VOLUME 46, ISSUE 52
THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013
BE THE FAVORITE CHILD
www.ucsdguardian.org
LET'S GET CHARGED
DON'T FORGET MOTHER'S DAY
INVEST IN SAN DIEGO FOOTBALL
LIFESTYLE , Page 6
OPINION, Page 4
SOFTBALL AT LARGE
UCSD EARNS NCAA AT-LARGE BID SPORTS, Page 12
UC SYSTEM
CALIFORNIA
UC Hospital Workers Vote to Strike Thousands of unionwide workers represented by the AFSCME 3299 are expected to participate in the strike taking place across all five UC medical centers.
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BY ALEKSANDRA KONSTANTINOVIC
atient care workers at University of California hospitals have voted to strike following a unionwide vote that showed 97-percent support from workers represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299. The union represents more than 13,000 workers statewide, including 2,200 patient care workers in the UCSD Health System who argue that a meager average pension of $19,000 before healthcare deductions is unlivable. The strike is the outcome of nearly 10 months of negotiations between the union and University of California hospitals over the workers’ contracts. AFSCME previously asked for a cap on executives’ pensions, while UC representatives offered a 3.5-percent wage increase over the next four years. Both proposals were ultimately turned down by the other side. Representatives from the UCSD Health System did not immediately return a phone call from the Guardian, but University of California Vice President of Systemwide Human Resources Dwaine Duckett previously released a statement condemning the strike as a tactic to divert attention from the health system’s attempt at pension reform. “By encouraging a possible strike among our patient care employees, AFSCME is attempting to use patient care as a tool in contract negotiations and potentially endangering public health, which is completely inappropriate,” Duckett said. “Patients are not bargaining chips.” AFSCME communications director Todd Stenhouse fired back that the UC executives who have raised their salaries by $100 million since 2009 are guilty of prioritizing their own wallets over patient safety.
ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
“The idea that a small group of executives who have diverted millions of dollars of taxpayer money to their already overstuffed pockets would make the claim that we’re sacrificing patient care does not even begin to pass the smell test,” Stenhouse said. AFSCME previously held a strike in 2008 in a similar dispute over low wages and high premiums for healthcare. At the time of the strike, 95 percent of union workers qualified for public assistance, according to AFSCME President Katherine Lybarger. Lybarger stated that the goals of the upcoming strike include securing a decent wage for employees and easing UC hospitals’ reliance on less experienced, less expensive temporary workers. “What we’re looking for is basic fairness,” she said. “Ultimately, we want to ensure the best care for our patients, and the way to do that is by hiring experienced, career workers.” Lybarger stated that a patient protection task force will take care of patients’ emergency needs during the strike. Stenhouse and Lybarger also asserted that it was now the responsibility of the health system to prevent the strike by being reasonable in meeting the union’s demands. AFSCME has announced that it will give a 10-day notice before the strike begins at all five of the UC medical centers. Lybarger and Stenhouse expect thousands of workers at the picket lines, based on an enormous voter turnout last week.
readers can contact ALEKSANDRA KONSTANTINOVIC
ALKONSTA@ucsd.edu
State Plans to Reduce Prison Population
The governor’s proposal will reduce prison population by 7,000 and boost health spending. BY ANDREW DOOLITTLE
STAFF WRITER
Gov. Jerry Brown defended California’s plan to address a courtordered mandate to reduce California’s prison population this week, even though it leaves the state thousands of prisoners over the legal limit. The 46-page plan, released last Thursday, says the state will reduce its prison population by 7,000 inmates and boost spending on prisoner health care by more than $1 billion. Brown contends the extra health care addresses the court’s concern that prisoner health has been compromised to unconstitutional levels of quality due to overcrowding. “It is important to explain the tremendous efforts and investments the See PRISONS, page 3
CALIFORNIA
Statewide Bill Targets Renters Deposits photo by taylor sanderson /Guardian
COUNCIL IS IN SESSION
The 2013-2014 A.S. Council held its first official council meeting on Wednesday, May 8. Previous speaker John Weng was elected to his position of Council Speaker once again, and council passed its first resolution, regarding recent acts of racism, before beginning their annual training retreat.
The state Senate Judiciary approved the bill to reform unfair security deposit practices Tuesday. BY MEKALA NEELAKANTAN
NEWS EDITOR
photo by vivian xin /Guardian
TRIP TO THE JUNKYARD DERBY
The Junkyard Derby competition took place on Peterson Hill Monday after participants had 24 hours to build a bicycle made from impounded vehicles and donated parts. Winners for “Best in Show” included John Condello, Lynne Swerhone, John Cuellar and Phillip Poonka.
Members of Tenants Together — a statewide organization involved with renter rights — participated in a “Day of Action” on Tuesday, May 7 in support of a statewide bill to reform tenant security deposit practices. As a campus with a large percentage of student commuters and renters, UCSD Campus Services is providing information regarding security deposits and withholdings, warning students of being treated unfairly when managing landlord-mandated security deposits. Student Legal Services released an email last week reminding students who intend to live off campus to inform themselves about security deposits and the possibility of losing thousands of dollars in security deposSee deposits, page 3
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NEWS
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science & technology
UCSD Engineers Use Seahorse Tails to Improve Robotics STAFF WRITER
Engineers at UCSD have discovered new information that determines how a seahorse’s robust and lightweight tail provides the animals with the ability to bend, twist, grasp and hold objects. The discovery allows engineers to better understand the unique object-grabbing ability of a seahorse’s tail and use it in various medical or military applications, such as flexible robotics and lightweight armor. It was first published earlier this year in the February 2013 issue of the peer-reviewed scientific journal Acta Biomateriali. The team dissected several frozen seahorses, donated by the Birch Aquarium, to better understand the structure and interaction of bones that allow the tail to bend and twist. A variety of chemical treatments, scanning electron microscopy, micro-computed tomography and other mechanical tests were used to
visualize and test the bones before and after crushing them. “When we crushed tail sections of the seahorse, we were surprised to find that the tails were highly deformable, compressing nearly 50 percent of their original width before permanent damage was observed,” UCSD Ph.D. student Michael Porter said. Porter received his bachelor’s degree in engineering science and mechanics from Virginia Tech in 2007 and master’s degree in biological engineering from the University of Hawaii in 2010. The researchers observed that the tail is made up of four overlapping plates surrounding a central vertebra. These plates have sliding mechanisms that slide in and out of each other, allowing the tail to bend and twist. The team of researchers were led by Porter and included UCSD post-doctoral student Ekaterina Novitskaya, visiting post-doctoral student Ana Bertha Castro-Cesena
and UCSD professors of mechanical and aerospace engineering Joanna McKittrick and Marc Meyers. McKittrick was interested in studying seahorses because of their unique characteristics. Research on the project began in August 2011, when Porter joined the team to start his Ph.D. research on biomimetics. The team plans to apply their findings into developing a biomimetic robot gripping device that mimics the musculoskeletal structure and function of a seahorse tail. This robot would contain both hard and soft materials, differentiating itself from existing robots and allowing for more flexibility. “We are currently developing CAD models of seahorse-inspired robotics,” Porter said. The team then plans to use 3-D printing to replicate the hard components and polymers to act as artificial muscles.
