Turning a T-shirt into an unlikely accessory

Going green does not necessarily mean spending more money on earth-conscious products. Reusing what you already have is an effective way of contributing to the “reuse, reduce, recycle” mantra. The simple act of recycling an old T-shirt can help save the environment and your wallet. As a college student, money for new clothes and accessories is limited. Old band shirts and free extra-large T-shirts given away at club meetings can finally be put to good use. There are limitless ways a T-shirt can be reused; from scarves to skirts, totes to towels. If you do not have an old T-shirt or refuse to cut yours up, you can be creative and reconfigure old jackets, jeans and sweaters. A simple Tee, patched up jeans, or an old sweater can be transformed into something more with a few everyday tools and the help of easy web tutorials at instructables.com or youtube.com. With a little creativity, a pair of scissors and five minutes, an armpit-stained T-shirt can be given a second life, no sewing machine necessary. We will show you how to recycle your ragged old Tee into a necklace. Keep it for your wardrobe, or give it to a friend, these projects make for easy handmade gifts.

Fringe Scarf:

Wear this fringe scarf to spruce up a plain T-shirt, or pair it with a jacket.

1. Cut off the top of the T-shirt, just below the armpit. Set the top part aside to use in a later project.

2. Flip the T-shirt upside-down and create fringe by cutting ½ to 1-inch strips toward the hem. Stop cutting 2 ½ half inches before the hem.

3. Continue cutting around the width of the shirt and then gently tug on the fringe so it curls in on itself.

Necklace/Cowl

Wear it like a necklace, or double wrap it to create a cowl.

1. Start at the bottom of the T-shirt and cut off the hem.

2. Cut 1-inch strips across the shirt until you reach the armpit (about 12 strips).

3. Stretch out the strips by tugging on them, until they curl inward.

4. Gather the individual strips and tie them together using a spare piece from the sleeve of the shirt.

Bracelet

Wear with everyday clothes, to add an accent.

1. Use the leftover sleeves from the previous projects and cut off the hem.

2. Cut eight ½ inch strips across the sleeve.

3. Stretch the strips so they curl inward, like the T-shirt necklace.

4. Gather the strips and tie them together using ribbon or a spare piece from the shirt.

Written with Erin Bradley.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on September 29, 2010.

Coffee on Exhibition (CAFAM News Brief)

The Los Angeles Craft and Folk Art Museum is currently featuring an exhibition on “The Birth of Coffee,” a photo-documentary on the commodification of coffee and its implications on people, economy and politics.

“While coffee is an important part of our daily ritual, most of us are disconnected from how the beans appear in our cups. This exhibition celebrates the people that grow, cultivate, and process our “black gold” and illuminates the economic and political impact of the coffee trade,” said CAFAM Director Maryna Hrushetska.

The coffee-tinged photographs that line the exhibit walls were made possible by a husband and wife team, Daniel Lorenzetti, photographer, and Linda Rice Lorenzetti, writer.

The title of the exhibit, “The Birth of Coffee,” was taken from the name of the book that the Lorenzettis published. The photos in the exhibit serve as a visual narrative about how coffee has played significant roles in culture, economics, politics and even friendship.

According to a press release written for the event, over 400 million cups of coffee are consumed in the U.S. each day, and each day 25 million workers participate in the journey from coffee plant to coffee cup. The information and photos in this exhibition explore how the industry operates in Indonesia, Brazil, Ethiopia, Yemen, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Colombia and Kenya.

The exhibit will run from now until Jan. 9, 2011. Admission to the museum is free of charge on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are $5 for students and $7 for general admission. The museum is opened from Tuesday through Sunday.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on September 29, 2010.

Album Review: Interpol's "Interpol"

For fans of: The Editors, Joy Division, She Wants Revenge

When alternative rock band Interpol released their debut album, Turn on the Bright Lights, in 2002 they were an instant success. Their sound was unique; it was melancholic and somber, but also had an alternative rock vibe ? a combination that was unmatched by any band at the time.

New York based Interpol suffered a major setback with 2007′s Our Love to Admire, due to a significant change in musical style and direction. Interpol’s self-titled fourth album continues where Our Love To Admire left off. Throughout the album, lead singer Paul Banks’s voice fluctuates from mid to high registers too frequently. His voice is best when he sings at a lower register because it not only sounds more in tune, but resonates with the music better.

