Banner | Vol. 69 Issue 6

Volume 69 Issue 6 February 4, 2022

@cbulancermedia cbubanner.com

BEHIND THE SCREEN: WHO IS @CBU.CONFESSIONS? Anonymous administrator of popular account shares story Photo Illustration by Elijah Hickman | Banner

BY KASSIDY BLOUNT ASST. A&E EDITOR

Most colleges and universities today have some sort of social media platform for marketing and public relations purposes. However, those schoolrun social media accounts do not always know what is happening in the lives of students and what news the student body is interested in.

At California Baptist University, however, there are multiple social media accounts that help students in many ways.

One account in particular is

CBU Confessions (@cbu.confessions), a well-known account on campus that is run anonymously, with a current follower count of 2,825.

“I want to keep a safe space for the followers,” @cbu.confessions said. “If they don’t know who I am, they’re able to speak freely without worrying.”

While @cbu.confessions is not the first account to appear on students’ radars, it is quickly rising in popularity. @cbu.confessions said that the original “confessions” account inspired them, but they wanted to add their own spin to it.

@cbu.confessions highlights updates on campus activities, helps inform students of lost items found on campus and notifies the student body when car lights are left on, or when a student is selling old textbooks.

The account also allows people to ask for advice or offer opinions anonymously and gives students a new way to make friends with people they may not typically encounter.

“A lot of students are not as involved in the school community for various reasons, and this is a way they can be involved without having to go

out of their way and shirk their responsibilities,” @cbu.confessions said. @cbu.confessions said the primary goal of the account is to help the student body in any way they can. Most students, especially commuters, do not get as many chances to be social, and with constant updates from @cbu.confessions on daily life, those students can become more involved.

“I have had many people thank me because they have met new friends or are able to find great work opportunities, amongst many things that this

page has been able to offer them through these posts,” said @ cbu.confessions.

Many students have become dependent on @cbu.confessions to give them insight into campus happenings that they might not know about. If the school releases an update, students rush over to @cbu.confessions to check if the gossip is true and to see what other students think about any changes.

“If I see something on campus that I do not know much about, I always check @cbu. confessions to see if anyone else has explained what’s going on,”

said Kellie Murry, freshman elementary education major.

While running such a popular account may seem like an exciting venture, @cbu.confessions said it can also become taxing to be responsible for so many students’ information.

Since so many people utilize @ cbu.confessions and its reach, they often forget that the account is run by just one person, and they cannot always keep track of everything. Keeping track of many requests and messages from various students

SEE CONFESSIONS | PAGE 6

Tree falls, damages part of Lancer Arms

BY AIDEN HOBSON MANAGING EDITOR

On Feb. 2, 2022, a tree in the Lancer Arms living area fell onto the northside of building 22.

Photo by Camille Grochowski | Banner

On Feb. 2, the California Baptist University campus was struck by high winds that caused significant damage to one of the student housing areas on campus.

A large tree in between buildings 21 and 22 of the Lancer Arms student housing area broke in half and fell onto the north side of building 22, according to an email sent out by the university.

Officer James from CBU Safety Services was the first to arrive on the scene.

“When I first got here, we got dispatch to a downed tree branch, and when I got here I realized it was more than a tree branch,” James said. “There were students in apartment 13, I believe, the lower apartment, and they were OK and there

were no injuries. We (then) evacuated the building.”

Two CBU students who were in their dorm room said that they heard a loud rumbling sound before they noticed the felled tree.

“I was sitting at my desk, and I heard a loud crack and then I looked up and I saw the tree,” said Megan Lansing, third-year nursing student. “At first, I was terrified it was going to fall on me and I got very scared. Then I saw it was falling to the left, and it fell and shook the whole building.”

Amariah Hunt, senior anthropology major, said: “I was about to take a nap and then I heard a loud thundering, and everything was shaking. I thought it was an earthquake.”

The university is working to clear and repair the affected area of the Lancer Arms housing area.

Chapel change —

Cryptocurrency —

Spatial audio —

N e w s , Pg. 3

B & T , Pg . 1 1

A & E , Pg. 12

Spiritual Life introduces new format for online chapel in the spring semester.

Cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin and Dogecoin spark interest despite uncertainty.

New audio technology has the potential to change the music industry.

NEWS

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February 4, 2022 · Volume 69 · Issue 6

THE BANNER

staff PRINT

Editor-in-Chief Emily McGinn

Lifestyle Editor Emily McGinn

Managing Editor Aiden Hobson

Asst. Lifestyle Editors Valerie La Ponza

Photo Editor Elijah Hickman

Sports Editor Aiden Hobson

Asst. Photo Editor Tonia Ross

Asst. Design Editors Lauren Brooks Luis Menendez Jeremiah Wong

Design Editor Emily McGinn News Editor Lauren Brooks Asst. News Editors Nolan Lamberth

Public Relations Director Megan Van Battum Social Media Director Cole Stillwagon

Business & Tech Editor Jasmine Severi

Distribution Manager Casey Maldonado

Asst. Business & Tech Editor Alexza Bahnmiller

Advertising Manager Wiley Lloyd

A&E Editor Rowen Zamora

ONLINE

Asst. A&E Editors Josiah Murphy Kassidy Blount

Editor-in-Chief Emily McGinn Website Administrator Jasmine Severi Photo and Video Editor Elijah Hickman

Asst. Director of Student Publications Sonya Singh Interim Director of Student Publications Dr. Mary Ann Pearson

We want your help!

Write, take photos or design with us.

Email us at BannerEditor@calbaptist.edu for more information.

About

THE BANNER

The Banner newspaper is an award-winning, bi-weekly campus publication that publishes 12 issues a year at California Baptist University.

The newsroom is located in the James Building in Room 060 and can be reached at 951-343-4787. The Banner, a student-run newspaper, serves the CBU community with accurate, timely and factual reporting on significant aspects of university life, Riverside life and subjects of interest or concern to its readers. others in the university are encouraged to react to published material or to comment on matters of conern. The Banner retains the right to edit your letter upon publication based on grammar and word count. Send letters to Emily McGinn, editor-in-chief of The Banner at BannerEditor@ calbaptist.edu.

If you have a story idea for The Banner, please let us know. If a business would like to advertise in the The Banner, please contact Emily McGinn at emilyanne.mcginn@calbaptist.edu.

Thanks for reading!

Follow us!

@CBULancerMedia Keep up with CBU news and events.

Elijah Hickman | Banner

As of 2022, many Starbucks locations have slowly increased its prices on many of its drinks.

2022 sees rapidly rising inflation rates

BY LAUREN BROOKS NEWS EDITOR

As 2022 is coming into full swing, so is a slew of new economic issues – a major one being inflation.

Dr. Douglas Lainson, associate professor of business, described the issue as being exacerbated by the pandemic due to the vast amount of government aid given to people during the pandemic, worsening the national debt problem. He also credited the supply chain issue, also due to the longstanding effects of COVID-19.

“One of the definitions of inflation is too much money chasing too few goods,” Lainson said. “So if everyone has more money they’re going to go out to buy stuff. If we can’t make enough stuff, what happens to the price? It goes up. That’s inflation.”

Many areas of everyday life have been affected by inflation.

Lainson used the rising prices of masks and at-home testing kits as an example.

“The demand for masks is through the roof,” Lainson said. “When demand goes up, price goes up. We normally don’t make this many masks, so manufacturers have had to ramp up significantly by making more masks and increasing production.

Increasing production that quickly is expensive.

“As demand continues to go up, it will continue to push up prices. Testing is the same issue. The government has stepped in and offered to pay for masks and tests, they’re spending more money, making our national debt keep going up.”

Ander Sevilla, senior business administration major, is the CEO of Swan Society NFT, an NFT project that partners with Water.org to attempt to bring clean, safe water to countries that need it. He

noted how the recent inflation crisis has impacted business ownership, operation,and how meetings are held.

“Recent inflation issues in the U.S. economy have affected me not only as an individual but as a business owner,” Sevilla said.

“Working in the financial industry, there is a direct correlation between inflation and operational strategies.

Given the current state of the economy, my company has been forced to pivot several times in order to remain profitable.”

Madison Agusto, senior marketing major, said that the present inflation issue has affected both her personal life and the life of the nation. She mentioned the staffing crisis affects small businesses. The biggest issue she has faced in her personal life is the rise of gas prices due to inflation.

“Gas prices have probably been the biggest issue for me,” Agusto said. “I drive home to

help my parents a lot so it’s been expensive filling up gas so much when it’s so high.”

As this issue progresses, Lainson projects that the current pattern is going to continue. Lainson said that many college students will continue to be greatly affected by rising inflation.

“Costs of everything for students is going to go up,” Lainson said. “So gas going in your cars, food at the grocery store and food at fastfood restaurants is going up.

Students on limited budgets are going to have to figure out what they’re going to sacrifice in order to pay for basic necessities. Over time, if this continues CBU won’t have a choice but to raise prices.”

The Federal Reserve is currently trying to reduce the supply by pulling the extra money out of circulation to try to combat the issue. Interest rates are expected to continue rising as a result.

