Volume 9, Issue 10

UCSB’s Weekly Student-Run Newspaper

Volume 9, Issue 10 | Jan 21 - Jan 27, 2015

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DRAG

PARKS & REC

ANTIBIOTICS

See some of the best photos from UCSB’s third-annual drag show, Winter Wonder Drag.

We say a heartfelt farewell to one of this generation’s most popular and beloved sitcoms.

A new antibiotic found in dirt may have the potential to end the threat of resistant dieseases.

PHOTO / 4

A&E / 5

SCI & TECH / 7

Hundreds Gather to End Rape Culture in Isla Vista

Photo by Zhuoning Du | The Bottom Line Students march through Isla Vista and down Del Playa on Jan. 16, demonstrating against rape culture.

Hector Sanchez Castaneda Over 200 students gathered on Jan. 16 in Isla Vista at 10 PM to march down Del Playa and raise awareness about rape culture in the community. With signs that read “Women and Men Together” and “End Rape Culture,” the group gathered at Little Acorn Park and made its way down DP. University of California, Santa Barbara sociology professor Kum-Kum Bhavnani and four of her Introduction to Women, Culture, and Development (SOC156A) students organized the march and began to plan last quarter.

Third-year sociology major and march organizer Audrey Westerlund said the idea for the event sprang up during a dinner with Professor Bhavnani and several of her classmates while discussing problems in IV. “Immediately the first thing that we all brought up, especially since it was all women at the dinner, was rape culture in Isla Vista,” Westerlund said. “In some way or another each and every one of us at the dinner had experienced it. We talked a little more and decided to do something about it.”

At the event, small cards that read “No excuses for rape. End rape culture,” were distributed among the participants to use as a form of communication if questions from bystanders arose.

“I think it’s fantastic that the women students are leading the way in Isla Vista,” Professor Bhavnani said. “What they’ve said to me is that they want to end rape culture and I think one of the ways to do it is for the women themselves to say what they want.”

According to Professor Bhavnani, rape culture is difficult to define.

“It’s always hard to know what the definition of rape culture is,” Professor Bhavnani said. “The idea is that we live in a culture

where women are treated as objects, and when people are treated as objects we sometimes abuse them.”

While marching down DP, the students were accompanied by loud cheers and claps of applause from bystanders. At several instances, bystanders joined the march and began to walk alongside the original participants.

Third-year global and international studies major Claire Breen stated that she thought participating in the march was a step towards change.

“I think the march was extremely important because currently in Isla Vista and basically every college campus in the United States right now, rape culture is extremely prevalent and it’s something that we’re still fighting against,” Breen said.

Alluding to the controversial Rolling Stone article “A Rape on Campus,” Breen voiced her frustration of how rape cases are treated.

“I think that’s very indicative of the type of society that we’re living in now,” Breen said. “We’re still in this world where we’re still saying that the survivor’s story isn’t true or that it’s problematic.”

Chants like “We will not be silenced. Stop the violence,” and “What do we want? End rape culture. When do we want it?

Now!” were recited by the crowd.

Kai Harper, Assistant Resident Director of Manzanita Village, thought that the march was a powerful and much needed statement for the community as a whole.

“The school has gone through a lot of things recently that have shown that there’s a huge need to bring about awareness of rape culture and ultimately end it,” Harper said. “I think this is a good part of the process. It’s not enough obviously just to have this. It needs to be everything, it needs to be the school, the administra-

tion, the students themselves standing up and making a change.”

Third-year sociology major and an organizer of the event Zoe Monty-Montalvo stated that she hopes the biggest thing people take away from this march is the realization that women and men need to work together in order to end rape culture.

“To address rape culture and confront it, it takes both men and women to do so,” Monty-Montalvo said. “Both sexes have to work together to come to a solution.”

Indeed, the march consisted of both men and women walking together down DP. Lasting approximately 40 minutes, the march faced no opposition. Instead, balconies full of people gave their thumbs up in support of the rally.

“I want people to say, ‘This is great, people are doing something about it,’” Westerlund said. “I’m grateful for the comfortable environment that Professor Bhavnani provided for us that allowed something like this to happen.”

First-year biology major Courtney Welsh believes this march will help break down barriers and ease conversation on the topic of rape culture.

“It’s definitely something that people all know about but something that we don’t talk about enough,” Welsh said. “I think that it’s important that we raise awareness and make it more of a comfortable thing to talk about.”

At the end of the march, back at Little Acorn Park, third-year sociology major and event organizer Diana Figueroa thanked everybody for participating.

“This is what we wanted to do; we wanted to create this kind of dialogue,” Figueroa said. “Take it back to your organizations, take it back to your housemates, take it back to wherever you’re from, and start this dialogue. Having this dialogue is enough itself. Thank you.”

NATIONAL BEAT REPORT

UCSB Awarded Federal Grant for Expanding Mental Health Services Gilberto Flores National Beat Reporter The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a $570,000 grant to the University of California, Santa Barbara for the purpose of expanding mental health services on campus and in Isla Vista. The grant will be used to meet the increased demand for mental health services in the wake of the Isla Vista shooting in May 2014.

The grant was announced by Representative Lois Capps (CA-24) on Jan. 13, 2015. “May 23 was a tragic day for the Isla Vista and UCSB communities,” Capps said. “Several months later, we are still dealing with the aftermath in very real ways.

This grant will provide enhanced care to support members of our community as they continue to heal and as we all work together to make UCSB and Isla Vista better, safer places to live

and study.” Rep. Capps will be joined by Richard Martinez, father of Isla Vista shooting victim Christopher Ross MichaelsMartinez, at President Obama’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

The grant will go towards temporarily hiring two additional counseling psychologists for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), a staff member for Student Mental Health Coordination Services (SMHCS), a counseling psychologist for staff and faculty through UCSB’s Academic & Staff Assistance Program (ASAP), and a social worker for Student Health.

“But we all work together,” said Angela Andrade, Associate Dean of Student Wellness Services.

“A number of those positions are planned to be housed in Isla Vista, which is really significant for us,” said Andrade. “We feel like that’s a great way to assist students and extend our services so that we’re closer to students where they live.” Student

Affairs plans to propose to use some of the grant money to lease office space on the second floor of the Isla Vista Clinic on Embarcadero Del Mar. The grant for over half a million dollars was given to the university as part of the Department of Education’s Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) and administered by the department’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students. Project SERV is a program that grants money to schools and colleges to “help them recover from a violent or traumatic event in which the learning environment has been disrupted,” according to the official website.

See HEALTH | Page 2

2 | NEWS – HEALTH

TBL | Jan 21-Jan 27, 2015 Continued from page 1

Project SERV grants started in 2001, but the Department of Education did not start awarding grants to institutions of higher education until 2008, several months after the April 2007 Virginia Tech massacre. In the past year, Project SERV grants have been awarded to schools such as Santa Monica College in California and the Newtown Public School District in Connecticut. Santa Monica College received a $66,249 grant following a June 2013 shooting that left six people

dead, while the Newtown Public School District received a $1,982,125 grant in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that left 20 school children and six adult staff members dead.

“I am always saddened by any tragic event, but especially incidents that involve young people whose entire futures lie ahead of them,” U.S Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a Department of Education press release. “We want

to provide as much support as we can to the students, faculty and community who have been impacted. This grant will help provide the necessary support needed to assist the university and community as they continue to move beyond the tragedies they’ve experienced.”

According to Andrade, the grant will last for one year but Student Affairs will be interested in exploring options for resubmitting grant applications and extending funding.

EAB’s Day of Drought Teaches Gauchos to be Water Wise Jeremy Peschard As California enters its fourth consecutive year of belowaverage rainfall, campus organizations at the University of California, Santa Barbara are working to raise awareness of the ways in which the average person can address this issue.

The Environmental Affairs Board (EAB) held the Day of Drought, an event organized to bring together various campus environmental organizations in order to present information on the California drought, on Jan. 15. Multiple drought-preventative measures have been implemented across the state over the past four years, as Gov. Jerry Brown declared California in a state of emergency.