“Memory Serves” illustrates how Banks’s voice does this. The lyrics, as usual, revolve around love. Banks croons during “Summer Well,” “I want to stay young / I want to feel up on your life / I’ve missed you / It looks like you’ve summered well.”

Instrumentation blends Interpol’s old style with their new style. During “Lights,” guitarist Daniel Kessler’s signature guitar reverb plays throughout the introduction. However, on other tracks, his reverb is absent and is replaced with a heavier rock sound. Bassist and keyboardist Carlos Dengler shows off his skills, as most Interpol’s songs have strong bass lines and implement noticeable keyboard melodies. Drummer Sam Fogarino plays more upbeat tracks. “Barricade” is an example of Dengler’s and Fogarino’s new style.

Interpol’s style is not the only thing that has changed- Dengler left the band after the completion of Interpol. According to Interpol’s website he left to “follow another path and to pursue new goals.” Dengler will not go on tour with Interpol and has been replaced by David Pajo on bass and by Brandon Curtis on keyboards and back-up vocals.

Many tracks on Interpol album have promising beginnings, but lead to no climax or resolution. The album is evidence that Interpol might be having trouble figuring out what musical style they want to pursue. Interpol’s constant change in style comes off as forced, rather than organically created. Interpol is mediocre at best, and does little to gain new fans, while causing old fans to long for the return of the old Interpol.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on September 21, 2010.

PlayStation Move- Sony's Latest Gaming Innovation

It’s time to get off your couch and start moving. PlayStation Move, the video game industry’s latest technological innovation, transforms your living room into the perfect venue for gladiator duels, archery battles, beach volleyball matches and much more. Sedentary gaming is becoming a thing of the past, as motion technology gives you more control over your games and allows you to interact with them on a whole new level.

The Move, which was released Friday, is Sony’s foray into motion technology. The Move requires a PlayStation 3 system, a PlayStation Eye camera and a PlayStation Move motion controller. These three products work together to create a more immersing gaming experience, revolutionizing a concept pioneered by the Nintendo Wii.

The controller is similar to a remote, but has a soft, luminescent ball on top that becomes a different color depending on the lighting conditions of your room. The camera tracks the ball with sub-millimeter accuracy, allowing for a robust, sophisticated gaming experience.

Titles like Sports Champions and Eyepet are among the first Move exclusive titles. Each game showcases the variety of ways gamers can use the Move controller. Sports Champions encourages gamers to break a sweat while having fun with friends or family in two-player challenges. Because a player’s every movement is accurately mapped to the on-screen character, the game is immediately intuitive and has a lot of game play depth. For example, it’s not just about how fast you throw the Frisbee in disc golf; it’s about the speed, angle, and arc of your motion controller.

“I think (motion technology) games are a really fun way to engage in an activity you wouldn’t normally do inside your living room, like playing soccer indoors,” said Briana Balthrop, a 22-year-old senior majoring in English. “Also, there are many games that allow a large group of people to play at once.”

Eyepet is a family title where players can interact with a spunky, lovable digital pet. Unlike traditional games, Eyepet uses the PlayStation Eye camera to display your entire living room, with the digital pet seamlessly added in. The game allows players to give their custom pets baths, play mini-games with them, and even draw 3D toys for their pet to play with. According to Steve Matsuyama, a PlayStation Move Representative, the Move motion controller is the primary form of interaction, and is dynamically replaced in the video feed with various in-game objects, making this title both a technical marvel and lots of fun.

“(The PlayStation Move) is fantastic,” said Javier Gurrola, a 24-year-old staff writer at ConsolePress.com, a gaming website. “The games are amazingly fun and almost always make you feel like you’ve worked out at the gym.”

While there are very few readily available PlayStation Move exclusive titles, there are pre-existing games that have been made PlayStation Move compatible. This means that certain PlayStation 3 games can be configured to become compatible with the Move via a free online update through the PlayStation store. In addition to free updates, there are numerous free online demos and videos of current and upcoming Move releases.

The motion controller retails for $49.99, the navigation controller for $29.99, and the PS Eye for $39.99. Bundles for the Move range from $99.99 to $399.99. The navigation controller is something that more and more games will incorporate in the future. First person shooter games, like Killzone, will require the navigation controller for movement.

There are also a wide variety of attachments that can be purchased for the Move. Companies are manufacturing boxing gloves, guns and other attachments to link up with the Move remote, all makes for a more realistic gaming experience.