Four free COVID-19 PCR tests offered

BY LAUREN BROOKS NEWS EDITOR

As of last month, the federal government opened a long-awaited website giving four free PCR tests to every household in America upon request.

Administration officials said the tests take approximately seven to 12 days to be shipped to an address.

Angela Coes, assistant professor of nursing, said that the tests are extremely accurate and a good way to quickly know COVID-19 status. She said that the process was easy and took a short amount of time.

“It makes at-home tests easier to get,” Coes said.

“I went online to do it and you put in your personal information with your name and address, and the United States Postal Service will send

you four tests.”

However, the four-testsper-household rule has some shortcomings. Coes said that those living with roommates or in an apartment may have issues getting tests due to shared addresses. The only student distinctions being post office box numbers also presents problems if students would like to order tests.

Emily Ma, junior graphic design major, is one of those who failed to get tests. She lives on campus at California Baptist University in the Colony apartments.

She critiqued CBU’s lack of oncampus testing and she said she is frustrated with the difficulty of getting tested without the ability to drive herself.

“First off, COVID testing is extremely hard to book in this area,” Ma said. “Especially for someone who does not

have a car, it is extremely disappointing that CBU does not offer nor require COVID testing at all. Even the CVS across the street does not have COVID testing.

So when USPS announced they were delivering COVID tests, I hopped onto the site and was immediately told that this ‘household address’ already requested tests.

Disappointing to say the least since college students are going out and interacting with lots of people every day.”

Coes also commented on the shortage of PCR tests outside of the website in stores. These tests also can have heavily inflated prices due to the demand of the area, or none in stock at all.

“Currently because of the surge with the perceived need for testing, there’s not a lot of availability,” Coes said. “It can be very difficult to get a

home test at CVS and Rite Aid. They may not have any for sale. Then you’re also looking at having to pay for them.”

Eileen Alvarado, sophomore nursing major, originally thought the error message was due to a personal mistake, not address issues.

She wanted the free tests as a precaution for peace of mind and convenience throughout the semester.

“It was just disappointing because I filled out the whole form and I thought I did something wrong on my part because it said it couldn’t get delivered, so I thought the address was wrong,” Alvarado said. “I wanted the tests just as a safety precaution in case I ever think I have COVID so I don’t have to go to a testing site and get tested.”

To request your four free PCR tests per address, visit www.covidtests.gov.

CBU

SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Nearly 69% of Californian citizens are now fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2.

Pfizer has requested for the Food and Drug Administration to approve a twoshot vaccine for children under the age of five. It is considering whether three shots would be more effective for that age group as two doses did not provide the expected immune response for children between the ages of two and four in trials.

According to sources representing the South Korean military, North Korea has performed six individual missile tests this month, causing concern globally in a time of high geopolitical tension.

Omicron has only increased people’s desire to quit their jobs, with nearly 4.5 million Americans voluntarily leaving their jobs in November.

However, recent job reports show that the economy is progressing as it should.

Alphabet Inc., a parent company of Google, has reported a massive fourth-quarter revenue of $75.33 billion, a 32% increase with profits rising by a third.

In a recent study, researchers at the New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital in New York City revealed the effects of pandemic life on early childhood development, with data suggesting a sharp decrease in language, puzzle-solving and motor skills in children aged three months to three years old.

Luis Menendez | Banner

NEWS

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February 4, 2022 · Volume 69 · Issue 6

NEWS Briefs JUSTICE BREYER RETIRES After Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement announcement on Jan. 26, all eyes have turned to President Joe Biden, who has the opportunity to be the first Democrat in nearly 12 years to nominate a justice to the Supreme Court. However, with Justice Breyer being a progressive, Biden will not have the opportunity to shift ideological demographics in the court. The President has vowed to nominate a Black woman, which would make the nominee the sixth woman to have served as a SCOTUS Justice.

UKRAINE-RUSSIA TENSIONS RISE

Alex Iannone | Banner

As the new semester starts, CBU continues chapel online in a newly designed format featuring shorter videos.

Spiritual Life adjusts Chapel format amid current Omicron variant concerns NOLAN LAMBERTH ASST. NEWS EDITOR

In light of a large influx of Omicron cases and the unpredictability of the future, administrators were forced to make a tough call about how Chapel was to be carried out for the foreseeable future, ultimately deciding to shorten the online videos to 10 minutes – a drastic change from what students were expecting at the end of the fall semester.

Dr. John Montgomery, dean of Spiritual Life, said that the choice to not be in person was not up to the university, citing California’s rules for employers (a 5-10 day quarantine for anyone exposed).

Montgomery also expressed that this rule has great implications for how the university could go about large gatherings such as Chapel, especially with the recent upward trend of Omicron.

As to how the decision for 10-minute videos was made, Montgomery conveyed that after a year and a half of students being mainly online they are simply “screened out.”

“It’s a saying that I have that I heard in ministry a long time ago, ‘the mind can only absorb what the seat can endure,’” Montgomery said.

“The seat fatigue is very real.

We felt making it a short and encouraging devotional would get more traction.”

Many students seem to be happy with the decision to switch to such a short video in place of the initial 45-minutelong videos that have been put out for nearly two years now.

“I love the new Chapel format,” said Charlie Sands, freshman photography major.

“I feel that the short videos really allow people room to breathe and engage in a much more compact and efficient way.”

However, some other students seem to be less fond of the recent changes.

“I think there’s no real way to win when it comes to online Chapel,” said Greyson Berzansky, junior business administration major. “Now

that it has been shortened it only gives students an incentive to pay attention and not just skip through the prompts on mute. It’s tough as Chapel is mandatory, but I feel as if this is a pitfall of reaching students that might need to hear the message.”

Looking to the future, Montgomery said that he knows this will only be a temporary decision, saying that Chapel will return in person as soon as it is feasible.

Montgomery also added that he does not want to make guesses as to when in-person gathering can return due to the rapidly fluctuating nature of COVID-19 and the policies surrounding it.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has assembled more than 100,000 troops along the Ukrainian border, securing a position to strike all of Ukraine with a large-scale invasion, according to the Pentagon. President Joe Biden’s administration and NATO have offered a written response to Russian demands, hoping for de-escalation and continued dialogue on the matter. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been openly critical of U.S. alarmism, claiming war is not wanted nor expected. If war is to break out, the Biden administration has warned that it will hit Russian banks hard, with an option to cut Russia out of the international banking system.

CANADIAN TRUCKER CONVOY In the wake of Canada’s vaccine mandates for truckers, a “Freedom Convoy” has emerged, composed of nearly 50,000 people and a “main convoy” of more than 100 semitrucks and 400 private vehicles. The loosely organized group has arrived in the nation’s capital, Ottawa, and has carried out protests against vaccine mandates, calling for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation. Trudeau has called the convoy a small minority, saying that 90% of Canada’s truckers are vaccinated.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH Feb. 2: Guest Speakers Night by Dr. Kenya Davis-Hayes & Dr. Charles Lee-Johnson at 5 p.m.

Feb. 8: Open mic night from 6-8 p.m.

Feb. 10: Black History Month celebration @ men's basketball game Feb. 16: The Engineering of America: Prof. Greene & Dr. Shields Feb. 23: Closing comments by Dr. Tim Gramling Feb. 24: Black History Month celebration @ womenʼs basketball game Feb. 25: "Proud Family" rooftop premiere

Presented by Black Student Union of CBU Lauren Brooks | Banner

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VISION

February 4, 2022 · Volume 69 · Issue 6

Walking in a win

What to do near and in Riv Skiing and Snowboarding Snow Summit Price: $100-140 for single day lift ticket; rentals begin at $49 Address: 880 Summit Blvd, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315 Distance from campus: 1.5-2 hours Website: https://www.bigbearmountainresort.com Mountain High Price: $100-120 for single day lift ticket; rentals begin at $49 Address: 24510 CA-2, Wrightwood, CA 92397 Distance from campus: 1-1.5 hours Website: https://www.mthigh.com/site

Ice Skating LA Kings Icetown Riverside Price: $14 for students Address: 10540 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92505 Distance from campus: 12 minutes Website: https://www.icetownriverside.com/home

Sledding and Snow Tubing Snowdrift Snow Tubing Park Price: $20/hour (cash only); $10 for parking Address: Running Springs, Angelus Oaks, CA 92382 Distance from campus: 1 hour Website: https://www.snowdrift.net/blank Big Bear Snow Play Price: $40 Address: 42825 Big Bear Blvd Big Bear Lake, CA 92315 Distance from campus: 1.5 hours Website: https://bigbearsnowplay.com

Designed by Emily McGinn

VISION

February 4, 2022 · Volume 69 · Issue 6

nter wonderland

verside during the winter

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LIFESTYLE

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February 4, 2022 · Volume 69 · Issue 6

Supplements can cause vitamin buildup in body if taken in excess

BY EMILY MCGINN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

For many Americans, multivitamins and supplements represent a part of daily routines. In fact, as of 2018, 57.6% of U.S. adults over the age of 20 claimed to have used dietary supplements within the past 30 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These habits have built a thriving supplement industry in America that produces billions of dollars of revenue annually.

