Volume 9, Issue 1 by The Bottom Line (UCSB)

Volume 9, Issue 1 | Oct 1-Oct 7, 2014

UCSB’s Weekly Student-Run Newspaper

@tblucsb / thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu

UCSB

THOM

UNSEEN

Take a look at some of the photo highlights from the 2013-2014 UCSB school year.

Find out how Thom Yorke’s new album seeks to change the way we distribute music.

A new anonymous photo sharing app may soon be on its way to the UCSB campus.

PHOTO / 4

A&E / 6

SCI & TECH / 7

Welcome Back, Gauchos!

Photo by John Clow | Staff Photographer

UC Regents Express Concern Over Decreasing State Funding

Photo by Lorenzo Basilio | Photography Editor Alec Killoran STAFF WRITER As tuition and related costs continue to rise, the financial burden on students and their families in the University of California system has never been more crippling. The UC Regents began their preliminary discussion of the 20152016 budget during the Committee on Finance’s meeting on Sept. 17. A presentation courtesy of the Office of the President was offered by Nathan Brostrom and Patrick Lenz, the executive vice president and vice president in the Office of the President, respectively. The majority of the presentation focused on a number of “facts and myths” about the UC budget, aimed at dispelling false accusations directed at the Regents regarding their role in the current budget shortfall. “The national narrative is that the cost of higher education is going up,” Brostrom said. According to the Office of the President, though, the total cost of educating a single student has dropped approximately 15 percent since the 1990’s when adjusted for inflation. During that same time period the contribution from the state has

Regent Norman Pattiz argues that out increased out of state registration has been beneficial at the UC Regents

dropped significantly, relying on increased student tuition to cover the budget shortfall. “I’m tired of seeing this university continuously underfunded,” said Regent Richard Blum. “We are now educating 78,000 more students with the same amount of money, that’s real dollars, than we did 25 years ago. How did we do it? Larger class sizes, not a good thing, greater tuitions, letting buildings run down.” There have been serious negative effects on UC campuses due to lack of funding, according to Lenz. The budget shortfall has affected projects of high priority and importance. “Of the 15 projects that are here…most of these are either fire, life and safety, or seismic renovation projects, so they’re fairly critical,” Lenz said. “We’ve had experiences on some campuses, where they literally put a fence around the facility because there wasn’t enough funding to do the seismic renovation.” The Regents directed blame at the politicians in Sacramento, making no attempt to hide accusations of systemic corruption. Regent Norman Pattiz spoke unabashedly on the topic. “The politicians and the gover-

nor are working on a wide variety of issues, many of which involve reelection, that don’t take into consideration the actual problems that we face right here,” Pattiz said. Blum implicated the state government directly. “It’s corruption,” Blum said. “ It’s corruption in Sacramento, it’s corruption in the way money gets allocated, and we at the university get the short end of the stick.” Many of the myths presented by Brostrom centered around supposedly false public assumptions of the budget shortfall’s cause. Of particular concern to the Regents was the growing sentiment in California that increased out of state registration is taking university spots away from in state residents. “The myth is that out of state registration is bad for the university, and is bad for students in California,” Pattiz said. He and Brostrom pointed to the financial boon resultant of increased out of state registration, allowing the University of California to afford even greater instate enrollment. Despite the discussion, the Regents were no closer to closing the budget shortfall and they tabled further deliberation until November.

UCSB student watches Diplo from her friend’s shoulders.

NATIONAL BEAT REPORT

White House Backs Use of Body Cameras for Law Enforcement, California Sees Early Results

Gilberto Flores NATIONAL BEAT REPORTER Responding to an online petition in the aftermath of the police shooting of an unarmed teen in Ferguson, Missouri, the White House stated its support for the use of body-worn cameras by law enforcement officers on Monday, Sept. 15, 2014. Ferguson made international headlines after a white police officer shot Michael Brown, an unarmed African-American teenager, on Aug. 9. Residents of the predominantly black St. Louis suburb took to the streets to protest in the days and weeks following the shooting, calling for justice for Brown and greater representation in their local government and law enforcement. The police officer who killed Brown, Darren Wilson, has not been charged with a crime. In the weeks following Michael Brown’s death, over 150,000 people took to the White House website’s petitioning program, We The People, to sign a petition urging President Obama to create and sign a law requiring all state, county, and local police to wear body cameras. Through the recording of law enforcement interactions with the public, the petition suggests a potential solution for the deep mistrust between citizens and those sworn to protect them. We The People is an online petitioning platform on the White House website where users can create and sign petitions encouraging the federal government to take action on a variety of issues. If a petition gets enough signatures, White House staff will review it, make sure it gets to the appropriate policy experts, and issues a response. The petition gained 154,747 signatures, well over the 100,000 signature threshold necessary before the White House is required to issue a response. Roy L. Austin Jr., the deputy assistant to the President for the Office of Urban Affairs, Justice and Opportunity in the

Domestic Policy Council, wrote the response on behalf of the Obama administration. “For years, this Administration has advanced the use of cameras, both body-worn and vehicular, and recognized the numerous benefits to making cameras available to law enforcement officers,” wrote Austin. “We support the use of cameras and video technology by law enforcement officers, and the Department of Justice continues to research best practices for implementation.” Although it was a statement of support and solidarity, Austin still warned of the financial costs of mass implementation that “cannot be ignored.” The response also brought up many unanswered questions about privacy, such as who should have access to the videos, how long they should be preserved, and exactly when cameras should be turned on, among other issues. For all the concerns surrounding police use of body cameras, support for their use has grown. Even the American Civil Liberties Union, usually against such recording tactics, declared its support for the use of body-cameras. The ACLU said in a statement, “Police on-body cameras are different because of their potential to serve as a check against the abuse of power by police officers.” This is an argument that has been echoed across the country by citizens and law enforcement officials alike. The White House response cited a Justice Department report which states that there is enough evidence to demonstrate that both police and civilians behave better when they know there are cameras around. The report also cites how footage from the cameras can be used for the training of new officers.

