FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
Highlander University
Volume 61
of
C a l i f o r n i a , R ive r s i d e
Issue 12
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UC discontinues new modern logo UCOP withdraws logo following a firestorm of online criticism and national media scrutiny.
California Poet Laureate starts Unity Poem for Newtown, CT
Michael Turcios CONTRIBUTING WRITER
UC officials have promptly removed a modern UC logo, after receiving much backlash from the general community about its design and apparent lack of prestige. The logo, which was slowly introduced on system websites and documents as early as spring 2012, garnered attention once students began sharing the news via social media. In a December press release, UC Director of Marketing Communications Jason Simon announced that the new monogram would no longer be used and was hereby suspended from being utilized on any products. Simon added that the monogram created “debate, dialogue, and division,” but that “it’s too much of a distraction from our broader effort to communicate UC’s value.” Among the many dissatisfied individuals was UC alumni Reaz Rahman, who created an online petition against the implementation of the new logo and successfully garnered over 50,000 signatures. The UC’s century-old seal is designed with an open book and a banner underneath it reading “Let There Be Light”—an emblem that represents all universities under the governance of the UC system. The modern logo displayed a blue “U” and faded “C” atop of it.
Dean Mayorga SENIOR STAFF WRITER
C o u rt e s y
of ucop
Some students mistakenly believed the original UC logo (left) would be replaced by the new one (right).
In Nov. 2012, a Youtube video released by the UC Office of the President promoting the new logo received thousands of views. In a short span of time, the video went viral, receiving thousands of views and a deluge of shares on various social media platforms. The widespread news of the novel logo was noticed by many individuals throughout California. After learning of the new monogram, students across the state took their opinions onto social media to express their disappointment. Several students like third-year UCR student Cesar Toledo compared the modern logo to the historical symbol and was concerned that the modern logo was not dignified enough represent the university. Toledo said, “It was too simplified and lost its message it has been histori-
cally spreading and that is to ‘Let There Be Light.’” Due to the plainness of the logo, many believed that the new monogram resembled that of a vocational or technical institution. One user on Change.org commented, “This looks like we paid a cheap graphic designer.” Fourth-year business major Karina De la Cruz said, “The idea to change a logo is to improve it by bringing excitement,” but she added that newly discontinued logo does the opposite, and it “has suddenly become associated with a ‘toilet,’ making UC look boring, dull and confusing.” Designers and those who supported the new logo were not expecting the controversy the revamped logo would bring. After the video gained LOGO CONT’D ON PAGE 3
Chancellor Timothy White reflects on his leadership at UCR Sandy Van
SE N IOR STA F F W R I T E R
Chancellor Timothy White officially resigned from his position on Dec. 31, 2012, ending his term as UCR’s leader of four years to spearhead the California State University system. In his wake, he leaves what many in the campus community see as a lasting legacy that ranks among the most fondly remembered UCR chancellors. Among Chancellor White’s many accomplishments since he took office in 2008 are his pursuit of the accreditation of the School of Medicine, addressing student demonstrations and protest guidelines, encouraging greater discussions of campus diversity through the Chancellor’s Diversity Education Program, strengthening community bonds with weekly Friday Letters, and launching the School of Public Policy—all during a period of diluted state funds for the UC system. The momentous ripples of achievement do not include the impressionable marks that Chancellor White left on many friends, companions and even
strangers. The Highlander took a glimpse at Chancellor White’s last few weeks in office, where he reflected on his fondest memories at UCR and expressed his parting words for the campus.
In response to the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting that took place Dec.14 in Newtown, Conn., California Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera took to his Facebook page and posted a heartfelt poem entitled, “Little Ones We Carry You.” Much like a previous project of his, “The Most Incredible and Biggest and Most Amazing Poem on Unity in the World,” Herrera not only included his own effort but also the contributions of anyone inspired enough to write a poem pertaining to the incident. According to UCR Today, “By the morning of Monday, Dec. 17, nearly two dozen individuals had contributed their thoughts as well, some in Spanish, most in English.” Even afterward, poems continued to make it to his page and on Thursday, Dec. 20 Felipe posted, “Keep the Unity with Newtown poems coming—we will be collecting them Saturday... And I will send the entire canasta to Sacramento for further news and all points beyond. To Pres. Obama and Newtown as you know. Thanks so much once again—let your heart flow...” One particular contributor was Melissa Garcia, who posted her poem on Tuesday, Dec. 18. “Truthfully I wrote the poem even before Professor Herrera NEWTOWN CONT’D ON PAGE 2
From the Start Upon first stepping on campus, Chancellor White summed up his first impressions of UCR as a “diamond in the rough.” At the onset, Chancellor White made it his goal to invest in strategic communications, with hopes of increasing UCR’s national visibility as a campus. White would later aid in the development of various departments, such as media relations, video production and creative design services. When comparing UCR today with his first impression of the campus, Chancellor White used the term “swagger,” and defined the word as civility, compassion, confidence and destination. “Maybe [swagger] was all here when I got here, but I have enough evidence and enough people to say that it wasn’t. So I certainly know that it is here today and I’m actuCHANCELLOR CONT’D ON PAGE 4
INSIDE: Highlander Editorial: The Editorial Board writes an open letter to UCR’s new chancellor.
OPINIONS
PAGE 7
Jaijeet Kakkar shares his experience juggling coursework and starting a successful business.
FEATURES
PAGE 9
Wheels Up showcases the art of five incredible artists at the Riverside Art Museum.
R i c h a r d L i n /HIGHLANDER Chancellor White will head the CSU system after leaving the University of California, Riverside.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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STAFF
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PLEASE RECYCLE AFTER READING
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
NEWTOWN FROM PAGE 1
asked for poems,” stated Garcia. “I am a graduate from the creative writing program [at UCR] and I write poetry. When I woke up that morning and saw the devastation on the faces of the people affected by the massacre I truthfully couldn’t stay at home so I went on a walk with my sister and that is where the poem stemmed from. The poem is just speaking in retrospect to my life and paying respect to the lives lost that day. I decided to submit the poem to not only myself but give voice to them, to allow others to understand how precious our lives are and that believe that my words—poetry can heal and [unify] people.” The Connecticut school shooting is the second deadli-
est in history, after the Virginia Tech shooting of 2007. The shooter, Adam Lanza, is responsible for 26 deaths, 20 of those being children. He was also found dead by first responders due to a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. “I just think it was one of those life changing moments for people,” said Peris Wambui, a fourth-year English major, about the shooting. “When I heard about it, I couldn’t believe the number of lives that were lost. And most of them being children. Its like, you don’t even feel safe just living your life,” she said. Although she didn’t contribute to the Felipe poem, she also shared what she thought about it. “I wasn’t even aware that he
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did that but I think that’s a great sentiment,” Wambui said. “I’m sure people will really appreciate that. The idea of including other people’s poems is interesting too. I think it allows people to heal together,” she said. Nick Ohashi, a senior majoring in public policy, shared a similar reflection of the incident. “For me it really brings to light how easily life is destroyed and how massive an impact one person’s actions can be,” said Ohashi. Karen Mai, a fourth-year English major, stated about the poem, “I think that’s an awesome thing to do. There was so much negativity going around, I think having someone actually showing empathy and unity gives back hope to people,” she ■H said.
C o u rt e s y o f W e n n . c o m a n d UCR T o d ay Professor Juan Felipe Herrera wrote and collected poems for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting.
January
Photo of the Week
8
Community Engagement Alliance Meeting 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Olmsted Hall 2312
B ry a n T u tt l e STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Freshman Janelle Kearney looks for an open teammate during a game against Hawai’i on Jan. 5. Women’s basketball lost the game, shortly after losing their previous game against Northridge.
Quotebook “You know I was worried. When you wear a tie or suit or sport coat, you separate yourself from the people that you embrace the most. But our students have the confidence that they can talk about anything with me.”
Upcoming Events
Tuesday
9
Wednesday
10
Thursday
On-Campus Interview Workshop 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. HUB 379 Finding an Internship 11 – 12 p.m. HUB 268
11
Welcome Event for Chancellor Jane Close Conoley 2:00 p.m. University Theatre 400
Friday
12
Saturday
Annual MCLE Madness 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. UCR Extension Center
13 14
Women’s Basketball vs. Cal State Fullerton 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. SRC Arena Annual Rose Pruning Demonstration 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. UCR Botanic Gardens
Sunday
Monday
Interview Skills featuring U.S. Foods 1 p.m.– 2 p.m. HUB 379
Applying to Graduate/Professional School 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. Surge Building Room 108
- TIMOTHY WHITE FORMER UCR CHANCELLOR
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HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
Search committee launched for ninth chancellor of UCR Dean Mayorga SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Michael Rios SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Nearly a month after Jane Close Conoley was named the interim chancellor of UC Riverside in October 2012, a 17-member search committee was appointed to find a permanent replacement for former UCR chancellor Timothy White. White stepped down from his post to become chancellor of the California State University system last week. The appointment of the search committee, announced Dec. 20, 2012, will include faculty, staff, students, alumni and foundation representatives to the advisory committee whom were all nominated by UC President Mark Yudof. Additionally, five UC Regents were also appointed to the committee by UC Board of Regents Chair Sherry Lansing. Acting as an advisory group to Yudof, the search committee will not directly choose the next chancellor of UCR. The committee members will be involved in the recruitment, interview and screening of the applicants interested in the position. According to Steve Montiel, UCOP media relations director, additional meetings may be scheduled between Yudof and candidates, who are ranked most highly by the committee. Yudof will then recommend a possible candidate to the regents, who will vote on the nomination in the summer. While the committee has yet to convene, they are scheduled to visit UCR on Jan. 10 for an event known as “Campus Day.” According to Student Regent Jonathan Stein, an advisory committee member, the event is a chance for the group to engage the campus and assess what issues are the most pressing.
B rya n T u t t le /HIGHLANDER, C o u rt e s y o f UCR T o d ay Designated by UC President Mark Yudof, a search committee will identify possible candidates to take the post as UCR’s ninth chancellor. Pictured left is former chancellor Timothy White; center is Interim Chancellor Jane Conoley.
“You spend an hour with students, and an hour meeting with staff, and you spend an hour meeting with faculty and so on,” stated Stein. “I guess the idea is, you get a sense of what the Riverside campus values and wants in its next Chancellor.” Also among the 17 members of the search committee is UCR physics professor Jose Wudka. In an interview with the Highlander, Wudka talked about some of the qualities he feels are important in finding a new chancellor. “The chancellor will be the most important emissary of UCR to the outside world. She or he should support, foster and, if needed, produce UCR’s drive towards increasing quality in research, teaching and service to the state,” said Wudka. “The UC in general and UCR in particular have gone through very rough times, partly because the public of California is not aware of the benefits to the State the system provides... The chancellor should be part of the information system that transmits this to the public,
LOGO FROM PAGE 1
more views by the week, a petition was quickly generated asking for the suspension of the modern logo. From websites Change.org to Twitter, the logo was not well-received and it was quickly mocked. Soon enough, the “C” on the logo was redesigned as a computer cursor waiting to load. Due to the widespread dissatisfaction for the new logo, Senior Vice President for External Relations Daniel M. Cooley said that it was necessary to listen and respect the negative responses coming from the public. Cooley also believed that over time, many would have accepted the logo, but because many were visibly passionate about the change, action had to be taken. De la Cruz conceded that under certain circumstances, the public might possibly accept the logo “as long as there is some kind of inspiring story
C o u rt e s y o f UCR T o d ay T h e i d e n t i t y o f U C R ’s n i n t h c h a n c e l l o r w i l l b e u n k n o w n u n t i l s u m m e r 2012.
emphasizing the unique status of UCR.” Regent Stein also talked about what he will be looking for in the next chancellor. “Riverside is a really special place,” said Stein. “It is a place where the UC mission is truly upheld. I see
behind this look. Students need some kind of confirmation for such a drastic look that currently seems unnecessary.” Before the discontinuation of the new logo, it was perceived that the new monogram would replace the old prestigious seal in all places. There were a few students like fourth-year history major Lizbeth Juarez who were certain that the new simple logo would replace the historical one. Juarez said, “I was not convinced the seal would be changed initially because I figured that there would have been a wider study done first.” The introduction the new monogram was part of an effort to rebrand the UC on its systemwide marketing, such as merchandise and letters soliciting private donations. UC officials were hoping to implement the modern logo on the main websites and other public relations documents, but not on the diplomas or other official letterhead
the UC mission as combining research and academic excellence with education access for underrepresented communities and for low income students...it’s important that the next Chancellor understands what makes UC Riverside so special.” ■H
documents. Fourth-year UCR student Peter Huu Tran believes that having a unified logo is easily recognizable. Tran said, “I like the idea to use a unified logo. A friend of mine actually pointed out that the school was already implementing the logo on our school insurance cards…I don’t see how it hurts to use this logo to market and fund a researchbased institution system.” Although the logo has been indefinitely suspended, the modern monogram will not soon disappear, despite its announced discontinuation. In fact, the newly suspended monogram was embedded in recently-printed publications and was implemented on materials in print production. The modern logo can be found on the newly distributed UC medical insurance cards. It is still unclear if a new logo will be designed and whether or not the public will be more accepting of any other ■H alternate design by UC officials.