Many people take supplements to ensure they get essential vitamins and minerals.

However, Dr. Akua Amankwaah, associate professor of nutrition, said people should strive to gain the recommended servings for vitamins through eating whole foods rather than supplements unless otherwise directed by a doctor.

In fact, when people take high doses of vitamins, health conditions such as hypervitaminosis can develop.

Amankwaah said the risk of reaching toxic levels of vitamins increases when people take supplements in addition to food.

“The problem is you get excess intake of a particular nu-

trient,” Amankwaah said. “With whole foods, it is harder for you to get excess levels because you have to eat so much. When you are adding supplements to your foods, you can get beyond.”

The potential for toxicity depends on the type of vitamin.

Water-soluble vitamins, including the B vitamins and Vitamin C, do not remain in the body for a long time, so toxicity is less likely. However, the body can store fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E and K) for longer periods of time, presenting the potential for reaching toxic levels over time if excessive intake continues.

Hypervitaminosis remains rare, with about 60,000 cases occurring in 2017. However, when it does occur, the effects of hypervitaminosis can become extremely dangerous.

While hypervitaminosis requires an extremely high intake of vitamins, other concerns about supplements exist. For example, the use of most supplements does not accomplish the health goals that most people desire.

Dr. Alexandra Shin, associate professor of biology, said that it is important to recognize that multivitamins and supplements have not been tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and she encourages

Sustainable Living for college students Sustainability Tip

How does this help the environment?

Unplug appliances and devices when you are not using them.

A phenomenon called phantom load occurs when devices and appliances remain plugged in. Even when turned off, these items continue to consume electricity.

Appliances that cause phantom load include televisions, computers, printers and kitchen appliances such as toasters and microwaves. In addition, computer and phone chargers can cause phantom load when left plugged into outlets.

When phantom load occurs, devices and appliances use unnecessary electricity. In addition to increasing electricity bills, this additional energy loss leads to more electricity production, which contributes to carbon dioxide emissions and fossil-fuel use. In fact, in 2019, 62% of electricity in the U.S. came from fossil fuels, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

As a result, electricity generation was the second largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. in 2019.

Greenhouse gas emissions contribute to environmental issues such as air pollution and climate change.

More that we can do: Purchase and use a smart power strip, which can cut power off when they sense a device has entered standby mode.

Unplug chargers when devices are finished charging.

Emily McGinn | Banner

consumers to be aware of the potential for false claims.

“Currently, there is a huge boom of vitamin and other supplements with several thousands of products out there, and this is creating confusion for consumers as many of them make several health claims such as ‘immune boosting,’ ‘anti-aging’ or ‘anti-cancer,’” Shin said.

“It is important to note that vitamins and supplements are legally regarded as ‘food items’ and are not regulated by the FDA. This means the dose of different ingredients as well as their claims are not vetted or tested.”

A study conducted by Johns Hopkins University researchers examined these claims for supplements.

“Johns Hopkins researchers reviewed evidence about supplements, including three very recent studies: an analysis of research involving 450,000 people, which found that multivitamins did not reduce risk for heart disease or cancer; a study that tracked the mental functioning and multivitamin use of 5,947 men for 12 years found that multivitamins did not reduce risk for mental declines such as memory loss or sloweddown thinking; (and) a study of 1,708 heart attack survivors who took a high-dose multivi-

Photo Illustration by Charissa Graves | Banner

Many people take vitamins and supplements daily. However, excessive supplements can cause unwanted health effects.

tamin or placebo for up to 55 months,” said a Johns Hopkins Medicine article. “Rates of later heart attacks, heart surgeries and deaths were similar in the two groups.”

When people add supplements to a diet that already provides the body with the correct dose of essential vitamins, the addition of supplements will, at best, have no effect.

“A nutrient functions at a

certain threshold,” Amankwaah said. “There is a certain threshold that must be taken for you to see effects, and there is a maximum threshold. Beyond that maximum threshold, it does not help you.”

In fact, Amankwaah said that extra doses of vitamins provide the liver with unnecessary work as the organ eliminates them from the body.

Amankwaah recommends

that people take steps to ensure they get the recommended dose of vitamins.

These steps include getting advice from a doctor and becoming aware of the proper daily intake for vitamins.

Daily Value, a measure provided by the FDA, provides people with the amount of each nutrient to take daily and is available as a guide to consumers.

Lifestyle Tries: Making fleece blankets

BY TEDDY PEÑA CONTRIBUTOR

Crafting anything from scratch comes with a sense of accomplishment and pride. A homemade blanket is a unique accent piece as an addition to any room in the house or as a heartfelt gift.

These blankets can easily be made personable because of the large selection of fleece material that can be found at a multitude of craft stores.

To make your own fleece tie blanket, you will need a pair of scissors, a safe surface to cut on and two pieces of anti-pill fleece both two yards in length.

You can get two different designs of fleece material from a craft store like Joann’s and have the store associates cut you two pieces of fleece both two yards in length.

Step 1: Take one of your pieces of fleece and lay it down.

Make sure the side you want to be on the blanket is facing downward. Take the second piece of fleece and lay it on top of the bottom piece of fleece.

Ensure that the top fabric piece is facing upward.

Step 2: Align the two fabric pieces together and cut off any excess fleece so the two fleece sheets align.

Step 3: On all four corners of your two aligned pieces of

Confessions Continued from Page 1 can become confusing.

“Personally, my biggest stressor is when the assumption is made that I can dedicate my whole day to the account,” @cbu.confessions said. “This last semester I had to mute my notifications more than once because I could not get peace and quiet to study for my finals.”

Not only does @cbu.confessions help students with minor issues, but it also gives students a voice that they might not have had before. If people have an

fleece, cut a six-by-six inch square out to line up the fringe that will line the edges of your blanket.

Step 4: With the fleece pieces still aligned on top of each other, cut fringe all along the side of the two pieces, making them six inches long and about two inches apart from each other.

Step 5: Go around the length of the blanket and tie the bottom and top pieces of fringe together. This binds the two pieces together to get a more insulated blanket.

Step 6: Run your blanket through the washing machine to clean out any lasting pieces of fabric and to soften the blanket fabric.

You now have your own fleece blanket. These blankets keep you very warm and can be made to match any interior. The tied fringe that lines the edges of the blanket adds a unique touch and sense of personality to the blanket.

“

A homemade blanket is a unique accent piece as an addition to any room in the house or as a gift.

opinion on a particular topic or want to advocate for a change on campus, they can rely on the account to popularize their message.

“It’s a great place to find out polls for voting and such,” said Jalen Wilson, senior English major. “When you want, for instance, the gym to reopen, you go to Confessions and tell them, and somehow it reaches CBU officials.”

Although the account has nearly 3,000 followers, @cbu. confessions said they do not feel like a celebrity on campus.

“The anonymity takes away the celebrity aspect of this account, but it’s a nice feeling

Teddy Peña | Banner Teddy Peña, senior public relations major, shares steps for making unique fleece blankets.

when you hear people talk about the account you run,” @ cbu.confessions said. “It just makes me feel like a helpful citizen.”

Many students view @cbu. confessions as a vital asset here on campus, and without it, many students may have remained lost or confused. @cbu. confessions strives to give students a voice.

“I’m very grateful for all the people who are a part of this account’s community,” @cbu.confessions said. “Without them, there wouldn’t be an account.”

Although they do not feel like a celebrity, @cbu.confessions said that the idea of be-

“

It’s a nice feeling when you hear people talk about the account you run. @cbu.confessions account manager

coming part of the legacy of CBU and an element of how students remember their time here is a special feeling.

“It’s heartwarming to know I might become a legacy,” @ cbu.confessions said. “It’s been great to help a lot of the students here. It’s nice to look back and say, ‘I did that.’”

LIFESTYLE

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February 4, 2022 · Volume 69 · Issue 6

Valentine’s Day affects people psychologically

BY VALERIE LA PONZA ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR

With the scent of chocolate in the air and red hearts plastered on every wall, it is no secret that Valentine’s Day is approaching, and with it, comes the excitement of millions of couples across the world as they prepare to shower their loved ones with lavish gifts fitting of the holiday. But for the eternal bachelors and bachelorettes, this holiday symbolizes something else entirely.

Over the years, this holiday has deviated from its original values into a commercialism-driven holiday, drifting away from the original message of displays of love to significant people in your life to a holiday focused on giving extravagant and expensive gifts.

“The commercialization and monetizing of Valentine’s Day has changed the essence, the meaning, of how to celebrate love,” said Virgo Handojo, psychology professor. “The commercialism of this holiday can create many different pressures.

Every psychological pressure expectation, for example, can create unrealistic expectations for the holiday. For example, if you don’t give a specific gift, and you don’t do it spontaneously without the other person knowing it, then it’s not love. That’s crazy. It’s creating a false expectation, and that’s very difficult.”

Amanda Martinez, freshman biomedical engineering major, said the focus on materialism on Valentine’s Day has created fanciful expectations and added stress.

