Volume 63 Issue 05 by The Highlander- UCR

SPORTS, PAGE 27

Men’s soccer pulls off upset, defeats No. 2 UC Irvine

FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

Highlander University

Volume 63

C a l i f o r n i a , R ive r s i d e

Issue 05

Serving the UCR community since 1954

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ASUCR reveals lineup MIDTERM for third annual food ELECTIONS truck festival GUIDE

★ ENDORSEMENTS ★ OPINIONS, 10-11

Task force to increase campus involvement for nontraditional and transfer students AMY ZAHN Contributing Writer

This year’s food truck festival will boast even more trucks offering near-endless choices of foods.

ESTEFANIA ZAVALA Senior Staff Writer

UCR’s third annual food truck festival, featuring a variety of culinary options for hungry UCR students, will be bigger and longer than ever before. With food trucks ranging from Me So Hungry Truck to Rolling Sushi Van to a truck simply titled Baconmania, as many as 30 food trucks are expected to be at the festival. This is an expansion from the festival’s inaugural year where it held only a dozen trucks. The festival will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 29 and span from the campus bookstore to the lawn outside Rivera Library. “ASUCR thought that by

throwing more interactive events on campus, such as the Food Truck Festival, we can contribute to the campus culture,” affirmed Marketing Director Ravin Rathod, a key organizer of the festival. Vice President of Internal Affairs Fernando Echeverria shared similar sentiments and described the festival as a “great way to build campus pride,” furthering that the festival will now be held on a bi-annual basis during fall and spring quarter. Echeverria explained that student surveys were conducted to gauge what sorts of culinary options were popular and from there, ASUCR collaborated to ensure almost every possible food option was offered.

OPINIONS

ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER

“We’ve almost hit every possible food source imaginable,” said Echeverria. “There may be a few trucks that are unable to make it on the day of the festival due to things like mechanical problems or not passing inspections,” cautioned Rathod. Every food truck must meet application requirements as well as show the appropriate food handler certificates, health permits and proper insurance to qualify for the festival. ASUCR organized this event by investing student fees into T-shirts, badges and food for the volunteers that make this event possible. Funding also ► SEE FESTIVAL, PAGE 6

FEATURES

SRC fees are higher than ever — should students be afforded an optout? PAGE 9

Formed in mid-September by Vice President of Internal Affairs Fernando Echeverria, a transfer and nontraditional student task force seeks to provide greater representation for student parents, veterans, disabled students, transfer students, commuters, students with a break in their education and other underrepresented groups on campus. Nontraditional students are generally defined by UCR Admissions as those who are homeschooled or have a high school education from a “blend of sources,” such as from a community college. The idea for the task force was born after the 2014 UC Student Association conference, where a caucus of transfer students came together to discuss issues that transfers face in the UC system. After attending the conference, Echeverria felt that transfer

RADAR

HARD Day of the Dead is bound to rock some graves Nov. 1 and 2. PAGE 14

students and nontraditional students had limited space when it came to bringing up concerns on campus and wanted to help. “Why not give them a space and a voice?” he said. Composed primarily of undergraduates, the task force currently has about 10 members, all of whom identify as nontraditional students. The task force plans to organize support groups and informational workshops about the resources UCR has to offer. One of the first events included a workshop on Monday to encourage transfer students to get involved with the University Honors Program and ASUCR. UCR currently offers a number of resources for nontraditional students, such as the Transfer Outreach Program (which helps new transfer students acclimate to the UCR campus); wheelchair, crutch and cane loans for students ► SEE TASK FORCE, PAGE 5

SPORTS

The Artsblock premieres “Jodorowsky’s Dune,” a documentary about the best movie never made. PAGE 24

Women’s golf wins over the weekend with senior Brittani Ferraro nabbing top honors. PAGE 26

NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

HIGHLANDER

UC Riverside students condemn mass incarceration JOSEPH AVILA Staff Writer

Highlanders and members of the Riverside community observed a national day of action against mass incarceration and police brutality during an ASUCRled event on Oct. 22. The overall movement picked up momentum after Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-yearold African American from Ferguson, Mo., was shot by a police officer back in August 2014. The advent of the national day of action originated as a grassroots campaign to mobilize community members nationwide to spread awareness about issues such as increased police militarization and violence against communities of color. Protests have also taken place in Ferguson, Los Angeles, New York City and Atlanta among many other cities. At the start of the event, ASUCR members led a march from the Bell Tower through the HUB area. Chants condemning police brutality included “No justice, no peace, no racist police” and “Same story every time. Being black is not a crime!” and were

JASPERY GOH / HIGHLANDER United States Student Association Vice President Alexandra Flores-Quilty comes out to support UCR students during their protest against police brutality.

utilized in between speeches, in which speakers condemned police-related deaths of young African Americans and called for a revolution replacing elected officials by way of voting. Headstones bearing the names of Americans murdered by police, such as Eric Garner and Israel Hernandez, were also on display during the rally.

Rafael Vaca, fourth-year theatre major, attended the demonstration and essentially supported the protests’ message but felt that the “call for action didn’t entail meaningful solutions to really solve the epidemic of police brutality that has surged in recent years.” Last Monday, UCR students

Photo of the Week

CSU Fullerton players attempt to defend the goal as UCR tries to score from a corner kick.

Quotebook “We set these up because it’s way too hot out here, everyone’s dehydrated. We don’t want to pick bodies up.”

Upcoming Events

JASPERY GOH

“As soon as I leave (the school), I am a target,” said Lazaque Mugerwa, electrical engineering major, on his own reasons for joining the protest. “I think supporting the protests is more important than getting good grades.” ■H Contributions made by Estefania Zavala

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER STEM Job Fair 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. HUB 302

Grrrl Talk 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Costo Hall 245

Dia de los Muertos: Recuerdos de Nuestros 11:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. Bell Tower

Wellness Wednesday: Speed Friending 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Costo Hall LGBT Resource Center

Avoiding Plagiarism 1 p.m. – 2 p.m Rivera Library 140

Women’s Volleyball: Cal Poly 7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Student Recreation Center Arena

Rivera Library Ghost Tour 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. Rivera Library 140

Halloween Carnival 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Bryant Park

Women’s Cross Coutry: Big West Conference Championships 8:45 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Ag/Ops Cross Country Course

Men’s Cross Country: Big West Conference Championships 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Ag/Ops Cross Country Course

Dia de los Muertos: Day of the Dead 1 p.m. - 10 p.m. Downtown Riverside

First Sundays 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Riverside Metropolitan Museum

Peer Connections Online Chats 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Log on from your computer

Jumpstart to Graduate School featuring Kaplan 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. HUB 355

Tuesday

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

also participated in other solidarity events, which included holding themselves in mock solitary confinement to protest mass incarceration. Lasting from noon to 11 p.m, the protest meant to raise awareness of the 200,000 to 800,000 prisoners who are put into Security Housing Units without documented reason.

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

- Preventative Care Advocate Jericho Williams on providing a water station during “nooner” events at the Bell Tower.

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NEWS

HIGHLANDER ► TASK FORCE FROM PAGE 1

with disabilities; peer mentors and a support team for veterans; and R’Kids, a support network for student parents, but the task force believes that these resources are not sufficient. Cinthya Gonzalez, an active member in R’Kids and the Transfer Outreach Program, played an integral part in developing the task force. She joined the taskforce because she feels it gives transfer students a voice that has been minimal to nonexistent at UCR, citing that transfer students often face difficulties accessing campus resources and academic programs. Gonzalez also hopes to increase child care accessibility for student parents, a group she believes has been invisible. Over 1,300 transfer students gained admission to UCR this year. A fourth-year transfer student, Child Development Center employee and task force member Francisco Ilabaca says a specific goal is to turn the task force into an official ASUCR committee with its own bylaws and structure. Students are hopeful for what the task force will bring. Mary Shanahan, a single mother of two children and a transfer student, is concerned with the health of student parents, as balancing school work, caring for children and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is often an

unrealistic goal. “I have to work harder (and faster) to complete my readings and papers. There are times during the quarter when I exist on four hours of sleep daily,” she says. “Yet my health is often the least of my concerns.” She wishes to see UCR promote physical and mental checkups for student parents. Shanahan also commented on information that transfer students might miss out on, and regrets that she was ignorant of the possibility of obtaining a minor, specifically in classical studies. “I will only be one class short … I found out too late, but perhaps others will not,” Shanahan said. As one of more than 14,000 commuters on campus, fourthyear student Chelsea Blakeley feels that commuter programs aren’t very “well-advertised” after the first week and recommended that commuter programs make a greater effort to reach out to commuters about upcoming events and opportunities. Echeverria expressed his optimism for the future of the task force. “Our only hope is to bring stability to a community who has historically been marginalized on our campuses,” he says. “At the end of the day we are here for the same objective of attaining a degree, and absolutely no one’s failure should be due to a lack of H resources provided to them.” ■

Last Thursday, two candidates running for the 41st congressional district, encompassing Riverside, Jurupa Valley, Moreno Valley and Perris, faced off in a public forum — less than two weeks before the Nov. 4 election day. Democratic incumbent Mark Takano and Republican challenger Steve Adams debated issues of campaign funding and healthcare, but vowed to work across party lines if elected into office. The free public forum was held in and hosted by the UCR Extension Center, which worked in collaboration with the UCR School of Public Policy. Takano, a Harvard graduate and Riverside Community College trustee of over 20 years, assumed office in early January 2013, becoming the first openly gay person of color to serve in Congress. As a Riverside city councilman and small business owner, Adams served on the Riverside Police Department as well as the Metro SWAT teams until he was forced to retire due to injuries incurred in the line of duty. The first debate topic involved campaign funding and the impacts of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a U.S. Supreme Court decision which curtails limits on campaign financing. Adams explained that he supports campaign finance reform, saying that his funding has come from “private citizens and small business

VINCENT TA / HIGHLANDER VP of Internal Affairs Fernando Echeverria hopes his task force will help non-traditional students feel more comfortable on campus.

Election 2014: Takano, Adams disagree over campaign financing SOM CHATURVEDI Contributing Writer

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

owners,” as opposed to Takano, whom he accused of turning to big businesses for financing. Takano responded by saying that the court case was “wrongfully decided (and) based on the premise that corporations are people. Corporations are not people.” Takano added that he was glad that Adams believes that we should not have corporate donations, and concluded by asking Adams directly if he would join in signing a pledge to keep big money out of politics. Adams responded with, “If you’ll sign against unions as well, absolutely.” A difference in opinion was evident on the topic of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), or “Obamacare,” the health care reform law signed by President Barack Obama in 2010. In 2010, 28 percent of people under the age of 65 in Riverside County did not have health insurance, explained Dr. Mindy Marks, a UCR associate professor of economics and panelist for the evening’s debate. When asked about his opinion of the ACA, Takano asserted that “the Republicans shut down the government and even threatened to default on America’s debts over this issue.” Adams responded, saying that “Congress didn’t shut down the government — the president did.” In the June primaries, Takano led with 44.7 percent (19,648) over Adams’ 37 percent (16,264) — a close margin of 7.7 percent. Voting for the 2014 elections will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 4. ■H

NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

HIGHLANDER

food truck festival angie’s wieners baby’s badass burgers baconmania bool bbq california grill truck cousin’s maine lobster crepes bonaparte culinary chameleon

cupcake bar farmers belly game on gourmet goodwins organic let’s roll it luckdish curry mangia ristorante meat the greek

me so hungry mexicalbi moo moo palazzolo gelato peaches’ smokehouse & southern kitchen rice balls of fire rolling sushi van

slammin sliders slanging corea socal new orleans style snoballs tokyo doggie style tornado potato waff n roll yalla

