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Volume 63
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Serving the UCR community since 1954
Issue 13
FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
Cyber attack on ASUCR website decreases transparency
UC risks losing $120 million in proposed state budget
SANDY VAN Senior Staff Writer
Students were unable to access ASUCR’s website due to malicious attacks made on it in fall quarter.
SANDY VAN AARON GRECH Senior Staff Writers
A
s a result of a cyber attack that shut down the ASUCR website, members of ASUCR have decided to switch to an older server under the domain name, ASUCRexchange.ucr.edu, which still holds remnants of its old merchandise store that closed in 2012. As of press time, the new website lacks information about ASUCR’s elected student representatives, office personnel and upcoming committee meetings, which could potentially leave the student body in the dark about recent happenings within ASUCR. “There were a series of problems with the old website ranging from no tech support by UCR as we used a WordPress website (open) to multiple malicious attacks and vulnerabilities,” explained ASUCR Marketing and Promotions Director Ravin Rathod, whose position involves overseeing the website.
According to a report that the Highlander obtained from UCR Computing and Communications, the original website’s servers on WordPress became infected by a Trojan, a malware virus which generally forces websites and their computers to lose control to a third party and cause sensitive data to be
► SEE CYBER ATTACK, PAGE 6
► SEE BUDGET, PAGE 5
PHOTO BY TIM BACA / GRAPHIC BY VINCENT TA
the university’s antivirus firewalls, which did not protect the website when it operated under WordPress, according to Payroll and Budget Accountant Amy Carrizosa. As a result of the attack, website responsibilities were shifted from Rathod to Carrizosa, who has been in charge of updating
“I’m not sure what anybody’s doing (at ASUCR).” - Third-year biochemistry major Kushal Sonawala compromised, forcing the website offline from Sept. 17, 2014 through Oct. 24, 2014. In October 2014, ASUCR officials opted to switch from the WordPress to an OmniUpdate server, which official university websites, including ASUCR, had used prior to September 2010. The switch was made to protect ASUCR’s website within
sition which requires him to “oversee the updating and maintenance of the ASUCR website.” Currently, there is no set procedure for shifting job responsibilities from the marketing and promotions director to another. The original ASUCR website currently redirects its visitors to the ASUCR Exchange site, which provides basic documents and services for student organizations, such as how to receive funding and links to discounted amusement park tickets. However, the names, biographies and goals for members of ASUCR are still absent from the new website, but can be found on a linked ASUCR elections website, which also lists all of the candidates who have run for or won an executive or senate position over the past few years. Elections website viewers may potentially find it difficult to distinguish elected student representatives who are in office unless they cross-reference the biographies with the final elections results. “I will do my best to quickly have these put up,” Rathod said
Unveiling a draft of his 201516 proposed state budget, Gov. Jerry Brown allocated a 4 percent, or $120 million, increase for the University of California if no tuition increases are enacted. However, the amount falls short of what the UC Board of Regents has requested to prevent systemwide tuition increases of up to 5 percent next year. UC President Janet Napolitano pushed through a plan last November which may gradually increase UC tuition by up to 27.6 percent over the next five years, unless an additional $100 million in state funding is provided, which the UC says is needed to increase student enrollment and boost course offerings. Yet Brown is holding his line on providing additional UC funding, unless the UC regents keep tuition flat and cap out-ofstate admissions at their current level. “The University of California is created by the people of California,” Brown said. “It’s historically been for the citizens of the state. Yes, it’s good to have some foreign students and some out-of-state people, but I don’t think that should be viewed as a financial mechanism.” Brown also says he is displaying the “self discipline and prudence” needed to keep the state budget balanced during a time of improved economic conditions, which has allowed for increased spending, as reflected within the $113 billion proposed state budget plan. “It’s precariously balanced, and it’s going to get even more challenging as we get down the road,” Brown said during a press conference. The California State University is also expected to receive $120 million, in addition to another $25 million dedicated to improving graduation rates. Nearly half of the budget is being allocated to improving roads, bridges and highways, and nearly $2 billion is dedicated to paying down state debt and ensuring a rainy day fund. One-third of the budget will also provide for health and human services such as Medi-Cal.
