Volume 72, Issue 06 by The Highlander- UCR

THE HIGHLANDER

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023

VOL. 72, ISSUE 06

est. 1954

KELLEY MANZO / THE HIGHLANDER

OPINIONS

THE SMALL STEP THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN TOWARDS ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY AMONG STUDENTS.

University students should be allowed to take food out of dining halls ALISON WHITESIDE Contributing Writer

Spend five minutes in UC Riverside’s Glasgow dining hall and see five different signs about food waste. Reducing food waste is an important and valid goal, as 130 billion meals get thrown away every year. The University offers the solution of students only helping themselves to what they think they can finish. This seems logical, and UCR appears proud of its progress, with the UCR Dining Service’s page on sustainability currently boasting a 17-ton drop in food waste by residential restaurants in the past year. But when it turns out that drop is only 7.5% and the school still throws away approximately 209 tons of food every year, larger measures should be taken. Back in the dining hall, a sign on the way out tells students only to take one dessert or one fruit out. Many students often complain about not being able to grab an extra sweet treat, and while this appears to be a trivial issue, there is a larger implication and issue behind this sign. One of the worst and quietest

epidemics in the U.S. is food insecurity, according to a survey in 2021 that reported 39% of adults in California experience this. College students are one of the most affected communities, with about 23% of college students currently experiencing food insecurity. Yet, very little effort addressing this issue has been made. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneﬁts were extended to college-age students. In the 2019-2020 academic year, 11.8% of all UC students were enrolled in this program. However, these beneﬁts ended June 10 this year, leaving many college students without options. The meal plans offered by UC Riverside are the most affordable and convenient choices for students. The standard plan, Highlander 150, gives students 150 swipes into any of the all-you-care-to-eat dining halls. This averages to two swipes per day. While Highlander 150 works for many students, it is still less ► SEE DINING PAGE 8

RADAR

SOFIA COPPOLA ADAPTS PRISCILLA PRESLEY’S MEMOIR ‘ELVIS AND ME,’ BRINGING THE TWO’S RELATIONSHIP TO LIFE IN A SERIES OF VIGNETTES.

‘Priscilla’ Review: Life under The King LUKE LIAO Contributing Writer

her to his interests, friends, drugs and wealth. It’s patiently paced but contains a whirlwind of events and places such as the roller rink, the gambling ﬂoors of Vegas and the gorgeously furnished Graceland. Throughout this high life, a lulling patina is used, giving Priscilla’s world an alluring and dreamlike veil because, for her — or any teenager for that matter— it’s a fairytale come true. Although she doesn’t know it yet, Priscilla is losing her autonomy to Elvis, hinging her happiness and identity around him. The utilization of clothes and makeup is characteristic of this, one of many ways Elvis models her to become “his.” Priscilla complies, dying her hair black and applying eyeshadow of the same color. When Elvis goes out to shoot movies, he relegates Priscilla to an isolating Graceland, where she is left reading tabloids about his onset affairs. Later, as the pill bottles on his nightstand grow and less-thanpleasant calls with his manager persist, ► SEE PRISCILLA PAGE 12

@thehighlanderucr @HighlanderUCR UCRHighlander NEWS 3

OPINIONS 6

FEATURES 10

RADAR 13

SPORTS 18

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UPCOMING EVENTS:

Bagels & Blue Books 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. African Student Programs Lobby

MESCafe 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. 111 Costo Hall

Open Enrollment Virtual Help Desk 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Virtual Event

Graduate Student Job Search Support Group 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Virtual Event

Airness Opening Night 8 p.m. ARTS Studio Theater

Narcan Training 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. HUB 260

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Campus Closed for Veterans’ Day

Friday

Volleyball vs. CSUN 4 p.m.

Saturday

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Tour of Jon Henry, Stranger Fruit 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. California Museum of Photography

Monday Carillon Recitals 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. UCR Bell Tower

Sunday

HIGHLANDER STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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GradSuccess Stargazing Night 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. UCR Bell Tower

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NEWS

TUESDAY, NOV 7, 2023

ASUCR Meeting four of the fall quarter SOTA AND JUSTICE RATIFICATIONS.

MATA ELANGOVAN News Editor

The fourth Associated Students of UCR (ASUCR) Senate meeting took place on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. All senators were present, excluding Senators Alex Lu, Kevin Nguyen, Kaden Ho and Anjana Narasimhan. The meeting began with a land acknowledgment to the local indigenous tribes who had lived in the land before and was called to order at 7:01 p.m. The meeting also included the presence of the Executive Cabinet, with all members present except for VP of Finance Brandon Huang, Marketing and Promotions Director Uthinh Pham, Transfer Student Director Mahnoor Javed, First Time Student Director Andrew Bui and Elections Director Alexandra Arias. The agenda was approved 15-0-0. First on the Public Forum was Vice President of External Affairs Angel Renteria. He explained the importance of Dia de los Muertos, with it being a celebration to commemorate loved ones who passed away and them going to the afterlife. The Senate chamber had been set up with an ofrenda, and marigolds on each senate member’s desk, and they were encouraged to place the marigolds on the table in the back. Next was Rachel Nguyen, the California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) chair for the UCR chapter. She began with their clean energy campaign and how they were working on getting the UCs to all be using clean energy and renewable resources. Last week, CALPIRG finished their pledge drive and signed on 1300 new members. She ended with the events that CALPIRG plans on hosting later on in the quarter, like a smoothie-making event in Week 9, and said she looked forward to collaborating with ASUCR during Thanksgiving Break. During Ex-Officio Reports, ASUCR’s Executive Cabinet came up to the podium one at a time to present the State of the Association (SOTA). During SOTA, each member would explain the work that each of their sections and committees had accomplished over the last quarter, ranging from training, event planning, bylaw changes, advocacy efforts and others. After Ex-Officio Reports, ECAB Meeting Minutes #1 was opened and viewed by the Senate. The meeting minutes were approved 15-0-0.

New Business brought with it Justice Ratiﬁcations for the judicial branch. The three candidates were presented by Chief Justice Arnav Kacker. Dean Acosta, who was said to have in-depth experience with elections, displayed eagerness and passion to join judicial, had experience with legal matters and did an internship with the Los Angeles District Attorney during the summer. Kashish Makker, who said to hold aspirations for pre-law, showed eagerness for tabling and lobbying, worked as a fellow and secretary of the court, and knew the expectations for the position. Walter Cho, who was said to have started as a fellow, is now a fellow of judicial and is excited to be part of the judicial making process. During the time for questions, the Senate brought up that they would like a moment to discuss, and the meeting was moved to a closed session. The Senate stated it was an important session because judicial appointments would last two years and would have a lasting impact beyond the time of some of the senators present. The meeting was moved to a closed session at 8:00 p.m. in a vote of 15-0-0. The meeting returned at 8:35 p.m., and each judicial candidate was asked to come up to the podium to give a little speech about their qualiﬁcations and goals if they were to be elected as a Justice. After each candidate presented their speech, the Senate moved back to close session to prepare to vote. After the meeting returned, a vote opened to approve all three judicial nominees. The vote to approve all of them was approved 13-0-0. A motion was made after to enter a 5-minute recess. The next part of New Business was to approve the Afghan Earthquake Statement. Senator Rayhan Khan read the statement, which extended ASUCR’s unwavering support to the Afghan community on campus. He read a series of statements listed on the document and, in the end, mentioned campus resources for those who are affected by the event. The statement was approved 13-0-0. Committee Reports began with SB-F23-004 Candidate’s Senate Meeting Requirement. The legislation had been previously tabled to make some amendments. President Pro Tempore Abby Choy explained that it was an amendment

to the election bylaw to have candidates attend a Senate meeting before they are allowed to become elected officials. Senator Rashid Shah asked how they would prove that someone attended a meeting, and PPT Choy responded that it might be a picture or electronic record but that it would be up to the Election Director’s discretion. The Senate Bill passed 12-0-1. Next for Committee Reports was Finance. Finance Meeting Minutes #3 was read by Senator Kaden Ho, outlining the ASUCR Contingency Budget as of now. The minutes were approved 13-0-0. Finally, on Committee Reports was Green Grant #3 Highlander Space Program, which came with the Green Grant #3 Highlander Space Program Budget Sheet that outlined the budget. Senator Grace Su explained that the grant would allow for the Highlander Space Program (HSP) to build a rocket that uses clean fuel, and when the rocket is launched, it will disperse seeds. Their aim is to develop rockets that are beneficial to the environment and promote safe, efficient transportation. The Green Grant was approved 12-0-1. No one came to the podium for Public Comment. For Senator Reports, Senator K. Ho reported that he is sitting on the Legislative Review Committee (LRC) and working with his fellow CNAS senators. He is also attending finance meetings and working with the Highlander Spirit Committee to plan the Women’s Volleyball tailgate. Senator Nadia Colon reported that she is attending weekly LRC meetings, meeting once a month with her committees, working with the UC Student Association in installing cameras in the parking lot, and is confirming the date for the Town Hall. For Roundtable and Announcements, Senator Khan thanked everyone who attended the Breast Cancer Awareness Event and thanked Executive Vice President Victoria Nguyen for her support. PPT Choy reminded the Senate that LRC legislation would be due the day after the Senate Meeting. H The meeting was adjourned at 9:18 p.m..■

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NEWS

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The Christopoulos Lab: Modeling Action Regulation funded by NIH ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF THE BIOENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, PROFESSOR VASILEIOS CHRISTOPOULOS, HAS RECEIVED A 5 MILLION DOLLAR NIH GRANT TO RESEARCH ACTION REGULATION IN PARKINSON’S PATIENTS. ALEXANDRA ARCENAS Contributing Writer

Professor Vasileios Christopoulos, Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at the University of California, Riverside, gained a five-million-dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study action regulation in Parkison’s patients that will undergo Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) to ultimately improve DBS treatment and model action regulation mechanisms happening in the brain. The study started in the summer and will proceed over a five-year period, which will take place at Cedars Medical Center in Los Angeles and UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Two hundred patients will receive surgically implanted electrodes within the brain in accordance with DBS procedure. According to Professor Christopoulos, Deep Brain Stimulation is a United States Food and Drug Administration approved treatment for intense cases of Parkinson’s, epilepsy, depression, and other neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. The procedure includes a hole drilled into the brain and long electrodes implanted at certain areas, which will be stimulated with electrical current. During the surgery, patients are usually awake and are asked to perform tasks to determine the effectiveness of the electrode placement. Often, the surgeon decides the commands they want the patient to demonstrate or will notice if symptoms, such as tremors, are alleviated. Which does not necessarily target the areas Professor Christopoulos will explore. In this study, Professor Christopoulos explains, the electrodes will be implanted in the subthalamic nucleus and other areas of the old brain. Electrodes will also be attached to the new brain, the cortex, to collect data on how both brain areas interact to modulate stop-and-go commands. While the new brain is responsible for higherlevel thinking and planning, the old brain is tasked with more survival functions, such as moving and breathing. Therefore, both parts are essential for understanding the network of action regulation. The patient’s behavior will be monitored by how they play a joystick-controlled video game that was developed by Professor Christopoulos’ lab. Professor Christopoulos explains that the patient will have a joystick attached to the bed, and a screen placed in front of them will display one target on the left, on the right or both targets. When one target is shown, they will move the joystick’s cursor to the target, which represents instructed movement. If there are two targets displayed, then a decision problem is represented, and the decision circuit can be activated. The game also includes a stop task for when the targets turn red, thus activating the “stopping network.” Professor Christopoulos focuses on only activating the activation regulation network to understand the “computations underlying action regulation” and what is causing malfunctioning in the brain. According to Professor Christopoulos, the lab sent the video game to the patients; data was collected from UCR students playing the game. Thus giving the lab the opportunity to see the differences in performance of young, healthy subjects and Parkinson’s patients. The data collected from the patients and students will be used to, as Professor Christopoulos says, “develop mathematical models and computation numbers that explain how the brain regulates action.” The model will hopefully explain how people decide to stop or continue their actions and change plans in the midst of doing an action. In understanding how the mechanisms behind action regulation function in a normal, healthy brain, both scientists and doctors will be able to understand the driving forces in an abnormal functioning brain. Thus being able to improve existing treatments and, possibly, create new technology or medicine. Professor Christopoulos states that “you cannot fix something if

you cannot understand the problem,” which is one of the many reasons that drive his research. During the interview, Professor Christopoulos described neuromodulation treatments as “a more modern way to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders.” Neuromodulation relies on stimulating the

brain with electricity, not by drug procedure. Stimulation can be done invasively or non-invasively, but the goal is the same — “to modulate brain networks” to resolve the underlying neurological problem. DBS, or other forms of neuromodulation, tries to remedy a problem without fully understanding the

