Volume 8, Issue 3 by The Bottom Line (UCSB)

Gamelan Club at UCSB

New Noise Fest Rocks SB

Features / 3

A&E / 4

THE

@tblucsb / thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu UCSB’s Weekly Student-Run Newspaper

Associated Students, UC Santa Barbara | Volume 8, Issue 3 | Oct. 23 - Oct. 29, 2013 Stanley wants to know: What are your thoughts on the soon-to-be implemented UC-wide smoking ban? Email your responses to bottomlineucsb@gmail.com.

AS Senate and Student Body Converse with Regent Kieffer

Photo by Benjamin Hurst | Staff Photographer

Regent George Kieffer discusses AS President Jonathan Abboud’s inquiries at the Mosher Alumni House on Oct. 17, 2013. by Mimi Liu

niversity of California Regent George Kieffer met with the Associated Students Senate and other students on Thursday, Oct. 17, to discuss issues such as UC President Janet Napolitano, tuition hikes, and the worth of a UC education. To start off, Senate members mentioned that many students don’t know what the Board of Regents is, pointing out a lack of awareness. Students suggested that meetings at UC Los Angeles would be more accessible for undergraduates to attend. “A lot of campuses aren’t equipped for meetings,” Kieffer said, and added that the board is trying to minimize travel costs. However, he did agree that they should try to make meetings as open to students as possible, and would be willing to hold a meeting at UC Santa Barbara. The discussion shifted to the increase of Internet-based courses. These courses have made transferring credits among UC schools easier, but many students still feel uncomfortable about the shift toward web-based resources in the classroom. “I chose to come to UCSB to take UCSB courses taught by UCSB professors,” AS President Jonathan Abboud said, “not a class taught by a Davis professor.” Kieffer lauded the accessibility of web-based courses, but at the same time, reaffirmed that a university degree certainly has value that employers look for. “I can’t see [online courses] replacing your education here at all,” Kieffer concluded. The next topic was Napolitano, the new UC president whose appointment was a controversial choice that has received heavy criticism. A Senate member started off by referencing Napolitano’s previous job as Secretary of Homeland Security under the Obama administration and her lack of experience in education. “We were casting a wide net to find the best person for the job at this moment,” Kieffer replied. “While she hasn’t been in [an educating] role before, I feel that she has shown the ability to adapt.” Kieffer talked about financial issues, referencing how the UC budget has been cut 30 percent within the last few years. “There’s a hole in the pension system…we are underfunded,” Kieffer said, and talked about current negotiations with unions. He continued onto the topic of funding in general, and how the UC system has centralized several administrative and

mechanical systems. “We’ve already saved half a billion dollars because many university administrative systems have been centralized,” Kieffer said. After a 15-minute recess, a group of around 20 students entered the room with messages from students. They demanded leadership that they could trust, and a meeting with Kieffer that is open to all students, accessible, and announced in advance. Their lists of demands followed, including a meeting at UCSB in the foreseeable future, fair wages, and tuition rollbacks in accordance with the California Master Plan for Higher Education. “I think it’s totally natural to have that response,” Kieffer said mildly. However, he stands firm with his belief in Napolitano. “Her first meetings are with students, which sends a very important message,” he said. “I think she’s going to be criticized, but I think she expects that.” The talk turned to Napolitano’s military background, and student concerns over linking the UC system’s laboratory research with military research. Kieffer defended this association, and referenced the developments made in agriculture at UC Davis, in conjunction with local farmers and private companies. He also talked of promising leads for cancer cures made possible in part by funding from private corporations. “The university becomes a bridge between the military and research,” Kieffer said. “It’s in the public’s interest.” The students passed out fliers with important information regarding tuition hikes, explaining that tuition has risen up to 300 percent higher since 2002. Additionally, the number of UC employees receiving $400,000 per year has grown by 475 percent, and their cumulative compensation has grown by 507 percent. Kieffer defended the financial situation by referencing the public schools in Michigan or Virginia, where 30 years ago, they deviated from the UC’s “low cost or no cost” philosophy. “Chancellor paychecks are still of bottom third of top 60 universities,” Kieffer said. “You’ll graduate with an education, and with a brand…a UC education.” The students demanded to know where the funds to education went, and if it was a result of mismanagement. “I’m not just thinking about the students today,” Kieffer said. “I’m thinking about the students of tomorrow.”

The Paper Towel Free Project: Reducing Waste Output One Paper Towel at a Time by Janani Ravikumar STAFF WRITER

t the beginning of the 2013-14 school year, the Paper Towel Free Project, a collaboration between the Zero Waste Committee and University of California, Santa Barbara’s Residence Hall Association (RHA), was launched. “The project is basically giving out a hand towel to each resident,” said Arriana Rabago, a third-year chemistry and environmental studies major and one of the co-chairs of the project. “[The residents] are expected to use that instead of paper towels… They’re expected to take it with them to the bathroom when they need to go and wash their hands, and they’re expected to take care of it.” In order to reduce paper towel waste produced in residence halls, a small group of students was provided with cloth hand towels as an alternative to single use paper towels. Students in the Environmental Floor of Santa Rosa Hall and Cuyama House in Manzanita Village are now expected to bring their hand towel with them when they go to the bathroom, and the paper towel dispensers in the bathrooms on their floors have been emptied. In addition, hooks have been installed in bathrooms for students to hang their towels. According to the official site, UC Santa Cruz inspired the movement here at UCSB and has already implemented such measures by removing paper towels from bathrooms in all residence halls across campus as of Fall 2013. UCSC hopes to be

IV BEAT REPORT

UCSB in a Haze Over Smoking Ban by Giuseppe Ricapito IV Beat Reporter University of California, Santa Barbara’s new Policy and Procedure regulations regarding smoking tobacco and unregulated nicotine products will go into effect Jan. 1, 2014, effectively banning the use of cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and electronic smoking devices on all campus-owned locations. Former UC President Mark Yudof precipitated the tobacco ban in a 2012 letter to UC chancellors, declaring that “a smokefree environment will contribute positively to the health and well-being of all UC students, faculty, staff and our patients and visitors.” A UC Smoke & Tobacco Free FAQ indicates that 10 percent of UC employees and 8 percent of UC students smoke. The official UCSB press release provides statistics on national mortality rates, respiratory health effects, and the environmental impact of disposed, non-biodegradable cellulose acetate filters. Ashkon Rahbari, a third-year biology major and non-smoker that sits on UCSB’s Smoke-Free Steering Committee as a liaison to the Associated Students president’s office, explained the mandate of the board at UCSB. “This committee isn’t here to discuss the policy of smoking bans…it’s basically an advertising campaign,” Rahbari said. “How are we going to get students involved? How can we get this message out to reach the most students? How are we going to analyze data at the end of it all and see how effective it has been?” But the question of on-campus smoking furnishes a variety of reactions in students. The majority of the student population falls into the category of “non-smokers,” but outdoor dilution leaves many apathetic to the few smokers that actually crop up. “I feel like there should be designated areas where smokers can go and maybe be more separated from people that don’t,” said Michael Patty, a political science major and non-smoker. ”But I just don’t think that an all-out ban is the best bet.” Many students seem to be accommodating of either lifestyle choice, but their willingness to compromise falls outside of the UC-wide mandate. Jimin Lee, a fourth-year biopsychology major, registered mixed feelings. “Where else would I be able to smoke, especially during midterms and finals?” Lee said. “Then again, I understand other people, too, because a lot of my friends aren’t smokers and they hate it when smokers are around.” The Smoking Policy Subcommittee of the Occupational Wellness Forum (UC-wide) submitted a “Smoke-free Policy Proposal” that included plans for implementation, smoking cessation (patches, gum, etc.), and even provided data that attests to campus smoke-free policies as catalysts for changing individual behavior. The document is prefaced with an anonymously at-

See SMOKE | Page 2

A.S. BEAT REPORT

Photo by Margarita Baliyan | The Bottom Line

External Vice President of Local Affairs Alex Moore discusses the preparations being made to keep IV safe this upcoming Halloweek at the AS Senate meeting on Oct. 16, 2013. Check out what’s happening at ucsbhalloween.com.

AS Senate Discusses Restructuring the Legal Code and Senate Visibility by Alex Albarran-Ayala

a university committed to zero waste by 2020. According to envimpact.org, while producers of paper towels claim that they use 100 percent recycled paper, in reality, paper towels contain an average of 50 percent of post-consumer recycled paper. In addition, paper towels themselves cannot be recycled, so most go to landfills. In the United States alone, about 3,000 tons of paper towels are thrown away every day. Robert Gogan, the recycling and waste manager at Harvard University, reported that paper towels often account for 20 to 40 percent of waste, by volume. The Paper Towel Free Project seeks to combat this. “The basis of the project is all about eliminating waste where waste needs to be eliminated,” said Izzy Parnell-Wolfe, a fourth-year global studies major and one of the co-chairs of the Zero Waste Committee. “Single use paper towels are extremely wasteful, and they account for a significant portion of what we send to the landfill at UCSB.” Air dryers are a popular alternative; however, they unfortunately proved to be too noisy for residence halls, so students are now expected to use hand towels to dry their hands. Some students saw the project as impractical. “Someone should get a big pack of paper towels from Costco and sneak it in during the night,” commented a Reddit user on UCSB’s Reddit page. Opponents to the project believe that eliminating the use of paper towels entirely in residential halls is impractical, as

Associated Students Senate tabled “A Bill to Improve the Visibility of On-Campus Senators” and passed “A Group Project to Look into Updating the Legal Code Resolution” during its meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 16. The Senate decided to table for a week “A Bill to Improve the Visibility of On-Campus Senators,” which would give senators the option to hold office hours in the Dining Commons in addition to the ones they already hold in the AS Main and RHA offices. “[Constituents] can tell us what they want over lunch or dinner, and it’s more casual and easier to find [than the AS Main and RHA offices],” said On-Campus Sen. Andrew Neiman, author of the bill. Senators provided positive comments about Neiman’s idea and expressed their support. “I would really appreciate it if we tabled this for a week so it can then be an official thing,” said On-Campus Sen. Nikki Calderon. In their discussion, the senators considered certain problems related to the Dining Services Team. Anticipated problems included whether senators holding office hours in the Dining Commons would be considered tabling and if the dining commons, specifically Dining Director Jill Horst, would be okay with Neiman’s idea. In the previous AS Senate meeting, AS President Jonathan Abboud discussed a project to restructure the ASUCSB Legal