Despite calls from the state government for a 20 percent consumption cutback, the State Water Resources Control Board has reported that overall consumption last year increased by one percent, which may seem like a small amount, but in actuality, it equates to billions of gallons of water.

“EAB organized the Day of Drought because we thought it’d

be good to raise drought awareness momentum,” said the main organizer of the event, third-year environmental studies major and EAB Co-Chair Jennifer Suh. “I think once the big buzz [from] the California drought was over, people stopped caring.

We wanted the Day of Drought because people think all you have to do is take a shorter shower, but there are many other things you can do, the main thing was to bring back the urgency of the drought.”

With up to 80 percent of California in an extreme drought, climate scientists have stated that this is one of the worst dry spells in recorded history, and likely one of the worst in California over the past three centuries. Climatologists are not optimistic about the situation improving any time soon, either.

In a report by The National Drought Mitigation Center and the USDA, approximately 37,004,278 people are currently affected by the drought, and findings by the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences found that, “the drought is likely to continue through 2015, regardless of El Niño conditions.”

With such dire predictions coming from top climatology

ISLA VISTA BEAT REPORT

SIDE | FEATURES

Bike Culture Poses Dangers to Isla Vista Community Kelsey Knorp Isla Vista Beat Reporter A University of California, Santa Barbara student was hospitalized last Tuesday, Jan. 13, as a result of a bicycle accident involving a skateboarder, who proceeded to flee the scene, outside of Blaze Pizza on Pardall Road.

The student was riding east on Pardall toward the UCSB campus with a group of other bicyclists, when, according to the account he gave California Highway Patrol, he saw a skateboarder begin to roll out into the middle of the street.

The skateboarder, who then appeared to realize he would not make it across in time to avoid the bicyclists, jumped from his skateboard, causing it to roll backward, directly into the path of the student’s bicycle.

“That caused him to to go over his handlebars where he hit the asphalt, and that’s actually all that he recalled,” said CHP Officer Martin Sanchez, who arrived at the scene after first responders.

Witnesses said that the skateboarder, who was described as male, fled from the scene through a private parking lot before authorities arrived.

The bicyclist, whose name has not yet been released by authorities, was conscious upon the arrival of first responders.

Because the bicyclist’s injuries appeared to primarily have been sustained to the head and neck, first responders took measures in keeping with “cervical spine precaution,” including the use of a cervical collar and spinal

board during his transport to Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital.

One of these responders, Captain Michael Dalcerri of Santa Barbara County Fire Station 17, said that this sort of biking incident and related injuries occur frequently in Isla Vista.

“There needs to be an understanding that bikes are vehicles,” Dalcerri said.

With thriving bike cultures, Isla Vista and its neighbor UCSB, are certainly no strangers to bicycle accidents. Thirdyear art history major Morey Spellman was biking to work on campus in December when he crashed at one of the busier portions of the bike paths, adjacent to the Theater and Dance buildings.

Thinking another bicyclist was about to hit his right side, Spellman swerved his bicycle abruptly to the left, and one of his feet slipped from its pedal.

As he had been pedaling uphill, the loss of momentum caused his bicycle to collapse.

Spellman said he does not recall whether or not his head only hit asphalt in the seconds after he fell, or if a bicycle he briefly saw speeding toward him actually made contact with his skull.

“Immediately after, I got up and noticed that there were pieces of my teeth and my metal retainer that’s usually in my mouth on the ground, and a bunch of blood, and people were coming up to me asking if I was okay,” Spellman said.

He said that when he went to the Student Health Center bathroom to examine his reflection, he was met with an assort-

ment of teeth jutting sideways, chipped teeth, and even missing teeth. He currently has a cast covering his upper front teeth in order to hold them in their proper positions, and faces a number of root canals, dental caps, and dental crowns in the future.

“If I do bike anymore, my parents don’t want me to bike without a helmet, which makes sense, but I don’t feel very inclined to bike either way,” Spellman said.

Third-year film and media studies major Benjamin Steele sustained a broken wrist in approximately the same region of campus, adjacent to the Theater and Dance buildings. In October 2013, according to his account, he was riding on the left side of another bicyclist, attempting to pass, when that bicyclist unwittingly swerved out to pass the bicycle in front of him, thus colliding with Steele and knocking him onto the pavement below.

“I was probably in a minor state of shock,” Steele said in an email. “I didn’t really feel any pain until I tried to put pressure on my right wrist on the handlebars of my bike.”

Steele never interacted with the person who hit his bike, but his broken wrist required surgery to realign. As a result, he no longer bikes as a primary mode of transportation.

“I already felt that biking was too stressful because of the ridiculous traffic and the lack of adherence to bike path rules, and the long-lasting impact of my injury led me to decide it wasn’t worth it,” Steele said.

TBL 2014-2015 STAFF WRITERS THIS ISSUE: Hector Sanchez Castaneda, Ivy Kuo, Kelsey Knorp, Kyle Roe, Lilian Kim, Thea Cabrera Montejo, Jeremy Peschard, Gilberto Flores, Sarah Beaver, Rick Wang, Lexi Weyrick, Joanne Rhee, Judy Lau, Samantha Stopol. Peter Crump, Kristie Chairil, Gwen Wu, Nardin Sarkis ILLUSTRATORS THIS ISSUE: April Gau, Amy Chase, Jennnifer Choi PHOTOGRAPHERS THIS ISSUE: Cynthia Garcia, Tiffany Wu, Hitashi Bansal. Carla Ramos, Frances Castellon, Zhuoning Du The Bottom Line is sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of California, Santa Barbara. Opinions expressed in TBL do not necessarily represent those of the staff, AS, or UCSB. Published with support from Generation Progress/Center for American Progress (genprogress.org). All submissions, questions or comments may be directed to bottomlineucsb@gmail.com or content.tbl@gmail.com.

reports, many are unsure of what they can personally do to help reduce their own water usage.

“To help reduce the amount of water you use, try to avoid eating almonds, beef, and walnuts, which are the three most water-intensive crops,” said Suh. “The majority of water in California is used for agriculture, so it’s important to do things like use reusable water bottles, but make sure you’re aware of which products you’re buying and the impact they have on the environment.”

Making tangible lifestyle choices was a dominant theme at the Day of Drought, and this was particularly resonant to many of the participants of the event, who repeatedly stated that although they want to make a difference in their consumption habits, they are unsure of how to go about that.

Second-year sociology major Xin Ma said, “I think by now, most people are already aware that we are currently in a serious drought. I think the importance of events like these is to offer students an opportunity to get involved with sustainability, which is crucial to working towards a solution.”

Event Preview: Chinese Cirque Zíva is Coming to Town Ivy Kuo Staff Writer Immediately after their successful five-week run on Broadway, award-winning Cirque Zíva, a Chinese cirque company, will be performing at Campbell Hall on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 3:00 PM. The 75-minute show will be hosted by University of California, Santa Barbara’s Arts & Lectures, and is also part of the Family Fun series.

This premier troupe, also known as the Golden Dragon Acrobats, remains as the only Chinese acrobatic group that tours the U.S. year-round. They hold over 200 shows yearly, and have won numerous awards for their dazzling performances. Their first Broadway debut took place in 2005, and they were so critically acclaimed that they performed again at the end of 2014, making them the only Chinese acrobatic group to perform twice at this venue.

Cirque Zíva integrates cultural elements into their awe-inspiring dances through their integration of China’s Thousand Arms Dance and their intricate costumes inspired by traditional Chinese attire. The experience of watching their breathtaking performance is similar to that of Cirque Du Soleil, but these graceful Chinese acrobats skillfully incorporate Asian influences into their shows.

“When the Golden Dragon Acrobats come to town, the wonders

Executive Managing Editor | Marissa Perez Executive Content Editor | Matt Mersel Copy Editor | Andrea Vallone News Editor | Isabelle Geczy Features Editor | Deanna Kim Opinions Editor | Sam Goldman Arts & Entertainment Editor | Coleman Gray Science & Technology Editor | Mimi Liu Senior Layout Editor | Morey Spellman

stack up,” The New York Times writes. “These touring acrobats from China know how to keep topping themselves.”

