1/11/15 by UCSD Guardian

VOLUME 49, ISSUE 23

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2016

WWW.UCSDGUARDIAN.ORG

AROUND CAMPUS

UC SYSTEM

STAR WARS: JUST LET IT IN

ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTINA CARLSON

UC Regents to Vote on New Student Adviser If approved, the regents will create the nonvoting position in response to pressure for more student representation. BY HEEJUNG LIM

Contributing Writer WANT TO BUILD YOUR OWN LIGHT SABER? OR FLY A TIE FIGHTER? TOO BAD, IT’S ONLY SCIENCE FICTION. OR IS IT? EXPLORE THE SCIENCE FACT BEHIND THIS FAMOUS FRANCHISE.

Outside hitter Ian Colbert went for a kill during the UCSD Men’s Volleyball game against Univesity of Charleston last Friday. Photo by Megan Lee /UCSD Guardian

STRANGE ALLIANCES

DECISIVE WIN OVER SF STATE SPORTS, Page 12

FORECAST

MONDAY H 63 L 43

TUESDAY H 63 L 45

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY H 61 L 50

H 60 L 47

See WATER, page 2

See REGENTS, page 3

UCSD Transportation Services Website Crashes

A LOOK AT SAUDI ARABIA

W. BASKETBALL TRIUMPH

your toilets. Be mindful of the world we live in.” The Chairwoman of the Control Board Felicia Marcus defended these below-target marks by pointing out that, during this time of year, temperatures are higher and people tend to irrigate their plants less, leaving them with fewer methods of saving water. “We anticipated a dip in the conservation rate for October, but it is not because people are losing interest — they actually did quite well considering how unusually hot it was in October,” Marcus said in a Dec. 1 press release. “It’s harder to keep the percentages up in the fall and winter when little outdoor watering takes place.”

CAMPUS

FEATURES, PAGE 6

OPINION, Page 4

The UC Board of Regents will vote on the formation of a unique student adviser position during its Jan. 20 to 21 meeting, following demands for increased student representation. The student adviser is expected to be a nonvoting board member advocating for student issues. The proposal will first go to the Committee on Governance, which has six voting regents. If the item reaches a simple majority vote, it will then be forwarded to the entire board for another majority vote. If the resolution successfully passes, the first student adviser’s term is projected to begin July 2017. According to current Student Regent Avi Oved, the student adviser will most likely be chosen from the Student Regent applicant pool. Oved considers the student adviser position a much-needed first step to increasing student power at a political level. “We have nearly 250,000 students across the UC system, yet we only have two seats in the UC Board of Regents and only one single vote,” Oved told the UCSD Guardian. “There was always interest in having another voting student regent, which requires a constitutional amendment. It has been talked about among student regents for years but there has never really been a foundation to build off of.” Oved described how the student adviser will be collaborating with the Regents to achieve specific goals. “Modelled similarly to the student regent position, [the student adviser] has the flexibility to speak at the table and build relationships, to talk about what they want to accomplish during the term,” he said. “The student regent and the student adviser would work together as a unit, with the student regent serving as a mentor.” The UC Student Association, an organization that dedicates itself to politically empowering UC students, has come to support Oved in his efforts. UCSA President Kevin Sabo agrees that a new student position on the Board of Regents has the potential to be beneficial. “The student adviser would presumably have more access [than the UCSA Board],” Sabo told the Guardian. “It will be a good opportunity to increase student representation. ... There are always a lot of issues to work on, such as issues for graduate students or housing.” UCSA Board Member and Vice

BY KRITI SARIN News

everal UCSD students, faculty and visitors were temporarily unable to purchase multi-use parking permits after the Transportation Services website stopped working on Monday and Tuesday of last week. As a result, department officials did not penalize people for parking without a permit on these days and issued free one-day passes to those who purchased permits at their on-campus office. Transportation Services Associate Director Todd Berven explained the crash was a result of excessive sales being made at different locations but that the situation is now under control. “[There were] too many online sales and office sales happening simultaneously and the university servers were not able to handle the volume of traffic,” Berven told the UCSD Guardian. “Campus IT was able to figure out a temporary solution for the servers so they could handle the increased volume [and] the system has been stable for both online and office purchases since Tuesday evening.” Undergraduate students who wish to purchase nondaily ‘S’ spot parking permits can only do so through the online payment system. According to Berven, there have been similar technical issues with the website but never

Editor

to this scale or at the start of a quarter. He added that the department is currently making efforts to prevent future crashes and ensure that students will be able to purchase their permits before classes begin. “In the past, this has happened during less busy times, affecting fewer people,” Berven commented. “Campus IT and our vendor are working on a permanent solution to this issue. Transportation Services is also taking action to prevent this in the future and will make permits available for purchase one week earlier starting next quarter.” Thurgood Marshall College senior Sana Khan told the Guardian that she bought single-day visitor passes on both Monday and Tuesday and was unaware that the department was not enforcing the permit system on those days. “I wasn’t aware of the [website] crash until Wednesday… and I hadn’t bought my quarterly parking permit yet so I decided to buy an all-day one for $8,” Khan said. “On Tuesday, I had seen signs on some cars in the Muir parking lot saying the machine was broken. However, it worked when I paid with my card … [though] a little slower than usual and the machine did say that the cash payback aspect of the machine was jammed.”

See PARKING, page 3

VERBATIM

“

GUYS SHOULD KNOW THAT THERE IS NOTHING MORE ROMANTIC THAN STANDING OUTSIDE, ALONE IN THE RAIN, WHILE GAZING OFF INTO THE DISTANCE WITH INTENSE, SOULFUL EYES. FOR THOSE OF YOU LOOKING TO IMPROVE YOUR LOVE LIFE THIS NEW YEAR, TAKE ADVANTAGE...”

- Live Through El Nino HOW-TO GURU

OPINION, PAGE 4

INSIDE ANTIBIOTICS ................... 2 STAR WARS QUICKTAKES 4 RAE ARMENTROUT.......... 7 CLASSIFIEDS .................. 9 SWIM & DIVE ................ 11

SAN DIEGO

City Fails to Meet Water Conservation Targets California also came short of its statewide, mandated water savings goal last November. BY JACKY TO

Associate News Editor Two-thirds of San Diego County’s water districts, including the City of San Diego, failed to achieve their conservation goals in November, according to the State Water Resources Control Board’s Jan. 5 report. The City of San Diego’s water savings, which is calculated by comparing the water usage of a particular month to that of two years prior, reached 13.8 percent in November. This, unlike its October savings of 16.7 percent, falls under the state-mandated goal of 16 percent. Furthermore, California as a whole failed to reach its water conservation goal of 25 percent in November for the second straight month. The state’s

savings in November hit just 20.3 percent, which is down from 22.3 percent in October. Though A.S. Associate Vice President of Environmental Affairs Moon Pankam expressed discontent with the numbers, she stated that the report demonstrates the need for more action and awareness. “It’s a disappointing result, but all the more reason to continue to encourage people to be more mindful of the impact that their everyday practices have on the environment,” Pankam told the UCSD Guardian. “Be mindful of how long your showers are. Be mindful of the water that can be saved if the faucet is turned off during shaving and brushing one’s teeth, rather than on. Be mindful of any hidden leaks around the house, whether in your pipes, your faucets or

NEWS

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COUPLE OF DERPS By Elyse Yang Vincent Pham Editor in Chief Tina Butoiu Managing Editor Kriti Sarin News Editor Jacky To Associate News Editor Cassia Pollock Opinion Editor Marcus Thuillier Sports Editor Allison Kubo Features Editor Karly Nisson A&E Editor Brittney Lu Lifestyle Editors Olga Golubkova Jonathan Gao Photo Editor Megan Lee Associate Photo Editor

see more at

Joselynn Ordaz Design Editor

UCSDGUARDIAN.ORG

Sherman Aline Associate Design Editor Christina Carlson Art Editors Sophia Huang Jennifer Grundman Copy Editor Sage Schubert Christian Associate Copy Editor

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Scientists Develop Potential New Category of Antibiotics The new class of drugs inhibits energy formation in cells and could possibly be used to fight antiobiotic resistance. BY KARLY NISSON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER Researchers at UCSD, in collaboration with those from several other universities in the U.S. including the University of Illinois and Colorado State University, have discovered a new class of potential antibiotics that may work to disable drug-resistant microbes by targeting cellular membranes. The team published its findings in the “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America” on Dec. 22. The team tested compounds for uncoupler activity using the “Gordon” supercomputer based in the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UCSD. When accompanied by a specific enzyme target, the presence of uncoupler activity presents a step toward the development of antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria. Uncouplers are agents that disrupt cells’ synthesis of vital energy molecule adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. They do this by dissociating two essentially coupled processes: the electron transport chain in the membrane and the phosphorylation reactions that use

the energy generated by this chain to produce ATP in the cell. J. Andrew McCammon, a notable contributing author and Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology at UC San Diego, described to the UCSD Guardian the advantage of this possible new class of antibiotics. “Antibiotics that work by two or more independent mechanisms are less likely to lead to antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, so this is likely to be a continuing focus of research,” McCammon said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognizes antibiotic resistance as a dangerous, rapidly increasing threat, with more than two million people infected with antibioticresistant bacteria each year and 23,000 dying as a result. In the presence of antibiotics, bacteria naturally undergo genetic changes that can later be transferred to other bacteria; resistance occurs when these changes reduce the effectiveness of a drug. These antibiotics typically target specific enzymes and pathways, allowing the bacteria to undergo minimal changes in order to gain resistance.

