The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life will begin next Friday at the UCSB track, in commemoration and support of lives affected by cancer.

Hosted by the UCSB Relay for Life Planning Committee, the event will take place from Friday at noon through Saturday at noon, in memory of those who have lost their lives to cancer, as well as to raise money for cancer patients, cancer survivors and their friends and family. Highlights of the event include the Survivor Lap, in which participants will walk around the track continuously for 24 hours, marking the exhaustion many cancer patients face regularly, as well as the Luminaria Ceremony, in which participants honor those currently battling cancer or those who have lost their lives to cancer.

In order to incorporate the celebratory portion of the event, Relay for Life offers an array of activities and other forms of entertainment, including games, group yoga, locally-catered food, professional photography, a Pantene Locks-of-Love donation table and screenings of the films “50/50” and “The Avengers.” The event will also feature performances from Vocal Motion, The Olés, Brothas From Otha Mothas and more. Additionally, participants who meet the American Cancer Society’s individual fundraising goal of $100 each will be rewarded with free food.

Chair of the Relay for Life Planning Committee and second-year economics and accounting major Erick Lankey said he hopes to increase the event’s popularity to such a scale that it will one day be embedded into UCSB culture and memorialized as a cherished campus tradition.

“I hope that the event at UCSB can expand further for this year as well as in the future,” Lankey said. “We want Relay for Life to become an event that students mark on their calendars at the beginning of every year as one of those ‘can’t miss’ events.”

According to Lankey, the event will allow participants to both work toward a good cause and bond with peers about a prevalent phenomenon that, for many, hits close to home.

“We all know someone who has been affected by cancer,” Lankey said. “It is great to remember those who have passed away, as well as celebrate and encourage those who have beaten cancer or are still fighting it.”

To participate in the event, students can sign up online — either as a team or as an individual — and raise money both before and during the event itself through restaurant fundraisers, car washes, t-shirt sales and more. The American Cancer Society allocates more than 70 percent of its funds toward cancer education, early detection, patient services and cancer research.

Fourth-year sociology major Emeri Keffer, whose team consists of students and staff members at Tropicana Student Housing, said several local businesses have agreed to support their fundraising efforts.

“As a fellow student, I know how hard it is to find the money to donate,” Keffer said. “A lot of restaurants in I.V. are teaming up with Relay teams to do fundraisers.”

With goals for this year’s event to fundraise $110,000 and host a total of 150 teams, The Relay for Life Planning Committee has currently confirmed 136 teams — or 570 participants — and raised $22,988. The committee urges students and faculty alike to participate and help increase cancer awareness on campus.

Co-Chair of Team Development Jenny Bakos, third-year history and cultural anthropology major, said her father was diagnosed with cancer not long ago and the annual relay event has enabled her to both cope with her personal situation and aid those undergoing similar situations.

“If cancer has not touched your life yet, it most certainly will in the future,” Bakos said. “Cancer touched my life when my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 appendix cancer the night before the start of my freshman year of college at UCSB.”

According to Bakos, Relay For Life is an event that provides a way for many to cope with the emotional struggles of cancer diagnosis.

“UCSB’s Relay for Life has blessed me with the friendships and support that not only helped me deal with my dad’s diagnosis, but gave me the strength to help other Santa Barbara area patients, survivors and caregivers going through similar battles,” Bakos said.

A version of this article appeared on page 4 of May 23rd’s print edition of the Daily Nexus.

It was a glorious afternoon, and rightfully so. A.S. Program Board had succeeded in bringing Compton born-and-raised rapper Kendrick Lamar to headline, along with Swedish house duo Dada Life, reggae artist J Boog, goth-beach boy band The Growlers and I.V. locals Alpha Phunk.

Extravaganza 2013 was a crazy success, and a lot of credit is due to the incredible art installations. In the past, there have been cool wire sculptures and painted trash cans, but this year topped all of that. A field usually littered with tortillas, Harder was instead covered with multicolored wooden trees bearing the words “planted by: (insert artist’s name here).” A four-panel graffiti mural was painted on the entire day and served as a good photo booth for Instagram lovers. The most interactive art piece was a standing box in which one would stick their hands. Inside the box was a mirror that reflected your hands pulling on magnetic objects. The most monumental piece was a 35-foot-tall pyramidal bamboo structure that hosted aerial performers (just picture Cirque du Soleil). Extravaganza art stepped up to a new level of expertise.

But let’s get on to the music.