The PlayStation Move will also work with 3D games, enhancing the gaming experience even more. There are endless possibilities for the Move and only time will tell how realistic gaming will get. But for now, be prepared to put some physical work into beating your games.

Side Bar: PlayStation Move vs. Nintendo Wii

Wii:

The Wii’s motion controllers determine their approximate locations within the player’s room by detecting the LED lights on the sensor bar, which is typically placed below the television. Without the sensor bar, the Wii’s motion controllers can only determine their motion on two out of three axes. And without a $20 add-on called Motion Plus, the motion controller does not have true 1:1 movement with the player’s hand.

Controller: Wii Remote with nunchuck connected by wire, requires batteries

Move:

The PS Move works the other way around. Instead of the controllers figuring out their locations in the player’s room, the PlayStation Eye camera looks for the size and color of the glowing ball on each motion controller to determine distance and relative position, as well as which player is holding which controller. And the Move motion controller already has 1:1 motion tracking right out of the box, making it $10 cheaper than Nintendo’s controller.

Controller: Wireless Move remote with wireless navigation controller, built-in rechargable batteries

Originally published in the Daily Titan on September 20, 2010.

Same Sex Marriage Recognized in Canada Not California (John Ibson Profile)

John Ibson and Steve Harrison were dressed casually in sport coats standing in front of the fireplace that served as an altar within the upper-middle class home in North Vancouver, Canada. The only witnesses were the wedding commissioner, her husband and their son, making this an intimate civil ceremony that, while routine in Canada, is a luxury not afforded to them in their home country.

Ibson, 66, is a professor of American studies at Cal State Fullerton and has been teaching for 38 years. This summer Ibson wed Harrison, his partner of 32 years, while on vacation in Vancouver.

“We enjoyed the lawlessness that came with not getting married,” Ibson said. “We didn’t need government approval to enjoy our lives together.”

Marriage was not something that Ibson thought he needed in life. His relationship with Harrison was well built and made strong by the love and respect they had for one another. There were times when Ibson and Harrison mulled over the idea of getting married, especially during the short window that California allowed same-sex marriage but nothing ever came into fruition.

For this year’s summer vacation, Ibson and Harrison decided to tour the Canadian Rockies. While planning their trip, Harrison brought up the idea of getting married simply because marriage was legal in Canada. It took Ibson a few moments of hesitation before answering ‘yes.’ Before they knew it, they were simultaneously planning their vacation and wedding, making sure to secure a wedding commissioner by booking their services via the internet and researching where to get their marriage license.

“I wasn’t prepared with how much (getting married) would mean to me… it was so refreshing and we were as happy as 19-year-olds,” Ibson said.

Soon after their ceremony, Ibson felt that his relationship with Harrison had begun anew. It was inconceivable to both of them that their relationship would heighten to a new level and getting married was an experience that allowed Ibson and Harrison to rediscover one another.

“Since the wedding, there has been a surprisingly settled feeling that even the previous 32 years hadn’t brought,” said Harrison.

Their Canadian wedding was executed smoothly, which surprised Ibson. He and Harrison enjoyed their honeymoon without being heckled or even judged. They were, in fact, congratulated by many strangers and their hotel even sent congratulatory gift baskets.

“There was a certain effortless quality of it all… getting married in Canada wasn’t complicated, it felt like Canada was easier about things,” Ibson said.

The ease in which he got married and the happiness he felt right after made Ibson feel that every same-sex couple should be able to experience what he did. Ibson said marriage is in the process of a redefinition, heading towards a situation in which people of the same sex and opposite sex will be allowed to marry.

His rationale is that since marriage is changing, there are people who feel uncomfortable with the transition.

“The issue of gay marriage isn’t about protecting marriage; allowing gays to marry would strengthen the institution that is in plenty of trouble and could use some support.,” Ibson said.

As an American studies scholar, Ibson looks at this issue through a historical lens so as to not base his argument on his own personal feelings. He sees history as a liberating subject because it teaches society that things can be different; he cited examples of slavery and women’s suffrage as ways history presents change and progress. He says that marriage can and will change, that the simple lack of historical precedence should never be an argument against some proposed change as it happens however some scholars believe there is some precedence for same-sex marriage.

And of course same-sex marriages are now occurring in several states, the District of Columbia and now throughout Canada.

His wedding experience and views on the debate over gay marriage prompted him to write an editorial for the Los Angeles Times entitled “The Honeymooners.” His article was printed in the Sunday edition of the Times on Aug. 8th.