Cirque Zíva is a truly unique, one-of-a-kind show, as their traditional Chinese acrobats charm its audiences, in front of spectacular set designs, as they balance on steep landers, tumble gracefully into the air, and jump from dangerous heights with skilled athleticism. Not only can this show be considered as a true work of art and aesthetically valuable, but it’s also a form of cultural exchange between the performers and audience members. Beyond the dangerous stunts and mesmerizing light shows is the insight into an aspect of traditional Chinese culture.

“This unique cirque spectacular showcases traditional Chinese acrobats who dazzle with amazing feats of athleticism, daring heartstopping stunts and the grace of their centuries-old art form,” Broadway World states.

This live performance will truly be like one you’ve never seen before, with spectacular visuals and thrilling acrobatic stunts that will dazzle its audience members, while retaining its traditional Asian roots. This cirque show will excite and entertain people of all ages.

Tickets are priced at $16 for the general public and $12 for children. Bring your family an hour before the show for free crafting, balloon launching, and face painting.

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3 | FEATURES

TBL | Jan 21-Jan 27, 2015

Winter Wonder Drag Makes It Reign for a Third Year

Photo by Hitashi Bansal | The Bottom Line Thea Cabrera Montejo Before the third-annual Winter Wonder Drag even began, the palpable anticipation among the crowd raised a sense of unbelievable eagerness.

The two-hour jam-packed event, though incredibly exciting from start to finish, was more than about fierce drag kings and queens—it was about solidifying the supportive and inclusive community Avery Daniels established three years ago.

Daniels is the founder of Winter Wonder Drag. A University of California, Santa Barbara alumnus and psychology major, Daniels coordinated the event with the help of Jenna Scyde, another alumnus with an English major and a specialization in medieval literature.

On Thursday, Jan. 15, Winter Wonder Drag 2015 opened its doors at

8:30 PM in The Hub to more than 300 students who were eager to spectate nine incredibly talented queens and one impeccable king strut.

Daniels and Scyde hosted the event unscripted. They shared their vast energy on stage with performers, including Parker Quin, Tyler Diamond, Frita, Athena, Genesi, Isis, and many more.

Initially, Winter Wonder Drag began as a Queer Student Union fundraiser and morphed into what it is today: a safe space to celebrate pride, community, and queerness.

All the arduous effort of reaching out to performers, creating the lineup, organizing the music, and establishing a fully functioning show was apparent.

As Jenna Scyde said, “I have a great love for UCSB’s queer community and would do anything for them. I’m sassy and uncensored onstage, but at the root

of it, it is all love.”

Coordinators of the event were able to make this year even more special with their first professional drag queen, the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 3, Raja. With lavishly long legs, Raja strutted the stage to Hi Fashion’s “Amazing” with intense elegance.

Afterwards, she hosted a questions and answer portion of the show, where she addressed the thriving drag culture, her inequivalent style, and her relationship with her career.

This event was an inspiration to all, but Raja’s presence amplified it for first-year student Michael Moore. He revealed that his own pivotal journey was in parallel to Raja’s triumph. He said, “Watching [Raja] definitely made me feel more comfortable coming out.”

Glitter, confetti, and powerful renditions of pop idols such as Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus,

and Regina George dominated the stage that night. Performers knew how to tease and please the audience, and the crowd reciprocated with roaring applauses and never-ending support.

The king and queens radiated on stage, and their ferocity was constantly validated by the loving and highly encouraging community.

“I love that our school does this so much,” said fourth-year Heather Landazvri, an avid drag-show-attendee.

“It’s so supportive, so progressive.”

In the midst of thriving individuality and energy manifested from Winter Wonder Drag, one can only embrace the community that is progressively normalizing different gender identities. The atmosphere was undeniably empowering, and each performer possessed their own ineffable attitude.

Shayan Hosseinzadeh, an alumnus

and biochemistry major, as well as the winner of the Diva Games, has attended every Winter Wonder Drag. He said, “It’s really inspired me to embrace the drag culture and come out and express myself and feel confident about myself.”

Various forms of ingenuity and creativity were displayed on the stage that night, and it was not uncommon for performers to be showered in dollar bills from audience members.

Winter Wonder Drag, a pinnacle of entertainment, ferocity, and fabulousness, was no doubt entertaining—but on a deeper level, it was awe-inspiring and liberating.

Exuding unwavering confidence, this event, for the third year in a row, helped solidify an inclusive stance at this campus.

“Drag is imperative; drag is present; drag it here,” said Raja. “It is part of the dialogue, so let’s celebrate it!”

UCSB Pep Band Puts the ‘Thunder’ in ‘Thunderdome’ Lilian Kim Just like every other Wednesday, the University of California, Santa Barbara pep band held their weekly rehearsal, conducted by fourth-year history major Charles Cummins, at a room in the Thunderdome. A band of 20 students performed a seemingly endless set of varied music, ranging from pop music to “oldies but goodies” throughout the night.

It was easy to catch a glimpse of the energy that empowers our athletes and honors the spirt of our school.

According to co-president Emma Manley, a fourth-year film and media studies major, the band dedicates a lot of time and effort in maintaining not only the peppy attitude of the band, but also the reputation of UCSB athletics.

At every home soccer and basketball game, it is hard to miss the spirit upheld by the UCSB’s pep band cheering on our school. UCSB’s pep band started in 1998 as a studentrun organization with a jumble of 10 to 12 people. Today, the club has grown double in size and plays a diverse group of instruments, ranging

from xylophones that fit on the lap to a matte black tuba that proudly displays the word “Gauchos” on its horn. Through every song, these artists sway their body to the beat of the songs; some tap their feet, others bob their heads and sway their body to the melody.

During this dress rehearsal, after a 15-minute break, the band opened up with a fanfare called “The Middle,”

by Jimmy Eat World. Full of fun and excitement, their performance is electric. Afterwards they transitioned into a song completely opposite of the first; it is intense and fierce, and the roar of competition and pressure is prevalent as the drumbeat pounds on and on. The next two songs are more familiar: Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” and Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone.”

As the rehearsal came to a close, the band suddenly raced up to the center of the room, got on their knees, and broke out into a serenade.

With smiles and waving hands, they played Righteous Brother’s “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” with passion and exhilaration. This is one of the pep band’s longest traditions, as they

frequently serenade longtime fans of both the band and the UCSB athletic team, friends, and even parents who are seen dancing to the music with their children.

Third-year environmental science major Sarah Lloyd summarized pep band, saying that “[we] come in, set our stands and chairs, get out our instruments, play some lovely tunes, have a good laugh, socialize, meet new people, and lots of laughter.”

The 15-minute break was not the only time all the band members shared numerous jokes and laughs.

The rehearsal was filled with bursts of energy throughout the songs and enthusiasm that emanated through the night.

The beauty of pep band, according to fourth-year aquatic biology major and clarinet player Rebecca Howard, is the opportunity to be able to play music with people without having the intentions of making a career out of it.

Pep band is a space where people can make different experiences. Manley said that she made some of her best friends in pep band while “screaming our heads off cheering for the teams.”

What the club appreciates the

Photo by Frances Castellon | The Bottom Line UCSB Pep Band practices in the Thunderdome Founders Room most about the games is the amount of support that they garner from fans and audiences. Manley recounts how some audiences have witnessed the growth and improvement of the band throughout the years, and in fact, many people go out to either thank the band or compliment them on their performances. After all, the pep band is composed of students who have internships, jobs, and academics to focus on outside of the band.

Howard describes pep band as “one of the best study breaks.”

Cummins said, “[Pep band] is a good way to unwind from a stressful scholastic endeavor career.”