“Companies and businesses have made people believe that the way to show a person you love them is by buying them flowers and chocolates and other gifts,” Martinez said. “I believe that companies have marketed the holiday so much that some people feel bad when they don’t receive anything from family or friends. I have been on either side of the problem so I am aware of how it feels to either not receive anything or feel bad for not buying anything for a friend or loved one.”

Chance McDonald, senior music education major, feels that Valentine’s Day should focus on displaying love to everyone in someone’s life.

“Society tries to keep and make Valentine’s day a big relationship/sexual day through TV shows and media,” McDonald said. “I do believe it is a day to show extra love and care to your significant other. However, I believe that Valentine’s Day is a day to show extra love and care to everyone too.”

Audrey Smith, sophomore creative writing major, said that in addition to creating extra pressure for those buying gifts, the holiday is often marketed as celebrating romantic relation-

International Center celebrates Lunar New Year and rings in new Year of the Tiger

BY VALERIE LA PONZA ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR

California Baptist University held an event on Feb. 3 celebrating the Lunar New Year and welcoming the Year of the Tiger. The International Center, which provides services and support for the almost three hundred international students on campus, orchestrated the event in partnership with CBU’s Community Life and ASCBU. This event featured paper lantern making, folding red envelopes and food from a local Chinese restaurant, along with a photo booth with Year of the Tiger props and some performances from international students. Traditional dances, such as a lion and a dragon dance, were also performed by a local organization.

Courtney Watson, director of International Student Services, said that international students who are unable to return home for the celebration enjoy the Lunar New Year event. “(The event gives them) an absolute taste of home, and they were all stoked that (CBU) is doing an event that is representative of their home,” Watson said.

“Many of the students are also excited to show off their culture and to see their American friends participating in something that they hold so close.”

Yanjun Chen, a second-year vocal performance graduate student, said that Lunar New Year is important to the Chinese culture.

“Chinese New Year is used to celebrate the Spring Festival,” Chen said. “It is an activity that the ancients of China used to sacrifice, thank the gods of heaven and earth, (thank) ancestors’ kindness and pray for blessings.”

The International Center usually plans a Lunar New Year

“

Many of the students are also excited to show off their culture.

Courtney Watson, Director of International Student Services

event each year. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was canceled in 2021.

Chen, who attended Lunar New Year events at CBU in the past, enjoys the cultural activities that take place during the events.

“In my first semester in CBU, I remember that the international center organized a Lunar New Year celebration,” Chen said. “At that celebration, I saw the talent show of the international students, ate the spring rolls and other snacks and also saw activities such as calligraphy. For me, this is a very heart-warming event.”

Tanyun Yang, freshman marketing major, explained that the Lunar New Year involves many traditions. “(Some traditions include) making red banners to go on the doors, cleaning out the whole house like spring cleaning to get rid of the old and usher in the new and my personal favorite, in which the adults would typically give children a red envelope to signify good luck,” Yang said. “These red envelopes would contain money to symbolize prosperity in the new year.”

The tiger, the zodiac of this year, symbolizes not only fearlessness and momentum but also opens possibilities to foster opportunity and financial and entrepreneurial success, something that everyone could use going into the new year. Here’s to new beginnings, opportunities and the Year of the Tiger.

Photo Illustration by Charissa Graves | Banner

The commercialism and exclusivity of Valentine’s Day can affect people’s mental health. ships, which makes it a more exclusive holiday.

“I do think the marketing around it falls into the trap of making the holiday only for romantic relationships, mostly because society as a whole prioritizes and recognizes (being in a relationship) more than being

single,” Smith said. “It is a mindset that we need to change.”

Naomi McLeary, freshman interior design major, said that he has shifted his own mindset regarding Valentine’s Day. Now, he views it as a way to celebrate what he loves rather than what he might not have.

“I think Valentine’s Day is a nice holiday to show those that you love how much you love them, and remind yourself of what you love,” McLeary said.

“In my high school years, I hated Valentine’s Day because I was always single around the holiday, but my views changed

Fantasy Book

after junior year. Now I look at Valentine’s Day as a happy holiday and not one of resentment or sadness.”

While society and media try to emphasize gifts during Valentine’s Day, it is important to remember that this holiday does not define you.

Review

“The Fellowship of the Ring”

by J. R. R. Tolkien

by Aiden Hobson| Managing Editor

“All that is gold does not glitter / Not all those who wander are lost; / The old that is strong does not wither, / Deep roots are not reached by the frost.”

These iconic lines come from one of the greatest fantasy books ever written, “The Fellowship of the Ring”

by J.R.R. Tolkien. While the novel defines the genre of fantasy, it also includes many Christian themes that believers can understand and appreciate.

Tolkien was raised by a Roman Catholic priest after the death of his mother while he was a young child, and he received an intensive Christian education before attending Exeter College, Oxford University, and earning a degree in English language and literature.

While he was one of the foremost scholars of Anglo-Saxon literature during his tenure as professor at the University of Leeds and Pembroke College, Oxford University, he was also busy writing “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings,” two of the most iconic fantasy works ever. As a devout Christian, Tolkien wrote Christian themes into the entirety of “The Lord of the Rings.”

Peter Kreeft, in a lecture

given at Biola University titled “Christian Themes in ‘Lord of the Rings,’” argues that “The Fellowship of the Ring” (and the entirety of “The Lord of the Rings”) only makes sense if you assume the existence of the Christian God. “The most important named character in ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is…the Lord of the Rings.

Duh. But he’s evil. Why is he evil? Because he’s playing God. This ring gives him unlimited power, if he can only get it and keep it. Alright, why is that evil?

Why is it evil for anyone to play God? Only because he’s not God. In other words, unless God existed, ‘The Lord of the Rings’ would make no sense at all. It would be a wonderful thing for someone to play God! Somebody’s got to play God. If God isn’t God, let Sauron be,” Kreeft said.

The worldview of “The Lord of the Rings” implicitly assumes that there is a good God, according to Kreeft. Without it, the entire plot of the novel, an evil villain trying to amass unlimited power while the meek and good heroes try to stop him, would make absolutely no sense. Christians can see more of this theme developed throughout the novel, including in the sequels to “The Fellowship of the Ring.”

The first part of the novel opens with a section about

“hobbits,” a race of small, human-like beings who live in “the Shire,” a small area of the far western side of “Middle Earth,” the fictional world where “The Lord of the Rings” is set.

Readers are immediately thrust into the incredibly detailed world that Tolkien constructed for “The Lord of the Rings,” complete with entire fictional languages and two prequel novels (“The Silmarillion” and “The Hobbit”).

While the thousand-plus-page trilogy can seem intimidating to new readers, Tolkien’s epic writing style evokes ancient Norse mythology, while implicitly affirming Christian ideas.

“The Fellowship of the Ring” is a long and fantastical tale, which leaves readers relaxed yet hungry for more (which the six hundred pages of sequels adequately provide). In a pop culture environment where the fantasy genre is making a comeback, “The Lord of the Rings” is a classic book that faithfully witnesses to a Christian worldview while providing a splendiferous fictional universe that will invite readers to join the generations of faithful fans who have cherished the work for decades.

February 4, 2022 · Volume 69 · Issue 6

Downtown Riverside hosts 2022 Lunar New Year celebration 1

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1. Anneston Pisayavong from Simi Valley performs for the first

3. The Filipino Martial Arts School performs live for the Lunar

5. A Chinese scroll hangs at one of the booths at the annual

time live in the New Year.

Festival in Riverside on Jan. 29.

Riverside Lunar Festival.

2. The ECAA Traditional Dance Team performs a traditional

4. Keychains are placed on display at one of the many vendor booths

cultural dance at the Lunar Festival in Riverside.

present at the annual Lunar Festival in downtown Riverside.

Photos by Elijah Hickman, Marques Brown

February 4, 2022 · Volume 69 · Issue 6

Swim teams dive into last dual

Swim and dive teams duel against UCSD

BY AIDEN HOBSON MANAGING EDITOR

In their last regular season and dual meet appearance of the year, the California Baptist University swim and dive teams fought hard against the University of California, San Diego, before ultimately losing to the UCSD Tritons.

The men’s swim and dive team lost to UCSD with a final score 172-117 while the women’s team lost with a final score of 167-128, according to a press release from CBU Athletics.

“The meet was challenging.

Most if not all of us are pretty worn down from the long season, and this was our fourth meet in January,” said Trevor Van Law, senior mechanical engineering major and member of the CBU men’s swim and dive team. “The team had an off performance. We were all pretty tired and some of our big scorers were injured. UCSD did very well, posting some pool records throughout the meet. The main challenge we faced was the cold.

It was cloudy and windy, low 60s to high 50s, which made it hard to stay warm for our races.”

While the Lancer men battled tough conditions and the fatigue of a long season, they were still able to win some races against the Tritons. The relay team consisting of Estevao Hornos, Josh Walters, Matthew Niculae and Jacob Leahy won the 200-yard freestyle relay.

Robert Moseley won an individual first-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley, while Jonathan Reiter won the 100-yard breaststroke for the

second of the Lancer men’s two individual wins.