Dr. Lici A. Schurig-Briccio, a research scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and collaborator on the project, discussed how the discovery of an antibiotic with this dual function might impact current perceptions of drugs that attack bacteria on more than one front. “Our new discovery — showing that many old drugs apart from inhibiting a specific enzyme activity also act as uncouplers — will change the previous belief that drugs with a single target are better than drugs targeting multiple pathways,” Schurig-Briccio told the Guardian. “Furthermore, the idea that uncouplers are dangerous — toxic and unsuitable compounds — as antibiotics will be, from now on, questioned.” According to McCammon, uncouplers lessen the bacteria’s ability to resist drugs by targeting cell membranes’ physical properties. “This is an additional line of attack against the microbes, in addition to enzyme inhibition,” McCammon said. “If the microbe’s gene for a target enzyme mutates so that the antibiotic no longer inhibits the enzyme, the direct action of the antibiotic against the microbe’s

membrane [uncoupling] may still ensure efficacy.” Those looking to employ uncouplers as antibiotics are proceeding with caution because uncouplers work to disable features common to all cells such as the cells’ “proton motive force” which is responsible for generating energy. “It’s important that the uncoupling activity not produce side effects in humans,” McCammon said. “Fortunately, it appears that some agents that act as uncouplers in microbial cells are not very active as uncouplers in human cells.” Schurig-Briccio further clarified how uncouplers remain a promising method of treatment since they can be used to specifically target bacterial cells. “Uncouplers can be modified in order to target specific cell types,” Schurig-Briccio said. “One way could be by taking advantage of the fact that bacterial cell membrane composition differs from human cell membranes.” KARLY NISSON

Page Layout Joselynn Ordaz, Sherman Aline, Allison Kubo Copy Reader Heejung Lim, Alicia Ho, Lisa Chik Editorial Assistants Christian Duarte, Dev Jain, Julie Yip, Naftali Burakovsky, Sam Velazquez Business Manager Jennifer Mancano Advertising Director Myrah Jaffer Marketing Co-Directors Peter McInnis, Haley Asturias Training and Development Manager Cedric Hyon Advertising Design Alfredo H. Vilano, Jr. A.S. Graphic Studio

The UCSD Guardian is published Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year by UCSD students and for the UCSD community. Reproduction of this newspaper in any form, whether in whole or in part, without permission is strictly prohibited. © 2014, all rights reserved. The UCSD Guardian is not responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or art. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the opinions of the UCSD Guardian, the University of California or Associated Students. The UCSD Guardian is funded by advertising. Today we celebrated Sam Thoburn, a former writer for the Opinion Section. No, he is not dead. He’s just 21.

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Office of Environmental Affairs to Host Conservation Workshops ▶ WATER, from page 1

Cumulatively, since June, both California and San Diego have exceeded their conservation goals, with savings of 26.3 percent and 21.6 percent, respectively. Moreover, the average California resident’s water use fell from 83 gallons per day to a record low 75 gallons per day, which Marcus thinks indicates that the state has made progress overall. “The fact that per-person water use dropped to 75 gallons per person per day on average is proof that Californians are clearly thinking twice before turning on the tap,” Marcus said in the Jan. 5 press release.

Marcus also cautioned that it may be too soon to read into the conservation numbers. “As welcome as recent rain and snow are, we’ve been in such a deep drought that we won’t know until spring whether we can let up on conservation,” Marcus said. In terms of how much progress UCSD has made in its own water conservation efforts, Pankam thinks it has done well overall but could work harder to inform students about the issue and what they can do to contribute. “The university can continue its practices of drought-resistant landscaping; using reclaimed

water for irrigation and installing and maintaining efficient, lowflow water fixtures in facilities and student residences,” Pankam said. “The university can also make more concentrated and targeted efforts to educate students about water conservation on and off campus during events like freshman and transfer orientation.” Pankam disclosed that her office is currently planning to host several educational workshops and events regarding water conservation through the end of the school year. Jacky To

REGISTRATION FOR this quarter IS NOW OPEN!

j6to@ucsd.edu

A.S. Safe Rides allows registered undergraduate students to get 3 FREE rides per quarter. Students must register at least 24 hours prior to their first ride.

CalCopyUCSD@gmail.com

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Contact A.s. safe rides: (619) 564 - 7998

NEWS

LIGHTS & SIRENS Tuesday, Jan. 5 3:36 a.m. Citizen Contact Student-age subject sleeping inside lounge. Will cooperate. 4:13 p.m. Traffic Hazard Per San Diego Police, traffic signals facing wrong way. Checks OK. Wednesday, Jan. 6 8:07 a.m. Citizen Flagdown Excessive alcohol, per security personnel adult male sitting with shirt off, talking to himself and screaming at several citizens. Transported to hospital. 4:02 p.m. Assist Other Agency Two vehicles trapped in flooding with people inside. Service provided. 1:00 p.m. - 4:47 p.m. Citizen Contact Report of extortion, victim allowed computer access to unknown company, company now threatening to “break computer” if victim doesn’t agree to transfer money. Report taken. 10:47 p.m. Information Facilities Management accidentally set off security alarm while checking on fire alarm. Information only. Thursday, Jan. 7 1:25 a.m. Welfare Check Reporting party hasn’t heard from

T H E U C S D G U A R D I A N | M O N D A Y, J A N U A R Y 1 1 , 2 0 1 6 | W W W . U C S D G U A R D I A N . O R G

University Did Not Fine Vehicles Parked While Site Was Down

Lights and Sirens is compiled from the Police Crime Log at police.ucsd.edu.

▶ PARKING, from page 1

friend in about an hour. Checks OK. 11:15 a.m. Citizen Contact Report of possible student who attends building events, observed the evening before trying to open locked doors, refuses to ID himself. Field interview. 6:15 p.m. Non-Injury Collision UC vehicle vs. cement metal bollard. Report taken. 2:05 p.m. Suspicious Person Police officer observed two male subjects possibly casing vehicles, one male subject left the scene before speaking with officer, but was later located and arrested after a short chase. Closed by adult arrest. 2:18 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Grand Theft Merchandise purchased with stolen credit cards, loss $3,803.00. Report taken. 6:10 p.m. Robbery Report of unknown male suspect attempted to grabbed victim’s purse off her shoulder, suspect fled scene after victim’s husband punched him. Report taken. 11:58 p.m. Injury Adult male injured hand while riding bicycle, bicyclist doesn’t remember if he fell or was hit by vehicle. Medical aid refused. — KARLY NISSON Contributing Writer

Berven clarified that some individuals who parked on campus on these days could still buy daily parking passes but the department did not issue tickets to those who parked without one. “Parking was not technically free as our pay stations were available to sell daily permits. Due to the technical issues and the inability to sell permits online and in the office, however, we relaxed enforcement of permits on Monday,” Berven said. “On Tuesday, the system operated normally for office sales throughout the morning, but by midday we

began having the same technical issues again. Once the system went down, we did offer complimentary one-day permits to use the next day to anyone waiting in line to purchase permits at the office.” Khan requested but did not receive a refund for the two passes she purchased and expressed dissatisfaction with the university’s lack of transparency surrounding the issue. “I personally didn’t hear anything from the administration in regards to parking, which is frustrating because it affected so many students,” Khan said. “Parking and parking permits are a huge problem on campus, and

I think administration doesn’t do anything in response except raise prices.” In addition to changing the payment schedule for student permits, all Visitor Premium spots will become regular V spots and visitor passes will be sold at an hourly rate of $2 starting Feb. 1. Transportation Services is also in the process of redesigning the parking system to go paperless and use license plate recognition technology instead of physical permits. Additional reporting by Raahima Shoaib.

readers can contact kriti sarin

ksarin@ucsd.edu

Fabella: New Role Will Increase Focus on Student-Specific Matters ▶ REGENTS, from page 1