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013 CHANCELLOR FROM PAGE 1
ally very proud about that intangible piece of us—how we feel about ourselves and each other, this place and what it means to our society,” stated White. Culture and diversity As an Argentine native, Chancellor White brought with him a diverse background. A product of California’s higher education system, White attended Diablo Valley Community College, Fresno State, Cal State Hayward and UC Berkeley, where he earned his doctorate in exercise physiology. Prior to heading UCR, White was president of the University of Idaho from 2004 to 2008. “I think he’s a great representation of diversity and reaching unattainable goals. There’s no words to describe his heart and commitment to students and his community. In doing so, he strengthened bonds between the city and university by furnishing a symbiotic relationship,” stated Clara Vera, staff employee in Hinderaker Hall. As the fifth most diverse campus in the nation, UCR has pushed for an open campus cli-
mate through the Chancellor’s Diversity Education Program. The program is a six-month course, where students gain the skills to apply a diverse education in a workplace environment. Second-year graduate student of mathematics Aaron Jones thought fondly of his first encounter with Chancellor White, during a National Collegiate Athletic Association meeting in 2008. “[The] NCAA meeting is held every year and it invites a lot of members from the community. He’d only been working [as chancellor] for a few months and he invited all of us to a room to meet us. He introduced himself as ‘Hey I’m Tim, what’s your major?’ He showed... an interest in students in terms of who we are and being hospitable to our needs.” Chancellor White also established connections with the Barbara and Culver Center of the Arts in downtown Riverside, where UCR has used the interactive art space to showcase student exhibits and works. Efforts for community outreach Following a frustrating rejected accreditation bid in 2011,
UCR was able to obtain the funding it needed to establish its
“I think my greatest joy has yet to be at UCR. I don’t think I’ve experienced it yet. I think it’s what our graduates and students will do for this country.” medical school in 2012, thanks in large part to the support of local hospitals and private organizations. “Under his guidance, UCR can now happily state that it has established a public medical school against all odds, which is an impeccable accomplishment and milestone for UCR and future students,” stated ASUCR President Liam Dow. In the same sense, Chancellor White further connected with the campus through his much beloved weekly Friday Letters. “In retrospect, I didn’t realize it in the front end, but one of the more powerful things in having people understand and feel connected to us was the Friday Letters. Once I realized that, I made sure that I never lost focus about what I was trying to do there,” said Chancellor White. “I mean I started them for a different purpose, almost a selfish purpose. Forcing myself to share my thoughts about the community once a week, about what’s on my mind. Really telling our story in different ways...helped people realize that ‘Whoa, UCR has an amazing family and I want to be part of that.’” From his earliest emails dating back to 2009, Chancellor White reflected on the importance of communication through his letters. Regents meeting, free speech and protest guidelines UCPD Chief of Police John Cook reflected on one of his most impressionable moments of Chancellor White, which occurred during the UC Regents meeting on UCR’s campus in January 2012, at the same time a student demonstration was taking place. “I had a moment where I kind of understood the world from his eyes because it’s always easy to look at it as a police officer...I watched the chancellor take into consideration the police, students and the regents side and I thought to myself, ‘That’s a man who understands leadership, management and is very good at it,’” he said. On Jan. 19, 2012, members of the UC community protested
HIGHLANDER against continuing tuition hikes and the perceived privatization of higher education in California. “It’s a real...pushed-back kind of experience and...my regret is that I didn’t communicate in advance to this campus....to expect a large group of people, that may have nothing to do with our campus but folks who are interested in our topics plus law enforcement. You know at one hand you could say, ‘Yeah I regret that happened,’ but what I would regret is if we did not respond quickly and properly when the situation arose,” stated White. Prior to the UC Board of Regents’ meeting, the release of strict UCR protest guidelines led to immense outcry from the student body and faculty alike. The guidelines were ultimately removed, yet the implications were perceived as a negative reflection of UCR leadership. “Although the release of the protest guidelines [was] unwise, when it came to light, I said ‘That was a mistake, we’re pulling them down.’ I guess I am really an idealist and a pretty pathologically opportunistic person, but I’m not naive and I do know that mistakes happen,” said White. As one of his final acts as chancellor, White released a set of “Guiding Principles to Protest” in December 2012, which highlighted the core values of free speech at UCR. UCR: Living the Promise Through the implementation of the strategic action plan, UCR 2020: the Path to Preeminence, Chancellor White set specific goals for UCR in the areas of aca-
“So we’ve gone about our work, we’ve rolled up our sleeves together, we have lived the promise together, and I implore you to continue to live up to your individual promise to make this institution proud.” demic excellence, civic engagement and campus climate. The plan was compiled by Chancellor White and nearly 140 students, staff, alumni and faculty members. “What I think we are so uniquely positioned to do is to bring in very bright students, but not for reasons not of their own doing, despite not having all of the opportunities in elementary and middle school...but be given the opportunity to flourish and blossom,” said Chancellor White
at his farewell reception in December. “So we’ve gone about our work, we’ve rolled up our sleeves together, we have lived the promise together, and I implore you to continue to live up to your individual promise to make this institution proud.” During the reception, Vice Chancellor of University Ad-
“To recognize how you deal with those dark moments really is...the test of being a highlander [and] a productive member of society, to come even closer together during the hard times when we really need each other.” vancement Peter Hayashida announced the establishment of a student scholarship endowment fund, which was dedicated to Timothy and Karen White. As a parting gift, he was presented with a photograph of the UCR campus taken by Ansel Adams in the 1960s. Also during the event, Dow bestowed a hand-grip exerciser to Chancellor White, which would serve as a reminder of the thousands of hands he shook of graduating students at commencement ceremonies. On the day of his exit interview with the Highlander, Chancellor White highlighted the sudden rain storm at UCR, which was quickly followed by a rainbow that leapt from the Interdisciplinary Building to the Box Springs Mountains. In an analogy for embracing both the changing weather conditions and life’s obstacles, White said, “To recognize how you deal with those dark moments really is...the test of being a highlander [and] a productive member of society, to come even closer together during the hard times when we really need each other.” The campus he leaves today At his farewell reception, Chancellor White addressed the state of the university. “As you can tell, leaving is difficult, very difficult, but like that All-State commercial says, ‘UCR is in great hands.’ But I thank you for most importantly...leaving an enveloped and proud mark on me, one that has made me, I think, a better and wiser person and for that I am eternally grateful.” When asked about his greatest accomplishment as chancellor of UCR, White explained that it is still on its way. “I think my greatest joy has yet to be at UCR. I don’t think I’ve experienced it yet. I think it’s what our graduates and students will do for this country,” said Chancellor White. ■H
Stay tuned for the launch of the Highlander’s new video network COMING SOON TO A SCREEN NEAR YOU
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
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Student Recreation Center begins multi-million dollar construction project
Jogging Track
MAC Court
Cardio Room
Lobby
a rt i s t re n d er i n g
Big changes are underway for the UCR Student Recreation Center, including an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a larger weight room.
S a n dy V a n SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Cardio kickboxing is one of many leisure classes offered at the UCR Student Recreation Center (SRC). As an invigorating alternative to a regular workout routine, the fitness classes are popular with students and thus, oftentimes overcrowded, leading many to do their exercising outside the corridors of the multi-purpose rooms. The Recreation Facilities Governing Board (FGB), a student-run committee that oversee campus recreation, sought to address such issues by working on an expansion to the SRC to fit UCR’s expanding student body. A $37.2 million construction project is currently underway, which will grow the SRC by about two-thirds its current size. The new facility will ease the burden of increasing student enrollment and limited availability of fitness equipment and rec classes, especially during peak hours from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Construction began during winter break of Dec. 2012, but the initial planning stages date back to 2008. “The SRC was busy and crowded and we did not think it was meeting students needs, so we started getting feedback from students in 2008 and 2009 through
several surveys where we learned how students felt about the current rec center and what they would like to see in the future,” stated Jenni Deveau, psychology graduate and member of the FGB. Largely viewed as a studentcentric initiative, the construction project was spearheaded by the FGB, which consists of six undergraduates and three alumni. In an effort to provide greater student accessibility to the SRC, the FGB first explored the possibility of an expansion through surveys and focus groups. Approved during the spring 2010 elections, the student referendum fee increase of $149 per quarter was dedicated to funding the expansion. The additional charge will raise the SRC student fee from $59 to $208, once the two-part construction is completed in the winter quarter of 2015. According to the final survey results by Brailsford & Dunlavey—the program management firm hired by UCR—prior to the elections, approximately 65 percent of students were very likely or likely to support raising student fees to fund the expansion. The firm, specializing in strategic operations and provides financial consultation, provided an assessment of the SRC student surveys. “From these results, we set
up a referendum that focused on having a expansion with a larger weight room, more multipurpose rooms (MPR), as well as a swimming pool among many other items,” stated fourth-year biology and statistics major Gerry Young, who is also the secretary of the FGB. “Then based upon the budget that was allocated for the project along with the overall design of the building, the number and size of these rooms and fitness areas were determined.” Most notably, construction will not disrupt the regular hours of operations for the SRC, which will remain open for the duration of the expansion. “I think it’s much needed. We have a large student body and if you compare the student body to the rec room size, then it is obviously disproportionate,” stated SRC employee and second-year business and law major Troy Hall. As SRC Director of 13 years, Lindy Fenex commented on the major issues facing avid gymgoers, which led to a greater push for the expansion. “The current SRC [of 18 years] was designed for a student population of 11,000 and is unable to fulfill or satisfy the student demand for recreation programs, services or facilities,” he said. From 2011-2012, the enrollment rate at UCR surpassed
the 21,000 mark, which is up 4,000 from just four years ago. The first stage of the two-part construction project involves the addition of nearly 75,000 gross square feet and is scheduled for completion by June 2014. The second stage of the expansion will involve a major renovation to the existing SRC in order to free up additional office space and multipurpose rooms. The latter of the two stages is expected to be finished by winter quarter of 2015. New facilities include an outdoor Olympic-sized pool, 20,000 square feet of weight room and cardio fitness space, along with an indoor jogging track that surrounds a rock climbing wall. “I love to do cardio as well as play basketball, so the expansion of the cardio area is going to be great because it allows for a variety of different machines as well as less waiting time for a treadmill or elliptical machine,” stated Young, in regards to the inclusion of a multi-athletic court (MAC). The MAC includes a full-sized basketball court, which may also be used for recreational events such as indoor soccer or volleyball. The opening of a new aquatics facilities will contain a lap pool, recreation pool and a vortex pool. Basketball and volleyball courts will be built on the south-
east portion of the SRC while construction takes place on the outdoor area adjacent to Lot 25. “I’m just excited that it’s going to be bigger, to be honest. It’s packed. I don’t like waiting for machines...it’s like really unmotivating,” stated fourth-year ethnic studies major Frances De Ruyter. “I commute so it’s like I’m not going to wait an hour to use a machine and I have to drive all the way back to my house which is like another half an hour.” Selected in fall 2012, the designated construction company C.W. Driver will accompany the architect, Cannon Design, to complete the LEED Silver Certified building and support environmentallysound practices. “There has been student representation and input on all aspects of the design and construction of the new building, with several student members on all decisionmaking committees,” said Jenni Deveau, a psychology graduate and member of the FGB. “This is one area where students have a voice on [what] happens on the campus, and I think they have made their voice heard.” The public can view the dayto-day construction through a live feed that is is available on the SRC main website, recreation. ucr.edu. ■H
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TUESDAY, JAUNUARY 8, 2013
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School of Medicine Education Building shows off high-tech features Michael Rios SENIOR STAFF WRITER
On Dec. 13, 2012 UC Riverside held a ceremony for administrators, elected officials and community supporters as it unveiled the UCR School of Medicine Education Building. Visitors received a preview of some of the building’s new features, which include a medical simulation laboratory, a lecture hall, patient examination rooms and rooms for group discussions. The simulation laboratory was among the most talked about topics at the ceremony. According to the School of Medicine Dean and Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs G. Richard Olds, the lab will allow students to take a more hands-on approach to solving problems that physicians will likely encounter. Dubbed the “Problem-Based Learning rooms,” these areas will serve as a sort of practice facility for students. Manikins, life-sized dolls that emulate real-life functionalities of human beings, will be used by medical students to practice various operational skills. For instance, the manikins can bleed, display limited joint movement, contract its pupils and also includes infusible vein systems that will allow students to practice medical procedures such as intravenous injections. “The first patient a student touches should probably not be a real human being,”
D a m i n g Y e /HIGHLANDER Anatomical human models are among the many different resources that the UCR School of Medicine will have available for students.
said Paul Lyons, the senior assistant dean for education about the manikins in a press release. “There are a lot of technical skills and motor skills that they should learn and master before they touch their first real patients... [The manikin] gives the student the opportunity to learn and to make mistakes in a low-risk situation, before they touch their first real patient.”