The CBU women’s team also won several victories against UCSD. Giulia Decataldo won the 500- and 1000-yard freestyle races, and the relay team of Mia Maspers, Lauren McKenna, Vianka Hoyer and Hannah Houlton won the 200-yard freestyle relay as well. Patricia Van Law had the final victory for the CBU women’s team, with her individual win in the 200 IM. “I think the team collectively did not have the greatest meet,” said Patricia Van Law, biomedical sciences graduate student. “We had some ups and some downs, but we all tried our hardest and that’s what matters at the end of the day. UCSD had their senior meet, and there is always just a different energy at those types of meets. They did not want to lose in their home pool. The weather was definitely chilly, so it was a matter of figuring out how to best keep our muscles warm and loose. There were also plenty of bee stings, which are no fun.”

The Lancer swim and dive teams competed well against a very tough and seasoned opponent. They are working hard to prepare for the postseason, with the Western Athletic Conference championship starting on Feb. 23.

“Our team is incredibly competitive this year, so we’ll place highly at conference. My personal goal is to place top eight in my backstroke events,” Trevor Van Law said.

“I can’t believe that the regular season is already over,” Patricia Van Law said. “I really wish, personally, that I had ended the dual meet with a better performance. However, there is nothing I can do about it now besides move forward and focus on what is ahead of me.

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Water polo sprints ahead

BY AIDEN HOBSON

MANAGING EDITOR

The California Baptist University women’s water polo team had their home opener on Jan. 29 at the Lancer Aquatics Center. The Lancer women’s water polo team fought hard for two come-from-behind wins against California State University, Northridge and Pomona-Pitzer colleges, according to a press release by CBU athletics.

The CBU women beat Cal State Northridge 9-8, while the Lancer women won against Pomona-Pitzer with a score of 1411 against the Sagehens. “(The tournament overall) was really good, it was great for us to have two really close games with good opponents,” said Jonathan Miller, head coach of the CBU women’s water polo team. “It’s always good to get two wins on the day. We learned a lot about the group and what we need to do. We had people step up on both offense and defense. It showed a lot of mental toughness.”

The official CBU athletics press release reported that senior attacker Kira O’Donnell and senior attacker Jamie Hutton each had nine points from the day, while redshirt junior Vicky Martinez scored two hat tricks.

The Lancer women’s water polo team is now 2-4 overall for the season. They will travel to the East Coast for games Feb. 4-5 against top-ranked teams Harvard University and Brown University, among others.

“This weekend we have big tournament, we’re going to Brown and Harvard and we’re going to play four top-25 teams,” Miller said. “I would expect four close games and we hope we can Elijah Hickman | Banner build on this last weekend and Brendan Man, freshman biochemistry major, prepares to start his first race against Grand Canyon University. see if we can do it on the road.”

Lancer Q&A with Robby Moseley

BY AIDEN HOBSON MANAGING EDITOR

The path to become a NCAA Division-I athlete is a long one, and each athlete’s story is different. The Banner interviewed Robby Moseley, senior computer science major and member of the California Baptist University men’s swim and dive team, to ask about his athletic journey and what brought him to CBU. How did you first get involved in swim?

“My older sister started swimming before I did. And I, being the competitive younger brother that I am, decided that I also wanted to start swimming.

I think I was 5 and my sister was 6. I haven’t stopped since then.”

Why did you pick swim over other sports? Were you interested in other sports?

“You can actually find videos of me skateboarding on the internet (if you know where to look), so I definitely wouldn’t say that swimming was always my first choice. In fact, in the beginning I think that it was something that I was mostly encouraged to do by my parents, thank the Lord for them and their wisdom.

“When I was very young, I was more interested in playing video games and hanging out at the skatepark than being at the pool, especially during the cold winter months.

“Over time, however, something strange happened. I began to enjoy swimming more and the friendships I created as a swimmer became a bigger part of my life. Eventually, around the time I was 10, I decided to give up skateboarding and only pursue swimming. I haven’t looked back since.”

What do you enjoy most about swim?

“If you had asked me when I

Elijah Hickman | Banner

Robby Moseley, senior computer science major, dives to start his race against Seattle University. was younger, I probably would have told you something along the lines of having the opportunity to race or compete with other athletes, but I think my answer has changed as of late.

“As I am now the ripe old age of 22, I have had more time to reflect on my career and the one facet of swimming that shines brighter than any other are the connections with other people that I have formed.

“The athletics community is incredibly vibrant not only at CBU, but all over the country, and I consider myself incredibly blessed to get to be a piece in this constantly evolving group that I have been able to call my own for the past 17 years.”

What’s your favorite memory from your pre-CBU swim

career?

“When I was 15, I qualified for my first USA Swimming Junior National Championships.

The meet ended up being in Austin, so my dad and I traveled to Texas for the week.

“Honestly, the meet was not even my best performance ever, but it was just so much fun hanging out with my dad for the week and experiencing a new city and a new level of competition.

“Growing up, my dad and I went to a lot of competitions together all over the country, and they are some of the fondest memories that I have from my youth.”

What brought you to swim at CBU? “In my last couple years of

high school, I was recruited by several schools and never actually really thought I would end up at CBU. “I took an official athletics trip to CBU during the fall of my junior year of high school and really enjoyed it, but after that I continued to talk with other schools.

“After visiting the other schools I was talking to, I realized that CBU was an incredibly unique school that offered everything I was looking for. I found the integration of faith, Division-I athletics, competitive academics and great food incredibly compelling and finally committed to swim here during the fall of my senior year.

It’s a decision that I continue to be blessed by every day.”

BUSINESS & TECH

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February 4, 2022 · Volume 69 · Issue 6

Airlines warn about 5G technology

BY ALEXZA BAHNMILLER ASST. B&T EDITOR

Executives of major U.S airlines put out a warning for an impending “catastrophic aviation crisis” on Jan. 17 due to AT&T and Verizon deploying 5G service towers near airports.

To break down this situation, Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, explains what 5G is.

“5G is the fifth generation mobile network,” Prather said.

“It is a newly activated global wireless standard that enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything.”

The reason AT&T and Verizon want to deploy this internet service is because it allows for increased connectivity and ultra fast internet, creating better service for their customers.

However, by creating cellular towers and the antennas needed, airplanes can experience technical disruptions.

“5G uses frequencies in a radio spectrum called the C-band,” Prather said. “These frequencies can be close to those used by aircraft radio altimeters, a device installed in the aircraft instrument panel that measures the frequency of radio pulses reflecting off the earth’s surface to help indicate the height of the aircraft above ground. With GPS, the aircraft altimeter is relied upon during low altitude operations, such as during an instrument approach in poor weather. This is a critical phase of flight and instrument readings must be without error. Being wrong, even if only

With the new addtion of 5G towers across the nation, many are concerned that the frequencies will tamper with flight controls. by a few feet, is not acceptable.”

Mackenzie Degn, junior aviation flight major, talks about the trouble this interference can cause.

“Normally, in smaller amounts, wireless connection doesn’t do much harm,” Degn said. “But for an airliner, there is much more interference. It causes systems to be misled, and even by a fraction, that can be deadly. We can be told to turn

the wrong way or even crash into terrain.”

After the warning was issued, the Federal Aviation Association immediately began checking and certifying specific aircraft types able to operate in 5G areas.

As of Jan. 29, 78% of the U.S. commercial airline fleet has been approved to operate in 5G areas.

“5G connection is still rela-

tively new in the technological world,” said Blaine Burrer, senior aviation flight major. “2.4G is a weaker signal but it can travel through material much easier, whereas 5G is stronger but has a smaller range.”

Passengers on commercial flights are always instructed to turn off their phones before takeoff, which shows an example of how strong the effects of wireless signals can be.

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“For low altitude operations such as takeoff and landing, FAA rules require that anything at all that might interfere with the aircraft altimeter be turned off,” Prather said. “The FAA always errs on the side of safety.”

Degn emphasized the importance of abiding by regulations such as turning devices to airplane mode when traveling by air, fastening seatbelts and following instructions.

“

Normally, in smaller amounts, wireless connection doesn’t do much harm.

For an airliner, there is much more interference.

Mackenzie Degn, junior aviation flight major

Acquisition of Activision studios puts Microsoft ahead of Nintendo

APP OF THE ISSUE:

-4) 5)(x

Photo by Camille Grochowski | Banner

BY JASMINE SEVERI

ing community and the quality of games. It’s more of just the quality of content that is the Microsoft announced Jan. 18 most important thing. And I bethat it is acquiring the company lieve that this is all going to lead Activision Blizzard, a company down to only one company bethat owns such poping at the top and ular games as Call them all working of Duty and Overtogether to create watch, in an all-cash one quality prodtransaction of $68.7 uct for them.” billion.