readers can contact SEAN NAM
SAN012@ucsd.edu
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New Council Begins Training SB 603 Bill Will Move to the Senate Floor at the End of May Retreat; Passes First Resolution ▶ deposits, from page 1
Geisel Library, from which students I ran into 2012–2013 AVP will be able to buy Scantrons, blue Academic Affairs Sammy Chang as books, and, presumably, fabricated I was walking into the Forum last doctor’s notes. And in the future, night, and he asked me if I still had they’ll be working on installing a to write the A.S. Council column. Wii in the commuter lounge. I hope my forlorn sigh was enough Former VP External Affairs of an answer. Olamide Noah and her chief of Wednesday’s council meeting marked the first official meeting for staff Bruno Huizar presented a wrap-up presentation of the goals the 2013–2014 council, and Hayley of the UC Student Ryan read a Association brand-new roll and the United call. aleksandra konstantinovic States Student “I’m asking akonsta@ucsd.edu Association. They that you corpointed out that it rect me on your was essential to a student governname tonight, and keep correcting ment to take an interest in USSA me on your name in the next few issues, such as student loan debt. weeks,” she said. “Or else you will The new council passed its have a new name.” very first resolution condemning Council then took nominations the acts of racism recently seen on for speaker, and veteran voice John the UC Irvine and Cal State San Weng got the job. Marcos campuses. Public input highlights included My bestie, AVP a Prezi from College Affairs-emeritus SOVAC regarding Wednesday’s Leonard Bobbitt, came its plans to register council meeting to hang out with me more student voters in my corner of the during a year withmarked the first Forum. He told me I out a presidential official council looked like a J. Crew election. Among model — I told him he those plans are animeeting for the could be a model for mal-themed pins to 2013-2014 everything. I’ll miss you make voting more in the 2013–2014 counfun, because as a council, and cil, Leonard. group of educated Hayley Ryan This meeting was young adults, we particularly short (it need mascots like read a brandended by 8:15 p.m.), Egalitarian Eagle new roll call. because councilmemand Freedom Falcon bers planned a retreat to spark our politito learn the basics of how a councal efficacy. cil functions. Major props to our Special presentations kicked off fearless new leaders for stepping with the Student Services Center, up and going through this trainheaded by Weng, and a presentaing, as I’m sure there are better tion called “The 411 on the Office ways to spend a Wednesday night of Student Services.” than learning the ins and outs of One of the office’s major vicRobert’s Rules. tories was a vending machine in
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its to landlords. The California Senate Judiciary Committee approved the SB 603 bill at a hearing Tuesday by a vote of 4–1; following approval, the bill will move to the Senate floor, and voting will take place before the end of May. Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) authored the bill, introduced in March, in co-sponsorship with Tenants Together, Western Center on Law and Poverty and California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation. The bill was created in response to complaints regarding unfair treatment of security deposits. According to a press release from Tenants Together, the bill hopes to stop security deposit thefts by mandating landlords to sep-
arate security deposits and personal assets, as well as requiring interest on deposits to tenants. According to a survey conducted by Tenants Together, 60 percent of members reported improper withholding of security deposits. “One [of the] biggest complaints California’s 15 million renters voice when a lease ends is that they have little recourse in dealing with a landlord who refuses to return their deposits,” Leno said in a press release on the Tenants Together website. “SB 603 protects tenants in this situation by encouraging landlords to return security deposits in a timely manner, as required by law.” Victims of security deposit theft participated in the Tenants Together “Day of Action,” including San Diego
resident Sebrina Daniels. “My deposit was partially withheld for cleaning and unnamed ‘damages,’” Daniels wrote in a Tenants Together press release. “I left the place cleaner than it was when I moved in. As for damages, I have no idea what the landlord was talking about, and they never explained or documented any repair expenses.” At the hearing, committee chair Noreen Evans revealed herself as a victim of security deposit threat, urging passage of the bill. With a vote at the end of May, Tenants Together is currently lobbying through online action, urging supporters to donate and inform themselves.
readers can contact mekala neelakantan
mneelaka@ucsd.edu
$1 Billion Will Be Spent on New Prison Healthcare Facilities ▶ PRISONS, from page 1
state has made over the last several years to transform its prison care system to not simply meet constitutional standards but also to become one of the best in the nation,” Brown wrote in the plan. California has the largest prison population of any state with roughly 134,000 inmates, according to a December 2012 prison census report. Brown commented that the federal three-judge panel no longer needs to be concerned about the issue, as the state has made major progress. Brown said he has increased healthcare spending from $7,000 to $15,000 per inmate among the state’s 33 prisons. He emphasized that the increased quality of health will continue to improve with over $1 billion spent on new healthcare facilities, including the addition of a new $840-million facility opening in July. Despite this, the governor’s plan is
still 2,300 inmates shy of the panel’s 2009 mandate. Brown faces contempt of court — a judge’s strongest power to impose sanctions if Brown fails to meet orders — and could be fined or jailed. If Brown were held in contempt of court, it would create an unprecedented situation. “I don’t know what the court’s options are if Brown or any governor is held in contempt. It’s never happened before,” UC Santa Barbara sociology professor and expert on crime and punishment John Sutton said. “I don’t know how that will work out for Brown or even the state.” California’s prison guard and district attorney unions both oppose Brown’s plan, Sutton said. He attributed high incarceration rates and overcrowding to a combination of economics and cyclical prosecution behind California’s correctional policies. As a result, Sutton said the state has incarcerated more prison-
ers than it can take of. “Do you expect all [convicts] to be locked up for life? They’re going to get out eventually and without any new educational training or opportunities,” Sutton said. “We’re hurting ourselves if we cannot give them a chance at law-abiding life. It’s a problem of our own making.” The state’s prisons have been pressed by increased federal oversight since 1995. Past rulings by two of the panel members, U.S. District Judges Lawrence Karlton and Thelton Henderson, ruled that California prisons violated the 8th Amendment’s protection against cruel and unusual punishment due to its poor quality of mental and medical care. Henderson said the conditions were responsible for as many unnecessary inmate deaths as one per week. The prison population peaked at 17,300 in 2006.
readers can contact andrew doolittle
adoolitt@ucsd.edu
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OPINION
contact the editor
HILARY LEE opinion@ucsdguardian.org
Haters Have Bad Reasons for Hating Greek Life
editorials
Securing the Bolts
Bro's eye view
brad segal jsegal@ucsd.edu
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The city of San Diego needs to support the Chargers if it wants to prevent handing off Southern California’s only football team to Los Angeles. Illustration by jessica chee
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fter a January announcement by San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, Phillip Rivers knows he will have work for another year in San Diego. But the burning question on too many San Diegans’ minds is this: Who is Phillip Rivers? The San Diego Chargers suffer from a somewhat apathetic fan base, and while there are certainly diehards for the “Bolts,” its fan atmosphere is not nearly as tightly knit as those of the publicly owned Green Bay Packers or the borderline-terrifying Oakland Raiders. An ESPN ranking lists the Chargers as having the 28th- (out of 32) lowest average attendance during the 2012 season. Wishy-washy support for the team renders the Chargers vulnerable to relocation. As the only NFL team in Southern California since 1995, the Chargers have unprecedented access to a tremendous geographic fan base. Los Angeles and San Diego, California’s two largest cities, are closer in distance to Qualcomm Stadium than to either of the Bay Area football squads. Unfortunately, however, spatial proximity has not translated into a strong and active fan base. In fact, there is a strong possibility that the Chargers may relocate to Los Angeles in the coming years. But San Diego needs the Chargers, and the city should do what it can financially to
incentivize the team to stay here. The lack of a football team is an ongoing sore subject for Angelenos, and dueling plans to build a stadium have popped up in recent years. Los Angeles needs a team’s commitment to relocate to the City of Pollution, and the stadium will follow. The metropolitan area that is home to nearly a third of UCSD undergraduates also houses two professional basketball teams, two baseball and hockey teams, two soccer teams, and — not counting the years that USC illegally recruited some of its players — zero professional football teams. Outside of football, San Diego, on the other hand, is home to a mediocre baseball team and not much else. As UCSD students, we understand the struggle of not having a football team, L.A., but taking San Diego’s is not the answer. Mayor Filner announced in January that the Chargers would not file to relocate this year, locking them into another season at Qualcomm. During an October debate in Price Center East against Republican opponent Carl DeMaio, Filner and his rival both listed keeping the Chargers in San Diego as a priority during their terms. Filner can list this as a “success” for his first year in
Editorial Board Laira Martin
Editor In Chief
Zev Hurwitz
Managing Editor
Hilary Lee
Opinion Editor
Lauren Koa associate Opinion Editor
Mekala Neelakantan News Editor
Aleksandra Konstantinovic Associate News Editor The UCSD Guardian is published twice a week at the University of California at San Diego. Contents © 2013. Views expressed herein represent the majority vote of the editorial board and are not necessarily those of the UC Board of Regents, the ASUCSD or the members of the Guardian staff.
