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VOLUME 49, ISSUE 20

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

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ISLAMOPHOBIA IN THE U.S.

REFUGEE CRISIS TO HATE CRIMES

According to a federal report released last month, nearly half of San Diego’s homeless citizens sleep on the streets.

BY LISA CHIK

Staff Writer Latino fraternity Gamma Zeta Alpha hosted a holiday toy drive for Southwest Keys Shelter on Wednesday at Library Walk.

Photo by Hazel Leung /UCSD Guardian

CAMPUS

University Hosts Annual World AIDS Day Events

BY Andrew chao Staff

OPINION, Page 4

ROAD TO NCAAS M. WATER POLO faces princeton SPORTS, Page 12

FORECAST

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SATURDAY H 76 L 51

FRIDAY

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SUNDAY

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UCSD hosted events across campus to commemorate the annual World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. The theme for this year was “Get to Zero,” which centered on eliminating stigma, preventing new infections and minimizing AIDS-related deaths.

Founded in 1988, World AIDS Day is an event where attendees can learn more about HIV and AIDS from health professionals, listen to the stories and experiences of those who have these illnesses and receive free and anonymous HIV testing. Many of UCSD’s cultural centers commemorated the day’s activities by offering information sessions on how HIV and AIDS has affected their own communities.

The LGBT Resource Center’s community engagement intern Mercedes Orozco explained to the UCSD Guardian how the motto is reflective of the event’s goals, particularly in reducing the stigma that surrounds those affected by HIV and AIDS. “There is a big stigma behind HIV and AIDS, and about who gets it and how it’s transmitted,” Orozco said.

“The motto this year is getting to zero — that is, zero discrimination by getting rid of the stigma behind HIV and AIDS.” Campus Diversity Officer and Director of the

Writer

LGBT Resource Center Shaun Travers explained how organizations like Student Health Advocates, one of the most involved organizations behind the World AIDS day event, will use education as their means to “get to zero.”

“Our work with those who are HIV positive is to reduce the stigma and discrimination against them related to the disease,” Travers said. “Getting to zero looks like this: zero stigma, zero new infections and zero AIDS-related deaths. What we’re going to do in the future is continue to educate and continue to come together as a community to fight HIV and AIDS.” Travers also stated how education is key to the prevention of HIV and AIDS. Condoms and various forms of medication like PrEP and PEP can help prevent the acquisition of HIV and/or stop the spread of the virus respectively.

Furthermore, Travers offered advice on how people can support others who are diagnosed with HIV and AIDS by encouraging them to get diagnosed early.

“To support those who are diagnosed, we first need to increase testing because early diagnosis is incredibly important and getting the care a person needs right away can make all the difference,” Travers said. “We do

See AIDS, page 3

VERBATIM

INTERNATIONAL

UCSD Scholars Attend Paris Climate Summit

“

IT’S TOO BAD THAT MEN CAN’T BE LIKE MALE

Approximately 50,000 people from nearly 200 countries will participate in the conference.

BY MING-RAY LIAO

SEAHORSES, THE ONLY FAMILY IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM THAT CAN NATURALLY UNDERGO MALE PREGNANCY.

- VINCENT PHAM

BOY, INTERRUPTED OPINION, PAGE 4

INSIDE MOSQUITOES.................. 2 THE PARKING PROBLEM . 4 SANTA DOESN’T EXIST? .. 9 CLASSIFIEDS ................ 10 W. VOLLEYBALL ............ 12

Staff Writer Sixteen UCSD researchers, students and staff from the UC Revelle program are currently attending the 21st annual Conference of Parties in Paris that will last from Nov. 30 until Dec. 11. They are joined by UC President Janet Napolitano, UC Chief Investment Officer Jagdeep Singh Bachher, Gov. Jerry Brown and others in hopes of achieving a universal agreement to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius.

Over 190 countries and close to 50,000 participants are expected to attend the 2015 Paris Climate Conference. Director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography and

head of the UC Revelle delegation Margaret Leinen said that the role of UC researchers is to enhance policy using relevant research.

“Our role in these climate conferences is to bring science into the conversation as much as possible so that the strategies that may become national policies have the best chance to be effective in mitigating the changes in nature that human activities have precipitated,” Leinen said in a Nov. 29 press release.

Kate Moser, media specialist for the UC Office of the President, told the UCSD Guardian that, considering the resources it has at its disposal, it is imperative for the university to get involved with climate change.

“The fact that we have 10 campuses, three energy labs and

some of the best climate scientists is why we’re involved with and joining the energy breakthrough coalition to help solve this crisis,” Moser said.

“Essentially, what it boils down to is that there’s a moral obligation to take urgent action to try and reverse the effects of climate change.”

The University of California also announced on Nov. 29 at COP21 that it has joined the Breakthrough Energy Coalition — a group of investors led by Bill Gates in order to help solve the crises the planet is facing. Gates said that the technology the UC system develops will play a crucial part in a cleaner, more efficient future.

“The UC system — with its world-leading campuses and See PARIS, page 3

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development released a report ranking San Diego among the nation’s top four cities with the largest homeless population this past November.

According to the yearly reports, 10,013 homeless people resided in San Diego in 2010, 8,506 last year and 8,742 are currently homeless.

The HUD’s Annual Homeless Assessment Report is based on a one-night process when volunteers across the nation conduct a count of local homeless populations living on the streets and homeless populations living in shelters in late January.

Though the homeless population increased from last year, San Diego County has seen a net decrease in homelessness of 3.1 percent since 2011. The U.S. also experienced an 11-percent decline since 2010, when President Obama launched Opening Doors, the nation’s first-ever comprehensive strategy to prevent and end homelessness. Between 2010 and January 2015, veteran homelessness declined 36 percent, family homelessness declined 19 percent and chronic homelessness declined 22 percent.

Monica Ball a community volunteer for the 25 Cities Project, a national effort to end homelessness, blames the lack of affordable housing for the large homeless population.

“The increase in numbers, particularly in downtown, is a residual effect of our failure to meet the inventory demands for housing those who cannot care for themselves,” she told The San Diego Union-Tribune. “San Diego has basically 0-percent renting; a landlord can list a place on Craig’s List in the morning and have it filled by the afternoon.”

To remedy this issue through creation of additional and affordable housing, the San Diego Housing Commission implemented a threeyear homelessness action plan in 2014, impacting as many as 1,500 homeless San Diegans. Katie Keach, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Office of San Diego City Councilmember Todd Gloria, said that the Regional Continuum of Care Council is moving forward with housing programs seeing as other cities and states have been able to declare an end to homelessness by providing stable housing.

“Implementing Housing First is the most significant action we are taking to address homelessness,” Keach told the UCSD Guardian.

“Housing First is the concept that See HOMELESS, page 3

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NEWS

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AVERAGE CAT By Christina Carlson Vincent Pham Editor in Chief Rosina Garcia Managing Editors Tina Butoiu Kriti Sarin News Editor Jacky To Associate News Editor Cassia Pollock Opinion Editor Marcus Thuillier Sports Editor Allison Kubo Features Editor Kyle Somers Associate Features Editor Karly Nisson A&E Editor Brittney Lu Lifestyle Editors Olga Golubkova

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Biologists Engineer Mosquitoes to Inhibit Spread of Malaria By engineering and inserting disease-blocking genes in mosquitoes, scientists successfully blocked parasite transmission.

BY JULIE YIP

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Researchers at UCSD, in collaboration with those at UC Irvine, have genetically engineered mosquitoes with parasite-resistant genes that can inhibit the transmission of malaria to humans at a 99.5 percent success rate. Their findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on Nov. 23.

The World Health Organization estimated that malaria affected approximately 207 million people and killed roughly 627,000 victims in 2012.

Malaria transmission occurs when mosquitoes bite an infected person and ingest the parasite, which moves from the intestine into the salivary glands; the mosquitoes pass on this parasite as they bite their next victims. To combat this disease, UCSD postdoctoral fellow Valentino Gantz and Professor of Biological Sciences Ethan Bier inserted gene cassettes into the malaria vectors, such that the parasite remained in the intestines. UC Irvine professor and study co-author Anthony A. James developed these gene cassettes with the ability to inhibit malaria parasites.