Amidst the numerous nights of performing at cold soccer games at Harder Stadium or stuffy basketball games at the Thunderdome, third-year environmental science major Sarah Lloyd has one simple request: she says, “Come and say hi and clap for us.”

Dr. Michio Kaku To Give Talk at Granada Theatre Kyle Roe STAFF WRITER As most high school teachers are painfully aware, it’s pretty hard to get people interested in subjects involving higher thought. The general public has an uncanny tendency to pay more attention to what is entertaining and trendy in the moment than serious conflicts around the world or which politician is representing them in office— and don’t even try to mention science. All those tedious hours spent in uncomfortable desks listening to some teacher drone on and on about equations and cells enter one ear and are thrown out the other by the eternally cynical question: “When am

I ever going to use this?” Because in the end, what is fun will always triumph over what is important if what is important is deemed boring.

In reality, the processes responsible for shaping our Earth and the life inhabiting it are endlessly fascinating and beautiful to a fault. All science needs is the right publicist, and that’s where Dr. Michio Kaku comes in. Kaku is a world renowned physicist and co-founder of string field theory, a branch of string theory, which aims to describe all fundamental forces in the universe. He is a well-known popularizer of science who has written many books and appeared on a variety of television programs in the name of promoting scientific knowledge and

discoveries to a broad, mainstream audience.

Like Carl Sagan and Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Kaku uses our addiction to technology as a medium to promote a subject once limited to libraries and classrooms.

Thanks to University of California, Santa Barbara’s Arts & Lectures, Kaku is making a stop at the Granada Theatre in downtown Santa Barbara on Jan. 28 to promote his new book, The Future of the Mind: The Scientific Quest to Understand, Enhance, and Empower the Mind. The book delves into theoretical ideas about how technology could alter and enhance our minds in the future. Telepathy and telekinesis, ideas usually reserved for science fiction and superhero comics, are

discussed as an actual scientific possibility.

He writes about computers with the ability to download our consciousness, interpreting our human experience as a series of neural signals. Even more exciting, potentially invasive, and futuristic possibilities are mentioned in the book, aiming to enthrall the laymen and challenge the ambitious scientist to fulfill his innovative prophecies.

Kaku will likely also discuss topics from his other recent books, which focused heavily on physics, space travel, and robotics.

All of these ideas are revolutionary and incredibly cool, so if you want to have your mind blown and learn a little about science in the process, Dr. Michio Kaku’s lecture is exactly what you’re looking for.

4 | PHOTO

TBL | Jan 21-Jan 27, 2015

Wonder Drag

Photo by Carla Ramos | The Bottom Line

Photo by Cynthia Garcia | The Bottom Line

UCSB’s fiercest drag queens and kings took the stage at the third-annual Winter Wonder Drag on Jan.15 in The Hub.

Photo by Cynthia Garcia | The Bottom Line

Photo by Carla Ramos | The Bottom Line

Photo by Carla Ramos | The Bottom Line

Photo by Cynthia Garcia | The Bottom Line

Photo by Carla Ramos | The Bottom Line

Photo by Cynthia Garcia | The Bottom Line

TBL | Jan 21-Jan 27, 2015

5 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Death Grips Strut Their Sexy Lady Parts in ‘Fashion Week’ Kyle Roe STAFF WRITER In lieu of the upcoming release of their final album, The Powers That B, experimental hip hop trio Death Grips has released a new album of electronic music titled Fashion Week. The album is a collection of instrumentals the band has described as a “soundtrack,” though to what no one is really sure. The simplest, most obvious, explanation is a soundtrack to the various Fashion Week events popping up in a few major cities around the globe in mid-February.

Unsurprisingly, Death Grips has no connection to any of these runway extravaganzas, with their abrasive music and persona often serving as an antithesis to the snobbery and “class” attached to the events. One can only conclude the homage is ironic, and after listening to Fashion Week it’s clear that Zach Hill and the crew were going for the opposite of the plastic-y brand of dubstep usually played on the runway.

The album was released on Jan. 4 as a free download on the band’s website, thirdworlds.net, without any announcement or promotion prior to its release. However, this is pretty normal for Death Grips. From randomly canceling concerts to announcing their breakup in the middle of a tour with no warning, the group has garnered a reputation for tumultuous, sometimes selfdestructive, impulsiveness. When told by Epic Records they could not release their album No Love Deep Web until 2013 even though they wanted to release it in 2012, they leaked it online anyway without the label’s knowledge. The leak violated their recording contract and led to Epic drop-

Fashion Week album cover.

Photo Courtesy of Thirdworlds ping the band entirely, a course of events that would usually put a swift end to most up-and-coming artists.

However, Death Grips aren’t most upand-coming artists. By the time Epic caught wind of their betrayal, Death Grips already had such a large following from underground music fans and certain off-kilter websites (4chan, *cough cough*) that it really didn’t even matter. Death Grips found mass acclaim in the short span of one or two years because of online self-promotion, and a style totally, even aggressively, unique.

Their success was not tied to a major label, so why should it be cut short by one?

Fashion Week itself is the group’s first album without rapper/vocalist/screaming dude MC Ride, leaving the songwriting to drummer Zach Hill and keyboardist Andy “Flatlander” Morin. While MC Ride’s vocals added a fierce edge to Hill and Morin’s hard-hitting experimental beats, his absence allows listeners to focus solely on the musical aspect of Death Grips, making their music more accessible. All the songs are still experimental but share some re-

semblance to popular electronic music, especially dubstep, and all last about 3-5 minutes. The arrangement of the track list itself is also interesting : the individual tracks are all titled “Runway” followed by a letter, eventually spelling out “JENNY DEATH WHEN,” a reference to the title of the second half of their final album, Jenny Death.

The album starts off with “Runway J,” a chaotic tune featuring many of the common instrumental elements featured in the remainder of the album, including modulated keyboards and assorted sounds echoing off longer than the ear expects, resulting in a clubby industrial feel. Many of these songs, including “J,” are bangers, just not your average run-of-the-mill bangers you’d find in a dance club on State Street or a backyard in Isla Vista. The hardest-going song on the album has to be “Runway H.” It’s one of the simpler songs on the album, contrasting low-pitched modulated bass with a triumphant chorus dripping with bravado. “Runway W” immediately follows “H” and takes us on a musical journey featuring trappy-sounding chimes layered together with deeper sounding chimes, heavily reverberated chimes, ringing chimes, electric chimes, modulated chimes, and even spacey chimes. A really cool musical exploration.

I could go on and on about all the cool ideas each song brings to the table, but in the end reading about music is nowhere as interesting as listening to it. If you’re looking for an awesome, hard-going album that is unlike anything you have ever listened to, I’d highly recommend Fashion Week.

‘Girls’ Gone Wild…ly Explicit Lexi Weyrick STAFF WRITER This most recent season premiere of the hit HBO show Girls has drawn the ire of some people upset over the level of sexual content on television. The first four minutes of the new season, from 10-10:04 PM on Sunday, Jan. 11 were relatively tame, but then the show cut to a shot of one of the main characters having anilingus performed on her, followed by her male sexual partner engaging her in intercourse from behind.

The very short scene left many viewers shocked at the explicitness of the content. However, it must be stated that it looked a lot less like someone having

their anal-oral sex and a lot more like someone having their ass motor-boated.

There was nothing especially explicit in the scene compared to other HBO dramas, as it did not show the actual anus (or crack for that matter) in question. It merely showed a man with his face pressed into a woman’s behind, shaking his head like a rabid dog.

The most explicit part of the seconds-long scene was when the man began penetrating her from behind, but people aren’t up in arms about that.

How explicit the content in the scene should not really matter, though. HBO is well known to be a network that features more mature situations. There

are plenty of explicit sex scenes, complete with nudity, in its other shows like Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones. The shock value does not come from the actual nudity or engagement in sex acts, but from sex acts that are not considered by the masses to be socially acceptable.