President of External Affairs Krystl Fabella explained to the Guardian how the new position will draw attention to student-specific issues. “We need to increase the role of students in the governance of the University of California because it is becoming too easy for 12-year tenure elected officials to stray away from student-centered decisions,” she said. “While it may not be a vote or direct governance, increased student presence will have the power to shift conversations to become more student-centered, to take more diverse approaches to student issues as needed. … When issues

like affordability, diversity, mental health, housing, food insecurity and student loan debt are on the table, it affects students of different academic levels and backgrounds differently.” Fabella commented that the proposal stands a fair chance of passing because it is considered a safer alternative to adding another student regent position. “A student advisor is a more conservative proposal the board is probably more comfortable with compared to another student with voting power,” Fabella said. “There are many supporters on the board such as Regent Perez, Lozano, Reiss and even President Napolitano

herself.” Sabo cautioned students from becoming overly complacent and not fighting for more significant representation. “This is a good short-term solution, but we have to be leery of the fact that administrators often do the most little work for student representation without conceding too much ground,” he said. “This is a non-voting position, and it’s important we keep our eye on the prize in terms of voting representation. We have to change the California Constitution, which is a very far-off, long-term goal.”

readers can contact HEEJUNG LIM

hjl042@ucsd.edu

@UCSDGUARDIAN

Resident Assistant: Applications available beginning of December. Apply by Tuesday, January 12 by 1pm. Orientation Leaders: Applications available mid-November and returning OL deadline to apply is January 11 and new OL applicants – deadline to apply is January 29. House Advisor: Applications available beginning of December. Apply by Tuesday, January 12 by 1pm. Orientation Leader: Applications available beginning of December. Applications due Friday, January 22. Transfer Orientation Leader: Applications available end of January. Applications due Tuesday, February 16. Resident Assistant: Applications available beginning of December. Apply by Tuesday, January 12 by 1pm. Orientation Leader: Applications available during Winter Quarter. Apply by Friday, January 22.

Resident Assistant: Applications available beginning of December. Apply by Tuesday, January 12 by 1pm. Freshman and Transfer Orientation Leader: Applications available beginning of January. Applications due Friday, February 5. Check the Warren Events Email for info session dates. Resident Assistant: Applications available beginning of December. Apply by Tuesday, January 12 by 1pm. Orientation Leader: Applications available mid-November. Apply by Wednesday, January 27 by 4:30pm. Transfer Orientation Leader: Applications available during Winter Quarter. Apply by February 3 by 3:30pm. Resident Assistant: Applications available beginning of December. Apply by Tuesday, January 12 by 1pm. Orientation Leader: Applications available during Winter Quarter. Apply by Wednesday, January 27 by 4:30pm.

Resident Assistant: Applications available beginning of December. Apply by Tuesday, January 12 by 1pm.

All applications available on porttriton.ucsd.edu.

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OPINION

CONTACT THE EDITOR

CASSIA POLLOCK opinion@ucsdguardian.org

How-To Guru: Live Through the El Nino

ILL

AT I

AC AR

LS O

Exploitative Alliances The United States has continued to maintain international ties with Saudi Arabia despite their poor human rights record. The purpose of this alliance may be rooted in questionable intentions. BY AYAT AMIN // SENIOR STAFF WRITER

he United States has been supporting a country, that, at its core, is contradictory to everything America stands for. Saudi Arabia is not free, democratic or equal to its citizens, three qualities that are integral to American values. Oil and politics might seem like logical reasons for the alliance, despite differences in beliefs. However, if one looks at recent history, these aren’t really factors any more. Ever since the first oil deal with Saudi Arabia in 1933, the United States has been a strong ally to Saudi Arabia over oil. But since the diversity of the global oil market in the mid-20th century, oil is no longer a big factor. In fact, for the latter half of the century, it was Cold War politics that brought Saudi Arabia and the United States to the same side. The Saudi government, a monarchy and a theocracy, made them natural enemies of the communist Soviet Union and thus a natural United States ally, according to Vox News. As we move into recent years, Saudi Arabia and Iran have become two big opposing powers in the Middle East, each vying for dominance and each backed by United States and Russia, respectively. Yet just because an alliance was made during the Cold War doesn’t mean that it’s a good reason to continue that alliance. The Cold War ended over 20 years ago, and the United States’ interests in the Middle East have shifted. Iran is no longer a hard-cold enemy,

as demonstrated by Obama’s 2015 nuclear peace deal. And with the aftermath of Iraq and the entrance of Obama, the United States has shifted more toward letting Middle Eastern countries determine their own democratic government, advocating for peace for civilians. In other words, the American interests contradict Saudi Arabian interests against Iran. For example, in Egypt, where Saudi Arabia and Iran have a proxy war, the United States supports the democratically elected Muslim Brotherhood, while Saudi Arabia opposes them as Gregory Gause, a University of Vermont Policy Professor, writes on Law Fare Blog. Gause also talks about Syria, where Saudis see the removal of Bashar al-Assad, supported by Iran, as their bigger priority in the country. Ever since the first oil deal with Saudi Arabia in 1933, its alliance with the United States has remained strong. Yet after so many years to think the relationship over, it’s time for United States to stop and ask itself why we are still friends with a country that has such a poor human rights record. If people have doubts that the United States still supports Saudi Arabia, then they should look at the recent actions of Congress. As NPR reported in December 2015, the U.S. State Department just approved a $1.29 billion arms sale, effectively providing Saudi Arabia weapons that it will use to violently further its interests in Yemen.

See ALLIANCE, page 5

QUICK TAKES

THE SEVENTH INSTALLMENT OF STAR WARS “THE FORCE AWAKENS” REMINDS AUDIENCES THAT MILKING FRANCHISES REMAINS AT THE HEART OF FILM INDUSTRIES — IS ORIGINALITY AND CREATIVITY COMPROMISED?

The Commercialization of Movies Occurs to the Detriment sof Creativity

While Old Films are Remade, New Growth and Ideas Can be Generated

Originality is an Outdated Concept, When Ideas are Constantly Recycled

Spanning four decades, Star Wars remains a powerful force in our culture. Its seventh installment, “The Force Awakens,” closed 2015 with record-breaking box office success and ubiquitous hype, setting the precedent for five more films. Aside from inevitable profit, we must also consider its cultural capital, how these films can bridge generations with a common interest in a galaxy far, far away, and reinforce, update and hopefully improve the prevalent tropes and narratives in our shared cultural consciousness. Reawakening a pop-culture giant like Star Wars gives us the chance to use a time-tested story to show who we were, are and hope to become. Although the world was a different place in 1977, it had many of the same hopes and fears of today in different contexts. It is possible to remake a saga across generations by adapting to the spirit of new times without losing the original essence. Some call the new film a formulaic revisit of “A New Hope,” but our ancestors have retold the same variations of heroic journeys for millennia without them becoming stale. The film’s adaptation to contemporary contexts makes all the difference. For example, the original trilogy and the prequels have a reputation for their token treatment of women and people of color, not to mention certain aliens written as racial caricatures. “The Force Awakens” takes a step toward atonement with Rey and Finn, protagonists who add some due representation to the galaxy’s skewed demographics. Intergenerational franchises allow us to redesign classic narratives to document the unique spirit of these particular times with new messages to empower younger generations.

Hollywood’s recent influx of franchise reboots, sequels and adaptations have caused audiences to worry about the originality and quality of film but there is an irony to that concern, which is that original works aren’t completely original. The Star Wars franchise, with the recent debut of “The Force Awakens,” is a prime example. The original film takes from Japanese film director Kurosawa, most notably “The Hidden Fortress” (1958), and “Flash Gordon,” a 1934 American comic. The film includes tropes like the zero-to-hero protagonist, wise old mentor, princess in a castle and a thousand other examples that aren’t exactly groundbreaking developments. This shows that so-called original content is rarely 100 percent original. Originality is taking various story elements, mixing them together and then adding unique ideas to make something new. Reboots do the same but they also reuse key elements already present in a franchise. Originality is a valid concern, but that’s something original works have to deal with as well. Quality has nothing to do with a movie’s originality. It’s an original abomination that should disappear from theatres forever. “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015) achieved widespread critical and popular acclaim as a masterful resurrection of a 36-year-old franchise. Hollywood is being safe, producing films with established fan bases, but that doesn’t mean it’s making inherently worse movies. There have been and always will be, plenty of fan-favorites, disastrous bombs and forgettable films. These films will include originals and cash cows, but their quality and even their originality, won’t be determined by the newness of their titles.