See BEAT| Page 2

2 | NEWS

TBL | Oct 1-Oct 7, 2014

– BEAT

Continued from page 1

The growing support for body cameras can be seen in police departments across the country. Some officers in Ferguson have started using the cameras, and after launching a pilot program in early September, the New York Police Department has become the largest department in the United States to adopt the use of on-body cameras. And beginning Oct. 1, the U.S. Border Patrol will start testing their use at the Border Patrol’s training academy in Artesia, New Mexico. Popularity appears to

be growing more rapidly in areas that are often associated with police brutality and abuses of powers, and where transparency is in high demand. California appears to be leading the launch of body camera technology. A KSBY investigation back in May 2014 focused on the impact of the use of body cameras in California. According to a year-long study of the cameras at a police department in San Bernardino County, the use of force by police officers has gone down 59% and citizen complaints went

down 88%. The KSBY investigation report stated, “San Luis Obispo Police say they have already tested them, and Arroyo Grande, Santa Maria, Guadalupe and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff ’s Office are looking into them, but are waiting for more usage guidelines to come out.” The Santa Barbara County Sheriff ’s Office said Isla Vista Foot Patrol will soon be using microphone cameras, according to KSBY. “[The Sheriff ’s Office] says it’s not specifically in

response to big parties like Deltopia, but because they are often face to face with the public. Santa Barbara Police don’t have department-issued body cameras; however, some officers use personal cameras to record incidents.” The White House response also stated that cameras alone cannot solve the growing problem of mistrust. “We also know that cameras alone will not solve the problem where there is mistrust between police and communities,” wrote Austin. “As a nation, we must continue to address this

lack of trust. Most Americans are law abiding and most law enforcement officers work hard day in and day out to protect and serve their communities. When there is trust between community and law enforcement agency, crimes are more easily solved. And when community members and officers know that they will be treated with fairness and respect, public safety is enhanced.”

UC Regents Tackle Sexual Assault and Divestment Among Other Issues in Two-Day Meeting by Bailee Abell and Alec Killoran ASSOCIATED STUDENTS BEAT REPORTER and STAFF WRITER The University of California Regents kicked off the 2014-2015 academic year by hearing students’ concerns regarding divestment from fossil fuels, sexual assault issues on campuses, budget allocation requests, and the rising tuition costs at UC campuses. On Sept. 17, at the University of California, San Francisco’s Mission Bay campus, the UC Regents entertained discussions including a sexual assault task force’s recommendations for reform, fossil fuel divestment, internal and external UC corruption, National Collegiate Athletics Association reform, and many topics surrounding UC financing and investment. These discussions followed a prepared statement by UC President Janet Napolitano, who spoke in support of recently created task forces whose recommendations to the Regents urged action in the areas of sexual assault on UC campuses, and UCwide divestment from fossil fuels. The opening session began with public comment, which featured the concerns of faculty, staff, and students within the UC system. The Regents entertained a diverse assortment of statements. “Unfortunately, for the last 18 months–that’s one and a half years–we have been in contract negotiations with the Children’s Hospital of Oakland, and we have been

forced to seek federal mediation, since the hospital has been unwilling to compromise on important items to improve care for patients and protect longevity of our residents in program,” said Dr. Scott Sutton, a resident pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Oakland, now an affi liate of the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. Many current and former UC students shared their thoughts about the UC’s divestment from fossil fuels during the public comment forum as well. Many called for the adoption of an “ESG” (Environmental, Social, Governance) framework for investment by the UC. “The hypocrisy of an ESG policy that does not address divestment is clear,” said Alyssa Lee, a recent graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles. “You cannot say you are a sustainable institution while you continue to bet on and profit off of the extraction and finance of burning fossil fuels.” During the Committee on Investments, the Regents discussed the decision of a task force dedicated to investigating the viability of divestment from fossil fuels, which included allocating $1 billion towards the investment in alternative energy sources, while continuing to invest approximately $10 billion in the fossil fuel industry. “We are disappointed but un-

Photo by Lorenzo Basilio | Photography Editor UC President Janet Napolitano and Chariman Bruce D. Varner listen to public commenters at the UC Regents Meeting on Sept. 17, 2014

surprised with the outcome of today’s vote, and therefore we find it difficult to understand why [the Regents] are so opposed to coal divestment,” said Theo LeQuesne, a University of California, Santa Barbara student representative for the California Student Sustainability Coalition.

Photo by Lorenzo Basilio | Photography Editor The UC Regents discussed various issues at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference on Sept. 17-18, 2014

WRITERS THIS ISSUE: Bailee Abell, Chloe Babauta, Becca Ou, Coleman Gray, Matt Mersel, Judy Lau, Janani Ravikumar, Andrea Vallone, Gilberto Flores, Alec Killoran

PHOTOGRAPHERS THIS ISSUE: Lorenzo Basilio, Mathew Burciaga, Madison King, John Clow

The Bottom Line is sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of California, Santa Barbara. Opinions expressed in TBL do not necessarily

represent those of the staff, AS, or UCSB. Published with support from Generation Progress/Center for American Progress (genprogress.

org). All submissions, questions or comments may be directed to bottomlineucsb@gmail.com or content. tbl@gmail.com.