NEWS IN BRIEF
The renovated building will also include examination rooms where students will be able to practice their interaction skills with future patients. Actors will portray patients with different kinds of injuries and illnesses.The interactions will be recorded on video, which can later be used by students and teachers as course material. Formerly a building for labs and classrooms for
statistics and computer courses, the building has since been renovated in order to make room for the School of Medicine. “This facility is not merely a building, or a node in the network of campus research, it is the builder of dreams, a vehicle to serve the urgent needs of our community,” Chancellor Timothy White said about the School of Medicine Education
COMPILED BY MELISA BIVIAN, contributing writer & LAUREN GREEN, contributing writer
UCR NAMED “BEST VALUE” BY U.S. FINANCE MAGAZINE UC Riverside was recognized as one of the nation’s 100 best values in public colleges by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance for 2012-2013. This is the fifth time that UCR has appeared on the magazine’s list. UCR is acknowledged by the magazine for its four-year graduation rate of 49 percent, low average student debt at graduation, abundant financial aid, a low “sticker price” and
overall great value. Beginning on Jan. 1, the February 2013 issue will be available in newsstands and online. UCR Financial Aid Manager Jose Aguilar said, “It’s a great honor to be on the top 100s and you know it’s always good to be on that list. It shows that Riverside is a top choice and that UC Riverside is a top choice.” Being recognized also allows future undergradu-
ates to make their decision in applying to the college of their choice. UCR continues to be recognized amongst several public colleges in the country for offering “We put a financial aid package according to the financial need of the student. Tuition packaging policy that we put together, we award our students is making it more affordable,” states Aguilar.
KENNEDY AWARD GIVEN TO UCR GRADUATE STUDENT UCR graduate student Michael Maroun has won the Kennedy Award for “Best Theoretical Research.” The Kennedy Award is presented annually by the American Physical Society’s California-Nevada section and graduates who win the award receive a $250 check. Maroun was recognized by his peers and his mentors who entered him for a chance to win the award. Maroun gave an oral presentation entitled “A
Building in a press release. Other buildings that make up the UCR School of Medicine include Webber Hall and the School of Medicine Research Building. The university is currently accepting applications for the inaugural class of 50 students, who will be entering in Aug. 2013. The final day to apply for the UCR School of Medicine is Jan. 15. ■H
Metric on the Space of Quantum Fields,” on Nov. 2, 2012. His presentation took place during the American Physical Society California-Nevada annual meeting and explored the origins of the quantum field. With the help of his graduate thesis advisor, Michel Lapidus, Maroun is on the path towards a doctoral degree in mathematical physics. Maroun’s Ph.D committee has also supported him in his endeavors.
Dr. Shan-Wen Tsai, member of the Ph. D committee states, “He will be both a very good researcher and teacher. I have worked with him and he was a great [teaching assistant]. I expect him to continue doing well.” The Kennedy Reed Award for Best Theoretical Research is awarded to graduate students from California and Nevada for their phenomenal work at institutions of higher education.
UCR ENGLISH PROFESSOR AWARDED $35,000 ANDY WARHOL GRANT Jennifer Doyle, UCR professor of english, was among the winners of a $35,000 Arts Writer Grant. Founded by the Andy Warhol Foundation, the grants ranged from $8,000 to $50,000 and were awarded in four categories: articles, blogs, books and shortform on Dec.3. Doyle will use the grant to support her book, “The Athletic Turn: Contemporary Art and the Sport Spectacle.” Her inspiration to write the book resided from her 10-year experience on the soccer team. Since Doyle wanted to learn everything she could about the sport, she began a soccer blog. “Artists have a lot to say about the sports they love. I thought: how cool would it be to write a book about the politics of sports, as
told to us by painters, performance artists and choreographers?” she said. Finishing up “Hold It Against Me: Difficulty and Emotion in Contemporary Art,” Doyle’s book will be published next year by Duke University Press. Her research focuses on American literacy, cultural studies, visual and performance studies, contemporary art history, and gender studies. The Andy Warhol Foundation is administered by Creative Capital, a national nonprofit organization that provides financial support to artists pursuing projects in all areas. The Warhol Foundation awards grants to professors like Doyle, in hopes of preserving their creations, presentations and documentation related to the arts.
. OPINIONS .
HIGHLANDER
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2012
HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL
AN OPEN LETTER TO CHANCELLOR JANE CONOLEY Dear Chancellor Conoley, We at the Highlander would like to warmly welcome you to the University of California, Riverside. Adjusting from the cool seaside breezes of Santa Barbara to the dry Santa Ana gusts of Riverside is quite the transition—no doubt it is as large as the transition from serving as the dean of the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Santa Barbara, to helming the chancellorship of one of the top research universities in Southern California. Moving is difficult. But we believe that you’ll feel at home before you know it and do a wonderful job as the 13th leader of UCR. The previous chancellor of UCR, Timothy White, left a remarkable footprint on our campus. He managed to guide the university through massive budget cuts and skyrocketing tuition, maintained UCR’s top national standing in campus diversity, and shepherded UCR’s School of Medicine through a turbulent accreditation process. But above all, he maintained a personal connection to students, be it through his town hall meetings, Friday letters, or romps around campus during Finals Week with cookies and his dog. Chancellor White understood that the way to enact positive change at UCR was to generate a positive connection with students and the UCR community as a whole. He accomplished this not only through communication, but by advancing projects that the students of UCR supported. Talking to students is one thing. Chancellor White ensured that those words resulted in concrete actions that benefitted the students of UCR. We urge you to follow in Chancellor White’s footsteps by further supporting the UCR community. The first place to start is the beautification of campus and the cultivation of a campus identity. Many places on campus—the Rivera Lawn, the plaza by the bookstore, the patch of grass in front of Hinderaker Hall—are dull and in need of character. They don’t speak of a UCR with a strong community identity, a devastating irony given UCR’s ranking as ninth in the country in terms of universities that contribute to the community’s public good. UCR can begin a program to display the artworks of student artists in order to liven up the otherwise bland and lifeless areas that students pass by daily. Furthermore, other than the Bell Tower and the big UCR letters situated nearby, UCR has no widely-known identifiable landmark. Likewise, the only landmark that announces a visitor’s arrival on the UCR campus is an out-of-the-way discrete stone slab that is easily missed by any pedestrian. We should invest in a HIGHLANDER STAFF
large landmark at the entrance to campus that can showcase the unique spirit and identity of UCR and be something that everybody at UCR can be proud of. We can build on this by accelerating the planning and construction of the CCenter, a multipurpose sports complex that would replace the aging structure of Bannockburn. Alongside the ongoing expansion of the Recreation Center, the C-Center would refocus attention onto the campus’ athletics program by housing a modern sports arena for athletic games and give the UCR community a new building and sports identity that is uniquely UCR. Though Bannockburn is affordable and houses a great deal of UCR history, it is old and incapable of accommodating an expanding campus population. In addition, moving forward with the C-Center would not only liven up the UCR campus and promote UCR school pride, but it would also generate income through ticket sales of sports games and leasing of unneeded space. Similarly, UCR needs to construct and renovate housing units to accommodate more students. Aberdeen and Inverness, Glen Mor, and Lothian are simply not enough living area for students should UCR continue on its expansion trajectory. And though Glen Mor 2 is under construction, it won’t open until 2014. In the meantime, UCR can upgrade its existing habitations to make the space worth living for UCR students. The current residence halls are cramped, with three people squashed into rooms originally designed for only two. Happiness begins at home, and revamping the residence halls would be the perfect place to start. Finally, you can lead the way in the development of a more community-oriented classroom by increasing the faculty-to-student ratio. Sometimes it’s difficult to feel like an individual in a sea of thousands of students. Hiring more faculty to teach additional classes would not only alleviate the feeling of being a mere sardine in an ocean crammed with bigger fish, but provide more class variety and enable more students to take classes interesting to them. UCR can innovate a new path forward for universities with large student populations by maintaining student growth and a faculty-to-student connection. All of these actions can further a sense of community and identity among the students of UCR. However, they all require money. And although Prop 30 passed, state divestment from higher education is still a serious threat. With no certainty of funding from Sacramento, UCR needs to return to its roots: the Riverside-based community. UCR’s very own School of Sports Editor
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Medicine provides a case study for what UCR needs to do in the future. When the school was originally rejected for not having sufficient funding, it embarked on an ambitious plan to raise $100 million. 80% of those funds came from the Riverside community. In stark contrast, endowments were only 0.31% of UCR’s overall income for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. Relying on the state for funding may not be tenable in the long-term. Instead of facing a situation where UCR is forced to rely on ever-dwindling funding from California, we can pioneer a new path by increasing partnerships in the local community. The University of California is the second-largest employer in Riverside and has received incoming classes of over 4,000 students for the past three years. This means it has a large network of employees, alumni, students, and interested local citizens that it can turn to for fundraising. If every person living in the city of Riverside were to contribute five dollars, UCR would net over $1.5 million—and this number would only grow when alumni no longer living in Riverside are taken into account. To be sure, this is only a drop in the bucket in a budget that totals more than $500 million. But it’s a start. UCR shouldn’t limit itself to fundraising in the local community, either. The people of the state of California and Business Manager
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throughout the country have an interest in the success of UCR, and we should take this opportunity to expand UCR’s fundraising network in order to provide more for UCR students, staff, and faculty. This is a lot to ask of an interim chancellor. But an interim chancellor has all the power—and responsibilities—of a chancellor of UCR. And further fostering a sense of UCR community spirit will not only make each student feel more at home at a campus where it’s still easy to get lost. It’ll also help UCR attract more students, top-tier professors, and help make our athletics department something to be proud of. Gordon Watkins served as UCR’s very first provost. After he retired, he was called upon to become dean of the school of education—at none other than UCSB. Chancellor Conoley, you can live up to his legacy and be the driving force to make the UCR community even better than it is now. Or at the very least, we’d be pleased with the chance to munch on delicious cookies and pet a friendly dog during Finals Week. Sincerely, The Highlander Editorial Board
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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. The Highlander accepts letters from the campus community. They should be 600-800 words in length and include the author’s name and contact information. Contact opinions editor Colin Markovich at opinions@highlandernews.org for more information.
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
OPINIONS
HIGHLANDER
In mass shootings, are firearms really the problem? J o s h ua W a g o n b l a s t STAFF WRITER
When tragic shootings like the one at Columbine High School in 1999 occur, the public immediately debates the subject of gun control. Recently, the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut have sparked the same controversy. On Dec. 14, 2012, 26 people were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. The devastating tragedy has struck a chord with the entirety of our nation. As a result, many questions are being raised. Does this recent massacre mean that there is a problem with current gun regulation? Should our Second Amendment rights to bear arms be reanalyzed to determine if it is appropriate in accordance with modern times? More importantly, does this elementary school massacre justify making the names and addresses of handgun permit holders public? I do not believe so. But this is exactly the law that Connecticut’s state Representative Stephen Dargan hopes to implement, and this is just one of many pieces of legislation that will rouse argumentation between gun advocates and their critics. There are faults to the newly advocated bills, and when it comes to Representative Dargan’s newly introduced proposition, I take a firm stance on supporting the privacy of gun holders. Eight bills supporting “more restrictions and tougher laws on those who own, sell, or want to own firearms” were introduced to Congress on Thursday, Jan. 3, said USA Today. Like Dargan, political representatives are becoming wary of the United States’ right to bear arms and are beginning to believe that the answer to shootings, like the one at Sandy Hook Elementary, can be solved with tougher regulations on firearms. Representative Carolyn McCarthy has proposed the High Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act, which would ban “the sale or transfer of ammunition magazines holding more than ten rounds,” according to CBS News. Fox News reports that Connecticut State Senator Martin Looney, for instance, would like to make it illegal for anyone convicted of a felony or misdemeanor from buying bullets. Stricter propositions are not the answer, especially if one is aiming to ban just the ammunition. Similarly to McCarthy and Looney, Dargan is taking steps in the wrong direction. Americans want to feel
I m a ge
c o u rt e s y o f leg a l i n s u rre c t i o n . c o m
The map displays the addresses of gun permit holders in a New York county; laws that force their publication would actually make people less safe.
secure and protected in their own homes. It is an American’s right to feel protected behind a loaded gun. It is also their right to use a gun recreationally, meaning hunting or firing at a shooting range. Releasing information of gun permit holders is not a solution to future mass killings, and neither is banning the sale of ammunition for that matter. The Second Amendment may not specify a gun holder ’s privacy rights, but I doubt that the nearly 180,000 handgun permit holders of Connecticut want their personal information to be made public. Parents probably don’t want criminals to find out where they can find a gun either, and if the names and addresses of gun permit holders are made public, they’ll know exactly where to go. Making information of various gun holders public is just another opportunity for the wrong person to get a hold of a weapon. Members of Congress may simply be trying to make the acquisition of a gun or ammunition more difficult. The more difficult it is to obtain these things the more unlikely a mass shooting should be, right? Well, if someone wanted to purchase bullets, they would find a way to do so.