Diehard Star Wars enthusiasts have long awaited the release of episode VII, “The Force Awakens.” They hoped that this film, unlike its predecessors, would advance the storyline of the original films while still staying true to the Star Wars spirit. Instead, fans were given the same plotline as the 1977 “Star Wars: A New Hope” with better camera work and much more hype. George Lucas sold his production company, Lucasfilm, along with the rights to Star Wars to the Disney Corporation in 2012. Along with this purchase, Lucas gave the company his ideas and a script for episode VII. Disney and director J.J. Abrams promptly scrapped Lucas’s opinions and instead gave audiences a film with a recycled storyline and little development. This is not to say that Disney is the only company that is milking franchises by cashing in on the hype surrounding these films and television shows. In recent years, audiences have been fed a steady diet of film and television reboots, most notably the Marvel and DC comic book films. The question here lies between commercialization and creativity. Film and television executives continue to remake wellloved franchises in order to profit off fans of the initial series. They know that audiences who enjoyed the original films will spend their money to see a reboot or a sequel. This commercialization, however, occurs at the expense of creativity. Instead of new ideas, character development and plot twists, audiences are being given watered-down versions of their old film favorites. Risk-taking and ingenuity are key to better films and inspiring millions of young moviegoers to dream and create.

— THOMAS FINN Senior Staff Writer

— AHMAD ALJAWAD Staff Writer

— MEGAN MONGES Staff Writer

This is it folks. This year’s Monster El Niño has finally hit! The incessant ringing of flash flood and tornado warnings on everyone’s phones are causing panic and chaos all over Southern California. Branches are falling, bugs are drowning, fire alarms are ringing and umbrellas are being torn to shreds. San Diegans are wondering why they never invested in a good pair of rain boots. People going out to buy their first umbrella in years are wondering why this never occurred to them before. UCSD students are shaking their fists at professors who refuse to cancel class even as inches of water cascades down the lecture hall stairs. As you cower under your comforters this week debating whether or not going to class will kill you, here are some tips on how to survive this year’s onslaught of water from above. Tip one: Don’t let the rain get your love life down. Guys should know that there is nothing more romantic than standing outside, alone in the rain, while gazing off into the distance with intense, soulful eyes. For those of you looking to expand your love life this new year, take advantage of the stormy weather to snatch the heart of that special someone. Gentlemen, try throwing your jacket over a puddle for your lady friend. Let her know that her dainty ankles are far too beautiful to walk through the moist and abundantly flowing streets. If she refuses to walk over your soiled jacket, casually pick up the mud-soaked piece of fabric and proudly wear it. Just make sure to catch it before it gets swept away by the Library Walk River. For the ladies, try using the curved end of your umbrella handle. Snagging a cutie by the neck has never been easier. Tip two: Take advantage of the new lakes found all across campus to test out your brand new outdoor aquatic gear. Kayaks, surf boards, water skiis and yachts are best suited to this new school environment. Since you’ve already dumped a large amount of cash on these babies, why not take them out for a spin while showing off how cool you are to your friends? Nothing screams “daredevil” more than you kayaking around your flooded dorm. Tired of sloshing your way on foot to class? Why not take a speed boat, slip-n-slide or paddle board? Not only will you get there super early, you’ll also get the added benefit of watching innocent bystanders yelp as they get drenched by your tsunami-esque wake. Tip three: If you’re just not feeling up to the challenge of battling the fierce forces of Mother Nature this week, our last piece of advice is to save yourself. Bury yourself in your bed, text your professors and friends and bosses that you’ve gone into survival mode, grab all of the nearest hot cocoa packets and non-perishable snacks, and hide out in your room till hell has blown over. Just make sure you keep your laptop charger with you so that you can sustain your Netflix binge until next week.

OPINION

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WORLDFRONT WINDOW

By David Juarez

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United States Should Not Maintain Strong Relationship with Saudi Arabia ▶ ALLIANCE from page 4

The United States obviously has a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia even today. Yet the more one thinks the relationship over, the less it makes sense. Freedom House, one of the leading organizations collecting data on the freedom of countries, consistently gives Saudi Arabia a freedom score of seven (the worst and lowest possible score). Human Rights Watch points out that the Saudi government withholds human rights to women, migrants and those imprisoned. Saudi Arabia is already infamous for its denial of rights to women, but its migrant workers are

constantly subjugated to conditions like confinement, non-payment of wages, food deprivation and all types of abuse providing some of the worst working conditions in the world. Saudi Arabia’s criminal justice system has laws that allow persecution for broad crimes like “breaking allegiance with the ruler.” These are all evidence from Human Rights Watch report clearly indicating a lack of equality and democracy in Saudi Arabia. Now that we are all caught up on the Saudi-United States history, some questions still remain. Yet by now, the answer should be clear: There is no real reason anymore. Saudi Arabia and the United

States might have been allies in the past, but the world is changed now, and there’s little reason for the relationship to go further. The bad news is that as the U.S. grows farther apart from the Saudi Arabia, it will likely lead to more turmoil in the country and thus the Middle East. But in order for Saudi Arabia to ever be a future ally the U.S. can actually be proud of, we must break the relationship now. We can’t continue to coddle a country whose values and actions are antiAmerican at its core. ayat amin

A6AMIN@UCSD.EDU

OPINION@UCSDGUARDIAN.ORG

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True to the nature of cinema, “Star Wars” movies are built equally on solid scientific principles and wild imagination. The UCSD Guardian asked Professor Boubacar Kante and Professor Nate Delson about everything from light sabers to droids to distinguish out what is science fact and what is science fiction.

ith last month’s release of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” the seventh installment of the seminal sci-fi film saga, the time has come again to be dazzled by a galaxy far, far away. The blockbuster surpassed the $800 million mark at the international box office this Wednesday as it continues to attract a wide demographic of movie-goers, including fanatics, casual enthusiasts and Star Wars first-timers. Both the numbers and the tremendous public show of support for the film seem to indicate that one motif of the movie series remains efficacious in bringing viewers back for more: the science — and technology — of Star Wars. Since the release of “Star Wars: A New Hope” (1977), many of the incredible instruments and inventions imagined by George Lucas and his team of sci-fi savvy writers have become tangible realities. Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, is one of many examples that exhibit the technological progress the globe has seen since Star Wars’ worldwide debut; its Falcon 9 rocket, which travelled to inner space to distribute its payload of satellites last month, successfully landing using stabilizing grid fins. The X-wing configuration of Falcon 9’s fins, which allowed for the rocket’s safe return and eventual reuse, was surprisingly inspired by X-wing Starfighters. Advancements like these raise the question of whether science and technology subconsciously aim to recreate the imaginative ideas depicted in pop culture books, films and television, or if sci-fi writers and directors are simply phenomenally insightful when it comes to predicting the trajectory of progress. Either way, for as long as science exists, so too will the genre of science fiction, and the relationship between these two entities will continue to be progressively fruitful. After all, if not for Jules Verne’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea” the modern submarine may not exist as it does today. Star Wars is responsible for the creation of many quirky technological objects, but objects that will doubtlessly be as important as Verne’s Nautilus submarine. Professor Boubacar Kante, whose multidisciplinary research interests include wave-matter interaction, nanophotonics and biophysics, provided the UCSD Guardian with insight into some of Lucas’s ideas that are developed in real life. We started on the subject of the laser cannon. “The Navy owns a laser cannon,” Kante explained. “It is simply a high-power laser being directed at a target where a lot of heat is generated, basically burning the target.” One of these laser-weapon systems is installed on the U.S.S.

Ponce and functions by emitting an invisible laser beam at aerial threats, destroying them with intense heat. But if you’re expecting to level a stormtrooper with your blaster anytime soon, think again, Han Solo. And sadly, the lightsaber, the prestigious lightsaber, is an impossible weapon to build at this point in time. Despite years of scientific research and practice, there is still no way to feasibly think about a functioning lightsaber. Our current understanding of physics dictates that once light is emitted from a lightsaber, it would not stop or bend back into the handle. Essentially, the only lightsaber that can be fathomed in this era of science and technology would be infinitely long, destroying everything in its path. “Lasers that can do this much damage certainly won’t be handheld, with the notable exception of a laser-pointer directed at someone’s eye,” Kante said. One of the more feasible ideas Kante spoke of, however, was that of Luke’s fabled X-34 Landspeeder, one of the first anti-gravity vehicles to appear in Star Wars. He referred to a motorcycle-like hovercraft built by Aerofex, an aerospace engineering corporation based in Los Angeles, which, as of now, “requires a lot of power, hence [it has] a short flight time.” Another alternative proposed by Kante in regard to the X-34 Landspeeder was that of magnetic levitation technology, alluding to electromagnetic suspension technology that allows bullet trains around the world to float inches above their tracks without any contact resistance. While not as complex, nor as directionally free, as Luke’s anti-gravity Landspeeder, an innovation such as magnetic levitation shares clear similarities with technology depicted in Star Wars films. Science may not yet be able to decode the fictitious way objects Imperial Walkers and lightsabers might function, but God knows they’re trying. Boston Dynamics, the east coast robotics design company, has created what they call BigDogs — four-legged robotic crawlers which look similar to Walkers — but these robots amount only to the size of a small horse. Perhaps the most famous robotic invention of the Star Wars saga is the personal droid, fully equipped with the sass and intuition we’ve come to know and love in R2-D2, C-3P0 and BB8. The idea of having a loyal, robotic companion had captivated the human mind even before the debut of the first Star Wars film, but seeing the playful temperaments of droids depicted by Lucas, and now, J.J. Abrams, our want for a droid of our own has become an insatiable craving. Professor Nate Delson, director of UCSD’s mechanical