See Chargers, page 9
Recent Incidents Call for Increasing UCSD’s Campus Security When moving to La Jolla for college, campus and city safety don’t seem like a big concern for students. Our calm, coastal town is home to two types of people: those who are affiliated with UCSD, and affluent retirees. “The Jewel” of San Diego doesn’t exactly seem like a hotbed for crime, but in the last few years, incidents both on and off campus have left Tritons feeling uneasy about their safety. This unrest makes it clear an increase in campus security is imperative. After the fatal shooting of MIT police officer Sean Collier last month, campuses across the country have taken campus security to a new level. On April 29, two
bomb threats were discovered in two different men’s bathrooms at the San Diego State Love Library, and police and bomb-sniffing dogs were brought in immediately. Although it turned out to be a false alarm, the way the university handled this sensitive issue was impeccable. With an incident like this happening so close to home, we wonder if UCSD’s current campus security could adequately handle a similar situation. In recent weeks, there were two incidents of sexual battery near the Mesa Apartments and Brown Hall in Earl Warren College as well as an incident of armed robbery near the intersection of Arriba Street
and Regents Road. And although the latter suspects were arrested, students can’t help but feel at risk just walking around their own neighborhood. And that’s just this quarter. Let’s not forget the horrible incidents in years past, including an attempted kidnapping near Geisel Library, during which the kidnapper placed a paper bag over the victim’s head. Regardless of financial implications, campus security should be increased to prevent similar incidents. We are more than aware that money doesn’t grow on trees — especially at public universities — but student safety is an issue that we can’t skimp on.
There are two ways to improve campus security on campus: Increasing security itself and publicizing the resources already available. For example, the Community Service Officer program and A.S. Safe Rides are both great safety resources on campus that more students need to utilize. Students may have seen CSOs biking around campus, but many are unaware that they can call these escorts 365 days a year from sunset to 1 a.m. We can complain to the administration all we want about tuition and dorms, but at the end of the day, if student safety isn’t the top priority on campus, nothing else matters.
nlike the rest of the trends on campus, hating on Greeks stays fashionable year-round. But the usual reasons for why people dislike Greek life are founded on the basis of ignorance. Five years as an active Greek — including a year as the AEPi president — taught me that if haters gonna hate, they’re probably going to do it without even really understanding what it is they’re criticizing. Take the criticism of Greeks that we pay for friends — it’s just not true. We’re groups of friends who pool our money together to pay for things we couldn’t afford on our own. You try throwing over four dozen large-scale events per quarter and see if you come out on top. Greek orgs not only navigate that kind of calendar, but we still manage to cover everyone at our events with insurance that tops UC SHIP. For the record, you currently pay more in mandatory quarterly student fees to A.S. Council than you would pay in chapter dues. Then there’s the opinion that we’re stupid. The IFC and PHC average GPA is higher than the average UCSD GPA, meaning that if you take a test next to someone in letters, they’re probably going to beat you on the curve. At Round Table Friday, do you actually see douchey jocks and judgmental betches, or do you read that personality onto Greeks based on how you expect Greeks to be? Maybe you’ve met Greeks who live up to the stereotypes. Yet, that’s because in reality, Greeks are a diverse group. We actively recruit to make our community composed of people both similar and different from ourselves to foster everyone’s personal growth. While last week, under-informed voices rushed to criticize our Greek life after the reprehensible events at UCI, a letter reaffirming our community’s stance against complacency in structural inequality was co-signed by 33 Greek presidents. Working with competent, cohesive and fiercely independent leaders like these is a privilege. Unlike the occasional self-entitled paid A.S. councilmember, Greek leaders pay to be a part of their chapters and, in my humble experience, selflessly work harder on behalf of their peers. We consider non-Greeks to be our peers as well, but because of all the misrepresentative notions about Greek life, many campus communities fail to see us eye-to-eye on this point. Greek programming isn’t limited to student leaders taking the initiative to create the philanthropic and social student life that UCSD often fails to provide. We also give future Greek leaders the opportunity for real-world experience at managing the money, people and logistics that make the wheels turn. We also offer fellow Greek brothers and sisters a sense of community within a massive school — something Greeks don’t have to depend on admin to provide for us. You can’t just overlay your values onto the Greek system and then claim it’s in a state of failure because you predict that it won’t meet your standards. After all, do you even lift?
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Weekend • entertainment@ucsdguardian.org •• entertainment@ucsdguardian.org Arts & & Entertainment Entertainment Editor: Editor: Ren Ren Ebel Jacey Ebel Aldredge entertainment@ucsdguardian.org • • lifestyle@ucsdguardian.org Co-Associate Lifestyle Lifestyle Editor: Editors: Laira Jean Martin Lee and lifestyle@ucsdguardian.org Vincent Pham • lifestyle@ucsdguardian.org Lifestyle Laira Martin
It’s All in the Game (of Thrones) tv uber alles
Rusteen Honardoost rhonardo@ucsd.edu
All's Fair in Love and Web Video With the help of social media, a classic novel and a smattering of San Diegans, a 19th-century author is shaking up 21st-century entertainment. BY jacqueline kim
editorial assistant
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t is a truth universally acknowledged that a Jane Austen fan with a “Pride and Prejudice” obsession must be in want of more adaptations. Though modern-day audiences may know her work best through the film that earned Keira Knightley her first Oscar nod, “Pride and Prejudice”’s heroine Elizabeth Bennet has done more in 200 years than just sass Mr. Darcy in the pouring rain. From romancing a wet-shirted Colin Firth to singing in Punjabi to hunting zombies, it’s safe to say she’s done it all. In comparison, placing her in the present and giving her a video blog is pretty normal. In “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries,” Bernie Su, a Thurgood Marshall College communication graduate, and Hank Green of VlogBrothers have updated the eponymous heroine, played by Old Globe veteran Ashley Clements, to a snarky grad student who sets out to create a vlog for her thesis with the help of her best friend Charlotte Lu (Julia Cho). Lizzie’s sisters — thoughtful Jane (Laura Spencer) and fun-loving Lydia (Mary Kate Wiles) — make frequent appearances on the vlogs. The girls’ lives are changed when wealthy medical student Bing Lee (Christopher Sean) and his sister Caroline (Jessica Jade Andres) move into town, bringing along their friend William Darcy (UCSD alumnus Daniel Vincent Gordh), a socially awkward hipster and the CEO of Pemberley Digital (a nod to the original Darcy’s stately mansion), an entertainment company. Hilarious Austen references and zany costume theater aside, “Lizzie Bennet”’s depictions of characters’ personal growth and contemporary struggles — from careers to relationships — have struck a chord with viewers. “I personally am really proud of that and really happy that that’s the story we got to tell,” Wiles said on Lydia’s development. “It was very cool to be able to take this idea of a person and make her so much more full and human, [not] simply a stupid party girl.” Allison Paige, who portrayed Darcy’s Indie music-loving sister
Gigi, expressed her approbation of the series’ promotion of female empowerment. “[Gigi] has become such a more key element than she was in the book and in other adaptations,” she said. “I love that she’s not as shy and reserved … I just love the mischievousness of her and how she wants to get involved. I love that she is a go-getter. And she really knows who she is but at the same time is exploring who she is.” Through 100 videos, plus four shorter spin-offs as well as transmedia elements, the series as a whole emphasizes the newfangled ideas Austen wrote about in pre-Victorian England. “Every girl wants to be Elizabeth Bennet and/or Jo March from ‘Little Women’ — these emblematic, powerful, strong young women that I think we all relate to,” Cho, who plays Charlotte, said. “I think a lot of our success comes from the power of that source material … We’re fortunate that our adaptation has hopefully done the original novel justice.” In addition to the series’ YouTube videos, a Streamy-winning Transmedia crew headed by Transmedia producer Jay Bushman set up Twitter accounts for each character who all tweet in response to videos — and occasionally fans — in real-time, making the fictional universe all the more authentic. The characters have joined almost every major social network: Several have Tumblrs and Facebook pages, Jane keeps up with fashion on Pinterest and LookBook, the workaholic Ricky Collins is on LinkedIn, the notorious flirt George Wickham has an OkCupid profile and Gigi posts songs on This Is My Jam. According to Transmedia editor Alexandra Edwards, the Twitter and Facebook accounts are run by web client Sprout Social, but all other platforms are done manually by the transmedia team. “That was really kind of mind blowing to have that weird communal experience between the audience and the characters and the actors and the writers, creating a world that was living and breathing so much that your audience is a part of it,” Wiles said.