Up first was Isla Vista’s Alpha Phunk, who graced the stage with a good mix of funky-fresh sound and hip-hop verses. Second-year and lead lady singer Sofia Melo commanded the stage with her soulful voice. I noticed more than one male crowd member mouth the word “dayum” when she hit her high notes. MC Laurence Hall bopped around as a good rapper should, and trumpeter Bobby Beresford took everyone’s breath away with his jazzy notes.

After the show I got to catch up with Alpha Phunk, which is comprised of nearly all UCSB students, and talk about balancing student and band life.

“We have a collective IQ of 978, which is pretty good,” bassist Miller Wrenn joked.

Drummer Vincent Loris had a more serious answer, saying, “When you really love something, you make time for it — so we figure it out.”

Act Two was The Growlers, a goth-beach band from Costa Mesa. I didn’t know that goth and beach could form a genre, but one second of listening to lead vocalist Brooks Nielsen grumble into the microphone corrected that thought. Watching The Growlers perform was like time traveling back to the ’80s; the boys were bedecked in Salvation Army clothes, mustaches and psychedelic vibes. Their “long hair, don’t care” manes were colored with just enough natural golden highlights to indicate that they probably do surf every day. Backstage, I met up with lead singer Brooks Nielsen and learned a little about their origins.

“I met two of the guys in high school, but they were straightedge, so we didn’t hang out until after [graduation],” Nielsen said. “Being in a beach town, [high school] was kind of weird, like for example, no one gave a fuck about the football team. School was just a bunch of little cliques, the surfers and the druggies. The rest of the guys I met through music and surfing — we would meet up at the beach, and I just kind of stole them.”

J Boog hit the stage around 3:10 p.m. with some hearty island love. The 27-year-old reggae artist made an intoxicatingly good vibe fly into the audience. J Boog, whose real name is Jarell Damonte Houston, was born in Long Beach and raised in Compton, along the same streets as Kendrick Lamar. His first performance was at age nine singing Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time” at a family reunion. In 2006 he moved to Hawaii to develop his craft and the natural surroundings affected his voice; he now speaks with a slight Hawaiian accent. J Boog brought his cool island voice to UCSB, and the audience ate it up. His most well-received numbers were “Let’s Do It Again” and “Ganja Farmer.”

Dada Life came straight from L.A. on a train that went too slow for their liking. At 2:05 they asked Twitter fans if anyone could drive them to Santa Barbara since the train wasn’t moving. (Why wasn’t I in Chatsworth? I could have driven Dada Life to school!) At 2:29 they got in a car. At 2:30 a fan tweeted for them to take the 118 through Moorpark because it is faster than the 101. At 4:47 they made it to UCSB in the nick of time, and at 4:55 the whole crowd went bananas. The Swedish duo played a set familiar to Del Playa dance parties: “Clarity” by Zedd and “Don’t You Worry Child” by Swedish House Mafia. The best numbers, though, were “Kick Out the Epic Motherfucker” and “This Sh!t is Bananas.” Hearing a Gwen Stefani throwback with all my best friends in a sweaty, sweaty crowd was bliss. The only thing missing from Dada Land was the cookie song.

And then came the moment that three-fourths of the crowd was waiting for: Kendrick Lamar. I say three-fourths because one-fourth impolitely peaced out during Kendrick’s set. Although he didn’t quite hype the audience up as much as a headliner should have, Kendrick held his own at Harder Stadium. He was very charismatic and appreciative of the crowd, repeatedly telling us to clap our hands for ourselves rather than for him. “Give yourselves a hand” was the common mantra.

Born and raised in Compton, California, Kendrick Lamar went to Centennial High School, got straight A’s and idolized Tupac and Dr. Dre. In 2012 he signed under Dre and Interscope Records. He’s got four mixtapes, 1,692,287 followers on Twitter (compared to Dre’s 916,836) and was crowned MTV’s number one hottest MC in the game.

Kendrick played all of the goodies during his set: “Poetic Justice,” “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe,” “Swimming Pools (Drank)” and his verse from “Fuckin’ Problems” by ASAP Rocky. The best was “Backstreet Freestyle.” (There’s this really cute video J Boog posted on Twitter of Kendrick rapping the intro and J Boog, who was clearly stoked, singing along.)

The day ended with Kendrick doing an insanely fast-paced freestyle in which he talked about climbing to the top of the music business. It was more of a gratitude speech than an ending number, and the crowd loved it. Practically everyone had their cell phones in the air, capturing the last precious moments of Kendrick’s set. “Damn that boy good/I’m as bright as Thomas Edison/but I’m Gucci manhood/I stood low, solo, through my own career/But now I’m here/You could shoot a cheer/Cuz SB, I’m Kendrick f**king Lamar, and I love y’all.”