In general, if something doesn’t support the heteronormative ideal, it will cause controversy on some level. While the scene in question features a seemingly heterosexual couple, sexual acts involving the anus is usually deemed ‘sodomy’ and is still taboo. There is a certain level of discomfort many viewers feel when they cannot relate to something on television, and

many people have never experienced whatever was going on in that scene. It should be mentioned, however, that just because many people haven’t experienced something doesn’t mean that the experience is not okay.

As long as shows make sure to be clear that they feature mature content not suitable for children, there really shouldn’t need to be a line drawn for sexual content.

Girls is on at 10 PM on Sunday nights on HBO and does feature an adult content disclaimer.

Those watching this show are going into it with a certain expectation of, or at least a warning that there might be, sexually explicit content.

The more sexual content that

airs (again, in “viewer discretion is advised” spaces), the less shameful sex will become for many viewers. The people who are watching these shows are generally not the people who have disdain for sex. If they do have general disdain for such content, that’s perfectly alright, but they can easily choose not to continue watching the shows if they’re offended by them.

As long as viewers continue to be loyal to the shows they love, the shows have no reason to monitor their sexual content to be “appropriately explicit,” especially when the content deemed too explicit is content that many couples enjoy as part of their daily lives.

‘Parks and Recreation’: When You’re Here, Then You’re Home Joanne Rhee Oh Pawnee, you perfect hamlet of friends, flus, and fart attacks. I am so lucky that the brilliant Parks and Recreation brought you into my life. You’ve been my home away from home for the past six seasons and this is literally one of the saddest letters I’ve ever had to write. I can’t count the times you’ve made me laugh until I cried.

You’ve been there for me from Netflix marathons at kickbacks to procrastinating during finals week. I’ve watched you grow throughout the seasons—unlike Li’l Sebastian.

Your journey has been an unfortunately rocky one. You were aptly, and initially unfavorably, compared to The Office, a similar mockumentarystyle show. You competed with shows about angsty vampires, restless zombies, teleporting phone booths, and meth-cooking teachers. You kept your head held high and took the constructive criticism to transformed yourself into something unique and amazing. Like the efforts of Leslie Knope, these changes went underappreciated.

Despite the clever humor, the beloved Parks and Recreation has constantly been on the verge of getting canceled. Ratings have continued to slowly decline throughout the seasons, especially as NBC gave up on the possibility of growing the audience, a decision that has mirrored NBC’s recent general decline. Television is slowly weaning itself off of sitcoms and towards drama and sci-fi/ fantasy programs.

Regardless of these issues, Pawnee and Parks and Recreation had a special place in my heart— specifically, Thursdays at 8:30 PM. Over the years, you grew into something wonderful and brilliant, and truly a work of art.

Who knew that comedy and serious issues could be brought together in such a way that engages

Illustration by April Gau | Staff Illustrator the audience? Who knew watching a show about babbling government officials could be as entertaining as it is? We were with you from the Pit to the Harvest Festival. Who could forget Leslie becoming a councilwoman and getting recalled

shortly after? Nobody can forget the PawneeEagleton merger. And my hat goes off to you for bringing up important issues such as same sex marriage, sex education, and obesity.

More importantly, I learned so many life les-

sons that are forever etched into my brain. Whenever I get overwhelmed, I step back and whisper, “treat yo self.”

In true fashion of Tom Haverford and Donna Meagle, I indulge myself in a Freebirds quesarrito (of course with guacamole). It serves as a reminder to do something nice for ourselves every once in a while.

Most importantly, I learned it’s okay to be yourself (unless you’re an Eagletonian). Every character has different personalities and interests, and they’re all accepted in some way. Even Gerry Gergich has a loving family to go home to after being the butt of the jokes all day at work. After Ann Perkins realizes that she’s the “chameleon girlfriend” who adopts characteristics of her ex-boyfriends, she learns to love herself for who she is. She is supported and loved by her biggest fan and best friend, the most driven person I know: Leslie Knope. The last thing I learned, and really the last thing I have ever needed to learn, comes from April Ludgate, who told us all: “Time is money, money is power, power is pizza, and pizza is knowledge.”

Parks and Recreation is our own Li’l Sebastian. One doesn’t just get it.

One understands, appreciates, and loves it. To an outsider it may not seem like much, but to those who are a part of it, it’s everything. Like everyone’s favorite miniature horse, Parks and Recreation will forever remain in our hearts. This show is like 5,000 candles in the wind, all 5,000 of which will be dearly missed.

TBL | Jan 21-Jan 27, 2015

6 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Gregory Porter Inspires at Campbell Hall

Rick Wang On a mild night in mid-January, the once bike-laden paths leading toward Campbell Hall filled with excited concertgoers, and the vestibule inside buzzed with excitement in anticipation of Grammy-winning Gregory Porter.

If your initial reaction to that previous sentence was something like “Wait, who?,” you and I probably share the commonality of not listening to much jazz music.

As it turned out, I had the privilege of seeing last year’s 2014 Grammy award-winner for Best Jazz Vocal Album, Liquid Spirit, perform at my school.

Gregory Porter was born in Los Angeles, raised in Bakersfield, California, and attended San Diego State University on a football scholarship. He was

nominated for two Grammy awards and won one in the mere four years since his first album, a fact which remains a mystery considering he has been singing for almost 20 years.

His path to jazz speaks of hardship and savior. As a child, he sang only at the local church his mother ministered. His father was never home and pretty much nonexistent in his life.

Raised watching his mother carry the burden of struggling through life’s challenges alone humbled Porter’s own personality. At around 20, with his football career splintered by shoulder injuries, Porter held his mother’s dying hands as she struggled to breathe her last breaths. One of her last words told him to try becoming a singer. Although skeptical, he gave it chance. It changed his life forever.

As Porter and his band

walked on stage, he received an enormous welcome from the students and local residents, lasting for what seemed like an hour. Not knowing what to expect, I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed the performance from beginning to end.

Jazz music is known to reinvigorate the spirit, bring people together, and channel the energy of culture, emotion, and experiences we can relate to through music. Gregory Porter and company did just that. All of his songs, including hit singles “Real Good Hands,” “Be Good,” and “On My Way to Harlem” were written by Porter in reflection of personal experiences.

His majestic voice beautifully carried the emotional weight of every song. He kept the audience engaged, asking us to clap and sing along at various parts; in fact, Porter seemed just as motivated on stage as we were,

moving around everywhere and proudly watching his drummer, cellist, pianist, and saxophonist nail every solo they had.

As I mentioned earlier, jazz music is known to bring people together. Many people can really relate to the tune, lyrics, and feel of songs in the genre. A few audience members notoriously sang at questionable times (out of good will) and it goes to show how much of an impact jazz can have. In the end, as Porter and crew walked off stage, the crowd gave a standing ovation with encore chants that were grandly answered. Porter walked back on stage and joked “well if you never asked, I would have never known what to play!” In the closing moments, the audience gave its resounding appreciation to what was an exhilarating performance. I now know where to start my journey in jazz.

Photo by Tiffany Wu | Staff Photographer

Gregory Porter performs at Campbell Hall on Jan. 15, 2015.

High-Res, High Price, and Triangular?

What’s Next in Portable Music Sarah Beaver STAFF WRITER Whether it is on a phone, an MP3 player, or on the computer, people are constantly listening to music. While Apple is probably the most widely known maker of portable music players (remember Microsoft’s Zune? That happened, but like not really), there have been some changes. The iPod Classic was discontinued recently to the dismay of many, and there are a couple of interesting newcomers making their way onto the market in 2015.

In partial response to this, Sony has just introduced the new Walkman ZX2, which will be available in the spring. However, if price is holding you back from getting an iPod, this is not the right MP3 player for you. According to The Verge, the new Walkman will cost $1,199.

But if you are a consummate “music connoisseur,” this pricetag might not seem so bad for what it promises. The biggest difference between the new Walkman and other music players will be its supposedly superior sound quality. According to The A.V. Club, it will be able to play very high quality sound, and it will have the ability to upgrade lower quality tracks to ones with high definition sound.

