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E s t a b l i s h e d 1916

Young merchants of San Luis Obispo

BEST SPUDS

EMMA WITHROW | MUSTA NG NE W S

| Since 2014, the Children’s Farmers’ Market has offered a preventive health program. It not only teaches children healthy living but also provides produce to low-income families.

Teaching children to eat healthy with mock farmer’s market Emma Withrow @ CPMustangNews

A program developed by the San Luis Obispo Food Bank gives students from preschool to high school the chance to learn about

healthy eating through a mock farmers’ market. The Children’s Farmers’ Market was held Feb. 16 at First 5 Preschool in Paso Robles. The Children’s Farmers’ Market provides fruits and vegetables donated by local farmers and residents to students that otherwise would not have access to them due to their socio-economic status. It has been held on a monthly basis at rotating school locations since its development in 2014. As a preventive health program, it aims to improve the nutrition of students and their low-income families, that tend to be low-income. “This program has made it so much easier for me to start cooking fruits and vegetables at home, beginning with getting my children excited about healthy food as well

as giving me the opportunity to cook it,” First 5 Preschool parent Claudia Vergara said. Similar to a real farmers’ market, children receive a reusable bag and mock money, or “Food Bank Bucks,” to be used to shop independently for produce to take home and share with their families. This leaves children with an educational experience disguised as an engaging activity, according to Heather Donovan, San Luis Obispo Food Bank’s children’s programs manager. “We wanted to give kids the opportunity to learn about the importance of maintaining a healthy diet while putting it into somewhat of a game,” Donovan said. “This tactic works very well because kids like to play.” The Children’s Farmers Market serves as an extension of the Nutrition Education Program, also

developed by the San Luis Obispo Food Bank, working to educate the community about how to prepare healthy meals on a limited budget. The Nutrition Education Program provides healthy recipe books, interactive nutrition presentations and samples of recipes that involve a featured item the Food Bank clients receive at a distribution that day. “The Nutrition Education Program is exceptionally beneficial to the families receiving the fresh produce because often times they don’t know what to cook with it,” Donovan said. “They don’t have recipe books filled with ideas and directions to cook all of these types of raw vegetables, so this program really inspires and teaches so many low-income residents of SLO County.” The Children’s Farmers Market

receives most of the produce it distributes from a program called GleanSLO. GleanSLO volunteers, many of whom are Cal Poly students, harvest or collect leftover fruits and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste on local farms or in backyard gardens. At the end of the Children’s Farmers Market, extra produce is left at the sites for low-income families who may need more than just the bag of produce from their child, Donovan said. “All of our sites are surgically picked by the percentage of the students at the school qualifying for free and reduced rate lunches,” Donovan said. “This program is certainly an educational opportunity for the kids but also serves as a vital addition to the students’ families health.”

College is hard, raising kids in college is even harder Olivia Proffit Special to Mustang News

It was May of 2014. While other students were focused on finals and summer vacation, Arelli Abalos — 18 years old at the time — had something bigger to think about: her pregnancy. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, 4.8 million college students nationwide are raising children and 1.1 million of those students attend four-year institutions like Cal Poly. The resident advisers in Yosemite Hall told Abalos she couldn’t have the baby in the residence hall and wanted to know her plans after having the child. But at that

point, she didn’t have any. She faced a major decision, alone, away from her family and husband in Sacramento. That was never the plan. “It was a lot of pressure and it was kind of stressful to have to get out as fast as possible or figure out what to do,” Abalos said. Af ter much delib eration, she decided to leave Cal Poly. Immediately after delivering her son Adrian and being dispatched from the hospital, she headed back to Yosemite Hall. She packed up her things and returned to her family in Sacramento. RAISING KIDS continued on page 2

BJ YEBISU | MUSTA NG NE W S

SYMBIOTIC | With the motto “Help us, Help you, Help nature,” Bract Company aims at giving back to the environment with their clothes.

Cal Poly students restore, preserve, explore planet with hemp products Carly Quinn @ carlyquinnMN

DROPOFF

MADISON AGATHA MANCEBO | COURTE SY PHOTO

| Melinda Radcliff takes her child to the ASI Children’s Center.

Nature is deeply embedded in the San Luis Obispo community. A group of Cal Poly juniors took their love for nature, sustainability and clothing and turned it into a business opportunity. Garnering almost 1,000 followers on Instagram since its launch Feb. 21, the Bract Company is committed to giving back to the environment. The company offers unisex hemp hats and shirts that provide more than just active wear. For every prod-

uct sold, two trees will be planted by the National Forest Foundation. “We want to have people promoting sustainability, but we also really want to get people out there to see and appreciate what they are trying to protect,” Bract Company founder and industrial engineering junior Jonah Heath said. “Our marketing techniques are to get people outside and active.” Bract’s motto, “Help us, Help you, Help nature,” aims to get people out in nature in addition to helping the planet. They plan to restore the earth by planting trees and preserve it by making their products out of hemp.