X13 marked the spot, from the handsome art installations to the perfect tanning weather to going bananas during Dada Life to hearing Kendrick speak about his rise to fame. Happy Extravaganza, UCSB!

A version of this article appeared on page 10 of May 23rd’s print edition of the Daily Nexus.

This year’s competitors showcased an array of products and ventures, including robotic children’s toys, a medial diagnostic tool for expectant mothers and an online course management program. The judging panel featured notable investors such as Cliff Hannel and Ryan McCalley, former CEO of SloanLED Jim Sloan and TechCrunch reporter Colleen Taylor.

The competition started with 55 teams in October 2012 and narrowed down to 20 during the New Venture Competition Semi-Finals last month. The top six — Asta Fluidic Technologies, Gain Changer, Komodo Interactive, MyConciergeMobile, Napses and Polyspectra — were selected by attendees of the fair and gave their final pitch yesterday at Corwin Pavilion.

First place winner Asta Fluidic Technologies created a test that diagnoses fetomaternal hemorrhage, a condition which affects pregnant mothers and their unborn children and can result in mental disabilities or death. Additionally, second place winner and peoples’ choice Komodo Interactive created a customizable robotic toy for children, while third place winner Napses produced an online course management program that is intended to replace hard copy course readers.

Asta Fluidic Technologies will receive $10,000, second place team Komodo Interactive will receive $5,000, Napses will receive $2,500 for third place and the remaining teams will receive $1,000 for their efforts. In addition, Komodo Interactive will take an additional $5,000 with their current $5,000 winnings for garnering a majority of votes via text as the peoples’ choice winner.

According to TMP program manager Mike Panesis, NVC has grown in the last few years due to the recent economic downturn that has prompted students into taking advantage of the unique resources provided by TMP mentors.

“These days, you can’t really count on employers … there also is a lot more interest in entrepreneurship, in general, because people like to have control of their own destiny,” Panesis said. “We want to be known for graduating start-ups and companies along with students.”

Last year, the competition had a system in which two separate tracks teams could enter — market pull or technology push — which allowed for two first-place winners. This year however, the two tracks merged and instead of three teams challenging each other for first place in respective categories, all six finalists vied for one victory.

Panesis said the two-track or one-track system can vary year to year, depending on the type of teams, and he said that TMP will probably use the two-track system again in the future.

According to Danny Iland, computer science Ph.D. student and member of fitness measuring tool business Gain Changer, the competition’s guided blend of technology and science with the business market has been an eye-opening experience for competitors.

“It’s been a great process, mostly because the combination of the amount of learning and development was great,” Iland said. “The experience in the contest gives you a good sense of the business side of technology.”

Now that the competition is over, Iland said he and the Gain Changer team want to take the skills they gained in NVC to bring to their venture in the real world business market.

“I want to move it forward as a viable business,” Iland said. “Now is the time to bring a product like ours to market, especially with products like Fitbit and Nike+ showing the demand for fitness tracking.”

According to Panesis, after years of NVC experience, he has learned students should enter the competition several years in a row if they want solid experience and a chance at winning.

“Something very important that we’ve learned this year is that it is very beneficial if you have multiple years in the New Venture Competition,” Panesis said. “That accumulation of learning prepares you much better to be an entrepreneur when you graduate, and people tend to place better and better every year.”

The TMP program’s NVC competition is the longest running such program in the country, with several previous winners going on to successfully launch their ventures post-graduation. One of the earliest winners from 2001, Inogen, has brought their portable oxygen concentrator to national acclaim, and last years’ winner, aPeel Technology, won a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to conduct further work on their food preservation product.

Asta Fluidic Technologies, a student startup, took first place in the New Venture Competition finals yesterday.
The fair, run by the Technology Management Program, is the oldest collegiate tech-business fair in the U.S.

PHOTO BY PETER VANDENBELT / DAILY NEXUS

A version of this article appeared on page 3 of May 23rd’s print edition of the Daily Nexus.

How Strange Is It To Be Anything At All is a collection of short stories based on actual events in Riley’s life. The tales feature Riley’s experiences with heartbreak, drugs, alcohol and various other adventures.