by Matthew Zamudio // Contributing Writer Illustration by Christina Carlson

engineering design center, who led a team named Star Force to victory in The Engineers Awaken, the Fall robotics competition, has a good idea of how the robotics of Star Wars can or can’t be applied to the real world. During our conversation, Delson described that constructing a fully functional BB-8 involves overcoming key technological challenges. The engineering professor and robotics specialist isn’t concerned with those miniature BB-8’s that can be bought at Toys ‘R Us and are operated with a smartphone. He is concerned with the working physics of how a droid like BB-8 could function as a useful robotic assistant. “The rolling droid BB-8 can indeed be built,” Delson told the UCSD Guardian. “The biggest challenge would be creating torque that would rotate the ball.” Fully aware of the uselessness of a droid that can only travel on a flat surface, Delson sought to answer the technical question of how BB-8 could be fully functional, ably carrying out the duties the Rebel Alliance might require. “We know from a unicycle or a segway that a device with a single wheel can be self-propelled. However, Newton’s equations of motion require that every force or torque has an equal and opposite reaction,” Delson explained, speaking technically. “For a bicycle or car the main body of the vehicle provides a mass against which a reaction torque can be applied to rotate the wheels. However, for a self-propelled rotating ball, the reaction mass must be located inside the ball.” The layman’s translation? “The challenge would be to generate torques large enough to go up a hill or get out of a ditch,” Delson concluded. Kante and Delson both agree that the science and technology portrayed in Star Wars — and the sci-fi genre in general — is too far-fetched to say anything for sure. With that being said, neither of these intellectuals are rookies at speculating based on logic, reason and knowledge, allowing them to make profound judgments on the sci-fi creations of pop culture. Like other science fiction fans, both professors admire the genre for its ability to open the mind to fantastic possibilities, perhaps inspiring the next big innovation. “[Science fiction] inspires everyday people to improve the world around them,” Kante explained, “From reducing our carbon footprint to using science to solve our everyday problems.”

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SHE CHANGED THE GAME Rae Armantrout, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and professor emerita, sat down with the UCSD Guardian to talk about mutual yearning between the sciences and humanities, irony in contemporary life and the future of poetry.

People generally characterize your poetry as part of “Language Poetry.” What is your definition of Language Poetry?

The Language Poets were a group of young friends, really, back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s who lived in San Francisco and New York, who influenced each other. I think I still have some things in common with those people, but it’s like anything else — that was a moment, and it’s not like I’ve got some kind of set of rules that I got from the Language Poets that I always have to apply. I suppose some things that were, or are, characteristic of Language Poetry is viewing language as it’s used in media and popular culture as a subject; as something to be examined in itself and not just taken for granted. Another thing would be that in Language Poetry, the parts, or the sections, can be kind of independent. I was talking about how my own poems are often in different parts, and I like the parts to come in and connect with each other, but at surprising, oblique angles. That’s sort of characteristic of Language Poetry too, although my work and that of the other people associated with Language Poetry looks very different now. I think that those two aspects are still present.

Compiled by Jennifer Grundman // Staff Writer and Allison Kubo // Features Editor

What attracted you to poetry?

Well, I started writing poetry when I was about six. My mother read poetry to me — I think it must have been the sound of it that attracted me. And maybe the intimacy of being with my mother and having her reading it to me made it seem special. I was an only child, and so I had a lot of time on my hands. This was, obviously, before everyone was connected and all lives were totally filled with media. There was television, but there were about three channels. So I spent a lot of time reading, and I read all kinds of things, but I read poetry — maybe because I was exposed to it early — and I started keeping notebooks. I enjoyed language. When I was just in first grade, I wrote a tiny poem and my teacher liked it and put it in a little booklet, so I got encouraged early. I think it was always just a way to make my thoughts something more than just passing and ephemeral; it was a way to keep them and look at them. And then as I got older, it became a way to interface with the world. I often write when I feel puzzled by something, when I want to think more about it, or, of course, when something bothers me. Often what bothers me is something I hear on the news. So it’s a way for me to kind of talk back to the world.

I try to cut back anything that seems extra or unnecessary, because I think that conciseness and compression really give writing power, or can. Sometimes it just seems all too predictable, and when that is happening, then I try to give it a rest for a little while and then bring something from the side, something else. So as I said, my poems are often written in different parts, and I try to bring things in that the parts will have a surprising connection with one another.

What’s your philosophy or method when you teach poetry to students? What would you like them to get out of it?

Well, first I would like [my poetry students] to read poetry, because a lot of them don’t. A lot of them are people who want to write poetry, don’t read much, and if they do they don’t read much modern poetry. So I want to familiarize them with the terrain, and what’s been done, and what makes them comfortable with it, for starters. And then show them that it can be enjoyable, because a lot of them are afraid of it; get them to be willing to play and take chances, because UCSD students are very grade-oriented, success-oriented people, and I understand that — it is a college. But in order to be an artist, you need to be also able to take some chances and do some experiments, so I try to encourage that.

How do you actually write your poems? What are the thought processes and steps you take to compose them?

Well, just as I suggest to my students to do, I keep a little blank notebook, constantly write in it. Sometimes some of what I write ends up being in my poems, sometimes it doesn’t. But I just record my thoughts and what I see and what I hear — anything that seems interesting to me. So that’s usually how it starts. If I write something down that interests me the next day, I just try to start to accumulate material around that. I very seldom finish a poem in one day or in one sitting; it usually takes something like a week, at least. And I’m collecting material as I go, seeing what fits with what, putting pieces together.

Are there any themes that you consistently return to?

I’m interested in science, and I read science, not at an expert level, but at an amateur level. So material that I pick up from physics or biology comes in, and I study that a little bit and bring parts of that in. But I also bring in popular culture. So it’s quite a weird mix. In terms of popular culture or science, there’s a kind of skepticism or curiosity that I bring to it where, what I’m really thinking is, “Why do people think that?” or “Why do people like that?” or “Why does that exist?” or “What does it mean for that to be happening?”.

Illustration by Christina Carlson

What’s your editing process?

Card in few pockets announces, “I am here.”

Could you describe how you felt winning the Pulitzer Prize a few years ago?

I was amazed. I hadn’t seen that coming, and I was really happy. And then instantly my phone started ringing all the time, and then I felt sort of overwhelmed. It sort of changes what’s open to you; you get invited to more events and more readings. It also sort of changes your expectations.

How do poetry and science intertwine?

Well, they don’t necessarily. They only do in the work of some poets. I think that there’s a lot that’s at the edge of the sciences that’s just very, very strange and not well understood. And it kind of sparks the imagination to think about it; to try to imagine it. I understand that no one can really imagine it, and that actually, to understand it to the extent that it’s possible, you have to be able to do the math, which I can’t. But I think scientists are trained to dissociate their thinking from their emotions, which I don’t do. So I try to think about what scientists are learning about, say, inflation or the expansion of the universe, and not put my emotions in a separate box. You know, how does it make me feel that the galaxies are all running away from each other, and that eventually, some time within the potential life of the human species, a lot of what is visible will no longer be visible? I don’t always write about the sciences, but when I do, that’s it — just kind of bringing the human emotions into it somehow. See POET, page 8

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Rae Armentrout on irony, interiority and William Carlos Williams ▶ POET, from page 6

I know there are a lot of people who are baffled by contemporary poetry and, with this in mind, how would you suggest people approach such poems?

I think postmodern poems are trying to reflect and interact with the world as it is now, and the world as it is now is already a mediated world; it’s already a very text-heavy, textual world. And if you just wrote like [John] Keats or like William Carlos Williams, you would be out of sync with the contemporary world. The contemporary world is very complicated, and there are a lot of threads in it. And it comes at us from all around, and the postmodern poets are part of that experience. They’re from my generation, almost up to your generation, and they have a very different experience. I mean, TV shows are as much, frankly, a part of our experience as looking at a flower is. You can’t just write about looking at flowers. So how do you put all of that together? You don’t stop looking at flowers necessarily, but you’re also engaging with stuff online, with television — so it’s just a really thick mixture. Also, there’s a lot of irony in contemporary poetry, and we live in a very ironic time. I’m not saying that’s good, but it’s a fact. Maybe poetry should stand against that, maybe poetry should stand against the contemporary world of media saturation and poets should go out into the desert and write very simply. I’m not saying that’s not true — some poet could do that — but not every poet, because some poets live in cities, some poets are part of the world that we all inhabit, and it’s going to influence them. And I find it odd that you’re baffled by poets who are part of the very world you’re a part of. Considering that UCSD is such a large STEM school, how can we balance the sciences and the humanities?

