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SPORTS pg. 10: Eastern Washington defeats Cal Poly football, 35-22 Monday, November 18, 2013

Volume LXXVIII, Number 19

Cal Poly Filipinos feel typhoon’s effects RACHEL SUN

@rachellsun

Cal Poly students and faculty members of Filipino descent are dealing with some of the emotions associated with disastrous outcomes of the Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). Although Filipinos live all across the globe, many of them still have close ties to their country. The United Nations reported this week more than 11 million people are believed to have been affected and some 673,000 displaced. “It’s hard for me,” Cal Poly degree audit analyst K. Sheerin Castillo said. “I still feel a very tight affinity with the people there. My friends and family are still there. I’ve even been to some of the places the storm hit, too, which is petrifying to me.” Castillo’s immediate family lives in Manilla, north of where the storm hit. But they are still being affected by the typhoon. “It’s all connected,” she said. “There is a close link between what has happened to those in the Visayas and those people living in Manilla.” Cultural clubs on campus have been teaming up to

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ASI considers transparency program BENJY EGEL

@BenjyEgel

Psychology senior Nina Reyes, a first-generation Filipino American, whose family is also from Manilla, acknowledges efforts the world has made to help in times like these. Countries around the world, including the United States, have been sending troops to help in the aftermath of the catastrophe. “It makes me proud that we are still a world that is willing to help out other countries during their times of need,” Reyes said.

Important budget information can be hidden behind confusing spreadsheets and dull numbers, but if Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) President Jason Colombini has his way, Cal Poly will be on the cutting edge of government transparency. The Student Success Fee Allocation Advisory Committee is considering using a budget transparency program called OpenGov to show the public where Student Success Fees go. OpenGov reorganizes raw budget numbers in easyto-read graphs and charts to help the public identify funding going into each section of the government. The committee consists of Colombini, the Board of Directors’ top vote-getters from each academic college and six staff members. “(OpenGov) is a very easily accessible way to view the budget, whether through graphs, pie charts or raw numbers,” Colombini said. “It’s a really good way to increase transparency.” The cost of using OpenGov differs based on the budget being organized, but Colombini said it would probably be approximately $1,500. The premise of OpenGov aligns with two of Colombini’s three goals for the year: growing and developing ASI student government, and effectively

see TYPHOON, pg. 3

see ASI, pg. 2

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Cal Poly’s Pilipino Cultural Exchange club baked cookies to raise funds for the Red Cross in the Philippines. raise awareness and funds for this disaster. Pilipino Cultural Exchange (PCE) club president Calvin Choy

I still feel a very tight affinity with the people there. My friends and family are still there. I’ve even been to some of the places the storm hit, too, which is petrifying to me. K. SHEERIN CASTILLO DEGREE AUDIT ANALYST

and co-coordinator Serena Brown have set up a webpage that allows people to donate online. “We also have jars that circulate around the room so people can just drop a couple dollars in,” Choy said. “At PCE performing group practices, our traditional and hip-hop groups as well as our choir, we also stop by with the jars.” PCE is selling lumpia, which is a Filipino version of an eggroll, and baking cookies this weekend to raise funds. There are also international

mobilization efforts happening in Manilla to pack goods and prepare resources to ship to the Visayas Islands. “I spoke with my sister in Manilla; she said every time she watches the news, she cries,” Castillo said. “They have to bring piles of bodies out of the streets.” Castillo has been proactive with helping her native country in the midst of this tragedy by posting links to her Facebook encouraging her friends to send donations to the Facebook page of Ateneo de Manila University, her alma mater.

CIE to present students’ inventions ELLIOT STILLER

@CPMustangNews

Students’ inventions will be put on display at an innovation-driven forum hosted by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) in the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center Pavillion on Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. For the first half hour, attendees will mingle and become familiar with influential community members, faculty and students. After the networking, seven featured inventors will display their creations to the audience; then, the attend-

ees will be broken into groups to brainstorm further application of the product. During the final hour, selected panelists will answer questions posed by a moderator and the audience. “These types of events didn’t exist in San Luis Obispo before CIE was founded,” Chelsea Brown, the program’s media coordinator, said. “We’re a start-up that helps create start-ups. We are trying to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem here.” The CIE was established three years ago with the purpose of discovering innovative people and helping them

successfully capitalize their ideas. CIE has close ties to the community, enabling them to use mentors and consultants. Their Founders’ Circle includes people who want to see the entrepreneurial ecosystem grow on the Central Coast. “A lot of people in CIE are investors, mentors, and you get access to this insider club by being in CIE and being in a program,” outreach coordinator Tiffany Keller said. Forums are held six times a year and typically draw 175 to 200 people, although

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Rory Aronson, a 2013 Cal Poly alumnus, is a featured inventor at CIE’s forum. He wants to resee CIE, pg. 2 vamp the food production system by developing the FarmBot prototype.

Correction In the Nov. 14 edition of Mustang News, the story “CLA dean pushes for fee increase,” incorrectly listed the current college-based fees as $239.19 for the College of Liberal Arts and $347.19 for the rest of the colleges. The actual CLA fee sunny is $162 and the five other colleges’ fees are $291.

