midterms approach, students are feeling the mounting stress of deadlines. Here's some advice about how YOU should deal with stress, based on your preferred shoe type. OPINIONS | PAGE 11

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The Bottom Ladle Check out our newest installment of The Bottom Ladle, featuring a Chicken Egg Noodle Soup recipe, courtesy of Chef Noe Padilla himself! ILLUSTRATIONS | PAGE 16

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FIRST MENTAL HEALTH TOWN HALL MADISON KIRKPATRICK | Campus Beat Reporter

n Friday, Jan. 31, (UC Santa Barbara) UCSB’s Associated Students Office of the President (ASOP) hosted their first annual Mental Health Town Hall, where students and faculty discussed the mental health resources on campus. After a brief introduction by A.S. Executive Director Marisela Márquez explaining the schedule for the event, A.S. President Alison Sir gave a speech about mental health. Sir explained how she first found out about the stigma surrounding mental health after her older brother experienced clinical depression in college. Her brother came home and told his parents that they didn’t understand how hard it was for him to be depressed, and this allowed Sir and her family to become more educated on the topic. Sir added that she has “also become more educated during [her] time at UCSB.” After Sir’s speech, members from UCSB’s Mental Health Taskforce, Sharleen O'Brien and Edwin Feliciano, M.D., spoke about the task force. The goals of the task force are to optimize services across departments on campus, increase visibility and accessibility of services, and develop tools to communicate to the campus what services are available and how to access them. There are also four subcommittees of the task force, including the clinical subcommittee and the communi-

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ty of care subcommittee. For about an hour, Sir and Feliciano joined Jackie Kurta, director of UCSB’s Alcohol and Drug Program, Brian Olowude, Ph.D, director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Daevionne Beasley, resident assistant (R.A.) and the A.S. external vice president of statewide affairs, and CAPS Mental Health Peer Jasmine for a dialogue regarding mental health. When asked how confidential CAPS is, Olowude stated that they take confidentiality very seriously. “We only share information if the student’s condition can put themselves or others in danger,” said Olowude. A mandated reporter, explained by Kurta, is one person who is required to share said information especially in cases of abuse to others or a certain individual. Beasley explained that students he knows both from his R.A. work and his personal life are somewhat cautious about sharing their mental health conditions. For some students, they would be very happy and all of a sudden became desolate or isolated from their friends. It took others to notice their struggle. “I felt bad that I didn’t realize earlier,” Beasley shared. The training to become an R.A. is very in-depth, however. For three weeks prospective, R.A.s are taught everything there is to know about how to help their students, including the

health resources that are available. Beasley said the best way that he utilizes this information is by giving his students gentle reminders that there is help. “Sometimes students don’t want a clinician, they just want someone to talk to and listen to them,” said Beasley. Sir asked the group of professionals (Kurta, Olowude and Feliciano) if students’ visits to CAPS would be reported to prospective graduate schools or employers. Kurta explained that graduate schools will never ask for, or receive, this information. However, some employers may ask for this information to ensure the person is suitable to work. The final question discussed was the pros and cons of UCSB Student Health. Sir explained

that she believes Student Health has good student programs, but there is a lack of education and outreach to upperclassmen. “It’s important to continue this for older students so that they know how to practice self-care after graduation.” After this discussion, students, adults and professionals grouped up and talked about mental health, the education, the stigma around it, and other concerns. Olowude asked a group how students can become more prepared for long wait times at CAPS, and it was suggested that creating an app that could tell students how long they’d have to wait might be beneficial in getting more students to visit CAPS. After the discussion, the at-

tendees came together to discuss what they found in their groups. The attendees found that people might drop hints that they are struggling and may not come right out and say it because they are afraid and that the average student knows little about their resources. A consensus was reached that in order to help students better, mental health should be talked about more in order to ensure equal access to those resources. Photo by Graeme Jackson | Photo Editor

55 YEARS AND STILL

ROWING STRONG A SPOTLIGHT ON UCSB'S ROWING TEAM SARAH RENARD | Contributing Writer