They say “a man’s gotta have a code,” and to a certain extent that is true, even if the man who says it is a criminal who robs drug dealers for a living on the universally acclaimed series “The Wire.” It’s also true of another HBO series, “Game of Thrones,” which has managed to become a spiritual successor to “The Wire,” in a wilder and more explosive package. Both series concern themselves with the pursuit of power, otherwise known as “the game,” including everyone from noblemen to common folk in their examinations. “The Wire” takes aim at the War on Drugs, putting the entire city of Baltimore under the microscope to evaluate the role of its citizens in perpetuating “the game” by maintaining the status quo (and their jobs). Characters intersect and influence each other in the most spectacular and mundane ways. “The shit always rolls downhill,” meaning one character’s mistakes ripple into the lives of others, creating a world in which everything is connected and every player is to blame. This is about as far away as you could get from “Game of Thrones,” whose characters are so geographically separated that the theme song changes each week to tell you where the hell you’re going. The game of “Game of Thrones” is the eponymous title, in which scheming and manipulating are keys to becoming king of the seven kingdoms. Denying your opponents the truth creates a sticky situation, in which the emphasis shifts to how people change depending on who’s listening and the ulterior motives that propel us towards reckless selfinterest. How many have ranted about their desire to slit that bastard Joffrey’s throat in the privacy of their secret meetings, yet kneel before him as he sits atop the iron throne? Characters’ motives are never fully clear to one another, whereas all the trouble in “The Wire” comes from proving those intentions in a court of law. The only court of any real substance in Westeros is that of war, and its outcome is essentially as fair as the ones coming out of Baltimore: The good get turned bad, the bad are made worse, and
See Diaries, page 8
See Game, page 8
music
film & TV
food & drink
Youngblood Hawke’s “Wake Up” gives a taste of the Sun God lineup.
Third time’s a charm with “Iron Man 3” success.
Find the boba that fits you.
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World's greatest Gifts for the most important woman in your life — mom.
lifestyle Coachella: L.A. Girls, Frat Boys & the Brits mind the gap
lara budge mia florin-sefton
lifestyles@ucsd.edu
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BY shelby newallis
T
his Sunday, May 12, is Mother’s Day. It’s the day you’ve circled on your calendar to make sure you don’t forget to call your mom and pick her up some flowers. Each year the average person spends over $100 on Mother’s Day gifts and festivities. Instead of spending gobs of money you may not have on Mother’s Day gifts, think back to elementary school when homemade gifts and a sincere “I love you” were enough. Mother’s Day is not about spending money — it’s about making her day special by being thoughtful. Go back to basics this year with personalized gifts that your whole family pitches in for and a homemade brunch that shows off your sensitive side. Homemade Brunch Making brunch at home is a good way to save money and impress your family with your uncanny cooking abilities. A great recipe for Mother’s Day is baked French toast with blueberries, courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis. The recipe looks complicated, but it only takes a mere 10 minutes of prep time and 45 minutes total to bake. The recipe serves four to six people. Ingredients: Butter, for greasing 6 eggs 3 cups whole milk
Editorial Assistant
3/4 cup maple syrup, plus extra for serving 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus 1 tablespoon 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 lemon, zested 3 (1-inch thick) slices (8 ounces) day-old challah or sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 cups fresh or frozen, thawed and drained blueberries 3 tablespoons granulated sugar Directions: Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 9-by13-inch baking dish. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt and lemon zest. Add the bread cubes, and mix until coated. Stir in the blueberries. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the egg mixture in an even layer. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is set. Spoon onto serving plates, and drizzle with maple syrup. Serve the French toast with Blood Orange Mimosas — Prosecco, Italian sparkling wine ($6 at Trader Joe’s) with a splash of orange juice and a slice of blood orange to garnish.
illustration by jenny
park
This easy gourmet meal will have your family thinking you’ve spent all morning slaving away in the kitchen. Personalized Gifts Flowers, chocolate or jewelry always seem to be the go-to gifts. It’s time to think outside the box and get a more personalized gift this year for Mother’s Day. Department Store Shopping You do not have to go far to find great mom-friendly stores. Check out department stores Pier One and Cost Plus World Market in La Jolla Village Square to find a selection of unique items. At Pier One there are in-store sales and clearance items such as candles and home decor for $15 and under. A set of wine charms ($6) can spice up any old bottle of wine and are perfect for gifting or entertaining. At Cost Plus World Market there are a variety of sale items available for Mother’s Day. An antique silver wall-mounted jewelry holder ($15) with a metal mesh backing is the perfect organizer for all of mom’s earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Both stores also offer gift cards, in case you would rather let your mom decide on a gift for herself. Crafted Gifts If you’re low on cash but still
want to give your mom something meaningful, crafted gifts are a great way to go. The best part about these gifts is that they are personalized, so your mom will know that there was love and effort put into them. One idea is to find a nice picture of you and your mom, and send it to a nearby photo shop to be printed. Make the frame personalized by decorating it and putting in a memorable photo. If your mom really enjoys music, browse through your iTunes library, make a compilation of her favorite songs and burn them onto a CD for her. Add an extra touch by handwriting the songs listed on the playlist, and draw something for cover art on your personalized album. In the end it doesn’t matter if your French toast is a little burnt or the CD you made is a little scratched. The most important thing is that you took time out of your day to appreciate your mom. Many of us may be hundreds of miles away from our mothers, but don’t let this stop you from letting her know how much you love her with a call, an email or even a Skype session. Flowers wilt, and cards get stuffed in a file cabinet, but the feeling of being appreciated is something your mother will never forget.
readers can contact Shelby Newallis
SNewallis@ucsd.edu
efore we came to America, one of the things we wanted to do was go to Coachella. In Britain, it’s seen as a glamorous, celebrity-filled festival. Mia believed it was the world’s largest festival, but after some Googling, we realized this goes to Donauinselfest in Vienna, Austria, which has 3 million people a weekend. The original vision of Coachella was a new Woodstock. However, the profit margins remained slim, and it was bought by Goldenvoice. This has come at a price: No longer the stomping ground for native Californian hippies, the festival has been replaced by frat bros and L.A. girls. Festivals back home are grimy but great. Festival-goers embrace the mud, rain and wind: At Coachella, the bikini is a staple. Back home, it’s Wellingtons (boots) and anorak (raincoat). We returned from the porta-loos one day to see bros in flat-caps doing pushups. We then proceeded to walk past the phone-charging station where girls were queuing to use their curling irons. While our hair remained uncurled and our bodies suffered, Coachella fulfilled our expectations. Never before have we seen so many collectively beautiful people in a desert. A fashion blogger’s paradise and a model scouter’s wet dream, Coachella is as glamorous as it is musically rich. While it seemed like some people weren’t there for the music, every show was impeccably managed, and all the stages were equally good performance spaces. Camping at Coachella is like “glamping” (glamorous camping) at Glastonbury. Our neighbors had “Juicy” campervans, cocktail blenders and portable showers attached to the van. We rocked up totally unprepared, with nothing but our tent and a few chairs from Wal-Mart. Luckily, we were next to two San Diego locals, Kellie and Olivia — the most unexpected stoners we have ever met — who were kind enough to let us seek shade under their tarpaulin and chill our drinks in one of their five iceboxes. We would wake up around 8 a.m. to the sound of “Duuude. I wanna black out tonight” and to the smell of a bong. We don’t know how much music Kellie and Olivia got to see. One thing we noticed at Coachella is that people are so busy looking good that they don’t want to dance. At other music festivals, we’re scared of the front because of terrifying mosh pits. But at Coachella it was easy to weave to the barriers through all the people on their iPhones. In our crowd travels, we noticed middle-aged men wearing orange earplugs, on iPhones and looking suspiciously at everyone reaching into their bum bags. It became a game to spot undercover cops in the crowd; they need to work on their disguises. While we might sound like we are preaching the superiority of British festivals, there is something undeniably alluring about the glamour of Coachella. Now we’re not sure we’ll be able to go back to the grime of the British festivals, Reading and Bestival, where, far from sharing tarpaulins, we have had neighbors who have actually shat on the pillows of our friends due to dodgy drug deals. In the desert, illegal substances are so abundant they are found littering the toilet and tent floors. Whilst watching “Super Tall Paul” on the flute, we saw an unfortunate man crawling on all fours convinced he was a cat. Meow. With the right attitude and supplies, Coachella is one of the best festivals we have ever been to. Next year we will be rolling through in our Juicy campervans.