Whether or not all of this is worth the price is questionable, especially considering its less than stellar Android operation system circa 2012. Because the quality of music is most important, Sony did not focus too much attention on the ability for customers to get apps and do other things with their Walkman.

The ZX2 does, however, have a nice look. It is very sleek and should be more durable than an iPod. However, just because it looks pretty does not mean people will want to drop $1,200 for something that can fit in their pocket.

Also making its way onto the market is a new MP3 player designed by Neil Young called the PonoPlayer. The website says that Pono means “righteous” in the Hawaiian language, and the music quality is supposedly as close to the originally recorded song as it can get.

PonoMusic also boasts higher quality music available for download, though there has been some debate about the accuracy behind this. Young

Illustration by Amy Chase | Staff Illustrator promises larger files, but many have stated that this is a dubious claim, and according to The New York Post, sound technicians, and even PonoPlayer insiders, insist that the size of the file will not make a detectable difference in the sound of the music Pono Player emits.

In addition to the debacle about he sound quality, the PonoPlayer has a curious design. The player is shaped like a triangular prism, But, instead of declaring this design a shining light in the MP3 industry, pundits and reviewers have been less than welcom-

ing, calling it “chunky,” and The Guardian compares it to a Toblerone chocolate bar. Also, slightly annoying is its lack of customization and color choices, as it currently only comes in black and yellow.

The design allows for multiple modes of music listening, says PonoMusic. There are two headphone jacks, making sharing music with a friend that much easier, or for “advanced users,” sound can be balanced through the two outputs. It can also act as a speaker for use at home or in the car.

The PonoPlayer has a lot of cool features, though

it is not quite as pretty at the ZX2, and even if the sound quality is not quite as amazing as Neil Young hopes, it is less expensive. It is available for preorder for $399, and will be delivered by February 2015.

Unless you are a music connoisseur, it seems that Apple iPods are still the way to go—you can download tons of music and apps for less money, but there is no doubt that these new products seem pretty cool.

With Apple changing things up, and taking things away, perhaps these newcomers have a chance in the coming year.

‘12 Monkeys’ Traveling to Present Day, and Television Hector Sanchez Castaneda Adaptations of any kind are always met with a level of skepticism.

Whether it’s book-to-film or filmto-television, fans of the original source material watch these adaptations with nothing less than a magnifying glass. And as a result of what is often an overzealous analysis, adaptations usually carry more pressure to satisfy viewers when compared to any type of original content. This scrutiny is slated to land on the SyFy channel thanks to its new TV series 12 Monkeys, based on the popular 1995 film of the same name.

TV shows adapted from films have a long history of being lackluster. And while the list of flops is long, television seemingly has yet to learn from its past; recent examples include such monumental failures as Napoleon Dynamite and Bad Teacher. Yes, there were in fact

TV shows made of those.

Upon close examination, it’s clear why these shows were such a mishap. In the case of Napoleon Dynamite, the material underwent a complete transformation from live-action to animation. This visual overhaul was partly to blame for the lost appeal of the show.

Bad Teacher on the other hand, did something even worse. Not only did it lose its iconic movie stars Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel, but it also restricted itself from the raunchy themes that made the movie so memorable by joining the small screen and its strict parental guidelines. At least Napoleon Dynamite had all the original actors doing voice-overs.

However, if you dig deep enough past all the mediocrity, you may find yourself with a true master adaptation. Enter Fargo. Last year, we were treated to the television revival of the Coen brother’s

masterful film of the same name.

Despite not featuring the talents of Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, and Steve Buscemi, the show, written by Noah Hawley, is not lacking in star power. With the likes of Academy and Golden Globe Award-winner Billy Bob Thornton alongside Emmy and BAFTA Award-winner Martin Freeman, the show is brilliantly acted, and aesthetically jaw dropping. If you haven’t yet seen it, be sure to watch the movie and then the show, for there are minor yet key connections to the film itself.

This brings me to an important aspect on the success of film-totelevision adaptations: its relationship to the source material. When it comes to watching a television show based on one of our favorite movies, one thing we don’t want is a complete retelling of the story.

That’s what the movie is for! Instead, what fans crave is a new

story, set in the same universe with compelling characters. Put in some minor references to the original content, and you’ll be sure to have fans raving.

But, do we really need these adaptations? Aren’t movies enough?

My personal opinion is that movies have an amazing ability to set the stage, but television has the capability to unleash the true potential of a story. Just look at Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

What was first a mildly successful and largely mediocre movie turned into one of the most popular cult television shows ever. One of the interesting things about this adaptation in particular is that the original writer of the movie became the creator of the show.

Joss Whedon, who has been part of ultra successful projects such as Toy Story and The Avengers, was reportedly unhappy over how his movie about a teenage vampire

slayer turned out. So, he set out to do things right, and boy did he do it.

So now, we’re left with the question: will SyFy’s 12 Monkeys work? Well, the 1995 movie set the stage. In the original, a virus has wiped out most of humanity and forced society to live underground.

The solution? Send Bruce Willis back in time to save the world!

However, this show is apparently retelling the same story, just in a different way. So, we have a Bruce Willis-less show that apparently has no input from the original creator. On paper, this might sound like a recipe for disaster, but for adventure or time traveling junkies out there, there is still hope. So far, it looks like critics have plenty of praise for the series. Still, only time will tell whether this adaptation will improve and expand upon its original content, or merely be another in a history of flops.

TBL | Jan 21-Jan 27, 2015

7 | SCIENCE AND TECH

Research Reveals Tanning Troubles Samantha Stopol

Scientific analysis of tanning beds has recently been released, and the findings highlight a major health issue: skin cancer. Multiple university departments and medical centers contributed to this research, including the University of California San Francisco, the University of California Berkeley, Stanford, the University of Cambridge, and the John Muir Medical Center.

Tanning remains a popular activity for teens despite the high SPF sunscreens populating shelves.

However, in the US alone, up to 400,000 incidences of skin cancer and 6,000 cases of melanoma can be attributed to exposure from tanning beds, as cited in The New York Times.

The recent stream of evidence

has resulted in a push by lawmakers to enact policies that discourage the use of tanning beds and restrict access to minors, who are at the highest risk of skin cancer.

According to the Surgeon General, cases of melanoma have been on the rise since the 1980s, especially among women, for whom indoor tanning is often a lifestyle. White teenage girls comprise about a third of indoor tanning clients.

More than half frequent tanning salons ten times or more a year.

“We’re seeing younger and younger patients coming to us with skin cancer,” remarked Eleni Linos, a dermatology professor at UC San Francisco, to The New York Times.

Increased risk from UV exposure from indoor tanning is “no longer a question,” said Doctor Jeffrey Gershenwald, a professor of

surgery and the medical director at the University of Texas Anderson Cancer Center.

“Genomics has been transformative in our understanding of melanoma.”

Surprisingly, increased risk awareness hasn’t had a substantial effect on counteracting teens’ allure to tanning beds. A common response from teens is that having a tan makes them feel confident.

Some people feel that having a tan evens out their complexion or even makes them look thinner. A stop at the tanning salon often precedes a wedding, vacation, or a high school dance. Additionally, UV light causes endorphins to be released, so tanners leave feeling positive and healthy.

How measurably do tanning beds affect young people’s health? Current research states that exposure to UV light from

tanning beds before the age of 30 is linked to a 75 percent increase of risk for melanoma, a fatal type of skin cancer.

In 2010, the federal government responded by including a 10 percent tax on tanning salons in the Affordable Care Act. Additionally, 40 states have placed restrictions or bans on minors. At least in theory, parental consent is usually required to tan at a salon.

Some owners of tanning salons or tanning enthusiasts believe that tanning at a salon helps prevent sunburn. According to the Center for Disease Control, however, a tan increases likelihood for acquiring a sunburn. It turns out, tanned skin is damaged skin. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified tanning beds with Group 1 Carcinogens alongside cigarettes, according to The Atlantic.

Governments, cancer organ -izations, and the press are looking to draw attention to the issue.