See TOWEL | Page 2

See SENATE | Page 2

News

–SMOKE tributed “UC Student” — it envisions “an environment where we can all breathe easier — literally. And it would feel good just knowing that everyone is making an effort to have a healthy campus.” UC administrators have credited the smoking ban as a positive step toward university health, but it brings up the question of whether the UC has rightful grounds to mandate the abstention from certain behaviors. An Op-Ed piece for the Daily Bruin at UC Los Angeles suggests that this ban is an infringement on student freedom. It states that “the new policy minimizes individual choices” and offers the compromise of designated smoking areas. The California Review, a self-ascribed conservative student-newspaper at UC San Diego, also weighed in. “In implementing what is ‘beneficial,’ the state invasively seeks to influence personal behavior, stripping people of their right to lifestyle choices,” an article states. Rahbari acknowledged these concerns, saying, “Nobody can say that it doesn’t restrict a freedom — it does restrict the freedom to smoke.” But as the first day of implementation draws closer, he added that he has “to look at it on a pragmatic level.” When the day does arrive, students must be compelled by campus participation to ad-

–SENATE

Code. The ASUCSB Legal Code includes the AS Constitution, AS By-Laws, and AS Standing Policies. In that same meeting, an ad hoc committee was created to perform the task of overhauling the Legal Code. The senators who started working in this committee are Collegiate Senator Ali Guthy and Off-Campus Senator Andre Theus, the two authors of this group project resolution. Other senators in this committee are Jimmy Villareal, Nick Onyshko, Kimia Hashemian, Colton Bentz, John Soriano, and Nikki Calderon. The ad hoc committee, thus, will work with Abboud to update the Legal Code, in a manner that improves the efficiency of the AS mode of operation. One of the aims of this group is to “assess how Associated Students can be better organized and work more cohesively and unified as an organization.” The ad hoc committee had its first meeting

Continued from page 1 here to the new rule. The current information from the UCSB Policy and Procedure press release does not indicate any means of enforcement besides “personal responsibility” and “department heads” handling issues of “noncompliance” within their “area.” Rahbari explained that the committee’s system — detailed in the terminology of “educational enforcement” in the “Smokefree Policy Proposal” — might not be effective in curbing the habit of avid smokers. “The problem is they’re not issuing citations,” Rahbari said. “If anything, I think people will go to remote areas and still smoke.” “Educational enforcement” applies more appropriately to the public advertising being undertaken by the UCSB Smoke-free Committee. Rahbari indicated that present strategies ranged from “butt counts and litter collections” to “’No Smoking’ banners” and monitoring of smoking “hot-spots.” The smoke-free policy is intended to be a campus-wide health measure, but the smoker minority at odds with this idealism may legitimize claims of individual use above a moral cause for the common good. Expect to see smokers hidden in shrubby, alcoves, or in the shadow of stone pillars, keeping their eyes out for well-intentioned solicitors as they wave away bands of smoke.

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on Monday, Oct. 14, following Abboud’s suggestion that they meet before the third AS Senate meeting on Oct. 16. Next, they attended a BCC Chair Council meeting on Friday, Oct. 18, to get input from BCCs. The ASUCSB Legal Code will be under the direct scrutiny of the Senate and president as they decide to restructure it. The implications of such restructuring of the Legal Code will depend on the portion of the Legal Code those governing entities chose to focus on. According to the current Legal Code, should any revision occur, the Senate has to give a twothirds vote to approve it. Before the meeting adjourned, Theus gave one final remark to the Senate. “I definitely recommend everyone getting involved in this process,” Theus said. “It’s going to, obviously, change a lot of Associated Students if it does happen, so definitely look over it, get in any questions, comments, or concerns. Especially concerns.”

STANLEY SAYS

Midterms. They’re real, and they’re coming. I’ve seen their effects on humans before, and trust me: it ain’t pretty. Compounding the issue is the recent construction at Davidson Library — now you might feel like you have nowhere to study. If you can’t find a table in the library, the bathrooms are always an alternative, and quite roomy at that. If you’d rather leave the library, there are plenty of other options on campus. The top of Storke Tower is only a short flight away, offering both isolation and a killer view. If you’re afraid of heights and prefer water, try taking a boat out to the middle of the lagoon. Happy studying!

Illustration by Beth Askins | Layout Editor

TBL 2013-2014 Staff

Writers: this issue Mimi Liu, Giuseppe Ricapito, Alex Albarrah Aylan, Janani Ravikumar, Julia Frazer, Allyson Werner, Baille Abell, Jordan Wolff, Peter Crump, Coleman Gray, Emma Boorman, Chris Ortega, Matt Mersel, Elysia Cook, James Shevelin, Madison Donahue-Wolfe, Julian Levy, Caley Seaton, Shoshana Cohen, Sam Goldman, Alexandra Idzal Photographers: this issue Margarita Baliyan, John Clow, Benjamin Hurst, Lorenzo Basilio Illustrators: this issue Beth Askins, Deanna Kim, Hector Livarraea, Amanda Excell The Bottom Line is sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of California, Santa Barbara. Opinions expressed in TBL do not necessarily represent those of the staff, AS, or UCSB. Published with support from Generation Progress/Center for American Progress (genprogress.org). All submissions, questions or comments may be directed to bottomlineucsb@gmail.com or content.tbl@gmail.com.

The Bottom Line provides a printed and online space for student investigative journalism, culturally and socially aware commentary, and engaging reporting that addresses the diverse concerns of our readership and community. This is your community to build, share ideas, and publicize your issues and events. We welcome your questions, comments, or concerns at bottomlineucsb@gmail.com, or call our office phone at 805893-2440.

The Bottom Line | Oct. 23 - Oct. 29 Eat Fresh, Buy Loco: UCSB Opens First Farmers Market

by Julia Frazer there were nearly 3,000 positive responses to the The first University of California, Santa Bar- survey. Of these responses, 60 percent were from bara Gaucho Certified Farmers Market will be students and the rest were from staff members. held on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 11 a.m. to 3 “This has been tried a couple times in the past, p.m. in Parking Lot 23, and the official grand but for some reason it has never gone to fruiopening will occur on the following Wednesday, tion,” said Huffman. “This is the first time that Oct. 30, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This opening it has gone this far and we have actually made will feature live music from a local band — Bren this happen. All the other UCs have a farmers Band — as well as a talk from alumn Katie Falbo market. We’re the only ones who don’t.” and dining from two local food trucks. Some of the local farmers joining the market in“I think that the on campus Farmers Market clude Ellwood Canyon Farms, Pepper Creek Famis a really great concept,” said ily Farms, Underwood Family Emily Cosentino, fourth-year Farms, Tamai Family Farm, RoAll the other UCs have a economics and mathematics driguez Brothers, and Westland farmers market. We’re the major. “It will allow students, Floral. only ones who don’t.” especially those living in IV or Interest in the farmers mar-Dana Hoffman, UCSB Gaucho on campus, to get easy access ket is rising, and organizers Certified Farmers Market to fresh and local food.” plan to add more farmers and Seasonal fall fruits and vegetables such as artisans throughout the year. Organizers also pumpkins, apples, cranberries, sweet potatoes, plan to integrate different groups on campus Brussels sprouts, and leeks are expected in this each week in regards to sustainability and bring month’s markets. Also included in the Gaucho in students of all ages, including elementary stuCertified Farmers Market each week are local dents and the on-campus daycare students. Mcartisans sharing fresh honey, jams, bread, and Millin stressed that early education on what difpopcorn. At the grand opening on Oct. 30, one ferent kinds of food are out there and what you of the farmers has agreed to give out nearly 600 can do with them can really improve your life. pounds of bok choy, or Chinese cabbage. Both McMillan and Huffman are confident The main goals of the market at UCSB are “to that the UCSB Gaucho Certified Farmers Marsupport local farmers and sell local, fresh pro- ket will not compete with the Isla Vista Food duce and artisan goods,” said Forest McMillin, Co-op, because both groups are aiming for the Farmers Market intern and third-year environ- same goals in providing the community with mental studies major. “[It will] help educate staff and healthy, sustainable foods and education. faculty and students, community members about According to the group’s Facebook page, each the benefits of healthy eating and healthy living.” week the UCSB Gaucho Certified Farmers Some students may remember filling out a Market will feature a campus or local workshop survey last school year about potentially start- on related sustainable ideas for the campus and ing the Farmers Market on campus. In very local community. little time at all, Dana Huffman, one of the main For more info on the UCSB Gaucho Certileaders of the UCSB Gaucho Certified Farmers fied Farmers Market, visit their Facebook page at Market and a staff member at UCSB, said that facebook.com/gauchocertifiedfarmersmarket.

] ]

–TOWEL

paper towels have other uses besides drying wet hands. To combat this, paper towels will only be eliminated in the bathrooms, and a small supply of paper towels will be provided to the kitchenette and laundry room for spills and emergencies in which using a hand towel would be inappropriate. Many students who were initially against the project eventually warmed up to the idea. “I was expecting residents to be more resis-

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tant to [the project] than they have been,” said Henry Morse, the RA of the Environmental Floor. “They’ve even made ‘Towlie’ a floor mascot. Even the few who were first opposed to it have come around to support it.” While the Paper Towel Free Project does face some controversy, our school may soon join the ranks of UCSC and take one step closer to saving resources and reducing landfill waste.