C Santa Barbara (UCSB) is home to many club and intercollegiate sports. One such sport is UCSB’s crew rowing team, which was one of the university’s first-ever club sports teams. UCSB's crew team was founded 55 years ago in 1965 with just nine men and some borrowed boats. From there, the team slowly began to grow and win various races, transforming it into the team it is today. A few years later, a group of women that supported the team, known as Shell and Oar, decided they wanted to get in on the action — and that is exactly what they did. What was once just a men’s sports team became a fullfledged men's and women’s team, with each split into varsity and novice rowers. Since the team’s founding, it has seen a lot of growth. Now, with the men’s and women’s teams combined, UCSB’s crew has over 100 athletes. The self-funded club sports team is also now a na-

tionally distinguished team that competes against Division I, Division II, and Division III teams at the highest level. The team has consistently performed well at the national level, earning many National Championship titles — an impressive accomplishment which no doubt has led to their national distinction. In an interview with The Bottom Line, Alyssa Dewey, head coach of the women's rowing team, spoke about the upcoming winter and spring seasons, stating that the biggest challenge facing the women’s team is maintaining enthusiasm for the sport during the team’s coaching transition. What Dewey refers to is the women's team hiring a new head coach in the middle of the winter season last year and a newly hired novice coach in fall. The women’s crew's primary focus is to build fitness and maintain members so the team can continue to thrive. Additionally, Dewey hopes to see the team “improve individually on their erg

TBL 2019-2020 STAFF REDACT: In last week’s issue in the “Immigrant Resilience Week Highlights Struggles of Undocumented Students”, article, TBL incorrectly labeled Anayansi Prado as an undocumented student.

tests and bringing their [rowing] splits down on the water.” The coach also hopes to see the team “hold onto the pack” as many of their races are against Division I teams. In another interview conducted by The Bottom Line, men’s head coach John Paul "JP" Sekulich said the team’s primary focus is on “American Collegiate Rowing Association’s National Championships [ACRA] and Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association’s Western Regionals [WIRA],” but more specifically, “training and having healthy athletes so that they can row smoothly out on the water” while also focusing on their academics. Sekulich hopes the team sees the season as a positive experience and as a result, grow not just as rowers, but as individuals as well. Sekulich believes the biggest challenge is environmental factors such as wind and fog, which affect the ability to get out on the lake. When asked about his

thoughts going into the season, men's crew rower and fourth-year music composition major Nicholas Capsimalis said, “I’m mostly excited for the season because of the progress we’ve made but I also know we have some things to work on.” Capsimalis said his personal goal for the upcoming seasons is to place first at ACRA. As for his goals for the team, because he is in his last year, he hopes to see continued improvement so that the team is in a good place when he leaves. Also in her last year at UCSB, fourth-year philosophy major Sarah Wyner, a rower on the women’s team, said she personally hopes to place first at ACRA and improve her split on the erg, which refers to a rower's speed and the time it would take to row 500 meters. Wyner added she’d like to leave her own legacy and graduate knowing she pushed the team to its limits. “I'm very excited and optimistic for what winter and spring

have for us ... It's been really inspiring to see the girls push themselves to greater heights,” said Wyner. Confident in the team’s abilities, she believes the team will continue to do amazing things this season as long as they “continue putting in the work and being consistent with our vision.” The team’s goals are a testament to their dedication to the sport, which showcase their willingness to push themselves to reach those goals. Over the last 55 years, both teams have rowed their way to multiple championship titles and won various trophies at regattas including ARCA and WIRA. Even now, rowers and coxswains continue to set goals in hopes of carrying on the legacy that the rowing alumni has left for the team and aim to continue doing so for years to come. Photo by Graeme Jackson | Photo Editor

Opinions expressed in TBL do not necessarily represent those of the staff or UCSB. All submissions, questions or comments may be directed to editors@bottomlineucsb.com

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POINT-IN-TIME�:

Homelessness in Santa Barbara

JADE MARTINEZ-POGUE | National Beat Reporter

undreds of volunteers flooded the streets of Santa Barbara county on Jan. 29 to participate in Home For Good Santa Barbara’s Point-in-Time Count. The Point-in-Time Count is an annual count of individuals and families experiencing homelessness on a given day in their respective counties. Home For Good Santa Barbara is a nonprofit organization that uses a leading coordinated entry system, "no-wrong door," which is a county-wide system that connects individuals experiencing homelessness to resources that fit their needs. “We believe that everyone deserves a safe place to call home for good,” said the director of homeless and veterans impact initiatives at the nonprofit, Emily Allen, in an interview

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with The Bottom Line (TBL). In the dark hours of last Wednesday morning, more than 500 volunteers canvassed assigned routes throughout the county. “They recruited, surveyed, and donated,” Allen said. “We could not have done it without the volunteers.” Fourth-year political science major at UC Santa Barbara, Gustavo Munoz, was one of the 500 volunteers that showed up. “Knowing how many homeless people there are in a given area is important; it’s one of the best ways to know if there’s progress being made in the fight against homelessness,” he explained in an interview with TBL. “I signed up to be a small part of the solution and to help my community.” The nonprofit has seen enlarging numbers of volunteers

since 2011. The volunteers briefly documented who and how many people are struggling through homelessness. Home For Good uses that information to plan homeless assistance systems and create more awareness around the issue.