Riley, who alludes to the fact that he is far from perfect, recounts his stories with the purpose of showing audience members the gritty side of a young man’s life, but he also continuously stresses the importance of appreciating life. His writing style allows a reader to journey alongside the author’s conscious as he discloses his experiences in a raw way.

Sometimes Riley is a no-BS social critic. He spends one chapter, “13 Ways of Identifying a (San Francisco) Hipster,” satirizing the common trends he notices within the group (although he admits he is one).

Other times, it seems that he is just ranting and rambling on until the very end of a story when he introduces a twist, which turns out to be a unique life lesson. The sections “Hate Everything” and “Dead?” make the reader feel so negative until the end, where they are finally filled with great optimism.

Then there are stories such as “San Francisco — An Autobiography,” where Riley takes the reader by the hand and allows him or her to enjoy all the little things in his life along with him.

Finally, there are the tragic breakups (“The Green-Eyed Monster of Happiness”), the awkward times (“Dirty Dishes”) and the holy-shit-that’s-crazy moments (too many to list). These are stories many of us can relate to, though we may not have really stopped to think about how they have impacted us like Riley has done in his book.

Riley spoke at the College of Creative Studies yesterday and read some stories from the collection. He revealed that he actually has a hard time connecting to most of the stories now, probably due to his age now (mid-twenties) versus when he wrote them (from age 17 to 22), but that “old guys” love them.

Despite this disconnect, Riley was engaging as a speaker. He spoke without pretense (and with appreciated self-deprecating humor) about why he started trying to get a book published (“to impress a girl”) and the challenges of editing, writing, publishing and life in general. His honest takes on his experiences growing up and trying to find his place in the world were refreshing, as were his admissions about his dissatisfaction with some of his own work.

The overall message I find in Riley’s work is that life can feel extremely troubling sometimes, but there is always something to love about it. Parallel to the theme of “life being a journey that is its own reward,” reading the book was a wild ride and a rewarding journey in itself.

A version of this article appeared on page 14 of May 23rd’s print edition of the Daily Nexus.

The event will run from noon to 3 p.m. and will include information on the nutritional benefits of eating insects. Recipes for the insect-based culinary choices hide these creatures inside each food and are inspired by the rising ecological perspective that views insects as sustainable food sources.

Lauren Menzer, co-chair of the Zero Waste Committee and second-year environmental studies and political science double major, said the Bug-B-Q provides students a different angle on seemingly repulsive creatures. For this reason, Menzer encourages attendance of both those who are willing and those who are unwilling to consume insects.

“We’d like to have a high attendance just to get the word out and have high enthusiasm, because it’s something really obscure,” Menzer said. “[It is] just to teach the people there asking questions, even if they don’t eat any of the bugs, just to have it on their radar the next time they go to a restaurant or foreign country.”

According to Izzy Parnell-Wolfe, vice-chair of the Zero Waste Committee and third-year global studies major, all bug snacks offered at the event will be cooked into appetizing and visually appealing arrangements, rather than just a “platter of bugs.”

“I think that everyone, at some point in their life, wants to try eating a bug. So it’s kind of like ‘Survivor’ in a sense. I was surprised there was a lot of pretty positive feedback,” Parnell-Wolfe said. “Obviously, there will be people who are hesitant and very uncertain about what we are doing, but if you come with an open mind, it will be fun.”

The Bug-B-Q concept came from Zero Waste Committee member Elise Rosky, who held a similar, smaller event earlier in the year. According to Menzer, Rosky sought to make today’s event more public, striving to attract more attendees and challenge Western attitudes of revulsion at eating bugs.

Insects will provide an important source of protein in the future, when Earth’s carrying capacity will potentially be unable to support exponentially increasing agricultural resources and farms, Menzer said.

The push for global acceptance of eating bugs within the field of entomology, a branch of zoology dealing with the study of insects, has surfaced prominently in recent discussions about sustainability, according to a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization 2013 report presented earlier this month entitled, “Edible Insects: Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security.”

The report offered evidence pointing to increased world consumption of insects as socially, environmentally and economically helpful for all communities.

UCSB Environmental Studies Professor David Cleveland said the transition to an insect-inclusive diet may reduce the negative impact of current food production systems.

“Our current agrifood system, especially the animal portion, is responsible for high levels of ecological damage including global warming, biodiversity loss, human disease and hunger,” Cleveland said in an email. “Eating insects has the potential to be a lot more sustainable than eating domestic birds and large mammals and wild ocean life.”

However, Cleveland also said an insect diet is not significantly more nutritious than current non-meat sources.