NATIONAL BEAT REPORT

Affordable Care Act Sparks Controversy on UCSB Campus

by Allyson Werner NATIONAL BEAT REPORTER The government reopened on Wednesday, “For Student Health, we may be faced with Oct. 16, and, as a result, the Affordable Care many challenges to continue our high level of Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, has re- services if students purchase different insurceived the funding it needs. ance plans that require them to seek care outHowever, to many, it remains unclear why side of Student Health,” Ferris said. this controversial piece of legislation caused so In other words, if UCSB students choose much hoopla. According to a document about to purchase insurance outside of the univerACA and UC SHIP (the health care program sity, UCSB’s Student Health will receive less some UC campuses use) issued by the Uni- funding. versity of California, the ACA, first passed in Ferris’s worries seemed largely based on 2010, makes three important changes to the concern for the wellbeing of students. health care system. “We are worried that students will be temptFirst, starting in 2014, insurance companies ed to purchase other plans with minimal bencannot deny coverage to Americans with pre- efits, based only on the lowest price, and then existing medical conditions. Second, almost find themselves with huge medical costs after everyone must have medical coverage or face an emergency room visit,” Ferris said. a fine. Third, health insurance will be more Ferris stated that negotiations regarding affordable for low-income individuals and prices and coverage for 2014-15 have begun, families due to subsidies based on household and she encouraged students to join the GHI income and family size. Advisory committee. Students, faculty, and staff across camWhile Ferris’ evaluation of the ACA’s impus have reacted to the law and the potential mediate effects on UCSB students seemed prichanges it brings to the United States health marily positive, other students and faculty do care system and UCSB’s Gaucho Health Insur- not share her enthusiasm. Cameron Rankin, ance (GHI). All UCSB students are automati- a UCSB third-year and Executive Director of cally enrolled in GHI unless they can show the UCSB College Republicans, condemned proof that they have appropriate coverage the ACA for a variety of reasons. elsewhere. “The most prominent [drawback] is the Mary Ferris, Student Health’s Executive penalty Americans will face if they violate the Director, shared her experience with the new mandate to purchase insurance,” Rankin said. law. “This penalty carries the maximum fine of 2.5 “UCSB students will see expanded health percent of an individual’s income.” insurance benefits and more choices as a result Furthermore, Rankin expressed disapproval of ACA,” Ferris said. “Already the new mini- toward the potentially rising cost of health mum benefit requirements mandated by the insurance. law have resulted in great new health insurance “As young and generally healthy people, coverage for students: no additional cost for our insurance rates historically have been the birth control, no benefit caps on prescriptions lowest of any age group,” Rankin said. “Howor annual/lifetime maximums, and no limits ever, the new law requires that the high cost on any specific type of visits such as acupunc- of insuring the elderly would be subsidized by ture or chiropractic care.” passing the astronomical cost to us.” Other benefits she cited are the ability for Lastly, Rankin cited increases in taxes as a students to obtain coverage through their major problem for many Americans. parents’ insurance plans and the inability for “There are 20 tax increases or entirely new insurance to refuse coverage to patients with taxes that will pull on the pockets of every pre-existing conditions. American during the midst of a precarious On the other hand, Ferris acknowledged economic recovery,” he said. that many students might opt out of purchasOn Jan. 1, 2014, when every aspect of the ing GHI, which required higher premiums this ACA goes into full effect, the effects it will have year due to expanded benefits. on campus will become much more clear.

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The Bottom Line | Oct. 23 - Oct. 29

Features

‘Share the music, spread the word’: Gamelan at UCSB

Photos by Benjamin Hurst | Staff Photograhper

Above: Xander Johnson plays the bonang during a Javanese gamelan class on Oct. 17, 2013. by Bailee Abell When I entered room 1231 of the music building, I did not expect to be greeted with such welcoming smiles by barefoot bohemians. I was offered delicious tea and a rug to sit on as I observed the gamelan class at the University of California, Santa Barbara and listened to fairy-like tunes coming from unfamiliar instruments. Gamelan is a term used in Indonesia and Malaysia to refer to the specific kind of music in which bronze objects are being played. While gamelan is appreciated throughout Southeast Asia, it is also a hobby of many UCSB students who come together every Thursday to play music and socialize in a serene and melodic setting. One of the instruments – the Bonang – is composed of small bronze pots, which are strategically hit with padded mallets as they balance atop tight strings. The instrument itself is quite beautiful and engraved with intricate designs, and I watched in awe as students played the Bonang, along with many other percussion instruments, in synchronicity. If they were stumbling while they played, I never would have noticed, for even their mistakes sounded beautiful. You can kind of see it as a certain enthusiasm,” said Donn Howell, gamelan class instructor. “The main thing is that the music is fun to play together [and] the other is to take advantage of performance opportunities that come along every once in a while.”

New Noise Music Conference & Festival Takes Over Santa Barbara Jordan Wolff Promotion & Distribution Director This weekend Santa Barbara was bombarded with a wave of local and up-coming music for all sorts of sound lovers with the 5th annual New Noise Music Conference and Festival. The festival began Wednesday, Oct. 16, and continued through Saturday, Oct. 19. Over 50 bands flooded the city with a flurry of shows all throughout the downtown area, and on Friday, Oct. 18, the Savoy hosted the New Noise Music Conference, where music industry professionals spoke about the industry’s current state of affairs and where it may be heading. The New Noise Digital Music Conference offered up seven sections from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., during which experts from various spectrums of the music industry gave insight, advice, answers, lectures, and workshops regarding the music industry’s current technology, business, and future. The event began with a section titled “Career Opportunities: How to get your music on-screen.” Among the four expertise panel members was music supervisor Budd Carr, who has been putting songs in movies for over 20 years. “The business is great from the standpoint that the access is great. If you have a great song then people will find it, and people love to discover new songs. Don’t be afraid of all this business stuff in the music industry. If the quality is there, someone will find it,” said Carr The second section of the conference, titled “Complete Control: How to Effectively Create Your Brand,” included tour director/Artists development, Aubrey Wright; Seb Webber of Redlight Management; Mac Montgomery, Singer/Guitarist of Isla Vista’s own FMLYBND; and Latane Hughes Agent of Windish Agency.

Howell, who is now retired and continues to teach gamelan at UCSB voluntarily, became interested in the unique-sounding music the summer of 1973, when he travelled to Java as a student at the University of Hawaii. The UH music department had recently acquired a set of gamelan instruments; after three months of practicing, Howell was hooked.“I heard [the gamelan] play and I decided, ‘I just gotta do this!’” said Howell. Even after almost 26 years of teaching gamelan music at UCSB, Howell is still inspired by his students. He recalled the friendships that develop from the intimate class of about 11 students, and he hopes that the students will gain a momentum of their own and continue playing gamelan music. “When you enjoy something, you want to share it, and I think there is a lot of that involved,” said Howell. “[I love] when the group acquires it’s own motivation. It gets a certain critical mass where it just moves. Like right now, I really don’t have to do much [and these students] practice without having grades shoved in their faces.” Gamelan music is very group-oriented; it is impossible to play it alone. Aviva Milner-Brage, a graduate student of ethnomusicology at UCSB, attributes much of her joy of gamelan to the camaraderie that comes with the class. “I like how it makes me listen,” said Milner-Brage. “It kind of creates this atmosphere [where] you rely on your fellow musicians for everything. You have to listen to them to know where your It was moderated by Executive of Arts Editor of The Santa Barbara Independent Charles Donelan. “We are in an amazing time for music” said Webber. “Artists don’t get successful because of breaks. If you’re good then it’s because your music is good. If you’re among the best artists in the world, people like us won’t make a difference in your career. It all comes down to the music.” Other sections of the conference included Hitsville (US): Turning Your Passion Into a Career, with a focus on songwriting; If Music Could Talk: Marketing Your Brand; Career Opportunities: Mentoring Session; A History of the Santa Barbara Bowl: Inside Rock ‘n’ Rolls’ Favorite Venue; A Conversation with Chuck D (Public Enemy); and, finally, happy hour at the Savoy. Each section was incredibly insightful and remarkably beneficial for aspiring musicians. The conference covered all spectrums of the industry, from the business side of things all the way down to the art of songwriting. Audience members were able to ask a healthy number of questions only to be rivaled by the scrumptious answers from the panel members. “It’s been incredible and really inspiring for me as such a young artist. It’s been incredible to be around all of these creative people and it’s great. It really brings the community together,” said Jason Paras, a senior at Dos Pueblos High School and lead singer of the band Highway 35. “The most important thing that I have taken away from this event is that it’s all about the music. That even though a lot of people say or think it’s luck or looks that make it in the industry, in the end it all comes down to the music.” The New Noise Music Festival and Conference was created five years ago with the hopes of creating a mini South by Southwest Festival. The Co-founder/director of the New Noise Music Conference and Festival, Jeff Theimer, worked in the radio business for 10 years and was inspired with the idea from his time traveling all throughout the country experiencing the greatest music festival and conferences. “I always had this idea to do a mini South by Southwest in Santa Barbara. Where we have the technology companies in San Francisco and the music industry in LA, Santa Barbara is a great meeting spot. People and executives come here anyways,” said Theimer. When asked to describe The New Noise Music Festival and

Above and above left: Students and community members attend the weekly gamelan classes at UCSB. part is, so it brings you together in this unique way.” Milner-Brage has been involved with gamelan at UCSB ever since she began studying here in 2011, and she has continued to take on more responsibilities as she has stayed with the club for over two years. “The atmosphere is so friendly and comfortable,” said MilnerBrage. “Everyone who is in gamelan [are] good friends.” The gamelan class meets every Thursday at 5 p.m. and is open to UCSB students, staff, and faculty, as well as community members of all ages.

Above: Musicians and producers talk about their passion of songwriting at the New Noise Music Conference on Oct. 18, 2013. Right: Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket talks about song writing at the New Noise Music Conference on Oct. 18, 2013.