During the interview, Professor Christopoulos described neuromodulation treatments as “a more modern way to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders.” circuits of the brain; therefore, treatments could cause other problems in certain cases. Professor Christopoulos points out that DBS may stop tremors; however, it could

also “create other neurological deficits,” which is his main reason for creating the computational model of motor regulation. He wants to understand the regulations in order to “develop treatment” that will be the best fit for particular diseases. He states that the “main issue” with the technology is that treatments are not patient-specific when “not one will work for everyone.” He explains that just as drug dosage depends on the patient, so does the voltage, pulse and strength of the stimulation of neuromodulation. Without studying the brain networks, medical professionals cannot tailor the technology for each patient, which could be the difference between alleviating the disease and causing other deficits. As excited as Professor Christopoulos is for the upcoming study, he opens up about the difficulties he faced in creating the experiment. When working with human subjects, Parkinson’s patients, the experiment cannot proceed longer than the clinical protocol that is already approved for DBS. The study was adapted to the clinical procedure to accommodate the proper standard of care, regardless of the experiment. Therefore, he is using patients who will undergo DBS whether the experiment is conducted or not, which was one of the reasons that led to approval for testing. He expresses that “the most challenging part” of creating a behavioral task is developing a procedure that can be run and replicated in the lab and is representative of real life. He states that the task “cannot be very complicated” because he wants to pinpoint specific areas of the brain involved so that the lab can monitor the behavior. However, it also cannot be very simple in the case that the brain will operate differently. He expresses that the experimental design is what takes longer than performing the actual experiment. Another problem that he ran into was the minimization of confounding variables. When performing the experiment, it is important to make sure all the subjects are treated and tested in the same way so that they are valid and comparable. For example, when he did the experiment with UCR students, where the students sat, where they performed the task, how the students were treated, and the overall procedure of how the experiment was conducted must be uniform because “behavior” is “very sensitive.” In behavior, it is common that small changes in procedure can lead to large changes in the subject’s behavior, which will influence the results of the study. Overall, the most important concept to understand, according to Professor Christopoulos, is to make sure not to oversimplify the model to the point where it affects the nature of the problem. Even when adjusting the procedure to compensate for confounding variables, Professor Christopoulos keeps in mind the influence changes may have on the validity of the study. When the model is achieved, Professor Christopoulos’ next step will be to test different stimulation protocols within the model to uncover the best conditions for each different procedure. Instead of taking more patients to test and collecting data over many years, he can run the protocols in the computational model to determine the more effective conditions for the treatment. The model can also be applied to patients with similar diseases such as Tourette syndrome, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or essential tremor. He states that the diseases are all “under the same umbrella” that affects action regulation, which can be expanded into the model in coming experiments. As for now, the Christopoulos Lab will await the data that can be analyzed to develop the action regulation model. ■ H

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NEWS

TUESDAY, NOV 7, 2023

United States vetoes Brazilian authored UN Security Council draft resolution

THE UNITED STATES UTILIZED ITS EXCLUSIVE VETO POWER ON A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD HAVE CALLED FOR A HUMANITARIAN PAUSE IN GAZA. TOMAS ALVES Distribution Manager

Last month, in the United Nations Security Council, the United States vetoed a draft resolution authored by Brazil, which called for a “humanitarian pause” in Gaza and “strongly urges the continuous, sufficient and unhindered provision of essential goods and services to civilians.” In a vote taken by the Security Council, 12 Member States voted in favor of passage, two abstentions were taken by the United Kingdom and Russian Federation, and one vote was recorded as against with the United States invoking its veto power. The vetoed draft resolution also called for the unconditional release of all hostages taken by Hamas in the attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. In a comment by US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda ThomasGreenfield, after the Security Council vote, she clarified to reporters the United States’ stance on the resolution. Thomas-Greenfield said, “Colleagues, the United States is disappointed this resolution made no mention of Israel’s right of self-defense.” She then reassured other nations on the Security Council that while the United States was unable to support the resolution as presented, “On the humanitarian front, [United States] are working with Israel, its neighbors, the United Nations, and other partners to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. It is critical that food, medicine, water, and fuel begin flowing into Gaza as soon as possible.” During a Nov. 3 visit to Tel Aviv, as reported in an article by Reuters, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for “Israel to

temporarily stop its military offensive on Gaza to allow for aid to enter the Palestinian enclave but faced pushback from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who rejected any such halt unless hostages held by Hamas militants are freed.” The purpose of the United Nations Security Council, as stated on their website, is to “maintain international peace and security.” Adding on, “The Security Council takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression. It calls upon the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement.“ UCR Professor of Political Science Dr. Paul D’Anieri elaborates that “The Security Council has 15 members. Five (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States) [colloquially referred to as the P5] are permanent members with the right to veto any resolution. Ten other members are elected by the General Assembly and serve 2-year terms. The presidency of the Security Council, which is essentially the chair, rotates monthly.” This refers to UN Charter Article 27, which outlines that any decisions of substantive matters such as a ceaseﬁre must include “the concurring votes of the permanent members.” The permanent members, P5, were given a “special voting power known as the ‘right to veto.’ It was agreed by the drafters that if any one of the ﬁve permanent members cast a negative vote in the 15-member Security Council, the resolution or decision would not be approved.” With China assuming the presidency of the Security

Council for the month of November, it will come with the power to set the agenda of the Security Council and decide the topics that they will discuss. China voted in favor of Brazil’s ceaseﬁre resolution but against the United States version, which discussed a similar topic and mentioned Israel’s right to self-defense. The new Security Council President, Zhang Jun, in a Security Council press conference, promised to prioritize “urgent and meaningful H action to address the ongoing conﬂict in Gaza.” ■

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Political Recap: Setting the stage for the third Republican debate WITH THE THIRD REPUBLICAN DEBATE ON WEDNESDAY, WHAT IS THE STATE OF THE FIELD? EMYR ORTIZ Assistant News Editor

This Wednesday, Nov. 8, contenders for the Republican presidential nomination will converge in the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, for the third Republican primary debate. Yet, two months before the first state chooses their choice for the nomination in the January Iowa caucuses, a large crowd of contenders still remains on the field. Who will be present on the stage this Wednesday? Ron DeSantis Governor of Florida Ron Desantis is the runner-up in terms of support in the Republican primary field. According to a 538 polling aggregate, as of Nov. 2, DeSantis has the support of 14% of Republican voters nationally. DeSantis built a national profile as Governor through his tough stances on what he calls “woke” issues and in his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Desantis, Florida was one of the first states to reopen schools during the pandemic and has enacted laws, including a ban on instruction of LGBTQ issues in public schools in Florida. DeSantis has qualified for all three of the Republican debates so far. Nikki Haley A former Governor of South Carolina and United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has called for a new generation of leadership for Republicans. Haley has focused on economic responsibility and leaned on her foreign policy experience during her campaign. According to a 538 polling aggregate, as of Nov. 2, Haley has the support of 7.7% of Republican voters nationally. Haley has attended the first two Republican debates and has qualified for the debate in Miami this Wednesday. Vivek Ramaswamy Entrepreneur and relative political newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy holds strong positions on several right-wing issues. Ramaswamy supports abolishing several federal agencies, ending military aid to Ukraine, and has called abortion a “form of murder.” Ramaswamy has qualified for all three Republican debates so far. According to a 538 polling aggregate, as of Nov. 2, Ramaswamy has the support of 4.9% of Republican voters nationally.

Chris Christie The Former Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, has been a vocal critic of Former President Donald Trump in the Republican primary. He has stated that if “[Trump] is the nominee, it’s going to be a disaster for the Republican party,” and has predicted that Trump would be criminally convicted. Despite struggling in national polls, where polling aggregates have placed him at 2.4%, Christie has been polling higher in the early primary state of New Hampshire. Christie has qualified for every Republican thus far. Tim Scott South Carolina Senator Tim Scott has taken mainstream Republican stances on issues such as immigration, taken a hard line on unions, and made faith an important part of his message. His campaign events often reference scripture, and he said as president, he would “break the back of teachers’ unions.” In recent weeks, Scott has reallocated significant campaign resources as he has struggled to gain traction nationally. According to a 538 polling aggregate, as of Nov. 2, Scott has the support of 1.6% of Republican voters nationally. Scott has qualified for all 3 Republican debates to date.

the 2020 presidential election.” One case in particular is challenging whether Trump can even run for office, claiming that he may have participated in an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. It still has not been ruled whether the event was an insurrection or not. Doug Burgum, Asa Hutchinson, Ryan Binkley These presidential hopefuls encompass a variety of views on policy issues but, as of Nov. 2, have failed to qualify for the most recent Republican debate. Governor of North Dakota Doug Burgham qualified for the previous two debates, and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson qualified for the first debate. According to polling aggregates, Governor Burgham is polling at 0.8%, and Former Governor Hutchinson is polling at 0.5%. Ryan Binkley, a businessman and pastor, has failed to qualify for any of the three debates. Disclaimer: Sources for this article can be found linked H in the online version of this article at Highlandernews.org ■

Notable Mentions Some declared candidates for the Republican nomination will not be on the debate stage this Wednesday, having failed to meet the qualiﬁcation requirements or refusing to attend. Donald J. Trump Former President Donald Trump is by far the leading contender for the Republican nomination. Recent polling aggregates have Trump leading the ﬁeld at 58.3%. This is despite the fact that Trump has not appeared in either of the two Republican debates that have been held so far, writing on his social media app Truth Social, “The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had.” However, Trump has recently found himself mired in legal troubles that threaten to disturb his campaign. He is currently a defendant in multiple trials, with cases against him ranging from a “tax fraud scheme” to “overthrowing

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Opinions

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THE HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

College preparation resources are too far and few between AS UNIVERSITIES SEE INCREASES IN FIRSTGENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS, IT POINTS OUT A FAILURE TO OFFER RESOURCES TO THESE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES PRIOR TO ADMISSIONS. The Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