GRAPHIC BY BRANDY COATS ► FESTIVAL FROM PAGE 1

went to support Transportation and Parking Services to direct all the trucks onto campus, UCR Physical Plant to repair any grass damaged during the event and UCPD to maintain security. According to Echeverria, ASUCR expects to break even on these costs with the fees that the food vendors pay. Echeverria noted that past concerns with the festival such as not enough water stations to service thirsty students were addressed. Echeverria promised an increase in water stations but predicts that cooler weather will prevent the demand for very much water. Other concerns,

such as insufficient vegan options, as expressed by multiple UCR students in Facebook comments on a previous Food Truck Facebook event page, have also been noted. Goodwin’s Organic food truck and Baby’s Badass Burgers will both offer vegan choices. “We definitely encourage students (to) express their thoughts and feedback to us about the event,” said Rathod. Both of UCR’s food trucks, Moo Moo: Udderly Twisted and The Culinary Chameleon will be present at the events for students who may want to use their Bear Bucks and Dining Dollars. Interested students can visit the food truck festival’s Facebook page at H facebook.com/UCRfoodtruckfestival. ■

ASUCR: GCAP, R’Courses and transfer recognition month MELA MAGAT Contributing Writer

Last Wednesday, members of ASUCR approved $4,000 in Green Campus Action Plan (GCAP) committee funds to maintain a generator in UCR’s community garden for the purposes of creating electricity for campus events — one of the earliest fall initiatives to tap into funding approved by last year’s GCAP referendum. Other key topics included Senator Colette King’s update about potential changes to R’Courses, classes taught by undergraduates, and Senator Akeem Brown’s goals to declare November as a month of recognition for transfer students on campus. Vice President of Internal Affairs Fernando Echeverria explained that the GCAP committee provides a series of grants to mainly student-led projects with goals for sustainability. “(Grant recipients) provide us with their proposal and outline what the project is, how it’s going to affect the campus and the students and how it is a sustainability related project,” he explained. One of these proposed projects included the repair of the mobile renewable energy generator (MREG), which uses a mixture of batteries, solar panels and wind turbines to generate power. Echeverria broke down the specific costs of replacing parts and upgrading the MREG, stressing the importance of repairs since many campus and local events tend to rely heavily on the generator. “The costs will mainly be labor costs and other expenditures will go towards parts of the machine such as the LCD display in which all the analytics will be shown, adding to the educational component, increasing green awareness in general,” he said. Five UCR engineering students with faculty members will be in charge of implementing the repairs. Despite initial scrutiny over the use of the funds, the motion for the $4,000 grant was unanimously passed by senate. King also provided updates to R’Courses, a pilot program that she played a role in launching last spring with the help of R’Courses and Undergraduate Educational Initiatives Coordinator Elizabeth ClaassenThrush. “R’Course is a program in which students work with a supervisor to create a syllabus and with that, teach their own class,” explained King. “The class creates another way for students to learn and possibly apply what they have learned in other areas of life.” Going into its second year, the program may potentially receive some modifications. King stated that this year, student teachers will be given letter grades and enrolled

students will receive a pass or fail grade and one unit of credit. “Ultimately, I’m striving to bring back the two units of credit which was applied last year and possibly work with professors in figuring out a way for these classes to be a grade booster in their respective classes,” said King. “As a student teacher last year and this upcoming year, I felt that the work I gave my students was deserving of higher compensation.” “The timeline and modifications for this upcoming year have already been briefed and the full proposal will be discussed by the Academic Senate executive committee (on Oct. 27),” said Claassen-Thrush. Other individual initiatives discussed include Senator Brown’s desire to draft a resolution that calls for the UCR administration to recognize November as transfer recognition month, since this is around the time that transfer applications are due; transfers who have already been admitted will also be in their respective universities for at least 30 to 90 days. Brown requested assistance in drafting a resolution to be given to campus administration in hopes that it will be done by the end of this October. “The ultimate goal is for this to be a California-wide recognized month but as of now a collaborative effort with California State University San Bernardino and Riverside Community College will be the first steps in this initiative,” Brown said, referring to feeder schools for transfer students that surround the UC Riverside community. Members of ASUCR appeared to be in favor of having a transfer recognition month with Brown holding the belief that, “UCR would be taking (the) lead on a muchadvocated educational issue in California,” by supporting his initiative. Brown has already taken action this past summer by working with HUB Administrative Director Todd Wingate and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs James Sandoval to designate the downstairs area of the lounge (across from the main HUB building) as a future lounge solely for transfer and commuter students. There have been mixed views about the proposed lounge area from various students. Third-year biology major Unnati Gandhi expressed, “I understand that commuters especially are probably in need of a place to relax, but the lounge area is a public area of campus and should remain so.” Weekly ASUCR senate meetings take place on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Senate Chambers. ■H

NEWS

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

UCR flexes sustainability muscle during Food Week

JASPERY GOH / HIGHLANDER In celebration of Food Week at UCR, students helped plant baby bunches of kale in UCR’s R’Garden located by Lot 30. Once the kale is ripe, these crops will be available to UCR to harvest.

SANDY VAN Senior Staff Writer

UCR’s Food Week, serving as an extension of Oct. 24 Food Day, included a series of campus events, ranging from smoothie tasting to healthy cooking classes and drew massive student turnout from Oct. 2024. Organized by UCR Dining Services, the events advocated healthy eating habits, waste sustainability and environmental responsibility. “It’s to encourage folks to eat real — which means trying to eat fewer processed foods, trying to eat more wholesome foods as much as possible,” explained Neal Malik, a registered dietician at UC Riverside. The Culinary Chameleon

food truck partook in the festivities by passing out free tacos, consisting of Tahitian squash, sweet peppers, cabbage, and lime and chipotle dressing during one event — ingredients that all came from locally sourced companies within a 250-mile radius. “Folks don’t always know about Food Day and Food Week, so by us being more visible this year, folks will be able to see and remember it next time. It’s all about behavior change,” said Malik. “Even if it’s just for one day, eat a little differently in a more healthy way.” Participation was campuswide — with partnerships between organizations such as the Student Recreation Center, the Well, the Office of Sustainability and

UCR Health Center, making the overall series of events a reality. One of UCR’s executive chefs, Burke Reeves, offered a live demonstration of healthy and eco-friendly cooking habits on a college budget, such as using flavored broth in place of water when boiling rice. Other notable events included the appearance of Dr. Mitchell Thomashow, the tenured president of Unity College in Maine, who spoke of sustainability practices that can be implemented on a campus level. Sustainability continued to be a key point of the week as a free cup of Ecogrounds coffee was also handed out to the public near the Barn. “Ecogrounds is the primary coffee here on campus,” Ecogrounds representative

Katrina Benedicto explained, with it being stocked in UCR locations such as Scotty’s, Bytes and Ivan’s. As a fair trade and third-party certified commodity, the coffee is packaged in 100 percent recyclable material and all ingredients are sourced in California to create a smaller environmental footprint, according to Benedicto. In addition, UCR’s coffee revenue also goes to provide water access to farmers in Santa Rosa, Guatemala. Another event held in the UCR community garden involved decorating and taking home a garden-picked butternut squash and potting a succulent plant, with choices ranging from ghost, purple queen and brown bean plants. This event aimed

to bring more awareness to the garden near Lot 30 and introduce the topic of agriculture and food systems to the public. Karla Lara, a fifth-year creative writing major, felt supportive of the events held during Food Week. “It teaches us how to eat on a low budget. I know we’re busy, so convenience over health is sometimes what we have to choose from,” said Lara. “If you want to eat healthy, it’s possible (and the events) really enlighten us.” UCR’s Food Week branches off from the UC Global Food Initiative, a systemwide plan that encourages all UCs to develop and demonstrate solutions to food security, health and sustainability. ■H

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

HIGHLANDER

Opinion Poll If you could have any animal as a pet what would it be? C ompiled

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Michell Ngo Biology Third-year

Stephanie Wong Pre-Business First-year

Rukayat Salaam Biology Third-year

Shanthini Srinivasan Biology Third-year

Pug! Because I love pugs; I love their wrinkles. Most people don’t like them but I think they’re adorable. They’re so ugly, they’re cute.

Red panda because they’re less of a hassle to care for than a regular panda due to how much smaller they are; but with an equal amount of cuteness.

A giraffe since I’m so tall and I feel like it’d be the perfect animal for me. Also I think they’d be fun to ride.

Tiger since it’s not pretentious like a lion but not weak like a deer.

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Proposition 47 and the reduction of prison populations ANDREW SCHLERF Contributing Writer

Californian midterm elections are almost here, and when heading to the booth on Nov. 4, a ballot to keep in mind is Proposition 47. This proposition reduces the sentencing of many different “nonserious and nonviolent drug and property crimes” from a felony to a misdemeanor. These include: shoplifting, grand theft auto, fraud, forgery, writing a bad check, receiving stolen property and drug possession. However, don’t hotwire a car just yet, because the reclassification is void if the amount extends beyond $950. Proposition 47 would also only apply to those who have no previous violent criminal records. Most of the crimes listed above relate to financial matters and seek to have the charges reduced as long as the theft does not “exceed nine-hundred-fifty dollars ($950),” and is instead “punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year (in cases like Forgery).” This legal change will help to lessen the impact on our prison system in conjunction with California’s three-strikes law. The system allows for an individual to commit three felony crimes, with severe increases in the punishment for each consecutive crime committed. Now with Proposition 47 in front of us, the justice system can do what it’s supposed to: focus on sentencing violent offenders. One of the main supporters of this bill is Representative Newt Gingrich, who was Speaker of the House from 1995 to 1999. He argues that “It makes no sense to send non-serious, non-violent offenders to a place filled with hardened criminals and a poor record of rehabilitation — and still expect them to come out better than they went in.” An issue with our current incarceration system is that many people who commit nonviolent crimes also suffer from substance abuse problems. A report by CASAColumbia, a nonprofit addiction research group, shows that the American government spent approximately “$74 billion on incarceration, court proceedings, probation and parole for substance-involved adult and juvenile offenders, and less than 1 percent of that amount—$632 million—on prevention and treatment.” Instead of surrounding them with the

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A change in sentencing policy could reduce congestion in California’s jail system.

resources and people associated with these activities, the money saved by this bill will be used to provide alternative care directed at rehabilitation. The money that is saved will be pooled into a large fund which will net an estimated $150 million to $250 million per year. “Proposition 47 will dedicate 65 percent of its savings to mental health and drug treatment,” said retired San Diego Chief of Police William Lansdowne. “Additionally, 25 percent of savings will be shifted into K-12 school programs and another 10 percent to victim services.” Even with a conservative estimate this means a guaranteed $65 million and $25 million grant toward rehabilitation and education respectively. The former police chief’s views were shaped by the past 10 years representing the city of San Diego. In response to the substance abuse issues which this bill is attempting to alleviate, he stated that, “temporarily incapacitating someone with addiction or mental health problems is just pushing the pause button on the problem,” and is not addressing the issue directly. A notable figure in opposition to the bill is current San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman, who commented, “Almost all handguns (which are the most stolen kind of firearm) retail for well below $950,” which allows for these potentially serious crimes to be overlooked. However, knowingly possessing a stolen firearm is still classified

as a felony and serves to punish those who deal with illegal gun trade. This bill receives support from across the ideological spectrum, with the American Civil Liberties Union giving $2 million toward the proposition, alongside B. Wayne Hughes Jr., a conservative Republican, who gave $1.2 million early in the campaign. The Open Society Policy Center, an organization focused on social causes in the United States, gave over $1.4 million toward the campaign. As it stands, the proposition is poised for victory. The Public Policy Institute of California says that 62 percent of Californians would vote yes on the measure whereas 25 percent would vote no. The study also showed that 69 percent of Democrats and about 50 percent of Republicans would also vote yes. This bill should serve as an advancement in finding a balance between incarceration and rehabilitation. The goal of our political justice system is to isolate those that would do harm to society when committing serious and grave crimes. We as Californians must focus on the broader issue of helping those with substance abuse problems, instead of providing a system which further alienates and assigns an addict the status of “criminal.” This proposition is a step in the right direction for California through the increase in medical resources and the decrease in the amount of prisoners being incarcerated in the future. ■H

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HIGHLANDER

OPINIONS

Students should be provided an out from rec center membership

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Are apps here to stay?