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October’s event had more than 220 attendees. “Established inventors with a product in different stages of development will be featured,” Brown said. “Some have patents, some are patent-pending and some haven’t worked on a patent yet.” Rory Aronson, a 2013 Cal Poly alumnus, is a featured inventor with a degree in mechanical engineering. He wants to revamp the food production system by developing the FarmBot prototype. “FarmBot is an open-source automated precision farming machine and a software package designed to allow the user to graphically design their farm by telling the machine to complete the necessary operations to grow the desired plants,” Aronson said. The robot will be computer controlled — if the user wants

Monday, November 18, 2013 to grow something, they can access Farmbot’s online software. There, they can graphically design their farm. Instructions are issued to FarmBot, such as telling it to prepare soil, plant seeds, add water or fertilizer or even destroy weeds while the plant grows. “It is a possible solution to our broken food production system,” Aronson said. “Our current system is not fulfilling the needs of the people — those needs being sustainablyproduced healthy food — but we don’t have enough people who want to get out and be a farmer, so we need an automated solution. I think it will greatly improve lives, the food we produce and our planet.” By the end of the year, Aronson intends to release the prototype, which will have two functions: to plant and water food. Another featured inventor is Steven Zawalick, who created Bloxygen. Bloxygen is an inert gas preservation system that saves leftover finishes and

Amazing tools are available for production and testing, and communicating your idea has never been easier. I constantly draw energy and insight from other products and attend trade shows for inspiration. STEVEN ZAWALICK BLOXYGEN INVENTOR

chemicals and prevents oxygen or moisture damage. The product was created in the late ’90s and patented in 1999. Now, it’s sold in nearly every woodworking outlet and marine catalog, as well as in several other countries. “This is the best time in the history of man to be an entrepreneur,” Zawalick said. “Amazing tools are available for production and testing, and communicating your idea has never been easier. I constantly draw energy and insight from other products and attend trade shows for inspiration.” His product will be displayed during the second part of the forum — Pitches, Exhibitions, Networking (PEN) — a facilitated networking activity to showcase various inventions. One of these inventions, Otto, is a surface-climbing robot capable of handling heavy loads while traversing any surface. Another, MegaMatter Acoustics, is a lightweight, moldable, noise-absorbing composite that is extremely fireproof and durable. After the presentations, the audience, which is split evenly between students, community members and faculty, is broken into groups to discuss applications of the showcased inventions. The discussions allow the inventors to explore more uses for their product. For instance, if the creator of Otto decided to use the robot solely for climbing walls, it would limit the product’s effec-

ASI continued from page 1

representing all students. Allowing students to see where their money goes leads to students forming more informed opinions on actions they want to see from ASI, Colombini said. Zach Antoyan, a member of Colombini’s executive cabinet, has been working on bringing OpenGov to Cal Poly for the past two weeks. Antoyan said he was looking

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Users can issue instructions to FarmBot, such as telling it to prepare soil, plant seeds, add water or fertilizer or even destroy weeds while the plant grows. tiveness. Instead, camera lenses could be attached to Otto for recording and photography. PEN’s brainstorming will produce an array of ideas to push the inventor’s product to a different level. It also guides them toward shielding their product via patents. “When you file a patent to protect your intellectual property, you have to file it in every possible use to safeguard your invention,” Brown said. The night will close with a panel discussion, which will focus on seizing opportuni-

ties, creating products, commercializing technologies and driving them to market. Panelists will include Joe O’Connor, product sales and marketing expert; Christopher Kitts, professor and chair of Cal Poly’s Biological Sciences Department; Christine Tovee, chief technology officer at EADS North America; and Brian Riley, Cal Poly alumnus and co-founder and CEO of Slidepad Technologies. The panel moderator is Jim Dunning, program manager of the Research and Economic De-

velopment Office at Cal Poly. “Innovation is driven by the human spirit and our innate curiosity to understand and improve our world,” Dunning said. “Inventors are typically focused on solving a specific problem. When the problem is solved, they sometimes think the invention is ‘market ready.’ It is extremely important for an inventor to understand that, in most cases, significant time and money are usually needed to bring an invention from proof of concept to market.”

at how many ASI departments should use OpenGov, and what the program would bring to the table. “It’s not just a matter of how much time it’s going to take, but it’s what we’re going to be doing on the inside, how we want to showcase that, and the most transparent and easiest to understand,” he said. Using OpenGov would help student government members and Cal Poly employees have a clearer picture of the budget, Antoyan said. The current data format is nearly as confusing for ASI members as it is for average students. The Wall Street Journal wrote an article on the City of Palo Alto’s implementation of OpenGov last July. Monterey, Riverside and a handful of other California cities use OpenGov as well. Fresno State became one of the first universities to imple-

ment OpenGov last spring thanks to ASI Vice President of Finance Rebecca Rosengarten. To get Fresno State’s OpenGov up and running, Rosengarten had to personally put in all the budget information. Now that OpenGov has more workers on staff, Antoyan should be able to enter a ledger and have other people process it. Most OpenGov pages chart government spending over the last few years. Fresno State’s page goes back five years, right when the CSU started receiving budget cuts. “We have this year’s budget up there, but we also have four previous years of data,” Rosengarten said. “One can actually see how much our spending has changed over five years in any given category.” Rosengarten, who has accepted a job with OpenGov after graduation, recommended Cal

Poly ASI adopt the program. “Students are constantly complaining about where student fees go. They’re not seeing it, and no one wants to look through a PDF,” she said. “No one wants to look at a bunch of numbers.” The Student Success Fee is currently $210 per quarter, though it will rise to $260 next fall. The money collected goes to improving educational resources and enriching campus life. Much of the money goes toward increased enrollment in classes, including hiring additional lecturers to teach popular or universally required classes. The Student Success Fee Allocation Advisory Committee usually does not approve motions without a unanimous vote, though only a majority is technically required. Editor’s note: Zach Antoyan is also a Mustang News columnist.