According to the Center for First-Generation Student Success, 56% of college students’ parents have not attained bachelor’s degrees. The population of first-generation students is a growing majority, but these students are struggling to obtain their degrees, and 90% of these students are not graduating on time. These students deserve to be uplifted by the UC system and all educational institutions as they balance demands that the rest of the student body is not forced to. Higher educational institutions need to facilitate the untraditional college journey better and create greater financial support for students who take longer than four years to graduate. First-generation college students face a number of unique challenges. For starters, many of these students are from lowincome backgrounds and people of color. On top of the struggles of paying tuition and other costs, many first-generation students don’t have the parental support they need. Parents who did not attend college will be inherently unfamiliar with the college application process or how to fill out the FAFSA application. Additionally, they will not be able to relate to their children’s struggles in college the way a parent who did attend college might. There is displacement for first-generation students at home and on campus. Their status differentiates them from both their family and students whose parents can help and relate to them in this manner. Schools in the U.S. desperately need to expand college readiness programs beyond their meager existence to guide high school students through the complicated process of applying for and preparing for higher education because parents, even those who have gone through the process, are simply not equipped to handle the painfully complicated requirements. Getting into college is more than being deserving; it means working the system and knowing how to handle the enormous amount of bureaucracy. No parent or student is fully equipped to handle that when there is a huge gap in college preparation curriculum regarding who receives it. Not everyone has the financial resources to pay for tutoring and prep courses, and

they shouldn’t have to. Furthermore, students from low-income backgrounds can carry financial obligations for their families and themselves. There is a difference between being a college student who has responsibility for themselves and their classes and being a student who is responsible for the physical, emotional and financial care of others. Students should not have to make these sacrifices, especially when factoring in the toll it may take on their academic and professional success. There is also a lot of responsibility for first-generation students when they carry a legacy on their backs along with their own future. Families sacrifice and make choices all in an effort to give their children the opportunity to attend college, and students can feel a lot of pressure to be successful in order to make those aforementioned sacrifices worth it. First-generation students face roadblocks when it comes to socializing on campus as well. With financial, work and family obligations, it leaves little time for building friendships and networking with other students. Students have less time to get involved with professional organizations or make professional connections. These students face unintentional penalties for their status. While UC Riverside and the remainder of the UC system offer a number of resources, it is simply not enough to erase the gap. Support needs to start far earlier than college enrollment. While it is vital that first-generation college students have resources, mentors on campus and supportive faculty, there needs to be greater expectations of K-12 institutions to foster these students’ futures. These students cannot be left out to dry and then dropped headfirst into university life. As early as middle school, these children should be given information and support from counselors and instructors. Things as simple as parent informational sessions or classes on writing personal statements would make a world of difference. As the population of first-generation college students expands, they cannot H continue to be denied their right to an education. ■

KELLEY MANZO / THE HIGHLANDER

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OPINIONS

TUESDAY, NOV 7, 2023

Op-Ed: The Reality of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict ETHAN DANIELS

THIS OP-ED INTRODUCES A PROPER PERSPECTIVE ON THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN ISSUE, ATTEMPTING AN OBJECTIVE VIEW OF THIS INCREDIBLY COMPLEX CONFLICT. I am Ethan Daniels (he/him), and my email is ethan.daniels@email.ucr.edu. I am a student at UC Riverside studying economics and have been working closely with Hillel at UCR since the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel. Hillel International is an organization that offers opportunities to both Jewish and non-Jewish students to explore Jewish history and identity. My generation must come to the realization that very few things in this world can be viewed accurately in simple terms. We must recognize that most problems, especially global conflict, are highly complex issues that require an understanding of multiple, often differing viewpoints. For example, when considering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it is possible to be horrified by the vicious slaughter of more than 1,400 Israeli men, women and children on Oct. 7, as well as the living conditions in Gaza. It is certainly plausible to argue all killing is bad. Reconciling the purposeful murder of Israelis by terrorists with the unintended deaths of innocent Gazans as a result of retaliatory military strikes by Israel cannot be achieved without each side taking the time to gain a full understanding of the needs and concerns of the other. Until such a mutual understanding is achieved, it is inappropriate to equate Israel’s response to terrorism with the barbarous acts of Hamas. In fact, one could argue that the IDF has every right to respond to brutal acts of terrorism carried out by Hamas. It is deeply disappointing that so many people worldwide, particularly university students across the United States, have been quick to draw false equivalencies between recent events in Israel and Gaza. Some most disturbing messages being spread by the SJP, Student for Justice in Palestine, and other pro-Palestinian groups are when they chant “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will be Free,” a phrase that means wipe out Israel and kill all Jews and “No peace on stolen land.” So the Native Americans should just go around and slaughter men, women and children? Additionally, “for the intifada,” a phrase used by terrorists to incite

violence. Their position clearly posits that Israel is committing genocide and ethnic cleansing against Palestinians, creating the belief violence is the only answer. This lie, coming from people who have never seen their people gathered in trains by the millions and shipped to death camps, is beyond disturbing. There is no convincing evidence that proves that Israel has ever committed genocide or ethnic cleansing against Palestinians. In point of fact, the Palestinian population in Gaza and the West Bank has exploded since 1948 rather than being systematically wiped out as they suggest. I do not commend the treatment of Palestinians by the Israeli government. In fact, I condemn it. However, it is important to note that it is Hamas, an Iranian-backed terrorist organization comprised of Palestinians that has run Gaza since 2007, who commits war crimes and crimes against humanity, even against Palestinians, every day. Hamas uses innocent Palestinians as human shields and stores weapons underneath mosques, schools and hospitals. A further example of the atrocities perpetrated by terrorists in Gaza occurred on Oct. 17, when Islamic Jihad fired a missile at civilians located in Israel but instead struck a Gazan Hospital. The SJP and pro-Palestenian’s labeling of Israel as a colonizing state or an apartheid state is not only wrong but also harmful and antisemitic. First of all, a colonizing state, or colonizers, are those who march into and take control of land to which they have zero connection, as the British and Dutch did in South Africa. Secondly, an apartheid state implements policies of systematic segregation or discrimination on the basis of race. Israel is the only country in the Middle East that gives all people the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and equality before the law, and Israel is the only truly democratic country in the Middle East. Currently, ten Arabs serve in the Knesset, the Israeli Congress, a testament to Israel’s dedication to democratic opportunity, values and inclusivity.

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There exists no ethnicity or religion with a stronger connection to the land of Israel than the Jewish people. Yet Israel has never annexed the Gaza Strip. The Gaza Strip is not part of Israel. Rather, it is Hamas, the Iranian-backed terrorist organization, not Israel, who controls Gaza. It is untruthful to label Israel an apartheid state instead of recognizing that Hamas holds authority over the 2.3 million residents of Gaza. Gaza must be liberated not from Israel but from Hamas. If the pro-Palestine argument is based on the idea that Palestinians were first to inhabit the region, that argument is invalid. The Jewish connection to the land goes back more than 3,000 years, 1,500 years before the Islamic religion was even established. Fast forward to 1947. The British were in control of what is now Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The United Nations passed a resolution, the “Partition Plan,” which advocated for the partition of Mandatory Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states. It’s important to note that it did not establish the actual states but merely proposed them. The Arab authority rejected the proposal, unlike the Jewish leadership who accepted it. On May 14, 1948, the state of Israel was established, resulting in the first ArabIsraeli war. Arab states, including Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, tried to halt the establishment of Israel. The war concluded with a peace treaty in which Israel maintained its independence while Egypt took control of the Gaza Strip and Jordan took control of the West Bank. Furthermore, this assumption that Israel just walked into Gaza and the West Bank one day to occupy the land is an immense fallacy. In 1967, with tensions in the region running high, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser blocked Israeli ships from entering the Straits of Tiran. Nasser then mobilized his military in defense positions along the Israeli border. These acts represented an overt act of war against Israel. In response, Israel launched an airstrike against Egypt. Jordanian and Syrian forces quickly joined in to help

their Egyptian ally. This war is referred to as the 6-day war because of Israel’s quick and overwhelming success. As a result of the war, Israel seized control of the Golan Heights from Syria, the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza from Egypt, and the West Bank from Jordan. Such is a natural outcome of war. Territorial changes and strategic concessions are the price paid when wars are lost. The borders of most countries on Earth have been defined by war; very few otherwise. Yet it has always been the intent of Israel to enable Palestinians the ability to self-govern in return for assurances of mutual peace and security. So here’s my message to the SJP: if you want to call Zionists oppressors, take a look at Gaza, the West Bank and many other Arab countries. These places — controlled by clear Arab majorities — historically fail to uphold the most basic human rights. If you’re LGBTQ in Gaza, the West Bank, or many other Arab countries, they kill you. If anyone speaks up against Arab leadership, they kill you. And in few places in the Arab Middle East does there exist any semblance of women’s rights — unlike in Israel. So why is it that the SJP and the pro-Palestine side remain quiet when Arab nations or terrorists commit atrocities, but when it comes to the right of Israel to defend itself, they utilize language that calls for the killing of all Jews? The SJP’s lack of understanding and hypocrisy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is palpable. Again, I am deeply sympathetic to the suffering of people everywhere, and I firmly oppose the killing of innocent civilians in Israel, Gaza, or any other place on Earth. Whether you are Jewish or Muslim, chant “Free Palestine” or “Am Yisrael Chai,” we must always remain mindful that violence is never the answer. Human civilization has progressed too far to resort to barbarism. We should know better, and it is more than concerning when so many people put their ignorance and bigotry on display as they blame Israel or Jews for the suffering caused by others.

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, NOV 7, 2023

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/category/opinions

University students should be allowed to take food out of dining halls The small step that should be taken towards addressing food insecurity among students. ALISON WHITESIDE Contributing Writer

Spend five minutes in UC Riverside’s Glasgow dining hall and see five different signs about food waste. Reducing food waste is an important and valid goal, as 130 billion meals get thrown away every year. The University offers the solution of students only helping themselves to what they think they can finish. This s e e m s logical, and UCR appears proud of its progress, with the UCR Dining Service’s page on sustainability currently boasting a 17-ton drop in food waste by residential restaurants in the past year. But when it turns out that drop is only 7.5% and the school still throws away approximately 209 tons of food every year, larger measures should be taken. Back in the dining hall, a sign on the way out tells students only to take one dessert or one fruit out. Many students often complain about not being able to grab an extra sweet treat, and while this appears to be a trivial issue, there is a larger implication and issue behind this sign. One of the

worst and quietest epidemics in the U.S. is food insecurity, according to a survey in 2021 that reported 39% of adults in California experience this. College students are one of the most affected communities, with about 23% of college students currently experiencing food insecurity. Yet, very little effort addressing this issue has been m a d e . During the COVID-19 pandemic, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were extended to collegeage students. In the 2019-2020 academic year, 11.8% of all UC students were enrolled in this program. However, these benefits ended June 10 this year, leaving many college students without options. The meal plans offered by UC Riverside are the most affordable and convenient choices for students. The standard plan, Highlander 150, gives students 150 swipes into any of the all-you-care-to-eat dining halls. This averages to two swipes per day. While Highlander 150 works for

many students, it is still less than the typical minimum of three meals a day. Weight and physical activity can further inflate this number, with many people needing snacks between meals to feel properly fueled. If so much food is being thrown out by the dining halls every year, it seems like the University would want students to take what they will eat later. However, a great deal of enforcement and effort is devoted to preventing this from happening. In addition to the sign near the exit, staff members at the entrance are positioned to stop anyone who tries to violate this policy. Obviously, no one would want someone to enter the dining hall, take all the desserts and then leave. Still, given that many college students struggle economically and so much food is thrown out of the dining hall every year, the strict notake policy should be reevaluated. In order to prevent an excess amount of food from disappearing, the University should also take measures to ensure only

meal-sized portions are taken outside of the dining hall. Georgetown University, for example, provides students with reusable boxes to take their leftover food instead of just throwing it away. This program ensures that if students get hungry later but cannot come to the dining hall, they still have something to eat. Stud e n t s cannot f u n c tion to the best of their abilities, physically or psychologically, on an empty s t o m ach and with poor nutrition. It is the university’s job to promote the success of all its students, and UC Riverside, as a strong academic institution, should facilitate this. For four years in a row, U.S. News ranked UCR first in social mobility among public universities. To continue with this legacy, the University should take a step towards ensuring no student goes hungry and change the dining H hall policy. ■