If someone wanted to get their hands on a gun, they would also find a way to do so. Take, for instance, Adam Lanza, the killer of the 26 victims in Newtown. In accordance with the law he would not be the one whose information would be made public because he “went to the school with guns he took from his mother,” re-
If the names and addresses of gun permit holders are made public, [criminals will] know exactly where to go. ports the Huffington Post. Adam’s mother would be the one whose name and address would be made public, not her son’s. Authorities could not have predicted that Mrs. Lanza’s son would have stolen her guns that morning and begun firing at innocent children at Sandy Hook Elementary, and the new proposition by Representative Dargan would not have stopped him. If a mentally disturbed person, or criminal of any sort, had the intention of procuring a weapon they will find a
way to step outside of the bounds of the law. In this case, all Lanza had to do was go through his innocent mother, who spent her time obtaining her guns and ammunition legally. Readers may believe that having greater restrictions on guns and ammunition is a solid way to cut down on gun violence. Less guns therefore less murders sounds like a rational assumption to make. However, in a country like Switzerland, famous for its neutrality in many wars and having one of the wealthiest economies, the opposite stance is taken. Aside from their wealth and peacefulness, there are 4.5 million guns present in a population of just 7.9 million. Granted, their population is smaller than that of the United States. Conversely, the nation’s gun related crime is amazingly low. By low, I mean almost none, with 0.5 gun homicides per 100,000 residents in 2010. Here in the United States, debates rage on about how guns kill and representatives like Stephen Dargan are ready to make changes. But these changes may not be necessary. Citizens of Switzerland are not required to make anyone’s information public, even though almost every citizen has a gun
in their household and there are virtually no gun-related murders. In fact, people are allowed to carry their weapons around in public and “kids as young as 12 years old belong to gun groups in their local communities, where they learn sharpshooting,” according to Time Magazine. Perhaps our nation should learn a lesson from the Swiss and develop a sense of pride for our weaponry, rather than viewing handguns and other firearms as solely deadly instruments. Congress needs to find a better solution. Dargan seems to be proposing a law that practically accuses gun permit holders of probable future violent action. Some people are simply gun enthusiasts, not murderers. Like Lanza, criminals and murderers who intend on committing a mass murder will not do so in the confines of the law. They will also most likely premeditate their assault. Dargan has one thing right: the problem doesn’t lie with the weapon, but with the one who wields it. The only problem is that his proposed bill will ostracize respectable hobbyists and firearm aficionados, and possibly make them victims of possible robbery by those who plan on using their weapon H for actual illegal activity. ■
. FEATURES .
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
9
Best of Both Worlds: Entrepreneurship and College Life by Toni Louie, Senior Staff Writer Third-year engineering student Jaijeet Kakkar balances working on his successful cell phone accessory company while managing the demands of full-time college studies.
Among UCR’s student body are full-time student athletes, artists and even self-starting entrepreneurs. Jaijeet Kakkar, who goes by Jai, is a third-year engineering student and one of the founders of IMPRUE, an internationally recognized company devoted to the manufacturing and designing of cases and accessories for all of today’s major cell phones. The company only consists of 12 people throughout California, including five in their Fremont headquarters, but is also host to warehouse employees, associates, manufacturers and designers from ages 17-40 all over the world. Kakkar, who is obviously committed to IMPRUE part-time due to his status as a student, still says “I consider myself on the job 24 hours.” Looking back now, he never imagined his small business coming so far. In 2009, during the release of Apple’s iPhone 3GS, both Kakkar and his father anticipated the massive demand and dependence on smart phones in the near future and realized that this was the industry to get into. “I needed someone to fund the project because in high school, I was broke,” says Kakkar with a laugh. Driven by a simple idea to beautify and protect phones, father and son had the first shipments of products delivered
to their own home before eventually buying and opening their own warehouse, then hiring employees. In high school, Kakkar recalls having very little leisure time in between classes, football practice and IMPRUE. “My friends were always like, ‘Yo, where you
“If you have a talent or like what you do, go for it. Don’t be stuck doing something you regret.” at?’ and I was like, ‘I’m working.’” However, Kakkar realized that his commitment to his business made him stand out among others: “I felt good about the way people respected me.” At age 17, when conversing over the phone with new business partners, they were later shocked when Kakkar revealed his startling young age: one that is always disguised by a deep voice and a steady confidence in what he is doing. Currently, Kakkar is excited about the designs and molds that will come out of collaborations with new artists. One of his proudest ac-
complishments is the Sikh design iPhone case that was released in 2012, patterned with the Khanda symbol, inspiring unity and bringing awareness to the tragic Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting in August. “The whole idea for this case was not to market our religion or our brand,” Kakkar explains, “but just to educate about Sikhism; for example, a lot people assume that we’re Muslim, but we’re not.” His favorite collaboration right now is with the Pink Dolphin clothing line, which he has admired for a long time. When balancing college and work now, Kakkar bluntly describes his lifestyle in three words: “I don’t sleep.” Between academics, he is constantly researching new ways to improve the products, discussing with engineers, and traveling back and forth between UCR and IMPRUE’s headquarters in Northern California. As a full-time student at UCR, he is currently undeclared but is taking mostly engineering classes, aiming to eventually major in Computer Engineering. “There are many times I’ve actually thought of dropping out of school,” Kakkar admits. Although his parents support his commitment to IMPRUE, they won’t allow Kakkar to drop out of school and demand that his first priority is not losing focus. “Everyday I find ways to motivate my-
self to find that balance,” he says. School offers other options in his life just in case IMPRUE doesn’t work out. “But it will,” says Kakkar. “We’ve all worked so hard on this, and the future is limitless.” Kakkar, who is a huge football fan, says that if he does have free time he spends it with friends, watching football, or playing video games. However, maintaining that equal attention to both school and work, as anyone can imagine, is extremely difficult. “I sometimes have to skip classes,” he reveals. During spring of 2012, Kakkar missed an entire week of school to attend a cellular trade show in New Orleans. Sometimes he will need to work at the headquarters office in the bay area during random weekends, prompting him to leave Fridays immediately after his last class. “I’m always on the fly,” Kakkar says as testimony to his hectic schedule. On the bright side, Kakkar describes his struggle between school and work as “the best of both worlds.” In relation to being a college student, he says that one of the things he appreciates the most is the chance
to meet so many good people on campus. “It’s not like high school,” says Kakkar. He realizes that the people at UCR are so much more mature, have their own goals and extraordinary talents. Often times when he meets unique artists on campus, Kakkar will approach them with offers to work with him and design for IMPRUE. “I’m blessed to even have this opportunity,” he says about his environment, “so I’m going to make the best of it.” He is also open to giving advice about entrepreneurship and helping to open new doors for his talented peers to business opportunities. “I try to give back,” says Kakkar, who sees his generation as one that is full of potential. In the 21st century, the individuals of youth really are capable of starting their own businesses or becoming their own bosses, Kakkar has discovered through his own ambitious struggle. Individuals today are empowered to grow, produce, and to share their knowledge and success among each other. “If you have a talent or like what you do,” says Kakkar, “go for it. Don’t be stuck doing something you regret.” ■H
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FEATURES
TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
HIGHLANDER
THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE: A NEW COLUMN
SWEAT & SELF-LOATHING: A FITNESS GUIDE by Alexander Suffolk, Senior Staff Writer
We all know that the start of the New Year is the only time you can get in shape. I mean what is a better condition for running and dieting than the cold winds of January? It’s not like there is a season where the temperature is mild and vegetables are fresh and abundant. And besides, that would be too easy, and easy makes you weak. Remember, as the wisest of men once said, “Work it harder, make it better, do it faster, makes us stronger.” Still, to the uninitiated, the dangerous realm of fitness can seem daunting. But that is where I come in; I shall be your guide on a stepby-step journey through this strange world. So just sit back, relax, and let my expertise wash over you.
atre, not the gym. Step #2: Get on the Treadmill Now then, one of the most common sights for a gym is a row of people mindlessly running and staring at TVs like brainwashed hamsters. These are the treadmills—wonderful devices that you should really take advantage of. They’re a great way to spend a lot of energy while not actually going anywhere, serving both as a great workout as well as a grand metaphor for life. Get ready to stand in line though, this attraction is almost as good as the Dumbos at Disneyland and always seems to build up just as long a line during the first weeks of the year. Just remember to be patient and avoid the urge to kill the two or three jackasses in sweat pants that just walk for twenty minutes. Also do not concern yourself with any women that choose to wear a gallon of make-up to the gym for they are obviously just trying to attract creepy leers to get them to run faster and really break a sweat. After all, there is nothing as sexy as looking like a Geisha in a hurricane.
Step #4: Brave the Weight Room Ah yes, the Weight Room, where there is enough loud grunts and clanging of metal to make you think you have stumbled into a Rammstein concert. Here you will find the natives of the gym, the tribe of #TeamGetSwoll. They are a rambunctious group that seems to derive satisfaction from the constant action of picking objects up and putting them back down. Join them in their strange practice of constantly picking things up, but do not engage in their conversations of “sets” and “protein,” else they will know you are not one of their own. And if that happens, you must assuredly suffer the torture that they bestow upon outsiders: unwanted advice! You will get bogged down by information detailing what muscle group is where, and which one you should feel tension in, which is only slightly less horrible than water-boarding. So keep your head down and let your muscles do the talking, for your own sake. There are some forms of wrath in this world no person should have to be subjected to.
lined up under the welcoming beacon of the Golden Arches, getting ready to drown their sorrows with an extralarge soda for just a dollar. Well, that’s all I have for you guys.
Replacing training with trans-fats since ‘63 Follow the five steps I have laid out here and go forth into the realm of sweat and self-loathing, for you shall come out a stronger person. You can do anything you set your mind to, pain is weakness leaving the body, the early bird gets the worm, there are plenty of other fish in the sea, inspiration, inspiration. So here’s to a New Year and to a New You. Go out there and make the best of both.
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Perfect, just like that. Step #1: Observe Your Surroundings. When you first arrive at the gym, the sheer amount of running shoes you see and constant crinkling of water bottles you hear may take you aback. Fear not though, there is always an abundance of those who have undergone the holy Ritual of Resolution, although they come in a few varieties. There are the First-Timers, a rare species you can identify by their wearing of jeans. There are the ObviouslyVery-Importants who mainly workout their fingers on their cellphones and their counterparts The Artists, who take the time to upload mirror pictures to their Instagrams and Facebooks as if any of their friends actually care about them. You would do best to avoid all of them. In fact, avoid everyone; obnoxious chit chat is for the movie the-
Step #3: Avoid Medieval Torture Devices
“You jealous bro? You jelly? Yeah, you’re jelly. You’re so jelly, your name is Smuckers.”
Seriously, what the hell does this thing do?
Step #5: Be Consistent It must have been terrifying to get in and out of the jungle alive just once, but you have to dive in it again and again. You will notice that as the weeks go on, less and less people will show up, having lost faith in their Ritual of Resolution and awaiting the give-it-a-go-again in twelve months. Don’t be one of these slackers. This is Survivor, ladies and gentlemen. If you start to give up, it’s only a matter of time before Jeff Probst tells you that the tribe has spoken and that you need to go. Force yourself to sweat and feel pain for the entire year, else you will be like every other February Failure
You’re on your way, kid.
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
R adar ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Events this week Tuesday | 1/8 Thursday | 1/10 Friday | 1/11 Saturday | 1/12
Back to the Grind open mic | 7 p.m.
Rusty Perez at the Riverside Plaza | 7 p.m. “Daisies” at the Culver Center | 7 p.m.
Closing reception for Painting in Pixels: An Exhibition of Concept Art | 7 p.m.