“On the other hand, we don’t need to eat even tiny animals, insects, etc. to obtain required nutrients. Vegetarian and vegan diets are very adequate,” Cleveland said in an email.

According to Parnell-Wolfe, the Bug-B-Q will provide an opportunity for students to consider different methods of living sustainability.

“We’re trying to show people that there are so many fun and crazy solutions out there that are actually pretty plausible and can have a huge impact, and we really just need to keep our minds open,” Parnell-Wolfe said.

Maggots and crickets are the order of the day today at the Arbor, as the
UCSB Zero Waste Committee is holding a barbecue from noon to 3 p.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF Bug-B-Q Event Page

A version of this article appeared on page 5 of May 23rd’s print edition of the Daily Nexus.

This evening, the Media Arts and Technology (M.A.T.) graduate students are having their end-of-the-year show, “Shadows in Space,” from 6 to 9 p.m. The show will feature all kinds of interactions between art, technology and people. There will also be an event at the AlloSphere on campus, an instrument that stimulates immersive education and research, with interactive installations and live audio-visual performances and screenings.

Located in the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) in Elings Hall, the AlloSphere is a physical space designed to facilitate creativity and incite new ideas through collaboration that integrates visual, sensory, sonic and interactive elements. This one-of-a-kind research instrument acts as a large-scale digital microscope connected to a supercomputer that can examine scientific and mathematical data in new dimensions. The AlloSphere has even been featured on TED Talks!

Completed in 2007, the AlloSphere is a three-story cube that is one of the largest echo-free chambers in the world, completely designed to absorb reflections of sound or electromagnetic waves. This allows for synthesis manipulation and analysis of large-scale data in an environment that can simulate virtually real sensory perception. Inside this chamber is an aluminum sphere 30 feet in diameter that is designed to be visually opaque and acoustically transparent. With 12 high-res projectors above the entrance to the sphere and 140 individual speakers and subwoofers behind the aluminum screen, the AlloSphere features 3-D audio and 3-D videos.

This unique instrument was created by professor JoAnn Kuchera-Morin and is a culmination of over 26 years of research and innovation. She worked with architect Robert Venturi to plan its location and consulted many architects and design consultants, as the design changed many times over the course of its construction.

The AlloSphere Research Facility focuses on multiple interactive interfaces, such as scientific visualization, abstract data representations, numerical simulations and human perception. According to the facility, the AlloSphere is “Scientifically … an instrument for gaining insight and developing bodily intuition about environments into which the body cannot venture: abstract, higher-dimensional information spaces, the worlds of the very small or very large and the realms of the very fast or very slow.”

I am thrilled to get the opportunity to experience the AlloSphere and recommend it to those who have never heard of the facility. The incredible amount of research and artistic projects that the M.A.T. students have been working on use cutting-edge digital media tools. Photo documentation of the inside of the AlloSphere is incredible, yet I have heard that photographs do not it justice.

AlloSphere tours will be given every half hour starting at 6 p.m. today, and tickets will be given first-come, first-serve. It can accommodate about 20 to 30 people at a time and is a promising communal experience! Go support the M.A.T. students and gain a one-of-a-kind experience at the famous AlloSphere; it may inspire you like it did me.

A version of this article appeared on page 11 of May 23rd’s print edition of the Daily Nexus.

The event, titled “How to be a Gentleman and Get Laid: Navigating consent, sexual freedom, partying, dating, relationships, and what it means to be a man on campus,” was hosted by the UCSB Women, Gender, & Sexual Equity Department.

Once interviewed by Neil Strauss, renowned dating expert and best-selling author of The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists, Mihalko is a self-proclaimed Sex & Relational Role Model and “Sex Geek” who said he wants to make sex and “hooking up” an enjoyable and “un-shameful” experience for both parties.

During his lecture, Mihalko said he strives to teach men to have genuine communication skills, to understand and respect women, to be more effective lovers and afterward be role models to their community. Additionally, according to Mihalko, being genuine and forthright is a better approach to picking up women than “trying to say the right things to get a girl to like you” and just “hunting for pussy.”

Mihalko also said men should strive to make women feel safe and that men who take on misogynistic and uncaring roles in sex and relationships will only perpetuate certain stereotypes about the male gender as a whole.

“They are sharing their bodies with you,” Mihalko said. “If [women] feel they can’t trust you with their ‘no,’ how could they trust you with their ‘yes’?”

According to Mihalko, men should not focus on convincing women to sleep with them but rather on developing continuous, non-awkward and mutually enjoyable relationships — whether they are casual or monogamous.