VINCENT TA / HIGHLANDER There’s almost an app for every human need and if there isn’t yet, there will be soon enough.

HONEIAH KARIMI Contributing Writer

COURTESY OF UCR STUDENT RECREATION CENTER UCR’s new rec center is full of features, but should students be charged the fees by default?

JAMESON ADAME Staff Writer

It would be hard to deny that UCR’s new recreation center is an impressive building. Including the facilities of the old building, the new rec center sports a rock climbing zone, a pool, an indoor jogging track, new basketball courts and numerous machines for cardio and muscular exercises. What the student body needs to ask itself, however, is whether the $208 quarterly membership should be a compulsory portion of our tuition, or whether there should exist an option to opt out of this fee in favor of losing the gym membership. The membership fees have come under fire recently by the United Auto Workers (UAW) 2865, when doctoral students such as David Chavez lodged a small protest outside the newly constructed building. According to Chavez, the fees were unreasonable to students in his situation, and as a father he could not afford to use a gym that did not provide daycare. Gyms such as the 24 Hour Fitness in Moreno Valley have such amenities and require membership fees of $260 for a 6-month period. Considering the difference in membership length, this would mean UCR undergraduate and graduate students pay 63 percent more for the use of the gym in a three-month period of time. The rate at which gym memberships are utilized should also be taken into account, as 67 percent of people with gym memberships never use them. If this same statistic can be used as a template for the student population of UCR, then more than half of the student population never makes use of the compulsory $208 fee. While it is understandable that the gym’s newly added portion was not any small change and UCR needs to recoup the cost of construction, there is no reason why it should be upon the students to pay for a gym that more than 50 percent will never attend. At the same time, it was proposed in 2010 that the cost of this addition would be paid for in a $149 fee, to be pulled from students as the current fee is. Looking at

this, it is not out of the realm of possibility to accept that if the gym fails to return on the investment in the projected time period, that future students may experience a further increase in rec center fees as well as the already-high price of tuition. Though paying the gym fees directly out of tuition may act as a good motivator for certain students to make use of the gym, it does not form enough of an excuse to require hundreds of extra dollars per year on top of what is already paid for in tuition costs. Full-time students already make less than most others due to their limiting schedules and the high price of tuition and school supplies, but the added burden of a mandatory gym membership can be the difference between getting a loan refund that can pay for textbooks or not. Gym fees at UCR should be paid for on a pay-by-use system, only requiring those who attend the gym to pay membership fees. Applications for housing and regular attendance to the school already cover a wide variety of optional fees, so it should be no great effort to add the choice of a quarterly gym fee when asking which residence hall or apartment complex students would prefer to live in. Even if the fees are absolutely necessary to ensure that the gym and the school can continue to function, then a scaling system of memberships could be implemented as an alternative. Students should be given the option to only make use of the bare minimum of what the rec center has to offer. Holding the rock climbing wall, pool and other extra amenities behind an additional pay barrier is another option to allow for students to make use only of the portions of the facility that they want, instead of forcing a feature upon them that they would otherwise never consent to pay for. The UCR Recreation Center — while nice — is not worth the price being taken for admission, and both graduate and undergraduate students should be allowed the ability to opt out of the fee. If the facility is truly worth the price, then students will pay for the renovations made regardless of whether they are forced to or not. ■H

The allure of smartphones comes down to one factor: convenience. Thanks to mobile applications, we are able to achieve more in less time. The appeal of smartphones in their infancy centered around people being able to respond to emails and conduct their business on the go. Since then, smartphones have evolved — ridding us of the burden of carrying several technological devices at once because one device can achieve it all. Now it seems there’s practically an app for everything. Due to the multitude of apps in existence, students have the ability to accomplish extensively more. With Apple’s App Store and Android’s Google Play app markets thriving day in and day out, the prospects are endless. On the cusp of the information age, we are privileged with ample possibilities for what we can achieve as content creators as well as consumers. While many associate apps solely with pleasure, the productivity category continues to flourish with one app’s failure being the genesis of another. Likewise, learning a language is simpler than ever before with apps such as Duolingo and Memrise, math assistance is available at any time on Khan Academy and WolframAlpha and news articles, books, television series and films are only a click away. There are apps particularly concerned with putting your brain to the test, such as Luminosity and Fit Brains Trainer. In essence, these apps often link learning and entertainment. Nevertheless, many still fear the impact of smartphones and their ever-expanding app markets despite their considerable applicabilities. One of the prime criticisms of having a myriad of smartphone applications at your disposal is unmistakably procrastination. Researchers project that 70 percent of American students procrastinate. In order to remedy lost time, students look for ways to increase efficacy, often through overcompensating, which explains why these productivity apps are heavily pushing the multitasking angle. The incessant stimulation that our smartphones and tablets offer poses all sorts of trials and tribulations for a student trying to focus on one task at a time, especially if that

task involves reading for a class. Many apps and browser extensions employ the Pomodoro technique (a method for time management which consists of breaking up tasks into traditionally 25-minute intervals) by blocking distracting websites for a set amount of time to counteract the temptation to procrastinate. Furthermore, many argue that technology morphs people into halfwitted zombies. This argument grossly ignores the effortlessness of accessing knowledge now, with apps teaching coding, geography, writing and many other disciplines taught through educational apps for lifelong learners. In addition, as proven in a study done by “Psychology Today,” smartphones play a substantial role in increasing the overall IQ of our society through the processing of information that occurs as a result of using smartphones, which ultimately improves our nonverbal reasoning skills. Whether or not apps effectively make people more intelligent remains controversial, but at the very least, it’s not difficult to acknowledge the potential that mobile applications have in educating people either through using a GRE vocabulary flashcard app such as Magoosh or access to thousands of TEDTalks that bestow knowledge upon their viewers. Gil Bouhnick, vice president of Mobility at ClickSoftware, said it perfectly: “As powerful as our survey results prove the smartphone to be, the exciting reality is today’s mobile technology innovation has only scratched the surface of its potential to propel success, both in personal life and in business.” Smartphones harbor countless facets of untapped potential for innovators of our generation and the next. With this in mind, smartphones, akin to any other form of technology, are not inherently beneficial or malicious. The question is in which manner they are applied, for smartphones have the potential to make life easier in a plethora of ways. Skype to catch up with friends abroad, or Google Maps to avoid traffic are all examples of the contributive side of apps. Apps can prevent or in some cases assuage the accumulated stresses of one’s day. Fortunately, smartphones evolve with each passing day, administering increasing capabilities and possibilities for their users. ■H

While many associate apps solely with pleasure, the productivity category continues to flourish with one app’s failure being the genesis of another.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

OPINIONS

HIGHLANDER

Highlander

MIDTERM ELECTIONS ★ ★ ★ ENDORSEMENTS ★ ★ ★

his November, people around the country will go to the polls and cast their votes in the 2014 midterm elections. But it’s not just to elect who represents us in Washington, D.C. In fact, some of the most important action is occurring in the state of California, where Governor Jerry Brown is facing off against a charismatic challenger and Democrats are fighting to retain their supermajorities in the State Assembly and the State Senate. The results could have heavy implications for the future of public education in California. In addition, six propositions are up for a vote, and if approved by a majority of voters, enter into effect with the full force of law. California is one of a select group of states that grants its citizens the power to vote not just on the lawmakers, but on the laws themselves. This means that issues ranging from water investment to requiring drug testing for doctors are on the ballot, and it is our responsibility to make informed decisions. The Highlander has examined each of these issues, and on these pages you will find brief information about each candidate or proposition, alongside our endorsements of the candidates and propositions that will best improve the lives of UCR students and Californians more broadly. We hope this will help you make the best choices for the future of students, the UC and the state of California. ■H

REPRESENTATIVE

GOVERNOR

ASSEMBLY

TAKANO

BROWN

MEDINA

The Highlander endorses Mark Takano not for what he’s done, but for what his opponent’s done. Steve Adams possesses an admirable career in public service, but he also possesses a number of disconcertingly tone-deaf views that show he does not have the best interests of students at heart. During their debate at the UCR Extension Center, Adams argued against raising the minimum wage, even as students are struggling to get by. His remarks on immigration reform are similarly nauseous, raising the question of whether he can be counted on to support the diverse UCR community. Takano does not possess the strongest congressional record, but it is preferable to the viewpoints of Adams. Both claim that they will be able to work with opposing parties, but with Adams’ perspective, it seems more than just unlikely. For now, Takano is the better choice to represent the 41st district, but we hope there will be better reasons to support him next cycle.

It is with mixed emotions that the Highlander gives its endorsement to Jerry Brown. On one hand, he has stabilized the state’s budget, helped spur job creation and unemployment has dropped from 12.4 percent in 2010 to 7.4 percent now — a stunning turnaround for a state that was swimming in red ink and unpaid bills just a short while ago. He ushered through a minimum wage increase, signed the DREAM Act to help undocumented immigrants obtain higher education and passed commonsense gun reform in the wake of the UC Santa Barbara shooting tragedy. However, his record on education is far more mixed. Although he has endeavored to maintain a tuition freeze and spoken out against pay raises at the UC, we would like him to take a stronger stand on returning funding to the UC. Funds from Proposition 30, passed in 2012 with overwhelming student support, were not used for the purposes we were led to believe. Now that the state’s economy is no longer on life support, Brown must spend his second term re-investing in the state, especially when it comes to education. There is no longer any excuse to deny the UC the funding it needs, and now is the time to make the changes needed to ensure that the UC remains a student-oriented institution. Brown may not be the perfect choice for this mandate, but he is certainly a better choice than his opponent in November, Neel Kashkari. Unbound by the shackles of electoral politics, perhaps Brown can effect the change students have been hoping for. We certainly hope he will.

The Highlander has no qualms giving its endorsement to Jose Medina. Elected in 2012, Medina has proven himself a tireless worker and advocate for students. Perhaps most notably, Medina was instrumental in securing $15 million in funding for UCR’s fledgling school of medicine, the first new public school of medicine in the state in over a half-century. He has made himself a constant presence in Riverside and on the campus, showing up at conferences, performances and a host of other events. Meanwhile, his opponent Rudy Aranda has been seemingly absent from the UCR community. Even if that were the case, it is doubtful that a Republican could accomplish much in an Assembly where there are two Democrats for every Republican. With his strong ties to the UCR community and strong stands on issues of air quality and employment, Medina is the right choice for UCR and Riverside.

OPINIONS

HIGHLANDER

PROPOSITION 1

n the face of a massive drought, Proposition 1 seems easy to support. The proposal would provide $7.5 billion in infrastructure investment that is intended to mitigate the impacts of future water shortages, and is part of a long tradition of water bills passed by the citizens of California. The allocation of the funds is the complicating factor. $2.7 billion in funds is earmarked explicitly for water storage

projects (such as dams or reservoirs); however, most of the state’s rivers that can be dammed have already been dammed, not to mention the severe ecological damage that comes with the construction and flooding that result. At the same time, only $810 million will be invested in increasing the efficiency of water collection, distribution and consumption, even though this would be far more effective at saving water per dollar than any other use.