Knowing how many homeless people there are in a given area is important; it’s one of the best ways to know if there’s progress being made in the fight against homelessness. The nonprofit works closely with the county of Santa Barbara to understand who is experiencing homelessness so they can think of an efficient and productive solution to tackle the problem. “We believe in long-term solutions to addressing homelessness and advocate for supportive housing and other evidence-based interventions,” Allen said. Home For Good offers a "Homelessness 101" training that provides participants the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. It is aimed to

inspire familiarity with the interventions and terms associated with homelessness. “Homelessness is a crisis both locally and throughout the country,” Allen said. “Many factors, including misinformation, myths and ‘good intentions’ contribute to this problem.” This count happened just weeks after Governor Gavin Newsom released the 2020 budget plan that allocated $750 million to a new California Access to Housing and Services Fund that is aimed at addressing needs that contribute to street homelessness. He also set out on a week-long homeless tour to analyze their homeless populations. As of January 2018, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) had reported that California held the highest population of homeless civilians. Home For Good’s

Point-in-Time Count is evidence of one of the many ways that organizations and agencies are attempting to decrease the vastly growing homeless population. “California has seen a surge in resources and money for helping homeless individuals, but knowing how and where to use those resources can be difficult,” Munoz said. “The Point-in-Time count helps the state and the city learn how to better apply funds and how they can better help people.” Photos by Graeme Jackson | Photo Editor

Global Spotlight:

The Middle East

with Associate Professor Sherene Seikaly MO TADAYON | Contributing Writer

he final days of Janu- ‘bread, freedom and social jusary saw chaos unfold tice.’ In many ways, the uprisings in the capital city of were about dislodging the authorIraq. Protests that began in Oc- itarian regimes,” she said. She cited Egypt as an examtober 2019 continue to escalate. Protesters used burning tires and ple, where the entrenched regime Molotov cocktails to keep the was able to exert its repression police at bay, and Iraqi security because it conformed to the inforces countered with live ammu- terests of Western nations such as nition and teargas. Unidentified the United States, United Kinggunmen killed two protesters and dom, and France, at the expense set fire to their tents; protesters of the Egyptian people. She exresponded by setting fire to sev- plains that there is a “new hegeeral police vehicles. Baghdad was mony” that has arisen throughout the Middle East held in place by burning. Sixteen ambassadors from the institutions like the World Bank. “These institutions are saying international community decried the violent response from Iraqi you have to cut down on subsisecurity forces, demanding an dies, you have to increase ecoinvestigation into the 500 lives nomic growth … even if it looks lost since the protests began last like there has been a great deal of economic growth … the large October. The Bottom Line spoke with majority of people are suffering, and in poverty.” Associate ProThe end of fessor Sherene DESPITE THE was Seikaly, a spe- LURKING SHADOW OF January cialist in Middle DEFEAT THAT HAUNTS marked by a rocket barrage Eastern history REVOLUTIONARY on “The Green and editor of UPRISINGS IN THE the Arab Stud- MIDDLE EAST, SEIKALY Zone,'' a ten ies Journal, to RETAINS HOPE FOR A square kilometer zone in the cenunderstand the BETTER FUTURE. ter of Baghdad unrest that has where personnel of Iraqi securiplagued the Middle East. Bread, Freedom and Social ty forces and the international community reside. A state deJustice The “Arab Spring” of 2010, a partment spokesperson accused series of revolutionary uprisings “Iran and its proxies" of carrying that began in Tunisia, ignited a out the attack. Seikaly explored wildfire that spread across the the relationship between global Middle East, including Egypt, power brokers and their interacSyria, Iraq and Lebanon, Seikaly tion with one another. Pointing to geopolitical conflicts like Yeexplained. “The basic demands were for men as a case of powerful nations

fighting one another indirectly, Seikaly noted that “in the Middle East, some of these struggles sadly, have turned into really brutal proxy wars … the track record has not been good.'' Where There's a Will, There’s a Way Seikaly believes the anguish caused by economic pressure and government repression has coalesced into a single sentiment across the Middle East. "People are so fed up of being robbed and being told that this is the good life,” Seikaly said. "That’s what I feel brings all of these things together … it’s the first time that I see a detailed articulation of an anti-sectarian future, and that’s really historic.” Despite the lurking shadow of defeat that haunts revolutionary uprisings in the Middle East, Seikaly retains hope for a better

future. Instead of seeing these uprisings as failures, Seikaly believes they can be better understood as experiments in collectivization. “How do we experiment with being inclusive groups?” she questioned. Seikaly has an exercise for her students in an attempt for them to understand these struggles. She asks them to imagine that they were born in Iraq in the 1970’s, living under the totalitarian regime of Sadaam Hussein: the brutal war between Iraq and Iran, the 1991 Gulf War, Bill Clinton’s devastating economic sanctions, the second invasion of Iraq by the U.S. under George W. Bush, as well as the terror and destruction caused by ISIS. Seikaly feels awestruck when considering the life she would have lived if she had been born in Iraq.