MUSTANG NEWS FILE PHOTO

“(OpenGov) is a very easily accessible way to view the budget, whether through graphs, pie charts or raw numbers,” Associated Students, Inc. President Jason Colombini said. “It’s a really good way to increase transparency.”

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Monday, November 18, 2013

Food stamps slashed, local recipients struggling AJA FROST

@ajavuuu

A tri-tip sandwich and small soda from Firestone Grill costs $11 — and judging by the restaurant’s popularity among students, most people on campus have no problem spending that amount on a delicious meal. But many living in San Luis Obispo County cannot afford to part with that sum so casually. On Nov. 1, the 9,248 people in the county who receive food stamps — called CalFresh benefits in California saw their monthly aid cut by approximately $11 each. The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act had increased CalFresh benefits in an attempt to help those struggling and stimulate the local economy. But the raise expired this month, bringing benefits back to pre-recession levels. “It was structured to phase out incrementally, as the price of food rose and caught up with the boosted benefits,” San Luis Obispo Country CalFresh coordinator Aracely Aceves Lozano said. “But Congress passed

two bills which prematurely cut the increase, so it just dropped completely.” That means those on the program will have to quickly adjust to a smaller budget. According to the CalFresh website, the average individual received $200 per month before the cuts, making the $11 cut a sizable chunk of their monthly food money. Looking at national food prices, $11 translates roughly to a loaf of white bread, a dozen eggs, a gallon of milk, a pound of beans and six bananas. Lozano has observed disappointment and frustration among those affected, she said. “I think people that apply for the program are people that are already struggling to make ends meet,” Lozano said. “The amount of money that they got on their cards each month previously wasn’t even enough. I don’t think it’s fair to hurt these people.” With less to spend, CalFresh recipients usually turn to food banks and other distribution agencies. The San Luis Obispo County Food Bank will see the impact of the cuts toward the end of the coming

I was on food stamps before, so I know what it’s like to live off that budget. It’s not a lot of money. You rely more on distributions, or eat less food, or just make ends meet. MEGAN CHICOINE COMMUNITY OUTREACH MANAGER

months, said Wendy Lewis, chief operations officer of the food bank. “People receive their benefits on the 1st, so I think we will definitely see it more in the next weeks,” she said. “People will run out of money sooner than they would have before and will then be forced to find other sources for food.” Lewis said the food bank is hopeful more donations will allow them to accommodate for the increased demand. The organization has eight direct distribution programs and more than 225 partnerships with homeless shelters, food pantries and other non-profit agencies. It serves more than 44,000 people in San Luis Obispo County. One of its partners is the Prado Day Center, which provides hot meals to those in need. Speaking about the number of people coming in who have housing, Sheri Moen, shelter manager of the center, said, “The numbers are definitely increasing (for) seniors, the disabled, families — people who just can’t afford to buy their food.” Megan Chicoine, community outreach manager of the food bank, was opposed to the cuts, saying they would have a huge impact. “I was on food stamps before, so I know what it’s like to live off that budget,” she said. “It’s not a lot of money. You rely more on distributions, or eat less food, or just make ends meet. Some people have to choose between paying their electricity and eating food.”

1ST LT. JEAN-SCOTT DODD/UNITED STATES MARINES

The United Nations reported this week more than 11 million people are believed to have been affected by Typhoon Yolanda and some 673,000 displaced.

TYPHOON continued from page 1

When Reyes found out about this disaster, she said she was most worried about her parents, who have siblings and parents still living in Manilla. “Whenever a disaster occurs, it pulls at their heart strings to see their former home have to go through this,” Reyes said. Environmental engineering junior Sarah Daliva has family being directly affected by

the storm in Capiz and Iloilo, provinces in the Visayas. “All my family that lives there is completely displaced,” Daliva said. “Everyone has been evacuated. A lot of my family has been evacuated to where my other relatives are in Manilla, but so far a lot of them are in a lot of random places.” Daliva described contacting relatives as a “waiting game.” “When the storm first hit, it was really hard to get in contact with them,” Daliva said.

“We waited on them to contact us. We didn’t know who to call or where they were.” Damage from the typhoon left Daliva’s family members close to empty-handed. “So far, all I know is that the roof and some of the walls have been completely ripped away from one of my relative’s homes.” Daliva said. “We’re all just grateful that no one ended up lost or hurt during the typhoon … I’m trying to keep my spirits up and send positive vibes out.”

AJA FROST/MUSTANG NEWS

Visitors gather at CAPSLO’s overflow shelter, which provides relief to struggling women, children and families.