News 1-3 | Arts 4 | Opinion 6 | Classifieds 7 | Sports 8

The Bract Company launched a video campaign on Feb. 21 that encourages people to explore nature and build a genuine connection and appreciation for the environment they are preserving.The company has released two videos so far. The videos feature handmade wooden token, made from a branch found in a backyard, that the team hides somewhere in San Luis Obispo for anyone to find and redeem for a free piece of merchandise. HEMP continued on page 4

NEWS 2

MUSTANG NEWS

First #PolyGives event to say collective ‘thank you’ to Cal Poly donors Sydney Harder @ CPMustangNews

A thank you card is a simple and easy way to show appreciation. Cal Poly Annual Giving plans to take it a step further by using Cal Poly’s large student population to their advantage during their first annual #PolyGives March 9. Starting at 11 a.m., interactive booths featuring free food, giveaways and activities will be set up in the Julian A. McPhee University Union Plaza (UU). Students will have the opportunity to create handwritten thank-you cards to donors that have contributed to Annual Giving at the UU, Robert E. Kennedy Library and Dexter Lawn. The event was inspired by Communications Specialist Melody Klemin at the Annual Giving Department. Every college partnered with Annual Giving to create a collaborative campaign students can participate in. “We’re not asking for a lot in return,” student philanthro-

RAISING KIDS continued from page 1

Life and priorities after pregnancy After Abalos left, she tried to complete her last quarter at Cal Poly. She emailed professors about her situation and asked if there was any way she could finish her finals. Many were accommodating, but in the end, she was too busy raising Adrian to focus on school. Abalos failed that quarter, but it was not the end for her. She went to American River Community College and transferred as an ethnic studies major to Sacramento State where she will graduate with her peers at the end of the semester. She wants to attend graduate school for psychology and eventually become a high school counselor. “People ask me, ‘How do you do it? You’re a superwoman,’” Abalos said. Even super women face challenges. Abalos’s greatest feat is

py liaison and journalism senior Mariam Alamshahi said. “Our biggest goal right now is student participation so that this can set a precedent for next year.” In addition to the presence on campus, #PolyGives will have a strong social media campaign. Each of the six colleges, Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) and Cal Poly Athletics will hold social media competitions, posted to their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts to maximize the number of students they reach. For example, students involved in a club will have the opportunity to win funding for their chosen student organization by posting a photo to Instagram with the #PolyGives hashtag. Leading up to March 9, posters highlighting the benefits of donations will be placed at specific locations on campus. Including the nickname “TAG Week” for “Teach Annual Giving Week,” the posters will not only build momentum for #PolyGives, but also teach stu-

dents the importance of alumni and supporter donations. “We want students to be aware that your parents’ contributions toward tuition and what the state provides to the [California State University] system do not keep [Cal Poly] wholly functional. Even a gift of $5 or $10 that could be directed to the food pantry provides a student a weekend’s worth of food, and that’s something that doesn’t come from any other source,” Public Affairs and Communications Specialist for the Annual Giving Department Cathee Sandstrom said. The Cal Poly Cares program, which oversees the food pantry available to all students and the distribution of student emergency grants, relies heavily on outside monetary contributions. “#PolyGives will ultimately help contribute to a legacy of giving back to the Cal Poly you love,” Sandstrom said. “Going forward, [students] will grow into being alumni who give back because that’s The Mustang Way.”

finding time to do schoolwork outside of school. For example, when she needs to schedule time to work on group projects, she must work around her son’s schedule. “When I’m not in school, my time is for family,” Abalos said. That’s how 31-year-old child development senior and single mother Melinda Radcliff spends her time as well — when she’s not in school, she’s with her daughter. “On the weekends, I spend all day with my daughter because I don’t get to spend much time with her over the week,” Radcliff said. Radcliff ’s schedule is a little different than most students and other student-parents in relationships. Every morning, Radcliff brushes her hair and teeth and gets dressed and prepped for the day like every other college student. However, she has to do everything twice – once for herself and once for her three-year-old daughter, Evelyn.

Radcliff then drops Evelyn off grams for infants and toddlers. at the Associated Students, Inc. Student-parents can receive the (ASI) Children’s Center while services for a discount or comshe attends classes and studies pletely free, depending on their on campus. She does most of income level. her work on campus before she Director of Children’s Prohas to pick up Evelyn so that grams at ASI Tonya Iverswhen she’s home, she can en, said the program can be with her. be a huge relief for “I want to student-parents. say she’s the “These parents best child are trying to People ask me, ever and I do it all and know that it makes ‘How do you do it? sounds things a You’re a biased belittle more cause I’m difficult, but superwoman.’ her mothwhen they er but it’s [the children] ARELLI ABALOS honestly true,” are here, everyRadcliff said. thing is calm and Evelyn is just one of their needs are met,” the 125 children served at the Iversen said. ASI Children’s Center. Most who With her daughter being tendattend belong to student parents ed to at the ASI Children’s Cenand the rest are children of fac- ter, what is Radcliff ’s biggest ulty and staff. Student-parents challenge? Financial support. have priority enrollment. There’s a lot of stress that comes The ASI Children’s Center pro- from being a full-time student vides meals and educational pro- and single mother.