“T e x a s C h a i n s aw 3 d ”
L i o n s g at e
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
HIGHLANDER
MOVIE REVIEWS COMING OUT THIS WEEK:
GANGSTER SQUAD
A HAUNTED HOUSE
ZERO DARK THIRTY
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING
TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D RATING: DON’T BOTHER
BY: GRACE KANG, SENIOR STAFF WRITER Courtesy of Lionsgate
Let me make it simple for you and state now that the opening credits montage was without a doubt the best part of “Texas Chainsaw 3D.” This is largely due to the fact that the clips used in the montage were from the original “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” The hour and half or so of asinine monkeyshines that ensue wiped nostalgia right off the 3D glasses and into the gutter of screenwriters Adam Marcus, Debra Sullivan and director John Luessenhop’s (“Takers”) collective imagination. The reboot-sequel picks up where the original “Texas” left off in 1974, and we learn the fate of the Sawyer family. Short story shorter, a small mob of enraged townsmen shows up at the Sawyer residence, shoots the inhabitants to death and burns the house to the ground. As the men later pick through the rubble for bodies, Gavin Miller (David Born) discovers that Loretta Sawyer and her newborn are still alive; somehow unnoticed, he kicks the woman to death and proudly presents the baby to his wife (Sue Rock), saying, “I got it for you, Arlene,” with all the suaveness of a man who must have forgotten one too many anniversaries. Skip forward 20 years to 2012. Now if you’re among the numbskulls who thought that 20 years after 1974 should be 1994, you must be feeling shamefaced right about now. I’m assuming that sometime after the writers decided they couldn’t bear to make this movie without Alexandra Daddario’s bare midriff they realized she probably can’t pass for a 38-year-old, which is, of course, why they decide to go ahead and bend the laws of time. Nevertheless, in present day, Heather Miller (Daddario), a.k.a. the living time anomaly, works as a butcher at a grocery store, far, far away from Texas, and her hobbies include making art with bones and interacting woodenly with her boyfriend Ryan (Trey Songz). Upon being notified that her grandmother Verna Sawyer has passed away, Heather learns that she is in fact adopted, and heads out Texas to check
out the estate bequeathed to her in the will. Once they arrive at the manor, Verna’s attorney Farnsworth (Richard Riehle) shows up with a set of keys and a letter from Heather’s grandmother that she is repeatedly instructed to read, which is obviously why she doesn’t. And so the attractive cast of 20-something lambs for slaughter (Tania Raymonde, Keram Malicki-Sánchez, Shaun Sipos) enter the mansion unaware of Jedediah “Jed” Sawyer—fondly known as “Leatherface”—(Dan Yeager) who lurks in the basement with his chainsaw collection. Daddario makes a valiant attempt at the role of last girl standing (or “final girl,” as coined by horror expert Carol Clover), though she seems to struggle with the “standing” bit; after her first encounter with Leatherface, in an impressive display of coordination, she trips down the front steps of the mansion and gets up only to trip again over the 2-foot-tall graveyard fence. She then proceeds to hide from her chainsaw-toting assailant in a wooden coffin. While it’s glaringly evident that the filmmakers aren’t mathematicians, they apparently aren’t aspiring logicians either. Supporting actress Tania Raymonde delivers an equally brilliant performance as Nikki, the best friend who once seduced Ryan behind Heather’s back. After the unfaithful pair locks themselves in the barn to escape Leatherface, guess who picks up a conveniently present shotgun, opens fire at the door and screams, “Welcome to Texas, motherfucker!” It’s true that Nikki had no way of knowing whether Leatherface is a native Texan, but forgetting that she herself just arrived in Texas less than 24 hours ago is a remarkable short-term memory trait usually found only in blue surgeonfish who go by the name of Dory. When Heather finally makes it to the police station, the movie takes a break and splits off into a reading lesson/ iPhone advertisement, as one unfortunate cop follows the red blood road into the mansion. Once he reaches the basement
Officer Marvin (James MacDonald) realizes too late that he’s not in Kansas anymore, but soldiers on at the command of his superiors who observe his progress from miles away at the station thanks to FaceTime video call. If that’s not enough motivation to send every sheriff scrambling for the nearest Apple store, I don’t know what is. Despite my prior comparison of the filmmaker’s creativity to a gutter, there is surprisingly no nudity in the movie. There is, however, one scene where Daddario’s shirt is completely undone for no apparent reason; the writers justify it as a key plot device, but why the shirt was unbuttoned in the first place is a mystery I’m not interested in solving, much like the entirety of “Texas Chainsaw 3D.” People get sawed in half, phalanges are amputated and blood overflows, but it’s pretty conventional fare as far as gory slasher flicks go. Audiences will be hardpressed to find any of the subtle social commentary on the monstrous Other that made the original film legendary in American horror. Although the laughable dialogue and gaping holes (I don’t
just mean the ones in Leatherface’s victims) in the story are a disgrace to the franchise, the worst move “Texas Chainsaw 3D” made was its attempt revamp Leatherface into a lonely giant who just misses his family and happens to also be a cannibalistic maniac. In one fell swoop the writers completely misconstrue the crux of Hooper’s villain. In a nutshell, it’s as though Luessenhop gathered a mostly attractive cast and said, “Hey guys, let’s make an idiotic parody of “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” that everyone will make fun of.” I did find this re-quel to be a nonstop laugh riot, but I can’t say it has much merit as a horror film. Audiences of “Texas Chainsaw 3D” will either laugh their keisters off or pray for the chainsaw flying at the screen to end their misery. Either way, there’s no sense in spending 15 bucks at the theater when you can find the same quality of work on YouTube. ■H
POST-CREDITS COOKIE
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TELEVISION REVIEWS “AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM” MID-SEASON PREMIERE: “THE NAME GAME” RATING: ★★★★★
Things have been bumpy in the last few episodes of “American Horror Story: Asylum.” Between the arrival of an Angel of Death, a serial killer Santa Claus and the untimely demise of some of the most pivotal characters, the series has really stepped up its game in terms of character and plot development. Frances Conroy returns to the show in “Dark Cousin,” this time as Shachath (an ancient Hebrew word meaning “decay” or “to corrupt”), the Angel of Death. She appears to those who call for her and offers them the choice between life and death; should someone choose the latter, she seals their fate with a kiss. Her presence perturbs the devil inside Sister Mary Eunice, and the two supernatural entities face off in one of the most gripping scenes on the show. Meanwhile Lana has escaped Dr. Thredson’s lair only to land in the car of a suicidal misogynist who crashes the vehicle; she is injured and eventually taken back to Briarcliff. It was particularly frustrating to watch Lana lose nerve during the perfect opportunity to end Thredson’s life. At this point, her misfortune seems almost comical, and it’s difficult to pity her when it’s clear the writers get a kick out of constructing the most absurd mishaps around her character. “Unholy Night” was a far less satisfying episode. Ian McShane does a phenomenal job of portraying the deranged serial killer, Leigh Emerson,
BY: DIANA S. HUANG, STAFF WRITER Courtesy of 20th Century Fox Television
who hates anything related to Christmas and Santa Claus. However, his story felt unnecessary in light of the preexisting abundance of storylines floating around, and it’s a shame to bring in such a fascinating character so late in the season and for only two episodes. Shachath and the alien mystery are put on the back burner as Emerson takes center stage, eventually falling in with Arden and Sister Mary Eunice as a pawn in the possessed nun’s scheme to rid herself of the thorn in her side—Sister Jude. The attempt on Jude’s life proves unsuccessful, but the former nun is rendered powerless and unable to stand in the way of her enemies. Stakes have risen for everyone in the aftermath of a critical shift in power dynamics within the asylum, turning up the heat in “The Coat Hanger.” The change of pace was a much needed reprieve from the increasingly formulaic nature of the second season. Lana learns that she is pregnant with Thredson’s child—a boy, according to Mary Eunice—and fails to abort the fetus. First season veteran Dylan McDermott is reintroduced as Johnny Morgan, a disturbed man who reveals his true parentage to a therapist. Morgan’s quietly menacing demeanor is a clear nod to Oliver Thredson, and it would seem that Bloody Face’s legacy continues on in present day. Despite the refreshing revelations, it felt as
though the writers were overly preoccupied with focusing on every single character, from Jude’s fall from grace to Arden’s discovery of the aliens. Kit had become a stick in the mud in recent episodes, but he heroically saves Lana and formulates a plan to force a confession from Thredson. “The Name Game” borrows its title from the popular 1964 rhyming game (Shirley Ellis), and is perhaps the most startling as well as the best episode of the season thus far. Tables are turned and death knocks on the doors of central characters. To keep it simple, Monsignor Howard finally makes himself useful by casting out the devil from Mary Eunice—but not before the possessed nun takes his virtue by demonic force;
the tryst is witnessed by Arden. In spite of his despicable character, the Nazi doctor’s death is strangely fitting and even poetic, as he immolates himself with Mary Eunice, the one person in life who mattered to him. Jude (now Judy Martin) is as good as dead in her near-vegetative state, but she reaches out to the Mother Superior Claudia, asking her to liberate Lana. Thredson gains the upper hand over Kit when he discovers that Grace (yes, the dead girl who was abducted by aliens) has returned. As the situation spirals out of control, Monsignor Howard emerges as a potential new threat as he loses himself further to his dreams of becoming Pope. Lily Rabe has been sensational this season, often
stealing the spotlight from Jessica Lange with just the right amount of sass and femme fatale attitude; the thin veil of innocence over the monstrosity within makes her character all the more captivating. Judy’s imagined musical number in the common room, however, is a bizarre yet ingenious way for writers to convey her descent into madness. It was disappointing for the Monsignor to exist as a background character, a waste of Joseph Fiennes’s talent, earlier in the season, but it’s becoming apparent that this episode is a turning point for “Asylum.” The series is ready to shake things up, as they focus on new storylines that may diverge from what viewers may have originally predicted. ■H
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Wheels Up at Riverside Art Museum
“The Pier” by Jhovana Cecena, acrylic on canvas.
By Rebecca Paredes, Senior Staff Writer // Photos by Daming Ye
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Tom Doyle next to one of his works.
t face value, w h e e l s are simply circular tubes of rubber that help transport us from one point to another. But for the artists at Riverside Art Museum’s latest exhibit, wheels embody an alternative method of personal expression. On Thursday, Jan. 3, the museum opened its doors for a demonstration and reception for “Wheels Up: The Wheelchair as an Artistic Vehicle.” The exhibit showcases selected works by five talented individuals who each possess a unique story. Despite their disabilities, the artists—Tom Doyle, Martin Vogel, Tom Tostado, Nikita Wang and Jhovana Cecena—illustrate their emotions, inspirations and subjects on canvas, using acrylic paint and alternative tools as a medium. In “Wheels Up,” the aforementioned tools
are wheelchairs, and the end result is fascinating. As I stood in the Riverside Art Museum’s atrium, facing the three canvases on display, I was overcome by a sense of juxtaposition. The atrium is a curious bit of interior design; its faux stone flooring and upperlevel balconies are designed to emulate the exterior of a Venetian building, but the setting is firmly planted on the inside of the museum. Similarly, the triptych of canvases presented as part of the demonstration for “Wheels Up” seemed paradoxical. The paintings, created by Martin Vogel, exhibited a curious cacophony of curves presented in the form of swirling, psychedelic shapes that combined to form an abstract presentation of movement. One of the side effects of using wheels as brushes is that the curves follow perfect lines, which WHEELS CONT’D ON PAGE 15
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made the paintings seem almost mathematical and computergenerated—and yet, they had been painted by a man dipping his wheels in paint and rolling over the canvas with calculated movements. By doing so, Vogel captures the dynamics of action in a uniquely captivating way. The upper level of the museum housed more paintings by Vogel, as well as works by the other artists of “Wheels Up.” I found one of Vogel’s pieces (“Diablo”) to be breathtakingly arresting. Vogel’s wheels create a tableau of arcs that merge to fashion an abstract shape reminiscent of an eye against a muted, deep background. The overall effect is a sensation of racing while standing still, and the painting’s varied hues of purple, magenta and red evoke a sense of enclosure within its quiet, powerful atmosphere. It was surreal to stare at the painting and feel as though it were staring right back at me. During the reception I chatted with teen artist Tom Doyle and his mother Kathleen, who is a special education teacher in Alhambra, California. Tom indicated that he does not draw from any specific inspirations or influences, and Kathleen explained that her son’s paintings do not involve any prior planning. “We just lay out the colors in front of him,” she said. Tom uses the front wheels of his chair to manipulate the colors on canvas, and he uses a paint stirrer to produce splatter effects and fill in empty spaces. The outcome is something that Tom discovers alongside his audience, which leaves the piece open to interpretation. One of Tom’s larger paintings (“Untitled”) possessed such emotion and contrast that it drew an impressive crowd. The composition depicts just 4 major colors: black, white, orange and yellow, but is presented with the symmetry and abstraction of a Rorschach inkblot test. I interpreted the diverse splatters throughout the painting as a stylized expression of anger, but members of the audience suggested “power,” passion” and “tiger stripes.” As I navigated the reception’s sea of well-dressed attendees, I was struck by the outpouring of patronage present among the museum’s donors as well as members of the Riverside community. The Academy of Special Dreams and the Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) were credited with providing generous support for the exhibition. At least 30 guests discussed the exhibit with museum staff and IEHP members, and directed questions to Vogel and Doyle as they lingered around the atrium and reception hall. A video presentation was screened to showcase artists not present at the event. The support shown at RAM was inspiring, especially given the significance of the exhibition to its artists. Todd Tostado, an artist who lost the ability to use his arms and hands due to spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), stated
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT in a video presentation that his art is important because “it is one of the few things [he] can do by [himself].” Tostado uses design software to create digital prints, such as “Friendly Faces,” a bold, distorted arrangement of smiling faces deconstructed into a swirling tornado. Vogel’s website testifies that “limitation in any form is an unknown concept to Vogel,” but I feel that this statement can extend to all of the artists featured at the “Wheels Up” exhibit. Nothing is stagnant on the upper floors of the Riverside Art Museum; each artist’s distinctive style portrays expressions ranging from anger to repose. These artists purely represent the curious contradiction of being faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles and overcoming them despite the odds. It is success against failure, expression against physical restraint. “Wheels Up” is at the Riverside Art Museum now through Thursday, Feb. 21. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, H and noon to 4 p.m., Sunday. ■
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Works by Martin Vogel on display. Vogel paints elaborate shapes and colors utilizing his wheelchair’s wheels.