I don’t like to be prescriptive. I don’t like to tell people or even institutions what they have to do. I think there’s a hunger — people in the humanities would like to understand science better, and I think people in the sciences, I’m just guessing, would sometimes feel a little separated from their more emotional side or lives. I think there’s a kind of longing thereof the one side for the other. But people are just so busy, and the scientists are just so pressured, that it doesn’t happen very often … One thing I like about William Carlos Williams [a poet who was also a physician] is that his work is very empirically grounded. He always tells you what he’s seeing; he gives you the setting very concretely. And he gives you — you often have to infer it — why he’s thinking what he’s thinking. And then he doesn’t overwrite it; he just presents it.

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What do you think is poetry’s future?

I don’t know what any of our futures are. Leaving that aside for a minute, it doesn’t really look good for serious reading, but on the other hand, I think that people don’t want to totally let go of their interiority or their private places. Even if those private places need to connect with the world that they reflect, they’re still interior places. And I know that everyone talks about their personal life on Facebook, but I kind of wonder how personal that is. It seems like it’s all done so quickly. I wonder if people spend much time reflecting and developing their thoughts. You don’t have to be a poet to do that, but serious reading helps. And spending some time alone with a notebook helps, whatever you write in it. I think that’s good for people, and I think some people sense that. I don’t think poetry is ever going to be the most popular art form, but the United States is a big country, and even if 1 percent, or 0.5 percent really like poetry, that’s still a lot of people.

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JAN 11 - JAN 17

TUESDAY1.12 • 8pm THINGNY THE LOFT • PC EAST

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TUE1.12

WED1.13

11am

ART & SOUL: WOODLAND & SEASCAPE CANVASES - THE ZONE

FLU CLINIC - THE ZONE

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Workshops are free; all supplies and materials provided. Space is limited and is first come, first served.

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Walk in for your free analysis which includes: body weight, percentage body fat, total body water, and blood pressure. One free assessment per quarter is available to registered UCSD students. For more information visit: http://studenthealth.ucsd.edu/bodycomposition.shtml

12pm

5pm EDUCATIONCORPS INFO SESSION - MULTIPLE LOCATIONS Are you interested in helping out your community? Would you like to work with underprivileged youth? Come learn more about EducationCorps mission to alleviate poverty in San Diego schools though tutoring! Day 1: Student Services Center, Room 450. Days 2 and 3: Student Leadership Chambers, PC East, Lvl 4

8pm DELTA SIGMA PI WINTER RECRUITMENT 2016 - MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. T'S TIME TO START YOUR CAREER IN BUSINESS. The brothers of Delta Sigma Pi, Omicron Sigma Chapter at UC San Diego cordially invite you to our Winter Recruitment 2015! Start up your year on the right track by making the choice to attend one of our events: MEET THE CHAPTER: Monday, January 11th, 8:00pm | Rady Multipurpose Room Casual Attire ALUMNI NIGHT: Tuesday, January 12th, 8:00pm | PC Forum, Business Casual Attire PROFESSIONAL NIGHT: Wednesday, January 13th, 8:00pm | Rady School - Otterson Hall 1S114 Professional Attire Recommended. BROTHERHOOD NIGHT: Thursday, January 15th, 8:00pm | Rides at Peterson Loop, Casual Attire INTERVIEWS: Friday and Saturday, January 16th and 17th, By Invite Only, Professional Attire Recommended, Keep connected with us: ucsd.dsp@gmail.com

THU1.14 10am MEDITATION- THE ZONE Join us for a guided meditation where you can: Gain greater mental clarity, Achieve a peaceful state of being, Learn techniques to de-stress, Achieve harmony amid cognitive dissonance

1:30pm THERAPY FLUFFIES - THE ZONE

ARTPOWER IS HOLDING A MEDIA PRODUCTION OPEN HOUSE - UCSD MEDIA LAB ATTENTION Students of UCSD! ArtPower is holding a MEDIA PRODUCTION OPEN HOUSE at the Media Teaching Labs: WHEN: Tuesday, January 12 TIME: 12-5pm. Are you interested in learning how to make a film for the student film festival? Now is the time for you to come to the Labs and learn how to use cameras, audio equipment and tripods - get one-on-one lessons from your peers! Food and drink will be available !! Come and have some fun with us! Contact upcoming@ucsd.edu or message us on the Facebook page if you want to find out more.

5pm EDUCATIONCORPS INFO SESSIONS - MULTIPLE LOCATIONS Are you interested in helping out your community? Would you like to work with underprivileged youth? Come learn more about EducationCorps mission to alleviate poverty in San Diego schools though tutoring! Day 1: Student Services Center, Room 450 Days 2 and 3: Student Leadership Chambers, PC East, Lvl 4 Contact: educationcorps@ucsd.edu Website: http://educationcorpsucsd.wordpress.com/

8pm THINGNY - THE LOFT, PC EAST Brought to you by Professor Mark Dresser and UCSD Graduate Student Vocalist, Bonnie Lander. Paul Pinto and Jeffrey Young are part of thingNY, a quirky collective of New York composer-performers who fuse electronic and acoustic chamber music with new opera, improvisation, theater, text, song and installation. Founded in 2006, thingNY's core ensemble (which also includes Erin Rogers, Gelsey Bell, Dave Ruder, and Andrew Livingston) create and perform theatrically charged experimental music, champion the work of avant-garde and contemporary classical composers, and collaborate across disciplines, media and genres. www.thingNY.com

9pm ESTA - THE STAGEROOM AT THE PUB, ORIGINAL STUDENT CENTER ESTA is a beatmaker's beatmaker. An open-minded, loyal supporter of all music philosophies, ESTA maintains zero barriers in his meticulous method of danceable, yet sexy music making. 2013 marked ESTAs first appearances at both Coachella and the historic Low End Theory. Having played alongside folks like Slum Village, Tokimonsta, Gaslamp Killer, Sango, SoSuperSam, Mr. Carmack and more while pulling Inspiration from artists like Hudson Mohawke, Dilla, Full Crate, M-Phases, Mos Def, Kanye and Just Blaze, ESTA seamlessly fuses multidimensional genres into an atmospheric swing. ESTA performed at HARD Day Of the Dead Festival in 2015 as well. Do not miss this show!!! Students: $15.00, GA: $20.00

8pm The Loft will be screening Theory of Everything on January 14th. Theory of Everything is a film about physicist Stephen Hawking as he falls in love, learns that he has motor neuron disease, and begins an ambitious study of time. DOORS: 7:30PM SHOW: 8:00PM *Valid UCSD Student ID Required for Entry

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HOLOCAUST LIVING HISTORY WORKSHOP: SURVIVOR MAX GARCIA DOC - SEUSS RM, GEISEL LIBRARY Born in 1924, Max was interned in Westerbork before being deported to Auschwitz and later Mauthausen. The documentary follows Max's ordeal through war and incarceration but also explores the effect of the Holocaust on succeeding generations. Interviews with Max's children and grandchildren reveal the different ways individuals from each generation have grappled with the burden of such a searing experience.

6pm COME LEARN ABOUT SUMMER SESSION! - MULTIPLE LOCATIONS Come talk with representatives from Summer Session, Financial Aid and Housing! 1/13/16 - Sixth Apartments Lodge 1/14/16 - Fireside Lounge 1/20/16 - Mariposa Room 1/25/16 - Warren SAC 1/28/16 - Asante Classroom 123C

6:30pm SPEAK AND SPARK SERVICE - CASA DE AMSITAD - BEAR RM, SUN GOD LOUNGE Come listen to a local organization Casa de Amistad, Centro de Ensenanza, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the education and character development of underserved children, teens and their families. Find out how you or your student organization can meet the needs of Casa de Amistad for a single day project or longer commitment.