A&E
film review
Iron man 3 With a new director comes an Iron Man ready to start off the summer movie season. Directed by Shane Black Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow rated PG-13 release Date May 3
“I
ron Man 3” is under so much pressure to be successful that it’s astonishing it hasn’t collapsed under the weight of the public’s expectations. Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers” proved something very special: Marvel Studios can create a multi-franchise universe and successfully bring those characters together in a meaningful and entertaining way. What Marvel is doing has never been done on this scale before — the creation of a shared filmic universe. The next challenge would be to go back down to the individual level and see if these characters can stand on their own again now that the public has seen them gloriously fight side by side. Fortunately, there’s no need to worry: “Iron Man 3” soars above most other Marvel films, even matching the original “Iron Man” (and coming quite close to “The Avengers”). Tony Stark is having a hard time recovering from the events of “The Avengers” film, and things aren’t made easier when someone close to him is badly injured. The terrorist responsible — the elusive Mandarin
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— pits himself against Stark in a game of cat and mouse that spans the country, with Stark being stretched to his limits. Perhaps one of the reasons that “Iron Man 3” succeeds is because it doesn’t try to “pile it on” like so many other “threequels” do. This is a paring down of the Iron Man formula. It’s not so much an Iron Man film as it is a Tony Stark film; the movie succeeds by zeroing in on exactly what makes the man in the iron suit special and why he’s captured the hearts of audiences everywhere. It’s not a spoiler to say that Tony takes a beating in this film — he gets down on his luck, and he goes places we haven’t seen him go before, both physically and mentally. It can safely be said that there has never been a superhero film that has examined and portrayed post-traumatic stress disorder in the way that “Iron Man 3” does, and to great effect. Even in the midst of all this soulsearching, don’t expect anything less than the funniest of the Iron Man films to date — this is a Shane Black film, and it shows: Shane Black was
the director and writer who first brought Robert Downey Jr. back to cinema life in “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” (2005) and introduced the whip-smart dialogue that would become linked to the actor’s screen persona. Now the duo is back, and Robert Downey Jr. is on point in this movie, clearly sharpened by a director who knows him. Everybody else in the film is in top form as well: Don Cheadle (“Hotel Rwanda,” “Crash”) channels the very best buddy cop movies as the Iron Patriot (and seems much more comfortable in the role than he did in “Iron Man 2”), and Gwyneth Paltrow (“Shakespeare in Love,” “Iron Man”) gets to do a lot more in this film than just be a damsel in distress. There are a host of other great characters introduced here, not the least of which is Ben Kingsley’s (“Hugo,” “Gandhi”) the Mandarin — his role in this film really needs to be seen to be believed. Technically, the film is as good as can be expected — but the fact is, we don’t really see the Iron Man armor nearly as much as one would think in this film, and nearly the entire climax of the film has Tony Stark’s face uncovered. The film feels better for it: It’s a collection of marvelous set pieces all strung together by offbeat, hilarious or endearing sequences between Tony and those closest to him. There’s a wonderful feeling of earnestness in this film that was completely lacking from the very robotic “Iron Man 2” — an informal, fun weightlessness that is only occasionally spoiled by the instances of heavy politics or heavyhanded, anti-establishment messages. The bottom line: Iron Man 3 is fun. It’s an enormous amount of fun. If you haven’t had enough of Robert Downey Jr.’s wry and wisecracking Tony Stark, then this will be like Christmas came early. And if you didn’t like the first couple films, give this one a shot — there’s a lot more earnest character searching, whipsmart comedy and more than a couple twists that make this perhaps the best Iron Man outing yet.
— Nathan cook
Staff Writer
Adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” Paves New Paths for Books to be Retold. ▶ Diaries, from page 5
This innovative way of storytelling has earned the series a large following, which includes almost 200,000 subscribers who have funded its recent Kickstarter campaign 770 percent over its goal of $60,000. “You have direct access to the fans in this new medium, but when we first started this ... [we] had no idea [it would become a phenomenon]. We were like, ‘Well, we might make eight episodes, and it’ll be sort of amusing and nobody watches it, so we don’t do any more,’” producer and San Diego native Jenni Powell said. “I think one of the reasons why ‘Lizzie Bennet Diaries’ connects so well with people is because we literally are with them all day, every day. They carry us with them physically … They could be waiting in line somewhere and they could just … glance at their phone and Lizzie’s there, Darcy’s there, and they can check in whenever they have a chance to,” Bushman said. Spencer, who plays Jane, is appreciative of how much technology is shaping entertainment and the cast’s future. “Nothing but good things have come from this for all of us,” she said. “We have this lovely fan base that will hopefully follow us from this point forward. That’s something that’s going to be helpful for us.” Gordh, a Muir College graduate of theater who has starred in Muir Musical (“Hair,” “Once Upon a Mattress”) and plays “Lizzie Bennet”’s Darcy (take that, Triton eye), believes that creators, actors and audiences have much to look forward to in entertainment. “Technology is getting better. We have these cameras that can shoot high definition and computers that are these kind of pro-sumer electronics that [people] can actually afford and learn how to use,” he said. “That’s just bound to revolutionize web content.” Although “Lizzie Bennet” aired its last episode on March 28, its crew is already debuting a mini-series, “Welcome to Sanditon,” on May
13. Based on an unfinished Austen novel, the spin-off will star Paige reprising her role as Gigi, who continues testing a fictional app that played a critical role in “Lizzie Bennet” and uses it to show a Californian resort town’s growth. “It’s going to be experimental and different and be able to elicit a lot of user-generated content,” Margaret Dunlap, “Lizzie Bennet” consulting producer, writer and script supervisor, and “Sanditon” co-showrunner with Bushman, said. “It’s all set up [in the original manuscript]. You get characters, and you get setting, and it’s a great way to create a playground, because that’s basically what [Austen] did.” “Sanditon” will be produced by Pemberley Digital, Darcy’s enterprise, which Su and Green have founded as a real company. “They really are incorporated: There’s an LLC, we get checks in the real world that say ‘Pemberley Digital’ on them,” “Sanditon” Transmedia producer Edwards said. Pemberley Digital will also produce longer vlog adaptations in the same vein as “Lizzie Bennet,” including an upcoming series to launch later this year. In the meantime, though fans look forward to “Sanditon” and similar pieces, they will always remember the groundbreaking storytelling methods that made “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” so enduring. “I felt in a way that we were kind of the web series thing of ‘Friends,’ like this legacy show,” Su said. “It’s only one year, but everyone was so in love with the characters and wanted to see what they did.” Austen wrote in an 1813 letter that Elizabeth Bennet was “as delightful a character as ever appeared in print.” It’s safe to say that she’s doing pretty well on the web, too. Check out “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” at lizziebennet.com and “Welcome to Sanditon” at welcometosanditon.com.
readers can contact jacqueline kim
Jkim @ucsd.edu
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weekend
album reviews
"Nocturnes" by little boots Release Date May 7
"Wake up" by youngblood hawke Release Date April 23
9/10
9/10
N
owadays, it seems that anyone with a laptop can be a musician. Victoria Hesketh knows this, but no time soon will you be seeing her with too many run-ofthe-mill electronic “instruments.” Instead, the English synthpop musician, better known by her stage name Little Boots, combines her traditional piano background with house beats created by a Tenori-on, a beat-making tablet. The latter has played such a strong influence in Hesketh’s career that Little Boots may as well be a duo: one-half Hesketh and the other half the LEDflickering musical gadget. Although the Tenori-on was only introduced in 2005, Hesketh performs with it as if she has known it all her life and continues creating catchy beats in her latest album “Nocturnes.” Hesketh claims to draw inspiration for her new release from Edgar Allen Poe: Indeed, everything from the album’s title to the melody of most tracks is quite melancholic compared to its peppier predecessor “Hands.” If there were any doubts that synthpop could sound so solemn, the opening track “Motorway” — with its pulsing beat and orchestral production that delves into a moody psyche — diminishes them. Most of the other tracks follow suit, set in morose minor keys and heavily reliant on the Tenori-on’s metronomic rhythm. Despite the fact that they are all in keeping with this
theme, the songs don’t sound like slight variations on the same beat, a veniality common among house musicians. Instead, Hesketh mixes up her tracks with sounds from other genres, such as in “Beat Beat,” which is highly reminiscent of funky Motown. Other standouts include the lead single “Shake,” which at times veers toward insipid runway music but is saved by its addictive melody and beats. In addition to skillful songwriting and the use of the (literally) shiny new Tenori-on, what sets Hesketh apart from other technologically advanced artists is her own voice. Though peers of her genre can sound grating or cloying, Hesketh is refreshingly posh and has a vocal maturity that belies her years. She can easily do without the fancy electronics. However, her voice perfectly complements her modern instruments, striking a peerless balance between the two. For this reason, Little Boots is like our new ABBA — classic and catchy all at once. Hesketh is paving the way for other musicians and their novel instruments: After all, as she says in one of her strongest tracks “Every Night I Say a Prayer,” she has “seen into the future.”