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Best Albums of 2012
by Chris LoCascio, Senior Staff Writer
For the past few years that I’ve been doing this list, I’d been able to identify a certain theme that had permeated the particular year’s music. When taking a look back at music in 2012, the most dominant motif was not necessarily a result of the music recorded, but music played live. Now, I understand that this assessment may strike someone as odd, given the fact that this is list of the best recorded music of the year, but the connection is there—just hear me out. More than any other year in recent memory, 2012 demonstrated a striking departure from what the world knew as the traditional live music experience. The year destroyed boundaries of what is and isn’t a live performance, and challenged how live music can be enjoyed. One of the most talked-about live music phenomena of the year was the technological triumph resulting in Tupac’s appearance at Coachella. Thanks to a complicated set-up of—literally—smoke and mirrors, Tupac Shakur joined the real and very much alive Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg onstage at the Empire Polo Fields in Indio for a couple renditions of the deceased rapper’s classic songs. To the crowd’s amazement (and my own), despite his faint purplish glow, he looked clear, lifelike, and undeniably enthusiastic about being there. Ever since, people across the world have asked the question, “Must a performer be alive to perform live?” Before 2012, who would have thought that question would be so difficult to answer? 2012 was also a year filled to the brim with reunions or rare appearances of classic bands. From legendary acts like the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys and Black Sabbath giving it another go, to once-underground and little-known punk bands like Refused, At the Drive-In and Quicksand now headlining festivals, it seemed as though we were all caught up looking to the past last year. The selection of the albums on my best of the year list was not predicated on any sort of theme or definable criteria other than what I feel were the “best” albums released in 2012. With that said, there was the spirit of a live performance on many of the albums, whether it be sonically or thematically. “Celebration Rock” needs to be listened to out-loud in the company of a group of friends, while “All We Love We Leave Behind” was recorded by Converge and Converge’s live instruments alone, creating a sonic experience that rivals the band’s raw live performances. In 2012, it was all live and well.
Jamming
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Merchandise - “Children of Desire”
-”Children of Desire” is a seamless mix of post-punk, new wave and shoegaze that would make the ghost of the Smiths roll in its grave. Merchandise soaks the trudging guitars and crooning on their latest record in a thick layer of synthscapes that almost invites the listener in with its melodic pop sensibility, only to then shove back in its cacophony of sounds. But what that creates is a sense of discomfort that keeps listeners on the edges of their seats.
8
The Mountain Goats - “Trancendental Youth”
-By now, no one should be surprised by the awesome songwriting juggernaut that is John Darnielle, otherwise the principle man behind The Mountain Goats. “Transcendental Youth” is yet another folk triumph. It opens with “Amy aka Spent Gladiator 1,” an ode to throwing caution to the wind and doing absolutely anything and everything one may desire, with the sole rule repeated “Just stay alive.” By the album’s end, on “Spent Gladiator 2,” we’re bloodied and crawling on the battlefield, and once again, the chorus advises, “Just stay alive.” Here’s to hoping The Mountain Goats fight on.
6
Kendrick Lamar - “good kid, m.A.A.d city”
-As a self-avowed G-funk devotee, Kendrick Lamar’s “good kid, m.A.A.d city” hits the spot, which is no surprise given the legacy his hometown of Compton has in the history of G-funk and its main proprietor, Dr. Dre, who serves as executive producer on the album. You can hear it on throwbacks “good kid” and “m.A.A.d city,” which appropriately serve as the album’s climax. “Good kid, m.a.a.d city” follows Lamar’s growing up in Compton, telling a story that puts the listener in the back seat as Lamar and his peers ride around getting into trouble. By the end of album closer “Compton,” one feels as though they just walked away from a drive-by, unscratched, but unable to forget about what just transpired.
4
John K. Samson - “Provincial”
-On “Provincial,” John K. Samson delivers an album filled to the brim with creative, unique songwriting, just as we’d expect from him as part of the Weakerthans. Samson has a distinct way of capturing life in mini-narratives he weaves into his diverse music. In the university setting, there was likely no more relatable song released in 2012 than “When I Write My Master’s Thesis.” The song is a snapshot of a day as a grad student procrastinating on his thesis, dreaming of life after grading papers and citing sources. Who knows, I’ve probably had him as a TA.
2
Pinback - “Information Retrieved”
-Like the man staring at a mysterious, UFO-like object in Daniel Danger’s artwork for “Information Retrieved,” Pinback screens listeners with a patchwork of ominous, scifi-inspired tableaus. Fittingly, indie veterans Pinback write some of their most experimental music of their decadeplus career, which luckily for the listener, succeeds. Perhaps the song that best finds Pinback exploring uncharted territory is the Sgt. Pepper’s-esque “Denslow, You Idiot!” a rhythmic wonder that chastises this “Denslow” fellow with a light-footed grace unlike anything in the band’s catalog.
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Killer Mike - “R.A.P. Music”
-Killer Mike may have made his name by collaborating with OutKast, but on “R.A.P. Music,” he justifies his credibility with an album that marries his trademark harsh Southern-rap with El-P’s masterful, synth-heavy producing. Killer Mike captures Atlanta culture with a political punch and documents clashes with authority with a ferocity in his narratives on tracks like “JoJo’s Chillin” and “Don’t Die.”
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Cloud Nothings - “Attack on Memory”
-Perhaps the surprise of the year, Cloud Nothings’ “Attack on Memory” seemingly came out of nowhere with the strength of a band that has honed its sound over a long career. Their blend of low-fi garage rock and punk urgency, which blends well with dips in and out of Sonic Youth-esque noise, fits the album’s “us against the world” rebellious tone. “Wasted Days” and “Fall In” might be the best back-to-back song 1-2 punch of 2012.
5
Beach House - “Bloom”
-“Bloom” is a nightmare set on a dancefloor. Beach House’s gloomy, expansive songs beg to be moved to, but in the same way gothic masterpieces by the Cure might—with a heavy dose of melancholy. But there’s a beauty in “Bloom’s” darkness, heard in standouts like “Myth,” and “Troublemaker,” and it’s thanks to Beach House mastering their craft.
3
Converge - “All We Love We Leave Behind”
-Converge has built its legendary reputation on passionate songwriting and the gripping technical talents of its musicians. But the real star of the band’s latest album,“All We Love We Leave Behind,” and what sets it apart from all others in the band’s 22-year career, is its production. The stripped-down record not only features no guest musicians, but it also eschews all artificial effects and sounds. Combine that with the fact that the album was mastered differently for vinyl, CD and digital, and you have a powerful shot in the arm of unadulterated Converge at its best, regardless of how you’re listening to it.
★ 1
Japandroids - “Celebration Rock”
-“Celebration Rock” begins and ends with the sound of fireworks bursting overhead. In between, eight fuzzedout anthems beg listeners to kick down the walls of their cubicles, flip off their bosses and storm out of adult life with a reckless abandon most twenty-somethings just dream about. It is the perfect soundtrack to a life of fun and romance, blissfully ignorant of responsibility and reality.
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The Menzingers - “On the Impossible Past” The Tallest Man on Earth - “There’s No Leaving Now” The Bouncing Souls - “Comet” Classics of Love - “Classics of Love” And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead - “Lost Songs” Bob Mould - “Silver Age” Pallbearer - “Sorrow and Extinction” Burning Love - “Rotten Thing to Say” Hot Water Music - “Exister” Death Grips - “The Money Store” Black Breath - “Sentenced to Life” Lee Ranaldo - “Between the Times & the Tides” The Men - “Open Your Heart” Unsane - “Wreck” Wild Nothing - “Nocturne” The Evens - “The Odds” Night Birds - “The Other Side of Darkness” The Gaslight Anthem - “Handwritten” Crosses - “EP 2”
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Honorable Mention Albums
1) “www.ipetitions.com/petition/rivertonrifle/” - John K. Samson 2) “Wasted Days” - Cloud Nothings 3) “The House That Heaven Built” - Japandroids 4) “Self Immolation Family” - Self Defense Family 5) “Revelation Blues” - The Tallest Man on Earth 6) “All We Love We Leave Behind” - Converge 7) “When I Write My Master’s Thesis” - John K. Samson 8) “m.A.A.d city” - Kendrick Lamar 9) “DMT” - The Sidekicks 10) “Only Heather” - Wild Nothing 11) “Denslow, You Idiot!” - Pinback 12) “Troublemaker” - Beach House 13) “True North” - Pinback 14) “I Got Nothing” - Dum Dum Girls 15) “No End Left In Sight” -Hot Water Music 16) “Comet” - The Bouncing Souls 17) “Junior” - No Joy 18) “Wanted Criminals” - The Evens 19) “Ghost Fields” - Murder By Death 20) “Zeros” - Minus The Bear 21) “Poltergeist” - Deftones 22) “Turn Away” - Forgetters 23) “My Eating Disorder” - Titus Andronicus 24) “Lathe Biosas” - Pelican 25) “Don’t Pretend You Didn’t Know” - Dinosaur Jr.
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To listen to these songs, check out the Highlander’s “Best Songs of 2012” Spotify playlist on highlandernews.org!
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LES MISERABLES RATING: ★★★★☆
Director Tom Hooper’s (“The King’s Speech”) adaptation of “Les Miserables,” starring Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe, blows most other films of 2012 right out of the water in a display of incredible acting and risk-taking cinematography, topped off with a beautiful music score. Based on the stage musical and Victor Hugo novel of the same name, the film follows the story of Jean Valjean (Jackman), who is incarcerated after trying to steal a loaf of bread for his impoverished family. He attempts to escape from prison four times, which lengthens his sentence to 19 years and fuels the contempt of policeman Javert (Crowe). When Valjean is eventually freed, he steals silver from a kindhearted bishop who, instead of turning him over to the authorities, says it was a gift. From then on, he is inspired to lead a moral life, and eight years after breaking parole and assuming a new identity he becomes the mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer. In this city, he meets Fantine (Hathaway), who must resort to prostitution after losing her job. She is unable to care for her daughter Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), so Valjean takes the girl in and raises her as his own. Although Valjean hides his criminal past from his ward, they both become involved with French revolutionaries and join them in the fight to end the monarchy. Hooper takes a unique approach to the musical by having the cast sing live during filming rather than lip-sync prerecorded tracks. Though some of the vocal clarity was lost, it proved to be worth the extra emotion the actors were able to display firsthand. This effect, accompanied by an incredible orchestral score, added great drama to some of the film’s most passionate
BY: JAKE RICH, SENIOR STAFF WRITER
moments. One cannot forget the relationship between Cosette and Marius (Eddie Redmayne), her prospective lover and leader of the French revolution. Both Seyfried and Redmayne displayed extraordinary vocals and dramatic skill in their coy longing for each other. The film’s unique, if sometimes over-dramatic, cinematography is not to be overlooked; dynamic angles conveyed the chaos of certain situations. Sweeping shots of the city gave a great impression of 19th century France, and the mise-en-scene, especially during more upbeat numbers, helped create a sense of frantic fun. In the midst of all the drama, comic relief was brought to the table by Thènadier (Sacha Baron Cohen) and Madam Thènadier (Helena Bonham Carter), who housed Cosette briefly before Valjean took her away. Their facial expressions, physicality and amusing mannerisms while singing added genuine laughs to an otherwise histrionic musical. Though the film was brilliant overall, the length—at 158 minutes—could hinder some audience members from enjoying the film from start to finish. At times, the cinematography added unnecessary melodrama to scenes where the singing should have been the focus. Even with its few detriments, the high moments in this musical film truly outweigh the low points and more than make up for them. Anne Hathaway’s rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” alone is worth the price of admission. “Les Miserables” should be a heavy hitter this award season. Jackman and Hathaway in particular both deserve Oscars for their tremendous emotional depth throughout the film, and I fully expect the feature to be in the conversation for Best Picture. ■H
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
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DJANGO UNCHAINED RATING: ★★★★☆
Anyone who has seen the first 10 minutes of “Inglourious Basterds” knows how talented Academy Award-winning actor Christoph Waltz is. The film’s success was not only owed to Waltz’s performance, but also to Quentin Tarantino’s legendary, stylistic filmmaking. Lucky for audiences, the two have teamed up once again, showcasing their talents in “Django Unchained.” This picture revolves around Dr. King Schultz (Waltz), a dentistturned-bounty-hunter, and a heartbroken, beaten down slave named Django (the D is silent) played by Jamie Foxx. The story begins in 1858 with Schultz making his way through a darkened Texas forest on his caravan in search of the Brittle brothers, a trio of abusive slave owners. Django is locked into a chain gang of two slave traders who are also heading through the same forest; Schultz is then confronted by these men when he gets uncomfortably close. The traders engage in subtly threatening but comical dialogue with the retired dentist, who is hoping to purchase Django. After some kind words and gory outcomes, Django and Schultz end up becoming partners since Django is able to identify the Brittle brothers, who will yield a hefty bounty. During their quest they encounter many outlaws, plantation owners, slaves, racists and bandits—some of the many things that made the South a hell of a place to live at this time. A bond is quickly established between the bounty hunter and his protégé, and although Django supposedly grasps his bounty hunting skills swiftly because of his natural aptitude, it is too hasty a move. Tarantino’s dark sense of humor is one of his many
BY: JOSHUA WAGONBLAST, STAFF WRITER
strengths. However, this time around the dialogue is a bit campier. I assume this was done because slavery is a sensitive subject. The audience does have to sit through brutal whipping scenes and degrading dialogue toward African Americans. Waltz’s exchange with the aforementioned slave traders is brilliantly executed, much like all of his witty encounters throughout the movie (e.g. when the German-born dentist uses words like “parley” and is told to “speak English!”), but with lines such as, “Did you simply get carried away with your dramatic gesture, or are you pointing that weapon at me with lethal intention?” conversations at the beginning of the film seem cartoony. One fault I found was that the beginning of the film went by faster than I had expected.