The Regents also discussed President Napolitano’s Task Force on Preventing and Responding to Sexual Violence and Sexual Assault during the Committee on Educational Policy. Th is task force called upon 29 constituents from the UC system, including Regents, faculty, staff, and students. It was led by Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance and Audit Officer Sheryl Vacca, who presented phase one of the task force’s plan. “Our goal for the task force was to identify steps to improve the university’s current processes that will make a difference in the culture […] and to also recommend strategies for excellence in prevention, response, and investigation of sexual violence as well as harassment and sexual assault,” said Vacca. Also in attendance was Savannah Baudilich, an undergraduate student at UCLA and a task force participant. Baudilich spoke about UConsent, a new campaign created and endorsed by the University of California Student Association aimed at creating individual campaigns at each UC campus to implement recommendations made by students from UCLA and University of California, Berkeley. The Regents then briefly discussed potential changes for nationwide campuses in the NCAA. The Regents urged the need for schools to stop giving student athletes preferential treatment in criminal cases, but also noted the importance of enforcing restrictions on how much time per week athletes can practice. Lastly, the Regents stressed the importance of keeping student-athletes academically accountable. The Regents met for their second and final day on Sept. 18 for a halfday session. The meeting began with public comment, which echoed the previous days’ pro-divestment sentiment. UCSB Associated Students External Vice President of State-

wide Affairs Melvin Singh closed out the public comment session by extending the Regents an invitation to serve as guest speakers in his own “politics of the UC” class during winter quarter at UCSB. “Th is would be a great opportunity for you to come visit, engage with students in classrooms in a very inviting environment,” Singh said. He additionally asked that the Regents attend the Isla Vista town hall meeting set to take place on Oct. 7. “The Regents were instrumental in helping rebuild Isla Vista in the past,” Singh said. Later in the day, the Regents approved a new chancellor for the Irvine campus, Howard Gillman. Gillman had served as interim chancellor since June and received a unanimous approval from the Regents. Shortly after Gillman’s approval, the Regents expressed concern about the UC’s chancellors’ pay. Indeed, Gillman’s predecessor had voluntarily left Irvine’s chancellor position to accept the same job at Ohio State University. The four least paid chancellors within the Association of American Universities are from the UC, and eight of the ten least paid are UC chancellors. Chancellor Henry Yang of UCSB is the least paid. The Regents approved pay hikes of 20 percent for chancellors at the Merced, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz campuses, while approving a 5.1 percent raise for UC Riverside’s chancellor. Lastly, Napolitano proposed a resolution that would enable chancellors to set the pay of athletic coaches. The Regents quickly tabled the discussion until November, though, citing a lack of adequate time to make such a large decision.

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3 | FEATURES

TBL | Oct 1-Oct 7, 2014

Upcoming Events Fall 2014 With the new school year about to begin, we’ve compiled a list of events happening this week and beyond that will help welcome in new students and show them how to get involved on campus. by Chloe Babauta STAFF WRITER

Ice Cream Social with Hillel

WHEN:

10/01, 7:30-10pm

WHERE:

Santa Barbara Hillel

WHAT:

Meet new people, learn about what Hillel has to offer to the community, and make your own free ice cream sundaes.

Cultural Socials in the Residence

WHEN:

WHAT:

10/01, 1-3pm -LGBTQQIA: Santa Rosa/DLG Lawn -American Indian: San Miguel/ San Nic Lawn -Residence Halls International Students: 2-4pm, De Anza Plaza (next to Manzanita Village) If you want to get in touch with your roots and connect with students who share your culture, or if you just want to learn more about other cultures, come to these socials to connect with members of our on-campus cultural organizations.

Welcome Back Lagoon Movie

WHEN: WHERE: WHAT:

10/01, 7:30-10pm

Lagoon Lawn AS Program Board is hosting a showing of “22 Jump Street” on the Lagoon Lawn. Grab a blanket, snacks, and friends and enjoy a free movie.

AS Fellowship Info Session 2

WHEN: WHERE: WHAT:

CoCtail Party

WHEN: WHERE: WHAT:

10/01, 7-8:30pm

MCC Lobby AS Committee on Committees (CoC) will provide nonalcoholic cocktails, appetizers, and desserts at their first annual CoCtail party. At this mixer, you can meet the current AS leaders and learn about how to get involved with the AS Boards, Commissions, and Units.

10/01, 4-6pm

WHERE:

Santa Catalina

WHAT:

Interested in putting on fun or informative programs in the residence halls for students? At this event, you can find out how to get involved with the Residence Halls Association and see what it has to offer.

Pep Band New Member Info Session

WHEN: WHERE: WHAT:

Non-Traditional Student Resource Center Orientation

WHEN: WHERE: WHAT:

WHERE: WHAT:

Student Resource Building Multipurpose Room Get to know Non-Traditional Students, meet the Non-Traditional Student Resource Center Staff, take a campus tour, and learn about available campus resources. If you RSVP, you can get a free lunch too.

WHERE: WHAT:

WHEN: WHERE: WHAT:

10/01, 7-10pm

Student Resource Building (SRB) The Resource Center For Sexual & Gender Diversity will start off this year with a fun dance and a Drag Show, with guest appearances from Isis Magiq’elle and Selma Botti.

Learn about the mental health resources that are available to you on campus at the Mental Health Peer Table. The Counseling & Career building also offers a free massage chair and an egg chair for students to use.

10/01, 11am-12pm

Breakfast with the Humanities

WHEN: WHERE: WHAT:

In front of Counseling & Career building If you want to see how to use the library so that you can get the most out of your classes, pick up a library passport and take a self-guided tour. The library will also provide treats throughout the tour. After the visit, you can use your completed passport to enter a raffle for a $50 gift certificate to the UCSB Bookstore.

10/01, 1-4pm Rec Cen Courtyard This festival is a fun way to meet new people, find ways to get involved on campus—from intramural sports, to arts and leisure classes, to adventure programs—and get free food and giveaways.

10/01

Mosher Alumni Hall The Dean’s Office will host a breakfast for Humanities and Fine Arts (HFA) undergraduates to help students think about what careers they might pursue and learn how the skills they’re gaining at UCSB will help them in those careers.

AS Recruitment Carnival

WHEN: WHERE: WHAT:

10/02, 12-2pm

Storke Plaza This recruitment carnival is a great way for new students to learn how to get involved in Associated Students and find organizations you might want to join, all while enjoying carnival activities—including bouncy houses, cotton candy, tie-dye, and airbrush tattoos.

10/3, 5:30pm

Mosher Alumni House Come to Dhadkan’s gala for a free dinner from India Club and a chance to meet other students from a variety of organizations. Dhadkan is also inviting professors, administrators, and esteemed members of the community to mingle with students, so make sure to dress to impress.