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Monday, November 18, 2013

Making it

KeyZ KELLY TROM @kttrom

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Mechanical engineering sophomore Elan Timmons has been an inventor since he was seven years old. His first invention involved a pedal that was connected to the locking mechanism on his door so he could open it without using his hands. “I like looking at a problem and thinking that there is no solution for that problem right now,” Timmons said. “How do I make a solution from scratch? Coming up with a solution is really exciting.” The KeyZ, Timmons’ first venture into creating a product for sale, has been both a huge success and learning experience. It has a backing of more than $31,000 on Kickstarter, a crowd-funding website, and a team of Cal Poly marketing students behind it. Ben Berliner, a close friend of Timmons and the text and video editor for the KeyZ project, can attest to Timmons’ innovative spirit. “Ever since I have known Elan, he has created ingenious, clever devices,” Berliner said. “Even going back to seventh grade, he made inventions that won the school science fair. I knew that whatever he was designing would be remarkable.” Although Timmons has been tinkering and innovating all of his life, he had never taken an invention to production. But this year, that changed. He decided to gain the experience on his own time. “I thought that I would learn how to do that at Cal Poly,” he said, “but then I realized after my first year that I wasn’t going to learn that, so I thought I might was well think of a product to make and learn how to bring it to market.” Timmons started by writing a list of all the inventions he could make, mostly listing common annoyances and problems others face on a daily basis. He narrowed it down to what would be practical — something he could design by himself and didn’t contain too many parts. What he came up with is now called the KeyZ, an answer to the problem of a bulky key ring. “It is basically a swiss army knife for your keys,” Timmons said. “It is a better, more functional, more stylish, classier way to carry your keys. It has all the tools, and more than you will need, on you all the time.” The most basic KeyZ features space to hold approximately four to six keys, a 32-gigabyte USB, five different size hex wrenches and a bit holder all located in the handle. With the purchase of a multi-tool, it can also contain two screwdrivers, a pry bar, a box opener, a 1/4-inch ruler, a centimeter ruler, five hex wrenches and a bottle opener. The KeyZ made its way onto Kickstarter on Oct. 25 and will continue to raise funds until Dec. 2. With a goal of raising $21,000, Timmons and students from the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship have raised more than $31,000 as of publication. “It has been nice having other Cal Poly students fill in where I lack,” he said. “That’s what is so great about this school; there is someone who knows how to do something that you can’t and through different clubs you are able to find them.” One student currently helping Timmons is business administration freshman Jacob Altishin. But the team of students involved with KeyZ is more than just business administration and engineering students. “As we are building our team, one of the things that is important to him and me is that we have diversity,” Altishin said. “We go out of our way to bring in not just business majors but also engineers, students from the College of Liberal Arts — bring in the whole school.” Before Altishin got involved with KeyZ, Timmons was doing the marketing himself. see KeyZ, pg. 5

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SPENCER SARSON/MUSTANG NEWS

KEYZ continued from page 4

“He put his heart and soul into marketing this product,” Altishin said. “Before I got here, he was spending hours and hours every day trying to gain popularity and making those phone calls, setting up those meetings. It definitely helped us out when the marketing team came on board.” Currently, Timmons and his team hold the record for the most money raised on Kickstarter for a product among current Cal Poly students, Altishin said. Only two Cal Poly Kickstarters have raised more money, but they were completed by alumni. One of Timmons first goals after completing the final design was to reach out to manufacturers to make unique parts that he designed using SolidWorks, a 3-D mechanical CAD (computeraided design) program. “Half of the battle was convincing manufacturers that I wasn’t

wasting their time, that I meant business and actually had a plan that I was executing,” Timmons said. Timmons started to receive phone calls from businesses, which was one of the benefits of raising awareness on the Kickstarter page. “It is really exciting thinking that I am just a college student and real companies are asking to be partners with my company,” he said. Another important aspect of the creating a product is making sure designs are protected from other people. However, Timmons doesn’t generally buy into the patent concept, he said. “I strongly believe that competition breeds innovation,” Timmons said. “Initially, I stayed away from patenting because I am open to the idea of people competing with me. I think that it keeps you on your toes to have that kind of competition. People deserve to have the best product out there.” Although Timmons does not foresee himself applying for a patent for KeyZ itself, he is considering one for the uniquely

I strongly believe that competition breeds innovation. ELAN TIMMONS MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SOPHOMORE

designed screws used for securing the frame of the handle. “The screws are the only thing that I have thought about patenting, because they are something that can have other applications, but it all depends on having money to protect a patent,” he said. The next steps in Timmons’ timeline for KeyZ include placing the shipments for all of the parts depending on the number of backers who pre-ordered the product on the Kickstarter. Backers should receive their KeyZ by February. KeyZ is the first product coming from Timmons’ company called ET-Designs. In the future, he hopes to expand into more innovative products. “When I leave Cal Poly, I don’t want to apply to a job,” Timmons said. “I want to have created my own job already. I really want to be able to start my own company, whether it be in the product development field, which would be really exciting, or any other field.”