Photos by Lorenzo Basilio | Staff Photographer

Conference, Theimer said, “Attempting to have music take over Santa Barbara for four days. New Noise in a nutshell is trying to partner with other community organizations and trying to get people to come to Santa Barbara. To expand our reach and to expose people to new music and ideas of where music is heading the future of sound sort of speak. Our motto is sort of listen learn and connect. As we grow, I really want to encourage UCSB students to take a part and advantage of the conference, because we do bring over 50 speakers from all over the country. And if you like music or are interested in where music is headed, then I think it’s a really fun time to experience, hang out, meet new people, and get involved with the community.”

Hidden Gems of IV: The Isla Vista Neighborhood Clinic by Peter Crump A bustling and vibrant college town, Isla Vista has a sense of community that’s undeniable. Nowhere is this camaraderie felt more strongly than in a small white building just next to Embarcadero Hall, the Isla Vista Clinic. You may not have heard of it, but it’s been providing low cost quality health care for over 40 years to anyone who needs it, including students. Founded in the 1970s to provide free health care to the students at University of California, Santa Barbara, the IV Clinic has since been incorporated along with three other clinics to form the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinic (SBNC) system. Given their affordability and ease of access, the clinics of the SBNC, including the IV Clinic, serve a pivotal role in their respective communities. Dr. Charles Fenzi, the Chief Medical Officer of the clinic for the last year and a half, as well as much of the dedicated staff of nurses, physicians, and even a few UCSB alumni, optimistically stated that this past year, UCSB students have been using the clinic more than ever before. But the clinic also serves anyone in the community of IV and Goleta, especially those who lack the financial resources to go anywhere else -- “folks working two or three jobs” said Fenzi. Similarly, those who have fallen on hard economic times and who currently lack insurance have taken advantage of the clinics’ low-cost services. Fenzi explained that he even had a patient who was forced to “sell his two Mercedes” as well as his “$500,000 house due to a difficult financial situation.” Thankfully, the clinic was there to provide quality and affordable medical care. The clinic performs a wide array of services, including small surgeries like treating skin infections and applying stitches, but some of the biggest services they provide include chronic care as well as family planning and reproductive health. And since the clinic recently started accepting more insurance plans, more people have taken advantage of its services. It may not be a full blown hospital, but don’t deny this clinics’ potential. Recently, the clinic switched to an electronic health record (EHR) instead of keeping hard copies of patients’ medical files. Such a comprehensive process normally takes about a year to a year and a half to complete, but Fenzi proudly stated that the staff accomplished the feat in just eight

Above: The IV Clinic provides accessible health care for the surrounding community.

Above: A nurse takes the blood pressure of Dr. Fenzi at the IV Clinic on Oct. 25, 2013. Left: The dedicated nurses of IV Clinic welcome students and community members to take advantage of their services. Photos by John Clow | The Bottom Line months. As a non-profit organization that receives much of its funding from the state, the IV clinic is truly dedicated to helping the patient. Fenzi, who came out of retirement to take this position after a 30-year practice in New Mexico, called it “the best job [he] ever had.” The staff of the clinic has such a mission-driven attitude that it’s contagious, said Fenzi, and the patients are especially appreciative of the clinic’s services “because many of them don’t have an alternative.” When asked if he had words for the UCSB students, Fenzi simply said, “We’re here... The IV Clinic is absolutely a resource

for students.” You can tell that these people really want to help and make a difference in the community for the better. More and more students have been taking advantage of the clinic as a costeffective alternative to the Gaucho Health Insurance program. Regardless of whether or not you have health insurance -- or if you just want to see if the clinic would be a good fit for you -- stop by and visit. The clinic, located on 970 Embarcadero del Mar, is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon. For further information, visit http://www.sbclinics.com/isla_ vista.html.

Arts & Entertainment

The Bottom Line | Oct. 23 - Oct. 29

New Noise Block Party Rocks and Promotes Santa Barbara Far Left: Isla Vista’s FMLYBND performing at the New Noise Music Festival in Downtown Santa Barbara on Oct. 19, 2013.

Left: FMLYBND fan sits on a man’s shoulders to get a better view of the band.

Photos by Lorenzo Basilio | Staff Photographer

his past weekend, Santa Barbara hosted its annual New Noise Music Conference & Festival, which has in five short years become an SB institution. This festival celebrates the local art and music scene, one that so often gets overlooked amid the tourist industry that fuels much of the Santa Barbara economy. But for one weekend, from Oct. 17 to Oct. 19, all that is cast aside as this festival acknowledges all the great local art, music, and culture that we have around us. After a weekend full of music industry conferences, concerts, and art exhibits, the festival culminated with the 2nd annual New Noise Block Party on Saturday, Oct. 19., held between State and Anacapa Street. This event, featuring a beer and wine garden of local selections, popular food trucks, arts and crafts, and up-and-coming local and Southern California bands, drew in hundreds of fans to the colorful streamer strewn outdoor exhibition. Featuring nine bands of varying genres, the New Noise Block Party had a nearconstant stream of music. The line-up included Haim, Cayucas, FMLYBND, King City, Grizfolk, Dante Elephante, Erland, Bad Jack, and SKICK. Santa Barbara’s own Erland and the Los Angeles-based Grizfolk were two of the stand-

outs, with fans consistently ranking those among their favorites of the day. One of the most prominent (and most local) of local bands to perform at the Block Party was the Isla Vista-grown FMLYBND. You might run into this band around IV, as most of their members live and create their music on the 67 block of Sueno. This band seems to truly embody the IV lifestyle — not the raucous partying that some people may think of our community, but the supportive, creative community that sometimes gets forgotten. Despite the spelling (the lack of vowels makes it “easier to google”), this band truly is a family in all sense of the word — a family that just loves making music. FMLYBND, who described itself as some combination of “surf-grunge, butt-prog, and electronic folk,” really ignited the crowd when they performed on Saturday. Their infectious energy and exuberance was absorbed by the crowd, reinvigorating what could have been a tired and dwindling audience and paving the way for the headliners Cayucas and Haim. Cayucas also put on a very good, albeit more subdued performance, bringing their surf-inspired indie-pop up the Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Monica to entertain the Santa Barbara crowd. But the star of the night was Haim. The most publicized band of the day delivered a raucous performance, and showed just why they have become the new darlings of the rock scene.

Many people attended the Block Party to hear Haim perform, but the rest of the event was just as interesting. As you entered, you were bombarded with the smells of local food truck vendors, which had a wrap-around line for literally the entire day, while those who were mentally strong enough to endure the line taunted you with their delicious food and exclamations of faraway “yums.” Also, among the crowd of food trucks was the convenient and alluring wine and beer garden. While this reporter could only admire from afar, the garden was one of the major draws of the event and had a crowd for the entire day. But it was more than just music and food; alongside the streets were arts and crafts exhibitions from local artists. The booths had everything from art prints to shirts to handmade tchotchkes. These exhibitions and booths were big hits that not only generated good business for the artists but also promoted the local art scene, which really is the aim of the festival. The motto of the New Noise Music Conference & Festival is “Listen. Learn. Connect,” and the Block Party really did all of these things, generating new interest for all that was shown throughout the festival. As Sharon Fiori, a resident of Santa Barbara, said, “The New Noise festival really featured all of the artists well, and promoted all of this unknown local talent, and that, I think, is the real goal of the festival.”

Above: Excited fans come to the New Noise Musical Festival every year to hear new and rising indie bands.

“

by Coleman Gray STAFF WRITER

The New Noise festival really featured all of the artists well, and promoted all of this unknown local talent, and that...is the real goal of the festival. – Sharon Fiori, Santa Barbara resident

Left: Middle sister Danielle Haim of HAIM performing songs from their latest album at the New Noise Music Festival.

Swim Through a Fish Bowl: Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company comes to UCSB and the Granada Theater by Emma Boorman STAFF WRITER

Photos by Lorenzo Basilio | Staff Photographer

Above: The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company performs “Spent Days Out Yonder” at the Granada Theatre on Oct. 16, 2013.

When Bill T. Jones introduced himself to an eager audience, primarily composed of dance students and professors at University of California, Santa Barbara’s Hatlen Theater, by singing a song his mother used to sing, I knew everyone was in for a unique, emotional experience with the MacArthur “Genius” Award winner — a fact that was drilled into my memory by anyone who had anything to say about his work. Presented by UCSB’s Arts & Lectures, Bill T. Jones participated in a lecture on Monday, Oct. 14, at Hatlen Theater before the Arnie Zane Dance Company performed his choreographed dance at the Granda Theater on Wednesday, Oct. 16. During the lecture, Jones presented himself as less of a lofty genius and as more of a kind, thoughtful, and relatable storyteller. He reflected on his time in San Francisco, specifically a moment he had in a restaurant in the Tenderloin where he looked out of a window into a “fish bowl” of people. “They seemed to be moving in another time zone,” Jones said, reflecting on the moment. “I can’t quite understand what that meant.” He explained the city was historically regarded as a gentrification-resistant neighborhood and expressed his desire to close the gap with his creative work. In addition, he shared stories about everyday experience that moved him, from romantic love to seeing a small child cry out for the attention of her father. The first piece of Wednesday night at the Granada Theatre, “Spent Days Out Yonder,” introduced the show in a calm and organized manner. The dance, set to the music of Mozart, was far from ordinary; however, it was the most classic performance of the night. I could only feel a tiny hint of unease brought on by the company’s eerie modifications of the Mozart, especially toward the end when the musicians began to play foreboding notes rather than coherent, pleasing music. This was only the beginning of a tense and shocking performance. After what seemed like an intermission—but was only a brief pause—the company continued with the more provocative second piece, “Continuous Replay.” Much of its appeal was the complete nudity of the dancers. Initially, this added a comic element to the show. One naked dancer, a man, wildly danced his way across the

stage to a sudden burst of sound. He came out again, slowly the second time, and turned his head toward the audience, making many people laugh. After he did this several times, people stopped laughing, and more nude dancers followed him. This motion, calm and in unison at first, steadily grew more active and violent. The company included some unusual sound bites in the piece, the most noteworthy of which being the New York accented voice of Randall, the man who narrated the YouTube popular video “Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger” in 2011, and Neil Armstrong’s voice saying, “That’s one small step for man,” with the latter part of Armstrong’s famous statement being cut off. With the exception of the original nude man, a dancer named Erick Montes Chavero, the dancers gradually left the stage and returned with clothing. At the end of the piece, Erick was at the left of the stage dancing alone and naked with a group of clothed dancers to the right, who were gesturing toward him and yelling, “That’s all!” “D-Man in the Waters,” a whimsical piece dedicated to the late Demian Acquavella, marked an other-worldly end to the night. The final piece contained elements of its predecessors, and like the first, it felt controlled yet fluid, like watching a Monet painting in action. It also contained elements of the violence and frantic struggle present in the second piece, “Continuous Replay.” The dancers cooperatively used each other’s bodies to leap across the stage. The fluid movements gave the impression of people swimming in water, even though the dancers only had air to swim in and a hard stage to swim on. Like many artists, Jones was not inclined to talk about any explicit purpose or meaning in the dance, in spite of a couple audience members prying for answers about what might have been the most incomprehensible and provocative performance they had seen on a stage. Throughout the performance, I thought of what he said about the fishbowl, seeing people move “in another time zone.” I felt as if I had traveled through time after the performance on Wednesday, from the beginning of the human race in “Spent Days Out Yonder,” through war and struggle in “Continuous Replay,” and on to the unpredictable future leaping from the backs of the dancers into the air in “D-Man in the Waters.”