“To have that kind of will and commitment to life … that ongoing will to go out on the street and make demands. I think that’s what we have to learn from this.” Illustration by Alyssa Long | Art Director

FEATURES | 5

Kaiju:

The New Japanese Restaurant in Town JANE NGUYEN | Contributing Writer

very college student is next to Buddha Bowls on Emall too familiar with barcadero Del Mar, Kaiju, a Japthe infamous Cup anese restaurant, recently opened, Noodles. While these cost-friend- offering customers a taste of traditional Japanese ly instant meals I WAS ESPECIALLY ramen and curry. are a student’s EXCITED TO TRY THE Stepping best friend during stressful CURRY DISH BECAUSE into Kaiju, the GROWING UP, WARM ambience is fairtimes, college students can now CURRY AND STEAMED ly quiet. Playing WHITE RICE WAS A in the backlook forward SIMPLE BUT YUMMY ground is soft to the arrival of COMFORT FOOD music, setting a local authentic FOR ME AND KAIJU'S calm atmosphere ramen food to RENDITION DID NOT to match its minIsla Vista (I.V.). DISAPPOINT. imalistic aesthetLocated right

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ic. Similar to the interior, Kaiju’s menu is also basic, offering the typical options of ramen and Japanese-style curry. Along with the main entrees, Kaiju offers a selection of appetizers, such as gyoza, to share with friends. For my first visit here, I decided to try the miso ramen and tonkatsu (pork cutlet) curry plate. From first glance, the ramen looked promising; however, after taking a bite, it just meets standard. The noodles had a nice firm chew, but were reminiscent of UC Santa Barbara’s dining commons’ ramen noodles when they attempt to cook Asian cuisine. The broth itself was also lacking. There was no distinct miso flavor expected from the soup which was rather disappointing. Although just a simple broth, it paired quite nicely with the toppings, especially the chashu (large pieces of pork), adding a rich, fatty pork flavor that made up for the lackluster broth. One of the best components of a traditional ramen bowl is a perfect soft-boiled egg. Sadly, Kaiju’s egg was more hard-boiled and was missing that special runny yolk, but it was still a delightful addition to the overall bowl. Considering all the factors of Kaiju’s ramen, their version of one of the world’s most famous noodle soups had no mind blowing characteristics. For $13 a bowl, the

ramen was mediocre at best. Compared to the ramen, Kaiju’s curry plates take the cake in terms of value and taste. The plate also costs around $13 and consists of plain white rice, fried cutlet, and curry. Personally, I was especially excited to try the curry dish because growing up, warm curry and steamed white rice was a simple but yummy comfort food for me and Kaiju’s rendition did not disappoint. Genuinely surprised at how big the plates were, the portions were substantial for the price compared to the size of the ramen. Along with the great value, the taste of the curry plate surpasses Kaiju’s execution of the noodle soup. The curry was delicious and its savory flavor was on point. Not too dry, the pork cutlet was also tasty and added a pleasant contrasting crunchy texture to the softer rice and curry. Overall, this dish exceeded my expectations in terms of I.V. food. The only suggestion I would have for this dish is to have a spice level option, to the likes of popular Japanese-style curry house CoCo ICHIBANYA, to really amp the curry flavor and provide a unique eating experience for customers who love experimenting with heat. With the growing dynamic of the Asian dining scene in I.V., Kaiju is a nice addition. If you’re

craving delicious authentic ramen, a car trip to Nikka Ramen in Santa Barbara would be your best bet with its more diverse menu and better quality food. However, if you just want a simple bowl of ramen or have a bite of rice and curry around I.V., Kaiju is a contender. Photos by Allison Tran | Contributing Photographer