IMAGES COURTESY OF JOSEPH RODARTE / THE HIGHLANDER

Paid parking is unnecessary for college students

Students deserve to have access to free parking permits on college campuses. SONALI WHITTLE Staff Writer

College is full of hidden costs. On top of paying tuition, students must either pay for gas to commute every day or monthly rent for their apartments — possibly both. But the costs don’t stop there. Paying for groceries, meal plans, textbooks, daily necessities and more becomes a major stressor. In an effort to help students lower stress related to finances, colleges should stop charging students for parking passes on campus. It is an unnecessary expense that places a burden on students every quarter. UC Riverside’s student population is 70% commuter, a clear majority who need parking or a stable mode of transportation. UCR’s parking passes range from $126 to

IRENE TU / THE HIGHLANDER

$231 for quarter permits, far from a reasonable price. The money students spend on parking could be used for textbooks or groceries, but instead is another expense on a long list of student worries. If students do not purchase a parking pass, they are left with the option of parking in lots with an hourly pay basis of $3.50 through Parkmobile. Although this option seems helpful, it is not financially sound long-term. This option ultimately leaves students to purchase a parking pass purely out of choosing the “cheaper” option of the two unreasonable choices. A compelling argument for the necessity of charging students for parking passes is to prevent overcrowding in lots.

The extra 1200 spaces added recently in 2021 were intended to relieve overcrowding and were funded by Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) through use fees. However, as proven by the current state of available campus parking, charging students does not effectively prevent overcrowding. There are many days out of the week when no spots are available, and students drive recklessly to race for any vacant spot. Even with students paying costly permits, overcrowding clearly exists. It is unfair students pay extra money for the convenience of parking only to be met with the stress of being unable to park anyways. The whole system is inefficient and is not worth the money that is being

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demanded. There must be something done about this system so students can have an easier time commuting and finding parking on campus for cheaper. Some alternatives to the current system are making parking free instead and using student tuition as payment for parking passes. Another solution is creating more available parking lots for students to accommodate the number of students seeking parking, lessening the overcrowding. Free parking passes should be made available to students. They shouldn’t have to deal with extra expenses for unreliable parking. ■ H

TUESDAY, NOV 7, 2023

OPINIONS

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/category/opinions

Youth mental health and safety on social media needs to be prioritized

A new lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc. is a progressive step in regulating tech companies. CECILE DIROLL Assistant Opinions Editor

California, along with 40 other states, has sued Meta Platforms Inc. for designing harmful features that deliberately addict children and young adults to its apps. The lawsuit alleges that Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, exploits young users for “profit” by deploying manipulative features that are harmful to children’s mental health. These addictive features violate consumer protection and child safety laws, according to State Attorney Generals. As more and more studies report that younger generations struggle with worsening mental health, for-profit social media sites’ designs and features are a significant factor in harming younger users' safety. Meta’s designs include specific features that make self-regulation of and disengagement from social media platforms nearly impossible. Algorithms that log behavior and collect data on what users want to see recommend content to keep young users on social media for hours. Constant alerts about likes and posts induce users to return to the app throughout the day, often disrupting normal routines. Additionally, the ability to "infinitely scroll" through posts online facilitates more engagement with Meta’s products, which could ultimately lead to unhealthy online habits. Meta’s apps also promote negative body image issues with visual filters that target specific physical features, such as eye color or skin tone, leading to low self-esteem and depression. Though concealed, these particular designs are undoubtedly created to make Meta’s apps addictive for younger users at the cost of their mental health and safety. Despite these concerns, the State Attorneys’ General lawsuit focuses on consumer protection laws, which prevent companies from deceptive and fraudulent practices in business-consumer sales and transactions. According to the case, Meta fails to mention in its Privacy Policy that their data is used to “train its Recommendation Algorithms to induce them to keep using the Platforms.” For young children who often do not know the significance of sharing private information, Meta’s lack of transparency regarding the use of personal data collection is extremely dangerous. Though Meta mentions data is used for “improving our Products

… including personalizing content and recommendations,” Meta should provide a direct explanation of how young users’ information is being used and shared, as this can jeopardize their safety and mental health. The lawsuit also alleges that Meta’s design violates protections under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), a law requiring tech companies to obtain “consent from parents before collecting personal information of children online,” as young users are allowed to enter their personal information when creating an account before verifying parental consent. Last year, the Senate sought to update COPPA by extending the age from 13 to 16 before it was dismissed. Though this bill may seem controversial, the revisions are not drastic. They provide possible solutions to stop social media platforms from utilizing personal information to hook young users to their apps. For example, COPPA 2.0 would establish a “Digital Marketing Bill of Rights for Teens” to limit the collection of teenagers’ personal information and require companies to include an “Eraser Button” where parents and kids can “eliminate personal information from a child or teen when technologically feasible.” If the youth mental health crisis has revealed anything, it’s that youth consumer privacy issues are just the tip of the iceberg. For its part, Meta claims to have implemented measures and regulations addressing these issues, such as parental supervision tools and break reminders. However, these actions are still not enough, especially as they continue to include other harm-

COURTESY OF MARIIA SHALABAIEVA VIA UNSPLASH

COURTESY OF JULIO LOPEZ VIA UNSPLASH

ful features knowingly. Documents leaked in 2021 by France Haugen, a former Meta employee, showed the company knew Instagram directly contributed to teenage girls’ worsening body image and did nothing to contain the problem. Meta’s decision to continue to retain design and features in their apps known to be harmful to young users shows they are more interested in generating profits even at the expense of the mental health of their youngest users.

Despite recent Congressional efforts towards user safety and security on popular social media apps like TikTok, the federal government continues to play a game of catch-up with social media platforms regarding the safety and protection of youth online. Moreover, efforts to regulate tech across various areas, including antitrust legislation and new safeguards, have failed in Congress due to immense tech lobby opposition, resulting in various state social media consumer protection laws. This lawsuit is a muchneeded, progressive step in outlining guidelines for social media platforms and reigning in companies' profit-driven behaviors. Online child safety in all its forms is a significant issue that demands immediate national attention and action. It’s time the health and well-being of youth are prioritized above all else. ■H

FEATURES 10 TUESDAY, NOV 7, 2023

FEATURES

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/category/features

What lessons can you take from 2023 so far? As the year comes to a close, look back on how far you’ve come… Aedan Ferrara, Production Manager

Aries (March 21 - April 19) Queen of Wands You’ve really put yourself out there this year, Aries! It may have been stressful, and it may have been exhausting, but your efforts are bearing fruit. You’re so close to the culmination of your goals this year — keep up the hard work and stay the course, but most importantly, you know what you want. Keep striving for it. Cancer (June 21 - July 22) King of Cups This year has been an emotional rollercoaster. You may not feel like it, but you’ve come a long way. Look back on how you handled things at the beginning of the year, and look at how you’re dealing with it now. You’ve met some incredible emotional challenges, and every one has been a lesson.

Libra (Sep 23 - Oct 22) World It’s been a long year, but a rewarding one. Relationships are coming full circle, projects are coming to a close, and achievements are being made. Look back at all you’ve accomplished this year. You’ve come so far already, imagine what you can do if you keep up the momentum. Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Page of Swords You’re bursting with ideas! You’ve spent this year dreaming and planning for the future. This is your sign to put those plans into action. As you prepare for 2024, remember that it’s not just the thought that counts.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Ace of Wands You’ve been trying new things! It’s always good to open yourself up to new experiences, and you’ve had more than a few this year. This is your sign to reﬂect on those experiences: what have you learned this year? Have you discovered any new hobbies or passions? Don’t shy away from them — nurture that passion and watch it grow. Leo (July 23 - Aug 22) Hanged Man You’ve faced several challenges this year, and you’ve worked hard to face them with all the tools at your disposal. Unfortunately, those tools won’t help you in the coming weeks. In fact, holding on to them might do more harm than good; let go of your usual methods and habits. Try being receptive to something new. Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21) Tower This year has been one of surprises and upheavals. Look back for the things that have stayed constant: the things you’ve been able to rely on, and the people who’ve stayed by your side. These are the things that will provide you the stability you need amidst the uncertainty of these last few weeks of fall. Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18) Nine of Pentacles You’ve been working hard, Aquarius. Take a look back at how far you’ve come: it’s time to enjoy the rewards of your efforts. Keep up the good work, but don’t be afraid to take a moment to yourself and indulge in the fruits of your labor. You deserve it.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Seven of Swords You haven’t been entirely honest this year, Gemini. How much effort have you spent putting up facades and maintaining deceptions? Things may have worked out so far, but your luck won’t last forever. Sometimes honesty really is the best policy, even if it is a little daunting. Don’t be afraid to open up to those around you. Virgo (Aug 23 - Sep 22) Six of Wands Virgo, these past few months have been chaotic and confusing. You haven’t always been sure of yourself, and you haven’t made as much progress as you’d have liked. That’s alright because your luck is about to turn! Don’t get discouraged yet — it’s just a little more time until you ﬁnd the direction you’ve been looking for. Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21) Seven of Wands You’ve made some impressive strides this year, Sagittarius. Big or small, you’ve had a few victories, and you deserve to celebrate those victories! To others, your success is as inspiring as it is enviable. Keep an eye out for those who might be jealous of your success —you’ve earned your position. Don’t be afraid to ﬁght for it. Pisces (Feb 19 - March 20) Page of Pentacles You’ve been keeping it simple. You know what you want, and you go for it. Think back on all your little projects, your hobbies, even your distractions. Don’t underestimate the little things; soon, one of these simple projects will become more complicated than you’d imagined. Don’t give up on it! ■H

FEATURES

11 TUESDAY, NOV 7, 2023

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/category/features

An apple crumble recipe to get you in the fall spirit! Bring friends and family together by gathering around this warm and delicious dessert. NOLA PERIFEL Contributing Writer

Whether you are simply looking for a dish to fulfill your sweet-tooth cravings or for an applefilled dessert to make for your family dinner, this recipe will fulfill those needs. The perfect mix between the sweet and crunchy crust and the soft apples will be the perfect fall dessert for you to try out. This recipe is best accompanied by vanilla ice cream straight out of the oven in order to create the best hot and cold contrast between the desserts. Here is what you’ll need to bake this apple crumble:

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Materials Needed: ■ Mixing bowl ■ Spoon ■ Cake mold ■ Measuring cup or scale

COURTESY OF GIORGIO TROVATO VIA UNSPLASH

Ingredients: ■ 150 grams of flour ■ 130 grams of sugar ■ 130 grams of butter ■ 5 apples ■ ½ lemon ■ Cinnamon (optional) Instructions: Add the flour, sugar, cinnamon and cubed room-temperature butter to the mixing bowl. Mix these ingredients together with your hands until the contents of the bowl have reached a dusty or fine consistency that clumps and sticks together easily. Peel and cut your apples into cubes and spread them out at the bottom of the buttered mold so as to fill it ¾ to the top. Squeeze half of a lemon on top of the apples. Feel free to add extra cinnamon during this step of the recipe. Sprinkle the crumble mixture on the apples by making clumps with your hands and/or spreading it out finely over the apples.