MELODY KLEMIN | COURTE SY PHOTO

T WICE

According to psychology professor Elizabeth Barrett, the biggest stressor for single parents is trying to meet the physical and emotional needs of their children. They struggle to balance their time and responsibilities. “Ultimately, both stories go back to this idea in our culture of how much time we have to do all these things, or that we somehow should be able to do all these things,” Barrett said. “We carry the burden of our perceived failures when the failure is really the expectations of what a human can do in the course of 24 hours is unrealistic.” Thirty-two-year-old psychology senior and married mother of two Hallelujah Adams admits finding this balance between school and family life is becoming increasingly more difficult. But she has a supportive husband at home to help. “I don’t think I could do it without his support,” Adams said. Adams strives for that balance

and knows that if she prioritizes her schoolwork, her family will benefit in the long run. So, she keeps herself organized by having her academic life clearly scheduled at least two weeks in advance and spends about 70 percent of her day studying. “School for me is my thing and that takes so much time already that all the other stuff just kind of goes to the bottom,” Adams said. Adams has been on the Dean’s List every quarter since transferring to Cal Poly from Cuesta and has made the President’s list once, something that’s important to her as she applies for Cal Poly’s master’s program in psychology. Her academic success is also important for the rest of her family. Last year, Adam’s nineyear-old daughter wrote her a Mother’s Day card that read: “Happy Mother’s Day, mom. You’re the best. Thanks for going to school to make more money for our family.”

MELINDA R ADCLFF | COURTE SY PHOTO

| Radcliff goes through a morning routine twice; once for herself and once for her daughter.

NEWS 3

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

Sunscreen: Wear it now or regret it later Maggie Hitchings Special to Mustang News

One hand was on the steering wheel. The other compressed the blood dripping from her arm where one of her many moles used to be. Unconcerned, journalism senior Monica Roos got home, patched up the hole and ignored it. Little did Roos know that this incident was the beginning of her battle with skin cancer. A few months later, her arm still bled which prompted her to visit the dermatologist to have it biopsied. “They put three shots of numbing agent in me so I couldn’t feel the pain. But I could still feel the knife carving into me and digging out skin,” Roos said. “They slapped a band-aid on it and told me I’d have the results in two weeks.” Roos now visits the dermatologist every three to six months for a full-body scan, and it is likely that every time she goes in she will have something biopsied or removed. Roos’ skin type makes her 50 percent more likely to develop melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, and she is 10 times more likely to die from it. This makes it difficult to live in a place like San Luis Obispo, where it is sunny 287 days a year. Skin cancer and sun damage can become very serious problems for people later in life, especially for those who spend a great deal of time in the sun without using protection. The outdoor desire Biological sciences professor Pat Fidopiastis said Californians, especially San Luis Obispo residents, are at a higher risk of developing skin cancer due to the climate and outdoor culture. “SLO is an outdoorsy place. Between the hikes and biking and surfing and the double whammy of cool breezes to make you not feel hot and more apt to put sunscreen on, it definitely puts us more at risk,” Fidopiastis said. The tanning culture San Luis Obispo’s outdoor culture attracts another quality in its residents — the desire to look tan. Civil engineering senior Casey Handcock works at Planet Beach, a local tanning salon, and sees Cal Poly students use the salon daily. “There’s definitely a tanning culture at Cal Poly. Our whole clientele is college students,” Handcock said. “We go to Cal Poly and we have beaches everywhere and our amazing Rec Center pool where everyone prances around in their bikinis. People want to be tan for that.” Handcock went on to explain that there is a certain image for girls at Cal Poly. “I think the typical ‘Poly Dolly’ is tall, skinny, with blonde hair and an awesome tan,”

Handcock said. However, having an “awesome tan” and spending time in the outdoors unprotected puts students and San Luis Obispo residents at risk of skin damage and developing skin cancer. The science behind UV rays Fidopiastis researches the effects of ultraviolet (UV) light on microbial growth. He said there are different forms of UV light that come from the sun: UVA, UVB and UVC. UVA is highly penetrating, so when it hits your skin it can go deeper and cause cancers in deeper tissues. “I have seen individuals where they will have melanoma on their lower back or some place random and they’re just like, ‘why there?’” Fidopiastis said. “But a lot of those cancers are caused by UVA, or oxidative damage where the sunlight hits molecules in your body and creates free radicals.” When those radicals build up in your body from excess sun exposure, they can move to various places and react with DNA to modify it, causing melanoma to occur in places that do not get a lot of sunlight. In contrast, UVB is less penetrating and is mostly associated with tanning. When UVB hits the skin, it mostly affects melanocytes — cells just below the surface — to produce melanin, or the brown pigment in your skin. “We all think of being tan as this healthy thing. But tans are actually a stress response to ultraviolet light,” Fidopiastis said. “Our body is saying we need to produce this reflective brown pigment to stop this from happening to us. It’s a shield, essentially.” When UVB bumps into melanocytes, it damages the DNA. This increases the likelihood of mutations and in turn increases the probability of cancer. Though being tan may look good now, UV exposure causes skin to look wrinkled and aged down the road. “When you’re younger, your skin tends to be smoother and softer,” Fidopiastis said. “But when you are exposed to excess UVA — because of its deep penetration and its influence on connective tissue — it starts to pull that skin in and you start to see the wrinkles. It may look good now to have a tan, but when you’re 30 or 40, you’ll start to look 10 years older.” Roos learned the hard way to protect herself from both skin cancer and sun damage. “If you’re out there tanning and you’re not using lots of sunscreen and you’re not taking care of your skin and moisturizing it a lot, your skin will look very aged and you’ll wrinkle a lot faster,” Roos said. Fidopiastis mentioned that