Above: Members of The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company performing.

Above: Bill T. Jones talks about his success during his lecture at Hatlen Theater on Oct. 14, 2013.

Arts & Entertainment

The Bottom Line | Oct. 23 - Oct. 29

Pollock Theater Wears Prada with Aline Brosh McKenna by Shoshana Cohen STAFF WRITER As part of the “Script to Screen” lecture series, Aline Brosh McKenna, screenwriter of “The Devil Wears Prada,” came to Pollock Theater on Oct. 17 for a Q&A session after the screening of her successful film. McKenna spoke about adapting the book into a film, casting Meryl Streep as Miranda, and her career before becoming a screenwriter. “The Devil Wears Prada” depicts the hectic lifestyle of post-college graduate, Andy (Anne Hathaway) trying to balance her personal and work life while interning at a prestigious fashion magazine in New York City. The movie explores Andy’s transition from a naive, young professional into a person who will manipulate others to get ahead in her job. “In any workplace, you adjust your world,” McKenna said during the Q&A session. ”Andy can say at the beginning that she’s not obsessed with her job, but then she gets caught up in it.” McKenna, whose past screenplays also include “27 Dresses” and “We Bought a Zoo,” drew inspiration from not only the book by Lauren Weisberger but also her own personal life when writing this screenplay. She didn’t have a mean boss; however, she worked for a lot of people and saw how people become preoccupied with their bosses. Andy’s obsession with her boss, Miranda Priestly (Streep), a character drawn from American Vogue’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, quickly becomes apparent throughout the movie. Through subtleties within the screenplay and non-verbal communication, Streep is utilized by McKenna to manifest a character who is more concerned with her personal goals than the wellbeing and feelings of other people. What sets

Miranda apart from Andy is that “Miranda knows she’s a ‘piece-mover,’ while Andy does not,” said McKenna. McKenna noted that Streep was “incredibly fun to write for.” McKenna worked on the script not knowing who would play Miranda in the movie. She said she was glad to have Streep play Miranda, because there was so much Streep could add to the character non-verbally. Streep wanted to say less and do less, portraying her character as calmly as possible. McKenna proceeded to explain Streep’s strategy, as seen in the scene in which Miranda rates James Holt’s clothing collection. McKenna originally wrote a long scene in which Miranda would comment on each dress individually. Yet, Streep asked to limit the verbal communication within the scene in order to more effectively portray Miranda’s disappointment with James’ collection. McKenna agreed to this strategy, which in the end, resulted in Miranda’s infamous “pursing of the lips.” While adapting the screenplay, McKenna attempted to strengthen the plot when it came to Andy’s work environment. The book was rock solid with details about Andy’s personal life but not within the Runway Magazine atmosphere. McKenna engaged in a conversation about the details present and not present in the book, explaining the adaptation of her screenplay to better fit Hollywood’s movie plot specifications. In the beginning of the movie, Andy thought she was was too good for her job as an assistant to Miranda, but by the end of the movie, Andy believes she is very lucky to even be in Miranda’s presence. When asked if Andy’s assistant job was worth it, McKenna said, “I would take it.” McKenna then spoke about the similarities between Andy and herself, explaining

ALBUM REVIEWS: Four Tet’s ‘Beautiful Rewind’ is a Trippy Ride

Photo by Benjamin Hurst | Staff Photographer

Alice Brosh McKenna signs Script to Screen posters following the screening at Polluck Theater on Oct. 17, 2013. how she started off as a journalist in New York City before deciding to become a screenwriter. Her first few years as a screenwriter proved difficult, but she stuck it out, later moving to California. After working for seven years, she got her first big break with the romantic comedy movie “Three to Tango.” Although her screenwriting career started off roughly, McKenna persisted in the industry and developed her career into what it is today. Ultimately, McKenna offered advice to the college students in the audience, citing kindness and hard work as the keys to success. “Script to Screen,” sponsored by the University of California, Santa Barbara’s CarseyWolf Center and the Film and Media Studies Department, is next featuring a screening of “Risky Business” and a Q&A with director Paul Brickman on Nov. 14.

Photo Courtesy | consequenceofsound.net by James Shevelin Four Tet likes to party, but he has a different idea of what partying is than most. His latest studio album “Beautiful Rewind” gives further insight into his current love and interpretation of house music, and showcases his unique sound experimentation. Overall, Beautiful Rewind is a trippy and good album, with its main faults lying in very odd/unwelcome experimentation...

The Bottom Line: 6/10

The Head and the Heart’s ‘Let’s Be Still’ Is Anything But Static

En-‘Brew’-siasts Raise Their Glasses and Benefit Non-Profits at Santa Barbara Beer Festival

by Elysia Cook STAFF WRITER Patrons were literally and figuratively buzzing with excitement three sip rule. Give something three sips to see if you like it or at the 6th annual Santa Barbara Beer Festival on Oct. 19, which not. Sometimes the sip doesn’t hit the right part of your mouth.” showcased nearly 30 microbreweries from the West Coast, primarIt was not a question of which beers were on tap at the Festival; rathily those from the central coast of California. Elings Park, sprawl- er, it was a question of which beers weren’t. A balance of the familiar ing 230 acres, hosted the four-hour event and was complemented and the more adventurous types of brews seemed to be the overarching by sunny skies and slightly cool temperatures—the perfect setting goal for participating vendors, given the spectrum of brown hues and for an afternoon spent sampling lore, soaking in live music, and even greater range of flavors that tickled festival-goers’ taste buds and welcoming the fall season with open arms and brimming glasses. livers. Put on by the Santa Barbara Rugby Association, the Beer Festival “This is my first beer festival; it was a birthday gift from my wife,” attracted approximately 2,000 attendees this year and was a sold out said Francisco Cordero, an attendee visiting from Los Angeles, as he affair. The SBRA and Elings Park, both non-profits, will receive 100 sipped a sample of Shock Top’s Belgian White. After finishing it, he percent of the funds generated from the event. offered his glass to a representative from Alaskan Brewery, who filled “I think it does a lot to bring together the community,” Dough it with a sample of their IPA. He gave it his approval a few moments Lynch, the president of the Grunion Rugby Club within the Santa later—“It’s good, similar to Lagunitas,” he commented, pointing toBarbara Rugby Association, said in an interview prior to the event. ward the tent across the field. “The average attendee is probably under 30, and this is an opportuThe long lines of thirsty festival-goers across Elings Field reiterated nity to get together outside, enjoy beer, music, beer, food, beer and the event’s appeal to both freshly minted craft beer enthusiasts and to help benefit two non-profits.” seasoned connoisseurs. Part of the Festival’s appeal was its large selection of brews and “Our brewing is aggressive and in-your-face. We like to push flaits representation beyond California. Although local names like Is- vors that don’t fit style guidelines at competitions,” Harris of Stone land Brewing Company and Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company Brewing Co. said. “But as you can see from the lines, the public’s still made their appearances, to the delight of native aficionados, other responding to them.” purveyors, such as Deschutes Brewery and Alaskan Brewing Com“The best part is seeing the beer come out from the tap and trackpany, traveled from the northwest. ing who it goes to, and seeing them take a sip and their eyebrows “This is a Central Coast beer festival; all of the local Santa Barbara raise,” Jeff Parker, co-owner of The Dudes’ Brewing Co., remarked. brewers are here, but we are also getting some from San Francisco, For those who desired even more variety, a select number of Oregon, Los Angeles, and San Diego,” said Lynch. booths, including Angry Orchard Hard Cider, Oreana Winery, and The breweries’ levels of familiarity with the Festi- Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea, also served other forms of alcohol. val varied as well. Casey Harris, a brewer for Stone “I liked that it was really open; there were so many good brewerBrewing Company and a 2011 University of Cali- ies around and a lot of variety,” said Vicente Gonzalez, a fourth-year fornia, Santa Barbara alumnus, said, “I think we’ve anthropology and religious studies major at UCSB. “The margaritas been here [at the Festival] every year. It’s good to [from vendor Cayman Jack] were really good!” come back and pour beers for everyone.” To satiate any appetites, the Rugby Association sold sausages with In contrast, The Dudes’ Brewing Co.—a rela- all the fixings, and a couple of booths also provided food samples. tively young brewery out of Torrance, Calif.—de“I worked here last year, and this seemed to be the most popular scribed the Festival as a way for them to get their booth. It goes over really well—beer and cheese are a good combinaname out to the public in an interactive way. tion!” said Karen Koy, an Elings Park host who manned the Cabot “We’ve been out six months, so this is our Cheese booth. first opportunity to participate in Santa BarContributing to the casual ambience of the event were local bands bara,” co-owner Toby Humes said. “We just Sonic Chaos, Me & Dinosaur, Thunder Rose, and J-town, who prosigned up with a distributor up in Santa Bar- vided live music ranging from reggae to rock. bara a month ago, so we’re signing up for fes“[It is] just a real fun day with great beer, people, music, and food,” tivals around the area. We’re excited to have Lynch summed up. our beer available up in Santa Barbara and be The end of the event was well timed, as many of the breweries ran part of Beer Fest.” out of beer by 4 p.m. By then, the low afternoon sun enhanced the For new festival-goers, Humes added mellow ambience and had settled over the park as attendees exited, that a beer tasting tip is to “follow the empty souvenir glasses in hand serving as testaments to the day. Illustration by Deanna Kim | Arts & Entertainment Editor

OLE WANTS YOU!

by Matt Mersel SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR The Head and the Heart’s second outing, “Let’s Be Still,” falls short of perfection when compared to the band’s debut release. However, that is its only flaw. The indie folk outfit’s sophomore album is beautiful, varied, and accomplished, showing off a stunning amount of growth while retaining the core characteristics of their music...