UMI Brings Soul-Lifting Music to UCSB LINDA CHONG | Copy Editor

magine a crowd radiating spunky combination of music the slight smell of natural from past decades. Many of his deodorant and marijuana, songs didn’t quite reach the Gen swaying to chill, dreamy R&B Z audience, however; songs such tunes. That sums up the scene at as “Dancing Queen” by Abba and the Hub on Jan. 28 when rising Michael Jackson’s “Rock with artist Umi performed at UC San- You” resulted in awkward patches of the audience nodding. ta Barbara (UCSB). After an hour-and-a-half of As a genre-bending 20-yearold artist, Umi is a trendy favorite disconnected DJing, the audience amongst the current generation was anxious to see Umi. It wasn’t of millennial and Gen Z music until 10 p.m. before Umi finally listeners, serving as a multicul- made an appearance, prompting tural role model that embodies a the crowd to let out a roar of satchill vibe. Her sold-out show was isfaction. Announcing this stage as organized by Associated Students her first show (A.S.) Program IT SPOKE LOVE INTO of 2020, Umi Board and heaviTHE CROWD AS PEOPLE presented herly featured songs ABSORBED THE SYNTH’S self as one of us, from her new LIGHT CHORDS AND THE literally medialbum Love LanBAND’S INNOVATIVE tating with the guage, which has YET OLD FASHIONED audience. She been climbing IMPROVABILITY." began her set by the charts. Before Umi came on the stage, introducing her new album and DJ Teemak Hayes warmed up the her favorite track from it, titled audience with his retro style and “Love Affair.” The song was a

classic Umi song: a slow tempo with groovy instrumentation that spoke to every teenage soul. Umi continued her set by reaching out to fellow Japanese speakers with her song “Sukidakara,” which is also part of her new album. It spoke love into the crowd as people absorbed the synth’s light chords and the band’s innovative yet old-fashioned improvability. There were scattered moments of Umi’s own creative bursts as she used a second mic that would distort her voice. The night continued as the artist surprised the crowd with some covers of her own favorite songs. Fans cheered as she would break from her own music to cover tunes with similar vibes such as “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae or “Just Friends” by Musiq Soulchild. Her particular cover of Frank Ocean’s “Self Control” was a fan favorite as Umi played the gui-

tar herself, imitating the guitar solo and chilling vocals of Frank Ocean. During these songs, the audience often would join in with the melody, and raise their hands in the air to send Umi their supportive energy. Umi also touched on some throwbacks, which many fans probably came to hear as well. Songs such as “Remember Me” and “Butterflies” were filled with shouts of enthusiastic fans proclaiming their love for the singer. She took us all back to the beginning of her lo-fi journey and musical career with the mix of soul and R&B rippling with nostalgic experiences and her love for music. As one of her many dedicated fans, I cried when she sang “Remember Me.” Finishing her set, Umi left the crowd after her cheerful performance of “Down to Earth” and “High School,” which many hummed along to. After the

last note, she shouted praise for UCSB students and their support, and skipped off the stage, leaving fans chanting for an encore. To their dismay, Umi did not come back to sing; however, to their delight, she greeted many fans personally following the show. Many people who realized she had returned shuffled their way to Umi, who was hugging and thanking her fans for their support. As a fan of UMI, it’s safe to say that show further solidified the statement that Umi’s fans love her and her music. Please check out Umi’s new album, Love Language, on Spotify! Photo by Samuel Yang | Staff Photographer

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 7

Ngoki Showcases PRIMAL FUNK MUSIC at the UCSB Music Bowl RICHARD SMITH | Contributing Writer

HE CLEARLY CARED MORE ABOUT PLAYING WHAT HIS HEART WANTED TO RATHER THAN WHAT HIS HANDS WANTED TO.

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anta Barbara-based musician Ngoki performed an extended drum solo on the Djembe drum at the UC Santa Barbara Music Bowl as a continuation of the World Music Series, run by UCSB’s MultiCultural Center. Ngoki himself had no accompaniment or band members, and although he did have a microphone, his djembe drum didn’t need it. Despite the name of the event and the style of the drum, Ngoki was sure to inform the audience that it was not actually a djembe because it was made out of recycled materials. Furthermore, one might assume that with both the type of instrument and the nature of the World Music Series, this was an African drumming performance. However, Ngoki let his audience know that this was not the case. He instead played his own original style of music which he calls “primal funk,” and has influences from “hip-hop, rhythm and blues, soul,” among other styles. These influences may have been difficult to pick out for people not familiar with rhythm and percussion, but that wasn’t required to enjoy the show. The entire audience, music students, and casual listeners alike was infected by Ngoki’s rhythms. No one could resist tapping their feet or bobbing their head. Ngo-

ki, who is used to playing on the street in Santa Barbara for money, also told the audience that if the drum didn’t work, he couldn’t eat that day, further authenticating his performance. Ngoki started his set with a beat that was reminiscent of hip-hop or a rock and roll type of drum. It was steady and kept a basic rhythm, a simple style which he did not make a habit of as the show progressed. Ngoki played so many unnamed and improvisatory pieces that one could hardly keep count of them, and each one seemed to scorn the simplicity of the last. Even in the first piece, he quickly switched to a more complex and tribal sounding drumbeat. Ngoki had complete control of the sound of his drum, as he fluidly shifted his speed, power, volume, and rhythmic pattern to his whim. Each of his pieces was improvised, save for one request, Santana’s "Jingo," that he indulged from the audience. Ngoki told the audience that during this type of performance he would play as he feels, as opposed to when he supports a band or a rapper in which he keeps things steady and reliable. He described it as “stream of consciousness” and would even follow a piece by asking a music student what time signature he was playing in.