Fourth-year political science major Ryan Cruz said Mihalko’s advice was relevant and beneficial to not only males seeking relationships with women, but to the campus community as a whole.

“I felt that the program was great,” Cruz said. “As a gay male with a lot of female friends, they talk about what men should do in order to become better lovers and what Reid was saying was spot-on.”

Mihalko teaches an online class at his website www.reidaboutsex.com.

A version of this article appeared on page 7 of May 23rd’s print edition of the Daily Nexus.

The free event will kick off at noon and will feature a live performance by Isla Vista-based funk band The Fire Department, along with various games, activities and food. The festival will continue until 3 p.m., featuring more live musical performances by DJ T-Fresh and DJ Erah. The event will also include ice blocking, tortilla Frisbee and inflatable soccer games with prizes, chalk art, free airbrush tattoos and a photo booth, in addition to BBQ burgers and hot links for $2. There will also be free samples of Santa Barbara Bar, Dirty Chips and Vitamin Water and giveaways.

Brian Nguyen, chair of the UCen Governance Board and a third-year economics and accounting major, said UCensation acts to celebrate students and their work over the course of the school year. Nguyen said the event’s concert will offer attendees an entertaining start to the Memorial Day weekend while still providing more than enjoyable live music.

“The event is not on the same budget as Extravaganza, so it’s not fair to compare the two. It has more of a Wordstock or Chilla Vista feel to it, with all the local bands performing,” Nguyen said. “But, I secretly think that ours is going to be better because of all the activities we have planned.”

According to Jill Singletary, Hub Manager at the UCen, the chalk art competition acts as a major part of the festival and involves various groups within the MultiCultural Center, who will showcase and possibly win awards for their creative chalk drawings.

“It is a take on ‘I Madonnari,’ a street painting competition that takes place every Memorial Day weekend at the mission in downtown Santa Barbara,” Singletary said. “It’s a way to celebrate all the creativity on campus.”

UCen and Events Center Administration Interim Director Gary Lawrence said the event fosters a sense of community within UCSB, as the Bookstore, UCen Catering, the Hub and various other campus organizations all contribute to the preparation of the event.

Lawrence said the UCen administration sought to collaborate with the Ice Skating Club, for example, due to their ice blocking event’s success during the year.

“The Ice Skating Club hosts a biannual ice blocking event on the Lagoon Lawn, right outside of the UCen, twice a year, and students really seem to enjoy themselves,” Lawrence said. “We wanted to partner with them in order to take advantage of their skills and organization.”

According to Nguyen, the event will highlight the best of what the UCen has to offer to students.

“We want to show that the UCen can be a fun place to go, increase foot traffic and draw attention,” Nguyen said. “And what better way to draw people in than a chill, springtime party on the lagoon with free food and fun activities?”

A version of this article appeared on page 4 of May 23rd’s print edition of the Daily Nexus.

In his 2004 collection of critical interpretations of Gatsby, Harold Bloom writes, “The book has become part of what must be called that American Mythology, just as Fitzgerald himself now possesses mythological status.”

With the story held in so many hearts, many have been either eagerly awaiting or utterly dreading the release of Baz Luhrmann’s 3-D adaptation, which grossed an astounding $51 million its opening weekend. Luhrmann is responsible for “Romeo + Juliet” (1996) and “Moulin Rouge!” (2001): loud, glitzy films infused with contemporary pop, rock and hip-hop music.

From 2008 onward, Luhrmann and his team compiled extensive research in order to stay faithful to the plot, the minute details and perhaps Fitzgerald’s original intentions, while revamping it to feel hip and modern. But the culmination of their efforts is, for the most part, a shallow, cartoonish, super-charged roller coaster ride targeted toward easily-allured 12-to-15-year olds.

First, Luhrmann made the curious decision to begin the story with Nick Carraway (our first-person narrator played by Tobey Maguire) writing in a patient’s journal after ending up in a mental hospital due to “morbid alcoholism, fits of anger, insomnia.” According to Mike Hogan’s (Executive Arts and Entertainment Editor of Huffington Post) recent interview with Luhrmann, the frame was inspired by an early version of Fitzgerald’s unfinished novel, The Last Tycoon, in which the narrator, Cecilia Brady, tells her story from a sanitarium. I found the frame totally unnecessary; the story works much better arising organically, preserving some of its mystery and intrigue. It stands perfectly well on its own without the reader wondering exactly why or from where the narrator is telling the story.