Kaleb Coggins, “When the senior software transaction closes, engineering maMicrosoft will bejor, said he precome the world’s Microsoft News Center fers indie games third-largest gampress release to big brand name ing company by companies, berevenue, behind cause he finds the Tencent and Sony,” Microsoft games more interesting, but said in a Jan. 18 press release. he said Microsoft’s continued “The planned acquisition in- interest in expanding the decludes iconic franchises from velopment of gaming is a good the Activision, Blizzard and sign for the future of the gaming King studios like ‘Warcraft,’ ‘Di- industry. ablo,’ ‘Overwatch,’ ‘Call of Duty’ “The gaming industry isn’t and ‘Candy Crush,’ in addition going away anytime soon,” to global eSports activities Coggins said. “Microsoft buythrough Major League Gam- ing these companies and ing. The company has studios investing in this industry does around the world with nearly say to me that the industry has 10,000 employees.” places to go and that there’s Bohdin Rush, freshman more out there to explore. electrical engineering major, But that doesn’t mean small said he has been playing games companies are going away. from Activision for nearly There are always small teams all his life. Bohdin said he is that are popping up, creating unsure about what changes new games, creating new exMicrosoft will make, but he periences for gamers like me. is confident in its gaming And that’s what I like about console. gaming. There is so much out “I’ve been playing Xbox for there, so I don’t feel like this is a while,” Rush said. “(Micro- a bad thing for the gaming insoft) will make changes. I’m not dustry.” sure if they’ll be good changes. I This aquisition is a big win know they have a good quality for Microsoft, as it will put them console, but other than that, I’m ahead of another gaming jugnot sure if they would do any- gernaut, Nintendo, who had this thing toward changing the gam- slot before Microsoft’s deal.

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Microsoft will become the third-largest gaming company by revenue.

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February 4, 2022 · Volume 69 · Issue 6

CBU club supports STEM

BY JASMINE SEVERI B&T EDITOR

California Baptist University has many fascinating clubs for its students to meet with people of similar interests to help each other through their education. One of these clubs is the STEM Girls club, an organization that welcomes all students interested in the connected fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, whose main goal is to promote women in these fields.

James Buchholz, professor of mathematics and physics and adviser for the STEM girls club, talked about how he had the idea for this club for CBU. “The idea for the club came because I was walking on another college campus, and in the distance I saw a poster that said ‘Join STEM Girls,’” Buchholz said. “So I didn’t originate that name. But I thought, ‘Huh, what would that look like at Cal Baptist?’ I didn’t want to know all that they were doing. I wanted us to make our own.”

Buchholz said he asked one of his teaching assistants what she thought of the idea of this club.

“I said to her, ‘Would you be interested in a club like that?

And what would that mean?

Well we know STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Would you want that?’” Buchholz said.

Buchholz said he was not sure about having “Girls” in the name instead of women, but liked the title, so they made “Girls” an acronym that stands for “Gifted Individuals in Research and Laboratory Sciences.”

Sarah Fitch, senior biomedical sciences major and president of the STEM Girls club, talked about the focus of this club.

“Our club likes to focus on creating community between people within the STEM majors,” Fitch said. “We also like to target women because women in STEM is a smaller section. A lot of times, it’s harder for women to feel included or connected in those sorts of careers, so we want to make sure we create a community within that, but we’re not exclusive. We allow anyone to be in our club and so we do fun events.”

One such event they have takes place at the women’s bas-

ketball games. Buchholz talked about the STEM Girls’ halftime challenge. Buchholz said an important part of this is activity is women supporting women.

“This is the women of the STEM girls supporting the women’s basketball team.

We sponsored this halftime challenge for a chance to win $10,000. The games are always Thursday at six or Saturday at one, the doors open an hour early and so we come in an hour and 50 minutes early to set up the table so people can come in and then they register.”

Buchholz explained the rules of this challenge and what qualifies or disqualifies someone from participating.

“To participate in the STEM Girls halftime challenge, you have to be at least 14 years old,” Buchholz said. “You can’t be a professional basketball player, you can’t be a collegiate basketball player, any level, even junior college, but you are allowed to be a high school basketball player. We got the contract with the insurance company. What we did was we paid an insurance company. They’re betting no one gets it.”

Buchholz also explained

what someone has to do to win the $10,000.

“We have nine games, all home games,” Buchholz said.

“We’re going to do this every game until someone wins.

You have 25 seconds to hit a layup, hit a free throw, hit a three-pointer and the halfcourt shot.”

Miranda Martinez, senior biomedical science major and vice president of the STEM Girls club, talked about some of the other events they have planned for this semester. Their first event is their “Gal-entine’s Day” picnic Feb. 10.

“We will have a little picnic in the front lawn, to get to know people that are in the club and just have little snacks on the front field, just a little community bonding time,” Martinez said.

The next events are their Assassin game on March 24 and their hamster ball game.

“That will be with the other clubs, the soccer club and the pre-optometry club,” Martinez said. “And the next one will be April 19, which is going to be our coffee and study. We’re planning on maybe having one or two more but those are set.”

Cryptocurrency increasing in popularity

BY ALEXZA BAHNMILLER ASST. B&T EDITOR

Cryptocurrency is all the rage. From Bitcoin to Ethereum to Dogecoin, the wave of cryptocurrency interest is growing.

Bitcoin ATMs have even installed in more than 130 major malls.

But, what even is cryptocurrency?

“Cryptocurrency is fiat money, essentially meaning it is money that isn’t backed by anything like gold or silver,” said Mason Steele, junior finance major. “Cryptocurrency is only worth what someone decides it to be worth.”

Adele Harrison, professor of finance, said there are unknowns in investing in cryptocurrency.

“Cryptocurrency is essentially a gamble investment,” Harrison said. “It isn’t a medium of exchange because there is no unit of value. It also isn’t controlled by the government, so important questions to be asking as an investor are, who is controlling the quantity of currency and how are they acquiring it?”

Currently, the largest cryptocurrency are Bitcoin, Ethereum and Binance Coin, according to BankRate.com.

One Bitcoin is equivalent to $38,394 USD, one Ethereum is equivalent to $2,404 USD and one Binance is equivalent to $394 USD. The first cryptocurrency was Bitcoin, and it was invented in 2008 by an anonymous person known by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. It was used as a reward for “mining” Bitcoin, which consists of solving complex math problems that put new Bitcoin into circulation, according to Investopedia.

Cryptocurrency has become popular for low fees, potential for large profit and accessibility; however, it is not all perfect.

“There are three big issues when it comes to cryptocurrency,” Harrison said. “The first issue is the mediator. Who is issuing the cryptocurrency? Can they be trusted? The second issue is that there is no regulatory environment. The price doesn’t stay consistent and the longevity cannot be known. The last issue is wheth-

er or not it will be accepted as a type of exchange. Which places will accept cryptocurrency and which won’t?”

Zachary Nelson, senior finance major, warns against buying cryptocurrency.

“Cryptocurrency is still relatively new so it is risky,” Nelson said. “Don’t put all your money into it until there is stability, such as the government deciding to back it.”

El Salvador is so far the only country whose government has accepted Bitcoin as legal tender.

This policy was enacted Sept. 7.

Many countries have banned Bitcoin completely, including Algeria, Bolivia, China, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, India, Iraq, Russia, Turkey, Vietnam, Nepal and Kosovo.

While cryptocurrency is legal in the U.S., it is important to keep in mind the risks of investing.

For example, on Jan. 24, the cryptocurrency market crashed, decreasing nearly $1.5 trillion in value, as reported by Fortune magazine.

“Cryptocurrency is going to become a type of medium

for exchange in the future, but as for now it follows the movement of the stock market,” Harrison said. “Values will keep going up and down. The huge recent drop was most likely due to some speculators leaving the market.”

Nelson offered advice to those interested in cryptocurrency.

“Invest in stocks before crypto so that you can learn about how everything works,” Nelson said. “We will see crypto in the future so becoming educated about investing in general is a good skill.”

Harrison also advised spectators to learn the investment market first.

“Both pros and cons should be learned about any and all investments,” Harrison said. “The technology aspect of cryptocurrency will also be seen more in the future. This isn’t a dying fad.”

Researching the stock market as well as cryptocurrency will help with staying ahead of the curve, whether or not immediately investing.

The future of cryptocurrency is ever-developing.

Immediate Access Immediate Access provides instant access to textbooks online as well as other course materials, and California Baptist University is implementing this program for certain classes.

In the classes that have this feature, the cost of the materials will be automatically charged to students’ Student Account. Any student in a class using Immediate Access will automatically be enrolled in Immediate Access.

“California Baptist University recognizes the valuable contribution course materials provide in assisting students to reach their educational goals,” CBU said on the campus bookstore website. “With this in mind, CBU understands that course materials costs can often be a deterrence to students purchasing the materials that will benefit their academic success. At California Baptist University, we are committed to finding new and innovative ways to provide more affordable options to our students. We are excited to

announce the implementation of our newest textbook program, Immediate Access.”

Students are able to opt-out of this feature if they want or need to buy their supplies separately or through another means. The opt-out date is the same as the drop date for each semester.

CBU’s bookstore’s website explains Immediate Access as “an interactive learning platform that uses specific software to enhance a student’s educational experience such as digital textbooks and course materials.” It continues to say that when a class uses these options, this can include many other things to enhance a student’s learning experience through adaptive quizzes, videos, audio presentations, homework assigned by the teacher and more.