The Bottom Line: 9/10

Black Milk Evolves with Latest Album ‘No Poison No Paradise’

Photo Courtesy | consequenceofsound.net by Chris Ortega Detroit-native producer and rapper Black Milk (Curtis Cross) experiments conceptually with lyrics and sound on his sixth full-length solo album, “No Poison No Paradise,” an intriguing album that displays his growth as an artist. For hip-hop fans, Black Milk’s “No Poison No Paradise” is certainly worth a listen, as his art of storytelling and interesting production provides more substance...

The Bottom Line: 8/10

Apply to the Student of Color Conference (SOCC)

When: November 15-17, 2013 Where: UCLA Applications Online: tinyurl.com/socc2013 The Student of Color Conference is a great opportunity to learn, network and meet people from all UC’S. All expenses are paid by student fees, so you won’t have to pay to attend. This is open to all UCSB students so please apply! Application Deadline: October 28, 2013

Photo Courtesy | consequenceofsound.net

Other albums out this week: To get involved, come check out our weekly staff meetings, Tuesdays at 7pm in the AS Annex building and show us what you got!

Sir Paul McCartney, ‘New’

– Reviewed by Coleman Gray, Staff Writer 7.2/10

TLC, ‘20’

– Reviewed by Miranda Velasquez, 9/10

Want to read the full reviews? Check them out at thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu.

Science & Tech

The Bottom Line | Oct. 23 - Oct. 29

40-Million-Year-Old Blood Found in Fossilized Mosquito by Mimi Liu

The image of a blood-filled mosquito suspended in amber was the science-fiction stuff of Jurassic Park – until now. A groundbreaking discovery has been made by scientists, involving a fossilized mosquito trapped in a piece of shale found in Northwest Montana. Curiously, the insect was preserved in shale, the accumulation of fine sediments on the bottom of a body of water; usually, fossilized insects are preserved in amber, sticky tree resin that hardens when dried. According to Dale Greenwalt, a retired biochemist who works for the Smithsonian Institute, this means that “the insect had to take a blood meal, be blown to the water’s surface and sink…all without disruption of its fragile distended blood-filled abdomen.” Greenwalt was the scientist who analyzed the fossil’s components by using chemical elements and a mass spectrometer, which identifies elements by their weights. This particular method is an excellent analytical technique since it allows fossils to remain undamaged and whole; scientists bombard fossils with molecules of heavy elements and then analyze the vaporized chemicals with a mass spectrometer. By using this method, Greenwalt successfully determined the presence of porphyrins, a naturally occurring organic compound in hemoglobin, which is the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. This indicates a “definite

case” for traces of blood being present in the insect, said Greenwalt. He compares the mosquito’s abdomen to “a balloon ready to burst.” The fact that a bloodfilled mosquito could be preserved so well, and in shale at that, is truly amazing. Greenwalt added, “The chances that it wouldn’t have disintegrated prior to fossilization were infinitesimally small.” One possible explanation for this seemingly miraculous discovery is an algae preservation process, where an insect is trapped in a film of floating algae before sinking to the bottom of a lake. Additionally, the specimen is highly detailed and scientists have been able to discern that it is of a wholly undiscovered species. The species has been named Culiseta lemniscata. Does that mean Jurassic Park will welcome us anytime soon? Unfortunately for sci-fi fanatics everywhere, the answer is still no. Even though the discovery of porphyrins in this mosquito indicates that complex organic molecules can be preserved for much longer than scientists expected, mosquitos were still about 20 million years too late to ever suck blood from a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Additionally, DNA cannot survive for very long, relatively speaking. Australian scientists have determined that it has a half-life of 521 years by studying the bones of extinct moa

Illustration by Amanda Excell | Staff Illustrator birds. In 521 years, half of the bonds linking the DNA together would decay, and in another 521 years, half of the remaining bonds would decay, and so on. Altogether, scientists predict that in only 5.3 million years, the DNA of any species would be rendered unreadable. Unfortunately for scientists, dinosaurs roamed the earth 65 million years ago, and so any preserved dinosaur DNA should be entirely gone by now. “This confirms the widely held suspicion that claims of DNA from dinosaurs and ancient insects trapped in amber are incorrect,” said a sci-

entist from the University of Sydney, Australia. However, recreating extinct animals is not entirely impossible. Scientists in Russia and South Korea are trying to bring back a live woolly mammoth by inserting DNA stored in the nucleus of a preserved mammoth cell into a modern-day Asian Elephant egg. Mammoths went extinct a mere 3,000 to 10,000 years ago, and so there remains a chance of DNA retrieval. Technology is developing rapidly, and therefore nobody can say with complete certainty what this latest discovery may mean for the future of extinct animals.

The Internet Seeks to Break Away from US Government

Illustration by Hector Lizarraga | Staff Illustrator by Julian Levy

The world’s foremost organizations responsible for the technical operation of the Internet’s infrastructure have met in Uruguay to plan for a more globalized Internet, free of the influence of the United States government. The meeting, held in Montevideo, Uruguay, has attempted to address the growing concern for the future of the Internet and its status as a politically free and open flow of information. The organizations attending the meeting include Internet infrastructure giants such as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC), and, most notably, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Since its creation in 1998, ICANN has been a powerful force behind the operation and stability of the Internet.

Most notably, it controls many domains including .com and .org, and it also oversees the global switch to the latest Internet protocol standard, IPv6. ICANN now also operates the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which manages global IP address allocation. ICANN is an entirely U.S. organization overseen by the U.S. Commerce Department, which, in light of the NSA’s PRISM program, has left many of the world’s Internet companies especially concerned. The Internet as it exists now is a very American affair, but what remains unclear is whether the United States can fulfill a position neutral enough to maintain a respectable and trustworthy authority over such a crucially important organization as ICANN. In a statement released on Oct. 7, the leaders of the Montevideo meeting “called for accelerating the globalization of ICANN and IANA functions, towards an environment in which all stakeholders, including all governments, participate on an equal footing.”

Evolution of the Internet: Are Transfer Speeds of 12.5GBs Possible? by Pragya Parmita

Downloading a Blu-ray disc in two seconds is a distant dream for the average American consumer, but thanks to researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, the technology for such high download speeds has already been developed. In a record experiment, researchers were able to transmit data with a speed of 100 gigabits/s (or 12.5 gigabytes/s) at a frequency of 237.5 GHz over a distance of 20 meters in the laboratory. Compare this recordbreaking speed to 8.6 megabits/s, which is the average download speed today in the U.S., according to Akamai’s State of the Internet report. Professor Ingmar Kallfass says that the “project focused on integration of a broadband radio relay link into fiber-optical systems… For rural areas in particular, this technology represents an inexpensive and flexible alternative to optical fiber networks.” This technology could also be added to the end of a fiber network, which is the standard type cable network that modern Internet runs through. Light running through fiber-optic cables creates electromagnetic waves in which information can be passed through the cables. If a high-speed fiber network transmitted signals to a mobile base station, KIT’s wireless technology could be used to transfer the signal to consumers. This signal transfer would be es-

pecially convenient due to KIT’s use of higherpowered optical lasers. Using a photon mixer made by the Japanese company NTT Electronics, the researchers at KIT superimposed two optical laser signals of different frequencies on a photodiode (which transforms light into electrical currents) to create an electrical signal with a frequency equaling the difference between the optical signals. This high-powered signal can transfer large amounts of data in the resulting electromagnetic waves. An antenna then transmits the signal to the receiver, which in turn uses fully integrated electronic circuits to decipher it. A semiconductor chip, produced by the Fraunhofer Institute of Applied Solid State Physics, only a few square millimeters in size, enabled “the fabrication of active, broadband receivers for the frequency range between 200 and 280 GHz” using technology based on high-electron mobility transistors, according to the KIT press release. This semiconductor receiver chip also functions with advanced modulation formations, thereby allowing the radio link to be passed through the modern optical fiber networks. The availability and accessibility of this technology to the general public, however, remains uncertain. While the laboratory ex-

The Low-Down On Downloads: Average download speed in the United States:

8.6 Megabits per second

Record-Setting Data Transmission:

100 Gigabits per second

1 Bit = 0.125 Bytes

Historically, countries like Brazil have rallied for this described decentralization of the Internet’s technical infrastructure, proposing that the U.N. take responsibility for ensuring an open and uncensored Internet. Opponents of this plan claim distinct disadvantages, including the possibility of the Balkanization of Internet traffic, citing instances of government censorship and telecommunications disconnections. It is uncertain if a truly geopolitically decentralized Internet can exist, but the creator of the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, seems convinced that the issue must be addressed in some way. He is quoted as saying “If you can control [the Internet], if you can start tweaking what people say, or intercepting communications, it’s very, very powerful…it’s the sort of power that if you give it to a corrupt government, you give them the ability to stay in power forever.” Governmental forces are not the only influencing factor to be considered either. The growing privatization of the Internet by tech giants like Facebook and Google further complicates the issue. Deepfield, an Internet traffic monitoring company, has said “Google’s various services now account for 25 percent of all Internet traffic on an average day.” Google is also moving forward with huge infrastructure projects like “Google Fiber” Internet service, further extending the likelihood of their engagement in the issue. So far the meeting has yet to release any definite proposal to break up the United States supposed monopolization of the web. It seems likely that the struggle for the right to oversee the Internet will continue on well beyond the boundaries of Montevideo, Uruguay.