What’s more, although 9 percent of funds are dedicated to the implementation of improved water quality systems in economically disadvantaged areas, the proposition does not provide any funding for their continual maintenance. The result is the construction of a water system that has no guarantee of operating in the future, much like holding a carrot on a stick in front of a horse. $7.5 billion is a significant sum of money

roposition 2 would change the way the governor allocates state revenue to the rainy day fund. In addition, it would set aside some of those funds for primary and secondary education. Although California has a rainy day fund to tide us over during recessions, our political leaders have proven themselves remarkably adept at not using it. The current law nominally requires the governor to put $3 billion into the rainy day fund, but with a

mere flick of the wrist and stroke of the pen, the governor could declare that he wasn’t going to add anything to the fund at all. So the funds in the rainy day fund never materialized. We saw the result when the Great Recession hit: funding for education dropped like a lead weight falling from the Bell Tower. We need to actually have a rainy day fund in order to use it. Proposition 2 actually gives the rainy day law teeth, by requiring the governor to contribute

PROPOSITION 45 a single elected official with so much power? It is possible that the current insurance commissioner, Dave Jones, has the people’s best interests at heart; however, it is equally possible that a future insurance commissioner may not be so kind. California may be seen as a Democratic bastion — but we had a Republican insurance commissioner as recently as 2011. There is also uncertainty regarding how the law would be implemented. The state’s own voter guide warns that

there is considerable legal uncertainty surrounding the scope of the powers granted to the Insurance Commissioner. The commissioner could issue a decision, only for thousands of hapless constituents to discover years later that the decision was made in error. What happens then? While we believe the current system needs fixes, voting yes on this proposition risks putting the health insurance of countless California citizens at risk. We cannot support Proposition 45.

roposition 46 does two things: first, it mandates drug and alcohol testing of doctors and that positive findings be reported to the state; second, it increases the cap on medical malpractice lawsuits from $250,000 to more than $1 million. Nobody wants to be operated on by a drug-addled doctor. But there’s very little evidence that doctors taking drugs or drinking alcohol on the job is a significant problem. What

would be a problem is the millions of dollars the implementation of this law would force cash-strapped local governments to spend on the newly mandated drug tests. Increased payouts for medical malpractice lawsuits would only add to the financial burden. It often goes unnoticed, but local governments provide valuable services to their citizens, including education, road maintenance,

PROPOSITION 47 roposition 47 changes California’s sentencing laws to mandate certain crimes be sentenced as misdemeanors rather than felonies. Among these crimes are drug possession, shoplifting, check forgery and grand theft (so long as the value of the check or stolen good is no greater than $950). California has long had sentencing laws that are far too strict, enabling shoplifters to be sentenced to longer

PROPOSITION 48

some money every year to the rainy day fund. This time, he can only forgo doing so if he declares an emergency and both chambers of the legislature agree. Adding to the state’s coffers means there will be less cutbacks in times of emergency, which should help tamp down increasing tuition rates while maintaining the quality education the UC is known for. The Highlander therefore encourages students to vote yes on Proposition 2.

PROPOSITION 46

— just $1 billion shy of the operating budget for the entire UC system — and we should think carefully before we determine how to spend it. Projects will likely not start until at least 2016, which gives us time to come up with a better version of a much-needed water infrastructure bill. For now, the Highlander urges a no vote until there is an alternative that truly focuses on the root causes of the drought and the needs of disadvantaged communities.

YES

urrently, insurance rates are reviewed by a panel that can determine whether increases are fair or not, but cannot veto proposals. Proposition 45 would require the state’s insurance commissioner to approve any rate increases proposed by health insurance companies before they go into effect. It seems like a no-brainer to support giving someone more oversight over how our insurance rates are determined. But is it really in our best interest to vest

PROPOSITION 2

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

business development and much more. County and city governments won’t be able to provide the same degree of quality if they’re forced to instead spend money defending against frivolous lawsuits. The proposition isn’t necessarily a bad idea, but the costs of implementation are staggering and not worth any potential benefit they might bring. This is why the Highlander opposes Proposition 46.

YES jail times than people convicted of murder. Proposition 47 helps fix this problem by ensuring that the most petty crimes receive the smaller sentences they deserve, so the state can finally put an end to the longrunning human rights nightmare that is the overcrowding of our prison system. In addition, the proposition creates a fund that would provide dollars to

education, drug rehabilitation and mental health programs. The source of the funding would not be any new tax, but rather the savings from the decrease in prison-related costs. The state already spends too much imprisoning its citizens rather than education. Proposition 47 is a good start to turning that problem around, which is why the Highlander endorses Proposition 47.

YES

lthough Native American gaming compacts don’t typically go in front of California voters, a petition to place it on the November ballot has resulted in Proposition 48. Voters must decide whether to allow two Native American tribes to construct a gaming casino on California land. The permit process has been in the works for over a decade, and is supported by both the state’s governor

and legislature and the federal government, in addition to the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians and the Wiyot Tribe, the Native American groups petitioning for the casino’s construction. The casino will certainly be a boon to the group. In a 2011 study, the poverty rate among the North Fork was an unfathomable 69 percent; unemployment sat at 29 percent. In fact, the only reason this compact

Highlander

is going before voters is that alreadyestablished casinos are worried that a newcomer to the market may horn in on their business. Even if that is the case, if the state and the tribes have worked out a deal which will create more economic activity for the state and uplift countless people out of poverty, who are we to refuse them that opportunity? The Highlander endorses Proposition 48.

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

HIGHLANDER

NELSON LUU / HIGHLANDER

A sign for “Yes on Measure L” is planted outside a neighborhood home in Riverside.

One Prop, Two Prop, Three Prop, Our Prop CHRIS HOOKS Contributing Writer

California’s ballot propositions are a trademark of this state’s aggressively forwardthinking attitude and the most recognizable of the 22 states that allow both initiatives and popular referendums. During election seasons in California, you cannot go to a commercial break without hearing from a lawyer or a doctor about how an upcoming proposition is going to save or destroy the world. The public is bombarded with so many of these ballot proposition commercials that many California citizens have now associated them with background noise; with both sides of an argument being vague about what the prop is actually about, the citizen starts to no longer care. But I, as a proud Pennsylvanian, think that everyone should pay more attention to what is in these

props, as most of them later affect the rest of the country’s legislative thinking on issues. And unlike California, in places like Pennsylvania, constituents are not afforded the right to directly affect the laws that would be governing them. The people of California are of a lucky select few in how much influence they have on their government, and in turn on the rest of the country. California is one of a handful of states that offer constituents so much power. Of this population, California has the largest population and thus, also has a great influence on states that do not have direct influence by constituents. In Pennsylvania, people don’t have a direct way of influencing the statutes or amendments that would be governing them. The most power a Pennsylvanian has in affecting legislative movement is to write a letter to his or her congressperson, which is an

important part of the legislative process, but it is nowhere near as effective as being able to propose statutes or amendments as a populace. One very notable example of a California ballot proposition affecting other states is Proposition 215, the legalization of medical marijuana. In 1996 Californians passed Proposition 215 with 56 percent in favor, becoming the first state to legalize marijuana for medical use. In the years to follow, 22 other states and the District of Columbia have followed suit. But what is critical to note with these other 23 states is that in 12 of these states and the District of Columbia, the bill went through their respective congresses with no direct input from the people of that state, but rather the example set by California. With the great power that the state of California has over the rest of the nation, people

should pay more attention to propositions and properly inform themselves before voting. Don’t listen to commercials for anything more than as a way of finding out what the “big” propositions are on the ballot for the election season. It is critical to the rest of the country that you, the Californian voter, know what is on the ballot and think about how the issue will affect the rest of the country, because unlike you, so many other people in this country could be stuck with the law that their state is following due to your votes. Although Californians may not realize it, they have great power, and they must think of not only themselves but for what is best for the nation as a whole. If you do not, who knows how far possibly damaging statutes can go, and how many lives it would impact. So this Nov. 4, be sure to vote, and vote thoughtfully and responsibly. ■H

The opinions expressed in the Opinions section belong solely to their authors and do not represent the Highlander Editorial Board or the University of California, Riverside.

. FEATURES .

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

looking through his shades:

EDDIE HUANG’s past, present and future

Marcy Kuo and Nelson Luu, Contributing Writers // Photos by Richard Lin and Jeffrey Chang

ver a hundred students were ushered into the HUB lounge with turquoise posters in one hand and their Snapchat-ready phones in the other, patiently waiting for Eddie Huang, a.k.a. The Human Panda, to arrive. The hint of old-school hip-hop soon escalated in volume in the background, with an empty stage amongst a sea of snapbacks and OBEY shirts. People came to hear the bestselling author, Vice channel star, owner of the BaoHaus restaurant in New York City and star of his new show “Fresh off the Boat,” Eddie Huang speak to the UCR. As the hosts from ASPB stepped up on stage to introduce him, cheers and applause began to reverberate around the room. The nicknames of “Human Panda” and “Ducksauce” arose from his more spirited fans in the crowd as he walked on stage. With his red comfy sweater and off-blue fisherman’s hat, Asian American chef Eddie Huang seized the microphone. A hush fell across the room as he began to introduce his topic for the night: race and ethnicity. He began by talking about his travels throughout China to learn about what “Chinese Chinese people” thought about him as a Taiwanese Chinese-American. Discrimination was Huang’s middle name in that both his adolescence and early adulthood were bombarded with mistreatment based on the color of his skin. It surprised him to learn that ethnic minorities in China and other countries experience the same sort of racism that minorities here in the U.S. face. He compared the Hakka people of China to Native Americans here in the U.S. and said that in every country or culture, there will

be a class of “white” people, those of the dominant culture, and then those of the oppressed. “The white dominant culture has a privilege. Society cuts you off from opportunity,” said Huang. Using coarse language, he explained that Asians as well as other minorities were categorized and omitted in media culture. This socalled “privilege” that Caucasians exercise determines the society and economic

the ‘90s, with separate stations for the “top 100” and the hip-hop stations. There wasn’t a mix of the two stations until one day, one of Eminem’s singles suddenly got played on the top 100 station. He felt a connection to the community as a minority growing up and through his experiences, it shaped him into the way he is today. “Black culture got me this far. What’s my own culture? Then I opened BaoHaus; it was the spaceship I built and it was

His non-antagonistic approach toward promoting minority culture through BaoHaus makes him the unorthodox leader of a progressive social movement. environment minorities reside in, therefore resulting in a noticeable but untreatable racial discrimination. His kinship with hip-hop culture made him realize not only where his strengths were as an individual but also where he was destined to make an impact in today’s world. Explaining his own experience with race and putting it into perspective using hip-hop, he touched upon growing up in

one of my greatest accomplishments,” said Huang with a victorious smile. His authentic creation of traditional Taiwanese pork buns in the lower east side of New York City became an overnight success just five years ago. Huang openly admitted that he used BaoHaus as a platform to challenge stereotypes and promote his own unique culture in a white-dominated society. From there, it led him to pursue other

avenues to educate people about his experiences, which led to his collaboration with Vice Media and Food Network. He expressed the importance of gaining experiences throughout life that teach you about yourself and the world and then sharing it with others so they can learn as well. “Food hits a lot of demographics and it’s very relatable. I want minorities to feel more included in dominant culture. People shouldn’t feel guilt but rather recognize the inequality among the races,” said Huang. His non-antagonistic approach toward promoting minority culture through BaoHaus makes him the unorthodox leader of a progressive social movement. In his trademark form of crass honesty, he delivered an enlightening talk with the students and faculty that attended. Huang, beneath his humorously profane diction and street-style fashion, communicated a rather profound message about escaping the confinement of stereotypes and building one’s own culture in a society that embraces racial diversity. He concluded the night with several instructions he hopes his fans will follow. “Start looking at yourself as an individual instead of part of a group,” Huang asserted. “You need to build your own value system and not follow a checklist.” Huang assembled his own checklist and hopes to inspire those who have or are currently undergoing racial discrimination. His dedication to promoting minority culture was shown as he gave each fan a chance to learn and apply his life story to their future endeavors. They don’t call him “Rich Homie Huang” for nothing — he really is a homie. ■H

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

FEATURES

HIGHLANDER

EVENT PREVIEW:

HARD DAY OF THE DEAD MaxiNe Arellano and Cody Nguyen, Senior Staff Writers

“HARD started as an idea in my head. I had no idea how to produce an event … we’ve come a long way”

s the festival season of 2014 draws to a close, Halloween weekend brings one final wave of massive events to satiate the palates of concert-goers everywhere. For those of us fortunate to reside in Southern California, Halloween weekend equates to a potpourri of festival madness. From HARD Day of the Dead to other Halloween adventures (DoD), there is no dearth of choices for fans in the region. Since 2007, HARD founder and CEO, as well as DJ, Gary “DESTRUCTO” Richards has been taking the Southern California festival scene by storm, organizing HARD events, such as HARD Summer and HARD Day of the Dead. HARD DoD started as a HARD Haunted Mansion that separated itself from the competition of other events around Halloween time, with a haunted house maze and EDM to lure in the ghouls. Richards explained that the goal every year is to improve in every aspect: production, talent and audience. “HARD started as an idea in my head. I had no idea how to produce an event … we’ve come a long way,” he said. Eight years later, HARD Day of the Dead is set to take place this weekend on Nov. 1 and 2 at the Pomona Fairplex. Boasting five stages with a stacked lineup that includes the likes of Diplo, Borgore, Tchami, Knife Party, RL Grime, Calvin Harris, Zedd, ZHU and a once-in-a-lifetime back-to-back set between progressive house legends Eric Prydz and Deadmau5, the lineup offers something to suit everyone’s electronic music tastes. Albeit small, fans of hip-hop will also be pleased to see its presence on the festival billing, with rappers Ty Dolla $ign and Cam’ron performing on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Though the marquee performers will make their appearances as the day turns into night, Richards still advises fans to “come early on Saturday and Sunday,” specifically endorsing some of the lesser-known performers such as house producer Wax Motif and trap artist Djemba Djemba. Trap music within EDM has exploded on the scene over the course of the past few months. These include remixes of hit songs like Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and YG’s “Who Do Love.” Trap music, a subgenre within the EDM sphere, incorporates heavy bass and raspy tones, compared to amalgam of crunk hip-hop beats and electronic music. Attendees will get their

fill of everything EDM, including trap music. The EDM scene itself has completely evolved since its beginning. In 2010-2011 numbers of fans started going from 10,000 to 30,000 as radio stations were the portal to get these artists out there. “HARD stays true (to) what HARD is: underground,” Richards began. “Big acts (broke into the mainstream) like Avicii on radio,” and, with the emergence of pop, EDM has made a home in the charts: the top 40 charts, to be exact. The event itself “never set out to be the biggest — always set out to play the coolest … even when EDM isn’t here, HARD will be there,” playing cool electronic music, Richards continued. “Hopefully we keep giving quality and keep it big.” As festivals continue to shift toward the trend of creating a holistic experience that engrosses attendees in a new world, HARD Day of the Dead tries its hand at this by adding things ranging from carnival attractions to something no festival in the world has ever seen before: a zipline that takes festival goers in a near-halfcircle from the entrance to the trademark HARD stage, where many of the marquee performers will throw down their sets. Last year’s event took place in the LA State Historic park, which was said to be a difficult venue for the total amount of attendees. So with the event at the Fairplex in Pomona — the same venue as the LA County Fair — it gives guests and even artists a chance to explore what is possible. With two beer gardens for the of-age ravers, a ferris wheel, typhoon ride, VIP Red Room, makeup and photo booths along with merch stores to have souvenirs from your HARD night, there is something for everyone. Five stages, including the main HARD stage, surround 80 acres: “It feels bigger and better than anything we have done,” Richards said. On Saturday, guests and even some artists on the bill will be part of a new experience. With HARD vets to newbies to the scene, it’s special to get every kind of fan or follower together for one event. Unique with music, vibe and location, HARD DoD can’t be duplicated. As Richards puts it, “(Day of the Dead) is going to be a completely different experience from anything else. We want to just create good vibes by showing people cool electronic music, and that’s what HARD has always been about since I created it in 2007.” ■H

FEATURES

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

Restaurant Review:

Punjab Palace RATING: ★★★★☆

By Tiffany Liaw, Contributing Writer Photos by Richard Lin

’ve heard many things about this restaurant, and I figured it was about time I tried some local Indian food from our very own Punjab Palace here at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and University Avenue, which is a five-minute drive from campus. I drove into the plaza and noticed that the area was dirty in general; homeless (or homeless-looking) people circled the block and although they minded their own business, I personally wouldn’t want to be here at night. Punjab Palace was conveniently located next to Chow King and Little Caesars, so it wasn’t difficult to locate and they had a lunch buffet deal for only $8.99 (with tax: $9.65), which was already enough to capture my attention. A mild scent of spices filled the air and enveloped us as we walked to our table. The entire room was dimly lit with most of the light coming from the Indian music videos that were playing on the overhead TVs and calm chatter filled the space. It wasn’t a very warm atmosphere and I must say that the waiter didn’t look very pleased with our arrival. Without so much as a greeting, he proceeded to pour water and ignore us for the rest of our stay except to question my friend about his camera; but most of the customers seemed to keep to themselves anyway. We got up to pick our first round of food and eagerly approached the buffet table full of aromatic red-orange colored foods. They had chicken tandoori (roasted chicken in spices), vegetable samosas (veggies wrapped in a crispy skin), chicken pakora (spiced chicken fritters), jeera rice and multiple types of masalas (chicken, fish or mushroom), which all looked a little unappetizing, but looks can deceive, right? As a complete newbie when it comes to Indian cuisine with literally no expectations, I grabbed a little bit of everything and even added some tamarind sauce and

mint sauce. I was pretty excited to discover that there was a complimentary basket of fresh garlic naan waiting for me at my table already, and that’s definitely a plus for me. (Who doesn’t like free bread?) The naan resembled a folded tortilla and was light in flavor, thicker and a lot chewier than a tortilla, so overall it was a delicious appetizer when eaten hot. The mint and tamarind sauces were a little unusual to me and, despite my efforts to peek at other customers to get a feel for what to eat it with, I sat down and decided to just try the sauces for myself. Since the mint was refreshing while the tamarind was more flavorful and salty, this, to me, was a little weird. But I dipped my not-so-crispy chicken pakora into the sauces and regardless of the chicken pakora lacking on crunch, I must confess that the entirety was impressively on point. I glanced around the room for a brief moment and noticed that the upholstery had Chinese characters while the giant painting of a horse had Chinese words — interesting, but would only be fitting if this place were a Chinese restaurant. Curiously, the only aspects of obviously Indian culture present aside from the music videos were the bottles of Taj Mahal-brand alcohol on top of the buffet tables and the elaborate curtains surrounding the walls, so a renovation might be needed. Aside from the strange interior, the chicken tikka masala with jeera rice was amazing! The richness of the spices and the creaminess of the flavor hit me all at once and almost left

me speechless. The chicken tandoori was also well seasoned and had the right tenderness of a well-baked chicken — moist, a little spicy and a great experience altogether. In contrast, the vegetable samosa I had wasn’t as amazing since it just tasted like a regular egg roll to me and the vegetable pakora was nothing significant either. After a successful main course, we headed back to the buffet tables to scour for some dessert. I was drawn to the kheer, which was rice pudding with nuts, and proceeded to scoop a hearty amount into my bowl. There was also gulab jamun, which was an Indian milk cheese ball and carrot pudding that I didn’t try since I wasn’t a fan of carrot. “I have to warn you, it’s pretty sweet! I don’t know if you’ll finish one since I couldn’t,” exclaimed fifth-year student Richard Lin as I scooped a cheese ball into my bowl. I took one bite and it reminded me of a moist donut hole soaked in syrup for a couple of hours — it was really tasty initially, but overpowering in the end, so sadly, Richard was right. I enjoyed every bit of my rice pudding, however, and it was the perfectly sweet ending to my meal. Overall, the price for the lunch buffet is well worth it and I will definitely be back for that chicken tikka masala and chicken tandoori. I strongly recommend Punjab Palace for lunch if you’re especially hungry and want to take advantage of the buffet style, especially since Indian food isn’t common in this area. ■H

Punjab Palace’s buffet is a popular local lunch option. Diners come to enjoy the wide variety of Indian foods that come at a great value. Their naan (bottom) can be enjoyed with almost any buffet option and is brought to each table and refilled if finished.

FEATURES

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

HIGHLANDER

Netflix or Pornhub What are you binge-watching?

evealing your pornwatching habits to your friends is like telling them your latest sex-capade: it’s either an immediate label of a freak in the sheets or they will confess that they, too, enjoy watching porn. Women seem to get a different reaction from other women when discussing porn, whereas among men it seems to be common knowledge. People joke about the fact that women watch porn in the same way younger men like to deny the fact that women do normal bodily functions such as poop, fart and burp. Believe it or not, women watch porn — it is not as taboo as many might believe. Although many of us are probably too shy to admit it, it’s no big secret. An article by Daily Infographic titled, “The Stats on Internet Pornography,” states that one in every three viewers of porn are women. Men might find this shocking, and some women may feel ashamed, but porn isn’t just for men anymore. According to the article, “What Women Want,” a survey produced by the collaborative efforts of BuzzFeed and Pornhub, the top four categories of porn most commonly viewed by women on Pornhub are Lesbian, Gay (male), Teen and For Women. Men and women watch porn for primarily the same reasons: the thirst. However, for women, porn can be a fantasy — living vicariously through others — as well as an educational guide to better sex. Fourth-year student Karen Huynh stresses the meaning behind the word “fantasy.” “Just because I search ‘Mom teaches daughter a lesson,’” Huynh explains, “does not mean I want to have sex with one of my family members.”

by Michelle Mitani, Contributing Writer Porn can satisfy one’s curiosity in terms of body exploration and it can also be a great resource for learning a new trick or two. However, it is important to remember that porn scenes are as real as reality television and as artificial as breast implants: Porn won’t make you an expert in all things sex-related. Don’t expect what you see online to be a preview of what really goes on under the covers. Based on the statistics in the survey, a majority of women would much rather watch two women or two men engage in sexual activity then a woman and a man. The article “14 Things You Might Not Know About How Women Watch Porn” explains that the recent addition of the category of

porn “For Women” involves erotic, sensual sex scenes, which strongly differ from the traditional rough sex that is typically affiliated with porn. Instead of hearing the grizzly grunting of a man and the high shrieks of a damsel in distress, For Women and Lesbian porn focuses around the pleasuring of the two partners. Perhaps women prefer lesbian porn because of the emotional connection established between the two partners. Such feelings are often invisible or nonexistent in popular categories of porn. Something else to consider is the fact that a majority of women cannot orgasm from vaginal penetration alone. Therefore, in order to get off it makes sense for women to want to view other

types of sex, or sexual stimulation. In the top categories of porn viewed by men, the man is always the center of attention, as if it is the woman’s job to pleasure him, instead of it being a reciprocated action. Fair is fair — if you go down on your partner, he or she may expect the same in return. How often do you watch porn online in comparison to the time you spend on Instagram, and when is the best time to watch porn? Perhaps on a Friday night, after your final class, when it is time to say goodbye to those textbooks and hello to your comfy pajamas. My favorite form of therapy: after a long week of stressful classes, tons of homework and maybe two all-nighters of binge-watching

my favorite show on Netflix; it is almost as addictive as chocolate. (I bet you thought I was going to say binge-watching porn.) The question you are all probably wondering is whether or not I consider porn to be one of my guilty pleasures. But the epic romance between Elena and Damon on “Vampire Diaries” or the drama on the latest episode of “Revenge” may come first before the mostviewed video on Pornhub for the day. However, porn and Prince Charming kind of go hand-in-hand. It is all about the romantic and erotic chemistry being created between the two steamy, hot characters. At the end of the day we all want a bit of fantasy in our lives. ■H

HIGHLANDER

FEATURES

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

Freshman Fifteen fifteen bits of interest from the returners to the newcomers “If I was a freshman, I could celebrate Halloween at UCR by …”

Attending organization parties

Observing trickor-treating

Having a scary movie marathon in dorm hall

Trick-ortreating in old neighborhoods and passing as a high schooler

HIGHLANDER NEWSROOM

Trick-or-treating at Ralph’s shopping complex

Snuggling up with “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” and reminiscing childhood