“Furthermore, by utilizing Immediate Access, students may have the option to purchase physical loose-leaf copies of textbooks at a special discounted rate,” CBU’s press release

B&T Briefs CALIFORNIA MINIMUM WAGE In California, the overall minimum wage increased Jan. 1 from $14 to $15 for businesses with more than 26 employees and from $13 to $14 for businesses with less than 26 employees. This minimum wage increase makes California the highest minimum wage state in the U.S. According to the Department of Industrial Relations, the new minimum wage will help sustain economic expansion, and there are some who seek to raise the overall minimum wage further. A new initiative called the Living Wage Act of 2022 seeks to raise it again in 2023 to $16, $17 in 2024 and $18 in 2025.

ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN MARKET Research for meat protein alternatives is an expanding field. Based on ResearchandMarkets, a market research report store, the alternative meats market is expected to project $4.7 billion by 2027. One brand in particular is making waves, called Beyond Meat. On evaluation, the company has a capitalization of $4.3 billion. The company’s worth is continuing to grow. As of Jan. 22, the Beyond Meat stock increased by 13%, according to Forbes. Now, Beyond Meat has partnered with Kentucky Fried Chicken, Panda Express, Canada Pizza Hut and A&W to bring beef alternative, plant-based products to local fast food locations.

Panda Express will be testing new dishes, such as Mapo Tofu and String Beans, only at their location in Pasadena, until Jan. 26.

NEWSOM CALIFORNIA BLUEPRINT Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a 2022-23 proposal for California Jan. 10. The proposal is planned to support the state during the COVID-19 pandemic, to fight climate change, to help eliminate homelessness and to stop inequality. The Blueprint would allocate $2.7 billion toward vaccines, boosters, testing and medical personnel; $648 million toward firefighters and helicopters; $750 million toward farmers, residents and wildlife affected by droughts; and $2 billion toward mental health housing and service.

by Jasmine Severi| B&T Editor

said. “The digital content provided can also include necessary interactive learning platforms depending on the course (i.e. Connect, Mastering, MyMathLab, MyStatLab, Sapling, WileyPlus, etc.)”

All of these additions are helpful to add to students’ learning experiences and give students a diverse set of options when it comes to how they study for their classes.

So far, it has been convenient and easy for the class I am enrolled in that uses this, and I hope in the future more of CBU’s classes will have access to it. It certainly lessens stress when you do not have to worry about what textbooks you need to buy, even if it is just one class off your list.If students have classes that are using Immediate Access, make sure there are funds in your Student Account to cover it by going to insidecbu.com, clicking the “Student Accounts” tab and “Course and Fee Statement.”

February 4, 2022 · Volume 69 · Issue 6

Spatial audio gains potential to change music

BY EMILY MCGINN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

In recent years, technology has advanced to new heights.

Facebook has begun to push a new virtual reality-based metaverse. Audiences can now see movies in immersive 4D experiences. Similarly, the music industry has begun to encourage immersive experiences of its own.

Apple, supported by Dolby Atmos, announced in May 2021 that it would begin to offer spatial audio capabilities to Apple Music subscribers for no additional cost beginning in June.

Spatial audio is an immersive, surround-sound music experience that allows for musicians to place sounds at different origin points to make them sound as though they are coming from a certain location around a listener.

Dr. Lance Beaumont, associate professor of music, said that the immersive experience replicates having multiple speakers positioned around a listener.

“You can picture different speakers around the room,” Beaumont said. “If you are looking straight ahead, there will be a speaker off to your left, a speaker off to your right as well as one in the middle.

Then you will have some a little bit further. Then you will have some positioned a little further back, and you will have some overhead. You have measured sound coming at you from all these different angles. What the musician can do is take different sounds and actually place it in a specific spot within this sphere all around you.”

Beaumont said that spatial audio represents the next nat-

ural step in music technology.

Over time, music has shifted from stereo to surround sound to the new experience of spatial audio. This transition to spatial audio provides artists with more creative options within the sound field during the process of mixing music.

“It gives the artist the opportunity of having more colors to paint with,” Beaumont said. “As a kid, you go from the box of crayons with eight colors. Now, you have a box of crayons with 5,000 colors.

You have a hundred different shades of red as opposed to having two. It just gives them more creative license, and it changes the experience of the listener as well.”

The surge toward spatial audio parallels the recent push toward virtual reality. Only five months after Apple announced that it would make spatial audio available on a wide scale, Facebook announced its rebrand as Meta, introducing a new era promoting virtual and artificial reality. Beaumont said spatial audio offers listeners with an auditory experience much like virtual reality but without the potentially unsettling visual aspects.

“I think the goal of this type of technology is to get technology to be more lifelike because we hear sound in that way,” Beaumont said. “For example, you can hear a car coming from behind you and then the sound changes as it passes you. We want that experience replicated through our technology. I think that is what is driving it: how do we make technology more human?”

Beaumont said he believes that spatial audio will likely become mainstream for the mu-

Editor’s

Photo Illustration by Charissa Graves | Banner

Many songs on Apple Music have spatial audio capabilities. Songs like “Stay” by The Kid Laori and Justin Bieber, “Chandelier” by Sia and many more feature this new and improved audio technology. sic industry, especially since major companies such as Apple are involved in furthering the technology. In fact, many films and television series already use Dolby Atmos for audio.

“The music industry I think is moving toward this because of the cost,” Beaumont said.

“It is cheaper now, so now this technology can be replicated through headphones. The cost to consumers is extremely low, and the cost to produce this kind of audio is extremely low.”

However, some point out that it might take time for available products to catch up to the progression of technolo-

gy into the spatial audio era.

“With companies such as Apple and Dolby pushing spatial audio, I do believe it could develop a unique and creative space within the music industry, but I don’t believe it would become prominent,” said Christina Arispe, junior commercial performance major.

“The reason is that it wouldn’t be convenient for the technology we have today. For example in most headphones, phones, speakers, etc. there is only a ‘L’(left) ‘R’ (right) speaker meant to cooperate with our way of hearing.”

Noah Fickel, junior com-

mercial performance major, said he believes spatial audio will grow in popularity, but primarily in other fields.

“I think spatial audio will become more prominent in the music world with more availability of speakers capable of reproducing it, but I think more so it will become more popular in the film and video game industry,” Fickel said.

Since spatial audio has become more affordable, Beaumont foresees more companies producing audio products geared toward the new technology. Apple’s products, including AirPods, Beats and

newer versions of iPhones, tablets and laptops, are already equipped to play Dolby Atmos tracks. Additionally, many major artists such as The Weeknd, Ariana Grande and Maroon 5 now have tracks out using Dolby Atmos technology.

“I think musicians will (embrace spatial audio) for sure because it gives them more opportunities to have their music replicated the way that they hear it,” Beaumont said.

“If you are a composer and you are hearing music in your head a specific way, you do not want technology to hinder that experience for the listener.”

Reviews

By Josiah Murphy | Asst. A&E Editor

“Scream ’22” In an era of intellectual properties (IP) being revamped and remade or “re-quelled” (to borrow a phrase from the movie) into submission of the modern demand for exciting, popcorn-guzzling moments, the late-great Wes Craven’s meta, hyper-aware Scream franchise seems ripe and ready for that stratosphere of movie making.

And yet, here we are, with a piddling fart of a motion picture that brings nothing new to the table and compromises on becoming the very thing that it set out to spoof.

The biggest problem with “Scream,” which is the fifth entry in the franchise — despite having the same title as “Scream” (1994) — is that it lacks the involvement of Wes Craven, who sadly passed away in 2015.

It was Craven’s “granddaddy of them all” status in the horror genre that cemented his involvement in the Scream franchise as smart, sharp and biting.

Replacing him is Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the duo behind 2019’s fast, funny and mean “Ready or Not.” Their involvement immediately thrusts “Scream” (2022) into the “legacy sequel” (dubbed re-quel in the movie itself ) territory of “The Force Awakens” (2015) or “Halloween” (2018). It brings back the “legacy” characters — and by extension their developments and stories — putting them in the modern-day and incorporating newbies into the mix by giving them pathos, however contrived, connected to the legacy characters.

Just like its predecessor, “Scream,” “Scream” (2022) wants to be meta. Where that one addressed the tropes of horror

movies such as never saying "I’ll be right back," and then smartly subverted them by addressing them, partaking in them, but then flipping them on their ear — “Scream” (2022) hopes to do the same with the idea of “legacy sequels,” which is not wholly a concept relegated just to the horror genre. As a result, most of the jabs feel more “Scary Movie” than “Scream.”

However, metatextual anything does not equal cleverness and just mentioning the tropes does not subvert the tropes.

Saying “In legacy sequels, this always happens!” and then doing those things verbatim, just does not really scratch the itch of what the franchise has done in the past.

When the movie runs out of steam for things to point out about legacy sequels, it then grasps at straws and lands on “toxic fandoms are bad!” and, with some devastating plot twists that play right into the burgeoning rule-book of legacy sequels, makes it nearly impossible to critique the movie without sounding like a “toxic fan” as the movie defines it.