10/4, 9pm

Storke Tower Plaza AS Program Board welcomes new students with its annual concert, this year featuring performers 3LAU and Beni Haze. Celebrate the end of Week of Welcome and the beginning of a new school year by listening to live music and dancing with your friends. This concert is free to all UCSB students with valid UCSB Student IDs. Don’t forget your access card at home, because staff members will check for IDs for entry.

KCSB Fall Orientation

WHEN: WHERE: WHAT:

In front of Counseling & Career building

Fun and Fitness Festival

WHEN:

Learn how to join the Gaucho Pep Band, find out what kind of music they perform at UCSB soccer and basketball games, and meet their current members. Free snacks are also provided.

Young, Wild, and Free

10/01, 11am-2pm

Passport Tours of the Library

WHEN:

Lagoon Lawn

Come to this meeting if you’re interested in applying for the Associated Students Executive Fellowship. The fellowship focuses on helping students develop their leadership and communication skills, build a stronger work ethic, and learn about the innerworkings of AS to help improve UCSB. Applications online: tinyurl.com/ asucsbfellowship

Welcome Back Concert

10/01, 10am-3pm

Be Kind to Your Mind

WHEN:

10/01, 7:30-10pm

Santa Catalina Fiesta Room

Dhadkan’s Welcome Back Gala

RHA Get Involved Fair

WHEN:

10/02, 6-7pm

10/7, 6pm

Girvetz 1004 If you’re interested in DJing, broadcasting, producing, covering college sports live, news and journalism training, public-relations, promotion skills, or anything else related to the music industry, check out 91.9 KCSB-FM radio. For more information, contact kjuc.pd@kcsb.org or call (805) 8933757.

Pardall Carnival

WHEN: WHERE: WHAT:

10/11, 12pm

Pardall Road, Isla Vista

Do you like free food, free games, giveaways, and free carnival rides? Pardall Carnival offers all these freebies and is another opportunity to find out ways to get involved on campus and in the Isla Vista community. This yearly event brings individuals from all parts of the IV and UCSB community together, allows you to meet your fellow community members, and have fun with your friends.

Campus Org Fair

WHEN: WHERE: WHAT:

10/22, 10am-3pm

Storke Plaza This is the first major tabling event for campus organizations to promote their clubs and recruit new members. Here you’ll find organizations you might be interested in, ranging from scholarly, cultural, political, and recreational clubs to fraternities and sororities.

4 | PHOTO

TBL | Oct 1-Oct 7, 2014

Photo by Lorenzo Basilio | Photography Editor Matthew Shultz of Cage the Elephant grabs a pineapple as he stage

Photo by Lorenzo Basilio | Photography Editor The sun goes down after a day of music in the Coachella Valley.

UCSB

The Life of a Gaucho A collection of some yearly events.

Photo by John Clow | Staff Photographer Tens of thousands of people roam Del Playa each year.

Photo by John Clow | Staff Photographer Devin McNaughton and Josh Goodmacher listen to poetry during the Catalyst Launch Party.

5 | PHOTO

TBL | Oct 1-Oct 7, 2014

Photo by Madison King | Staff Photographer Holi begins as hundreds of students throw colored powdered into the air.

Photo by Madison King | Staff Photographer Lauren Mosley sprints towards the goal during Quidditch practice. Photo by Benjamin Hurst | Staff Photographer (ABOVE) Taylor Van Laar dances his heart out during the Dance Marathon.

Photo by John Clow | Staff Photographer (LEFT) JhenĂŠ Aiko performs at UCSBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Extravaganza,

Photo by Mathew Burciaga | Staff Photographer Draq Queen Athena Lunar takes center stage in IV Theater.

TBL | Oct 1-Oct 7, 2014

6 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

3LAU Set To Ring In the 2014 School Year at UCSB’s Welcome Back Concert Matt Mersel EXECUTIVE CONTENT EDITOR The Welcome Back concert has long been a special treat for new students here at University of California, Santa Barbara, ringing in the new school year with an extravagant concert held under Storke Tower on the first weekend of the year. For the 2014 iteration, which will take place on Oct. 4 at 9:00pm, Welcome Back’s headliner will be electro-house DJ and preeminent mash-up artist 3LAU. Justin David Blau, who stylizes his stage name as 3LAU, made his debut in 2011 with “Dance Floor Filth.” Taking a page from genre progenitor and mash-up legend Girl Talk, 3LAU’s most notable work involves cutting together some of the most popular pop, hiphop, and EDM songs to create a fast-paced, crowd-pleasing musical style that can keep audiences dancing for hours. For example, his first album produced two popular singles: “All Night Long,” which features samples from Felguk’s original “All Night Long,” Ellie Goulding’s “Lights,” and LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem”; and “Girls Who Save the World,” whose roster of heroines includes the likes of Adele, Britney Spears, Dragonette, and Nadia Ali, framed by a healthy dose of Alesso and Swedish House Mafia samples. It’s

ADD music making at its finest, and tracks like these ensure you’ll be singing along until the very end. “Dance Floor Filth” spawned two numbered sequels, with these albums serving as his major tent poles. Other 3LAU work includes collaborations with artists such as Tiësto, Bright Lights, Zedd, and fellow mash-up contemporary Kap Slap. Expect to hear remixes of fan favorites like Zedd’s “Spectrum” and Tiësto’s “Red Lights,” some stellar original songs such as “How You Love Me,” and selects from his main collection of albums, with a good amount of tracks likely coming from the most recent “Dance Floor Filth 3,” released at the end of last year. The third installment features the most current

“

radio hits, with Ellie Goulding’s “Burn,” Capital Cities’ “Safe and Sound,” and an unexpected utilization of Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” all appearing alongside Martin Garrix, Deorro, Krewella, Kyle Minogue, and dozens of other artists. And while discussing 3LAU’s music can devolve into just naming off the great songs he has co-opted for his own use, his superior production talents and ear for hearing what samples will work well together set him apart from the crowd. He doesn’t just throw a bunch of pop hits in the kitchen sink to see what works; it’s a delicate process, and knowing what will fit where and produce the most excitement and energy is a skill that takes years to develop. 3LAU has solidified

himself as one of the frontrunners of this style. Welcome Back is a concert meant to bring the new student body together through one of the great universal languages: music. 3LAU fits this bill perfectly, as his mash-ups incorporate a wide range of musical tastes, and you’re sure to make a friend or two screaming a mutual favorite song at the top of your lungs as you let loose in a way only EDM can really provide. Every new track inspires excitement, as you never know which songs might pop up in the middle of the performance and drive you wild. Even if EDM shows aren’t your thing, this isn’t your typical dance concert. If you do attend 3LAU’s exclusive UCSB show, expect to go crazier than you think you will.