Stream of consciousness is an accurate description, as Ngoki’s performance displayed a fluidity that doesn’t seem possible with a percussion instrument. He clearly cared more about playing what his heart wanted to rather than what his hands wanted to. He told the audience that in his earlier days he would sometimes bleed from playing so hard, so now he focuses mostly on technique so as to minimize the need for calluses. And it showed; his technique was astonishing, hitting sometimes with his palms, sometimes with his fingertips, sometimes in the center of the drum sometimes closer to the edge. This was all done in accordance with the rhythm deliberately. The World Music Series has made a great habit of displaying excellence in all of its featured performers and this was far from an exception. Please be sure to check out future performances on Wednesdays at 12:00 p.m. in the Music Bowl! Photo by Richard Smith | Contributing Photographer

5 Questions

with Professor Thomas Barrett

on Music and Philosophy NOE PADILLA | News Editor

homas Barrett is a new assistant professor in the Philosophy department at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). He’s only been teaching at the school for a year at this point in time, and he specializes in philosophy of science, philosophy of physics, epistemology, and logic. In an interview with The Bottom Line conducted over email, Professor Barrett answered a few questions about his life and study of philosophy.

What got you into philosophy of science?

When I was in high school I wanted to be a professional musician. I was in a lot of bands. We 'gigged' around southern California and I did a lot of home recording. My dad was (and still is) a professor at UC Irvine in the Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science. His graduate students would always be over hanging out at our house, and I got to know many of them very well. A bunch of them played music too, so in the course of hanging around them I somehow got the impression that graduate school gave you a ton of free time and flexibility to play music. This meant that my plan upon entering college was: Go to graduate school (in something — who knows what!) so that I would have enough free time to pursue the music thing. I ended up taking a philosophy of physics class from Craig Callender during the fall of my sophomore year at UCSD, and I loved it. So I decided that I wanted to go to graduate school in philosophy. It was fun being able to talk to my dad about philosophy. But then I just got super into logic and philosophy of sci-

What is your favorite fiction book? ence — it's really fun! — and that interest gradually overtook my interest in music. So eventually I decided to just go all in: Instead of being a professional rock star I now wanted to be a professional philosopher. I've actually always thought of the philosophy thing in terms of the music thing. Music obviously has a huge performative aspect when you're playing shows. But so does philosophy: You have to give talks and lectures, and these are performances of a kind. I still think of them like 'gigging'. And recording a song is very similar to writing up a philosophy paper. You spend all this time working carefully carefully crafting this piece. You start with some basic idea, but it takes a ton of time to write it out and produce it and tweak it and get it just how you want it. So in hindsight it's easy for me to see how the music thing morphed into the philosophy thing.

"'Once a Runner' by John Parker. When I was in graduate school, I started running competitively. My wife and I lived a block from Central Park, so I started jogging around the reservoir to burn off graduate school stress and get to know my way around the park. Over the course of a few years running became a huge part of my life, and I started taking it pretty seriously. Anyway, these days I read this book at least once a year. It's a trashy running fanfiction that definitely caters to a particular kind of competitive runner, but I love it. There's a scene at the end of the book where Cassidy (the main character) is racing the mile. Reading it makes me cry every time!"

Who were your favorite bands while you were in college? "Going into college during September 2008 I was really into Bright Eyes. Case in point: I saw a photo of Conor Oberst where he had a leather shoelace tied around his neck. So for most of my first year of college, I too wore a leather shoelace tied around my neck. On my iTunes my mostplayed songs from my college years 2008-2012 are, in order: 'The House that Heaven Built' by Japandroids, 'Holiday' by The Hotelier, 'Red' by Taylor Swift, 'Dancing on My Own' by Robyn, 'Should Have Taken Acid With You" by Neon Indian, and 'Prom Night' by Chance the Rapper."

Who is your favorite philosopher? "I have two: my dad (who, as I mentioned above, is a philosopher at UC Irvine) and my best friend J.B. Manchak (who is also a philosopher at UC Irvine). I talk or text with both of them — though we don't often talk about philosophy — pretty much every day."