“This gene expresses an antibody that belongs to the plasmodium, the parasite, [into the gut of the

mosquito],” Gantz explained to the UCSD Guardian. “So the parasite gets ingested, but once it gets to the intestine, it gets stuck there. It can’t go anywhere; it can’t go back to the salivary glands. Therefore, even if the mosquito has the parasite, it can’t get into the next person.”

In particular, Gantz and Bier applied Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-Cas methods with a genedrive system they developed earlier this year called the mutagenic chain reaction. This technology enables transformations of heterozygous reactions into homozygous ones.

“This technology, for the first time, allows it to spread a genetic characteristic into a population of individuals,” Gantz said. “[Scientists] have tried with some trials without a gene drive, but they couldn’t get these cassettes to have an impact. The gene drives we’ve created together with Tony James [form] the last puzzle piece of this technology, and we should, in theory, be able to spread these characteristics engineered to mosquitoes not only to those in the lab, but the entire population.”

These gene-drive methods distinguish this study from previous ones. Essentially, a change in one strand of DNA can be automatically

transferred to the other. All organisms acquire one gene from their mothers and one from their fathers. In this case, if the father has the desired gene, the father’s gene can be transferred and made copies in both DNA strands; the gene-drive copies onto itself with a perfect success rate. Furthermore, this pattern will continue down the germ line, eliminating the need to target each malaria-infected mosquito.

“Usually with regular Mendelian inheritance, you get a 50 percent chance of inheritance,” Gantz told the Guardian. “In this case, you have a 100 percent chance. You are intrinsically advantaged over any other genetic element.”

Founding Director of the UC San Diego Research Ethics Program Michael Kalichman presented the ethical considerations of gene editing for nonhuman organisms, including mosquitoes.

According to Kalichman, genetically modifying animals that can cause infectious diseases can seem like a “wonderful thing,” but studies such as this collaborative project carry risks, even if they run smoothly. Modifications could have negative ecological impacts or offtarget effects, for example, a decreased fit for survival. Kalichman’s suggested solutions include holding a group

of wild mosquitoes that could be released again if the first generation exhibited problems or inserting genes that could erase or reverse initial genetic modifications.

Regarding the researchers leading this anti-malaria study, Kalichman recognized their self-awareness and careful experimentation.

“The scientific community around this technology has really stepped up very quickly to put together groups and organizations and meetings to try and address not just the scientific issues, but the ethical challenges as well,” Kalichman told the Guardian. “I think UCSD should be very proud to have people like Ethan and Valentino here, because they’re giving a lot of thought to these kinds of questions so that we [minimize] the risk that something will go wrong.”

Beyond malaria, in the near future this research project on mosquitoes can be applied to other infectious diseases.

“The case of the dengue virus, Chagas disease and Chikungunya [are all] absolute applications that we can translate what we have shown to other systems in probably not that much time,” Gantz said.

readers can contact JULIE YIP JLYIP@ucsd.edu

Jonathan Gao Photo Editor Megan Lee Associate Photo Editor Joselynn Ordaz Design Editor Sherman Aline Associate Design Editor Elyse Yang Art Editor Christina Carlson Associate Art Editor Jennifer Grundman Copy Editor

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The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the opinions of the UCSD Guardian, the University of California or Associated Students. The UCSD Guardian is funded by advertising. Kirkland beer? Shitty. Tastes like water. It’s sadnes in a cam - JoseO.

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T H E U C S D G U A R D I A N | T H U R S D A Y, D E C E M B E R 3 , 2 0 1 5 | W W W . U C S D G U A R D I A N . O R G

HIV Disproportionately Affects Young Adults Gates: University of California Produces Energy-Efficient Solutions ▶ AIDS, from page 1

it right here at the Student Health Center. Many people are living long, healthy lives with HIV.” Ad d it i on a l ly, Tr ave rs commented that HIV and AIDS research is continually improving and that researchers at UCSD are at the forefront of new developments.

“It is an exciting time in terms of research related to HIV/AIDS, as today, scientists and physicians better understand the pathology of HIV/AIDS and there have been many new advances with antiretroviral drugs,” Travers explained. “UC San Diego has been at the center of much of this cuttingedge research.”

Director of the UCSD AIDS Research Institute Douglas D. Richman received the 2015 A. Brad Truax Award on Dec. 1 for his HIV and retrovirus research, an award presented annually in conjunction with World AIDS Day. Richman and his laboratory are renowned for developing new ways to precisely measure barriers in curing HIV and the lab is regularly helping people around the world.

While progress has been improving with HIV and AIDS research, Travers stated it is important to have such an event on campus because HIV and AIDS primarily affects young adults.

“HIV impacts youth disproportionately,” Travers said.

“In fact, the CDC indicates 26 percent of all new HIV infections [in 2010] were youth, even though they make up only 17 percent of the U.S. population. At UC San Diego specifically, we are deeply involved in research in HIV/AIDS, and so many UCSD students study biology, often learning about HIV as they begin to understand the basics of the viruses.”

Thurgood Marshall College sophomore and event-attendee Michael Wang also commented on the importance of having this event on campus, saying that a lack of knowledge about HIV hinders students’s ability to understand the specifics of the illness.

“I feel like this event is valuable because a huge issue with HIV is not understanding the causes of it,” Wang said. “So, by having an event like this where people can be informed, people can be better able to address HIV.” Travers reemphasized the importance of raising awareness of these issues, and how education can help people stop HIV and AIDS. “I encourage folks to educate themselves about HIV and AIDS,” Travers said. “It really impacts everyone in some way and it is just a matter of figuring out in what ways you can make a difference and help stop HIV and AIDS.

readers can contact ANDREW CHAO

AVCHAO@ucsd.edu

▶ PARIS, from page 1

labs — produces the kinds of groundbreaking technologies that will help define a global energy future that is cheaper, more reliable and does not contribute to climate change,” Gates said in the online press release.

Earl Warren College senior Connie Wang, who is a member of the EcoNauts at UCSD, explained that fixing climate issues is a matter of preserving our ability to live on this planet.

“It isn’t about saving our planets, it’s about saving humanity — our planet will always be, but the

question is how long can we survive on our planet,” Wang told the Guardian. “We’re trying to prolong the human race’s ability to survive on this planet, so most of our efforts are in education and outreach because we need to get people to realize that this is a problem in the first place.”

Consistent with the university’s goal to preserve the environment is the Cool Campus Challenge — a competition across campuses to get participants to reduce and track their carbon footprints. Moser commented that the importance of having such programs is reminding people to play their part in

ameliorating the effects of global warming and climate change.

“There’s an apathy that we all tend to fall into when we’re confronted with these gigantic problems that seem so out of control,” Moser said. “Things like the Cool Campus Challenge help raise awareness and remind us that small differences do add up when you put it all together.”

COP was first held in Berlin in 1995 and since then has seen varying degrees of success, such as the Kyoto Protocol adoption during COP3 and the introduction of the Bali Action plan during COP13.

readers can contact MING-RAY LIAO

Remodeled Shelter Housed Approximately 1,500 People This Year ▶ HOMELESS, from page 1

connecting people to adequate shelter and then connecting them to the supportive services they need is the best way to end the cycle of homelessness.”

San Diego recently transitioned its interim housing facility from a 16-week winter tent system to a year-round indoor housing facility in order to use homeless service funds more effectively, according to a newsletter from the Office of Councilmember Todd Gloria.

Between the program’s opening

I can’t wait to study for the LSAT. Said no one ever.

this past April to Sept. 30, 1,414 clients were served, 53 percent of clients who exited the program found more stable housing and 87 percent left with at least one source of income.

The homeless are encouraged to participate in service programs with housing facilities as opposed to living outside in public neighborhoods.

While individuals who give directly to homeless people on the streets may have good intentions, Keach said that they are keeping them from seeking more effective, long-

term assistance.