Put your crumble in an oven heated at 410 F° or 210 C° for 30 minutes. Your apple crumble will be ready when the top is golden brown, and you smell the delicious smell of your freshly baked dessert emitting from the oven. Pair it with your favorite ice cream, serve warm, and enjoy! This recipe only takes about 15 minutes to prepare and 30 to bake and feeds four. It’s great for family dinners or Thanksgiving and is perfect for this fall weather. This crumble is simple to make and even easier to devour! ■H

Fry House at North District: fry-tastic or fry failure? If you’re a fan of loaded French fries, you’ll want to read this first-hand review of Fry House AUDREY KIM Contributing Writer

By far, one of the biggest perks of living in North District is having The Market downstairs. As much as I try to restrict myself from spending all of my dining dollars in less than a month, I can't help but rope in a friend on the weekends to grab some boba at the Lollicup. Recently, UCR Dining started implementing various food locations at The Market. Alongside Lollicup and the frozen yogurt area, students can now visit Fry House, a new eatery selling bowls of loaded french fries with various toppings. They opened on Sept. 25, and last week, I grabbed a couple of friends to check the place out and to gather their "tots" on the matter. Fry House's stainless steel counter is nestled between the chilled grocery shelves and the check-out desk. The prices range between $5 and $15, with the exception of the Regular Seasoned Fries at $2.99. I wanted to go for a couple of savory fry choices and a sweet one and settled on the Cheeseburger Fries, the Chili Cheese Fries and the Funnel Cake Fries — the only dessert option available. Unfortunately, the Funnel Cake Fries weren't available when I first

went, but the student worker quickly packed the other boxes and I got to pay at the counter instead of having to walk to the general check-out desk. We sat around a shaded patio table outside and snapped a couple of photos before digging in. I ordered the spuds right after they opened

and Thousand Island dressing. There was some debate on what color the meat was; I would have described it as a light brown, while others said it was gray. The beef seemed unseasoned, and I couldn't taste it clearly amongst the other toppings. Although most of the fries ended up

COURTESY OF JOSEPH RODARTE/THE HIGHLANDER

for the day to make sure they were at their freshest. The first box had the Cheeseburger Fries, which was topped with a crumbled, well-done hamburger patty, jalapeño cheese sauce, shredded cheese, crinkle-cut pickle slices, chopped green onions

being somewhat drenched, the ones on the surface were pleasantly crispy. What saved this dish for me were the pickles. I liked the crunchiness and acidity of the pickles amongst the other relatively greasy ingredients.

Overall, our scores averaged out to a 5.5/10. If a lack of pickles could make this a dill-breaker for you, I recommend asking for extra. The second option, the Chili Cheese Fries, had their taters blanketed in dark red chili, shredded cheese, more jalapeño cheese sauce and chopped green onions. Since we had this second, a good majority of the fries were unfortunately soggy from the chili and cheese sauce. A friend noted that it tasted like canned chili. While I don't know what this tastes like, the chili wasn't something to write home about. There wasn't that much of the stew in the box either, but this could have been so the fries didn't get too soaked. I couldn't taste any meat in this order, but seeing that it's a common ingredient in chili, I would ask the workers there before getting this as a vegetarian option. The score average came to be a 4.5/10. After that lunch, I learned that other apartment residents had commented their own opinions on social media, stating that they thought the food was alright but nothing out of the ordinary. I'm inclined to agree. ■H

12 TUESDAY, NOV 7, 2023

FEATURES

Exploring UCR’s liminal spaces

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/category/features

DO YOU HAVE AN ITCH TO EXPLORE BETWEEN YOUR CLASSES? INVITE YOURSELF TO THESE HAUNTING UCR BUILDINGS.

GABRIELA GALVAN Contributing Writer

If there is any recurring enemy for a college student, it’s their class schedule. Although multiple hour labs and back to back lectures are draining in and of themselves, this is about the gaps between classes we can struggle to make productive. Sure, buying an overpriced latte and meandering the HUB for an open seat are the safe options for filling up time between classes. But if you’re looking into productively wasting time, think about exploring the following UCR buildings: Olmstead: The Never Ending Hallway If you’re looking for a quick fi x of fright, Olmstead is just the building! The uncanny energy of its basement is charged by the neverending hallways bordered by chalky-white walls, lined with flickering yellow lights and exposed pipes hissing you away as you walk past them. While the basement appears abandoned, the lonely hallways are accompanied by the echoes of faraway voices from the seemingly empty classrooms. The chilling aura whisks you back to the fi rst floor through the equally rickety elevator, leaving you with a tensed-up feeling that most defi nitely will keep you away for the rest of the quarter. Department of Botany and Plant Sciences: The UCR Backrooms Yes, it is hard to believe this building is not an obscure Backrooms level channeling your inner survival skills. Luckily, you don’t have to run from anything in the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences building, at least that I know of. This entire building encourages you to challenge your inner curiosity and invite yourself into a long-awaited stroll through bizarre maze-like hallways. The building takes no time to make its eerie presence noticeable, with its grand floor plans consisting of aimless hallways furnished with abandoned old-school desks and mysterious lab equipment. On a side note, watch your head! Alongside the hair-raising energy of the building, the patchy ceilings exposing its inner workings and pipes add to its frightening nature. Mysterious as the building is, some doors remain open, and you may fi nd yourself in a dark room with a lone table and a questionable open window. Otherwise, you’ll end up peering into a

pitch-black room emulating a manic scientist’s lab. While this building’s dilapidated state makes it seem abandoned, waves of laughter meet you in every direction, and it’s up to you to figure out where it’s coming from! This is the best building to explore if your schedule allows more than thirty minutes of meandering. Geology: The Duality Building The geology building has two personalities, like our exes: spine-chilling and cute. It’s up to you to pick and choose between the two vibes. If you like treating yourself or others to a charming museum date (I’m talking to you, artsy folks), invite yourself to the fi rst floor of the geology building! This department has a hallway that features a very endearing collection of million-year-old fossils of our lovely ancestral siblings, an alluring wall gradient of crystals, old-school household items, maps and a big furry mastodon friend. Down a single flight of stairs into the basement, the ambiance takes a turn. While it’s a single hallway, it is tinted a freaky yellow color by the few lights that offer the ability to take a bizarre stroll that leads to an unsettling equipment room straight out of a horror movie. You can only hope your only company is someone you brought with you. This is a great building to stroll through, especially if you’re short on time or heading to the library!

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Sproul Hall: The Liminal Space Liminal space, or just a whitewashed basement? Either way, Sproul Hall’s basement allows for an unsettling opportunity for exploration, given its pasty bleached hallways reminiscing an abandoned hospital corridor. If you’re looking into ﬁ nding a sweet spot that elicits a ghostly aesthetic that you feel you shouldn’t belong in, Sproul is the place for you! While there is an elevator to excuse yourself from the haunting basement, do let yourself out through the door signaling the exit. This exit is even more unnerving because of the dark and steep stairwell leading you up to the safety of civilization. Sproul has that intriguing personality adventure seekers H are looking for, so don’t be scared … unless that’s your thing. ■

Riverside’s hidden gems

KELLEY MANZO / THE HIGHLANDER

ILLUMINATING PLACES IN THE RAINCROSS CITY THAT WILL MAKE YOUR HEAD SPIN.

ZACHARY HANSON Contributing Writer

KELLEY MANZO / THE HIGHLANDER

In this old city of oranges, peculiar sites abound. There are strange relics of the eclectic denizens of Riverside receiving few visitors while alongside roads which transport hundreds of thousands each day. Images of the past and present of Riverside are reflected in these scattered landmarks, portraits of the city at the peak of American industry. Its deepest instances of dilapidation and all points in between. A story is told in these places, a story that one can experience in their presence. Antique Locations Following the good order of most memorable stories, places of historical significance are a productive place to start — not worth mentioning are landmarks that are already well-known, such as the Mission Inn, Mount Rubidoux, the Chinese Pagoda, etc. Riverside was birthed in the citrus rush, an economic boom which had its epicenter under the legendary Riverside entrepreneur Eliza Tibbets; located on the corner of Magnolia and Arlington lies the fi rst Washington Naval tree introduced from Brazil on her property — the tree that allowed this city to flourish. A location often forgotten in Riverside was the center of a Supreme Court case that worked to strengthen the legal agency of Asian Americans. The Harada House, located at 3356 Lemon Street, was owned by the

Harada family when the state of California attempted to conﬁscate and take ownership of the property under the Asian Exclusion Act. In California v. Harada. Jukichi Harada successfully defended his property rights and maintained the property until his death. This landmark serves as a standing legacy for this meaningful victory for Asian Americans in a city that worked so viciously to persecute and displace them. Leaving an indelible mark on Riverside as John Miller or Eliza Tibbets, the Spanish colonizer and explorer Juan Bautista de Anza has for over a century been immortalized as the namesake of many of Riverside’s landmarks. The most notable of these is Camp Anza, a former US Army training camp used during World War II. Still standing at the corner of 14th and Magnolia, the statue of de Anza that stands near the site of the defunct base is easy to miss. An imposition of aged (and immoral) imperial values, this statue stands as a strange monument to a man now widely recognized for the destruction wrought on the Portolá expedition. A product of the artistic employment institutionalized by the New Deal, this peculiar statue is a product of an outdated period of patriotism in America.

states were constructed, these shops lost business due to the changed routes, leaving only a few left, including the one in Riverside. Meanwhile, the world’s largest paper cup stands proudly at 800 Iowa Avenue, very close to UCR. Constructed by the Lily Tulip Cup Company in 1958, it once stood in front of a paper cup factory. In 2003, ownership of the property changed, but the cup remained where it still stands, receiving fresh paint every few years. Not receiving paint but not particularly requiring any, Tio’s Tacos, located at 3498 Mission Inn Avenue, is a beautiful and expansive art project and restaurant. Constructing a village out of arguable trash, Martin Sanchez has been continuously developing the property since 1995, creating numerous elaborate structures; hailing from Sahauyo, Michoacan, Sanchez is motivated by his childhood poverty in these creations, images from his childhood in Mexico, immersing one in his vision of beauty. These locations are eclectic reﬂections of this strange, old city we live in, visions into the stories past. In traveling to these locations, one may better underH stand the hugely varied personage of Riverside.■

Strange Locations Like everywhere else in America, Riverside hosted many products of the strange consumerism that followed WWII, particularly massive renditions of everyday items. Two of these still remain in Riverside, an orange-shaped shed from which one could buy citrus and a 68-foot-tall paper cup. This citrus shack sits on the corner of Van Buren and Dufferin Avenue, a replica of the many that used to populate California. Founded along highways, these stands served those traveling these roads with orange juice and fresh citrus, thriving as road tourism boomed across California. As the inter-