How would you describe your first year teaching at UCSB? "It was great! I get to think and talk about philosophy and live in Santa Barbara. What could be better than that?" Illustration by Esther Liu | Social Media Coordinator

SCIENCE & TECH | 9

America Needs a Radical

Liberal Presidency

in 2020 NATALIA HERNANDEZ | Contributing Writer

owadays in politics, the mere sight or sound of the word “radical” can make some people cringe despite their ideological stance. If you’re a right-wing conservative, you’re more likely to take a cheap shot at liberals by calling them left-wing radicals in attempts to scorn ideas like universal health care. If you’re a left-wing liberal, you’ll classify radical conservatives as the villains who refuse to implement stricter gun policies to address the gun violence epidemic. Either way, attaching the word “radical” to an ideology has become a popular mechanism to discredit a public official in our current political environment. Democratic voters have a reason to be afraid going into the 2020 election, but not for reasons that immediately come to mind; aka the president that currently inhabits the Oval Office. Voters are currently worried about their

10 | OPINIONS

choices in the Democratic field. Who has what it takes to beat Trump? Can a radical liberal get the job done? Trump’s 2016 election win killed off any chance for a moderate Democrat to win in 2020. Hillary Clinton was arguably considered a moderate Democrat despite her progressive agenda. Despite Russian meddling, James Comey’s investigation a week before the election, and any other scandal she is somehow tied to, voters have always been on the fence about the former secretary of state. These were warning signs that should make us question the effectiveness of using a moderate political strategy to defeat Trump. There’s no debate here. As American voters, we know that a radical can win the presidency because one already did. Trump has been our “four-year free trial” of a radical conservative version of a presidency and will hopefully expire soon.

American voters need an executive who’s going to open the door for the liberal ideas that have been knocking on the door for the past decade. A radical democrat will win in 2020, it’s just a question of which one will take down Trump: Sanders or Warren? Thirty years ago, the concept of radical liberalism was a laughingstock amongst congressional leadership. Most notably, in the '90s, the biggest disputed policy was Hillarycare which was a plan that was aimed towards universal healthcare coverage. The 2016 presidential election was the wake-up call Americans needed to realize that radical liberalism is the answer and we need it more than ever. This set the stage for the 2020 Democratic campaign trail and has shaped it into the most diverse race any generation has ever seen. Leading this new democratic era of radicals is most notably Bernie Sanders. Despite his fail-

ure in the 2016 presidential campaign, the groundwork he laid for the 2020 democratic platform made moderate democratic values seem like an outdated joke. Sorry, Joe. Bernie made young voters hungry for a fresh agenda that is oriented towards the problems our generation has to live with: climate change, the impact of pharmaceutical corporations, student debt, universal health care, and taking down the big banks on Wall Street. The 2020 presidential race has had many highs and lows, but one thing for sure is that voters definitely have the pick of the litter in terms of ideological differences. It has surfaced diverse liberal agendas from candidates like Corey Booker, Julian Castro, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttiegeg, Andrew Yang, and Elizabeth Warren who have all notably advanced progressive values and policies on the

campaign trail and in their past congressional experience. The shift away from moderate Democratic values has left Joe Biden losing support and Amy Klobuchar almost dead in the water with less than a month away from the primary. The big three on the Democratic ticket right now (Biden, Warren, and Sanders) are certainly examples of Democratic heterogeneity. Excluding Biden, Warren and Sanders are the most radical liberals that voters could ask for. America needs the radical liberal version of a presidency in 2020. We have two candidates that can provide us with such. We can only hope that Americans will put their trust in the right radical candidate in November. Photo Courtsey of Gage Skidmore

What Your Shoes Say About You:

Midterm Advice EDITION LINDA CHONG | Copy Editor

s midterms approach, the days have a somewhat heavier atmosphere. Students are huddled in coffee shops and praying for deadline extensions. Professors who used to end class 15 minutes early are now cramming information into every second of the lecture. We all have our ways of dealing with stress from our upcoming exams. Here’s some advice on how YOU should deal with midterms, based on what shoes you wear. Vans You’re probably a nice college student who just wants to get to class and power through it. Either you skateboard and you’re actually on top of attendance, or you’re just a regular-shmegular broke college student. How to deal with midterms? Do not lose steam or give up going to your classes! You don’t need to fit in or relate in any way to the people around you that laugh at the idea of attending lectures. Be unique — unlike your Vans — and thrive! Slides

If you’re wearing slides, you’re one of many things. You might be an athlete or someone who rollerblades through campus. You might be a temporary hermit who's determined to relearn the first five weeks of material in all your classes. Whatever you might be, you’re probably the most dead inside, and it shows. How to deal with midterms? Wash your face, put on some fresh clothes, and set yourself up for success. Don’t stay too comfortable, despite cold weather and the refuge of your sweatpants. Make sure you get six hours of sleep because you folks are by far the most tired people in all of Isla Vista. Put on a new attitude and remotivate yourself. Air Force 1’s We’ve all seen it; a group of Beta-Kappa-Gamma girls wearing lulus and quarter-zips, and what do you know: Air Force 1’s. Maybe you noticed two small Asian baby girls (ABGs) in the hiding, covering their face because it’s 9 a.m. (too early for lashes) wearing a slightly wornout pair of Air Force 1’s. Here’s to every sorority girl and ABG who