many people do not realize that just one sunburn can increase their chance of getting skin cancer later in life. “If you got burned as a kid, that’s a potential source of cancer when you’re 40 years old,” he said. “That’s a weird thing to think, that some mistake that your parents made when you were five can kill you when you’re 40. But that’s the reality of it and that’s what we’ve seen.” Protect yourself the right way Agriculture business senior Jack Beritzhoff admits to rarely wearing sunscreen when participating in outdoor activities in San Luis Obispo. “I usually don’t wear su ns c re e n because I either forget to put it on before leaving the house or I just want to take advanCASEY HANDCOCK tage of the sun,” Beritzhoff said. “I don’t always get sunburnt, but when I do it’s usually from a long day at the beach.” Wearing sunscreen is one way to prevent sunburns and sun damage. However, it is important to use it properly. “Use at least SPF 15 or higher on your lips and skin. Even 15 is on the low end because a lot of people will stay out longer than what the 15 will afford them,” Fidopiastis said. “Hopefully people realize that it means that you can stay out in the sun 15 times longer than the amount of time you would typically burn in. So if you burn in one minute, with SPF 15 on you will burn in ALLISON ROYAL | COURTE SY PHOTO 15 minutes instead.” DAMAGE | While wearing sunscreen is one way prevent sun damage, it is important to use it properly. Fidopiastis said it is also important to reapply sunscreen throughout the day, check the expiration dates and use sunscreen that has a broad spectrum, meaning it filters both UVA and UVB. Wearing sunglasses is especially important; Fidopiastis said many people do not realize they can get deadly skin cancer in their eyes. In addition, eye conditions like cataracts can develop overtime from sun exposure. “Blindness due to cataracts is a huge thing,” Fidopistis said. “And a lot of those cases are due priStop by 19 Metro March 13-17 to marily to individuals that don’t protect their eyes properly.” enjoy super foods like brussel sprouts, Roos also advocates for students blueberries and quinoa and experience to wear sunglasses to protect their their mood-boosting powers. Don’t miss eyes from skin cancer. this special event to supercharge your “If you’re going to be out in a batteries right before dead week! swimsuit or in shorts and a tank top, just protect yourself,” she said. “Put on some sunglasses, wear some sunscreen or cover up, because it can be devastating,” she said.

There’s definitely

a tanning culture at Cal Poly.

SUPER FOODS FOR SUPER MOODS

#HEALTHYHACKS

Take a break from beef and try a tasty black bean quinoa burger from Campus Market. It’s a lower-fat and flavorful alternative that’s just as satisfying! (Registered Dietitian approved)

FINALS MIDNIGHT BREAKFAST Finals week prep calls for breakfast time anytime. Come enjoy a St. Patrick’s Daythemed Midnight Breakfast at 19 Metro on Friday, March 17 from 9:30 p.m. – 12 a.m. The first 200 guests eat for free so don’t wait!

RECYCLE AND COMPOST Help divert waste by disposing of your trash in the appropriate bins. If you are unsure what goes where, refer to the pictures above the recycling, composting, and landfill containers. When in doubt, always recycle.

ALLISON ROYAL | COURTE SY PHOTO

HIGH RISK | Outdoor activities can lead to higher risk of skin cancer due to extended sun exposure.

ARTS 4

MUSTANG NEWS HEMP continued from page 1

“Once they find the token, they just take a picture to post and tag us,” founder and liberal arts and engineering studies junior Oliver Issa said. “[Bract Company] is fostering the connection between people and nature and gives them the opportunity to give back.” Another social media campaign began on March 8, also offering prizes. To keep up to date on the campaign, visit the Bract Company’s Instagram or website.

[Bract Company] is fostering the connection between people and nature ... OLIVER ISSA

THE HEMP BOYS

BJ YEBISU | MUSTA NG NE W S

| Founders Oliver Issa (left), Jonah Heath (middle) and Joseph Sobrero (right) launched Bract Company on Feb. 21.

The benefits of hemp Compared to cotton, hemp uses one fourth of the water, requires no pesticides and uses less dye. Hemp can produce twice the amount of fabric per square foot as cotton can. However, because it is illegal to use the fabric for industrial purposes in the United States, Bract Company’s Child Labor Free-certified factory is in China.