I opted out of the 3-Dimensional headache, sticking with old-fashioned 2-D vision, but was nonetheless distracted by the zooming back and forth from East Egg to West Egg and the words moving on and off the screen throughout the film. The fast-paced, flashy effects meant for 3-D viewing were geared toward an audience with the attention span of a five-year-old. I suppose the visualized words — some direct quotes and some paraphrasing — were meant to bring Fitzgerald’s writing to life, but they instead rendered the delicate, sparkling prose manipulated and overexposed. They should have been left on the page as originally intended.

On top of that, too many important moments are drowned out by the booming soundtrack produced by Jay-Z. Why Luhrmann could not resist the urge to mash together rap and dubstep with a setting otherwise meticulously accurate to the 1920s is beyond me. What Fitzgerald describes as “yellow cocktail music,” Luhrmann interprets as pounding synthesizers and obnoxious rap. I could not help but laugh out loud when the remix of Flux Pavillion’s “I Can’t Stop,” charged through the subtle, uncomfortable party scene when Nick “gets drunk for the second time in [his life]” to bear the tension surrounding Tom Buchanan and his mistress, Myrtle Wilson, at their secret apartment in the city. And later, when they are driving home from the city, a car of people partying passes them on the Queensboro bridge blasting Jay-Z’s “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” — “H to the izzo, V to the izz-A/That’s the anthem getcha damn hands up.” The image is too bizarre and laughable to be taken seriously. Other songs, featuring Lana Del Rey, Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, Jack White, will.i.am, The xx and other popular artists, are fine to listen to on their own; in fact, they are catchy and interesting, thanks to Jay-Z’s production skills. They just have no place in Gatsby’s fragile, fantastic world.

All of that said, a few parts of the film do deserve praise. First, there is Leonardo DiCaprio’s endearing and heartbreaking portrayal of Gatsby. DiCaprio captures what Fitzgerald describes in the novel when Nick meets Gatsby: “He smiled understandingly — much more than understandingly.” As the film goes on, with exquisite physical acting, DiCaprio reveals Gatsby’s inner torment and the fragility behind his calculated outer appearance and charm. His tight, strained facial expressions shows him so full of hope and longing for the past that he is about to burst. DiCaprio shows Gatsby’s touching insecurity and neuroses when Gatsby eagerly prepares Nick’s cottage for tea with Daisy. It is endearing and funny: He redoes the entire lawn, brings in hundreds of flowers and flees at first into the “pouring rain” upon Daisy’s arrival. This scene, and the confrontation scene between Tom and Gatsby in the hotel room where they throw Daisy around between them, is handled more carefully than others.

Indeed, what was most compelling in the movie was the sympathy evoked for Gatsby due to DiCaprio’s performance along with Tobey Maguire’s portrayal of Nick, whose first-person narration shapes the audience’s perception of Gatsby. The relationship between Nick and Gatsby is central in the novel. Before Gatsby meets his untimely end, Nick recalls his own last words to his friend: “‘They’re a rotten crowd, you’re worth the whole damn bunch’ … I was always glad I said that, it was the only compliment I ever paid him.” I also appreciate Luhrmann’s final touch at the end: He has Nick scribble “The Great” in front of the title of his finished manuscript, “Gatsby,” further moving the audience toward a sad, strange feeling of sympathy for the tragic character.

Adapting a novel or story to film successfully does not necessarily require slavishly copying every word and detail. Remakes are worthwhile when they illuminate, develop or explore some crucial aspect of the original work. They should complement the original but be able to exist as a legitimate separate entity. Despite Luhrmann’s obvious deliberation and effort to remain faithful to the details of the novel while keeping it fresh and relevant for young audiences, nothing is accomplished for the story. But I don’t blame him; the novel may just be un-filmable. Even the very first film adaptation in 1926, now completely lost, was a failure according to Zelda Fitzgerald, who wrote in a letter to her husband, “It’s rotten and awful and terrible and we left.” Future directors of Gatsby remakes should keep her words in mind.

A version of this article appeared on page 13 of May 23rd’s print edition of the Daily Nexus.

The executive reports — delivered by President Sophia Armen, Internal Vice President Mayra Segovia, External Vice President of Statewide Affairs Nadim Houssain, External Vice President of Local Affairs Rhandy Siordia and Student Advocate General Yoel Haile — elicited varying reactions from senators and audience members due to their sometimes emotional and controversial nature.