Welcome Back is a concert meant to bring the new student body together through one of the great universal languages: music.

”

Opening Up BitTorrent and “Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes” by Coleman Gray ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR The enigmatic, influential, and progressive Thom Yorke released his second solo album, “Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes,” on Sept., 26. In doing so, he surprised many across the music industry and ended a lackadaisical summer music season with a little bit of excitement. Yorke, who is best known for being the frontman and musical leader of Radiohead, first gave word of a possible new album after posting

by Chloe Babauta STAFF WRITER

a cryptic photo of a blank, white vinyl a few days prior to the album’s official release date. That vinyl would turn out to be “Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes,” an atmospheric, well-produced electronica album that would most likely please any fan of Yorke’s past work. But, while the album itself is good, the real innovation of “Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes” is its delivery method. Yorke has already previously shown a desire to go beyond the industry standard model of album sales, and this latest release

is yet another step forward, and another attempt to breathe life into a struggling music industry. In October of 2007, Yorke’s Radiohead released “In Rainbows,” a muchanticipated album from one of music’s most popular bands on the Radiohead website and allowed users to “pay what you want” (which included $0) for the full mp3 download. This was an immediate success as the digital download sold more than 100,000 copies, and the subsequent official release two months later sent the album to the

top of the Billboard 200 as it sold on an additional 122,000 copies in the first week alone. That release, and the use of the “pay-what-you-want” model, was said to have a potentially revolutionary impact across the music industry. It has ultimately not had quite the lasting influence many expected it to, but perhaps “Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes” might. Instead of allowing users to pay whatever they want, this album was released through the BitTorrent platform in their new Bundles Initiative, in which the artist sells directly to the consumer through the proprietary website. While the BitTorrent network has previously been used as part of a peer-to-peer file sharing service, one which you can use to download albums, movies, and celebrity nude pictures for free, the Bundles Initiative is the company’s first attempt to seemingly ‘legitimize’ their operations. “Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes” by Thom Yorke is only available through BitTorrent, and costs $6 for the eight-song album. For any veteran BitTorrent user, a price tag is something that may shock you, but it is obvious that BitTorrent hopes for their Bundles to one day rival the iTunes Store for online music and entertainment downloads. On the Bundles website, there are many albums, films, and other exclusive content for download, most of which are free, but Thom Yorke and “Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes” are so far the biggest acquisitions for the fledgling service. When I first went to download the album, I went right to my favorite file sharing website out of habit, but then soon remembered the most important novelty of the album. However, I then easily found my way to the download link on the Bundles website, and found the process quite

intuitive. I paid the $6 using PayPal, and quickly downloaded the album using my torrenting software. For those who do not already have the software, the Bundles website offers it for installation alongside the purchasing portal. The album downloaded about as fast as any iTunes Store download, and the download worked seamlessly with my iTunes. While I am quite used to using BitTorrent via file sharing websites to download music, the process was so easy that even someone who has never torrented an album before could easily figure out how to download, and listen to “Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes” on their respective devices. As I previously mentioned, the album was quite good. The tracks “The Mother Lode” and “Truth Ray” are the highlights of the album, and they lead quite well into the three song medley that brings the album to its close. The eccentric Yorke has total confidence in his musical ability, and again proves on this album that he can toe the line between interesting and weird, and can create an album that can have mass appeal, despite it being totally unique. Overall, I was quite pleased with the album, and the entire process, and the forward thinking and brave Thom Yorke functions as a great pseudo-ambassador for the new music download platform. The Bundles website functioned well, and gave me exactly what I wanted. While I am not sure whether or not the service will revolutionize the music industry, it could definitely serve as a viable alternative to iTunes, and in turn, could give more power to the music makers, music consumers, and music lovers instead of the music conglomerates.

No Ifs, Ands, or Butts: The Racialization of Pop Music

This summer, we saw Miley Cyrus put on a prosthetic black rear in concert, Taylor Swift attempt to twerk in the music video for “Shake It Off,” and Nicki Minaj’s major butt-fest in her “Anaconda” music video. The difference between these three posterior presentations is that two use their whiteness to exploit the hypersexuality of black bodies, and the other reverses sexist and racist tropes to reclaim her skin color and sexuality. Not to mention that Cyrus and Swift generally look like fools trying to do what Minaj turns into a work of art. With their actions, Cyrus and Swift prove that it is possible for certain types of pop culture and music to be inherently racist. By donning a fake butt (one distinctly darker than her own skin color) Cyrus puts on modern blackface. As

a wealthy white woman, Cyrus can put on a plastic, black butt, stick her tongue out, have a laugh, and then take it off when she’s bored with it. Essentially, she takes a part of the black female body that she finds appealing and fun for her, without taking on any of the systemic prejudice that comes with blackness. And this is a textbook example of cultural appropriation. Unlike real black women, Cyrus does not need to worry about the discrimination, stereotypes, or objectifications that come with their racial identity. Cyrus’s actions are even more problematic considering she is a white “Southern belle”—as she refers to herself in her song “Do My Thang”—which calls attention to the fact that she’s hypersexualizing black bodies. Swift’s performance and objectification of black bodies in “Shake It Off ” is problematic as well. Her music video features close-up

shots of a woman of color twerking, then a line of women twerking in a row—alternating black and white women in the line (for the appearance of ‘equality,’ maybe?)— while Swift crawls under their legs. In her video, Swift uses AfricanAmerican anatomy as props, much like Cyrus does in her performances. Swift’s cultural appropriation in this video is also evident in her own attempts to twerk. The video shows her with her mouth hanging open and pointing at her butt, as if to say that she’s doing something scandalous; this shows how she’s using hip hop and black culture to sexualize herself and give her an edgier personality, without taking on the stigma that comes with it. Yeah, “the haters gonna hate hate hate hate” on this display of cultural appropriation. I just hope she doesn’t “shake off ” legitimate criticism on getting called out for being racist.