the website with senate meeting minutes and other important documents as provided by Rathod. In addition, ASUCR is looking to contract someone with technological expertise to build a new website, which Rathod says will occur sometime in the “near future.” According to ASUCR bylaws, Rathod still holds a po-
NEWS 1 • OPINIONS 7 • FEATURES 14 • A&E 17 • SPORTS 20
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2
NEWS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
UCR alum begins path to ‘American Idol’ stardom SANDY VAN AMY ZAHN Senior Staff Writers
It was only two years ago when Peter “Rocky” Ajoku performed during UCR’s Homecoming Week and now the former Highlander is performing on the nationwide singing competition “American Idol.” Billboards, including one featuring Ajoku, readied viewers for the beginning of the show’s 14th season, which premiered last Wednesday at 8 p.m. on Fox. Ajoku told the Press Enterprise that he had “uncontrollable tears of joy” after discovering that he would be highlighted on an “American Idol” billboard in Azusa. In the billboard, he is seen holding a golden ticket, which indicates he auditioned and won a ticket to the Hollywood portion of the competition. Graduating with a biological sciences degree from UCR in 2013, Ajoku did not face an easy upbringing. Growing up in Nigeria, Ajoku supported his family at a young age, while tilling soil for 18 hours a day and putting himself through school. Ajoku and his brother were later given the chance to move to the U.S. with their father who eventually left them to fend for themselves.
Fast-forward to their present: Ajoku made it through community college in Fontana, graduated from UC Riverside and is now living out his singing dreams on “American Idol.” Director of the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences Undergraduate Advising Center Barbra Wallace recalls Ajoku, who would often come by the academic center on a regular basis. “He always had a smile on his face and even when things weren’t going well for him, he would always try to cheer other people up,” she said. Whether it was at the Bell Tower or at the local donut shop on Blaine Street, Ajoku made his presence known around campus by singing and playing his guitar, while touching the lives of those around him. Fourth-year public policy major Bola Adeniran, who noticed Ajoku’s passion for music which “danced in his eyes” when he performed, described him as “passionate in his singing” and “crazy smart.” “People often made fun of him or laughed at him whenever he’d come out and perform but who’s laughing now. He’s out there living his dream while all the rest of us wish we were actively chasing ours, myself included,” she said.
ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER
Peter Ajoku graduated UCR in 2013 with a biological sciences degree.
When hearing about his breakthrough into “American Idol,” Stephen Fong, a 2013 UCR alum and former guitarist in Ajoku’s band, wasn’t surprised. “Peter always talked with conviction and really believed that he was going to achieve something like ‘(American) Idol,’” Fong said. “I’m very happy for him and he continues to be an inspiration for myself,
especially in this tough craft of being a musician.” On his Facebook page, Ajoku expressed gratitude to and provided an update for all of his followers on the first “American Idol” airing. “Hi Everyone!! Thank you for all your support. “American IDOL” starts tonight! I auditioned in San Francisco, so you may not be able to see my audition until January 22,
according to the rumors I am hearing,” said Ajoku. “American Idol” judges, traveling through Nashville, New Orleans, Long Island, San Francisco and Minneapolis, held a series of auditions to find its next contestants. As of press time, auditions from Nashville and Kansas City have only been shown during the first week of ■H the season.
ONLINE IN NEWS 1/13: “President Obama’s college rating system, President Obama’s free community college plan PHOTO OF THE WEEK
QUOTEBOOK
“Spiders are a very sexy creature.” - Retired UCR entomologist Richard S. Vetter on the exotic nature of spider bites.
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UCR Highlander Newspaper @ucrhighlander UCRChannelH
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R’s Up! The crowd turns silent in anticipation as UCR throws a free throw to tie the game 67-67 leading to a win in overtime.
UPCOMING EVENTS
WINTER 2015, WEEK 2
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
1/13
1/14
1/15
1/16
1/17
1/18
1/19
Seniors: Your Career Game Plan 11 a.m. - Noon HUB 268
Juniors: Your Career Game Plan Noon - 1 p.m. HUB 268
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. March Noon Bell Tower
PB& J: Peanut Butter and Jogging! 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. HUB 248
No Events
Networking Your Way to a Job 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. HUB 268
Tuesday Talk- Fludity 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Costo Hall 245
Watercolor Sketching 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. UCR Extension Center
Senior: Land a Job for When you Graduate Now Noon- 1 p.m. HUB 268
Villa-Lobos International Chamber Music Fest: Brazilians in California 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Arts 166
Villa-Lobos International Chamber Music Fest: Música de Câmara 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. Church of the Good Shepherd
Martin Luther King Jr. Day No School
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NEWS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
CRIME WATCH:
Two, including one student, arrested in attempted pharmacy burglary COLIN MARKOVICH Senior Staff Writer
Due to mold contamination, one of the UCR Child Development Center buildings has been temporarily closed for several months.