periment, under the “Millilink” project, was conducted within a budget of EUR 2 million, the cost of implementing this technology across the country, especially in a country as big as the United States, would be enormous. To provide some perspective of the required expenses, cables companies have spent $200 billion on improving Internet speed since 1996. In addition, Brian Roberts, current CEO of Comcast, United States’ largest cable provider, demonstrated the impressive download speed of 100 Mbps in 1996. Again, the current Internet speed in the U.S. remains under 25 Mbps, even at its best. Furthermore, to compete with Google Fiber (which boasts a speed of 1 Gbps), Roberts recently presented a 3 Gbps cable broadband connection at the industry’s annual trade show in Washington, D.C in June 2013. He claims, however, that actually upgrading the entire network system to such speeds would not be cost

effective and useful, as most consumers would have no use of such high bandwidths. Regardless, in response to the consumer demands of high Internet speeds, CableLabs is working “to standardize the next evolution of technology, DOCSIS 3.1, which makes more efficient use of the network and can deliver download speeds up to 6 Gbps,” according to Marguerite Reardon of CNET. The network may be commercially available as early as 2015. However, at what cost does this come? Prices for high-speed broadband are already staggering. Comcast charges between $60-75/month for a speed of 50 Mbps; it increases to $115/month for 105 Mbps and $320/month for 305 Mbps. And while Google only charges $70/month for Google Fiber, it is available only in states with governments supportive of the development. As a result, while the idea of widely available transfer speeds of 100 Gbps is exciting, it is still quite a ways into the future.

The Bottom Line | Oct. 23 - Oct. 29

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The Fourth Amendment In The 21st Century: How Safe Are We In The Digital Age? by Janani Ravikumar Staff Writer What would you do if you were Jason Bourne — if you had the government scrutinizing everything you say, every move you make, meticulously cataloguing every person with whom you come into contact and carefully documenting their backstories, lifestyles, and mannerisms, all within a few minutes? Fortunately, the government can’t do that just yet. However, they can look into the personal information you put online, because the Fourth Amendment doesn’t necessarily forbid them from tracking your digital footprint without a valid search warrant. The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects people from unreasonable search and seizure. Though it sets guidelines for searching people’s homes, schools, and cars,

it says nothing about emails, cloud storage, and computers in general. Day by day, more and more of our information can be found online or at least on our computers. Since the Fourth Amendment doesn’t necessarily protect us in that regard, there’s not much standing in the way to stop marketers, researchers, law enforcement agencies, and the government from tracking your digital footprints. And the worst part is that probable cause isn’t even required. This loophole is what the government exploits when looking into your digital footprint, according to David Cole, who teaches constitutional law at Georgetown University. Your emails are shared with your Internet provider; your web searches are shared with the web company in question; just carrying your cellphone around equates to you sharing your whereabouts with your cellphone company. Because the government officially rec-

ognizes these agencies as “third parties,” the Fourth Amendment no longer protects you in this regard. With just a subpoena, the government can access your name, address, and phone and Internet records, which means that, in extreme cases, it also includes information on how you pay your bills. In the worst case scenario, the government can even see your credit card and bank account numbers. Basically, because of a loophole in the Fourth Amendment, the government can obtain access to just about everything you want to keep safe. To better understand the ramifications of this, here’s a quick explanation of subpoenas. According to Cornell University Law School, a subpoena is a written order for an individual to give testimony on a particular subject, and failure to comply may be punishable as contempt. Specifically, a subpoena duces tecum, what the government would need to legally be able to track

your digital footprint, is a subpoena that forces individuals to produce documents pertinent to a proceeding. According to Lee Rosen of the Rosen Law Firm in Raleigh, N.C., this type of subpoena can be easily obtained from most private lawyers, who are considered to be “officers of the court.” On the other hand, a search warrant, which can only be obtained from a judge if there is probable cause, is not required. A lot of us no longer store our files in a physical setting that would require the government to obtain a search warrant – so why are our files stored on our computers and on the internet any different? There is no excuse to not keep up with rapidly advancing technology, as the law already accommodates for telephones. According to the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Supreme Court ruled in 1967 that telephone conversations are protected by the Fourth Amendment

and thus require the government to obtain a warrant before it can listen. Title III of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 made it a crime to intercept telephone calls without a warrant from a judge. What we need is a similar act regarding the things we store online or on a computer. If you equate your email address to your home address, and the various emails you’ve sent and received over the years to the various documents and papers you have lying around at home, then the government would be violating your Fourth Amendment rights by searching your emails without a valid warrant. But because of the loose definition of the term “third party,” to which email addresses and cloud storage apparently belong, the Fourth Amendment will not stop the government from reading our emails, and then we’ll all be one step closer to Jason Bourne status.

The Price of Revenge

Illustration by Amanda Excell | Staff Illustrator by Caley Seaton Staff Writer We all have different coping mechanisms for break ups, but now one of the more spiteful tactics has come under the scrutiny of state governments. On Oct. 1, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 255, which states that taking pictures of someone, even “with his or her consent,” and then posting said pictures “with

the intent to cause serious emotional distress, and the other person suffers serious emotional distress” would constitute as disorderly conduct. While the bill, more commonly known as the “revenge porn bill,” is meant to protect certain parties in a break up, it is missing a very important piece: there is no protection provided for nude images the victim took themselves, what I’ll call here a “selfie.” According to Business Insider, a whopping

80 percent of revenge porn consists of photos to progress at the same rate as our ever-changing taken by the victim, so logically, the bill should social environment. While many dispute that the extend to protect all types of pornographic bill is a violation of the First Amendment freephotos. However, many opponents of the bill dom of speech, according to Freedomforum.org, claim that the law shouldn’t protect people who the Supreme Court ruled that misleading stateput themselves at risk by sending pornographic ments about another person photos in the first place. Despite the logistics — or libel — and obof who took the photos, revenge porn is scene materials are The time an act of defamation, which is legally not protected. has come for our defined as “any intentional false comFurthermore, munication…that harms a person’s the notion of laws to protect the reputation; decreases the respect… freedom of people from all forms of or induces disparaging, hostile, or bullying, harassment, and disagreeable opinions or feelings against a person.” It is sheer comsexual assault by extendmon sense that revenge porn can ing coverage into the cause serious permanent damage speech virtual world. to someone’s reputation. The fact of came long the matter remains that revenge porn before the is nothing more than the attempt of one invention of the Inindividual to inflict emotional pain and sufferternet, which makes anying upon another. This kind of harassment canthing and everything permanent not and should not be tolerated by society, and while additionally giving anybody a medium to extending the bill’s coverage to the selfie is the inflict suffering while hiding comfortably befirst step toward eliminating these kinds of im- hind the anonymity of a computer screen. It is mature, inappropriate hate crimes. time for the law to be extended into the virtual The entire point of having a system of law world, where harassment seems to flourish. is to protect people from physical or emoWhile permitting someone to take pornotional abuse through any medium, including graphic photos or sending ones you took yourthe Internet. For this reason, the disciplinary self is asking for trouble, this does not change action for revenge porn currently does not fit the simple fact that revenge porn should not be the crime. Disorderly conduct is classified as a tolerated. Everybody makes mistakes, but trustmisdemeanor, and first time offenders face pun- ing a person with whom you share an intimate ishment of either a fine of up to $1,000, or up relationship should not be one of them. The to six months of county jail time. According to time has come for our laws to protect the Senate Bill 255, acts of disorderly conduct in- people from all forms of bulclude but are not limited to prostitution, public lying, harassment, intoxication, and squatting. Lewd conduct lacks and sexual assault the malicious intent and violation of trust that by extending is the bedrock of revenge porn. R e v e n g e coverage into the virtual and say, squatting, should world. We cannot continue to let not face the same caliber those who believe that revenge of punishment. This reckis the remedy for a broken less kind of behavior can heart commit these kinds permanently damage the of tasteless, vicious acts victim’s reputation, and if without consequence. anything, should be classified as sexual harassment, not disorderly conduct. The entire concept of revenge porn only further demonstrates the need for our current laws

Smartphones: How Being Constantly Connected Can Have Deadly Consequences by Madison Donahue-Wolfe

Look around you. How many people, assuming you are in a public space while reading this article, are staring down at some device, whether it be a smartphone, tablet, or Kindle? Now be honest with yourself. How many times in this day alone have you turned on your phone, either to update a Facebook status or simply check the time? Many are not aware that the average smartphone user will check his or her phone approximately 150 times in the course of one day. An annual Internet trends report published by Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers found people check their phones 23 times a day for messaging, 22 times for voice mail, and 18 times to get the time. Other common uses for a smartphone during the day include 12 times for gaming, nine times for

social media, and eight times for camera. This report went on to state that when asked how social and communication activities on smartphones made them feel, the two most common feelings users responded with were “connected” and “excited.” I bring up the results of this report in light of a recent tragedy that happened in San Francisco. On the night of September 23, Nikhom Thephakaysone pulled out a .45-caliber pistol several times on a crowded Muni train with no one noticing. It wasn’t until Thephakaysone shot San Francisco State University student Justin Valdez in the back that people realized an armed man accompanied them in the train car. How could this have happened? This scene, captured on Muni cam-

eras, shows the passengers of the train all with their eyes downward, focused on their various smartphones and tablets. No one notices the man in the back of the train pull out a gun several times, once even using the hand holding the gun to scratch his nose. Smartphones make them feel connected, they say? Interesting. How connected can one be when they do not realize a man with an unconcealed deadly weapon stands mere feet from them? Yes, smartphones have their place in society. Lost? Simply pull up Google maps. Need to transfer some cash on the spot? Open up your banking app. Need to check the weather? Opening the weather app is much simpler than finding the nearest newspaper and flipping to the forecast. Smartphones often provide

Illustration by Beth Askins | Layout Editor

quick, easy solutions and fit conveniently in the back of your pocket. But the incident on the Muni train in San Francisco perfectly highlights a situation where smartphones can be a detriment, even a danger. I see many people operate in everyday life with their eyes aimed down at their phones, disconnected from the world around them. Many people assume others will not walk straight into them. Many people assume a car will not hit them as they cross a street. Many people assume a man

with a gun does not stand feet from them. It’s time to stop assuming and start seeing. As technology surges forward, and companies develop more involved and even wearable products, such as Google Glass, slated for release sometime in 2014, you must ask your self whether being so connected to the web, to your friends, and to your device makes you in turn more disconnected from the world.