Hopefully increased awareness of this public health issue and costlier tans will change some minds, however tanning salons are still present at over half of the top 125 colleges in the United States, as reported by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

“If I get skin cancer I’ll deal with it then,” remarked Elizabeth LaBak, a Massachusetts college student to The New York Times.

“I can’t think about that now.

I’m going to die of something.”

Although she added, “all the Victoria secret models are pale now.”

What, if anything, will change the culture of indoor tanning remains to be seen.

UCSB Reich Group Discovers Intercellular Entrapment Judy Lau STAFF WRITER The Reich Group at the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have developed a new way to use lasers to spatially and temporally control the release of a tagged protein inside a cell.

Researchers used the receptors on prostate cancer cells, which rely on the recognition of a C-end rule internalizing peptide that is fused to the end of a fluorescent protein. The peptide is specific for the receptor, and once met, is able to take in the protein-loaded nanoparticles and engulfs it into the cell through

endocytosis, a process that brings large molecules into cells.

“Our goal is to have the protein be very specific and have a high affinity for proteins with polyhistidine tails,” said Morales, the lead author of the paper. “If you synthesize or grow proteins in a lab, we want to be able to easily load the protein into our nanoparticles.”

The team used a modular nickel linking layer on the surface of the nanoparticles that can support different kinds of proteins with a polyhistidine tag, commonly found on proteins expressed in labs.

“You can point the laser at cells where and when you want a particular protein to be turned on,”

said Reich. “And that means you can ask biological questions that you could never ask before because you’re able to say ‘I want this one cell to do this.’”

The Reich’s group’s hollow gold nanoshells are effective carriers, but transporting large molecules such as proteins into cells is only half the battle. In order for the protein to be effective in the cell, it must be released from the vesicle holding it.

The design of the particles allows this to happen.

“When we excite the nanoshells with light, the surface of the nanoparticle becomes hot, and burn up inside, a process called thermal ablation,” said Morales. “The light

releases the cargo that’s on the surface and causes the formation of vapor bubbles and pops the vesicle, allowing for the protein to escape.”

This technology helps open new doors to the field of optogenetics, which uses light to control cellular events.

Optogenetics focuses on taking special proteins that are responsive to light and selectively turns neurons on or off with unprecedented precision.

Additionally, this technology has a wide range of applicability, such as cancer therapeutics.

“Not only do we have the ability to target with a laser where and when we want to release our therapeutic, but we also have leverage on the

protein itself,” said Morales.

“We have specificity toward the target and are able to use proteins as a potent therapeutic.”

According to Reich, this technology has important implications for basic research in molecular biology and beyond.

The findings appear in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics.

“Biologists are going to make use of this kind of technology, but they aren’t going to develop it,” said Reich. “There are a few people on campus who could use this technology so we have a unique opportunity at UCSB to be leading in interfacing between developers and the users.”

Promising Antibiotic Discovered in Dirt Peter Crump STAFF WRITER Teixobactin, a newly discovered antibiotic, has not only proven to be an effective bacteria killer, but promises to put an end to the growing threat of antibacterial resistant diseases.

When antibiotics first began to be widely used during the 1940s, they were seen as a miracle drug that cured a number of prevalent bacterial diseases. However, with the growth of bacteria-resistant infections stemming from continuous and improper use of antibiotics, the UK’s chief medical officer Sally Davies in a World Health Organization report last year warned that the world was entering a “post-antibiotic era,” according to The Guardian.

Indeed, today, antibiotic resistance disease kills about 23,000 people in the US annually. Scientists estimate that if nothing is

done, by 2050, that number could be up to 10 million, according to Medical Daily.

“Approximately 99 percent of all species in external environments are uncultured (do not grow under laboratory conditions),”said Kim Lewis, director of the Antimicrobial Discovery Center at Northwestern University and leading researcher on the study of teixobactin.

In other words, only about 1 percent of possible antibacterial sources can be reliably re-created in a lab; Lewis explained that this is the biggest problem with finding new and promising sources of antibiotics. However, Lewis and his team effectively solved this problem by extracting live bacteria from dirt using a device known as the iChip, which mimics the soil conditions found in nature.

“Essentially, we’re tricking the bacteria,” Lewis explained.

With the help of the iChip,

Illustration by Jennnifer Choi | The Bottom Line

Lewis and his team were able to screen thousands of bacterial strains and found the most promising antibacterial candidate in teixobactin.

In test tubes, teixobactin killed strep and staph bacterial strains, as well as anthrax and tuberculosis. When tested in mice, it again proved effective in killing strep and staph, including a strain that was formerly drug resistant.

What makes teixobactin unique among antibiotics is that it is especially difficult to build resistance against. In addition to simply killing bacteria at an incredibly fast rate, teixobactin attacks bacteria by blocking fatty acid molecules needed to build cell walls, unlike other antibiotics which only target bacterial proteins, according to The Guardian.

“That’s an Achilles’ heel for antibiotic attack,” said Dr. Tanja Schneider, co-author of the study.

She continued, “It would take so

much energy for the cell to modify this. I think it’s unlikely resistance will appear this way.”

Others, however, remain skeptical. Dr. David A. Relman, a medicine professor at Stanford, while agreeing with the potential of teixobactin, warned against “unsuspected mechanisms of resistance,” which may develop as the drug is used more.

The one definitive drawback of teixobactin is that at the moment, it is only effective against gram-positive bacteria, which have thick cell walls and lack an outer membrane, and not gram-negative bacteria, which are further protected by an outer membrane, and which include some of the most antibiotic resistant diseases, like pneumonia and gonorrhea, according to Science 2.0. Lewis, however, explained that researchers are currently working to modify the antibiotic to be effective against gram-negative bacteria.

While teixobactin has proven effective in mice, it may be several years before a form of it appears on the market. Testing on humans, a process that itself will take several years to complete, will not begin for about two years, provided that the drug passes all of the required tests.

In addition, teixobactin itself may have to be modified so as to work on humans. In all, Lewis predicts that it won’t be available for at least another five or six years, and possibly up to 10, according to the New York Times.

Perhaps what is just as important as the discovery of teixobactin, though, is the method used to find it. Growing bacteria from soil in a laboratory can now give researchers access to thousands of new strains which could be used to treat infections and even cancer. With these new developments, modern medicine is poised to make an incredible breakthrough.

TBL | Jan 21-Jan 27, 2015

8 | OPINIONS

How Western News Lenses (Lack) Focus on Global Terrorism Kristie Chairil Two gunmen rampaged through the streets of Paris, into Charlie Hebdo headquarters and killed 18 people including civilians, the magazine editor, cartoonists, and police officers on Jan. 7. Since then, Western news networks have sensationalized this story tremendously, to the point where the hashtag “#JeSuisCharlie” (#IamCharlie) became a top trending topic on Twitter and other social media outlets. During the same week, terrorist group Boko Haram managed to raze 16 villages in Baga, Nigeria to the ground: it massacred some 2,000 civilians in the process, according to Al Jazeera America. Since then, shockingly sparse news coverage has failed to bring sufficient attention to this atrocity, a far bloodier scene than

in France.

Why the unequal news coverage? Admittedly, various articles have since called out this discrepancy, fueling the outrage the Nigerian story deserves, but why is this an issue to begin with?

Western media did not cover much of the Boko Haram massacre for a multitude of reasons, the simplest being that it doesn’t directly affect Westerners. Even if we are lucky enough not to experience such violence on a similar scale, the suffering and oppression of innocent human beings should move us all in some way. Therefore, Western journalism has the power to make us care, but unfortunately this power is not always utilized correctly. Another example of this particular journalistic bias is the coverage of ISIL’s beheading of Western journalists James

Foley and Steven Sotloff, while no attention was spared for ISIL’s murder of Muslim journalists Mohammed al Aqidi, Raad Mohammed Azaouie, and numerous other Muslim reporters (courtesy of Mic Network). This propagates the Western fear that Muslims, rather than Muslim extremists, are responsible for international terrorism. Lack of coverage about the Muslim dead leads us to believe that terrorists target the West in particular, when in actuality, not even Muslims are spared. These extremists merely act under the guise of Islam, dispensing fear and carnage indiscriminately.