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Monday, November 18, 2013

‘The Graduate’ to stop at PAC BRENNA SWANSTON

@Brenna_Swanston

An iconic 1967 film will meet the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Nov. 19 with L.A. Theatre Works’ radio theater production of “The Graduate.” Radio theater focuses on the production’s auditory component, Cal Poly Arts Director Steve Lerian said. Like traditional theater, the actors perform on stage in costume; however, they use stand-up microphones and have little physical interaction with the script, he said. “It’s as if you can close your eyes and listen to it like you were listening to the script being performed on the radio,” Lerian said. “It’s a really interesting process and wonderful for the imagination.” L.A. Theater Works has successfully adopted radio theater for almost all its productions, he said. The company usually employs recognizable Hollywood actors looking to expand their careers for its radio theater shows. “They use actors that you’ve seen on television,” Lerian said. “They’re not necessarily big stars, but people who work regularly in Hollywood and they do this as part of their growing acting process.” L.A. Theater Works’ “The

Graduate” stars Heidi Dippold, whose TV appearances include “The Sopranos,” “NCIS” and “Law & Order,” as Mrs. Robinson. Brian Tichnell, who has appeared on HBO’s “The Newsroom,” plays protagonist Benjamin Braddock. Matthew Arkin, who plays Mr. Robinson, acted in “All My Children” and “Liar Liar.” Tom Virtue, playing Mr. Braddock, is known for his longrunning role on Disney Channel’s “Even Stevens.” Radio theater works well with the film script for “The Graduate” because its fans tend to know the dialogue backward and forward, Lerian said. “Most of those who know the movie have seen it many times and can almost do the lines with them,” Lerian said. All the sound effects in the production originate from props rather than electronics, he said. “When they’re drinking and mixing martinis, they actually have martini glasses out there and they’re clinking them,” Lerian said. “It makes you feel that if you had your eyes closed, you could visualize what was going on in the scene.” “The Graduate” follows a young college graduate named Ben. When he returns from college, he begins questioning the value of his education and what he will do with his future. At the same time, he finds himself stuck in a love triangle

between a family friend’s wife and her daughter. The plot connects well with young adults because of its college-aged main character and his conflicts, Lerian said. “If you look at it as a kind of period piece of the way life was 40 years ago, it’s very interesting,” he said. “I think students would get a kick out of it. It’s a very compelling story.” Graduate student Tim Farrell grew up with film, he said. “I saw that at the drive-in,” Farrell said. “I must have been seven. At the time, it made a big impression.” “The Graduate” included offputting plot skips and unusual storytelling techniques, he said. “I remember thinking, ‘Man, that’s a really strange film,’ even as a young person,” Farrell said. “It’s got a different linearity in the way it’s presented.” When Farrell saw the film again as an adult, he had more appreciation for it, he said. “I remember being struck by the contrast of the really sophisticated humor,” Farrell said. “It’s kind of subtle. Parts of that movie are really funny — at least to me. I guess what that portrays to me is that there are a lot of layers going on.” The film’s dialogue makes it fitting for the stage and for radio theater in particular, he said. “It’s pretty dialogue-driven,” Farrell said. “That’s what

PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT PETIT

makes it a sophisticated comedy. There aren’t a lot of pratfalls or physical comedy. It’s just a lot of subtly-worded, intellectually-appealing humor.” College students might take a particular interest in the plot because they can relate to the main character’s questioning of life post-university, he said. “I think what’s really going to make it appealing not just for the stage, but for the stage at Poly, is it’s about a guy graduating and basically questioning his whole academic experience — not really thinking it’s worth it,” Farrell said. “He gets out of college wondering why he did it. He’s questioning his motivation in life.”

Farrell hopes the production will challenge Cal Poly students, he said. “I don’t know if it’s going to strike a chord, because so many Poly students are so singularly driven,” he said. “They aren’t used to questioning. I’m not sure if it’ll strike them as intriguing or if they’ll just ignore it.” Farrell looks forward to seeing how the radio theater production will portray certain famous scenes from the film, he said. “I’d be really curious, if for nothing else, to see how they pull off parts,” he said. “The ending is big, physical, dramatic — kind of operatic. I’d be fascinated to see how they do that.”

Andrew Bird delivers wintry instrumental EP

English senior David Llamas has seen the film production of “The Graduate” multiple times and hopes to attend its theater production at the PAC. Beneath the satire and unique presentation of “The Graduate,” the film is simply an entertaining story, he said. “It’s a fun movie,” Llamas said. “The tension of the conflict in it is something that could translate to any format. Even though it’s something we really associate with the mid-‘60s, I think the timelessness of it would translate to any other medium.” “The Graduate” starts at 7:30 p.m. Student rush tickets are available at the door for $10.

DAVID JANG/MUSTANG NEWS

BY PARKER EVANS

PARKER EVANS

@parker_d_evans

Parker Evans is an economics senior and Mustang News music columnist. In another life, Andrew Bird is ghostwriting for Miley Cyrus and One Direction. Even from the early days in the late ’90s backed by his Bowl of Fire band, Bird’s songwriting acumen and ear for melody have always been tremendous. Fortunately for us, he has put his gifts to work within the context of his accented, meticulously-crafted sound instead of writing hooks for top-40 radio fare. It’s impossible to accuse Bird’s

music of being derivative. As an accomplished violinist, nearly all of his arrangements are heavy on the strings and light on guitar and drums. Over the course of his past few albums, Bird has experimented with looping textures, but the charmingly audible click of his violin’s loop pedal is his weapon of choice for his I Want to See Pulaski at Night EP. Combine that with his prodigious whistling ability and dense, literary lyrics (both of which are sparse here), and you’ve got an artist whose unique stamp is apparent from the first note. At just seven songs and 25 minutes, I Want to See Pulaski At Night lacks the whimsical flourish that permeates much