In contrast to Cyrus’s and Swift’s objectification and hypersexualization of female black bodies, Minaj and her backup dancers work to reclaim their bodies and empower themselves with their sexuality. Minaj takes the trope of hypersexualizing black women’s bodies, uses one of the most infamous songs that objectifies said bodies (Sir Mix-a-lot’s “Baby Got Back”) and turns it around to show that women can gain agency from their sexuality. In “Anaconda,” Minaj raps about having sex with men she finds desirable, who appreciate her body, and how she also can get them to buy her all the designer clothes she wants. Despite the fact that this may be seen as degrading by some, a focal point of feminism is concerned with the woman’s ability to have as much sex as she wants, as long as it is on her terms. Minaj shows that she is always in control of her own

body, so it is a mutually beneficial situation for Minaj and her partners. The music video for “Anaconda” also shows Minaj giving the rapper Drake a lap dance, but she makes it clear that this performance is not about her submitting to the male gaze; she does it for her own enjoyment. At one point, Minaj slaps his hand away when he tries to touch her, then walks away when she wants to, leaving him behind. The difference between Minaj’s performance and those of Cyrus and Swift is that Minaj works within her own race and sexuality to empower herself against systemic prejudice, while Cyrus and Swift attempt to borrow a stereotypical image of a culture that they don’t belong to and use it for their own gains, without ever being able to understand the struggles that come with it.

TBL | Oct 1-Oct 7, 2014

7 | SCIENCE AND TECH

Unseen: New Photo App On Its Way To UCSB Janani Ravikumar STAFF WRITER A new photo sharing application for iOS and Android, Unseen, was released to students at Texas A&M University in May by Bearch, an Austin-based startup company. Since then, it has become available to eight other colleges. With Unseen, students can share photos anonymously with other students on campus. “Photos are a great way to get a conversation started,” said Bearch co-founder Michael Schramm, according to USA Today, “and by sharing an image you can say so much more.” Unseen is a free app that does not require users to sign up or provide emails and names. Users can take photos, add captions, and share their photos anonymously with other students on campus on a live feed of photos. Users can even vote on photos. “It spans from things that will make you laugh till you cry to things that will make you cringe,” said Mitchell Ford, a junior at Texas A&M, according to USA Today. “[You] never know what you’re gonna get. I’ve shared my fair share of things that I thought were funny and things that I thought were cool. Even a selfie.”

Unlike with other photo sharing apps like Snapchat, sharing photos via Unseen is done completely anonymously. Ideally, with Unseen, users will be able to express themselves freely without inhibition, thanks to the app’s anonymity, with which the app seeks to improve real life communities. “Anonymity is a very powerful thing that’s going to be around for a long time,” said Schramm, according to iDigital Times. But there’s a lot of misconceptions and confusion on how it should be used that’s caused a lot of problems. The biggest obstacle we have as a company right now is how to change the discussion.” Despite the app’s good intentions, however, many posts are sexual in nature, according to Tech Crunch. Other posts consist of groups of male users discussing girls in photos and even directly asking female users sexual questions. To counter this, photos are quietly censored on Unseen. Users are presented with a long list of terms and conditions upon first opening the app that details what you can and cannot do. If someone posts a photo that does not comply with these terms and conditions, then the administrators will delete it – but such a system can only go

Photo Courtesy of Sebastiaan ter Burg so far in curtailing inappropriate content without angering users. Regardless, Bearch has succeeded in establishing a community where students can freely discuss even the most controversial of topics and seek support. According to Business Wire, a post on the University of Mississippi thread about racism

generated 109 comments, many of which presented students’ genuine thoughts on the matter; a post in the Texas A&M thread about suicidal thoughts created an outpour of support, with many students sharing their stories of battling depression and others offering phone numbers for additional support.

Due to the demand for Unseen, hundreds of universities throughout the country have joined a waiting list for the app, including University of California, Santa Barbara. When it comes to UCSB, it could serve as an outlet for information on events on and off campus.

$500,000 Gift Creates an Ocean of Opportunity for Marine Bio Students by Judy Lau STAFF WRITER University of California, Santa Barbara’s department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology (EEMB) is now offering a new scholarship program conceived by two UCSB alumni and funded by their family foundation. A gift of $500,000 from the Bentson Foundation will be used to fund the Bentson Scholars Program, a merit-based initiative for undergraduates with a keen interest in marine science. This program is a passion project for Gaucho alumnus Laurie Bentson Kauth, chair of the foundation, and her husband William Kauth, a retired marine biology teacher from Santa Barbara

High School. “When Bill was teaching, there was a sort of unofficial collaboration between his class and UCSB— they visited the campus labs quite often—and it was wonderful,” Bentson Kauth recalled. “With the Bentson Foundation we have scholarships other places, so bringing one here seemed like the perfect thing to do. And we’re really excited about it.” For UCSB’s EEMB department, the hope is that the Bentson scholarships will provide aquatic biology students the opportunity to do invaluable research and further their marine science education. Participating in a research cruise is an experience that will set UCSB students apart from the rest when ap-

plying for jobs or graduate school. “This looks like a win-win for students supported by the scholarships and the faculty working with these outstanding students,” said Professor Craig Carlson, chair of UCSB’s EEMB department. “It will create opportunities for undergrads and help them excel in this important field.” For the Bentson Foundation– an organization prioritizing public education–the partnership made perfect sense. This is the foundation’s first gift to UCSB and to the UC system. “We are pleased to support UCSB in this manner and foster future leaders in marine science, who we believe will play a critical role in protecting the world’s oceans,” said

“With the recent addition of a new marine science building in UCSB and the new Bentson Scholarship program, students within the EEMB department are able to take full advantage of the school’s resources to further their interest in aquatic biology and marine science while gaining invaluable research experience.”