Yet Western media often ignores this side of such stories, blinding us in much the same way as with the Nigerian genocide.

As a result, consumers of Western media are ignorant of

the distinctions between terrorist groups—each group tends to become one entity in Western minds.

Since 9/11, we have had considerable news coverage of terror attacks around the world and, consequently, the shock value of these horrific deeds—especially those set in nonWestern countries like Nigeria—has diminished significantly. To the desensitized Western ear, the story of Boko Haram’s massacre sounds similar enough to past mass killings undertaken by other militant groups.

But when the same event (on a smaller scale) happens in a Western country with similar values, we are visibly more shaken up, and it definitely shows in our media coverage.

Granted, reporting on the ground in Nigeria is more challenging than in France, but where were the marches in solidarity and online

campaigns for the fallen in Nigeria once their story broke?

Perhaps the most callous reason why Western news chooses not to cover certain stories in depth is because news companies, like most companies, aim to make money and up their ratings by attracting viewers, who determine the sort of audience to whom reports must cater. As a result, news network distortion in either sensationalizing or passing over facts is detrimental to public awareness.

We, as the Western public, view the world through the lens of mass media, but if said lens doesn’t focus on crucial events unfolding around the world—regardless of relevance to our own livelihood—we continue to distance ourselves from nonWestern cultures, thus encouraging a cycle of ignorance.

safety of society?

Limitations on the press sound comforting at first. We don’t run the risk of exposure to inflammatory and offensive journalism.

Everyone minds their own business without ever challenging each other’s ways of thought. No harm, no foul. But an offense-free press is also a static one. By protecting all freedom of expression, we allow our civil society to continue to grow and our opinions challenged.

In a postmodern society such as our own, who is to say what is deemed controversial and what is not? When artists, journalists, and satirists are unable to tread controversial waters to challenge societal norms, we run the risk of living in an extremely shallow environment. When social commentators are given limits and boundaries, their commentary will inevitably remain in our comfort zone. By providing “safe” news and steering away from the controversial, journalists would be doing the public a large disservice.

In the case of Charlie Hebdo, which is no stranger to political controversy, the satirists were doing just that: satirizing. Their blatantly over-the-top cartoons have a history of targeting groups across French society; Christians, Jews, and Muslims have all had their turn being lampooned by the magazine. In other words, the magazine had no agenda of inciting violence or hatred for a certain demographic. Their motivation was not one of malice but one of public discourse.

Satirists such as the late writers of Charlie Hebdo use their medium to remind people of different faiths and values of the faults we all possess. Solutions to the tragedy

shouldn’t be focused on creating barriers to free press but on creating more healthy forums for public discussion instead. A public who is shielded from extremity is far weaker than one which tolerates its neighbors.

Many controversial topics in journalism that are viewed as going “too far” often touch on issues in our societies that are unresolved,

which are arguably the most worthy to debate and reflect on. Even in its most devastating hour, Charlie Hebdo ironically has spurred dialogue and civic engagement around the world. For students at the University of California, Santa Barbara, the attack should serve as a catalyst for tolerance and unity.

One quick walk down the SRB and our campus’ diversity is more than

evident. Students from all walks of life, religions, cultures, countries, orientations, and backgrounds call UCSB home. It is when this diverse student body interacts and engages with one another that our consciousness will grow as a community. In a time that freedom of expression is being challenged around the world, we must not hesitate to practice ours.

Blurred Lines: Perspective on Charlie Hebdo

Nardin Sarkis

Imagine a left-wing voter who tunes into MSNBC exclusively for all political updates. Envision an office team made up entirely of white, heterosexual males. Picture a religious studies course that was only taken by students who follow Hinduism.

If any of these situations seem static and uncomfortable, that’s because they are. History shows us that learning and innovation are at their peak when diversity is allowed to flourish. The left-wing voter can open his mind to different political positions by debating with a conservative. The office team can come up with original ideas and products that tailor to larger parts of society by including women, people of color, and LGBT coworkers in the process.

Religious studies students would be able to have a deeper understanding of material by hearing the experiences of students who hold various beliefs and values. The former situations provide conflictfree environments where it is virtually impossible to be offended.

The latter situations, however, may contain high risk of offense, but yield environments that encourage growth and progress.

In the wake of the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris, which left 12 journalists from the satirical magazine dead after an attack by two self-identifying Islamic terrorists, the dangers of a free press naturally have been brought into question. Is there a line the press should not cross when it comes to satire? Were the cartoons too inflammatory and in turn too risky to publish? Should material this provocative be discouraged for the

Illustration by April Gau | Staff Illustrator

Just Community College? Why Obama’s Plan Makes an Associate’s Degree Worth It Gwen Wu STAFF WRITER President Barack Obama recently announced an initiative to make the first two years of community college or technical school free for all students who enroll at least half-time and maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA. The plan would draw approximately $60 billion from federal funds over the next 10 years to cover 75 percent of the cost, and each state would subsidize the last 25 percent.

The plan, modeled after programs implemented in Chicago and Tennessee, ignores federal aid such as Pell Grants when paying for tuition, leaving students to use them to pay for books, housing, and any other expenses. Some community colleges (e.g. for-profit) would not qualify for aid under Obama’s plan, which is intended to drive home the importance of literacy and a well-educated populace.

Many are critical of “America’s

College Promise.” A few point out that it may keep students and federal funding away from fouryear colleges. Others question if this is necessary, as many students are able to afford the costs of tuition on their own. Some want the college initiative to be at the state level, rather than being a federal affair.

Federal funding is huge, especially as our nation carries a $18 trillion debt. Legislators are right in wondering where this money will come from, as the U.S. doesn’t seem to have any spare change. Despite this, there are options for funding that don’t draw from increasing taxes, such as lotteries or cutting back on the defense budget.

Under this plan, more students would consider community college rather than digging themselves into thousands of dollars of debt attending a four-year college or university. This consequence, however, isn’t as severe as many think–

students will choose what they’re financially comfortable with, and for many, debt is worth it for whatever they career they pursue. There will not be an diaspora of students flooding community colleges and crowding out others.

Some argue that the costs of tuition are low enough for many families to afford. According to College Board, community college tuition fees average $3,300 a year. Undoubtedly, there are students who can afford this, but the concept of extending that financial promise isn’t just a “freebie,” but rather a statement of principle that can be applied to why we still have public K-12 school.

Nevertheless, tuition only accounts for part of a student’s college fees–some pay for their own housing, transportation, books, and food, which can easily outweigh how much school costs. The New York Times reports that one-inthree community college students come from families whose annual

incomes fall below $20,000, and many of those students work partor full-time to supplement fees, causing them to suffer in school and ultimately, drop out.

Rather than thinking of community colleges as dropout factories, legislators and educators should reform the system to make a degree more attainable for students. With 112 accredited community colleges in California, fees have risen from a paltry $11 to $46 per credit as state funding cuts services at these schools.

In March 2013, the Public Policy Institute of California reported that enrollment has dropped so severely that “had participation rates remained at 2008–09 levels, the community college system would today be serving an additional 600,000 students.”

Officials cited the decrease in enrollment as a result of decreased state funding. The funding from this program should easily supplement services and programs for

these students. UC and CSU funding has been cut drastically in recent years as well, so subsidizing the cost would be beneficial in getting the higher education system back on track here.

If Obama’s plan goes through, it could mean wonders in improving the quality of education and experience. Many low-income individuals of color could afford college, opening up access to disenfranchised groups. With an associate’s degree, they would have better access to jobs that no longer hire high school graduates, strengthening the American economy by having more qualified individuals in the workforce.

So in the end, think of Obama’s “America’s College Promise” as an investment. Few negative effects could come out of this, and it would provide a good boost to the higher education system—something that should be incredibly important here at a nationally recognized university.