13 KUCR RADIO 88.3

WEDNESDAYS @ 9AM

Sitting in a Starbucks in full costume while blogging

Getting turnt up ‘cause that is what the cool kids are doing

Going to Montecarlo

Taking a horror tour of the Mission Inn

Going to class in costume

Stocking up on all things pumpkin spice

Eating pumpkin chocolate chip cookies from the dining hall and cramming for midterms

Going dressed up to Chipotle for $3 Chipotle

Twerking for treats

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

FEATURES

HIGHLANDER

UCR AROUND THE GLOBE

ROME, ITALY

NAME: Jamison Pollock YEAR: 4th-Year MAJOR: Art History COUNTRY: Italy HOST INSTITUTION: UC Center Rome

riving down the I-15 toward San Diego on my way to the airport, a thought struck me: I guess it’s true that all roads lead to Rome. So while mine included a long layover in Heathrow, it did indeed lead me to Rome. Dragging along two way-too-large suitcases, I managed to use my very rusty Italian 001 to catch a train into the city. As I stood gazing at the Colosseum looming in the distance and St. Peter’s Basilica sitting across the river, I felt a rush of adrenaline and fear. Here I was, thousands of miles from friends and family, about to experience what it’s like to be a modern Roman. My first order of business was to survive daily life. Though rooming with six guys was often difficult (so many dirty dishes), it did provide an immediate group of friends. In the first few weeks I found a cafe to go to every day, where the barista Fabio knew before I ordered that I needed a cafe latte to wake me up after Italian class. I realized I was much less likely to be pickpocketed once I bought a leather jacket to fit in amongst the highly fashionable Italians. I learned how to avoid the ATAC public transportation police and the sixty-euro fine for riding the bus without a pass. Most importantly, I found good places to go for gelato and tiramisu. Of course, as a fourth-year art history major, the main reason I choose the UC Center in Rome was for the art and culture. I’d spent countless hours studying Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo and of course, my favorite Ninja Turtle, Raphael, but I wasn’t even close to being prepared to see their work in

person. There was just something extraordinary about having a professor lecture on the secret intricacies of a sculpture while standing 10 feet away from its glimmering marble. But Italian culture isn’t simply art. It is also food and clothing and attitude. Italians have perfected pasta the way American’s have ‘perfected’ fast food. They wear tailored suits and polished watches to go grocery shopping — not to mention the fact that Italian drivers make New Yorkers seem tame, with constant honking and perpetual gesturing and yelling becoming a normal accompaniment on my walk to school. I also made sure to visit other places throughout Italy and Europe during my stay. I traveled to the maze-like canals of Venice and the rich (in history, wine and money) streets of Florence. I saw the sprawling beauty of Paris from the top of Notre Dame and the vibrant nightlife along the beaches of Barcelona. I explored the seaside, mountainside tranquility of the Italian Riviera and the ruinous history of Athens and the Acropolis. One weekend some friends and I visited the scenic Amalfi Coast and while we were there, decided to take a bus ride along the shore. Unfortunately for me I was the last one on the bus and was left leaning against a partially open door. As we whipped around corner after corner, mere inches from a 400-foot cliff, I couldn’t help but think that this would never happen in America. But hey, what’s a little personal safety in the name of exploration and adventure? ■H

HIGHLANDER

@highlanderradar

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

R adar ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Events this week Wednesday | 10/29

Friday | 10/31

Saturday | 11/1

Sunday | 11/2

The Album Leaf @ The Barn, 7:30 p.m.

The Pillowman @ The Box, Fox Entertainment Plaza, 8 p.m.

Moxiebeat @ Back to the Grind, 8 p.m. My Son Pinocchio @ Ramona High School Theatre Sunday, 2 p.m.

Jesse Taylor (left) and Jesse Carmichael (right) sing “Hero” to an intimate crowd.

CAMERON YONG / HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2014

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HIGHLANDER

W I L D C AT ! W I L D C AT ! AT T H E B A R N

Jake Rich, Senior Staff Writer

hat do you get when you cross a grungy, sometimes verging on punk-ish band and electronic indie-pop band in one venue to play back-to-back? A pretty good show, apparently. Genre differences aside, Son of Cecil and Wildcat! Wildcat! brought their A-games to a sparsely populated but enjoyable crowd at the Barn last Wednesday night. Opening up the night was Son of Cecil. Lead singer Brian Edwards, who grew up in the Inland Empire and used to go to shows at the old Showcase Theatre in Corona, led the three-piece through an assortment of lively chugging guitar songs. The band felt slightly reminiscent of blue album-era Weezer, with great heavy guitar melodies accompanied by lyrics that ranged from funny (“Everything’s just peachy keen / I got a hamster”) to extremely heavy (“Let’s get a divorce / Let’s get a divorce”). Though Edwards’ appeals to the crowd couldn’t get them as excited as he wished, the band still put on a fantastic show, with their manic energy and deep melancholy wonderfully bring-

Photos by Cameron Yong

ing in different sides of human emotion. Tossing out free T-shirts to the crowd at the end of their set capped off a great performance. The crowd swelled slightly as Wildcat! Wildcat! prepared to take the stage. One diehard fan, Phillip Mulholland, actually had gone to another Wildcat! Wildcat! concert the day before at the El Rey Theatre and was making the trip from Cal Poly Pomona just to catch another show. By the time the indie band took the stage, the crowd was finally ready to dance at least a little more, and with their sometimes eerie, always infectious synths, Wildcat! Wildcat! showed they were amply prepared to give the crowd a good time. Even as the band started out with some of their more mid-tempo songs, they were entrancing as their electronic sounds and beats filled the rustic venue. As the set progressed, the band brought their more upbeat tunes out and got the crowd dancing and bobbing their heads a bit. One of the surprise highlights of the set was an unexpected cover of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up.” They easily

turned the top 40 tune into a haunting, yet upbeat and still-danceable electronic indie song, with lead singer Jesse Wilson’s voice carrying earnest emotionality over the song’s simple lyrics. As the band was nearing the end of their set and encouraging fans to meet them at the merch table, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael added, “Playing shows is cool, but meeting you guys is even cooler.” And that’s the kind of night it was. Though the crowd was small and the bands mismatched in terms of sound, the great performances of both bands and friendliness of the crowd made it an intimate night worth remembering. It’s not always the gigantic shows and big spectacles worth remembering — sometimes it’s a low-key night like this, chilling with your friends and the band you just saw perform after a fun show, and knowing you enjoyed yourself and the opportunity you had to connect with friends and possibly make new ones. ■H Contributions to this article made by Steven Suh.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

MUSIC REVIEWS ... AND STAR POWER // FOXYGEN

RATING: ★★★☆☆

BY: BRYAN MEDINA, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

any of us have heard the crazy and exciting stories coming from the counterculture of the ‘60s and ‘70s, a time of civil rights, second-wave feminism, LSD and, of course, the radical changes in the way music reflected the complexity of human nature. Westlake Village experimental rock duo Foxygen, composed of Sam France and Jonathan Rado, takes us right back to that time when Sunset Boulevard was teeming with hippies and movie stars with their third album “…And Star Power.” At a staggering 1 hour and 22 minutes, the album takes you back and forth on a journey from psychedelia, soft rock, folk and even post-punk. I can say with confidence that Foxygen does their absolute best to blend nostalgic memories with modern perspectives on life. At the start of your trip, “Star Power Airlines” will take off with the electronic static synth sound reminiscent of a jet engine and ascend to dizzying heights, filled with random yells and drum solos. Foxygen is not afraid to abruptly shift moods in this album, only sparingly hinting

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at what comes next. Coming to a stable and smooth altitude, “How Can You Really” highlights the banging of ivories on the piano and pain-filled dreamy crooning associated with Electric Light Orchestra’s “Evil Woman.” Both of these tracks are about a strained relationship and lack of commitment. It’s not hard to see that Foxygen highly respects classic artists like the Eagles in “Coulda Been My Love,” which sounds like a slower and melancholic version of “Best of My Love.” The liberal application of echoed angelic backup vocals feels like Free Love is alive today as much as it was in 1973. This album is a prime example of experimental rock

of the late ‘60s. It’s clear from the low droning vocals that induce feelings of tripping out, unorthodox instruments like the marimba and synth organ and recordings of broken dialogue and everyday objects like broken glass. Track seven is “Star Power II: Star Power Nite,” which gives a nod to Kim Gordon’s acoustic vocals in Sonic Youth’s “Kool Thing” and focuses on repetitive power chords, bringing the flavor of post-punk into the mix of psychedelic and soft rock. “I Don’t Have Anything/ The Gate” also keeps in tune with the album’s shifty and unorganized nature. The acoustic guitar and piano sections remind me of the Wall of Sound, giving the track a more ethereal aura that

almost induces a dreamlike state. Just when you think “…And Star Power” was just going to be a mix of progressive rock and soft ballads, “Hot Summer” snaps you out of that assumption with its repetitive hi-hats, church organ loops and random screeches and yells. Experimentation is key to side three of the album (if it was an LP record), and listeners should be prepared for an audio assault of primal scream methods, reverberated guitars and muffled drum beats. If you so dare to listen to “Can’t Contextualize My Mind,” it’ll feel like driving through Hollywood dodging Trans-Ams and Camaros on your way to the hills. The mishmash of bluesy and tipsy

guitar riffs and proto-metal shredding seems to reflect the brain under the stress of the post-countercultural world. Foxygen does a great job with their time-traveling “… And Star Power.” There is an equal amount of variety in genres ranging from Fleetwood Mac-type ballads all the way to Rolling Stoneslike garage rock. I personally felt that some tracks of the second half of the album had elements that were scattered everywhere and had no feeling of order; the first half was definitely nostalgic and happy, if not pensive and thoughtful. It’s safe to say Foxygen does their job of honoring LA’s musical heritage both beautifully and ■H authentically.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HIGHLANDER

HOLD MY HOME // COLD WAR KIDS

RATING: ★★★★☆

BY: KELLY DUARTE, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ans of “Robbers and Cowards” will enjoy the latest album dropped by the Cold War Kids. “Hold My Home” has the same upbeat energy and variety that is unique only to the Cold War Kids. After ten years of being together, Cold War Kids have the same momentum they’ve had since their 2006 debut album. From what this album contains, they show no sign of slowing down. This is one of those few albums where a band can simultaneously branch out and experiment with styles that they have never touched yet still keep their trademark sound that has made them a staple in indie and alternative rock. From the first track “All This Could Be Yours” the familiar banging of the piano and fasttempo drums keep heads bobbing and feet tapping. In an instant throwback to previous albums from Cold War Kids, this lively

soul and funk-inspired track pays homage to their previous work while still being a fresh new song. The following tracks are able to keep up that momentum and keep you smiling as you listen along. One of the prime examples would be “Hotel Anywhere.” It’s one of those songs that could easily become a staple of summer listening for alternative music with all the positive vibes and uptempo energy it brings to the album — it is definitely one of the most energetic tracks, if not the most energetic one of all. There are a few slow moments between the hyper dance-inducing tracks that let the listener take a breather. “Harold Bloom” is an absolutely beautiful track, with the only thing accompanying frontman Nathan Willett’s voice being a keyboard and tambourine. After that, “Hear My Baby Call” is the last track in the album, another slow song. The album pro-

gresses from fast to slow tempo, but crafts it in a way that doesn’t bore the listener and keeps them hooked in until the last second. However, at times it can still be jarring and take you out of the music for a bit because there is such a radical change in instruments and tempo. You have to check that you are listening to the same album. The most notable shift in the album’s sound is going from “Go Quietly” to “Nights and Weekends.” “Go Quietly” is one of those tracks with a very prominent bass line and has few instruments for a simple melody, which showcases Willett’s soulful voice beautifully. Meanwhile “Nights and Weekends” features synth and electronic elements that are new to the album. If there are a couple of songs before with the same instruments it would be less bizarre, but it makes it seem out of place and is really distracting, especially since “Nights and