“I encourage all San Diegans who want to help alleviate homelessness to direct their resources (time or funds) to organizations who are dedicated to truly ending the cycle of homelessness,” Keach explained.

“Handing out food or money to individuals on the street is not encouraged; by contributing those resources to an organization, they can help connect people to the services and shelter they need.”

readers can contact LISA CHIK

LCHIK@ucsd.edu

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OPINION

T H E U C S D G U A R D I A N | T H U R S D A Y, D E C E M B E R 3 , 2 0 1 5 | W W W . U C S D G U A R D I A N . O R G

OPINION

CONTACT THE EDITOR

CASSIA POLLOCK opinion@ucsdguardian.org

If Only I Could Be Pregnant, Like Women

Blamed and Abandoned

boy, interrupted

Vincent pham vnp003@ucsd.edu

I

ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTINA CARLSON

I

ave ism, a w r o r r te l a nation ees and s of inter ften Syrian refug ir k c a tt a s d the on. O g variou t the nati iminal acts beyon p Followin e w s s a r cr hobia h blamed fo y l of xenop ir fa n u are control.

Muslims

n the light of recent terrorist attacks in 2015, the world has encountered a fresh wave of Islamophobia. The United States House of Representatives quickly responded to the Paris attacks by passing a Republican-sponsored bill that creates additional, lengthy security checks for immigrants from Syria and Iraq, as reported by the CQ Roll Call, an economist group business. This action demonstrates a frantic reaction to terrorism with legislative decisions founded on fear-based logic.

Unfortunately, it is not just the House of Representatives making poor decisions in regard to the Syrian refugees. This thunderstorm of irrational xenophobia has swept across the Western world, affecting society on both the macro and micro scales. The most important action we can take to combat this is to be aware of the circumstances that motivate our behaviors and push ourselves to develop a sense of compassion for the outsiders to this country who desperately seek our help and understanding.

Terrorist attacks shattered the world this past November, including a series of bombings and mass shootings in Paris, two suicide bombings in Beirut and an explosion on board a Russian jet that claimed the lives of 224 people. This instilled a strong fear toward Islamic fundamentalism epitomized by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant — aka ISIL. While these events are tragic, society must not condemn the masses of innocent Syrian refugees who were equally outraged and griefstricken by the numerous murders that took place. If anything, the attacks demonstrate an example of the intense misery and horrors that Syrian refugees have been forced to endure in the

war-torn corners and back ends of the Middle East.

The backlash against the terrorist attacks in Paris and Beirut has not been slow to arrive, and the police gave an account of a number of hate crimes that took place both in Europe and in the U.S. The Telegraph reported that one of these crimes took place in Pittsburgh during the Thanksgiving holiday: A Muslim taxi driver was shot in the back by a passenger who made a number of remarks on ISIL and the Prophet Muhammad prior to attacking the driver with a rifle. It seems bitterly ironic that this hate crime was carried out on Thanksgiving, a holiday on which we are supposed to set aside our differences with all kinds of people and learn to appreciate what we have. This goes to show that it doesn’t matter what time of year it is. Even with the holiday season, some people continue to be dominated by the underlying current of xenophobia sweeping the nation.

Another incident occurred at San Diego State two weeks ago. An unknown man pulled a Muslim SDSU student by her headscarf and made hateful comments regarding her religion.

That same week, a series of anti-Islamic signs were posted around the UCSD campus. Even on the micro-scale, it is clear that Islamophobia is present. It is not entirely clear what type of remedial actions should be taken to prevent the further spread of hysterical fear against Muslims. And one good place to start would be to include more fair and balanced depictions of Muslim Americans in the media.

Only a little earlier this year, a Muslim student was arrested

See XENOPHOBIA, page 5

Theft of 75 Parking Permits Points to Lack of Available Spaces A suspect recently stole 75 parking permits, worth a total of $17,000, from Gilman Parking Structure. While discussing this incident with the UCSD Guardian, representatives from Transportation Services disclosed that the department is currently redesigning the parking permit system. Under their new system, on-campus parkers will no longer have to stick permits on their windshields. Instead, they’ll be required to enter their license plate numbers during the payment process as a means of identification.

Admittedly, there are some advantages to this new model.

First, it eradicates the possibility of permit theft (though students could theoretically start stealing license plates instead). The recognition technology will also make the process of identifying illegally parked cars more efficient, which will hopefully save the university time and money. Lastly, an absence of physical permits equates to less paper wasted and a slightly smaller carbon footprint for UCSD. Despite these advantages, this change will make it impossible for students to sell or give away their permits, which happens relatively often. People who share permits with their roommates or friends in

order to cut down on the exorbitant cost of living in La Jolla will now have to buy individual permits for hundreds of dollars.

Furthermore, one can’t help but question the university’s priorities when so many students are essentially gambling hundreds of dollars every quarter in hopes of spending less than a few hours to find a half-decent parking spot.

Instead of studying, attending class or working to pay tuition, students waste time searching, usually unsuccessfully, for “S” spots every week, sometimes every day. We’ve all heard the stories of students being forced to park illegally or park all the way at Scripps — another bus ride away — to avoid being late to class. According to a UCSD parking statistics website, the best times to find a vacant parking spot on a weekday are from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Essentially, this means that students either have to come before or skip the majority of their classes in order to have a good shot at parking on campus.

University administrators might brush this concern off on the basis that students should merely leave their homes earlier if they want to guarantee themselves a parking

spot. However, students should not be forced to accommodate the university’s deficiencies, especially when the university refuses to prioritize finding solutions.

Instead of investing time and financial resources into developing this new technology, the university could have focused on developing solutions to the campus’ parking shortage. UCSD has started the process, however, by building a new parking structure located at East Campus. The garage’s construction, which costs the university $25 million, is not yet complete, but when it is, it will add 1,200 new parking spaces to the campus.

But although this looks like it would alleviate the problem, it unfortunately will not as the University of California recently announced its plan to enroll 10,000 additional students over the next three years. Thus, even though there will technically be more parking spots on our campus, we will once again encounter the same problem: an absurdly low parkingto-student ratio. And here UCSD is, unprepared and unfocused, developing useful-yet-unnecessary license plate recognition technology that does more for the university than its students.

EDITORIAL BOARD Vincent Pham EDITOR IN CHIEF

Tina Butoiu MANAGING EDITOR

Rosina Garcia MANAGING EDITOR

Cassia Pollock OPINION EDITOR

Kriti Sarin NEWS EDITOR

Jacky To ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

Allison Kubo FEATURES EDITOR

Kyle Somers ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR The UCSD Guardian is published twice a week at the University of California at San Diego. Contents © 2015. Views expressed herein represent the majority vote of the editorial board and are not necessarily those of the UC Board of Regents, the ASUCSD or the members of the Guardian staff.

t’s too bad that men can’t be like male seahorses, the only family in the animal kingdom that can naturally undergo male pregnancy.

Of course, men can grow their own empathy belly or experience a labor simulation, but there is nothing quite like the real thing. It’s these attempts at bridging the physical aspect of pregnancy that forestall the equally important non-physical aspects of pregnancy. And men should enlighten themselves on these experiences before they question why women do or do not decide to have children.

Chrissy Teigen, American model and wife of singer John Legend, had an outpouring of social media attention in regard to starting a family earlier this year, according to Us Magazine. In an episode of “FABLife,” Teigen, at 29 years old, remarked that asking women about having children can be a sensitive topic as some women may have fertility issues. Undoubtedly, men can have similar issues, but social norms tend to place the public spotlight of having children on women. What Teigen did by bringing up fertility shows how age, gender and societal pressures can construct a mainstream narrative. A female with a male counterpart at the age of 29 is expected to have kids. It’s an easy narrative to follow and one that isn’t openly challenged.

There are career and economic factors in pregnancy as well.