Once industrial hemp is legalized in the U.S., the team plans to move production into the country. They also want to expand their product line in the coming months by making products for all genders. “Our end goal is to have a company with a wide variety of hemp products,” Heath said. “You can make everything out of it and it’s really sustainable.” Hemp also naturally eliminates smells and bacteria and wicks away sweat and water, making these products good for wear and tear in the outdoors. Bract Company wants to raise awareness for the legalization of industrial hemp in America as a more sustainable and efficient substitution for cotton. Bract Company will launch on campaign funding website Indiegogo in the next few weeks to fund their first round of product. This promotion is currently the only way to get products because they are not available for sale until their funding goal has been met.

Art and design professor’s documentary hits international film festival Rebecca Ezrin @ CPMustangNews

Sky Bergman first filmed her 99-year-old Italian grandmother cooking lasagna and going to the gym because she felt the acts were so impressive that people needed to see them to believe them. As Bergman approached the age of 50, she began to reflect on her life using her grandmother as a guide to “gracefully move through life and age with dignity, grace and humor,” Bergman said. “I asked [my grandma] for a couple words of wisdom and she said some amazing things,” Bergman said. This planted a seed for Bergman, who teaches photography and video classes at Cal Poly.

She started filming elderly people sharing personal stories and experiences most of us only read about in history books. “We tend to think of the elderly as disregarded and we don’t have connections with them,” Bergman said. “We have lost knowledge and wisdom, so I hope people will look at these stories and realize everyone has a story to tell. We can learn valuable lessons from people who are older and wiser with more life experiences.” Bergman is a self-taught filmmaker, so she never thought she would present her film “Lives Well Lived” at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), where she would also walk down the red carpet. “Lives Well Lived” gives a voice

to the elderly, specifically those who have faced life’s greatest barriers. They have seen the best and worst of humanity, yet persist in good spirit. This is Bergman’s first documentary. In fact, when she initially started the project, she aimed at producing a webisode. She emailed about 1,000 people asking if there was someone in their life they wanted to nominate for the project. As more and more opportunities arose, Bergman changed direction and began filming a documentary. In creating such a personal documentary, Bergman understood the importance of building connections with the interviewees. “I’d make it very clear ahead of time on what I was doing and

told them about my grandma. I would sit and talk to them first,” Bergman said. “I re-interviewed people several times until I got what I wanted. Part of it is being persistent. I was trying to make it as positive of an experience for them as I could.” After all the interviews were complete, Bergman went back and flushed out some stories to eliminate repetitiveness and prioritize the diversity of interviewees and their experiences. “I felt it was important to include a Japanese-American who was in an internment camp and

OSCAR FLORES | COURTE SY PHOTO

someone who escaped Nazi Germany and someone who was active in the civil rights movement,” Bergman said. Many of those interviewed were greatly affected by World War II. According to Bergman, aspects of these stories parallel

current times in society. She hopes this film will “prompt future generations to understand that democracy and human rights are fragile.” DOCUMENTARY continued on page 6

Learn by growing: Bonsai artist takes horticulture to the next level

HOUSING FAIR 2017 Thursday, March 9 th 11am–1pm

CAL POLY ROOTS

Sabrina Thompson @ sabrinaswriting

Bonsai trees are rooted in a rich history, starting in ancient Egypt and later becoming popular in Japan. In recent years, a new American style of bonsai art emerged. Bonsai artists take particular types of trees and through specific practices, shape and change the natural growth of these trees to their liking. Environmental horticulture alumnus and bonsai artist Ryan Neil shared his knowledge of the practice when he presented “The Big Picture of Bonsai: How Horticulture, Art, Design and Architecture All Became One”, Feb. 28.

Cruise through this housing season with some help from Mustang News.

SOPHIA O’KEEFE | MUSTA NG NE W S

| The horticulture department is where Ryan Neil got his start with bonsai art.

From Cal Poly to Japan Neil knew from a very young age that he wanted to work with bonsai. After being handed a magazine featuring a story on legendary bonsai master Masahiko Kimura, Neil realized that for him, there was nothing in the world he wanted to do more. “I didn’t just love bonsai, there was nothing but bonsai,” Neil said. Neil praised Cal Poly for its encouragement of the cultivation of bonsai skill, art and creativity. After graduating from Cal Poly in 2004, Neil knew about plant life, but felt he needed to visit Japan to study bonsai art among the most highly regarded artists. To really understand the craft, Neil wanted to work with Kimura himself. Becoming an apprentice for Kimura was no easy task. After