The dialogue seemed rushed, and as a result you never get a sense of Tarantino’s slow paced but masterful and realistic use of dialogue. Perhaps I was merely eager to see more as an avid fan of Tarantino. Nevertheless, the film makes up for these minor pitfalls once Leonardo DiCaprio enters the picture, playing the brutal, immoral and spoiled Calvin Candie, owner of the plantation “Candyland.” On the surface, Candie is a man of southern hospitality and a proficient gambler for the sport of mandigo (a “game” where two slaves fight to the death). Schultz and Django need to entertain the plantation owner in order to distract him from their real intention of freeing Django’s wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) who is now “property” of Mr. Candie. The two bounty hunters propose a substantial offer to
Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
purchase one of Mr. Candie’s champion fighters, catching his attention and snagging a ticket into Candyland. The events at Candyland glue your eyes to the screen, especially the climactic battle to come. Every single scene with DiCaprio is phenomenal; he pulls off the role of a cigarette smoking, mint julep-drinking plantation owner with ease. Tarantino once again proves himself a fantastic writer and director, achieving a perfect performance from DiCaprio whose Candie spitfires lines like, “No, we weren’t talking business yet. We were discussing my curiosity.” Of course, be warned of the gruesome violence in store. Personally, I thought that the massive amounts of carnage and the constant use of the forever vulgar “N word” was used by Tarantino as a reminder
of why the word is deemed as such a profanity today; it is exclusively applied in the movie to debase black slaves. Above all, Tarantino has crafted another brilliant film. “Django Unchained” is not Tarantino’s best, but has hopes as an Oscar contender. I doubt it will yield a Best Picture award, but fans may see Foxx, Waltz and DiCaprio receive nominations for their performances. “Django Unchained” is violent, obscene and ridiculous, but serves as a purposefully over-thetop reminder of a historical American tragedy and one of the funniest movies of 2012. ■H
POST-CREDITS COOKIE
20
TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY RATING: ★★★☆☆
Director Peter Jackson (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy) has brought us yet another epic with J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” Set 60 years before the events of “The Lord of the Rings,” it follows the story of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) and 13 dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) as they reclaim the once great dwarf kingdom of Erebor from the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch). Composer Howard Shore returns to helm the score, and the breathtaking and nostalgic music enhances the film experience tenfold as the new company travels across Middle Earth for their quest. The lead cast is impeccable, with British actor Richard Armitage (“Captain America: The First Avenger”) capturing the grimly determined countenance of Thorin Oakenshield perfectly. Armitage has made a name for himself playing solemn, brooding characters in both film and television. Martin Freeman (“Shaun of the Dead”) is spot-on as Bilbo, a hobbit who reluctantly joins the dwarves on their quest after some heavy-handed persuasion by Gandalf. Ian McKellen’s iconic performance as the beloved wizard makes the movie worth watching. Gandalf has always been a pivotal character for the series, but in this movie audiences realize the extent of his sagacity in comparison to Saruman (Christopher Lee) and even the elf-lord Elrond (Hugo Weaving). His prediction about the threat Smaug poses is what initiates Bilbo’s departure from Bag End. The screenplay, written by veterans Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Jackson himself, suffers
BY DIANA S. HUANG, STAFF WRITER Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
no shortage of humor, including a particularly playful scene that involves three trolls arguing over how to cook the dwarves. Sadly, not all dwarves get their fair share of screentime, but a notable few include Kili (Aiden Turner), Fili (Dean O’Gorman), Balin (Ken Stott) and Gloin (Peter Hambleton), father of Gimli, the only dwarf member in the Fellowship of the Ring. Andy Serkis reprises his role as the vicious and schizophrenic Gollum, and does a remarkable job of emoting the emaciated creature. One of the best moments in the film entails a game of cat-and-mouse riddle between Bilbo and Gollum; if the hobbit loses, Gollum promises to bash his head in and eat him whole. The underlying danger in the otherwise comic turn leads to some of Freeman’s finest acting. One commendable aspect of “The Hobbit” is its attention to detail. The dwarves’ motives are clearly and logically established, and Thorin’s backstory rationalizes his obstinacy and prejudice against the elves. Jackson’s incorporation of elements from Tolkien’s other novels and archives was a nice touch, transforming what would have been a straightforward, light-hearted children’s tale into a more complex, adult-themed work. This move suits del Toro and Jackson just fine, as both are accustomed to making bigscale movies with sweeping cinematography and dark, multi-layered storylines. From the homely Shire to dreamy Rivendell and the rickety bridges of the vast Goblin hole, the varied changes in scenery are a welcome refreshment in the almost 3 hour-long movie, and serve to emphasize the shifting attitudes of the group.
It’s satisfying to be able to feel the character growth and building camaraderie as the company of 14 finally begin to come to together in a solid and trusting alliance. “An Unexpected Journey” lives up to its name as the first installment in the latest trilogy, with plenty of pleasant surprises in store for audiences. Despite its differences from the original novel (e.g. Radagast the Brown never appears in the movie, whereas Galadriel, who is not in the novel, does), fans of Tolkien’s work may want to check out the adaptation at the very least for its outstanding performances and cinematography. Jackson has crafted a praiseworthy film that deserves a chance H to shine in its own right. ■
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
21
MUSIC REVIEWS TORO Y MOI // ANYTHING IN RETURN RATING: ★★★★☆
Chaz Bundick’s—the mastermind behind Toro Y Moi—musical output can be described as amorphic; he helped pioneer the chillwave genre in “Causers of This,” while channeling his inner dance music enthusiast through the side project Les Sins. In a recent interview with Pitchfork, at his album pre-release event, Bundick stated that he “wanted to make a pop album…because [he] really liked that kind of music with big studiosounding synths and auto-tune,” because if it was “done tastefully and properly, it can be enjoyable.” “Anything In Return” neatly marries the hip hop funk beats of Toro Y Moi and the poppier sounds of Les Sins. Toro Y Moi’s production values have steadily increased with each successive album, and his ability as an arranger is evident in the new
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BY: NEILL CHUA, CONTRIBUTING WRITER album’s beautifully retro-chic vibe. “Anything In Return” kicks off with what is arguably its catchiest track: “Harm In Change.” It shies away from Toro Y Moi’s trademark syncopated rhythms that brought chillwave to popularity and instead opts for a steadier baseline accompanied by driving melodies and a palette of piano chords. Bundick’s airy vocals whisper over the rich instrumentals and finelyplaced female vocal samples, creating a mellow yet groovy ambiance for the listener. “Say That,” another standout number, unites the best elements of past experiments. The rippling beat works busily behind arpeggiated harmonies in an endless head-bobbing sensation. Vocals take a backseat in this song, which accentuates the punchier bass
as it takes center stage in this instant crowd pleaser. The lyrics, “How’s it wrong / Where I want it / I’m only built to show,” pose a rhetorical question for listeners, as it asks them to search for weaknesses in the music in the album closer “How’s It Wrong.” Moreover, it reveals Bundick’s never ending quest to enhance his musical voice and perfect his passionate approach to composing enjoyable tunes. Bundick presents 12 delightfully danceable tracks in a medley of club-friendly cadences and iconic synths that date back to his chillwave era. Toro Y Moi’s music is infectious, intricate and no doubt time consuming, and “Anything In Return” manages to underscore his aptitude for warm, inviting sounds H despite taking a poppier approach. ■
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22
. SPORTS .
TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
HIGHLANDER
Men’s basketball wins big against Northridge, falls hard versus Hawai’i c o dy n g u y e n STAFF WRITER
Jan. 3, 2013 Highlanders 65 - Matadors 64
In the midst of a 3-10 season that many Highlander fans have dismissed as a lost cause, a glimmer of hope was cast in the form of a standout performance by Chris Patton, who elevated the team to a 65-64 road victory over the 14-point favorite Northridge Matadors. A tightly contested match from start to finish, the Matadors were poised to be en route to a victory with a 64-60 lead after a three-pointer by Matador Josh Greene at the 42-second mark. This appeared to land the proverbial dagger in the struggling Highlander squad. Then, in an unthinkable turn of events that one could understandably attribute to divine intervention, Chris Patton scored on a layup while subsequently drawing a foul and converting on the and-one opportunity. On the ensuing Matador possession, the Highlanders forced a Landon Drew turnover and fed a red-hot Chris Patton yet again to give the Highlanders a 65-64 lead with 11 seconds to go. Tension filled the Matadome as the Matadors took the final possession in a do-or-die scenario. With four seconds to go, Allan Guei shot up a prayer that fell on deaf ears, sealing a UC Riverside upset. The Highlanders were solid in both sides of the ball in their best win of the season. Offensively, three players reached double figures in scoring (Chris Patton – 19, Josh Fox – 13, and Chris Harriel – 11) while shooting an efficient 53.8 percent from the field. Defensively, the Highlanders successfully suffocated the Matador offense, holding Northridge to a paltry 38.9 percent from the field. Jan. 5, 2013 Warriors 76 - Highlanders 61
Two days removed from their thrilling victory over the Northridge Matadors, the Highlanders made a
KENDALL PETERSON
KENDALL’S FASTBALL Taking the Heat
K e v i n D i n h /HIGHLANDER Freshman guard Dayton Boddie dribbles past a Fresno defender on a fastbreak.
put the icing on his stellar first half performance with three more shots beyond the arc, giving Hawai’i a commanding 40-21 lead going into the locker room. The Warriors’ dominance would continue in the second half, as they were able to push their lead to as much as 20. The Highlanders were able to open up a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 48-35 early in the second half, but the offensive juggernaut of the Hawai’i Warriors proved to be too much to handle as UC Riverside
trip to the Aloha State in hopes of upsetting a red-hot Hawai’i team and improving to 2-1 in Big West play. However, their hopes were broken when UCR fell to the Matadors 76-61. With the score tied at 8-8 early in the first half, Hawai’i freshman guard Brandon Jawato took the game into his own hands, facilitating a 14-0 run by connecting on four straight three-pointers, giving Hawai’i a 2510 lead with 6:55 remaining in the first half. Jawato would proceed to
was incapable of a comeback. The Highlanders appeared to be a different team than the one that upset the Northridge Matadors on Thursday Jan. 3, struggling mightily in all phases of the game. Offensively, the Highlanders shot a pitiful three for 16 behind the arc to go along with a 39 field goal percentage. Hawai’i had their way with the Highlander defense, shooting 63 percent from three-point range and converting on 55 percent of their to■H tal shots.
MEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS BIG WEST GAMES Team
W
L
PCT.