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Did ‘Oppenheimer’ need to be more than it was? Should ‘Oppenheimer’ have had more perspective on the victims of one of the biggest tragedies of the 20th century? RAMITA SETTY Staff Writer

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Propelled by the Barbenheimer internet phenomenon, Christopher Nolan’s unique brand as a director and an enormous A-List cast, “Oppenheimer” became one of the most successful movies of the year, smashing several box office records. It became the highest-grossing biopic of all time and the third-highest-grossing movie of the year. It has also received numerous critical accolades and is set to receive even more as awards season gets closer. This doesn’t mean the film has been without criticisms. Chief among them is how the film chooses not to portray any of the Japanese victims of the atomic bomb. An estimated 200,000 Japanese people died from the bomb. In an LA Times article, director Spike Lee pointed out, “It’s not like he [Nolan] didn’t have power. He tells studios what to do.” Nolan certainly could have included this if he wanted to. But he was explicit that he did not. In order to criticize a movie, it is important to analyze the story it is trying to tell, the themes it encompasses and whether or not the movie accomplishes what it sets out to do. It is fair to criticize a movie for the themes it chooses to use to tell its story. It’s also fair to dislike what a movie is trying to do. But it is unfair to critique a movie’s narrative for not being something it never set out to be. Nolan was clear from the start that the story of the Japanese victims of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings is an entirely different story from the one “Oppenheimer” was telling. To not show the victims of the bombings was a deliberate choice on Nolan’s part. The film completely immerses us in Oppenheimer’s head from beginning to end. We never see the victims because Oppenheimer doesn’t want to see them himself — as shown by the scene where, upon pictures of the victims being shown on a projector, Oppenheimer looks away, leaving the images unseen to the audience as well. Throughout the film, there is a deliberate disconnect between Oppenheimer and the consequences of his actions. He concerns himself more with the big-picture implications of creating a weapon that has the ability to destroy the world rather than the very real trauma and tragedy it has already caused until confronted with it. “Oppenheimer” is the story of a group of powerful white men going too far and not thinking about the consequences of their actions until it’s too late. Oppenheimer himself is so focused on the idea of the bomb that he spares little thought for what the bomb, in reality, will be. Once it is done, he embraces being an American hero and sticks his head in the sand to spare himself from the more gruesome part of the reality he has created. As Nolan draws us further into the mind of Oppenheimer, we are immersed into the whitewashed narrative Oppenheimer constructs for himself. That is, until the

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third act, when Oppenheimer is forced to confront what he’s done in a devastating turn of events. Structurally, a parallel on the suffering of the victims of the atomic bomb does not fit into the narrative Nolan constructed. It would take us out of Oppenheimer’s perspective and the specific story the movie is telling. It is also worth noting that any light shone on the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki would have inevitably played second string to the main storyline of Oppenheimer. In a movie that is already over three hours, another plotline would have only convoluted things further. It would also feel disrespectful to the victims to have their stories exist on the margin of a story largely centered around Oppenheimer. Would showing brutal footage of Japanese civilians screaming and running for their lives as the bomb dropped make the biopic better, or would it have been mere shock value? The latter seems more likely. However, what also needs to be considered is what a massive hit “Oppenheimer” is. It will no doubt be the only film they will ever see about the Hiroshima bombings. A Christopher Nolan film is one which people will line up to see on the basis of his name alone. In contrast, Hollywood isn’t exactly rushing to give Japanese and Japanese-American filmmakers $100 million dollars to show the other side of the story. It is easy and obvious to say that directors should have full control over the narrative of their films — but they don’t. Studios and executives, for better or worse, have a say over the final cut. Hollywood is an institution that has functioned as the public relations arm of the American government for almost as long as Tinseltown has existed. It has taken multiple difficult, sobering and true stories and garnished them with several creative liberties and presented this on a platter to an audience which rarely tries to look deeper. Though many will treat it as such, “Oppenheimer” shouldn’t be seen as an allencompassing chronicle of nuclear weapons. Rather, it should encourage us to seek out the marginalized perspective because it exists without being breathed into life by white creators. Beyond Hollywood, the Japanese film industry has been making films from the perspective of the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki for seventy years, with Studio Ghibli’s “Grave of the Fireflies” being one particular standout alongside countless others. Good cinema encourages us to be more curious, to engage with the nuanced and complex realities it presents and to find the perspective beyond it. If audiences become more willing to do this after seeing “Oppenheimer,” then all the better. ■ H

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‘Priscilla’ Review: Life under The King

Sofia Coppola adapts Priscilla Presley’s memoir ‘Elvis and Me,’ bringing the two’s relationship to life in a series of vignettes. LUKE LIAO Contributing Writer

In 1959, Priscilla Beaulieu met Elvis Presley at his house party. She was a 14-year-old ninth grader who lived the characteristic life of a teen. He was a 26-year-old international rock n’ roll superstar with millions of records sold. Elvis immediately took a liking to Priscilla; despite her parents’ doubts, the pair’s complicated relationship began. Directed by Sophia Coppola, “Priscilla” follows Priscilla’s (Cailee Spaeny) relationship with Elvis (Jacob Elordi) from the aforementioned party to their divorce in 1973. To cover such an extent of time, the film sprawls out as a series of tableaux. We see transient glimpses of their relationship, the highs and milestones and the equal lows and moments of normalcy. Like Coppola’s previous work, whether it’s illiberal parenting in “The Virgin Suicides” or societal enclosures in “Marie Antonette,” “Priscilla” is about confinement. It begins with Priscilla’s assimilation into Elvis’s life, as we watch how he introduces her to his interests, friends, drugs and wealth. It’s patiently paced but contains a whirlwind of events and places such as the roller rink, the gambling floors of Vegas and the gorgeously furnished Graceland. Throughout this high life, a lulling patina is used, giving Priscilla’s world an alluring and dreamlike veil because, for her — or any teenager for that matter— it’s a fairytale come true. Although she doesn’t know it yet, Priscilla is losing her autonomy to Elvis, hinging her happiness and identity around him. The utilization of clothes and makeup is characteristic of this, one of many ways Elvis mod-

els her to become “his.” Priscilla complies, dying her hair black and applying eyeshadow of the same color. When Elvis goes out to shoot movies, he relegates Priscilla to an isolating Graceland, where she is left reading tabloids about his on-set affairs. Later, as the pill bottles on his nightstand grow and less-thanpleasant calls with his manager persist, Elvis projects his anger and frustration onto his wife, creating a toxic and stifling environment. By doing so, Coppola exposes this codependent relationship and, once again, successfully depicts the pains and emotional detachment of confinement. In addition to explicitly acknowledging the age gap headlong, “Priscilla” makes it evident that the two are always living in different stages of life. Because of this, there is a disappointing lack of Priscilla’s interests, desires for the future, or relationships outside Elvis’s circle. The culprit of this is the script’s airiness, with many conversations lacking dramatism or being too brief for their own good. There eventually reaches a span where the film’s motions become familiar, and the themes stop progressing. The collateral of this stagnation is the closing sequences concerning Priscilla’s quest for independence and the act of doing so. Promptly, we see her removal of cosmetics and some good times with friends. For a film that so carefully crafts this oppressive romance spanning decades, its deliberation wanes in the very end, resulting in a cardinal choice that doesn’t H resonate as powerfully as it should. ■

VERDICT: In an attempt to bring light to a twisted celebrity relationship, ‘Priscilla’ is a woman trapped in isolation. Coppola’s depiction is frontloaded, stagnating on its most important themes, leaving her story feeling unfinished.

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Taylor Swift elevates her ‘1989’ Era with ‘From the Vault’ additions

‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ is a recollection of our teenage years brought to life in adulthood. YSABEL NAKASONE Opinions Editor

Swift’s re-recording project has been a record-breaking success since the beginning. With the release of “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” Swift has beaten her own Spotify record for most streams for an artist in a single day and set a new record for singleweek vinyl sales since 1991. The reintroduction of “1989” brings back the bright pop sounds of Swift’s shift away from country music, a style which would define her career for years to come. Swift’s ‘1989’ Era brings back the melancholy nostalgia of the teen years and girlhood they left behind. “Welcome to New York” starts the album off by dragging you back to the flashy and bright sounds of “1989.” The song, which in 2014 received stark criticism as it was described as a surface-level tribute to New York, sets the tone for the remainder of the album. For an artist who faced unmitigated criticism for her choice to lean into pop music, this song is courageously optimistic. While in 2014, this song reflected Swift’s move to New York and the shiny new life it presented; “Welcome to New York (Taylor’s Version)” is an unashamed victory lap. The second track, “Blank Space,” was a defining song on the original “1989,” and it remains so on the re-recording. This song was such a clear slap in the face to running commentary on Swift’s personal life and the day-to-day harassment women get for having the gall to be a twenty-year-old woman who dates. While the clean and sharp sound of this song remains unchanged, “Blank Space (Taylor’s Version)” reminds people that some lyrics hit just as hard even as time passes. One of the most highly anticipated songs on the re-release, “Style (Taylor’s Version),” thought to be about pop sensation Harry Styles, was exactly what audiences expected of Swift. Slight differences in the intro made for a softer, more aged sound. This is the song of someone who lived and learned, unlike the 2014 version, which carried less perspective. In the criminally underrated “All You Had To Do Was Stay (Taylor’s Version),” Swift recombines the angst and desperation of “Out of the Woods (Taylor’s Version)” with the upbeat electronic music of “Shake it Off (Taylor’s Version).” “Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version)” finds itself with a clearer voice when standing up against the seemingly weathered tone of the previous iteration. As with the entirety of this album, there is a lighter undertone, and Swift’s voice seems less weighed down. Whether that has to do with her actual voice or the press attached to this album is hard to tell. As Swift has done with her previous re-releases, she has attached five songs “From the Vault.” These are songs that were written for the original album but didn’t make it when the record was released. The first and, arguably, most eyecatching track of this album, “Sl*t!” was not the rocker, screaming-in-the-car song the title would have you expecting. In fact, this song might just be one of the most heartfelt love songs of a generation. It feels like falling in love with the most sickly sweet dream-induced haze. This song falls in sharp contrast to certain songs in Swift’s “1989” repertoire, though it bridges the gap between this era and the evolution of “Folklore,” “Evermore” and “Midnights.” The message falls right in line with the tracks of “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” as Swift resigns herself to the trappings of fame and decides to live her life anyways. The second vault track of “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” “Say Don’t Go,” is another one for the delulu girlies as Swift laments the hopeless hope of begging someone to care about you. There’s an undertone of humiliation in Swift’s lyricism as she sings, “Why’d you have to lead me on? / Why’d you have to twist the knife? / Walk away and leave me bleedin’, bleedin’? / Why’d you whisper in the dark / Just to leave me in the night?” There’s something so haunting about a song that reminds you that being

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VERDICT:

with someone who makes you feel alone is worse than actual loneliness. “Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version)” starts with Swift’s voice singing prose as the melody fades into the background of her words. This felt like a callback to “New Year’s Day,” a re-release I await with anticipation, as Swift sings, “Please don’t ever become a stranger / Whose laugh I could recognize anywhere.” The pop icon portrays the strangeness of being a stranger to a person who was once central to your life with the skill of someone all too familiar with it. Postrelease, the lyrics of this song have become a popular TikTok trend as women describe the people they had to pretend to be for their significant others, and they might not be far off. “Suburban Legends (Taylor’s Version)” has a rocket fizz vibe to it while calling back to the classic 80s feel of Swift’s inspiration. It undeniably feels like a precursor to “Mastermind” that shouts out the ephemerality of youth and the people that mark your childhood while also reminding us of the impact they’ll still have despite their absence. The final track of the album “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version)” is a galvanizing song that has fans wondering if Swift was holding back in 2014 about her break-up with Harry Styles. Whether or not that’s true, the song is a devastating heartbreak in and of itself. Swift writes, “Oh, Lord, I think about jumpin’ / Off of very tall somethings / Just to see you come runnin’,” and for every girl in a relationship with an emotionally unavailable man, this was all too relatable. This song does not take the high road; in fact, it airs out dirty laundry and demands the right to be angry and petty. The throbbing pulse of this song has the peppy air of “Welcome to New York” with lyrics on par with the emotional destruction levels of “Haunted (Taylor’s Version).” In this song, Taylor Swift holds true to her own words, “You don’t have to forgive, and you don’t have to forget to move on. You can move on without any of those things happening. You just become indifferent, and then you move on.” ■ H

“1989 (Taylor’s Version)” surpasses all our wildest dreams, remaining the classic album it was at its inception. The “From the Vault” tracks add depth and lyricism that fans wouldn’t have dared hope for and that we never could have imagined if Swift hadn’t found the audacity to own herself.