being briefly introduced to Kimura during his sophomore year, Neil wrote a letter to him every month for two years before Kimura agreed to an apprenticeship. For six years, Neil worked alongside Kimura and other bonsai enthusiasts in Japan. He was the first foreign student to finish the apprenticeship with Kimura. Bonsai is a very difficult form of art and horticulture that takes years — even decades — to master. Bonsais are small trees or plants grown in containers. They are shaped through a variety of techniques including wiring, a technique Neil uses often. Bonsai artists wrap the trees with wire to shape the trunk and branches to the artist’s liking. Neil returned to the U.S. with a feeling most students have when they graduate college — uncertainty about what to do next. However, Cal Poly’s motto put his mind at ease. “The Learn by Doing attitude took out the fear of going into the oblivion,” Neil said. Mirai Neil said his time in Japan built the foundation of his bonsai company, Mirai. Mirai means “the future which has yet to be revealed” in Japanese. Neil decided on the name while washing dirty rags as part of the grunt work in his apprenticeship. He looked ahead to what the world had yet to offer. Just like he did with his bonsais, he was building a foundation to grow and evolve. Neil decided to create a different

style of bonsai for his company than the traditional Japanese styles he studied. Rather than using Japanese culture as inspiration for shaping the trees, Neil took influence from the natural world to create a personality within each tree. Unlike other forms of horticulture, bonsai trees are not about production of fruit or resources. Instead, they are meant for contemplation and are observed for their aesthetic quality. Mirai’s bonsai prices range from $800 to more than $50,000. The future Since the company’s creation, Mirai has moved its work to museums and galleries that broke attendance records at their venues. Always thinking of the future, Neil talked about the prospect of getting Mirai’s trees in the Museum of Modern Art or the Whitney Museum in New York City. “The important thing for me is that it’s not motivated by money, but motivated by the art form,” Neil said. “You can use plants in the same way you use paint, clay, pencil, any other medium of art.” Neil spoke at Cal Poly after reaching out to the school’s horticulture club. The club embraced the opportunity, seeing that Neil had tons of knowledge to share about something out of the ordinary. “He exemplified the combination of art and science,” agriculture and environmental plant science junior and Horticulture club president Lauren Mocettini said.

FOOD

THE BEST OF SLO

1. Best Slice of Pizza

11. Best Hangover Food

2. Best Bargain Meal

12. Best Vegetarian Resturant

3. Best Sushi

13. Best BBQ

4. Best Thai

14. Best Food on Campus

5. Best Mexican

15. Best Place for Late Night Munchies

6. Best Italian

16. Best Dessert

7. Best Burger

17. Best Grocery Store

8. Best Sandwich

18. Best Fries

9. Best Breakfast

19. Best Wings

10. Best Salad

20. Best Acai Bowl

SCHOOL - RELATED

ENTERTAINMENT

1. Best Movie Theater

2. Best SLO Radio Station

3. Best PAC Event

4. Best ASI Event

PAMPERING

AUTO

1. Best Nail Salon

1. Best Auto Shop

2. Best Haircut

2. Best Car Wash

DRINK

ACTIVE

1. Best Coffee House

1. Best Bike Shop

2. Best Happy Hour 3. Best Local Beer 4. Best Local Winery 5. Best Bar 6. Best Sports Bar 7. Best Weekly Bar Deal

2. Best Beach 3. Best Golf Course 4. Best Rec Center Class 5. Best Getaway 6. Best Hike

8. Best Liquor Store 9. Best 21st Birthday Drink

SHOPPING

MONEY

1. Best Women’s Clothing

1. Best Bank

2. Best Men’s Clothing 3. Best Thrift Shop 4. Best Tattoo Parlor

MISC. 1. Best Place to be Spoiled by Your Parents 2. Best New Business 17’ 3. Best Hidden Gems of SLO

Bring this ballot into the Mustang News Office (26-223) for the chance to win a gift card! Drawings will happen every Friday during Poly Picks voting.

Sponsored by

Presented by

OPINION 6

MUSTANG NEWS

The postmodern problem Brandon Bartlett @ CPMustangNews

Brandon Bartlett is a philosophy junior and Mustang News columnist. The views expressed in this column do not reflect the viewpoints and editorial coverage of Mustang News. If you want the uncensored truth, look no further than this fresh twist on an old joke: A physics professor, a math professor and a philosophy professor argued about whose department was best. Unable to come to an agreement, they asked President Armstrong. “I’d have to say that the math department is definitely better than physics,” Armstrong said. “For instead of needing expensive laboratory equipment, they merely demand a pencil, some paper and a waste basket.” The math professor smiled smugly until President Armstrong continued, “But the philosophy department is even better than math, for they only require a pencil and some paper!” As a philosophy student, I can confirm that we would all be better off if we just bought the philosophers some waste baskets. But given that we are currently using all of the spare tuition money to make parking on campus impossible, we need a new plan to get rid of that trash called postmodernism. I know that sounds harsh, but all things considered, I cannot help but find it fair. Postmodernism is not just another philosophy with strengths and weaknesses; it is western society’s raging dumpster fire (that is, if the philosophers had a dumpster). But we may be getting ahead of ourselves; let us start with some background.