Hawai’i Cal Poly Cal State Fullerton Long Beach State Pacific UC Irvine UC Santa Barbara UC Riverside UC Davis Cal State Northridge
3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 0 0
0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3
1.000 1.000 .667 .667 .500 .333 .333 .333 .000 .000
ALL GAMES
W
L
9 7 8 6 7 7 5 4 4 9
5 6 6 8 7 9 9 11 9 6
PCT.
.643 .538 .571 .429 .500 .438 .357 .267 .308 .600
It’s a new season for the NBA, which means a new champion will be crowned. Or will there be? The reigning champs Miami Heat could win back-to-back championships. You can say that’s good for Miami and its fans, but I rather think there are teams in the league that threaten to crush the hopes of all Heat fans. One team that can give the Heat a run for their money is the New York Knicks. If the Knicks can sustain their great three point shooting throughout the season and into the playoffs, they have a shot to beat the Heat. First off, you have the pure scorer Carmelo Anthony. He will be matched up against Lebron James, going tit for tat in points. Lets not forget the height difference in the front court with Tyson Chandler who stands at seven-foot-one. He stands as a big body in the paint when Dwyane Wade or James drives to the basket. My first choice would have been the Oklahoma City Thunder, however, I can not get over their collapse in the 2012 Finals. Yet, they have the threetime scoring title winner Kevin Durant who will put the team on his shoulders. The dynamic backcourt of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Martin, along with Durant will keep them close enough in games as long as they play fundamental basketball. The third team is my Chicago Bulls.They are a great threat against the Heat because they play team basketball. The Bulls rebound as a team, they are third in the league for points allowed with their stingy defense and they share the ball. But lets face it, the Bulls aren’t the team that made it to the Eastern Conference finals two years ago. However, they recently beat Miami without Derrick Rose on the floor and the Heat’s big three played. Once Chicago gets Rose back from his torn ACL the Bulls will be an even more of a threat. The one team that is up and coming are the L.A. Clippers. Clipper fans may believe they could make it to the finals and win. But they haven’t proven themselves. Even though they had a perfect record in December, they must get past the San Antonio Spurs, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year and win in the playoffs. So to all the Heat haters, may luck be on your side and the Heat get knocked out of the playoffs. Personally, I think the Thunder will be the team that ends the Heat’s reign. ■H
SPORTS
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
23
ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
Natasha Hadley
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Darren Bueno STAFF WRITER
While UCR students were out enjoying the holiday season, the basketball programs at UCR exchanged their jovial hats for work helmets as both teams continued play throughout winter break. The men’s team struggled to string together wins but the ladies of blue and gold completed a solid outing, finishing the month with three victories in five games. At the forefront of the Highlander’s Christmas attack was center Natasha Hadley, who averaged 11.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in the month of December. The sixfoot-two junior equipped with offensive potency scored 19 points and grabbed a team high nine rebounds to lead the Highlanders to a 71-43 romping of Northern Arizona University on Dec. 2, which was the largest margin of victory for Riverside in nearly two years. Her fervent play during the opening week of December earned the Perris native Big West Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors as well as College Sports Madness Big West Player of the Week. “I feel that when I was doing well enough to be recognized it had a lot to do with two important things; one the hard work of my teammates, and two the hard work of myself,” Hadley explained in an interview with the Highlander. “Truly I am only as good as my
team and the work that we all put into it.” She continued her efficient form versus nationally ranked Oklahoma on Dec. 20, shooting 60 percent from the floor while recording 12 points and six rebounds for the game. In the last non-conference match of the season against University of Nevada Las Vegas, Hadley recorded her second double-double of the year tallying 22 points and 10 rebounds while tying her career high in points. The center stated that her recent success is due to team continuity rather than just sole individuality. “Offensively I have been working to do the right things, in that I have been looking to be a threat and put myself in advantageous positions,” she said. “...when I score it is mostly due to a collective effort and everything clicking in that instance.” To cap off an already impressive list of achievements, Hadley was a recipient of the “Budweiser Responsibility Matters Good Sport of the Month,” which is an award given to UCR athletes that showcase responsibility both on and off the court. As the women’s basketball team battles for position within the Big West Conference, Hadley is certainly going to be an instrumental part of the puzzle. Her dynamic play in the month of December has earned several honors and she is adding yet another as the Highlander’s Athlete of the Month. ■H
MICHAEL RIOS
RIO-SIDE Post players will be key for UCR
B rya n T u t t le /HIGHLANDER Junior Natasha Hadley makes a free throw during the Hawai’i game.
DECEMBER STATISTICS
#31 Hadley, Natasha Games played
Minutes/game
Points/game
5
30.4
11.0
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For the first time in a long time, UCR has big players down in the paint who can actually score effectively. Chris Patton has been the Highlanders’ best scorer all season, while freshman Josh Fox has become one of the most consistent big men on the team. Although the Highlanders didn’t earn a good record against non-conference opponents in the first half of the season, there is certainly a lot to look forward to in the remaining games for the team with their big men running the show. UCR can definitely change its record against Big West teams in the second half of the season. The conference usually isn’t known for their abundance of big players and that’s where UCR can be effective. For instance, we saw how well Patton performed against Northridge last week. In that game, he scored 19 points and shot an amazing 80 percent from the floor. In the closing minutes of that match, Patton scored five straight points to erase a four-point deficit and to give the Highlanders a win, while clearly out-matching UCR’s Big West opponent with his six-foot-ten stature. This guy is simply amazing. One could even argue that he has a little bit of magic of the Gasol Brothers in him. He has post moves, he has a soft touch around the rim and he can actually shoot well. UCR’s other big man, Josh Fox, is not too shabby himself. Although he’s only a freshman, he has started just about every game for Riverside and has become the team’s third best scorer. The bottom line is that when UCR’s big men are effective, UCR usually wins. In their last two victories, both big men scored in double figures and combined for over 50 percent shooting from the floor. It’s no secret that when they play well, the Highlanders usually get wins. It’s going to be exciting watching this team play from this point forward. Look for the big men to have big performances in big games for the Highlanders the rest of the way. ■H
24
SPORTS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013
HIGHLANDER
UC Riverside women lose two in a row at home against Northridge and Hawai’i m a tt h e w g u e r r e r o CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Jan. 5, 2013
Jan. 3, 2013
Warriors 65 - Highlanders 50
Matadors 65 - Highlanders 49
UC Riverside women’s basketball team had played well in the beginning of the season, but have recently fallen on hard times. The Highlanders failed to score more than 50 points and shot just 34.8 percent from the field in a 50-65 loss against Hawai’i. The game was tied 4-4 before Hawai’i ran away with the match to take a 15-5 lead, capitalizing on Riverside’s weak offense and transition defense. Tre’Shonti Nottingham scored the final seven points of the half and helped Riverside cut the lead down to three points. The second half started positive for the Highlanders. Brittany Crain nailed a jumper for the first bucket and Kiara Harewood hit clutch free throws as she has all season long to put Riverside up by one point. Hawai’i took back the lead at 33-27 with 15 minutes left in the half. Riverside cut the lead down to six, but was unable to capture the comeback. The Highlanders turned the ball over 20 times and shot 16.7 percent from three point land. Hawai’i outscored the Highlanders 39-27 in the second half and relied largely on their inside game. Hawai’i took six threepointers and made two of them for 33.3 percent shooting from behind the arc. UC Riverside struggled on their jump shots and made just two of their 12 three pointers. Riverside takes on Cal State Fullerton at home Saturday, Jan. 12 and hopes to get their offense H going in a week of practice. ■
UC Riverside entered the game against Northridge (7-4) but struggled with their offence against Northridge, allowing the Matadors to pull out the 65-49 victory. UC Riverside managed to start the game on a good note with a 5-4 lead after Natasha Hadley made a few free throws and a jumper; Hadley scored all of Riverside’s first five points. However, Northridge went on a 5-2 run and took a 9-7 lead with 15:20 left in the first half. That was as close as the Highlanders would get to beating the Matadors. Brittany Crain nailed a three-pointer for the last bucket of the half to bring the deficit from nine to six going into the second half, allowing UC Riverside to take some confidence heading into the second half. Northridge opened up the second half with a 20-4 run which proved fatal for the Highlanders. UCR’s defense was unable to match Northridge’s offensive intensity. Two blocks and a steal by the Matadors fueled their offense and took a 45-30 lead with about 15 minutes left. Riverside could only cut the lead to 16 by the end of the game. Camille Mahlknecht and Marta Masoni led Northridge with 13 and 11 points. UC Riverside relied once again on Brittany Crain with 15 and Nottingham who delivered eight points in an anemic night in which Riverside shot just 35.2 percent from the field and shot under 20 percent from the three point line.
B rya n T u t t le /HIGHLANDER
Senior guard Tre’Shonti Nottingham jumps up the air for a shot against Hawai’i
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS BIG WEST GAMES Team
W
L
PCT.
Long Beach State Cal State Northridge Pacific Cal Poly Hawai’i Cal State Fullerton UC Santa Barbara UC Davis UC Riverside UC Irvine
2 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.000 1.000 .500 .500 .500 .500 .500 .000 .000 .000
ALL GAMES
W
L
PCT.
9 8 11 7 5 5 5 5 7 4
5 5 2 6 8 9 9 7 6 10
.643 .615 .846 .538 .385 .357 .357 .417 .538 .286
Men’s basketball coach Jim Wooldridge turned Riverside into Division I competitors
K e n da l l P e t e r s o n SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Jim Wooldridge has been coaching since 1978 and has been a head coach for 24 years in the NCAA, accumulating over 400 wins. Wooldridge is entering his sixth season at UC Riverside’s men’s basketball program after being named the sixth head coach in team history on May 2, 2007. Ever since, he has turned around a program that went 7-24 with one win in Big West Conference play in 2006-07 and had yet to experience a winning season after making the transition to Division I in 2001-02. In 2007, the first year that Wooldridge was in Riverside, the team exceeded all expectations by finishing seventh in the league and defeating Cal Poly
62-54 in the first round of the conference tournament for just the second Big West Tournament win in the program’s history. The 2008-09 season saw the Highlanders cement their standing as a team on the rise in the Big West, breaking numerous Division I-era program records including posting the team’s first-ever winning season (1713), winning the most games ever at home (11) and on the road (6), winning the most conference games ever (8) and finishing in a tie for fourth place in the Big West. Two years later, UC Riverside once again made Division I history as the Highlanders upset second seeded Cal Poly in the first round of the 2011 conference tournament, advancing to the semifinals in Big West postseason play for the first time ever. The 2011-12 squad entered its name in the record books by earning its highest seed ever for the Big West Conference Tournament. Before coming to UCR, Wooldridge traveled across the country, building up a diverse basketball resume in both col-
lege and professional levels. His first shot at a head coaching job came at Central Missouri State in 1985. At the time, he was a member of Lynn Nance’s staff
“I don’t think about anything other than trying to make this program better and do the things within this program I think that need to improve and be better. Take it day by day.” as the programs chief recruiter. When Nance left in 1985 after winning a championship, Wooldridge was named the head dog. “They promoted me to the head coaching position at a very young age. I think I was 28 years old at that time,” Wooldridge said. “It gave me my first head coaching break.” After taking two other head coaching jobs with Texas State (1991-94) and Louisiana Tech (1994-98), Wooldridge took
the step up to the pros as an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls from 1998-2000. “I thought it was something in that juncture of my life that I wanted to leap into. It was a real learning experience for me, one that I will always cherish; I think it made me a better basketball coach.” Wooldridge was considered the staff authority on the triangle offense, having taught it at Louisiana Tech, and learning it from friend and triangle “guru” Tex Winter. While in Chicago, Wooldridge helped the development of 1999-2000 Co-Rookie of the Year Elton Brand and Ron Artest, who earned All-Rookie team honors that same year. “They were talented players,” Wooldridge recalls. “They were fun to be around. The talent level we have seen throughout their long careers in the NBA is very high.” The development that Wooldridge brings out of players has shown here in Riverside. This season he has helped the junior Chris Patton into a star player for Riverside. He is averaging 10.6 points a game on 47.4 percent shooting and 65.7 per-
cent from the free throw line. He averages 5.4 rebounds and uses his six-foot-ten body to bang in the paint. After being an assistant with the Bulls, Wooldridge took a head coaching job with Kansas State in 2000-2006. He lead the Wildcats to their first winning season in six years in 2004-05 when the team posted a 17-12 mark in the Big 12. Wooldridge said there wouldn’t have been another type of situation that would have drawn himself away from the NBA besides that kind of Job. This season the men’s basketball team has been struggling. They are an exceptionally young team with eight freshmen on the squad. Coach Jim Wooldridge has been a winning coach throughout his long coaching career, but this season has posed a particular challenge for him. For now, the team’s success for the rest of the season remains a question unanswered. “I don’t think about anything other than trying to make this program better and do the things within this program I think that need to improve and be better. Take it day by day.” ■H