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FRI1.15 12pm INTERNATIONAL FRIDAY CAFE - INTERNATIONAL CENTER PATIO The Friday Cafe provides a venue where international and domestic students, scholars, faculty, staff and the local community can come together to celebrate cultural diversity and international education. Each week the Friday Cafe presents the opportunity to explore world cultures, cuisines, music and more. Join us for this unique international experience! Price: $5 per plate Contact: maiEguchi@mail.ucsd.edu (858) 822-5328 Website: http://icenter.ucsd.edu/about/programs-events/icafe.html

SAT1.16 8pm SIERRA WEST- CD RELEASE W/ LEADERS IN THE CLUBHOUSE & DADDY ISSUES - THE LOFT Join for Sierra West with special guests Leaders in the Clubhouse and Daddy Issues for the CD Release of "Long Way Down." Sponsorship provided by Big West Music and Listen Local Radio. A portion of the CD sale proceeds will be donated to The Greyhound Adoption Center: www.houndsavers.org

7am MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY OF SERVICE: SIGN UP Join UCSD students, staff, and faculty members for a day of community service at Howard Pence Elementary School in South Bay San Diego! Afterward, we will march together in the MLK Jr. Parade in downtown San Diego. A bus will provide transportation for the first 55 students who sign up for the Day of Service. Lunch, snacks, and t-shirts will also be provided to volunteers at no cost. Register to volunteer at http://mlkday.ucsd.edu/?p=dayofservice

2am MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. PARADE: SIGN UP - DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO Join UC San Diego's Chancellor Khosla, students, staff, faculty and alumni as we march in the 36th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade in downtown San Diego - Harbor Drive/Embarcadero. This campus tradition is free and open to all. Students, staff, faculty, alumni and guests: You don't have to be on the buses to march in the parade. For directions to the parade please visit our website mlkday.ucsd.edu FREE snacks and transportation. Meet at the Sun God Parking Lot by noon. To reserve a space on the bus sign up at the Center for Student Involvement or contact Darlene Schlueter.

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Fixie/single Speed Folding Bike - $425. The bike folds in half for easy storing and transporting. It is a single speed bike that converts to fixed by flipping the rear wheel. Original all flat black paint. Listing ID: 224557268 at ucsdguardian.org/classifieds for more information Thule Two-Bike Rack - $80. Exceptional condition. Adjustable to fit any car. Listing ID: 224557267 at ucsdguardian.org/classifieds for more information Schwinn Girls Bike - $40. Perfect condition. Barely used. Escondido or Clairemont Mesa area. Listing ID: 223883938 at ucsdguardian.org/classifieds for more information

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looking for two outgoing students to help with their marketing, preferably one male and one female.

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1 Muscleman’s quality 6 Prefix with sphere 10 Taj Mahal site 14 High nest 15 Smooth out 16 Rugged outcropping 17 *Nitpick 19 Have no use for, so to speak 20 Raise the hackles of 21 Neil Simon’s “The Goodbye __” 22 Did some pressing work? 24 Must-miss movie rating, probably 26 Well-behaved 27 *Take no action 30 Slim __: snack sausage 33 Scottish singing sensation Boyle 36 Boozer 37 “You bet!” 38 Galileo’s sci. 39 Boston team, briefly 41 Quickie haircut 42 Professional charges 43 Classic TV brand 44 Final authority 45 Eerie ability, briefly 46 *Gold rush phenomenon 49 Places for facials 51 Train track foundation 55 Puffs up 57 German industrial area 58 Parisian pal 59 Bee, to Opie 60 *B.B. King’s genre 63 Londoner, e.g. 64 Assents at sea 65 Use TurboTax, say 66 Furry Himalayan legend 67 Take a breather 68 Parceled (out)

Down

1 Washroom tub 2 Copy, for short 3 Where Van Gogh painted “Sunflowers” 4 Nintendo system involving physical exertion 5 Bottom line 6 Publisher with a castle 7 Wicked 8 La Méditerranée, e.g. 9 Moments of clarity 10 Cold outburst? 11 *Group that might indict 12 Lender’s charge 13 Like fine wine 18 Trumpeter Al 23 Spoil 25 Russian rulers of yore 28 Sunni’s faith 29 Caught on to 31 Spring blossom 32 Note to the staff 33 Ump’s outstretched-arms call 34 Depletes, with “up” 35 *Hits the gas 37 Easel, e.g. 39 Goalpost part 40 Green prefix 44 Moved like bees 46 Cave dweller 47 Most loyal 48 Sounds of surprise 50 Singer LaBelle 52 Herb garden staple 53 “Nana” author Zola 54 Chopped into cubes 55 Word that can precede the starts of the answers to starred clues 56 Entice 57 Feels sorry about 61 Chemical in Drano 62 Sighting in the sky, for short

SPORTS

T H E U C S D G U A R D I A N | T H U R S D A Y, J A N U A R Y 7 , 2 0 1 6 | W W W . U C S D G U A R D I A N . O R G

SWIM & DIVE

Sweeping Senior Day Women’s go to 7–5 while men’s improve to 5–3.

PHOTO BY MEGAN LEE/UCSD GUARDIAN

BY Gurkirat Singh

This past Saturday, the UC San Diego swimming and diving teams hosted and swept away the competition in a dual meet in which the Tritons ended up having seven first-place finishes. Senior swimmers, in their separate events, and two freshmen divers became the first to qualify for the NCAA Championships, all while celebrating Senior Day at Canyonview Pool. Other competitors in attendance included CSU Bakersfield, Colorado Mesa and Loyola Marymount (women’s only). The Triton women’s squad, which is ranked No. 2 in NCAA Division II, were able to escalate its dual meet record above the 0.500 mark to 7–5 after its dominant performance against NCAA Division I CSU Bakersfield by 193-105, dropping down CSUB to 3–5. It then defeated Loyola Marymount with a comfortable score of 220–72, dropping Loyola Marymount’s record to 1–8, and then finishing off the No. 24 ranked Colorado Mesa with a sizeable

difference of 214–66, dropping Colorado Mesa’s record to 2–3. The Triton men’s squad followed suit as it was able to notch in a pair of wins over CSUB by 165–133, dropping CSUB to 1–4, and No. 21 Colorado Mesa by 214–66, dropping Colorado Mesa to 2–3. This led to the men improving their record to 5-3. Freshmen Brooke Abrantes, who was also celebrating her 19th birthday that day, and Patty Sullivan were both able to attain the minimum qualifying score needed for the three-meter springboard diving event to head to Indianapolis, IN for the NCAA Division-II Championships in March; they will be able to compete in both the one- and three-meter events in Indianapolis. The minimum baseline score to qualify for the NCAA Division-II Championships is set at 265. Abrantes was easily able to eclipse the requirement by scoring 280.35 points based on her six dives, which also earned her second place. Sullivan placed fourth, narrowly missing the mark with her point total of 260.10, but, through a provision, was granted five more dive attempts. Her 11-

dive points of 451.50 easily placed her above the 420 point baseline requirement needed to qualify for the Championships. The freshmen duo ended 2–3 in the one-meter event with 245.85 and 239.30 points. “Absolutely the highlight of the meet was Brooke and Patty qualifying for NCAA’s and the dive-in,” sixth-year Triton Diving Coach Michelle Casillas told the UCSD Athletics Department. “I’m really proud of both of them. Brooke did two new dives today to increase her degree of difficulty, and the rest of the team also stepped it up and just did really well. They all rallied around each other and pumped each other up, so it was an exciting day.” In swimming, seniors Colleen Daley and Howie Chang swept the women’s sprint and men’s distance events. Daley, who is also a secondyear co-captain, wasn’t able to achieve her own personal records for the season, but she was able to achieve impressive times of 23.73 for the 50 and 52.14 for the 100. Chang was able to get his first NCAA B cut after he pulled through with a 9:35.05 for the 1000-yard freestyle.

He later went on to win the 500 with a time of 4:38.97, finishing the race almost a full seven seconds ahead of the rest of the competition. The team’s tri-captain, senior Cole Heale, took home first in the men’s 50 after sprinting it in 20.91. Fellow senior AJ Zavala won first place in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 58.15 and junior teammate Zachary Young touched in second with a time of 58.27. Young would later go on to win first place in the men’s 200 with a time of 2:04.40 and Zavala would come in second with a time of 2:06.99. Dari Watkins, a fifth-year student athlete who has been longest-standing member of the UCSD swim and dive program as a Triton, competed in her final Senior Day and ended up winning first place in women’s 200 free with a time of 1:53.29 and finishing second in the 100 butterfly with a time of 57:23. Of the 28 events, Tritons took home 20 first-place honors on Senior Day. There were 15 seniors who competed in their final home meet of their careers, and they were all recognized for their contribution to their team, the program and the university prior to the start of the meet. These 15 seniors were Chang, Daley, Heale, Zavala, Watkins, Michael Leung, Naomi Thomas, Allyson Cohen, Max Halson, Maddy Huttner, Paul Li, Caitlyn Lozano, Alex Moshensky, Kyle Nadler and Garet Webster. At the end of the day, there were 12 total Triton NCAA consideration times for the NCAA Division-II Championships. Next up, the Tritons head north up to Riverside, to wage fierce battle in a dual-meet against nationally-ranked Division-II rival California Baptist on Saturday, Jan. 16.