“It’s really hard to find solid, sophisticated debate opposing gay marriage. The best (the opposition) can come up with is that marriage is based solely on reproduction… some heterosexual couples don’t get married for that… My response is ‘Come on, you could to better than that’,” Ibson said.

In his Times article, Ibson brought up how American culture in the last century and a half had tended to confuse sexual identity and gender identity. So that when people are struggling with gender roles they will sometimes use gay men and lesbians as scapegoats.

Soon after the opinion editorial was printed in the Times, Ibson received dozens of e-mails, letters and phone messages. Some were sent by former students, others by complete strangers. Many of them were heartening and encouraging, but one particular phone message was saved on Ibson’s answering machine. An elderly individual left a message saying that he was impressed with what Ibson had written and had experienced a lot of diversity in his own family in regards to marriage. The elderly man was so struck by the op-ed piece Ibson wrote that he had bought extra copies of the Times to his family members.

“Gestures like those are what make me believe everything is going to turn out alright eventually and not without a lot of struggle,” Ibson said.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on September 16, 2010.

"Obamacare" is Not Socialist

President Obama’s health care bill came under fire last year from both Republicans and lobbyists alike for being “too socialist,” but what I don’t understand is why the term socialism is being applied to an economically motivated bill and why the term socialism has such a negative connotation. Though President Obama’s health care plan may seem socialist at first glance, upon closer inspection it is evident that what he is really trying to do is fix the structure of America’s healthcare system.

Socialism is ingrained within American society, and allows us to have public education, law enforcement and other services that are available to all Americans essentially free of charge. Socialism is defined by its emphasis on production for the sake of public use rather than profit, as well as the absence of economic competitiveness.

“The funny thing is, of course, that socialists know that Barack Obama is not one of us. Not only is he not a socialist, he may in fact not even be a liberal…” wrote Billy Wharton of the Washington Post. Wharton goes on to explain that the clear indication that President Obama is not a socialist is that his administration is steering clear of making structural changes to the financial system, instead choosing to create temporary measures that can be easily erased once the economy stabilizes. This also holds true for health care, as President Obama is focusing on mandating that almost every person in America become insured rather than changing the structure of the health industry. If he truly were a socialist, HMOs would be dismantled and a public health option would also be mandated.

According to the New York Times, under President Obama’s bill, the over 30 million Americans who currently don’t have health care will be provided coverage. The measure would add 16 million people to the Medicaid rolls, and would also require most Americans to have health insurance. The most important aspect of the bill is that it more closely regulates private insurers in order to prevent them from denying coverage for people with pre-existing health conditions. Though the bill will cost roughly $700 billion over the next decade, it will actually reduce the federal deficit by $138 billion over that same time frame, thus reducing taxpayer spending.

When President Richard Nixon agreed to the use of Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) to handle health care, the quality of health care in America quickly deteriorated. HMOs have made it difficult for many individuals to receive prompt and effective health care because they are strictly profit driven, i.e. capitalist. Privately owned health insurance corporations, such as Kaiser and Cigna, have been cashing in on our nation’s corrupt health care system for years. They are notorious for denying their members of proper treatment through unconventional and discriminatory practices, all in the name of boosting stock values and increasing quarterly profits. An example of these said practices includes denying coverage for patients who have a pre-existing medical condition (i.e. arthritis, asthma, etc.), and using that as an excuse to deny coverage for a new, and often unrelated medical condition. This business model has fatal consequences because individuals who are denied life-saving treatment can end up dying.

Because health insurance companies act in this manner, many Americans are adamant about regularly going to their doctors. Most individuals feel worried that their health insurers won’t cover the costs of whatever medical bills pop up, and oftentimes leave illnesses or harmful conditions unchecked. Money is being saved in short term increments, but there is a long term cost when people avoid preventative medical care. Going to the doctor should be a casual experience, and people should not be scared to seek treatment if they need it.

President Obama was thinking long term with his medical bill, not as a socialist but as an economist. The bill has varying benefits for individuals depending on their demographics, and ends up saving a lot of money in the long run. The bill may look expensive, but in fact it was already budgeted within the government’s annual health care funds. Since it reduces the amount of money that taxpayers need to spend and makes the health care system more efficient and less discriminatory, the funds are very well allocated. There were multiple options to reduce monetary waste within our government, and this health bill was one of them. Though it doesn’t include the public health option that President Obama originally fought for, there is nothing preventing him from proposing us a much needed socialist bill in the near future. “Obamacare” was never intended to be socialist because it is more about repairing a damaged system for our economic gain. The fact that it will gradually improve our quality of living is simply an added benefit.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on September 14, 2010.