of Bird’s catalog. There are no calypso interludes or power-pop detours or extended metaphors here; this is a November album through and through. As an Illinois native and Northwestern alumnus, Bird knows a thing or two about cold weather, and the album’s spiritual setting of Chicago gives the listener a startlingly powerful sense of place and time. The EP’s song “Pulaski at Night” derives its name from one of the city’s main streets that travels parallel to Lake Ontario and its short intro “Logan’s Loop” is another bit of local geography. “Come back to Chicago, city of lights,” he pleads. Bird’s Chicago isn’t Sufjan Stevens’ Me-

tropolis stand-in or Chief Keef’s drug-fueled warzone. Over a dramatic violin hook that brings to mind the music of the Polish community from which the street takes its name, “Pulaski at Night” paints a vivid picture of a snowy, wondrous American Paris on the lake. Outside of that track, we’re left with Bird’s violin, his loop pedal and little else. Unfortunately, the decision to make a largely instrumental album strips Bird of one of his most effective tools. The gorgeous imagery of Break It Yourself (my favorite release of 2012) is noticeably absent. Bird has an uncanny ability to evoke powerful images and emotions in a limited space (see this past

year’s “Desperation Breeds … ” for a particularly striking example), but I Want To See Pulaski at Night seems more concerned with violin loops than making meaningful connections with the listener. That’s not to say the instrumental majority isn’t worth listening to. The sounds Bird coaxes out of his instrument, whether plucking or shredding, are worth the price of admission. The looping on opener “Ethio Invention No. 1” is some inspired stuff even before considering the bow-destroying technical ability. Still, I don’t think there’s anybody left questioning Bird’s violin credentials, and the first couple

of tracks can’t help but feel like warm-ups for something bigger. When the whole picture is taken into account, Bird is a master musician, brilliant songwriter and captivating live performer, but I Want to See Pulaski at Night can at times be little more than rote exercise. “I write you a story, but it loses its thread,” he sings in one of the short bits of insight he allows himself. It seems strange to label such a wintry, sparse release as indulgent, but it’s hard to shake the same criticisms that have followed Bird since the beginning. I Want to See Pulaski at Night is beautiful but impersonal; smart but detached.

Listen to Andrew Bird’s EP when checking out the column online at MustangNews.net

opinion/sports 7

Monday, November 18, 2013

Obamacare highlights administration’s flaws Rollout woes are a symptom of a deeper problem Eric Stubben is a mechanical engineering sophomore and Mustang News conservative columnist. These views do not necessarily reflect the opinion or editorial coverage of Mustang News. I’ve given President Barack Obama every chance to redeem himself on his signature Affordable Care Act (ACA) during the past month and a half. The “train wreck,” as many Congressional Republicans have dubbed it, finally hit me. It wasn’t necessarily the low enrollment numbers, the healthcare.gov disaster or even the law itself that pushed me over the edge. What seems to be the most disturbing trend stemming from the ACA is the Obama administration’s constant lying and fact distortion on behalf of the American public. For the past five years, Americans have been putting up with an ineffective administration that states they are “committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in government.” But open governments don’t reside behind a smoke screen of numbers and irresponsibility for their actions. An open government doesn’t wait six weeks to give an apology for a clearly floundering law. An open government certainly does not look like the Obama administration, especially during the ACA rollout. The highly anticipated rollout of President Obama’s signature law (commonly called Obamacare) was supposed to provide insurance to 500,000 Americans in the first month, a lofty goal for such a radical and relatively unpopular law. However, results through the first six weeks show a miserable trend. Through website glitches and confusion over the law, a grand total of 106,185 Americans have finished the sign-up process on either state or federal ACA websites. Now this is where the Obama administration drops the first curtain. At first glance, a 21 percent sign up rate seems poor. But the numbers are even worse than that. Although these people have completed signing up for health insurance, it’s still unclear how many are actually enrolled in health care insur-

@CPMustangSports

With strong performances from both senior Chris Frias and sophomore Laura Hollander, the Cal Poly men's and women's cross-country teams both earned a top-10 finish at the NCAA West Regional in Sacramento, Calif. on Friday. The two will also represent the Mustangs at the national championships on Nov. 23. In the men’s 10 kilometer competition, Chris Frias, who finished in 29 minutes, 55 seconds, lifted the Mustangs to a seventh-place finish as a team while he captured ninth place overall — 20 seconds behind the winner. Sean Davidson crossed the finish line shortly after Frias with a time of 30:25 in 25th place, and Mitch Moriarty arrived just after at 30:34 in 30th place. Freshman Dimitri Voytilla and Tyler Huntley placed 65th and 66th, respectively, to earn the Cal Poly men’s team a score of 191. Stanford won with 53 points. In the women’s six kilometer race, Hollander propelled the Mustangs to a score of 259 with a time of 19:37, as she placed seventh out of 225 participants. Hollander maintained