What is postmodernism? Postmodernism is, in effect, the rejection of meaning (as in “a meaning to life”). This unfolds in three steps: First, it is noted that meaning comes from narratives, which is to say that we understand our own life and world through the lens of a story: “I used to be hungry, then I ate at Metro, now my stomach hurts.” The fundamental purpose/meaning of such a story is to link behavior with a better or worse outcome for the sake of future action. It is then correctly observed that these meanings are not objective facts, at least not in the scientific sense. In order to claim a state as better, we must answer, “better for whom?” Value, and thus meaning, necessarily involves a subject and thus it is, in one sense of the word, subjective. As soon as we have values, we have ways to rank and order the world. However, according to the postmodernists, as soon as we rank and order the world, we are necessarily oppressing people. As soon as I decide that I value quality of food and hence get lunch at Firestone instead of Metro, I also decide I would rather eat dinner with Alice (she is an amazing cook) than with Bob (he manages to burn microwave dinners). Put another way, the postmodernist sees society as a game in which our value systems, or ways of acting, are like the rules: they both constrict what actions are allowed and decide what skills will be rewarded. By deciding to play monopoly instead of basketball, we promote the statistician over the athlete and thereby, according to the postmodernist, oppress

the athlete. Instead, the postmodernist would prefer we play a game that does not reward any special skill at all, which is to say that it is based on luck and spares the loser any future disposition to lose. Unfortunately, we already have just such a game: Russian Roulette. The dangers of postmodernism There is no winning at Russian Roulette, there is no getting better, and there are no strategies; the best one can hope for is the delay of death.

But the second consequence is even worse. Life, by its nature, is full of suffering: we get sick, loved ones die, the WiFi goes down, and so on. The thing that makes this suffering bearable is a sense of meaning, a sense that we are actually doing something to make our lives, even if in tiny ways, a little bit better. By taking meaning from us, we are left only with meaningless suffering. And what could be worse than that? In fact, there are only two responses to a hopeless life full of meaningless suffering: resentment or suicide. Where do we see postmodernism? As I mentioned in my last article, postmodernism exists primarily in universities (thank God), but it is entering the public sphere more and more. This is seen in movements that immediately deem all exclusionary rules and behaviors as evil. And while the fingerprint of this corrupting spirit is littered, like trash, all around us, nowhere can it be better seen than under the credo of social justice. For to the Social Justice Warrior, oppression exists wherever there is not an equality of outcome. This is to say they see oppression whenever the selection of winners and losers is non-random and non-uniform. This postmodernist behavior erodes our goal structure and strips us of our own objective value structure. Thus, to all of you who hope for a life worth living, let us stand firm against the postmodern illness and, maybe someday, buy the philosophers a damn trash can.

Life, by its nature, is full of suffering: we get sick, loved ones die, the WiFi goes down and so on. And in this lies the fundamental error in postmodernism. Look at your own life. Have you ever done anything without a goal in mind? Of course not. Humans are goal-oriented creatures, for each action is chosen in lieu of a million other possible actions. And this choosing process, of course, requires placing value on traits, ideas and people. Hence, postmodernism does two things by the removal of goals: Firstly, as we need goals, it sadistically, or masochistically, denies us a core part of our humanity.

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TABATA GORDILLO | MUSTA NG NE W S

| Philosophers have fathered a number of failed moral theories, but none have produced as disasterous of results as postmodernism and its followers.

DOCUMENTARY continued from page 4

“Someone [in the film] is Latino-American and Filipino,” Bergman said. “Her father came to work in the fields and she remembers going to school and being called a monkey. We’re seeing some of that same stuff happening now and it’s important to remember and learn from history.” The film took four years to produce and involved interviews with 40 people between the ages of 75 and 100, with a collective life experience of 3,000 years, according to Bergman. Bergman had a list of 25 questions she asked each interviewee, some of which were partially constructed by social science professors at Cal Poly. Within Bergman’s interviews, she

looked for humorous or poigrant moments or words of wisdom. Bergman highlighted that video storytelling faces different challenges than writing. “On video it’s important how [interviewees] come across,” Bergman said. “Their speech and how fast they get the story out matter. I looked at who could tell a diverse story that was engaging with the audience.” Bringing her skills to the classroom Bergman’s video-students can attest to the value she places on getting quality video interviews. Art and design senior Morgan Momsen is one student who benefitted from Bergman’s real world experience. “She has a lot of really good tips

on how to get the person to speak in a way that sounds good on film,” Momsen said. “When a sentence isn’t in the right order, you could say that your equipment wasn’t working and have them repeat it and they might say it more sufficiently.” Momsen also noted that when it comes to video interviews, Bergman taught her that sound is key. “She always says how people will forgive bad images or video, but never bad sound,” Momsen said. “They’ll stop playing if it’s not working.” Production of “Lives Well Lived” Bergman had a small production team of two associate producers and an editor. She almost entirely self-funded the film with some

money coming from fundraisers, campaigns and donations. While it’s hard to put an exact price tag on the film, the most hefty expense was the licensing for historical footage. One piece of footage Bergman used cost $90 per-second. In an interview with Montecito Journal, Bergman reaffirmed that the footage is “integral to strengthen the spoken narrative” of the film. Another barrier Bergman faced was time management because she was simultaneously teaching fulltime at Cal Poly while creating the film. Bergman’s hard work paid off when “Lives Well Lived” premiered at the SBIFF, which ran from Feb. 1 to11. “They accept about two percent of films submitted and it’s interna-