JAN 19-JAN 22 S P I R I T

▶ M. VOLLEYBALL, from page 12

and the third set 25–12. Rudenko and Syftestad both had eights kills. Colbert led the team with seven digs on the night along with six kills. Beamer had five kills and three blocks while Stojcic had 26 assists, five digs, two blocks and a kill on the night. Grand Canyon players senior outside hitter Gerrard Lipscombe, senior opposite hitter Ryan Mather and sophomore outside hitter Shalev Saada combined 30 kills on the night. Antelope’s setter, sophomore Puna Kaniho, had 39 assists while libero, sophomore Sky Engleman, tallied nine digs. “We were terrible tonight defensively,” Ring told the UCSD athletics department. In both the first and the second sets, UCSD held a lead late. In the first frame, UCSD was up 23–21 before Grand Canyon took five of six to take the set. The same thing happened in the second frame, when UCSD was up 24–22 before suffering a 4–0 run by Grand Canyon who closed out the set 26–24. From there on, the ‘Lopes breezed through the third set and exposed the Tritons’ defense. The Tritons will have to turn this around and crank up the effort when they face fellow Mountain Pacific Sports Federation competitors to open their conference schedule, No. 9 UC Santa Barbara on Friday, Jan. 15 and No. 5 UCLA on Saturday, Jan. 16 in the RIMAC Arena.

Gurkirat Singh

SHOW YOUR SPIRIT UCSD! T R I T O N

UCSD Concludes Homestand Against Ranked Opponents

Samantha Glantz

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T H E U C S D G U A R D I A N | T H U R S D A Y, J A N U A R Y 7 , 2 0 1 6 | W W W . U C S D G U A R D I A N . O R G

SPORTS

UPCOMING

CONTACT THE EDITOR

MARCUS THUILLIER sports@ucsdguardian.org

UCSD

GAMES

W. Basketball M. Basketball M. Volleyball Swim and Dive M. Tennis

1/15 1/15 1/15 1/16 1/16

UCSD Continues to Roll Tritons overwhelm SF State and hold off Cal State Los Angeles

Written by Daniel Hernandez// Staff Writer Photo by Megan Lee

n Thursday night, UCSD went seemingly unchallenged by a helpless San Francisco State team that managed only 12 points in the entirety of the first half; the Tritons had eased to a 59 point blowout by the end of the night, 93–34. Game One As a team, they put up an impressive statline with a total of four players scoring in double figures, with senior guard Jamie Katuna scoring a game high of 16 points. With perhaps the most productive game, senior forward Farrah Shokoor produced a tremendous double-double consisting of 14 points and 13 rebounds. She is consistently producing similar performances, with that being her eighth double-double of the season. Freshman guard Lauryn Catching, in an attempt to provide a positive spark in her SF State’s uninspiring performance, ended the night with eight points. She, along with freshman center Kiara Ginwright, swatted away six shots, keeping her on top of the NCAA blocks per game category. UCSD played hard on both sides of the game, offensively shooting 50 percent from the field (30–60) and holding the Gators to 18 percent from the field (11–61). “I thought it was a tremendous team win,” UCSD Head Coach Heidi VanDerveer told the UCSD athletic department. The Tritons outplayed the Gators in every aspect of the game from the get-go, leading 11–3 within the first minutes. Then, keeping with the pace, UCSD increased its lead to an 18-point gap at the end of the first quarter at 24–6. There was no looking back for the Tritons, as they started the second period with a 14–2 run and began to impose their dominance on the Gators. At the half the lead was 37 points, 49–12, after a layup from Katuna and a couple free throws from the Gators’ junior guard Felicia Villarruel. The Gators almost doubled their points total, 22, from the first half in the second, but this simply was not enough as the game was out of reach. The Tritons added 44 points in the second half, giving themselves a comfortable victory on the road. Game Two On Saturday night, UCSD used a strong fourth quarter to hold off conference foe Cal State Los Angeles, resulting in a 65–55 away victory and continuing its impressive season with a now 12–2 overall record and 7–1 in conference play. The Golden Eagles fell to 3–10 in the season and 1–6 in conference play. Tritons pair junior guard Beth Mounier and Shokoor led the way with 12 points each, followed by Katuna who contributed with 11 points on the night. Then, in a giving mood, sophomore guard Taylor Tanita spread the wealth around and dished out a game high of seven assists. Trying to keep her team in it, senior forward Bree Parsons provided the Golden Eagles with a game-high 16 points. UCSD came out the gates fast with two quick buckets within the first minute of the game. Cal State LA’s coach was unimpressed with the mindset of the team and quickly called a timeout to sort it out. The Golden Eagles came to grips after the timeout and Parsons drained a three pointer to get them on the board. In the following minutes, Cal State LA was able to capture a 11–9 lead over the Tritons. In response, the Tritons went on a 8–1 run to end the quarter and recaptured the lead, making it 17–12. Starting where they left off the first quarter, UCSD went on to hold a 12-point advantage in the second quarter following an assist by freshman guard Joleen Yang to the open sophomore guard Paige Song, leading to an easy layup underneath the basket. The half ended 30–23, in favor of UCSD, after Cal State LA was able to climb back into it with a small run of five unanswered points. The Tritons came out cold during the second half and only managed to put up nine points in the third quarter, Tanita helping to conserve the lead with a triple making it 33–29. However, Cal State LA’s senior guard Franeka Hall closed the gap with her buzzer-beating tip in to end the third, with UCSD holding on to only a 39–37 lead. Hall then began the final quarter by causing trouble again and was able to get to the line and succeed in the free throws, tying the game at 39 apiece. From there on, the Tritons took control and showed their dominance with 10 unanswered points behind a couple of threes from Mounier, followed by Shokoor and junior guard Haley Anderson contributing a couple points of their own. With a minute remaining in the game, Tanita found a cutting Shokoor and gave UCSD the largest lead of the night, 63–49. The Golden Eagles were able to pull back six points in the final minute, but it came too late as the Tritons came out victorious for the 12th time this year. The Tritons will now travel up north, to the Bay Area, where they will be tested by conferenceleading Cal State East Bay on Friday, Jan. 15. Tip off at 5:30 p.m.

AT Cal State East Bay AT Cal State East Bay VS UC Santa Barbara AT California Baptist AT University of San Diego

week in summary WOMEN'S SWIM & DIVE UCSD

193 - 105

CSU Bakersfield

UCSD

220 - 72 Loyola Marymount

UCSD

246 - 46 Colorado Mesa

MEN'S SWIM & DIVE UCSD

165 - 133

CSU Bakersfield

UCSD

214 - 66 Colorado Mesa

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL UCSD

93 - 34 San Fransisco State

UCSD

65 - 55 Cal State LA

MEN'S VOLLEYBALL UCSD

25 25 25 18 19 12 Charleston

UCSD

24 24 12 26 26 25 Grand Canyon

M. VOLLEYBALL

UCSD Splits First Two Home Games Opening night win over Charleston on Friday snaps thirteen-game losing streak. BY Samantha Glantz

UCSD opened up its season at home with a three-set sweep of University of Charleston on Friday, before a tight loss to Grand Canyon University on Saturday. With the win and the loss, UCSD now owns a 1–1 record on the season. Game One The Tritons defeated nonconference opponent University of Charleston in three sets during their 2016 season opener Friday night. The set scores were 25–18, 25–19 and 25–12; UCSD had its highest hitting percentage, .418, since they hit for .554 percent against UC Merced on April 5, 2014. UCSD’s co-captain, sophomore opposite Tanner Syftestad, had eight kills and three blocks. He also saw some playing time at setter for the end

of the third set and had a career-best five assists. Senior outside hitter Kirill Rudenko matched his career-best with 11 kills while junior middle blocker Shayne Beamer had six kills and three blocks and tallied a career-best three aces on the night. Sophomore setter Milosh Stojcic had 18 assists, five digs, two blocks and three kills while junior outside hitter Ian Colbert collected six digs, five kills and two assists. “Our volleyball looks like it’s at a pretty high level,” Rudenko told the UCSD athletics department. “I feel that we have great potential starting the season off on a good note.” The first set was the most competitive as the Golden Eagles and Tritons went back and forth with multiple lead changes, tying up the score five times throughout the frame. The Tritons finally ran off with the lead and won the set 25–18. The second set resulted in another

set win for the Tritons. Freshman setter Ryan Blaich, freshman middle blocker Nathan Thalken and redshirt freshman middle blocker Drew Sloane all made their collegiate volleyball debuts, and sophomore outside hitter Ryan Schickling served consecutive points and got his first collegiate ace. The third set was dominated by the Tritons, resulting in the win of their season opener, snapping a 13-game losing streak that began last season. “I think we’ve got the making of a team that could be in the fight every night,” UCSD Head Coach Kevin Ring told the UCSD athletics department. Game Two On Saturday night, UCSD and Grand Canyon University played two tight sets to begin the match, each resulting in wins for the Grand Canyon Antelopes. The Antelopes swept the Tritons, taking the first two sets 26–24 See M. VOLLEYBALL, page 11

PHOTO BY MEGAN LEE/UCSD GUARDIAN