Judi Dutcher, the Bentson Foundation’s executive director. “We hope not only to grow this program at UCSB but also to inspire other donors to create a legacy of support for students that attend this important institution.” In addition to this scholarship program, UCSB is home to an Ocean Science Education Building, which houses the new headquarters for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. “The Channel Islands National marine Sanctuary is one of our nation’s great ocean treasures,” said Holly A. Bamford, Ph.D, NOAA’s assistant administrator for the National Ocean Service. “Not only will the new building be home to Channel Islands Sanctuary office, it will enhance how we collaborate with the university and dramatically advance our efforts in research, education and marine conservation.” Half of the building serves as sanctuary offices where the NOAA can stay on the cutting edge of sci-

ence and management. The other half of the building will house the Outreach Center for Teaching Ocean Science (OCTOS), a joint project of UCSB’s Marine Science Institute. The sanctuary will offer ocean conservation programs and marine science education to over 40,000 students annually. With the recent addition of a new marine science building in UCSB and the new Bentson Scholarship program, students within the EEMB department are able to take full advantage of the school’s resources to further their interest in aquatic biology and marine science while gaining invaluable research experience. “We hope these students go on to help save the ocean, which is really the reason that you study marine biology. And certainly UCSB is one of the very best places to do that,” said Bentson Kauth, whose parents, Larry and Nancy Bentson, founded the Bentson Foundation in 1956. “Hopefully they will be so inspired that they will eventually give back to UCSB, too. That’s the whole idea.”

The True Cost of Climate Change Climate change is often discussed in terms of science, but many people are against initiatives to combat climate change due to economic reasons. However, studies show that reducing greenhouse gas emissions could boost the economy rather than slow it down. According to the 2014 New Climate Economy Report, roughly $90 trillion USD will be spent in the next 15 years on new infrastructure around the world. However, adopting rules that would redirect that investment towards a more eco-friendly option makes more economic sense. Taking action on climate change is affordable. Although the initial cost of going green may seem intimidating, it only takes about five percent more than the amount spent on new power plants, transit systems, and other infrastructure. These newer eco-friendly changes may actually end up saving money in the long-run, according to the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate; secondary benefits of greener policies include reduced medical bills, lower fuel costs, and decreased air pollution. “Of the $6 trillion we will spend a year on infrastructure, only a small amount–around $270 billion per year–is needed to accelerate the shift to a low-carbon economy, through clean energy, public transport systems and smarter land use,” said Felipe Calderon, chairman of

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by Judy Lau STAFF WRITER

Although the initial cost of going green may seem intimidating, it only takes about five percent more than the amount spent on new power plants, transit systems, and other infrastructure. These newer ecofriendly changes may actually end up saving money in the long-run, according to the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate.

the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate. “And this additional investment could be entirely offset by operating savings, particularly through reduced fuel expenditures” One of the biggest environmental problems is the carbon dioxide building up in the atmosphere. William Nordhaus,

author of “The Climate Casino,” developed calculations representing the cost of carbon dioxide emissions. He proposes taxing carbon dioxide emissions, and tackling climate change with the tools of economics. “The real point of the pricing is not to gouge people, not to extract resources from people. It’s to tilt the playing field in such a way

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that people, firms, government— everybody moves toward carbonfree or low-carbon activities,” Nordhaus says. Like Calderon, Nordhaus claims that although this cost may initially seem great, we will reap the benefits decades later. As well, we are gambling with our future if we don’t do anything about climate

change. The challenge isn’t in the economics—it’s in human behavior. Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extended the public comment period for its proposed rule for regulating carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants to 45 days. Janet McCabe, the EPA’s assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation, says the extension is due to the great interest of stakeholders. “While we’ve heard quite a bit so far, we know that there are many individuals and groups continuing to work to formulate their input,” McCabe said. “We want the best rule possible, and we want to give people every opportunity to give their ideas and contributions. Although the long term benefits of going green are present and economically viable, it will not be politically easy to achieve. For instance, one of the proposed steps of achieving better energy and agriculture infrastructure involves eliminating subsidies for fossil fuels, which cost $600 billion a year. Due to these initial large costs and the clout of fossil fuel companies, going green will be highly controversial. However, this type of action will urge nations to take a fresh look at the potential of renewable energy, which is becoming increasingly available and affordable.

TBL | Oct 1-Oct 7, 2014

8 | OPINIONS

Tackling Domestic Abuse in the NFL Domestic violence is not part of the game of football. It is the NFL’s job to make this clear for its fans and viewers and its current and future players. These athletes must be held to a higher standard because they represent more than just themselves and their respective teams — they represent the entire NFL and American football in general.

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by Becca Ou STAFF WRITER The end of summer marks the return of football. Year after year, polls continue to reaffirm the popularity of the sport. Yet despite the attention the National Football League (NFL) knows it receives, it has handled the recent Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson incidences in a less-than-graceful manner. As the prolonged debates continue on what actually transpired, discussions regarding what the NFL will do to remedy their blunders remain stagnant. Historically, incidents of off-field violence in the NFL have been met with lenience. There have been fewer repercussions for players who commit violent offenses. The league has done more to keep the noise to a minimum than try to eliminate the problem among their players all together, but the NFL has not been very successful in quieting the frustration during the latest episodes, and now is the time for them to step up and make it known that these athletes cannot behave recklessly without suffering the consequences. In early September, when new surveillance video footage surfaced in the Ray Rice