Later in the meeting, the Senate welcomed the new A.S. Senate members and executive officers for next year. Both the new Senate and new executive board consist largely of Open People’s Party candidates, as all executives for the 2013-2014 school year are former O.P.P. candidates. Jonathan Abboud was sworn into the position of President, while Kyley Scarlet was sworn in as Internal Vice President and Alex Moore was sworn in as External Vice President of Local Affairs. Alex Choate officially took the seat of External Vice President of Statewide Affairs and Kristian Whittaker was sworn in as Student Advocate General.

In regards to executive reports, Haile spoke first and named specific entities and individual whom he said he was targeted and attacked by — including Rabbi Evan Goodman, President-elect Jonathan Abboud, Off-Campus Senator Alessandra Cianni and the Daily Nexus, amongst others.

According to Haile, many of the allegations levied against him were a result of racial prejudice, particularly ones surrounding divestment meetings, in which he and other executives voiced their opinions. The Student Advocate General said he was accused by Rabbi Goodman of anti-Semitism, who Haile said ignored the similar opinions voiced by other speakers.

“Given that the content of my speech was quite similar to at least 100 people who spoke during public forum, it’s interesting that the Rabbi chose to come after me and nobody else, at least to the extent that he did,” Haile said. “I believe race was a big factor in his treatment of me … I am an African man, a black man. I say that because the Rabbi knows nothing about me, aside from what I look like and what I said during public forum and my Exec report.”

Haile also mentioned a Daily Nexus endorsement article for this year’s A.S. elections, which was published on April 22 and “called to question his ability to act as the nonpartisan resource that the OSA is expected to be.”

“Given your history of publishing anti-Black Op-eds and other commentaries, I am not surprised,” Haile said. “I did not know racism and white supremacy were partisan issues for me to stay out of.”

Later in the report, Haile highlighted “remarkable feats” met by the SAG Office during his term, describing his office as a “strong and beautiful team” that has counseled and assisted students through academic troubles, legal issues and housing issues, amongst other matters.

“We helped and counseled hundreds of students regarding many issues they were struggling with ranging from being kicked out of school, cancellation of housing contracts, family problems, targeted treatment by police and much more,” Haile said.

He also applauded the office’s participation in on-campus organizational efforts and its collaboration with the Black Student Union.

Following Haile’s report was EVPSA Houssain’s speech, which was supportive of Haile’s statements and also said this school year included a number of positive efforts and changes.

In his address, Houssain mentioned the success of passing Proposition 30, the record number of students registered to vote and a campaign addressing the corruption surrounding the prison industrial complex in California as some of the most successful accomplishments of his term.

EVPLA Siordia spoke after Houssain and said there were over 30 initiatives launched through the EVPLA office this year. Siordia said his experience was rewarding, as it also helped him shape his sense of self.

“How can I take one of the most cherished experiences of my life and describe it with words?” Siordia asked. “I truly feel like I’m losing the central and primary part of my identity. But even though this part of my life will no longer exist, I will still carry all of the incredible lessons that I’ve learned with me.”

IVP Segovia spoke next, as she said her time in office allowed her to realize that she could not let others define her own personal identity.

“You are your own worst enemy — the only person who knows you better than any one else ever will,” Segovia said. “You have the freedom to find yourself, think for yourself, and stay true to who you think you are.”

Finally, President Armen delivered her executive report, also noting her negative experiences in A.S. She said she was unfairly attacked throughout her time at UCSB, and she urged listeners to treat each other with respect.

“One of the most radical things that people can do is actually to have love in everything that they do,” Armen said. “I have, in the face of all of this, still shown love and respect and waved and smiled at every person that I met here, you know, and it’s been difficult. But, I have to say it’s all been working.”

Armen said she did not believe political parties dominated A.S. but rather, that unhealthy power dynamics have weakened the organization.

“While the party politics seem like the overrun A.S. — no,” Armen said. “We have power issues in this place that need to be addressed. We have one party that has won for six years 90 percent of the seats…If you want to look at things nationally, and you were to compare the systems, you would say there’s a problem, too.”

Armen concluded her report with a spoken word piece that she wrote during her campaign for election last year. The piece focused on justice and humanity.

“I don’t want no movement, if there ain’t no humanity,” Armen said.

Jonathan Abboud gets sworn in as the new 2013-2014 Associated Students President. Last night was the last A.S. Senate meeting of the 2012-2013 school year, with reports from the five executive officers.

PHOTO BY WILLIAM ZHOU / DAILY NEXUS

A version of this article appeared on page 6 of May 23rd’s print edition of the Daily Nexus.