Site seen
Stonehenge failed to do. “I wanted to have it in the plaza because the [residential] halls are right there and if for some reason people didn’t know it was going on, they [soon] would know — they would hear it,” Rodriguez said. Revellution is free to the public and will be happening on May 9 starting at 7:30 p.m. in Revelle College Plaza. Headliner Colon first appeared on “The Voice” on April 26, 2011, impressing the judges with his performance of Cyndi Lauper’s classic “Time After Time.” A favorite contestant, Colon won the title and a $100,000 grand prize, plus a Universal Republic recording contract. On November 21, 2011, Colon released his album “Come Through for You,” which shows what he calls “acoustic soul.” Cauley was most recently a member of Adam Levine’s team on “The Voice.” Through the competition, he gained worldwide exposure and garnered attention online through a soulful EP Cauley released independently. He also released a digital single, “Everything Easy.” He wrote the song for his wedding day, and it is now played at weddings around the globe. Five Times August is the name of a one-man music project by Dallas’ independent singer/songwriter/guitarist Brad Skistimas and was derived from the songwriter’s birthday, August 5. Five Times August began in 2001. He saw his big break at the end of 2004, when a music supervisor at MTV discovered the song “Better With You,” and used it on the widely popular reality series “Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County.”
Revellution BY Tiffany Chin
Staff Writer
There seems to be quite a theme with this year’s music concerts: Acoustic. From students swaying to Rockin Roosevelt’s artist Augustana to girls gushing over Justin Nozuka at Muirstock, it’s only natural that Revelle College’s concert Revellution would follow suit. Despite the fact that this year’s concert is the fourth since its inception, Revellution continues to fly under the radar. However, with its well-known headliner, Javier Colon, the Season One winner of NBC’s reality talent show “The Voice,” the lineup for this year is making a big change. “I thought it was really important for name recognition to get students excited,” junior and Revelle College Council Director of Events Brenda Rodriguez said. Opening the concert are two notable artists, Chris Cauley and Five Times August. “Through [Colon], we found Chris Cauley, who was also on ‘The Voice.’ He is really talented and they mutually knew each other [from the show,] … and then my advisor actually knows Five Times August, and she was like, ‘He has about the same vibe to have him,’” Rodriguez said. While most students are still unaware of the event and its Facebook event page, Revellution will be utilizing its new location in Revelle College Plaza to attract students to the event, something its previous location at
— Jacqueline Kim
editorial assistant
readers can contact Tiffany Chin
TMChin@ucsd.edu
LA-based band comes running indeed with a complementary contrast in lyrics and music.
A
fter the release of the Youngblood Hawkes’ selftitled EP containing four preview songs including the popular hit “We Come Running” back in August, listeners were eager to see if the brilliance would embody the rest of the album — and it does. Disliking the direction their music was heading, Simon Katz and Sam Martin decided to form an entirely new band, Youngblood Hawke, along with three of their friends. Although the band name comes from the Herman Wouk
novel of the same name, the group takes its meaning to a different level. The band’s first official album, “Wake Up,” contains vocals and a sound similar to that of Foster the People and Phoenix. “Wake Up” appeals to a wide range of audiences, providing a mixture of attitudes varying from fun and light to complex and nostalgic. It shows off the band’s ability to implement different types of instruments yet keep the sound flowing from each sound change to
— lauren craig
Staff Writer
“The Wire” and “Game of Thrones” Share Power Pursuit. ▶ Games, from page 5
those who don’t play the game are destroyed for not taking a greater stake in their own destiny. But it’s not enough to encourage selfishness. In order for the game to continue, it must also eradicate all empathy — empathy that could ruin the fun for everyone playing the game. “There you go again, giving a fuck when it ain’t your turn,” says one disgruntled homicide policeman to Detective Jimmy McNulty in “The Wire,” as he is ripped a new one for taking an interest in a murder he’s not responsible for solving. McNulty at first appears to be
our righteous surrogate, steering us towards the side of the good and honorable in the same way Ned Stark did as he traveled straight into the heart of the game of thrones at King’s Landing. But the forces of the game are all-corrupting, leading the troubled McNulty into a controversial tailspin in the series’ final season that parallels Ned Stark’s own stumbling path of righteousness, with equally devastating results. However, describing either show as pessimistic is a gross oversimplification that fails to take into account all the moments of poetry and humor that are as authentic as any moment of soul-crushing
depression. And make no mistake, when these two shows explore the beauty of their respective worlds, they are capable of producing sites and sounds that can put the greatest filmmakers on the ropes. Because really, what these shows (and the heart of the game) are concerned with are the lives of people in every gory bit of detail. And when television uses its ample running time to explore both the light and the dark, it can elevate both to epic proportions. In the words of the wise Detective Lester Freamon, “A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s the shit that happens while you wait for moments that never come.”
its price. The boba itself was perfectly chewy. The milk tea seemed a bit diluted, but the half-level of sweetness is perfect. Despite the cost, Tea Station is a place to socialize and enjoy great boba.
tive is the Royal Coffee milk tea boba ($3.75), which tastes like melted coffee ice cream.
The Search: Boba
Pursuit of the Pearls BY sarah shin
Staff Writer
As college students, boba seems to be ubiquitous. Boba hubs are known for studying, casual dates, late night fast food and hangouts. With so many boba establishments in San Diego, choosing a place might feel overwhelming and even daunting. To help find the right boba spot, the Guardian has reviewed three boba establishments. Each location has been reviewed based on a regularsized milk tea boba, location, parking, service, atmosphere and price. If you’re lactose intolerant, we have even found a place that makes non-dairy milk tea boba.
TEA STATION
photo courtesy of yelp
British synthpop musician’s high-tech instruments create songs that will be stuck on repeat.
the next. Specific highlights are the dance club synthesizers found in the song “Dreams” and symphony elements in “Stars (Hold On).” Although the album’s name does not come specifically from a titled track itself, the words “wake up” appear in “Dannyboy.” The lyrics read, “Wake up, Danny boy, there’s a world outside.” While the track is upbeat itself, the song hints at tragedy. The inspiration of the song comes from a friend of the band members, who was put in a coma after being hit by a drunk driver. The song shows the band’s ability to mix opposing emotions seamlessly. With the release of this premiere album, Youngblood Hawke has certainly proven that it is a serious competitor in the music world. Every UCSD student should be in front of the stage for the band’s performance at this year’s Sun God Festival on May 17.