ASI Pub Thursday Concerts: Jefertitti's Nile

As soon as the band Jeffertitti’s Nile took the stage, they flooded the crowd with their “hypnotic river of sound.” With songs filled with upbeat bass lines, heavy drums, high-pitched vocals and psychedelic electronic sound effects, the band kicked off the first Pub Thursday concert of the semester.

Located in the Titan Student Union (TSU) Underground, the Pub Thursday Concert is a free weekly concert series run by Associated Students Incorporated Productions (ASIP) held from noon to 1 p.m. The concert series was created to showcase up-and-coming and well-established artists that appeal to a variety of musical tastes. From indie to rock to acoustic comedic and country, bands that will be featured throughout the semester explore different genres.

“Events like the Pub Thursdays really are meant to expose people to new music,” said Katie Ayala, a 20-year-old junior who serves as the ASIP Director. “It really allows me to broaden my musical horizons.”

Jefertitti’s Nile rocked out while playing their first song, “Mountain Jam.” The song had a dream-like quality that was produced by a variety of different instruments, including a keyboard creating hypnotic sound effects. Following that song, the band spoke to the crowd, encouraging them to dance before they started to perform “Play With Fire.”

With all eyes on the band, the audience, comprised mostly of students, sat in the dimly lit pub enjoying the show, while eating lunch or catching up with friends between classes.

“The Pub has a really relaxing vibe, I come here often to enjoy a few drinks with my friends,” said Sara Lopez, a 20-year-old senior majoring in psychology. “When bands (at the Pub Thursday Concerts) play, they add to the already nice atmosphere.”

The following bands are scheduled to perform throughout the concert series: We Are She Is, Drumfusion, Jonathan Blake Salazar, Lovehatehero, The Heavy Guilt, Gold Motel, Kris Orlowski, Deep Space Orbit, Evan Wecksell, Mike Vitale and Tristessa.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on September 9, 2010.

Devil's Advocate: Pro Gay Marriage

Marriage isn’t the real issue. Not long after U.S. District Judge, Vaughn R. Walker, ruled Proposition 8 unconstitutional on Aug. 4, a federal appeals court issued a stay on gay marriages until Dec. 6. It’s as if opponents of gay marriage can’t catch a break and that the battle for equality is being prolonged. I am sure that many of us are tired of this debate, no matter which side we support, but as an opponent of the proposition I feel that the campaign for Prop. 8 is losing steam fast. All human beings, whether gay or straight, have the right to be treated equally and the right to indulge in all civil liberties afforded to them.

Proponents of Prop. 8 need to understand that allowing gay marriage does not hurt them and does not directly concern them. In the battle over Prop. 8, marriage is not the issue being grappled with; it is the issue of possible institutionalized discrimination against homosexuals.

If marriage is the issue, then supporters of Prop. 8 are attempting to bar gay couples from benefiting from the same tax breaks as heterosexual couples. To reiterate, gay couples do not want more rights, they simply want to be afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples. Under the 14th Amendment, which protects citizens’ rights, supporting the ban on same-sex marriage is obviously unconstitutional. With that being said, let us look at the real issue at stake.

The concept of marriage is being misused to conceal the fact that some individuals do not want homosexuals to be treated as human beings. Religion is also internalizing the beliefs of supporters, making a popular argument against gay marriages, or even gays in general, “The Bible says that God hates homosexuals” or “Homosexuality is a sin and those who are homosexual are going to hell.” Arguments along those lines could not be any more infuriating, because individuals are putting religion into their line of reasoning, pretending that referencing a higher being is somehow a trump card in winning this argument. Separation of church and state should be well known by now, so why are individuals disregarding secularism and continuing to foist their views onto others in the battle over gay marriage?

The gay marriage debate is not about religion or politics, but rather the lack of social acceptance. There is so much to be gained from allowing same-sex marriage, such as the chance to enrich our culture, expand our viewpoints and ultimately lead to the understanding of homosexuals not as “others” but as fellow human beings who deserve to enjoy the same rights as everyone else.

Originally published in the Daily Titan on August 23, 2010.