“just likes to be comfortable.” How to deal with midterms? Stop taking boba breaks and don’t study with your friends. We all lie to ourselves that we can study in groups, and we all suffer on the day before our final when we realize it’s too late. Study by yourself, and don’t think about the FOMO, because honey, your grades need you. Doc Martens The shoes that make it seem like you have your life together. These icons stand for style, diligence, and persistence (we all know how painful it is to break in a new pair of Docs). These shoes are a magical statement that not only convinces the public that you’re put together, but also yourself. They can mask minimal effort, and I’m not just talking about the outfit. How to deal with midterms? Stop procrastinating and start working. Start that essay that’s due tomorrow. Make a study schedule that keeps track of your daily responsibilities, because we all know how busy you are meeting everyone in town. It’s only a matter of time before you’re sit-

ting at the library an hour before your midterm, overwhelmed by last week’s material you still haven’t covered. Your shoes can’t save you then. Flip-Flops First of all, it is 50 degrees, you’re wearing thick Patagonia gear — and y’all are wearing flipflops?! You know who you are, skateboarding on those brown sandals that are brown not because you bought them that color. You know who you are, getting Yerbas and coffee at the same time, because you pulled an all-nighter with your friends “studying.” How to deal with midterms? Stop studying with friends. You four know working in 30-minute intervals with hourlong talk sessions is not being productive. Get some sleep, real sleep. Stop relying on caffeine, because at this point it’s an excuse to take a break from sitting too long without studying. Hang out with friends AFTER you finish your exams. It’ll feel much more rewarding then. Crocs Let me just say, people who

wear crocs are functional and bold. They don’t care what you think, and for a good reason. They have their own agenda, they know what they’re doing, and more importantly, they know what they’re wearing. How to deal with midterms? Start early and make sure you give yourself enough time to cover all the material. No matter how good of a student you are, it is absolute suicide if you start three days before your final, convinced that you can handle it. Get real! Wear your crocs and go to the library to start studying. It’s better to finish early then to panic because you ran out of time. Illustration by Alyssa Long| Art Director

OPINIONS | 11

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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

ESTHER LIU | Social Media CoordinaALYSSA LONG | Art Director 5650 Calle Real, Goleta, CA 93117 | (805) 964-6241 | @goodlandsb

12 | ILLUSTRATIONS

New Years Resolutions KRYSTAL CHEN | Staff Illustrator

Comic of the Week

Comic by Jake Ortega | Comic Artist

ILLUSTRATIONS | 13

Umi in The Hub

Photos by SAMUEL YANG | Staff Photographer

Having taken her shoes off and gotten comfortable on stage, Umi had the crowd rocking side-to-side with her music.

Infectiously energetic, DJ Teemak Hayes danced across the stage and kept the crowd in high spirits.

After a brief conversation in Japanese with some audience members, she began fiddling with the synth/loop station next to her and performed "Sukidakara" which translates to, "Because I Like You".

14 | PHOTOSTORY

Having grabbed her guitar, she began her cover of Frank Ocean's "Self Control". With a bit of encouragement from Umi, the Hub quickly filled with a variety of voices singing in harmony.

"Everyone close your eyes and breathe with me..." Singer Umi started her set with a peaceful and inviting guided mediation before following it up with a peaceful and introspective songs.

Transitioning seamlessly between classics such as Abba's Dancing Queen to contemporary pop songs, no genre was left behind.

PHOTOSTORY | 15

The Bottom adle Illustrations by ESTHER LIU | Social Media Coordinator Illustration courtesy of CleanPNG Recipe courtesy of Noe Padilla

Place a large pot over medium-high temperature. Pour a small layer of olive oil and once itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hot add onions.

Cook until translucent, then add carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook until fragrant or until the garlic is lightly browned.

Add the chicken broth. Add your spices and lightly season with salt and pepper. Turn the temperature up to high and bring the soup to a boil. While the soup is heating up, add your butter and stir until dissolved. Once it begins to boil, lower your temperature to its lowest setting and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes. Stir it every 10 minutes.

Once 30 minutes have passed, taste the soup, add salt and pepper if needed. Bring the temperature up to a medium heat and add 2 cups of egg noodles. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until your noodles are soft. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

ILLUSTRATIONS | 16