Courtesy of Downtown Records

Weekends” is so close to the end of the album. To listeners acquainted with Cold War Kids’ sound this album is spectacular. While some of the transitions between new experimental tracks fall a bit flat, most

of the songs get it very right, combining old soul and folk with alternative rock, a feat only the Cold War Kids can pull off. Filled with upbeat tracks that are highly entertaining, this album is pure fun for listeners. ■H

MOVIE REVIEWS COMING OUT SOON:

BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP

HORNS

NIGHTCRAWLER

ABC’S OF DEATH 2

THE GREAT INVISIBLE

OUIJA

RATING: ★☆☆☆☆

BY: JAMESON ADAME, STAFF WRITER

ovies based on board games are awful. With the occasional exception of a film like “Clue,” the majority of stories based on board games become “Dungeons and Dragons,” or “Battleship.” Knowing this, it should come as no surprise that I walked into “Ouija” with a heady dose of cautious skepticism. “Ouija” didn’t disappoint. It’s awful in all the wrong ways, and even a few of the right ones. Coming from first-time director Stiles White, “Ouija” focuses around — what else — a group of teens who accidentally summon ghosts with the eponymous Hasbro toy. The instigating factor for their summoning is the apparent suicide of Debbie (Shelley Hennig). Intending to ask Debbie about whether her death could have been prevented, Laine (Olivia Cooke) and her buddies unwittingly stumble onto the spirit that tormented their late friend. From this point, writers Stiles White and Juliet Snowden take the audience on a thrill ride so predictable that the viewer is left feeling like Nostradamus. The plot feels forced at the best of times, and like a complete copy of other much better films (see: “The Ring”) at the worst. Important moments in the narrative feel too convenient, setting up the next scene as though the audience has no ability to question why the dining room table was arranged so perfectly for a seance. The problems that the plot encounters are made all the worse knowing that they make the film farcical. Even minor points of interest become darkly hilarious

when put under the slightest bit of scrutiny. Only a few minutes into the film, after Debbie hangs herself using Christmas lights she keeps in her room, her family holds a wake. The punchline? They hold the wake in the same house she was found dead, only feet from the sight of her death. In the same scene, Laine walks into Debbie’s room hoping to feel closer to her friend, passing by the same Christmas lights used to hang her friend. Did her parents just decide to keep the murder-lights? Are those lights too expensive to buy new ones? Moments like these just make the movie silly. Scene planning and composition aside, the writing in “Ouija” is so bad as to achieve levels of hilarity. Desperate to find absolution for the death of her friend, Laine tells the rest of the gang that she needs to contact Debbie. At this point her boyfriend Trevor (Daren Kagasoff) reminds her that dead people can’t talk to the living, and she should just learn to move on. The scene carries on like this for at least two minutes, with the couple firing back and forth that they need to contact Debbie, oh, but they can’t possibly talk to someone who’s died. Foreshadowing moments like these carry all the subtlety of a Mack truck charging headlong at your face with its headlights on and its horn blaring in your ears. Late in the movie, there is also a twist that is intended to surprise and shock the audience. Instead, the Shyamalan-esque third act of the film feels unnecessary and out of place in what had been a movie that previously pulled no punches. Too bad though, because as is,

Courtesy of Universal Pictures the movie seems to run at least 15 minutes too long. Which is horrifying, considering the film only runs for 89 minutes. Setting aside the laughable plot, writing and everything else, “Ouija” shows itself as capable of all the acting chops present in an elementary school play. Every character in the film — aside from being cast well above the intended high school age — reacts about as emotionally to all of their friends dying as if they were popping quaaludes like candy. Line delivery just seems to be flat and stunted, making characters seem awkwardverging-on-sociopathic. On top of all the problems “Ouija” faces, it is also made to suffer from a deep misunderstanding of how real horror works. Rather than establish a looming sense of dread in every scene, allowing the audience to make a majority of the fear within their own minds, White seems content with repeatedly jump-scaring the audience into submission — not just once either, but smacking the viewer over the head with startling orchestra strings and flashes of action so much that they will see stars. While unintentionally amusing at times, “Ouija” fails to be scary enough or badly amusing enough to actually be worth the price of admission (despite producer Michael Bay’s best efforts). If anybody is looking for a good horror flick to kick off Halloween and the inevitable ouija board seances that entails, stick to “The Exorcist.” Not only does that movie kick ass, but it’s a better advertisement for the board game than this highly meh film. ■H

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

FURY

RATING: ★★★★☆

BY: EDWARD DAVE, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

eady, aim, fire! “Fury,” the war movie directed by film connoisseur David Ayer and starring Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman and Shia Labeouf is a stellar account of a brutal tank battle during the tumultuous World War II. While it may draw heavy similarities from its senior film “Saving Private Ryan,” make no mistake that this film crafts its own identify and uses the inspiration provided by the acclaimed film to lay its foundation firm. “Fury” is high-octane action with a valiant heart. The premise of “Fury” is very straightforward and basic. A tank battalion, nicknamed “Fury,” famed on the battlefield for its swift action, is tasked with liberating numerous towns occupied by Nazi Germany. The film takes place in April 1945, during Hitler’s last stand against the allied troops, so the fighting was intense. This is shown at its finest when Wardaddy (Brad Pitt) impales an enemy soldier with a knife in the opening

scene. It’s foreshadowing of the impending casualties ahead — and what happens later is much more gruesome than a simple stabbing. Wardaddy’s assembled crew consists of hardened veterans who have been fighting together since the front opened in 1942 in Africa. These experiences in North Africa brought the group together as very close friends. The banter exchanged between them is volatile and rough, but pales in comparison to the actual realities they are faced with. From the inception of the film you can tell that the relationships formed on-screen were authentic and provide the film with much-needed comedic relief to take us out of the death and destruction of many of the scenes. The acting in the film is impressive and defies the stigma of many war films where character development is tossed out of the window for the plot’s sake. Each member of the battalion carries a personality that not only matches the setting. For example, Boyd (Labeouf) is religiously pious

and consistently repents for the kills he commits during the war. It gives the film a realistic edge to make this movie feel organic. Wardaddy is a calculating and hardcore man for his troops, sacrificing civilians if need be. People were utilized by Hitler to carry

“Fury” will definitely serve as this generation’s classic war movie ... out total war, so a typical child could conceal the deadliest of weapons, thus causing tough calls to be made by allied forces. Despite these acts, he is also empathetic. Underneath his hardened exterior you can tell he truly cares about the

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

cause he is fighting for and the teammates he has journeyed with since the beginning of the African invasion. Pitt is phenomenal because you can never actually pinpoint his aspirations or thoughts. He is a wild card captured underneath a very smug demeanor. Norman (Lerman) also surprises with his performance. He has never done anything this gritty before, so he was essentially testing the waters during filming. Initially a typewriter for the army, Norman is sporadically stationed to be with the fury battalion as the assistant shooter. His lighthearted and sympathetic ways are met with contempt by his peers until the carnage around him transforms him into a hardened warrior. An integral part to the war movie’s intensity is the usage of the soundtrack to create a realistic atmosphere. Steven Price, the man who composed for “Gravity,” was charged with making this film’s music as compelling as possible. Price is adept at crafting ambiance even more eerie and hopeless than the cinematography

already does by adding in music that resonates and tugs at your heartstrings. Battles are adorned with deafening drums and orchestras to command the attention of the audience. The large belting of the orchestra signified to the audience that something was about to get very grim. Coupled with that is your typical patriotic war fanfare, which wasn’t nearly as compelling, but still got the job done nicely. Without seeing the film, you may write it off as a “Saving Private Ryan” wannabe with little emotions and commentary to coax its plot. However, that would also be doing this film a huge disfavor. “Fury” has many things to be proud of. The writing, acting and music propel this movie forward. The premise, while hackneyed in a sense, goes into impressive depth about tank warfare which is not usually highlighted in average war films. “Fury” will definitely serve as this generation’s classic war movie and I imagine succeeding films of the same genre will take H notes from this great movie. ■

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

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COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

“Jodorowsky’s Dune” at the Artsblock

NATHAN SWIFT Senior Staff Writer

The Artsblock premiered last Saturday “Jodorowsky’s Dune,” a documentary released in 2013. “Jodorowsky’s Dune” follows the avant-garde film director Alejandro Jodorowsky tell the account of his attempt at directing an adaptation of the science-fiction novel “Dune.” What I saw was an intense drama surge beneath the seemingly simple story of a director and his friends as they recall and reminisce on what could’ve been a cinemagraphic milestone, but instead was the greatest movie never made. “Dune” is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert in 1965. The following year, it won the Hugo award, which is only granted to whichever work is perceived as the best science fiction or fantasy novel of a given year. “Dune” takes place 21,000 years in the future, where humanity has migrated to different planets in the universe. The plot of the novel is similar to Game of Thrones, where different aristocratic Houses vie for control over different populations and resources. The film starts off with different shots of Jodorowsky’s office and Jodorowsky himself speaking. He gives the audience some muchneeded background information regarding his credentials in the movie industry during the 1960s and 1970s, noting how many of his movies were either given poor reviews or outright banned in certain countries. A few of those movies include “Francis y Lis,” “El Topo” and “The Holy Mountain,” all of which became

underground cult classics. The crazy and surreal nature of his films reflected his hyper personality. Many times during his segments he would let his hands go wild with movement. He didn’t just speak his thoughts — he acted them. There was an especially touching segment where he describes the disappointment of having his adaptation of Dune rejected by Hollywood. “They didn’t want to give us the money — what is money?” he cried out as he removed bills from his wallet. “I had a dream, I wanted to live it, and they took it away from me.” I saw something on Jodorowsky’s face after he spoke that stayed with me. It was similar to revered paintings like “The Scream” or “The Mona Lisa”: He cast his eyes down, and a defeated scowl formed upon his lips. It was a transcendent moment that spoke beyond Jodorowsky’s attempt at creating “Dune.” That single moment was the true heart of the documentary — not simply the failing of a movie due to money, but rather the universal feeling of dispiriting defeat. It’s like a scar — the wound may be subdued, but it never leaves your body. The documentary details how crazy the film would’ve been given its cast. At one point Jodorowsky describes how he gets Salvador Dali, Orson Welles and Mick Jagger to act in the film. Dali asked for $100,000 a minute, and the film’s producer only allowed that to happen because Dali’s role would’ve only been “about five minutes max, probably three,” in Jodorowsky’s own words. Welles only signed onto the movie because Jodorowsky convinced him that he would hire the chef of his favorite res-

taurant to prepare his everyday meals for him. Jodorowsky wanted a different band to play for each planet in the movie, but the film’s musical soundtrack eventually settled onto progressive rock groups Pink Floyd and Magma. The end of the documentary does Jodorowsky’s attempted adaptation justice by revealing how far-reaching its influence has been. Screenwriter Dan O’Bannon was hired to write the script for “Dune”; after the movie was terminated he eventually went on to write for the highly coveted “Alien.” Even with all of his pain, Jodorowsky was happy to point out how influential his movie was, stating “if ‘Dune’ had been made, then we might’ve never had ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Alien,’ ‘Blade Runner,’ ‘Contact,’ ‘Prometheus,’ among many others. Those films might’ve not been as great as they are if my movie existed.” He was even happy over the commercial and critical bomb of his friend David Lynch’s adaptation of “Dune.” “When I saw it in the theaters, I was crying,” he said. “I was happy, because it wasn’t good!” Ultimately, “Jodorowsky’s Dune” is like a dream, where one is entranced with the “good ol’ days” and “could-have” mentality. It’s good to see that Jodorowsky still holds onto his personal dream without any bitterness. “Jodorowsky’s Dune” was approximately two hours long at the Artsblock. Next week at the Culver Center, the Artsblock will be playing “Paranormal Activity” on Thursday at 7 p.m. On Halloween, they will be playing “Paranormal Activity 3” at 3 p.m. and “Paranormal Activity: the Marked Ones” at 7 p.m. These horror movies are in correlation with Halloween, which will be this Friday. ■H

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

COURTESTY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Swift Musings:

And Justice For All Nathan Swift, Senior Staff Writer “ … But the ramifications of Atticus Finch’s speech are, unfortunately, lost upon his courtroom audience for the remainder of the novel. The issue of defining equality and justice — ” Heavy footsteps to my right interrupted my trance. I lifted my eyes from the computer screen to see a man approach the seat next to me in the computer lab. His walk reminded me of a dipping bird. He also wore a shirt that was a size too large. He looked a bit like a turtle — the large outer shirt defending his interior. He took the open seat next to me and began pouring his fingers onto the keyboard. I checked my watch and saw that class didn’t start for another 15 minutes. “Good,” I thought to myself. “Just enough time to finish my blog post before I head out.” “Did you do the readings for lecture?” he asked out of the blue. I assumed he was talking to somebody else around us, and ignored his question. I felt a finger poke my arm, and turned to face him. “Are you asking me?” I in-

quired, rubbing my arm. His finger felt really sweaty. Maybe he should wash his hands. “Yeah,” he replied, his gaze returning back toward his computer screen. “We’re in the same lecture, in case you didn’t know. I was too busy to do the readings for today, and I know we have a quiz.” Shoot, I thought, looking through my sloppy class notes. I’ll probably get a 50 percent on the quiz, and that’s a high estimate. “Yeah, sorry,” I said, pointing toward my computer screen. “I had some work to do.” I sipped the remains of my pumpkin spice coffee and said, “We have that lecture twice a week, and you had the entire weekend to do the readings. Was your Internet down or something?” “Oh thank God, no,” he said. “I’m a mod on several online discussion boards. Guys just talkin’ about guy things, ya know.” “The issue of defining equality and justice is one that, unfortunately, still needs to be addressed in today’s society,” I typed. The blog post wasn’t complete, but I could

finish it up after lecture, or maybe even make a few necessary changes during class. “Sorry,” I said. “I already write for the Internet.” I felt his heavy breath next to mine as he scanned my computer screen. “Ah,” he sighed, “Social justice warrior. One of those, huh? That’s too bad.” I logged off my computer with his gaze still on me. I tried thinking of something clever, but that well was dry. “Awkward turtle,” I said, gathering my things before sliding out of my seat. I took one last look at the guy. He had returned to his computer screen, his fingers spilling over the keyboard. I checked my watch — 12 minutes until class. “You’re gonna be late!” I called back. He gave no response. I started skimming through the required pages of my textbook. “It’s like I said,” I thought. “50 percent on the quiz, as a high estimate. I shouldn’t worry too much over what I don’t have any control over.” I smiled to myself. “Besides, I’ve got plenty of time to finish my blog post.” ■H

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

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Around The Big West Jason Ahn, Contributing Writer

PHOTO COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

Men’s Golf

The UC Riverside men’s golf team concluded the Bill Cullum Invitational in Simi Valley, Calif. last Tuesday, Oct. 21, placing 14th out of 20 teams. No. 21 USC won the event with a score of 833 for the tournament. UCR’s top finisher was David Gazzolo, capping in at 13th place with a 212 mark. He was only four strokes away from fourth place. Arizona State University’s Jon Rahm won the individual event with a score of 203. Highlander Sam Gillis earned 35th place with a 219 total while Pachara Sakulyong finished in 62nd with a 225. The team next plays on Jan. 26, 2015 at the Mission Cup in Riverside, Calif.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

Women’s golf

The women’s golf team won the Santa Clara Colby Invitational in San Jose, Calif. on Oct. 21, with senior Brittani Ferraro taking the individual title. The Highlanders finished with a 927 overall, outplaying the hosting Santa Clara Broncos by nine strokes. Ferraro scored a 221, beating Annie Freman from Santa Clara by one stroke. Coincidentally, the last time the women’s team won was at last year’s Birdies for Breast Cancer tournament, which Ferraro also placed first at. Close behind Ferraro was teammate Savannah Vilaubi who tied for fifth with a score of 231. Highlander Haley Wian placed 10th with a 235.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

Women’s tennis

The women’s tennis team lost back-to-back singles at the United States Tennis Association/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southwest Regional Championship in San Diego on Oct. 17. Highlander Chloe Pham lost a tiebreaker to UC Irvine’s Kat Facey while Courtney Pattugalan lost to Pepperdine’s Daniele Feneridis. Pham and Pattugalan lost to San Diego State 8-1 in doubles, while on the singles side, Pham and Pattugalan both lost in straight sets. At its next tournament, the Matador Collegiate Invitational on Oct. 19, the Highlanders recorded a handful of singles and doubles matches over the weekend, most notably UCR’s Natalie Penner and Kassie Truong defeating Cal State Los Angeles, 8-5. In singles, Highlander Karla Dulay lost her first match but rebounded with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Cal State Fullerton’s Jessica Pepa.

men’s tennis

The UCR men’s tennis team won two doubles matches and one singles match in its first tournament of the season at the UC Santa Barbara Classic from Oct. 10-12. The pair of doubles wins followed loses on the first two days of the match. UCR’s Julian Ruffin defeated Felix Schueller in three tight sets. Ruffin and Sean Robles then placed seventh place in doubles, beating UC San Diego 8-3. Highlanders Cooper Bridge and Michael Carella also were victorious in doubles, beating UC Santa Barbara 8-6. On day two, Ruffin defeated Timothy Tran from Cal Poly and received a walkover because his next opponent withdrew. Robles lost his first match to UC Davis’s Everett Maltby, but defeated UCSB’s Ziad Sultan in the following round.

JAPERY GOH / HIGHLANDER

volleyball

The struggling women’s volleyball team fell to No. 23-ranked Long Beach State and Cal State Northridge over the weekend, bringing its conference record to 0-8 on the season. On Friday night, the Highlanders were simply overmatched by their ranked opponent. Ashley Cox and Alex Gresham tallied six kills for UCR, but the team fell in straight sets, 25-13, 25-14, 25-15. Saturday night was no better for the Highlanders as they won a set but couldn’t overcome the Matadors. The team begins a three-game homestand beginning on Thursday, Oct. 30 ■H against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

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Hector Romo (No. 26) chases after the ball ahead of the CSU Fullerton player.

Men’s soccer stuns No. 2 UC Irvine DARREN BUENO Senior Staff Writer OCT. 22, 2014

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Highlanders 2 - Anteaters 1

On a four-game skid, the UC Riverside men’s soccer team entered Wednesday night’s showdown against one of the best teams in the nation, UC Irvine, as major underdogs. The Highlanders, backed by an unrelenting offense, defeated the Anteaters 2-1, giving the No. 2 team only its second loss of the season. UC Riverside (3-9-2, 2-3-1) came at the visiting Anteaters all night on offense, firing 20 shots, 11 in the first half. However, UCI’s goalkeeper Michael Breslin prevented point-blank shots from several UCR players. In the second half, UC Irvine made adjustments and picked up their aggression. The first five shots went the way of the Anteaters, but neither team could score. UCR finally broke through in the 79th minute as Ricardo Ruiz’s corner kick found Philipp Dominique, who blasted

the ball past Breslin for the Highlanders’ first goal of the evening, 1-0. The lead was short-lived as, 96 seconds later, the Anteaters’ Eduardo Calzada converted on a penalty play to knot the score, 1-1. The offenses continued to attack down the stretch, and UCR got the opportunity it needed, earning its own penalty shot with 78 seconds left in the match. Hector Romo put it away, ultimately closing the book on the Highlanders’ biggest victory of the season, 2-1. UCR’s thumping over UCI was the team’s fifth win over a nationally ranked opponent since 2011. OCT. 25, 2014

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Highlanders 1 - Titans 1

Following their surprising win over UC Irvine, the Highlanders and Cal State Fullerton Titans went down to the wire at the UCR soccer field. After the teams each scored within the first minutes of the game, neither squad was able to scratch again as the contest ended in a double-overtime tie. The result allowed

the Highlanders to maintain their third-place standing in the Big West Conference’s South Division. At the 16-minute mark, the Highlanders were the first team to get on the board as Otis Earle’s skillful passing found Michael Salazar for his team-leading fifth score of the season, 1-0. Seven minutes later, a corner kick by Cal State Fullerton’s Spencer Johnson in the 23rd minute led to Amara Soumah’s fourth goal of the season as he poked the ball past UCR goalie Ashkan Khosravi for the score, 1-1. The second half featured even play from both squads, with Cal State Fullerton generating slightly more shots, 10-8, in the period. The Titans, however, created more set piece opportunities for themselves, leading 5-1 in corner kicks. Despite seven more shots being taken in the 10-minute double-overtime, neither team was able to score, ending the contest in a 1-1 tie. The Highlanders (2-3-2) remain at home this week hosting Cal State H Northridge on Wednesday, Oct. 29. ■

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

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The World Series Two teams of destiny means baseball has nothing to lose

JAKE RICH, SENIOR STAFF WRITER PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

t feels cliched, but I’m going to come right out and say it — being labeled as a “team of destiny” is a pretty cool thing. You don’t need to be a powerhouse, or to have a team stacked with all-stars — you just have to have that little bit of October magic to get you through a handful of playoff series, and the prize at the end of the rainbow is yours. Have you figured out which team I’m talking about in this year’s fall classic yet? The easy answer might be to say it’s the Royals rather than the Giants, but in the first all-wildcard World Series matchup since 2002 (in which the Angels beat the Giants in seven games), both Kansas City’s beloved perennial losers and the team in the city by the bay can lay some claim to that special title as the team that fate favors to take it all home. Let’s start with the Royals though. This is a team that’s difficult not to love, and I say this as a fan of one of the teams they beat along the way this postseason — the Angels. This is a team that hasn’t even made the playoffs since 1985 when they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals to win the World Series. Many of their current fans had yet to be born or were still in diapers. To make things worse, Kansas City has not had a single professional sports championship team since those victorious 1985 Royals. The so-called “scrappiness” of the team also makes them easy to root for — aggressive baserunning and a top-shelf defense make you never doubt that these monarchs of the Midwest are out of a game. Their late-inning wildcard game comeback just made it easy to feel happy for Kansas City and their fans who had waited so long — so long as they don’t turn into overconfident Boston-esque fans after finally winning, I’ll continue to be happy for them. But hold on a sec. Before you go and start fawning over how amazing the Royals are, don’t

forget to look at San Francisco’s favorite orange and black sons. Though the Giants have had recent World Series success, winning the title in 2012 and 2010, the team had to sneak into the postseason as the second National League wild card this year. This isn’t the dominant Giants team of years past — this is a team that found a struggling Tim Lincecum in the bullpen, and squeaked out 88 wins. So why are they a team of destiny? Giants fans in recent years have adopted an “even years” mantra for their World Series wins (this doesn’t entirely check out — I’d like to kindly remind you of 2002 again). No matter the type of team they have, every two years something just seems to come together and work. This year’s team has a similar scrappy style led by pitching and rookies, and of course, Hunter Pence’s Twitter account and rambunctious personality. If that wasn’t enough, in one of the most easily spotted “how can you not be romantic about baseball?” moments in years, Travis Ishikawa, the veteran outfielder the Giants brought back partway through the season, hit a walk-off threerun homer against the Cardinals to give the Giants their third-consecutive even-year National League pennant. Later that night, the MLB Instagram interspersed a clip of Ishikawa’s pennant-winning blast with the historic call of Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” that won the then-New York Giants the pennant in 1951. How could you not get chills hearing Russ Hodges’ classic call, yelping, “The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant and they’re goin’ crazy, they’re goin’ crazy!” As of press time, the Giants have taken a 3-2 lead heading into the sixth game of the series in Kansas City. I still can’t sleep on either team though. That eerie baseball destiny mystique is still very much fixed in clouds above both of these teams — the Giants’ game-four comeback and the Royals’ bullpen dominance in game three show there’s still plenty of magic left in both of these teams. Which one breaks through these clouds is anyone’s guess — but they’ll both tell you they knew it’d be them the entire time. Go Giants. Go Royals. Go baseball. ■H