All of this is fine for a movie to be, but “Scream” used to be so sharp, smart and ahead of everyone else in terms of commentary, subversion of tropes and good writing. The film feels like the lowest common denominator and, without Wes Craven at the helm, feels trite and at war with itself. It knows slashers are dead (or dying) and instead tries to poke fun from across the aisle. This is not inherently bad, but it is also not what “Scream” is or has ever been. In the end, it might be more productive to watch paint dry than this needless entry in the Scream franchise.

2.5 out of 5 stars.

Luis Menendez | Banner

February 4, 2022 · Volume 69 · Issue 6

LANCER ON THE STREET How do you feel about the new Chapel format?

Miguel Magno Sophomore Radiology major

“I think it’s actually very convenient. It’s very nice that they decide to shorten the length.”

Mayanie Kakish Sophomore Business administration major

Kokayi Lee-Johnson Junior International business major

Armand Patrick Senior Applied theology major

“The new Chapel keeps the students more engaged, because I feel like our attention spans are small.”

“If we really want to pay attention, it’s better, more ethical to have it in the short span with deep messages in it.”

“I find it quite convenient.

Having a short, 10-minute encouragement for the week is quite ideal.”

Sarah Lopez Junior International business and psychology double major

“I feel like people kind of skim through Chapels, so now that they’re short you’re attentive.”

Schools should use Zoom as an alternate tool

BY EMILY MCGINN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Although we are thankfully entering our second semester of in-person learning after over

a year of attending classes remotely, we still live in a world facing the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

New variants of COVID are still making their way through the population, and we now live in a world that will never be the same again. As we move forward, it would be a mistake to throw away the lessons we learned during the past couple years.

During the COVID pandemic, we spent a large amount of time on remote platforms such as Zoom and WebEx to take classes. Although many of us are eager and excited to be back in person, we should not neglect the potentially positive new technological tools we have

gained throughout the past couple years.

Even as we continue in person, colleges should continue to use remote learning as a permanent option to assist students who cannot make it to in-person classes.

While taking classes online, students, professors and schools learned how to use remote learning tools. We learned how to schedule Zoom meetings, share screens and communicate more successfully online. Although remote learning was an unfortunate turn of events, we should use what we did learn from that time to our advantage.

COVID served as a wake-up call that life can become un-

predictable and change quickly. Life happens. Sudden issues arise. Illnesses — COVID or otherwise — hit. If we search for a silver lining, the pandemic should have, at the very least, made us realize that we should try to work with others and show them grace in the case of sudden absences. In this new world, schools must be prepared to offer easy alternatives to in-person learning.

In-person learning and remote learning do not have to remain two isolated entities.

In fact, they should not. Since 2020, everyone has asked us to be flexible. At any moment, an event or activity could be cancelled. As students, we have had to adapt. Now, it is time for col-

leges to adapt for us.

During the pandemic, schools told us we have to be ready at any moment for them to go online. Now, they have to be ready for us to go online.

Things will still go wrong in daily life, but now, because of the pandemic, schools can provide alternatives that we did not use on a wide scale before.

Through the pandemic and the process of making technologies such as Zoom more mainstream, we have discovered an answer to the difficulty of being unable to attend a class or meeting. Now, we can still be present, even when we cannot physically be somewhere.

Technology aims to make lives easier. Now that we have

experience with remote learning, we can use that technology to make students’ lives easier.

So why wouldn’t we?

During the pandemic, schools told us we have to be ready at any moment for them to go online. Now, they have to be ready for us to go online. Things will still go wrong in daily life.

Church history is necessary in the life of a Christian

BY AIDEN HOBSON MANAGING EDITOR

Church history is necessary in the life of a Christian.

I should first clarify that I

have a very heavy bias when it comes to the study of church history; I am a history and Christian studies double major, so the history of Christianity represents the intersection of my two academic passions. Despite my bias, I think my argument is still valid.

I would also like readers to notice that I said “in the life of a Christian.” I am not claiming that a knowledge of church history (or biblical studies, theology or another related discipline) is necessary for salvation. My goal is not to make a soteriological claim.

Rather, I want to make a point about the place that the study of church history should have in the life of a Christian

(where “in the life of a Christian” is used to mean while a Christian is still alive).

Many Christians today, especially those of us of the evangelical Protestant variety, tend to neglect church history. Yet church history is essential in the life of a Christian.

Studying the church of the past helps us to read the Bible better, avoid our own socio-cultural biases and ultimately understand God better.

We are not the first Christians to read the Bible; there have been many other Christians who have pored over the same texts in the span of the last 16 centuries or so since the New Testament canon was finalized in the fourth century.

Studying how others have interpreted the Bible throughout history helps us understand different perspectives on the text.

Furthermore, studying how other Christians have read the Bible aids us in evaluating if our own interpretations are orthodox (if no other Christian in history has understood the Bible in the same way you have, you might want to go back and re-read that verse).

Studying church history also helps us avoid our own socio-cultural biases. Each of us reads the Bible differently, based on our culture and background, and it is very easy to sit and be content with our twenty-first century, American perspective without any thought

Non-fungible tokens are signs of latent ‘crypto-colonialism’

BY LAUREN BROOKS NEWS EDITOR

If you live in present society, chances are you have encountered photos of grotesque cartoon animals on the internet or social media, mainly apes or lions. They resemble the zoo coloring pages of childhood, with bright colors and tacky decorations.

Old memes or dead celebrities can also make an appearance in this photo category.

One may ask, how do these correlate into a category and what are these ugly images clog-

ging up my timeline?

Glad you asked! They’re called NFTs, short form for non-fungible tokens. In a short definition they are the ownership of a digital image, usually purchased by crypto, in hopes for the value or rate of exchange to increase over time.

A good analogy to explain NFTs is the trend of “buying a star” a few years back.

While you have a certificate saying that the star is yours, you do not actually own the star.

Stupid, right?

My biggest gripe with NFTs is that it is creating scarcity in the unlimited digital space, one that without manual creation would have none. Capitalism is infiltrating yet another place it has no business being.

The NFT scene, which began as a way for digital artists to sell original work, has been taken over by billionaires and crypto

bros, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.

Crypto mining and NFTs themselves are horrendous for the environment, leaving behind massive carbon footprints in an already dangerously heated earth.

The minting of NFTs on a blockchain and mining crypto take up insanely large amounts of electricity.

One NFT can use the electricity equivalent of up to a month of average use in one household.

In typical imperialist fashion, a new term called “crypto-colonialism,” which Vice describes as “blockchain technologies bring surveillance and political pressures, undermine local sovereignty and create resource allocation controls on recipients” has risen as a result.

In common terms, it means more exploitation of the global

south that is unneeded.

Also, let’s not disregard the dystopian culture accompanying the rise of NFTs. Some celebrities are paying millions of dollars for a CARTOON APE. Sure, people are starving and living paycheck to paycheck, but why not throw money at a mindless cartoon image that only causes harm.

Justin Bieber recently spent $1.29 million on an ape NFT and Jimmy Fallon recently bragged on his show for dropping $216,000 on his.

This is an almost inconceivable amount of money for us average people; seeing celebrities throw money at a clear scam is enough to make anyone mad.

Even a fraction of the money spent on NFTs could make a real difference in so many lives.

So, don’t get mad when I screenshot your apes. It was never yours to begin with.

towards how others might understand the Bible.

Instead of being lazy readers, we should strive to interact with other historic views on Scripture and theology, so that we can avoid our cultural blind spots and do our due diligence when trying to interpret and understand the Word of God. Academic knowledge is not a prerequisite for salvation, nor does knowing facts about history mean that one is a “better” Christian or that you are saved.

Yet it would be a disservice to the Christians who came before us, and our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who do not have access to the resources that we do here in the U.S., to neglect the study of

church history.

I had a professor who once said that the study of church history is the study of God’s work throughout history. As Christians, shouldn’t we be interested in seeing how God has worked in the lives of others, rather than just our own?

It is necessary for Christians to study church history so that we can read the Bible better, see new perspectives on Scripture and appreciate how God has worked throughout history.

I believe, and many other saints who came before me would agree, that it is our duty as Christians to learn about the believers who came before us, so that we can better understand how God works in history.

February 4, 2022 · Volume 69 · Issue 6

#Lancercam @valramirezphoto

@hopejaynephotos

@rapberry @rapberry

Congratulations!

This week’s LancerCam winner is @rapberry

Email Elijah Hickman at ElijahD.Hickman@calbaptist.edu to claim your prize.

Send us your photos using #LancerCam to be featured in the next issue of The Banner. @CBULancerMedia

WINTER CROSSWORD CLUES 2

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Across 1. Warm beverage for a cold night: hot _______ 3. Use it to slide down a hill 5. Happy Feet 6. Snownado (not to be confused with “Sharknado”) 9. ______ lift Down 2. Winter weather adjective (for California, below 70 degrees) 3. Tom Brady won’t be there this year 4. SoCal snow 7. Sharp water stick 8. Frictionless ice surface