Located in Kearny Mesa, 7315 Clairemont Tea Station Mesa Blvd. is already a spot that’s well known for its delicious — albeit pricey — boba drinks. Unlike most boba places, Tea Station is more like a restaurant than a typical boba place. Noticeably, the waitresses are kind and quite attentive. Although customers have access to Wi-Fi and plenty of table seating, there aren’t many outlets, and the wait staff makes it too formal for this place to be considered a good place to study. Customers mostly chat in small groups — not a single laptop or student is in sight. One of the unique aspects of this place is that customers can choose their preferred level of drink sweetness as well as the option to substitute honey for sugar. The regular milk tea boba ($3.50) was expensive, but the amount of boba compensated for
TEA N MORE
Across from Tea Station in 7380 Clairemont Kearny Mesa Mesa Blvd. is Tea N More, which possesses all the characteristics you’d expect from a typical boba shop — and as a plus, all drinks are dairy-free. The kitchen and drink-making station is located in the corner of the room, while the rest of the space is dedicated to self-seating at tables as well as a few couches. The setting encourages hanging out for a prolonged period of time. With the background of Korean pop music, customers have the luxury of playing games (e.g., Connect Four), a photo booth and bookshelves filled with magazines and manga. There is Wi-Fi, plenty of seating and many outlets for your computer or phone charger, which can make it a great study space — if you can handle the background noise. While the space is almost ideal for studying and socializing, the milk tea boba ($3.24) was not exceptional. The boba was fine, but the insipid flavor of the milk tea itself left a feeling of dissatisfaction. However, a great alterna-
INFINI TEA
From the name to the interior decora4690 Convoy tion, this tea staStreet tion is nothing but charming. The establishment has a cozy feel and is on the smaller side, with around 50 seats and a couple of couches. If you dine in, a server will take your order. Despite its restaurantlike atmosphere, it still retains the casual vibe of a boba joint. There is Wi-Fi, huge murals depicting adorable boba-inspired cartoon characters, and a small selection of magazines and games. There are also varying sizes of tables, so group hangouts or solo study sessions are both an option. The blender in the back keeps the noise level to a minimum. The milk tea boba ($3) has tasty and well-textured boba, but the tea itself is overly sweet. Finding the right boba venue is a project. From the frequent customer punch cards to trying everything on the menu, once you discover the place that satisfies your boba needs, you will surely never be disappointed.
readers can contact Sarah Shin
S3Shin@ucsd.edu
O P I N IO N
Finality By Jeffrey Lau
letter to the editor
California Must Rethink Cal Grant Requirements
New Stadium Would Bring More Money and Jobs to San Diego ▶ chargers, from page 4
office, but San Diego government will need to do more to keep the team from “bolting” to L.A. As the Guardian reported last month, Filner is working with former Massachusetts governor and La Jolla resident Mitt Romney to coordinate a bid for San Diego to co-host the 2024 Olympics with Tijuana. Not only is the plan flawed (it is against the current International Olympic Committee policy to allow multiple countries to host the Summer Games) — it is also ill-timed. San Diego’s economy, in the years following the Great Recession, is not necessarily prepared to foot a multi-billion dollar bill to host the games. On
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the other hand, a new stadium or heavy-duty renovations to the existing one would probably not cost more than a few hundred million dollars — a bargain next to the Olympic bid. Government money, at this point, is much better off going toward building a new home for the Chargers than to supporting an improbable Olympic bid. A new stadium for the Chargers and their quarterback Phillip Rivers, who is under contract with the team for a few more years, would provide an attractive venue for other attractions like concerts or big RV shows — both of which bring money and jobs to San Diego. The Chargers are doing what they can internally to improve.
During this current off-season — which comes on the heels of a pathetic 7–9 run — the team hired Mike McCoy (who had previously worked as an offensive coordinator with the 13–3 Denver Broncos) as a new head coach. On the facilities side, the Chargers are in need of a new stadium, in a better location, to boost the local economy and revamp its fan base. A recent U-T San Diego op-ed emphasized the need for a new stadium before relocation begins to become a more real threat. San Diego needs to prioritize the Chargers and other big-money guns, or else we won’t be shocked to see them leave. And some of us are rooting for a blue and gold football team in this town.
Dear Editor, San Diego-based Bridgepoint, whose Ashford University has come under fire for high dropout rates and overspending on recruiting new students (see: 30-second spots on Super Bowl Sunday and during the London Olympics), said that it is making several changes to boost student success — including the requirement that students who take online courses be at least 22 years old (unless they already have an college degree), and suspending new enrollments for its two programs (business and organizational management) that have had among the highest dropout rates. Ashford/Bridgepoint has reapplied for WASC accreditation. Perhaps the non-public $9,223 Cal Grants should go to the very best national universities and perhaps also (only?) to only the very best liberal arts colleges. Perhaps even if it does receive accredited status, Ashford/Bridgepoint students should be denied Cal Grants. Currently, the state provides a maximum Cal Grant of $9,708 per year for 26,000 California students to attend expensive religious institutions such as Loyola Marymount University, University of San Diego and University of San Francisco (all listed as charging over $50,000 tuition). Biola University (which grew 47 percent in the last decade thanks in part to generous Cal Grants) even joined a lawsuit to challenge the Obama administration’s abandoned mandate that employers should provide insurance coverage for abortion drugs at no cost to employees. Re-adoption of Gov. Jerry Brown’s abandoned proposal to slash Cal
Grants that support all or even some non-public institutions was the true path, in my opinion. Tuition discounting reached a record high in 2011–2012 at private nonprofit colleges, but that common technique for attracting students often failed to have the desired effect, especially at small, lessselective institutions. Colleges use tuition discounting to entice students who might otherwise be unable or unwilling to pay full tuition. But that strategy may be reaching its limits, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, as students and their families become more frugal about college costs in the wake of the recession and the sluggish economic recovery. Based upon a fall 2012 survey of 383 private colleges, the discount rate reached an average of 45 percent for first-time, full-time freshmen in 2011–2012, up from 44 percent in 2010–2011. The average grant to each freshman covered 53 percent of tuition and fees at these private nonprofit colleges in 2011–2012, up from about 52 percent the year before. Even with increased aid, more than half of the colleges surveyed said that their freshman enrollment was declining, especially at baccalaureate institutions with enrollments of less than 4,000. Over 83 percent of those colleges saw a decline in enrollment, according to the survey. But such declines affected less than 12 percent of postgraduate institutions with more than 4,000 students and less than 5 percent of research universities. However, based on the Ashford/ Bridgepoint model, a lot more radio and some non-primetime television advertisements for local, non-elite small colleges might reverse years of enrollment declines. — Richard Thompson Alumnus ’83
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SPORTS
T h e U C S D G U A R D I A N | T H U R S D A Y, M A Y 9 , 2 0 1 3 | w w w . ucsdguardian . o rg
Baseball
Tritons Go 1-3 in Season Finale BY MATT SMITH
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
The Tritons stumbled this past weekend on the road, dropping three out of four games against No. 8 nationally ranked Cal State Monterey Bay. The games, all closely contested, were played on the road at the Otter Sports Complex.
The series was the last of the regular season for both the Tritons and Otters. UCSD finished the season over .500 with a 26–24 record and an even 20–20 in their conference. The Otters improved to 37–13 overall and claimed the conference regular-season title. UCSD was eliminated from the CCAA Championships last week, but still has a chance to
play in the upcoming NCAA Division II Regionals. In order to do so, they must be ranked in the top six in the soon to be announced final polls. They have occupied the sixth spot in the previous two polls and will find out if they qualify for the NCAA Division II West Regionals when the selections are announced this Sunday.
Game 1: Friday, May 3
Game 2: Saturday, May 4
In the first game of the series, both starting pitchers went toe to toe, matching each other in two solid performances. Ace Ryan Goodbrand of UCSD and Will Anderson of Cal State Monterey Bay both went seven innings, giving up six hits and three earned runs. The Otters struck first and scored single runs in the second, third and fourth, while UCSD scored all three of their runs in the top of the fifth. Senior center fielder Danny Susdorf had a big two RBI single up the middle for the Tritons and then crossed the plate himself when junior shortstop Dillon Moyer singled to left field. The game was all tied up going into the bottom of the ninth, when Otter leadoff man David Garcia singled to start the inning. Two ensuing bunts — one for an infield single and another to move the runners over — brought Garcia to third. After an intentional walk to load the bases, pinch-hitter Jesse Olson singled through the left side of the infield to score the winning run for the Otters in walk-off fashion.