According to the Economist, a pregnant woman at work is typically seen as irrational and less motivated. After pregnancy, women usually get a “motherhood penalty,” where they’re perceived as less focused. On the contrary, a father gets a “fatherhood bonus” and is seen as more committed to his work due to being a father. These double standards go hand in hand with what the Harvard Business Review calls “asymmetries of male-female relationships,” which helps explain the 33 percent of “successful career women” (i.e. “business executives, doctors, lawyers, academics and the like”) and 42 percent of women in corporate America being childless in 2001. Although men — despite their age — who want children tend to have children, women face the opposite effects according to HBR’s study. As women age and climb the rankings in their career, they tend to be more discriminated against as potential mates.

USA Today reported on an overall trend of more men wanting marriage and children, while women simultaneously have shown greater interest in their careers and independence. As the perception of women in our society is changing, the perception of childbearing must also adapt. The idea that women should have kids because they can does not always mix well with career and personal aspirations of women.

Men can say they want to be fathers, but that won’t give them nine months of constant physical change and, of course, the labor of birth itself. And disruption in work flow for a father is not comparable to a mother’s. Sure, asking a woman about having kids can seem like an innocuous question, but familiarize yourself with the socioeconomic and career impacts the question entails. After all, pregnancy is much more profound than a plus or minus sign.

OPINION

T H E U C S D G U A R D I A N | T H U R S D A Y, D E C E M B E R 3 , 2 0 1 5 | W W W . U C S D G U A R D I A N . O R G

CONFUSED MUSE By Elyse Yang

GOT ANGER?

SEND YOUR LETTERS TO

Fear-Based Approach to Immigrants Leads to Hate Crimes and Intolerance ▶ XENOPHOBIA from page 4

for inventing a clock and bringing it to class. This happened before the Paris attacks even unfolded. As a result, it is clear that Islamophobia is disheartening but is certainly nothing new to this country. Of course, people will act shocked and appalled that an inventive, innovative “American” boy could be exposed to this degree of maltreatment. But the moment that the safety of America is supposedly compromised by terrorist attacks in other parts of the Western world, society tosses aside its loyalty to its very own citizens that make up the

core of this country.

This year’s FBI uniform crime report shows that hate crimes against all religious, ethnic and racial groups, including Black and African Americans, are in decline with the exception of antiMuslim crimes. Since 2002, they essentially remained flat. While the investigation of previously mentioned Islamophobic cases continues, the human rights violation of Muslim and Middle Eastern Americans is recognized as a national problem that concerns many media sources.

However, a large share of citizens and state officials, including the

governors of 26 states, fails to recognize that the unwillingness to accept Syrian refugees who seek asylum in the U.S. is the ultimate act of Islamophobia that escalates the conflict and does not solve the problem of worldwide Islamic terrorism. As a nation, we are founded on freedom, liberty and justice. We create a total mockery of our own values if we turn our backs on immigrants because we have suspicions that they may potentially have a connection with some bad guys, maybe. That is why it is crucial for America to wake up already and stop accepting a spirit of intolerance as the norm.

OPINION@UCSDGUARDIAN.ORG

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Release Date: Dec. 25

JoY

BY TYNAN YANAGA // SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Jennifer Lawrence letting loose with a shotgun. That’s priceless. Indeed, “Joy” is a film with smoldering potential. Immediately, attention goes to the dynamic superstar who is yet again paired with her big-money partner, director David O. Russell — everything they touch turns into creative gold. True, the story is all about the lady who invented the Miracle Mop, Joy Mangano, but if “American Hustle” taught us anything, this isn’t going to be your cookie-cutter period piece. Otherwise, the welcomed additions of previous collaborators Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro look to add more panache to the typically quirky dramedy of Russell. But don’t discount Jennifer Lawrence, because after all, this is undoubtedly her show, despite what any pay gap might suggest.

Forget supporting Oscar statuettes and leave images of dystopian worlds behind. In many ways “Joy” has the potential, like “Silver Linings Playbook,” to propel Lawrence into every Best Actress conversation out there.

ILLUSTRATION BY ELYSE YANG

THE REvEnAnT

Release Date: Dec. 25

BY DIETER JOUBERT // SENIOR STAFF WRITER

ILLUSTRATION BY ELYSE YANG

STAR WARS

According to the Hollywood Reporter, crew members on the set of Inarittu’s latest film, “The Revenant,” have been quitting in droves due to the grueling work schedule and unrealistic demands of the director. Perhaps this is due to delusions of grandeur on Inarittu’s part, following his recent Academy Award win. But based on the trailer alone, the brutal production experience could simply be a necessary consequence of the struggle for perfection.

Not even basic techniques in the director’s toolbox went unscathed, as Inarittu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki refused the use of any artificial lighting while shooting. Instead, they planned production around times of optimal natural light to depict the 1820’s fur-trapping frontier with a natural aesthetic.

In such an atmosphere, the story of Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is poised to enthrall and transcend its simple (at least compared to “Birdman”) premise of survival and vengeance. If all the sacrifices made in production pay off, this could be the film that not only cements Inarittu as one of the finest contemporary directors, but lands Dicaprio that elusive Oscar statuette.

Release Date: Dec. 17

BY NAFTALI BURAKOVSKY // EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Aside from some of our professors, no one at UCSD was alive to witness the release of “Star Wars” in 1977. None of us were in the audience when the battle between the Jedi and the Sith captivated a generation. This jealousy of the older generations’ experience will end on December 18, 2015, the day “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” hits theaters. We already know the film will break box office records.

But by bringing back members of the original cast, including one of the writers (Lawrence Kasdan) and putting the talented director J.J. Abrams at the helm, Disney is making sure it won’t break hearts. Abrams proved his ability to direct a sci-fi space adventure with the visually spectacular 2009 film “Star Trek” but has always strived to apply his visual style to a “Star Wars” film. From the first trailer, “The Force Awakens” establishes itself as visually distinct from the original trilogy; we see sweeping, colorful shots and flashy CGI, all of which is far more grandiose than Lucas’ classic. Maybe 2015’s “Star Wars” won’t be the space opera that the 1977 film was, but there isn’t a soul alive who doesn’t want to experience this modern journey to a galaxy far, far away.

MACBETH Release Date: Dec. 4

A film can’t rest on the laurels of its writing, especially if it’s a Shakespeare adaptation. An entire world has to be built within the confines of a frame and occupied with the singular vision and raw visual elements from the mind of this madness’ ringleader, director Justin Kurzel.

“Macbeth” isn’t remembered because of the intricacy of its plot — the substance lies in its characters, who are traitors and liars. Narrative precedence rightly moves from plot in literature to people in cinema; Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard are intent on making waves as the conniving Macbeth and Lady Macbeth this grim December, lending their youth and talent to this 400-year-old tale.

With the eye of expert cinematographer Adam Arkapaw (“Animal Kingdom,” “True Detective”), “Macbeth” will be sure to stun with its grandeur and cinematic beauty.

It’s one thing to deliver a film with some of the finest actors alive and a story from the bard himself, but when a shot shows Macbeth standing against the burning sky like a monster at the gates of hell, fate has been decided and tickets have been bought.

ILLUSTRATION BY SAGE CHRISTIAN SCHUBERT

Tina Poehler and Amy Fey. Like Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph, these two “comedians” compose one of the worst comedy duos to ever graduate from Saturday Night Live. Countless failures such as “Mean Girls,” the 2013 Golden Globes and, my god, the 2014 Golden Globes have cemented their legacy as the worst thing to happen to comedy since Robin Williams.

However, light is ahead for Poehfeyler as they look to break out in their newest holiday comedy “Sisters,” which co-stars 15-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion and future Oscar-winner John Cena. Directed

by Jason Moore of “Pitch Perfect” fame, the film will likely win the “Best Comedy or Musical” award twice at this year’s Golden Globes.

Sure, one might point out the random nature of the trailer to justify low expectations for “Sisters.” If, God forbid, this ever be the case, one should then look upon this poem to restore faith in

THE

UL H ATEF T E I GH ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTINA CARLSON

BY DEREK DENG // CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Release Date: Dec. 25

ILLUSTRATION BY ELYSE YANG

BY SAM VELAZQUEZ // EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Grit. Blood. Snarky dialogue. More blood. Even more blood. Tarantino movies have always had certain attributes inherent in them — they’re bold and extravagant, brazenly entertaining and needlessly quotable.