The Bottom Line | Oct. 23 - Oct. 29

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‘Keep Them Pretty’: Meditations on the DisneyBeauty Complex by Alexandra Idzal Illustration by Hector Lizarraga | Staff Illustrator With a new movie in the works and a couple of spunky new princesses to love, Disney is well on their way to releasing another classic with their new movie, “Frozen.” But the movie’s head animator, Lino Disalvo, raised a few eyebrows in an interview he gave to the website Fan Voice in which he talked about the process of animating the film. He said, “Animating female characters are really, really difficult, ’cause they have to go through these range of emotions, but they’re very, very — you have to keep them pretty.” According to Hsin-Yu Huang of Humbolt State University, there is evidence to back up the first part of Disalvo’s statement; women actually are more facially expressive than men. But why do we have to “keep them pretty”? Was that a problem for the male characters too? Not according to the interview. The idea of keeping women in film “pretty” seems to be less of a trend and more of a rule. The only Disney women who are not stereotypically pretty are the villains. Interestingly, this rule does not carry over to the men of Disney. The Genie from “Aladdin,” King

Fergus from “Brave,” the dwarfs from “Snow White,” and countless others are examples of lovable male characters who are not designed to be attractive. And it’s not just the colorful sidekick characters that are allowed to be ugly. The male main characters of “Up,” “Ratatouille,” and “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” are all designed to be physically unappealing. It seems that the message here is that if you are a woman who is not stereotypically attractive, then your story is not worth being told. But wait! What about Merida? She is the spunky redhead who stars in “Brave,” whose fiery frizzy locks and normal sized waist set her apart from her physically perfect princess counterparts. But right before her induction into Disney princess-ship, Merida was given, what Huffington Post calls “a traditional Disney makeover…featuring a slim waist, and doe eyes.” With hair no longer frizzy and a thinner shape, the new Merida now sits neatly into the category of traditional Disney princess.

Not only does Merida look different from her royal peers, but her story arc is also different: her tale does not end with her falling in love. Although it is true that many of the ladies of Disney are motivated by wants and needs other than falling in love with a man, they all manage to snag a hot prince charming by the end of their film. All except Merida. The implication here, between Disalvo’s comments and Merida’s conspicuous singleness, is that a woman’s lovability comes from the perceived perfection of her looks. If Belle can fall in love with the Beast, why is it such a huge stretch for Prince Charming to fall in love with an average looking girl? The search for physical perfection in women on screen mirrors women’s search for perfection in themselves. Maybe the reason we can’t love an ugly princess is that women don’t want to identify with an imperfect character: we don’t want to admit to ourselves that the search for physical perfection isn’t worth the blood, sweat, and tears we put into it.

Are Our Coaches Actually Worth Millions of Dollars? Collegiate Sports Ring in Millions Every Year, But There Are More Important Things Than Football

ho would you think makes more money: the coach of the seemingly unstoppable Denver Broncos, John Fox, or of the perennially decent University of Iowa’s football team, Kirk Ferentz? Believe it or not, the answer is Ferentz, and by almost half a million dollars a year, according to Celebrity Net Worth and Coaches Hot Seat NFL. In all but 10 states, according to a recent viral map of the U.S. found on Addicting Info, the highest paid public servant in each state is the head coach of a college sports team, predominantly football and basketball. According to USA Today, the average salary of football head coaches from major colleges in 2012 was $1.64 million (and skyrocketing faster than that of corporate executives), while the average salary of basketball head coaches from this past NCAA tournament is $1.47 million, the vast majority of these teams being from public schools. Compare those seven-digit figures to those of their K-12 teacher coun-

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Society could go on operating just fine without collegiate sports, but would be hopelessly floundering without the millions of dedicated public school teachers to spark and foster kids’ creativity and pursuit of knowledge, not to mention get them to their college teams in the first place.

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by Sam Goldman

terparts. The average salaries of these teachers, according to PayScale, run from the low- to mid-$40,000 range. That’s about a fortieth of the top college football coaches’ haul. The rationalization behind coaches’ incredible salaries is that they’re basically necessary for the universities. If universities don’t offer market salaries to top potential coaches, they cannot, they argue, hire them because another school will take them up. And without a top notch coach, there will be no top notch team to rake in millions of dollars in revenue to help support the school. Sure, Mack Brown may make over $5 million a year, but Texas Longhorns football still takes home close to $80 million in total profits, according to ESPN. Showering Brown and his counterparts around the country with that much cash earns the lucky

public schools the necessary extra money the government may not always be able to reliably endow them and extra prestige that will attract more students. While the best coaches may expect very high salaries and may help put together a successful revenue-generating team for a university, their salaries underscore the particularly high, but perhaps often subconscious, value our society places on sports. A friend of mine who attends Louisiana State University, a football powerhouse, described his university to me as “a football school with a side of teaching,” and apparently head coach Les Miles is revered at an almost religious level. Whenever I hear about the university, it’s in reference to its football team. From both inside and outside the school, people are coming to view it as more of a football institu-

tion rather than an educational institution, and this trend seems to be picking up steam with the collegiate football and basketball juggernauts around the country. With so much emphasis being placed on athletic domination, we’re hearing more and more about academic dishonesty, especially with players of these two sports. Highlighted recently by an NPR article concerning a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scandal, athletes around the country have had their grades rigged in addition to other illicit benefits in order to remain eligible and are falling far behind their non-sporting classmates in academic skills. The involved student athletes are learning much less and are going to be ill-equipped for life after college unless they’re one of the lucky few who will play

professionally. While college sports are a fun, exciting spectacle that ignite our competitive spirit (and generate lots of revenue), it’s people like K-12 public school teachers who really take on the vital burdens of continuing an intelligent, functioning society. Society could go on operating just fine without collegiate sports, but would be hopelessly floundering without the millions of dedicated public school teachers to spark and foster kids’ creativity and pursuit of knowledge, not to mention get them to their college teams in the first place. In light of this, it would make more sense for these teachers rather than the coaches to be making the big bucks, even if the rewards of playing/coaching/watching sports seem more immediately tangible. Don’t get me wrong, I love watching college sports, especially the ones that pay their coaches millions of dollars, but I don’t think we should be fostering a mindset that leaves education in the backseat. We need to ask ourselves what we truly value more and what we should be prioritizing.

Bachelor’s Degrees Are The New High School Diplomas — Only We Can’t Afford Them by Janani Ravikumar Staff Writer We all know the struggle of paying our college tuition, as well as the mini panic attack we get upon seeing that tuition has risen yet again. Tuition just keeps getting higher and higher, and student loans will take years to pay off, all because of the no-longer-valid definition of the term “higher education.” Because so many jobs now require a basic college education, a bachelor’s degree should be considered a right, much like a high school diploma currently is, rather than the privilege it once was. The estimated average tuition for a University of California education for California residents, while only a meager $300 in 1975, is currently $13,200 for the 2013-14 school year. According to CNN, tuition at public four-year universities has increased by 104 percent, and the net price after scholarships, grants, and federal tax benefits that in-state students at public universities have to pay has risen by 4.6 percent this year alone. This is more than twice the rate of inflation, which rose about 2 percent over the past year. As more and more students are enrolling in college these days, the value of an undergraduate degree is degenerating to that of a high school diploma. Such a steep increase in tuition should theoretically not make sense, even though other expenses, such as room and board, have also increased accordingly.

The mission of the California Department of Education is to “provide a world-class education for all students, from early childhood to adulthood.” However, this only extends to the 12th grade, and does not accommodate for a public college education. And because so many people enroll in college today, the value of a bachelor’s degree is much lower than it once was. According to the New York Times, 33.5 percent of Americans had at least a bachelor’s degree in 2013, as opposed to 21.9 percent in 1975. That’s not even getting into those who don’t even get a well-paying job at the end of a four-year education. Since our tax money goes into funding the UC system, shouldn’t UC tuition cost a lot less, at least for California residents? Just like a proper high school education, education from a fouryear university is no longer the privilege it once was, but a fundamental right. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rates for those with bachelor’s degrees and just high school diplomas are at 4.5 percent and 8.3 percent, respectively. Furthermore, the California unemployment rate for high school graduates without any sort of degree is well above the national average, and while the unemployment rate of college graduates is considerably lower, it’s still quite high. Higher education has always correlated with more, better-paid jobs, but our definition of “higher education” is slowly changing from a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree and above. An undergraduate degree is well on

Illustration by Deanna Kim | Arts & Entertainment Editor its way to becoming a baseline of education, just like a high school diploma once was. While private schools and out-of-state students are another story entirely, UC and California State University tuition should be much lower for California residents than it is today, especially since our taxpayer dollars are funding both systems. Despite the fact that the value of a bachelor’s degree has gone down over the years, public school tuition has increased – a paradox that results in students and graduates drowning in debt. Just as freely accessible education from kindergarten to 12th grade is widely considered a right that all children possess, a basic college education, at least from public universities, should be considered a right as well.