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Taemin’s ‘Guilty’ Mini-Album Review: A well-crafted tracklist that reaffirms his unmatched artistic groove MARIBEL GAMEZ-REYES Assistant Features Editor

Taemin further enriches his exceptional solo discography, staying true to his distinctive authenticity. On Oct. 30, 2023, SHINee’s Taemin revealed his highlyanticipated 4th mini-album, “Guilty,” after being discharged from the South Korean army on April 4. This marks his return to the spotlight as a soloist following nearly two years of military service. “Guilty” is Taemin’s latest solo work, following his group’s comeback in SHINee’s eighth studio album, “Hard.” Fans who eagerly awaited his return since the announcement on Oct. 10, 2023, have found the wait to be incredibly rewarding. Taemin is now a more mature artist following his hiatus and continues to push his creative boundaries while maintaining the high-quality artistry that has always defined his work, even before his military service. In a recent interview, Taemin shared that the emotion of guilt is his current fascination, delving into the deeper facets of the human experience — an emotion that engulfs you when you’ve done something wrong or immoral. His record label, SM Entertainment, described Taemin’s prolific return as a soloist as artistically charming and irreplaceable, presenting a collection of six songs encompassing various vibes. The album features tracks such as ‘Guilty” (the album’s namesake), “The Rizzness,” “She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not,” “Not Over You,” “Night Away” and “Blue,” all contributing to the enrichment of Taemin’s distinctive musical style. Expanding on the significance of the single “Guilty,” Taemin explained that the song is about selfish love that inadvertently inflicts pain on the other person. He aimed to define love through a theatrical performance in the music video for the song, highlighting the different forms of affection and the inevitable sacrifice that is intrinsic to intimacy. He emphasized that love involves sacrifice and shares insights from his own experiences, stating, “There are a lot of things I gain from being a singer, but, at the same time, there are lots of things I have to give up, and these are the ones I emphasized in this single.” The album commences with an astonishing opening track, gradually transitioning into a more serene exploration of themes such as passion, pain, acceptance and peace.

Taemin’s musical journey in “Guilty” reflects his growth and maturity as an artist. Hypnotizing all our senses, Taemin maintains a strong grip on our attention with his title track, “Guilty.” This track features a grand mix of a 30-member string section and dynamic synth sound, layered with a unique laid-back beat and an addictive hook, as mentioned by SM Entertainment. It carries signature Taemin elements, such as charming lyricism portrayed in a dramatic and cinematic manner. From the very first verse, he entices us with lyrics like, “Poison apple / Spellbound, you wanna take a bite?” setting the seductive tone of the song. Throughout most of the song, he sings in a slow, breathy, sensual and sultry style that suits him best. “Guilty” is far from stagnant; upon the first listen, you’ll experience the excitement of dynamic synths, heavenly high notes, unsettling yet dreamy deep whisper vocals and fitting rap lines that all come together to create a perfect song. Following this masterpiece is the next track, “The Rizzness.” This song is inspired by the Gen Z term “Rizz,” a newer term for charisma. The song’s appeal is somewhat hit or miss, mainly depending on whether you can get past the playful use of this slang term. In a way, it’s very fitting for Taemin to embrace and reference this trendy word, showcasing his unique artistry and fearlessness in taking new risks. Despite the track’s lighthearted name, Taemin didn’t hold back and left fans stunned with his performance. This song brings hip-hop vibes to the forefront with a well-produced 808 bass kick and synth bass complementing the lyricism and powerful rapping. The musical spectrum of production on this track ranges from a lively thriller to an eerie horror film, complete with electric guitar tremolos. In contrast, the remaining four tracks take on a more subdued pop-style approach. “She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not” aims to evoke memories of the petal-picking ritual used to determine someone’s romantic interest. Unfortunately, with the ending lyric of the intro being “She loves me not,” the rest of the song carries a desolate mood reminiscent of the early stages of a breakup, a time suffused with the ache of longing. According to Taemin, this song exudes kitschy teen vibes, encouraging a sing-along with its chanty chorus that taps into more complex emotions. Continuing along the post-breakup theme, “Not Over You” invites listeners to sing along with its dreamy vocals and laid-back R&B melody, encapsulating the emotions associated with moving on. Shifting away from breakup sentiments, “Night Away” fosters a romantic mood by exploring moments spent with a lover. Taemin’s vocal prowess, consistently eliciting emotional responses from fans, complements the lyrics and enhances the romantic essence of the song. His last track, “Blue,” offers a hopeful farewell, resembling a lyrical indie band song that serves as a comforting refuge within the album. It’s the kind of song that might become a go-to solace for listeners. ■ H

Verdict: This album reaffirms why Taemin, often referred to as the “Idol of Idols,” has sustained an unwavering career spanning 15 years. The production of this album is so well done that it is far from being a “Guilty” pleasure.

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Artist Spotlight: Jesus Castañada’s paintings strengthen the roots of his family tree

Jesus Castañada channels the love of his family to craft intrinsic masterpieces of familial history. MAXEN OLVERA Contributing Writer

Jesus Castañeda practices art out of his studio located in our very own Inland Empire. His art has been housed in museums across California and Mexico, and a painting of his can even be found at the Chicano Student Center on campus. A mural created by Castañeda resides in the Cesar E. Chavez Community Center on University Avenue in Riverside as well. His artwork grows from the history of his family. Castañeda comes from a long line of innovative artists. The Castañedas originated in Zacatecas, Mexico. The family of eighteen was raised by Nicolas Castañeda, a musical genius who wanted to share his talents with the world. He would have his sixteen children practice instruments on a daily basis and each ended up with their hands in the music realm when they got older. Additionally, Nicolas conducted various music classes for the youth of Zacatecas, which spawned gifted musicians who became renowned mariachi band members. Nicolas’ creative endeavors motivated Jesus to pursue a career in the arts fully. A piece dubbed “Mariachi Breakdown” features three mariachi members pushing a stalled car in the suburbs. The three mariachi band members happen to be based on Jesus’s father and brothers. Jesus’s father, Antonio Castañeda, practices music every day as the mariachi instructor in the Riverside Arts Academy. The painting comes from a photo taken by Jesus when he was working with his musical family. The acrylic painting debuted in the community exhibit at the grand opening of The Cheech. “Mariachi Breakdown” captures a single moment in time where a group of mariachis are doing something the audience isn’t accustomed to. Most paintings of mariachi display them playing music in restaurants or grand stages, but Castañeda’s piece offers the viewer a new perspective by placing the dressed-up mariachis in a mundane situation. The mariachis were on the way to a gig and had no choice but to push their car along the road. Their actions invoke fragments of determination, and the piece resembles a symbol of hard work.

JESUS CASTANEDA

“Healing Heart” presents a vivid depiction of a heart that is built around bright breaches of reds, whites and pink. The first iteration of the painting saw a visual manifestation of the heart of Riverside. However, as time went on, the heart became a key motif in the Castañeda family. Jesus’s Grandpa Antonio was diagnosed with heart defects at the age of eighty-nine. Antonio was expedited to emergency open-heart surgery. The operation ended up being successful, giving Antonio a zipper chest scar. Jesus started a series of heart paintings that ranged in style and configuration. Jesus calls the series “Healing Heart” because each time he painted one, he felt that the painting was actively helping his grandpa Antonio heal up from his surgery. After heart surgery, there was a long road to recovery. The heart embodies Antonio’s resilience throughout the surgical recovery process. “Victoria’s Rabbit” is a painting of a stuffed pink bunny toy. The pink plush belongs to Jesus’s six-month-old daughter, Victoria Castañeda. The painting occupies the center of Jesus’s living room. The rabbit lays in a mosaic current of purple, yellow, red, blue and green. Jesus wanted to visually represent the early days of fatherhood. The piece captures how he was happy every day as he took care of his newborn daughter, creating a time capsule of the joy he felt from his first few months of fatherhood. Jesus hopes to integrate his daughter more frequently into his art because she is his inspiration. Family is an important staple of Castañeda’s line of work. The ties to his family extend an emotional connection to his paintings. Castañeda only produces pieces that he finds meaningful. Every single piece of his has a story that relates back to his personal life. His personal connection to the work gives a higher purpose to his creations. To view Castañeda’s work, follow his Instagram @exoskelH etal27. ■

JESUS CASTANEDA

JESUS CASTANEDA / HEALING HEART

Sports 18 TUESDAY, NOV 7, 2023

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Controversial penalty costs Highlanders chance at back-toback Big West Championship ISAAC SOLNICK Contributing Writer