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CONSERVATIVEcolumn ance plans. The 106,185-person president was aware the website the ACA. Of course, things are statistic is not even the same failed tests just days before the never as they seem. Backtrackstatistic that the Obama ad- rollout but refused to move back ing on this statement, Obama ministration used to estimate the rollout date. It’s one thing to claims he “meant to say” you how many people would enroll be strong-willed, but another to can keep your health care plan if into plans. be ignorant towards what is best you haven’t changed it since the Even if most of the health care for the American public. law was passed. Well… that’s an sign ups were able to enroll, deWe know the website was important detail. We now know mographic data would also be developed for at least $93.7 that millions (up to 52 million) important. The ACA’s effective- million spanning three years. Americans will be forced to give ness depends on whether or not After website repairs and post- up their current insurance plans young Americans enroll in the rollout fixes, the cost is sure for new ones. program. If data is released and to be much higher. And, of A quick apology and admita high percentage tance of mistakes of enrollees are would be have The Affordable Care Act mandate been a much elderly, the future of the ACA will more admirable must be pushed back to account be in jeopardy form of leaderwithout a strong Instead, for lost time and confusion among ship. base of future ushe waited more the American people. ers. It’s hard to than a month to tell whether these state he’s “sorry problems will (Americans) are materialize with the Obama course, that’s part of the whole finding themselves in this situadministration’s blanket over hypocrisy of the law. We’re ation.” Notice he doesn’t hold health care statistics. paying millions more in tax himself accountable for causing The ineffectiveness of the ac- dollars to fund a dysfunctional the sticky health care situation tual law has so far been largely website and an incompetent we’re in now. Actually, Presiovershadowed by the web- ACA leadership team when no dent Obama has done quite the site’s failures, and rightfully results support them. contrary. His administration has so. Obama repeatedly assures Defending his signature law, suggested the website is malAmericans that healthcare.gov President Obama has stooped functioning due to heavy traffic will be up and running by the to a new low. “If you like your and the popularity of his health end of November, although plan, you can keep it,” he said. care law. He even cited on Twitthere are no signs of improve- That was one of the most attrac- ter via his staff that healthcare. ment. Now we’ve learned the tive draws for many to support gov had been visited 20 million

times in the first three weeks. Twenty million hits sure are different than 20 million enrollees. Americans have until March 31, 2014 to sign up for Obamacare insurance. If the current rate continues, less than 700,000 Americans will be able to sign up. That’s much less than the previously estimated seven million who would actually enroll in health insurance plans. Although I stand firmly with Republicans against the Affordable Care Act, it will not be repealed with a Democratic Senate and president. However, at this point we’ve lost more than one month of the enrollment period with a defective website and, consequently, the president’s ratings have taken a hit. The Affordable Care Act mandate must be pushed back to account for lost time and confusion among the American people. Meanwhile, President Obama can sit back and watch as his signature bill takes away health care coverage from millions of responsible Americans and damages whatever positive credibility the president has left. Maybe then he’ll realize what his Affordable Care Act is truly all about.

Frias, Hollander qualify for nationals MUSTANG NEWS STAFF REPORT

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a five minute, 16 second mile per minute pace, and finished 26 seconds behind the winner, Emma Bates of Boise State. The second Cal Poly runner to cross the finish line was senior Diana George who placed 54th

overall. Following was freshman Mary Jo Wright in 63rd who finished in 20 minutes, 52 seconds. Freshman Ashley Windsor and sophomore Ashley Bergstrom arrived in 67th and 68th place, respectively.

Both the women’s and men’s teams are coming off Big West championships this year, led by individual champions Hollander and Frias. The teams are waiting to see if they will be selected by the NCAA com-

mittee for an at-large bid to the NCAA championship, which will take place on Nov. 23 in Terre Haute, Ind. Evan Morter contributed to this report.

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Both the Cal Poly men’s and women’s cross-country teams placed in the top 10 of the NCAA West Regional on Friday. Senior Chris Frias finished ninth overall for the men, while sophomore Laura Hollander captured seventh in the women’s race.

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Monday, November 18, 2013

sports 9

Women’s basketball routed by No. 5 Stanford JACOB LAUING

@JLauing

Facing its highest-ranked opponent in program history, the Cal Poly women’s basketball team fell 86-51 to No. 5 Stanford at Maples Pavilion on Friday night. The Mustangs, who entered the contest winless on the year, got an early jump on the Cardinal. Seniors Molly Schlemer and Jonae Ervin propelled the Mustangs to a 13-11 lead 10 minutes into the first half with four and five points, respectively. “Cal Poly came out very aggressively,” Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer said. “This was a really good team for us to play. I know they started out slow with some of their losses, but they really played us tough and I compliment (Cal Poly head coach) Faith (Mimnaugh) and their staff.” Then came Chiney Ogwumike. The All-American forward notched a career-high 36 points and recorded her third double-double of the year for Stanford. Coincidentally, Ogwumike’s 36 points marked the point difference between the two teams. “I thought we played really aggressively and tried to do the best job we could on Ogwumike early on,” Mimnaugh said. “As the game wore on, we had different defenders to try and handle her, and that wasn’t very successful.” Though none of Ogwumike’s teammates recorded more than nine points, senior forward Mikaela Ruef also had a career night with 14 rebounds. “They’re going to be in a national championship opportu-