SiSTERS

BY JACKY TO // STAFF WRITER

Release Date: Dec. 18

this ever be the case, one should then look upon this poem to restore faith in this film’s sublime potential.

Roses are red, violets are blue.

Gods are false; “Sisters” is Truth.

And there’s a new one coming out.

“The Hateful Eight” will be Quentin Tarantino’s second foray into the world of stylized westerns since 2012’s “Django Unchained,” a hyper-violent revenge tale injected with a healthy dose of heart and depth. “The Hateful Eight” looks to be a different venture this time around, promising a more tightly focused drama that revolves around its talented ensemble cast.

Centered in the heart of wintry Wyoming, eight individuals take shelter in a stagecoach passover following a snowstorm. Criminals, lawmen and bounty hunters gather under the same roof, and soon they learn that the apparently simple situation is not so cut-and-dry. As tension brews, conflict unfolds in typical Tarantino fashion — there will be blood on the snow.

this film’s sublim

me potential.

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Release Date: Dec. 23 ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTINA CARLSON

BY NAFTALI BURAKOVSKY // EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

THE Big SHoRT

In 2008, the tremendous greed and utter lack of foresight on the part of the big banks of Wall Street led to the most devastating financial collapse since the Great Depression.

Millions lost their jobs and trillions of dollars disappeared into a financial abyss. This is the consequence of the deregulation of banking institutions as well as the misguided assumption that housing prices can only rise.

“The Big Short,” directed by Adam McKay, tells the story of how four outsiders who predicted the housing bubble burst take on the big banks and short the market before the crisis. These four are played by Hollywood heavy-hitters Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale and Steve Carell. In finance, a “short,” from which the film derives its name, is the selling of a stock that you do not currently own and then making a profit on the repurchase when the stock drops in price. For those who can predict a financial meltdown, like the four in the film did, it is an effective way of making huge profits. The 2008 mortgage crisis is one that everyone in finance wishes they had foreseen; it will be intriguing to see how four men can profit so much during this dark time in American banking history when many Americans are still struggling because of the banks’ greed. Let’s hope that this film, with its star-studded cast and powerful true story, doesn’t come up short.

“A fool may ask more questions in an hour than a wise man can answer in seven years.” We all know the English proverb; the problem with Charlie Kaufman is that he plays the wise man and the fool simultaneously. It’s been seven years since his enigmatic directorial debut “Synecdoche, New York” left us in a state of pure stupefaction. Seven years we waited for an answer, a hint to make sense of that wonderful mess. And all we got was silence.

Well, Kaufman is finally back.

“Anomalisa,” a stop-motion animated feature, follows a lonely motivational speaker whose life changes after meeting a stranger.

The few images shown in the trailer confirmed our suspicion: As in every Kaufman film, we are again set for a meta-referential mind-trip.

“Anomalisa” is a continuation of “Synecdoche” — an interpretation of sorts. Kaufman commenting on Kaufman. Two mirrors facing each other. The wise man playing the fool. Enjoy… it may take another seven years for the spectacle to repeat itself.

ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTINA CARLSON

YOU’RE NOT JUST PART OF A CLASS. YOU’RE PART OF A LEGACY. At the American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University | Southern California (ASPP, Southern California), we have a proud history of diversity, academic excellence, and community engagement. Our clinical psychology leaders and distinguished faculty have a deep commitment to the education and training of the next generation of professional psychologists. With our integrated curriculum, you’ll go beyond books and classrooms and receive real-world clinical experience. This comprehensive approach reflects our commitment to prepare you to be an exceptional practitioner; ready to meet the challenges of the diverse people and communities you will serve.

And that commitment to you is reflected in the profession’s commitment to us. We’re proud to say that we received a seven-year grant of accreditation for our Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) program from the APA. That’s the maximum amount of time allowed by the Commission on Accreditation and certifies that our school meets their rigorous standards.

ASPP, Southern California, offers the following degrees:

MASTER OF ARTS IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY (PSYD) IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY Argosy University, Orange County 601 South Lewis Street Orange, CA 92868 Let us help you practice what we teach.

Learn more today at clinical.argosy.edu or call 714-620-3700.

AnoMALiSA

BY MARIO ATTIE // SENIOR STAFF WRITER Release Date: Dec. 30

The Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology Program at the American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University | Southern California is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA). Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 Phone: (202) 336-5979 / E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation.

Argosy University is accredited by the Senior College and University Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (985 Atlantic Ave., Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501, wascsenior.org). Programs, credential levels, technology, and scheduling options vary by school and are subject to change. Credentials and experience levels vary by faculty and instructors. Not all online programs are available to residents of all U.S. states. Argosy University, Orange County, 601 South Lewis Street, Orange CA 92868 © 2015 Argosy University. All rights reserved. Our email address is materialsreview@argosy.edu.

See auprograms.info for program duration, tuition, fees and other costs, median debt, salary data, alumni success, and other important information.

Good Luck With Finals!

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FILM REVIEW

CHI-RAQ Spike Lee adapts a classic Greek comedy in modern-day Chicago to deliver a both timely and timeless joint.

Directed by Spike Lee Starring Teyonah Parris, Nick Cannon, Samuel L. Jackson, John Cusack Rated R Release Date Dec. 4, 2015 S: A comedy striving to be politically poignant in the heart of Chicago’s long-denigrated South Side with Nick Cannon as a lead sounds like a recipe for disaster, but Lee is more than a miracle worker — he’s a genius. It’s hard to imagine anybody but Lee pulling off a feat like this. In a tight 118 minutes, he condemns the NRA, the media’s selective and racialized coverage of national tragedies, institutionalized racism, the militarization of our police forces, the privatization of prisons and male privilege with aplomb and humor. This is an ambitious but focused attack that never belittles the

suffering and human cost of crime birthed by a society that prefers to stay silent on “ugly” issues like these.

J: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Indeed, Lee hits all of these issues intelligently and ferociously, but we applaud rather than sneeze at his sermons because they’re engulfed by wit and hilarity. Joining Cannon is this year’s greatest comedic ensemble, composed of the likes of Dave Chappelle, Wesley Snipes, muthafuckin’ Samuel L. Jackson, John Cusack and so many others whom you can’t help but wildly grin at. But the great thing is

that they don’t even have to do much of the heavy lifting. They leave that to Lee and his co-scribe Kevin Wilmott who usher them to comedic greatness. Their script, with its biting blend of modernity and classicism, grants the citizens of Chicago the complexity and integrity they deserve.

S: The power of the speeches throughout the film, especially standouts from the impassioned Father Mike Corridan (John Cusack) and Lysistrata (Teyonah Parris), keeps the film’s engine running hot by refusing to hold back from indictments. There’s no pandering to be had and no nerves left untouched. Moving past the script for a bit and going behind the camera, Lee’s technical skills are incredibly underrated. His eye for color and geometric composition is phenomenal, particularly shining in the dance numbers that make use

of intricate choreography and bold colors. Wholly organic overtures burst with life in a city known for the opposite, and the human body becomes another instrument in Lee’s tool belt, demanding focus by stealing our attention with every twist and turn.

J: Continuing the topics of color and the human body, black bodies are many in “Chi-Raq.” However, they’re not merely present for the sake of diversity or good face. “ChiRaq” is a film about black lives told from the perspective of black people, an extreme rarity in this art form. Regardless of the film’s quality, which is certainly worthwhile, it is absolutely admirable and courageous of an artist to consistently opt to tell the stories of those who are oppressed as opposed to of those who oppress them. Especially at a time when ethnic on-screen representation has finally become

an outspoken issue, Lee thankfully plants himself, as he always has, firmly on the right side of the fight.