Junior Scott Liske got the ball rolling for the Tritons to start the game, homering to left center in the top of the first inning. The Tritons were held scoreless for the next five innings but maintained the lead behind a dominant pitching performance from junior Blake Fassler. Fassler — named this week’s CCAA Pitcher of the Week — threw seven shutout innings, only allowing four hits with no walks while striking out six. In the seventh, UCSD broke the game open, scoring five runs off five hits. Designated hitter, junior Nick La Face, homered for two RBI. Junior Garrett Tuck scored when the Otter catcher committed a throwing error, trying to catch Tuck stealing third. An RBI single by junior Spencer Frazier and double by Liske rounded out the scoring for the Tritons. Liske finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
UCSD 3, Cal State Monterey Bay 4
UCSD 6, Cal State Monterey Bay 1
Game 3: Saturday, May 4
Game 4: Sunday, May 5
UCSD 5, Cal State Monterey Bay 7
UCSD 3, Cal State Monterey Bay 5
In the second game of the double-header, UCSD wasted no time jumping out for an early lead. Junior Justin Rahn hit a three-run home run to open up the game. Monterey Bay wasted no time in answering the Tritons however, scoring three of its own in the bottom of the second. A two RBI single and a sacrifice fly tied the game for the Otters. In their next inning, the Otters jumped ahead off a two RBI double by Jason Merjano, and it was the Triton’s turn to play catch up. UCSD scored runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Frazier had a RBI single in the fourth and Rahn a RBI single in the fifth. Rahn finished the game 2-for-2 with four RBI and a walk. The Otters went run for run with the Tritons, picking up runs in fourth and fifth themselves. UCSD had the tying run at the plate in the seventh but couldn’t score and dropped the third game.
Monterey Bay scored twice in the bottom of the first off two RBI singles to take the lead. The Otters added another in the third when Jesse Olson singled in another run, and the Tritons found themselves in an early 0–3 hole. The Tritons would get on the board in the top of the fifth, shrinking the deficit with a two RBI double by Rahn. But the Otters would gain one run back in the next inning though, keeping the two-run lead at 4–2. In the seventh, Susdorf, in what might be his last game of a sensational UCSD career, tripled to lead off the inning and scored on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Richard Seigel. Susdorf finished the game 2-for-4 with a run scored and two stolen bases. The Otters would again answer back in their half of the seventh inning, scoring on their own sacrifice fly to keep the lead at two. Despite having runners at second and third in the top of the ninth, UCSD was unable to score and dropped the final game by a score of 5–3.
readers can contact MATT SMITH
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Financial Aid Office 2013–2014
FINANCIAL AID DEADLINE MAY 1, 21,2010 2013 GET YOURS. If you have been selected for verification,
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SPORTS
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RACHEL UDA sports@ucsdguardian.org
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Softball
A Second Chance The UCSD softball team gets the at-large bid for the NCAA West Regional. They will soon face Humboldt State in round one.
photos by brian yip and nolan thomas / guardian file
BY RACHEL UDA
T
he UCSD softball team earned its first at-large bid in program history last Monday, May 6 to advance to the NCAA Division II West Regional. The Tritons lost their shot at the automatic qualifier after falling to first-seeded Humboldt State in the championship game of the California Collegiate Athletics Association conference tournament, last Sunday, May 5. UCSD goes into the West Regional with the No. 8 seed in a rematch set against No. 1 seed Humboldt State, in Arcata, Calif., May 10. “We’re excited,” UCSD head coach Patti Gerckens said to the UCSD athletics department. “I think that playing Humboldt for the sixth time will prove to be our best game yet. I thought we played a real tough game against them in the championship of the CCAA Tournament. It really showed that, as a team, we really have a lot of confidence to go and play them.” This Friday will mark the Tritons’ third consecutive appearance at the NCAA championships. UCSD won the program’s first national title in 2011 and advanced to the title game the following season. The Tritons have just two four-letter seniors on their roster, but they still have an abundance of postseason experience, as the core group that propelled them to back-to-back title games remains intact. Gerckens says that UCSD’s postseason exposure will help down the stretch. “These kids want to win,” Gerckens said. “They know how to win. They enjoy pressure, and I think that the veteran club of girls really paves the way for the younger girls.” UCSD is 0–5 against CCAA champions Humboldt State this season. In seasons past, the conference had been dominated by two or three teams, floating near the top of the rankings within
sports editor two or three games of each other. This season, Humboldt State has absolutely shifted the dynamic of the CCAA. In 2012, two games separated third-place Chico State from first-place Cal State Monterey Bay. In 2013, first-place Humboldt State (31–5) ended seven games in front of second-place UCSD (24–12). This season, the Lumberjacks are certainly the proverbial giants of the CCAA — and arguably of the West Region on the whole. Batting leadoff for Humboldt State is CCAA Most Valuable Player Chrissy Stalf, who leads the nation for home runs (24). The Lumberjacks also have All-CCAA selections Dani Randall, batting in the three hole, and Courtney Hiatt, batting cleanup. In the circle, Humboldt boasts Freshman of the Year Katie Obemma. Interestingly, the only team to match Humboldt in All-CCAA appointments was UCSD. The Tritons have seven All-CCAA selections: senior Nicole Spangler, juniors Caitlin Brown, Mya Romero, Kirsten Willmon and Emily McQuaid, sophomore Taylor Sepulveda and freshman Callie Grant. If anyone can bring down Humboldt, it could be UCSD, a team that — over the past two seasons — has proven its resilience in postseason play. When asked by the UCSD Athletics Department what it will take for the Tritons to win regionals, Gerckens says the key comes down to execution. “Just doing the little things right — executing, playing as a team and playing with a lot of heart and a lot of resiliency,” Gerckens said. Regardless of how the Tritons fare against Humboldt, UCSD will face the winner of the game between No. 4 Grand Canyon University and No. 5 Saint Martin’s University the following day. The winner of the double-elimination tournament will advance to the best-of-three Super Regional, to be held May 17 to May 18.
readers can contact RACHEL UDA
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Why Finals Don’t Translate Into Titles PLAY IT AS IT LAYS
rachel uda ruda@ucsd.edu
I
nvariably, three times a year, my fingers will bleed. My close friends can attest, my horrible habit of picking at my loose cuticles is only made worse by the lack of sleep and stress and anxiety brought on by finals week. Accompanying symptoms include either losing or gaining five pounds, persistent dehydration and either listlessness or fatigue (in accordance with however much caffeine is in my system at any one time). If you’re a collegiate trainer, strength and conditioning specialist or coach heading into the postseason, finals week is an absolute nightmare. You can prep your team with hundreds of hours of film and walk through your plays till they turn the lights off on you, but if your ace is on the mound worrying about his o-chem final, not much of that will matter. I won’t weigh the merits of the quarter system against the semester system — having three rounds of finals and six rounds of midterms is the worst — but I do think the differences in the academic calendar may have some unintended repercussions when it comes to NCAA postseason performances. This late into spring quarter, I’m sure most UCSD students are aware that their counterparts at Berkeley or San Diego State are one week away from summer. But what does this mean for UCSD athletes? Let’s look at the softball team. It was recently announced that the Tritons have snuck into Regionals with an at-large bid. No. 8 UCSD will face CCAA opponent, No. 1 Humboldt this Saturday. The Lumberjacks have final exams scheduled for the following week, May 13 to 17. Meanwhile, UCSD athletes will be just starting week seven, nestled conveniently after midterms and before finals. When asked how finals impact her performance on the field, senior All-Conference soccer selection Gabi Hernandez said she thinks she’s best when she can focus her attention on either school or soccer, but not both. “I find it a lot easier to focus on my game when I don’t have school running through the back of my mind, because I, like so many athletes, am competitive on and off the field,” Hernandez said. “I want to excel in both areas, and it makes it a little difficult to give 100 percent in each.” Junior member of the men’s volleyball team and All-Academic member Sebastian Brady says not having to worry about finals during competition affords that team an edge. “Studying for finals is definitely a disadvantage,” Brady said. “It takes away from sleep and recovery time, it adds stress, and even when you’re practicing, it’s always on your mind. ” If what Hernandez and Brady say holds true for the average studentathlete, the UCSD Softball team may just get the extra bump to pull off an upset. Of course, UCSD student-athletes aren’t average. In 2012, UCSD cracked the top 10 in the NSCA Power Rankings, noting graduation rates, academic ranking and athletic department standings. However, for the sake of UCSD Softball — 0–5 to West Regional opponent Humboldt State this season — let’s hope that Humboldt State’s All-CCAA Player of the Year, Chrissy Stalf is preoccupied in the box.