The Highlanders lost a hard-fought game against the Gauchos. The stage was set after the Highlanders secured a scrappy 0-0 draw against Cal State University Northridge (CSUN). In a rematch of last year’s Big West Championship, the No. 6 seed UCR Highlanders would travel to face the No. 3 seed UC Santa Barbara Gauchos for a spot in the Big West Semifinal against UC Irvine. In last year’s final, Luka Lucic’s goal helped the Highlanders edge the visiting Gauchos in a narrow 1-0 victory. With both teams returning many players from the 2022 season, last year’s championship game was fresh on everyone’s mind. The Highlanders needed to dig deep against a revengeful Gauchos team at their home ground. Right at kick-off, the Highlanders proved they were up for the challenge. Junior Noah Lopez helped lead UCR’s forward line as they worked hard to pressure Santa Barbara’s backline early in the match. However, the Gaucho’s defense did well to maintain possession in the first half. Nevertheless, Lopez would be rewarded for his hard work out of possession. Senior Aleksander Vukovic launched a free-kick from UCR’s own half. The second ball bounces nicely for freshman Jackson D’Alessandro, who slides a pass to Lopez. He holds off multiple Gauchos while finding an angle for a shot. Santa Barbara’s Leroy Zeller rushes out of his net to make a save, but Lopez nutmegs him to put the Highlanders ahead in the 23rd minute. A back-and-forth first half concluded with UCR in front 1-0. After a fast-paced first half, it was expected the game may settle down a bit after the intermission. However, the second half proved to be more of the same. In just the 46th minute, senior Carlos Gonzalez caught the Gauchos off guard with a long punt, which found the head of senior Luka Lukic. He flicked it forward for senior Armando Ibarra Jr., who perfectly chipped Leroy Zeller to extend UCR’s lead to 2. The game was still far from over, and the resilient Gauchos refused to be put away. Down by two goals, UCSB looked to force the action against the Highlanders in the second half. After Luka Lukic

saw his shot go wide, Santa Barbara kept finding themselves in dangerous positions in front of UCR’s goal. One-on-one with Pablo Figueroa of the Gauchos, Jackson D’Alessandro, with help from senior Joel Rivera, forced Figueroa’s shot high. Nonetheless, UCSB kept pushing and pushing to try to break through the UCR defense. In the 54th minute, an outside-thebox shot from Santa Barbara’s Nemo Phillip forced a diving save from Gonzalez. As Phillip’s shot was struck with incredible pace, Gonzalez failed to catch it cleanly. The rebound spills right in front of Nicolas Willumsen, who scores from the sixyard box, cutting the Highlander lead in half. Leading 2-1, the Highlanders were still on track to advance to the semifinal until the 78th minute. Battling with Jackson D’Alessandro, Filip Basili earned a corner kick for the Gauchos. Alexis Ledoux whips in an inswinging ball for Nalu Mack. Mack’s header is deflected off Noah Lopez and out of danger for the Highlanders. However, the referee signals to the penalty spot. The Highlanders swarm the referee, pleading that the shot went off Lopez’s chest rather than his shoulder. Even UCR head coach Tim Cupello received a yellow card in the chaos. Riverside’s appeal is disregarded as Ledoux steps up to the penalty spot for the Gauchos. He sends Gonzalez the wrong way and evens the score. With all the momentum on their side, the Gauchos were looking for a winner before the end of regulation. With another corner in the 86th minute, Ledoux whips in another inswinger for UCSB. Santa Barabara’s Salvador Aguilar rises to the occasion and blasts a header past Gonzalez. The deflated Highlanders couldn’t find an equalizer before time expired. 3-2 was the final score in Santa Barbara. With many crucial players graduating after this year, it’s a crushing conclusion to the 2023 season for the Highlanders. It will be interesting to see how Tim Cupello and the rest of the squad will respond to this loss H next season. ■

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YouTuber Boxing persists as more than a trend, but a genuine part of boxing

BRENDAN VO Radar Editor

It’s not a phase, Mom! Floyd “Money” Mayweather, one of the greatest athletes in the boxing world, stands in one corner of the ring. With 12 world championships under five weight divisions, the illustrious fighter faces a surprising choice of opponent in the form of YouTuber-turnedboxer Logan Paul. This extreme mismatch would profit $50 million, drawing in a huge audience. The champion was able to cleanly dictate the entire fight despite the YouTuber’s perseverance. So despite Paul exceeding Mayweather’s expectations in the match, with the fight going the entire distance of eight rounds, Mayweather would tell reporters that the match would have been over by the first round if this was a real boxing fight. This sentiment serves as an allegory for the attitudes held against YouTuber boxing as a whole and reveals how many see it as a subgenre of the combat sport rather than genuine boxing. At its core, YouTuber boxing involves social media influencers participating in professional boxing or boxing exhibitions. The very conception begins with Olajide Olayinka Williams “JJ” Olatunji, known professionally as KSI, fighting with Joe Weller, whom KSI was publicly unamicable with. Once the two decided that boxing would answer these tensions, they unknowingly sparked a flame that would become YouTuber boxing insofar as the novel match would inspire many others to partake in the combat sport. Boxing became, then, a medium for social media stars to “squash the beef” while also publicizing themselves with marketing and promotions. The pinnacle of the phenomenon would be the aforementioned YouTube sensations KSI and Logan Paul’s second match, which would be the first to be promoted by an established promoter, Eddie Hearn and flourished with a generous 1.3 million pay-perview (PPV) buys. With many more matches that featured beloved social media stars wrapping up their gloves, the trend would prove to persist in the sport as it attracted already-established audiences associated with said stars. However, YouTubers in the ring did not meet favor when addressed by the boxing community. There was worry that these inexperienced stars misrepresent the sport, as the YouTube fighters indubitably have less experience than the average conventional amateur boxer hailing from a gym. Now, there are several boxers stating that YouTuber boxing makes a mockery of the sport. This has been mirrored by Hearn’s decision to step away from promoting these events, stating, “I don’t even look at YouTube boxing as boxing, I just look at it as an entertainment format,” undermining YouTuber boxing’s legitimacy.

The discourse stemmed mostly from the younger Paul brother, Jake Paul, setting himself up to fight Tommy Fury, an amateur boxer who set out to make a name for himself. Fury would posture himself as the villain to YouTuber boxing as he made himself out to be the face of “real” conventional boxing, challenging Paul, the former Disney actor and Vine phenom. With Fury’s convincing victory over Paul and a subsequent closer victory over KSI, the argument seemed settled for many that YouTubers cannot be boxers — but it wasn’t. Ironically, Fury’s fights would show how social media could become boxing’s ultimate catalyst for reviving the stale sport that is boxing. The matches with Paul and KSI have propelled Fury from an amateur with a mixed record to a recognizable face of boxing. This is what the sport needs — boxing needs more traction. The current state of the combat sport is decrepit for many reasons. A prominent one is how there seem to be no notable personalities for the sport, which is often attributed to having too many weight divisions and champions and those champions never fighting each other. This problem contrasts the more popular, premier sport of MMA as fans are able to closely follow a concentrated eight-weight division format. And it’s evidently a better model as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fights are able to draw in more PPVs than boxing. While hardcore fans would follow the sport, more casual viewers would find themselves lost in finding who to follow and waiting for eons just to find how notable names would avoid each other in favor of padded records. In short, boxing fans are deprived of potentially thrilling stories right now. And where can we find big personalities willing to fight each other and challenge big names? The answer is social media. YouTuber boxing, with its plethora of huge personalities, can reignite a fire under the current boxing scene with multitudes of storylines. In addition to attracting multiple audiences and bringing established YouTuber fan bases alongside boxing fans, these opportunities inevitably bring in money and traction (which boxing needs at the moment). Tommy Fury is representative of a seldom talked-about amateur boxer who rose to fame by attaching himself to the colossal entertainment giants of Jake Paul and KSI. At the end of the day, boxing will thrive off of more exposure from social media. It needs more stories, personalities and charisma, and YouTuber boxing is a martyr to the H combat sport. ■

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/category/sports

SPORTS

TUESDAY, NOV 7, 2023

Highlander Hot Take: Early 2023-2024 NBA Awards Predictions AHN BUI Contributing Writer

With the NBA season underway, it’s never too early to predict this season’s awards. The new NBA season is finally underway. Fans everywhere are already on the edge of their seats as this season has the makings to be one of the best we have ever seen. Some of the questions that have been floating around this season include: Will Jokić win his third MVP while trying to lead Denver to back-toback championships? Is Victor Wembanyama the next young player to take the league by storm? Who is going to surprise us and bring home Most Improved? What about Dame in Milwaukee, Beal in Phoenix, Harden in LA? The answers are far from us right now. But amidst all the chaos and all the headlines, I offered my picks for each major regular-season NBA player award. Most Valuable Player Drumroll please. Dududududududu… Luka Dončić. Not Nikola Jokić? No, and hear me out. Now in his fifth season in Dallas, Dončić is just now finally entering his prime. The Dallas Mavericks were aggressive in the offseason, retooling the roster to make it the most talented one Dončić has been a part of, and a full season alongside Kyrie Irving should further elevate the Slovenian superstar’s game. But in a stacked Western Conference, Dončić is going to have to put up historically dominant numbers if he plans to carry them into the playoffs — similar to those of Russell Westbrook during his MVP-winning campaign in 2017. Dončić balled out for Slovenia during the FIBA World Cup this past summer, averaging nearly a triple-double through eight games, and appeared to be in the best shape he has ever been in since coming to the NBA. There is a lot on Dončić’s shoulders this season, but there is no doubt in my mind that he will continue to find a way to exceed all expectations. Increased wins. Better numbers. More at stake. All of those things point to Luka Dončić taking home the MVP crown this season. Rookie of the Year Opposite of the MVP, I am sticking to the no-brainer choice: Victor Wembanyama. The 7’5” Frenchman is the greatest prospect the league has ever seen since LeBron, and if the preseason was any indication, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with. Post game? Check. Threes? Check. Handle? Check. Blocks? Check. 8-foot wingspan? My goodness … Check. Simply put, if he reaches the 65-game threshold, the award is his to lose. And do not be surprised if he ends up winning Defensive Player of the Year, too! Defensive Player of the Year Jrue Holiday. After being named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2023, where he also finished tied for seventh in Defensive Player of the Year voting, Holiday now spearheads a Boston Celtics defense that looks to top the league this year. Arguably the most versatile perimeter defender at the guard position, Holiday defends positions one through four and is tasked with guarding

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the opposition’s best player. With fellow All-Defensive guard Derrick White alongside him, I would not be surprised if we see Holiday be more aggressive on that side of the ball. Marcus Smart won the award two years ago in Boston. I see no reason why an even better defensive player in Holiday can not do the same. Sixth Man of the Year I am going to go with a bit of a sleeper pick here: Cam Thomas. Say what you want about his size or demeanor, Thomas is an elite bucket-getter. The Brooklyn Nets enter the season without a bonafide superstar, so look for Thomas to be relied on for some much-needed scoring. Thomas was the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 40 points in three consecutive games, and he set an NBA record for most points off the bench in a season-opener with 36 points this very past week. Heading into his third NBA season, Thomas’s role for this season remains undetermined, but if he is able to capitalize on his opportunities, “Instant Hot” should find himself among the league’s best reserve players. Plus, I see too much of Lou Williams (3x NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner) in his game not to give him the nod for this award. Most Improved Player Scottie Barnes. Again, another pick out of left field, but I think the Toronto forward is primed for a breakout year. After somewhat of a sophomore slump, Barnes now has the opportunity to be “the man” in Toronto (with Fred VanVleet gone and Pascal Siakam seemingly on his way out). Already touted as one of the most promising young defenders in the NBA, I think the former Rookie of the Year will take a huge step forward in his offensive game, maybe averaging somewhere around 20 points and seven assists per game, all while shooting upwards of 45% from the field. If he even starts to improve on his shaky threepoint game, that would be the cherry on top of it all. Under new head coach Darko Rajakovic, I think Barnes not only has a huge opportunity to win Most Improved honors but also make his first-ever All-Star and All-Defensive appearances and cement himself as one of the most versatile two-way players in the NBA this season. Clutch Player of the Year Jayson Tatum. There are so many guys that I could have gone with here. But for some reason, my gut is telling me Tatum. He is just one of those guys with that stone-cold killer mentality. Tatum’s scoring ability is second to none, and the Celtics are primed to finish the season atop the East. Tatum is going to be leaned on as the closer in Boston, and now, with Dame in the East, Embiid hungrier than ever, and Miami always in the fold, expect the fate of many tightly contested games to fall into his hands. ■ H

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