S&J: “Chi-Raq” ends on a bittersweet note, positing a bright future while remaining honest about the grim present. The arc of Cannon’s character, who calls himself “ChiRaq,” exemplifies what Lee wants for Chicago. His path to begin taking responsibility for the city’s violence is a messianic sacrifice. The community can then refocus on the grander battle against the systematic issues that pits the people against themselves. Dead to rights, the film leaves us with a heavy heart and, hopefully, empty holsters.

—Jacky TO

Staff Writer &

—Sam VelaZquez

Editorial Assistant PHOTOS COURTESY OF ACESHOWBIZ

FILM REVIEW

Legend Tom Hardy plays both a charming convict and his impulsive twin in a crime film that offers limited thrills.

Directed by Brian Helgeland Starring Tom Hardy, Taron Egerton, Emily Browning Rated R Release Date Nov. 20

T

he dynamic and dangerous duo of two Tom Hardys brings chaos, violence and general badassery to London. The narrator aptly notes “The Queen would survive, but God save the rest of us.”

“Legend” centers around the Kray brothers (Tom Hardy), two twins heavily involved with the inner circle of London crime in the 1960s. The first brother, Reggie Kray, is as charming as he is frightening, smoothly transitioning from a charismatic heartthrob to an intimidating criminal.

The second brother, Ron Kray, can only be described as unhinged and violently unstable. He’s diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, and his actions are highly unpredictable, resulting in a slew of issues for Reggie and their business. A large part of the film follows the relationship between Reggie and Frances Shea (Emily Browning), who is pushed and pulled

by Reggie’s complicated life, causing him to be in and out of prison and her to question what kind of man he really is.

The idea of two drastically

different brothers lording over criminal London together sets up for some very rowdy and hilarious scenes. They strike deals, form alliances, intimidate men who owe them money and take part in other mob movie staples, all amid Ron’s ill-timed breakdowns and inappropriately blunt comments.

During Reggie’s wedding, Frances’s mother, who is less than pleased with the union, refuses to sing, so Ron gets in her face mid-ceremony and yells, “Fucking sing!” Ron’s lines, as well as the brothers’ brawls, are outrageous and entertaining in all the right ways; brotherly bickering translates to bar fighting surprisingly well, especially when Tom Hardy’s opponent is Tom Hardy.

His unpolished humor aside, Ron is a complicated character with many layers. Despite his mental illness, he has an unexpected amount

of wisdom that surfaces at random.

Though criminally insane, he is not the source of the film’s most heinous crimes. Reggie is equally if not more responsible for bloodshed. The comparison of the brothers’ misdeeds and their respective mental states makes it unclear which brother is the more obvious villain and calls our assumptions of roles into question.

Though the film is comic, thoughtprovoking and action-packed, it is also riddled with shortcomings. Is Helgeland’s use of humor suitable for this film? It brushes up against more than a handful of fairly heavy issues: drug addiction, suicide, rape, murder, mental illness and others.

Yet it doesn’t quite find the balance between seriousness and humor to achieve a black comedy,the jokes too frequent to serve solely as comedic relief. What results from the uneven spurts of humor is a dark film with

inappropriate flippancy. The tone very clearly doesn’t match the topic, though the central theme itself isn’t clearly defined.

Legend couldn’t seem to decide on what it wanted to say. Was the film about Ron and Reggie’s complicated relationship, Frances’s interaction with Reggie, the Kray brothers’ empire or Reggie’s fall from glory? We’re not even completely sure who the main character is. The movie is split fairly evenly between Reggie and Frances.

While the film provides a healthy amount of slapstick humor, it is less than successful in getting its point across. The pros fail to counteract or even outweigh the cons, letting a storyline with so much potential fall flat in its execution.

— Chrissy Dodd

Contributing Writer

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The Christian Lifestyle: An Advice Column CHRISTIAN GELLA CGELLA@UCSD.EDU

I

t’s the holiday season, and you’re (homeward) bound to get some awkward family questions about why you switched your major to “Freeganism” as a new-wave movement to reject capitalism, or why you’ve decided to enroll in a three-step online degree for regional Iowa geography.

Rest assured, there are better ways to circumvent the glaring eyes of boundary-erasing relatives than pretending you have a phone call about your sweet tooth — because, really, your dentist is not going to call you when they’re sitting in a luxury spa in Cabo — or saying that Pablo the stuffed polar bear needs a diaper change. They may try to grill you, but you’re going to make grilled-cheese sandwiches.

In order to execute a proper strategy, however, it’s necessary to master the importance of body language and how it affects the conversation before proceeding — it’s impossible to take action against family microaggressions when you’re rubbing the back of your head or when you’re shriveled like a raisin.

If you find yourself engaging in such habits, take a deep breath and channel your inner Sasha Fierce. Sit upright, cross your arms and legs (if you so please), crack your neck and smile. If the family wants an answer to why you “haven’t done 10 internships,” they’ll get an answer all right.

There are two major phyla of argumentation that could easily necessitate a Dickens-length essay.

The first is a head-strong approach.

Criticize their curtness and lack of creativity in asking such an awful question and — just so it’s a learning experience — offer sound advice. Follow this structure in your own creative fill-in-theblank. For example, if Aunt Myrtle criticizes you for not having a real job, sharpen your tone: “I don’t appreciate such inflammatory language that often perpetuates the generational gap between millennials and baby boomers, contributing to internalized low self-esteem which is then blamed on social media. Your question is also inherently flawed, and a more appropriate incarnation would be, ‘What are your passions in life?’”

Other times, it might be necessary to deflect their criticism back onto them. Family members don’t exactly have boundaries (because they’re family) so it’s important to remind them of what is appropriate. Questions that bring up politics, healthcare and vegetarianism as the reason for your lack of a significant other are great moments where you can redirect: “What is your plan for dealing with student debt?’ ‘I don’t know, Uncle Franklin, tell me how you paid for that loan you took out on your special toy collection. Where do you get the money for vintage gazebos?’” Hold up a literal mirror for added emphasis.

If you’re lost for words purely because of the shock value, however, resorting to that sudden dentist phone call isn’t such a bad idea.

Need any advice on acclimating to UCSD? Struggling with a nasty case of the break-up? Need better ways to burn a tuna melt sandwich? Reach out to us at lifestyle@ucsdguardian.org with your questions and your anonymity, if wanted, and we’ll answer as many as we can!

Everyone knows that once Santa becomes a mere facet of the imagination, there’s no point to childhood anymore.

That pivotal moment is an essential part of everyone’s transition from desiring toys under the tree to figuring out 401Ks. Read on to hear how college students realized they were no longer living a world of men coming down chimneys and flying reindeer but one of brutal realities and mundane obligations.

ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTINA CARLSON

A

lways a bit too quick to jump onto the latest parenting trends, my parents never eased me into the harsh reality that Santa was a mere facet of our consumerist tendencies. Instead of allowing me to relish in the idea that there was a jolly, plump man who would come bring me gifts in exchange for cookies, my parents rushed me into adulthood quicker than a Hot Pocket takes to microwave. At the ripe age of four, my parents wasted no time to point out the inconsistencies of Santa’s character at each mall and movie and that it was absolutely impossible to squeeze a fully grown human through a chimney.

Consequently, this would begin my own crusade to let my fellow naive kindergarten friends know the brutal truth, turning me into both a liar and messenger of bad news. Ultimately, I wasn’t sure who was more savage — my parents telling me Santa wasn’t real or me telling four-year-old children.

By Brittney Lu // Lifestyle Co-Editor

M

aking the holiday season magical for their children is an annual task for many parents who celebrate Christmas. Amusing a child by adopting an alter ego of an omnibenevolent chubby old man already requires time and effort, but my parents took their Santa game to the next level. As a professional designer, my mom would always wrap presents in brown kraft paper and decorate response letters from “Santa” with a wax seal. My Russian dad who worked as a head of international media relations, in turn, would write letters in English, since I believed that the real Santa Claus lived in Finland and did not speak my first language.