tional,” Bergman said. “The two screenings scheduled both sold out and they put a third screening on. There was tons of press and I walked down the red carpet. To come out from behind the computer and engage with an audience was wonderful.” Bergman plans to continue submitting her piece to film festivals and hopes to eventually make an episodic series on PBS. She said the film will likely hit theaters in a few years. “My favorite quote from the film, by Dr. Lou Tedone, sums it up well,” Bergman said. “‘Happiness is a state of mind. You can be happy with what you have, or miserable with what you don’t have. You decide.’ Sometimes, I’ll wake up in the morning and remember that.”

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MUSTANG NEWS

Forty and Rollin’:

Not your typical transfer

AGELESS WONDER

BRIAN TRUONG | MUSTA NG NE W S

| U.S. Air Force veteran and 40-year-old junior transfer Chris Audi, nicknamed “Dad” by his teammates, makes his mark on the Cal Poly roller hockey team as a physical defenseman.

Brian Truong @ CrusaderKitten

A freezing winter morning in Burlington, Vermont. A pond, frozen over by a sheet of smooth, black ice. This is a scene junior transfer Chris Audi remembers fondly: it’s where he first played hockey as a five-year-old. “We could see the fish underneath it while skating on top,” Audi said. “It was perfect.” Even 35 years later, weekend pickup games with his father, brother and friends has kept Audi playing. Now it’s with the Cal Poly logo displayed on his chest and wheels on his skates instead of blades. The transition from ice to roller hockey makes little difference to the six-foot defenseman. “I love it, it’s a passion,” Audi said. “I’m planning on playing

hockey the rest of my life.” Audi is one of six new additions to the Cal Poly club roller hockey Division I roster, but he isn’t your typical transfer student. “How old is this guy?” was the first question sophomore team captain Danny Kumata asked when he met Audi at tryouts. “Yeah, life is kind of a trip right now,” Audi said with a smile, referring to the fact that most of his peers are about half his age. At the time his team captain was learning to walk, Audi was beginning his five year career in the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed across Europe as well as in Japan and Guam. “I did a lot of sightseeing, saw a couple of bars here and there,” Audi said. Afterwards, he entered an electrical apprenticeship pro-

gram before enrolling in Cuesta College and transferring to Cal Poly. Kumata, who is also the roller hockey club president, noticed Audi’s cheerful outlook immediately. “My vibe of him was this goofy, fun-loving guy who loved to play hockey,” Kumata, who credits Audi as a great locker room presence, said. Practice makes perfect and Audi has years of skating and shooting under his belt. But that doesn’t mean he’s one to slack off. He’s on the rink at least four times each week, playing for both Cal Poly and a local adult league. Audi takes the topic of his age lightly. While 45-yearold NHL veteran Jaromir Jagr earned the title “The Ageless Wonder,” Audi’s teammates have given him the simple

nickname, “Dad.” “When we go on the road, I relate well to everyone’s parents because they’re closer to my age than the guys on the team are,” he said. Audi may have hit the 40-year milestone, but when he’s on the rink, those years disappear. “I don’t feel my age when I’m out there playing. I’m just playing hockey,” Audi said. Although roller hockey is generally a non-checking sport, that doesn’t stop the students in the Western Collegiate Roller Hockey League’s top division from getting physical. And Audi is not one to shy away from the rough parts of the game. “He’s a very physical player. He pushes people around; he’s definitely sort of an enforcer for our team,” freshman defenseman Joe Blakewell said. As a usual defense partner to

Audi, the freshman constantly plays alongside him. “Chris gets going hard and it gets the rest of us fired up too,” Blakewell said. “We all play a lot harder when he’s out there.” Audi’s role as a defenseman requires him to constantly battle with the opponent’s offense, serving as a guard between the puck and a goalie. Audi has a clear mentality when approaching the game, instilled in him from decades of experience. “You gotta grind hard,” Audi said. “That’s hockey. You gotta work hard the whole shift, every shift.” As one of about 30 students at this year’s tryouts, Audi’s skill and mindset set him apart, earning him a spot on the division I squad. “I feel like he plays with a chip on his shoulder,” Kumata said. “It’s like he has something to

prove, he grinds harder than most, always shows up to practice, always encouraging, always supportive. [He’s] just like a positive force on the team.” Audi carries the presence of a veteran with half a lifetime of unique experiences. His nickname may be “Dad,” but he doesn’t see himself as an authority over them. “I have a lot of respect for the guys on the team,” he said. “They’re younger than me, but I see a lot of maturity in them and a lot of drive and dedication.” He may seem 20 years out of place, but Audi finds comfort in this new environment. “For the most part, I don’t really think about my age,” Audi said. “I’m playing hockey with my buddies. Everything feels good and normal when I’m playing out there.”