case, both the NFL and the Baltimore Ravens claimed that they had not seen the footage prior to it being it released by TMZ; otherwise, they claimed, they would have issued a far more severe punishment than the 2-game suspension Rice received for his actions. He was arrested earlier this year following an altercation with his then-fiancée, Janay Palmer, in an elevator in Atlantic City. The league’s mild response–the decision to suspend Rice for 2-games–was met with considerable criticism and discontent, but it wasn’t until the new footage of Rice appearing to punch Palmer in the elevator turned up that the public deemed the NFL’s mishandling of the case unacceptable. The public agreed that it was highly unlikely that neither the NFL nor the Ravens organization had never seen the video distributed by TMZ. Even after the Ravens released Rice, league commissioner Roger Goodell and Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti maintained their story through all of the noise. A week after the Rice case made headlines, Minnesota Vikings running-back Adrian Peterson was accused of striking his 4-year old son with a tree branch and was initially allowed to remain with his team, but was later

asked to stay away from team activities. Going into week 4 of the 2014 football season, the NFL has spent more time defending their inadequate responses and examining technicalities than acknowledging these players’ unacceptable behavior. The dialogue justifying what was done needs to end in order to move on. The NFL has to figure out how to proceed from here. What comes next? Moving forward, the NFL must strictly enforce the protocol recently put in place in August. The new policy provides more rigid guidelines for how the NFL will handle future domestic violence charges should they become a problem. Sure, reinforcing a tougher, lesslenient policy is the least that Goodell and the NFL can do, but it is a place to start. It is a way for the league to demonstrate that it takes domestic violence seriously and that its players are no exception to the law. The conversation about violence in the NFL needs to be different. It needs to be about how the NFL will take a larger responsibility in ensuring that their athletes receive sufficient punishments outside of the law. Separate investigations should always be conducted and players should not be allowed to play or participate

“Historically, incidents of off-field violence in the NFL have been met with lenience. There have been fewer repercussions for players who commit violent offenses. The league has done more to keep the noise to a minimum than try to eliminate the problem among their players all together... now is the time for them to step up and make it known that these athletes cannot behave recklessly without suffering the consequences.”

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in team activities until these investigations are concluded. Domestic violence is not part of the game of football. It is the NFL’s job to make this clear for its fans and viewers and its current and future players. These athletes must be held to a higher standard because they represent more than just themselves and their respective teams — they represent the entire NFL and American football in general. These events instill a correlation between football and violence, suggesting that the sport causes violent behavior. This association cannot be broken, and the NFL cannot speak out against domestic abuse with credibility if players continue to assume that the league will be on their side and defend their actions. The last the thing the NFL wants is to appear tolerant of domestic abuse. But by working to reduce the severity of offending players’ misconducts in the past, the NFL has created an image for themselves as an organization that takes domestic violence lightly. This image has caused certain athletes to feel above it all. The NFL and anti-domestic violence allies must be on the same side. The NFL has the money, the power, and a plethora of famous current and former players to make a difference and get involved in the bigger picture. They need to support antiabuse campaigns, provide publicity and awareness, and work closely with anti-domestic violence coalitions. They need to make the effort to become the league that stands against domestic violence whether it occurs inside or outside the organization. The NFL can gain a lot by firming up their stance against domestic violence and becoming a leader in the fight against it, including a chance to put a history of assault behind them.

U.S. News & World Report: The Ultimate Puppeteer upward spiral of U.S. News and World Report College rankings: higher achieving applicants and lower acceptance rates lead to exclusivity and thus prestige. Prestige solidifies a university’s spot on the list; a spot on the list brings in more applicants. More applicants lower an acceptance rate, a low acceptance rate necessitates higher achieving applicants–and so on and so forth, you get the

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by Andrea Vallone COPY EDITOR Fall: the back-to-school sales, the changing of the leaves, the gradual loss of that summer tan, and of course, the annual college rankings from the U.S. News & World Report. Every year during this sapphire month the media, eager parents, stressed high school seniors, and college students with an inferiority complex ardently await said magazine’s publication of the holy grail of college rankings. But do these rankings really matter? Yes they do–but not in the way you might think. In a study by the journal Research in Higher Education, data implies that rankings are more beneficial to the university rather than the prospective student. If the U.S. News and World Report increases the rank of any given university into the top 50, a jump occurs in the proportion of incoming freshman that graduated in the 90th percentile of their high school class. Additionally, the overall acceptance rate of the university decreases by 3.6 percent on average the following year. Further, moving up just one spot within the magazine’s top 25 was correlated with an increase in accepted applicant’s SAT scores by 1.4 points. These findings indicate that having a higher rank in U.S. News & World Report has the potential to lead to lower acceptance rates (a point of pride for universities) and a freshman class with higher high school rankings and SAT scores. Introducing the

completely backwards. You would think that the enhancement of desirable qualities of an institution would be the cause for an increase in rank of a university. But what this data is telling us is that once a university increases in rank, then the more achieving students file in and the stats change. What does this say about us? It says we’re valuing prestige. It says we’re all playing into a numbers game orchestrated

By paying attention to these inflated rankings, we are perpetuating an ideology of prestige and reputation. We are buying into a numbers game. We’re letting rankings win.

picture. Or do you? If you look beneath this whole spiral, what exactly do you find? You’ll find that the cause and effect here is

by rankings and reputation.

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Speaking of reputation, if you look at the weight of each criterion for U.S. News

and World Report, the most subjective criterion possible, “undergraduate academic reputation,” carries 22.5 percent. Well, alrighty then. Furthermore, the National Association for College Admission Counseling issued a report in 2012 stating that counselors don’t think the U.S. News rankings accurately represent information about colleges. Let that simmer for a bit. So what are we doing? Why are we so obsessed with college rankings that prioritize prestige over the student? Why are rankings that are challenged by college admissions counselors and that are formed, in large, by a universities’ reputation, so important to us? Students are blindly applying to schools based on these lists. Instead of finding a school that fits a student; students are trying to fit to a school. By paying attention to these inflated rankings, we are perpetuating an ideology of prestige and reputation. We are buying into a numbers game. We’re letting rankings win. So, do me a favor and don’t jump at the chance to post a status linking to some obscure web site’s high rank of UCSB on whatever scale. If you must draw attention to anything, post a list where UCSB isn’t ranked highly and expose why that didn’t mean you were going to transfer, why the release of that ranking actually had no effect on your experience here, and ultimately show why that ranking didn’t matter.