The delivery of the present was also a special ritual because my parents would discreetly leave my present under the Christmas tree before going for a walk, successfully staying off my radar. To this day I am impressed by my parents’ Santa skills. I’ve been making attempts to figure out how my mom and dad were so sneaky, but they never told me the truth. In fact, they never admitted it was them. When I turned 15, I simply stopped asking any Santa questions because they seemed naive. So, in the end, I still have no proof the guy in a red velveteen costume does not exist. By Olga Golubkova // Lifestyle Co-Editor

A

round nine years old, the rumors of Santa’s nonexistence reached their peak, but when I asked my parents, the most trustworthy source of information, they said he did exist. But, because it just didn’t add up, I decided to plant a camera in our Christmas tree in an attempt to catch Santa or whoever was impersonating him. But I was nine and obviously didn’t own a camcorder — that was expensive in 2005. Instead, I asked my dad if I could borrow his. When he asked what for, being the trustworthy child I am (was), I told him the truth. Later that night, I realized the error of my ways, but it was too late. I just hoped my parents forgot.

That Christmas day was one of high anticipation. I opened presents and tried to seem excited, but all I really wanted to do was view my footage. I was so curious. Might my dad have deleted the footage? Does Santa appear on video? Instead, all I had was approximately three hours of a black screen and incomprehensible rustling noises. I didn’t even bother fast-forwarding through all the footage. By this point I had basically given up on the idea of Santa anyway; I just wanted proof — proof I will never get. By Sherman Aline // Contributing Writer

F

or as long as I can remember, I was skeptical of the idea of Santa Claus. I can probably blame this skepticism on my older brother, as he would always tells me outlandish lies and exploit my young, impressionable mind. So when he told me that Santa was just a truck driver from Canada who delivered my presents, I had as much reason to believe him as everyone else that told me Santa was a magical old man from the North Pole. But there was always some mystery surrounding Santa, and I didn’t completely dismiss him until I was around eight years old. On this fateful morning, I went down to the Christmas tree before my parents had woken up, eager to see my presents. I looked at all of them and noticed something strange: The handwriting on the presents from Santa was awfully similar to the handwriting on the presents from my parents. Perhaps I was meant to be a detective. I put two and two together, and I realized that Santa, as I had suspected, was a fraud. Looking back, this is the moment I first applied the idea of Occam’s Razor to a mystical phenomenon: The simplest solution is probably the correct one. By Naftali Burakovsky // Contributing Writer

There’s nothing quite like that warm and fuzzy feeling that the holiday brings. Maybe it’s the cheerful music, being around loved ones or maybe — just maybe — it’s the warm, boozy beverages that help get everyone in the holiday spirit.

Lifestyle Senior Writer

Spiked Mexican Hot cHocolate Now you know why abuelita’s so fun — spoiler alert: there’s a little something special in her mug.

Serves one 1 ounce Kahlua Cinnamon hot chocolate (recommended: Nestle’s Abuelita Chocolate) Ground cinnamon (as much as desired) Whipped cream (optional) To a heatproof mug, add Kahlua and then fill 3/4 of the mug with prepared cinnamon hot chocolate. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve immediately.

Vin BRUle (MUlled Wine) Europeans win for inventing this particularly delectable, soul-warming wine beverage. If you’re not planning a European vacation this winter break, you can easily recreate this Christmas classic at home. Just don’t burn the wine. It’s a sad day when a bottle of wine has gone to waste.

Serves four One 750-ml bottle red wine 1 orange, sliced 1/4 cup brandy (optional) 1/4 cup honey or sugar 8 whole cloves 2 cinnamon sticks 2 star anise In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for at least 15 minutes. Strain and serve warm.

FiRe-cideR

This is the ultimate simple holiday cocktail. With only two ingredients, there’s really no way to go wrong. Try it with hard apple cider to amplify the warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

Serves one 1 part Fireball Whiskey 1 part apple cider In a coffee mug, mix ingredients and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

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Four singers/musical director wanted for January 2016 professional recording of 11 satirical Christmas carols.

San Diego recording studio. Good pay. Preference for an existing ensemble. Soprano/alto/tenor/bass Contact: laurence.watts@westwicke.com for more details.

price center east, level 3 asgraphicstudio.ucsd.edu

858.246.0972

SPORTS

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Male Athletes Also Experience Body Issues ▶ BODY IMAGE, from page 12

Women’s Volleyball Squeezed into the NCAA West Regionals as the sixth seed and will play this Friday.

Men’s Water Polo Will face Princeton in a play-in game for the NCAA Championship to qualify for the Final Four.

Men’s Soccer

Women’s Soccer

Reached the first round of the CCAA Tournament before falling to Cal State Los Angeles.

Won a record ninth CCAA tournament win and a first-round appearance as the fourth seed in the NCAA West Regionals.

Men’s Cross Country

Women’s Cross Country

Finished 13th at the NCAA West Regionals.

Men’s Basketball Upset No. 4 California Baptist last week, is unbeaten, currently ranked No. 22 and faces Cal State Monterey Bay this Friday at RIMAC Arena.

Took seventh at the NCAA West Regionals and placed one runner in the All-West Region team.

Women’s Basketball Is 5-1 to open the season, fresh off an upset over No. 25 Azusa Pacific and enters the bulk of their CCAA schedule this week.

regulate weight loss to keep athletes from falling to an unhealthy weight in order to improve their match performance.

However, even with the regulation, there are still loopholes.

CHSAA can’t regulate athletes outside of the regular season. Joe dropped weight as fast as he could to make it into the desired 136 weight class. Mind you, this is a six-foot-tall kid that normally sat around 160 to 170 pounds. The question is how effective cutting that much weight was for him.

Cutting weight is detrimental to the athlete after a while: Muscle starts to waste away and weaken because of lack of nutrients.

Any seasoned athlete would know this, but it’s often lastminute desperation that causes athletes to resort to measures like this. Curbing food intake this drastically, even for a short period of time, weakens the body considerably; it’s not “dieting” to improve performance — it’s an eating disorder. Yet some coaches

still push their players, directly or indirectly, to “just drop a few pounds.”

It isn’t just wrestlers either.

Multiple boys I ran cross country with in high school had a tendency to try to shed weight fast before races — the less weight they had to carry, the faster they thought they’d run. Though this is true to an extent, not eating breakfast and only eating a very tiny amount in the days prior to racing rarely has any positive effect.

Yes, female athletes do tend to succumb to the pressure more frequently than their male counterparts. However, that’s not to say that boys don’t feel the heat when competition season rolls around. No matter your gender, the pressure to attain a better physique is always there. It’s just a matter of whether it’s healthy pressure that improves strength or poor encouragement that results in weakness and mediocre performance.

Katie potts

Sierks Earns First All-West Region Honors ▶ W. VOLLEYBALL, from page 12

past regular season.

All of the West Regional matches will feature live coverage, including live stats and live video. Tickets for the event have been on sale since Saturday, Nov. 28.

Top-seeded University of Alaska Anchorage will be hosting the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division-II West Regional on Dec. 4 at the Alaska Airlines Center. The semifinals will

take place the following day, Saturday, Dec. 5, and the championship match of the West Regional will take place on Sunday, Dec. 6.

The winner of the championship match will be crowned NCAA Division-II West Regional champ and will advance onto the Elite Eight, which will be held in Tampa, Florida from Dec. 10 to Dec. 12.

Gurkirat singh

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MARCUS THUILLIER sports@ucsdguardian.org

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GAMES

M. Water Polo W. Volleyball W. Basketball M. Basketball M. Basketball

12/3 12/4 12/4 12/4 12/14

AT NCAA Play-In AT NCAA West Regional VS Cal State Monterey Bay VS Cal State Monterey Bay VS Western Oregon

Athletes’ Body Image: A Weighty Issue mind of an athlete katie potts

At the Door of the Final Four Men’s water polo secures a spot in NCAA Play-In round.

BY ALEX WU // STAFF WRITER PHOTO BY MEGAN LEE Despite having an up-and-down season, the UCSD men’s water polo team found its groove at the perfect time, winning its 18th Western Water Polo Association championship and earning a ticket to the NCAA Play-In round.