nity,” Mimnaugh said. “There’s so much we can learn straight from Stanford. Their ball movement and their execution was phenomenal. They share the ball very well.” Cal Poly continues to rely on Schlemer, Ervin and junior guard Ariana Elegado, who shot 30 percent from downtown. The trio put up a combined 39 points, compared to the rest of the team’s 12. “Just relying on those three scorers, I think it really limits us,” Mimnaugh said. “We have a lot of growth to experience, especially in our three and four positions which we’re still trying to tweak a little bit.” Junior Taryn Garza and sophomore Maddison Allen occupied the forward positions and combined for five points on the night. Allen, who played in only eight games last season, allowed four turnovers while Garza registered five personal fouls. “They’re young in those positions,” Mimnaugh said. “We’re going to keep working with them and see if we can’t develop and gain some confidence in what they’re doing on the court and put them in positions where they can be successful.” Cal Poly now sits at 0-3 on the season but won’t have to wait long for another chance at win No. 1. The Mustangs return to San Luis Obispo for the home opener against New Mexico State on Monday at 7 p.m. Stanford hosts UC Davis on Sunday. “(Stanford’s players) all knew their roles,” Mimnaugh said. “I think we’re still a little confused with ours. They put a pin in our balloon just with their great rebounding. It shows what championship-caliber basketball is all about.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF NHA HA

Senior Jonae Ervin led the Cal Poly women’s basketball team with 14 points and seven rebounds in a 86-51 loss to No. 5 Stanford on Friday. The Mustangs take on New Mexico State in their home opener in the Mott Athletics Center on Monday.

sports 10

Monday, November 18, 2013

Cal Poly falls to No. 3 Eastern Washington

IAN BILLINGS/MUSTANG NEWS

STEPHAN TEODOSESCU

@steodosescu

In a must-win situation to stay alive for the Big Sky Conference’s automatic playoff berth, the Cal Poly football team first had to beat No. 3 Eastern Washington. But in a game that featured the FCS’s most efficient passing offense against Cal Poly’s recently-stout defense, the Mustangs found themselves playing from behind early on. While Cal Poly managed 19 fourth-quarter points after Chris Brown took over for sophomore Dano Graves at quarterback, the rally fell short as Cal Poly dropped a 35-22 decision to the Eagles in Alex G. Spanos Stadium on Saturday. “We tried to play catch-up and I don’t think that style of football is a good style to play,” senior slotback Cole Stanford said. “It would be nice to see us jump out to a faster start.” Cal Poly (5-6, 4-3 Big Sky) scored the game’s opening points as the Mustangs settled for a 22-yard field goal from Bobby Zalud on their first possession, but it couldn’t put anymore points on the board until the fourth quarter. Cal Poly held Eastern Washington (9-2, 7-0) scoreless and contained its star sophomore

quarterback Vernon Adams to 19 yards passing in the first quarter, but the Eagles soon jumped on top with Quincy Forte’s 37-yard touchdown run that opened the gate for 35 unanswered Eastern Washington points. “(Adams) was confused early in the game, but the one thing they picked up on is that we probably pressured them more than we should have,” Cal Poly head coach Tim Walsh said. “They took advantage and did a good job of knowing when we were coming.” Freshman Cooper Kupp caught Adams’ next two touchdown passes to extend the Eagles’ lead. On the second of those passes, Adams was crunched by Cal Poly defenders on the release and left the game holding his right shoulder. But Eastern Washington’s offense continued to churn as backup quarterback Anthony Vitto found receiver Shaquille Hill for a 54-yard touchdown strike in the third quarter and running back Mario Brown scored on a 34-yard scamper to put the game out of reach for Cal Poly. “If you take the big plays away from it, we probably played good a majority of the time on defense, but when you give up 40 and 50-yard touch-

downs, you’re not going to win a lot of games,” Walsh said. Brown led Cal Poly on three scoring drives in the fourth quarter, including one that culminated in a 25-yard touchdown catch by Stanford, but it turned out to be too little, too late. “I made eye contact with him before the play, and I don’t think he was going to throw that ball to anyone else, and I didn’t want him to,” Stanford said. “Whether I was double covered or triple covered, I wanted the ball in that situation.” With Montana’s victory over Weber State sealed by the start of the third quarter of Cal Poly’s game, the Mustangs were mathematically eliminated from receiving the automatic bid to the FCS playoffs before their loss was final. An atlarge bid to the expanded FCS playoff system will be highly unlikely as the Mustangs can only manage a total of six wins on the season, one short of the recommended seven for postseason acceptance. Graves finished Saturday’s game 8 of 16 passing with three interceptions while Brown managed 87 yards through that air on 4 of 7 attempts. He scored a touchdown on the ground to go along with his

scoring strike to Stanford. Kristaan Ivory led Cal Poly’s ground game as he rushed for 91 yards on 14 carries. He became the 16th Cal Poly player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season. Adams finished the day with

two touchdowns on 224 yards passing and Vitto had a touchdown on 127 yards for the Eagles. Forte led Eastern Washington on the ground as he rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown. “We shut down their run which is what makes them

one-sided, but unfortunately their passing is still very efficient, so we couldn’t stop that,” senior defensive tackle Sullivan Grosz said. Cal Poly will close out its 2013 season at Northern Colorado next Saturday.

By the numbers Cal Poly

Eastern Washington

Points

124

Passing yards

351

313

Rushing yards

135

Turnovers