But the Tritons did not start as well as they had intended. The then 10thranked Tritons finished the Triton Invitational at an average 2–2, and while they dominated the unranked Pomona-Pitzer College and University of Redlands, the Tritons were crushed 1–13 by the fifth-ranked University of the Pacific and 5–16 by the third-ranked UC Berkeley. In spite of the losses, the Tritons were still able to move up in ranking to the ninth spot.

The trend of losing to ranked teams would continue at the UCLA Invitational, unfortunately, as the Tritons dropped their match to UCLA, losing 6–18, soon after they trounced Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 16–6 earlier in the day. The Tritons remained in the top 10, moving back to the 10th spot.

After beating Fresno State on the road, the Tritons traveled to Stanford to participate in the NorCal Tournament, where they again found themselves leaving with a 2–2 record. But in their last game of the tournament, the Tritons won their first game against a ranked opponent, winning 16–15 in a close match against the 16th-ranked Air Force.

Just three days later, the Tritons engaged in a tight match against unranked Loyola Marymount University. Taking the game to a second sudden-death period, the Tritons ended up losing the match 12–13 in what was a hard-fought battle against their WWPA rivals.

The Tritons entered the SoCal tournament with a 7–7 record, hoping to finally win back-to-back games of the season. That wish would not be granted, however, as they finished the tournament with yet another 2–2 record, winning against San Jose State and the 16th-ranked Santa Clara University, and losing to the sixth-ranked UC Santa Barbara and the 14thranked Air Force. The Tritons dropped to the 15th rank and a 9–9 record after the tournament’s conclusion.

With the finale of the SoCal tournament behind them, the Tritons had six

more regular-season games, all of them against ranked opponents. With their national ranking falling as low as 17th, the Tritons finished off the season going 2–4 in their final stretch, pulling off wins in their rematches against Air Force and Santa Clara. The Tritons had the opportunity to pull of the upset against the number-six-ranked UCSB in the regular season finale but fell in overtime 14–16. The Tritons capped off the regular season with an 11–13 record, good enough for the number-three seed in the WWPA tournament and 16th nationally.

The Tritons certainly know how to win when it matters. Facing off against Santa Clara for the fourth time this season, UCSD came out on top in an 11–9 win, even after being down 6–8 in the third period. UCSD pulled out some more winning magic, pulling off a victory once again against Air Force and winning 10–8, thanks to a pair of goals by senior utility Chase Cockerill in the final period of the game. In the WWPA Championship game, the Tritons faced UC Davis, hoping to get their revenge after losing 7–8 to the 17–7 Aggies earlier in the season. The Tritons got what they asked for, squeezing by with a decisive 6–5 victory in a defensive battle against the top-seeded opponent, improving the Tritons’ season to 14–13 and earning a spot in the NCAA Play-In. Cockerill lead the team in goals and steals this season with 54 and 47, respectively, while junior driver Nick Alexander led the team with 56 assists in the season. Redshirt freshman goalie Jack Turner held down the fort with 195 saves for the year.

Now the third-seed and 10th-ranked Tritons will face the fourth-seed and ninth-ranked Princeton University in hopes to earn a Final Four match against number-one seed UCLA. UCSD faced Princeton University earlier in the regular season, where senior two-meter Tyler Mancuso scored three goals, but eventually fell 12–9.

The Tritons hope to avenge their loss earlier in the season against the Tigers and earn a Final Four spot on Thursday, Dec. 3 at the University of Southern California.

Alex Wu

W. VOLLEYBALL

Tritons Sneak Into NCAA Division-II West Regionals No. 6 seed UCSD to play No. 3 seed and CCAA Tournament Champion Sonoma State, this Friday at Anchorage. by gurkirat singh

This Friday, Dec. 4, the UCSD women’s volleyball team will compete against Sonoma State in a quarterfinal match at 1 p.m. at the University of Alaska Anchorage in the NCAA West Regional.

The overall bracket of the women’s volleyball division was announced last week, showing the positions of the 64 teams that secured a berth in the NCAA postseason. The women’s volleyball squad, on merit of their competitive regular-season overall record, has been placed as the sixth seed in the upcoming NCAA Division-II West

Regional. Their opponent, Sonoma State, has been ranked as the third seed in the division.

UCSD has emerged into the postseason with a 19–11 overall record, giving the team the ticket to once again represent the pride of their school in the NCAA DivisionII tourney. This will be UCSD’s 14th time competing in the tourney since UCSD joined the women’s volleyball Division-II ranks in 2000. In the past 16 seasons, UCSD has been able to nab a spot in the postseason every season except for 2005 and 2014.

Sonoma State was given its third seed in the NCAA West Regional after an outstanding season, pulling through the season with a 26–3 overall record. Their squad is ranked

18th nationally and will come in the tourney soaring on a boastful 22-match win streak. This will also mark Sonoma State’s eighthconsecutive NCAA appearance.

Before arriving into the NCAA postseason, Sonoma State, the actual defending West Region champs, won the first annual California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament last week, which UCSD hosted at RIMAC Arena.

During the regular season, the UCSD and Sonoma State women’s volleyball squads only met and competed against each other once. On Oct 3., the teams battled strenuously, with the match becoming a very lively and competitive endeavor which

ultimately ended with the Sonoma State Seawolves taking a 3–2 victory in Rohnert Park. Overall, however, the Tritons hold a 26–12 advantage when it comes to all-time series.

The other members of the NCAA Division-II West Regional bracket who will be making a trip to Anchorage include No. 2 Western Washington, No. 4 Cal State San Bernardino, No. 5 Central Washington, No. 7 Point Loma Nazarene and No. 8 Dixie State.

The host, University of Alaska Anchorage, holds the No. 1 seed.

Of these teams, UCSD has only competed against Cal State San Bernardino and Point Loma this See W. VOLLEYBALL, page 11

In most — if not all — sports, the ideal athlete has a toned, strong body with a low body-fat percentage. For a good handful of athletes, there’s constant pressure from parents, coaches and even teammates to drop just a little more weight to ramp up athletic performance.

For some, it results in poor eating habits, some escalating into full-blown eating disorders, in an effort to stay within the so-called “ideal” range for fitness. Former UCSD Guardian staffer Lorato Anderson put this into perspective in her 2012 article “Body Image and the Female Athlete,” citing what KidsHealth.com dubbed the “Female Athlete Triad.” The gist is that the pressure put on female athletes to attain that “perfect” shape and size pushes them to have a negative body image, which can sometimes lead to eating disorders in an effort to improve performance.

The negative body image is often seen as a distinctly feminine struggle. However, even if not as prevalent, it still is an issue among male athletes as well.

Wrestling is a prime example. It isn’t a sport that sits in the public eye (not traditional wrestling, at least), so we don’t really notice the athletes as much as we would a football or basketball player.

The pressure for perfection is still there, though. I knew a good handful of wrestlers in high school because my brother was one, and the objective was the same across the board: Drop into lower-weight classes to gain an advantage over your opponents. The less fat you carried, the higher your likelihood of getting takedowns and pinning your opponent. Less fat usually meant higher agility and ease in countering your opponent’s moves.

One case stands out in my mind in particular. Let’s just call him Joe for the sake of brevity and privacy.

Joe was a four-year varsity letterman in high school. He was in one of my elective classes my sophomore year that fell in the middle of the day, so it was typical for kids to eat their lunch in the class. Almost everyone did. Joe was usually among us, but about a month before the start of the wrestling season, he all but completely stopped eating — a handful of Ritz crackers and a little bag of carrots or apple slices, maybe a protein bar here and there. He was drinking water constantly, but that was the extent of it.

The Colorado High School Activities Association sets statewide guidelines that all those under its jurisdiction are expected to follow; if not, an athlete risks disqualification if the offense is serious enough. One major rule enforced is that high school wrestlers can’t drop more than two and a half pounds per week during the season. They have this because of athletes like Joe — it helps See BODY IMAGE, page 11