JANINE YBANEZ / HIGHLANDER
Moldy university daycare building to reopen Jan. 26 SANDY VAN Senior Staff Writer
Child Development Center (CDC) Building A is expected to reopen its doors on Jan. 26 after being closed for more than three months due to mold infestation. Student parents have expressed concerns over the handling of the mold discovery, which required university officials to temporarily shut down a family community center last month to make space for a kindergarten classroom previously located in the moldy building. The initial date was tentatively scheduled for Dec. 6, 2014 but was considered “overly ambitious” and extended to this month, according to UCR Director of Media Relations Kris Lovekin.
The upcoming January date is contingent on whether Building A passes final inspections. “The cleaning and reconstruction has been ongoing, which includes finding out how the moisture entered the building. Many items of furniture, toys (and) supplies must be cleaned or replaced,” Lovekin said. Some student parents have expressed concerns over the university’s handling of the mold, which has led to a reduction of communal space and services formerly dedicated to families. The discovery of the mold prompted the child care classes to be temporarily relocated from Building A to B with the exception of the kindergarten class, which is now being housed at the community center until the mold
VINCENT TA / HIGHLANDER Residents of family housing meet to talk about the recent community center issues.
situation is dealt with. Families learned of the community center’s temporary conversion after an altercation broke out between student parents and CDC staff during a movie night last month. There was miscommunication over the new use of the room, which parents were not given prior notice about. University officials have since apologized and temporarily designated another space to remedy the situation. Located blocks away from its original counterpart, the temporary community center is currently taking up an existing unit in UCR Family Housing. Living right next door to the unit, Cristhian Loder says it receives very few visits and there is “hardly any noise” despite having initial concerns. “At first, we were wondering about the noise (and) if there was going to be a lot of people because of the benches in the back, but we haven’t had any problems,” Loder said. “Sometimes I’d see a bunch of strollers strolling down the lawn.” Another family housing resident, Betsy Kindblade, felt differently, expressing discontent over the new community space which she said is “half the size of our regular community center” and keeps another potential family waitlisted because the family housing unit is being occupied. Elizabeth Casady, a fifth-year psychology undergraduate with four kids, lives right next to the original community center, which she felt was a “huge perk” for her family. Though it didn’t bother her to hear about the center’s temporary relocation, she is not a huge fan of the new space. Compared to the original community center, Casady said the new unit makes it difficult for large gatherings to convene due to the lack of a conference-sized space. Casady also misses the old backyard, which provided a contained area for families to meet. “(The old backyard is) fenced and private, so there’s no issue with neighbors and it turns into a park, that’s why we can do movie night. But if you set up some-
thing up like that (at the temporary community center), that’s someone’s backyard,” she said. Lovekin explained that state laws about classroom time and space required a quick conversion. “Taking over the community center isn’t ideal, but these are kindergarten students who need their first official year in school to be as complete and comfortable as possible,” Lovekin said. The community center is expected to convert back to its initial recreational purposes of holding birthday parties, friendly gatherings and student organization meetings once Building A is reopened next week. Casady is skeptical that the university will come through, believing that “most of the mold is ugly but it’s not actually dangerous. If it’s the toxic stuff, then they have companies that can specifically take care of it. If it’s taking this long (to deal with the mold), that’s a choice people are making, especially if it’s something urgent like that.” The CDC also faces the challenge of transitioning into new leadership over the course of the 2014-15 academic year. At the time of the mold’s discovery, CDC Director Renee Jacobs had only been in her position for three weeks. In addition, the 14 families who were initially displaced from the discovery of the mold will be invited to come back and the 28 student employees who were laid off may be asked to return pending demand for staff. “This has been a high stress time, so building a sense of confidence and community will be important,” Lovekin expressed. “We are grateful for the patience of the families and the staff members during this time of transition.” Director of Housing Services Andy Plumley says that an annual mold test will be conducted as part of CDC protocol to prevent mold from reoccurring. Housing Services is in charge of overseeing both the CDC and residences in family housing. ■H
Two suspects, one of whom is a UCR student, have been arrested in an attempted robbery at Student Health Services. At around 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 6, the two individuals entered Student Health Services. According to witnesses, the student served as a distraction while the other individual attempted to steal cough syrup from the pharmacy. Employees managed to detain the second suspect until UCR police arrived, when the individuals were arrested. The two were later identified as Eric Cho and Justin Lee. Both are facing criminal charges, including possession of a controlled substance, conspiracy to commit a felony and second-degree robbery. The student, Lee, may also face student conduct proceedings, as the charges he is accused of could violate multiple sections of the UC Policy on Student Conduct and Discipline. However, federal law prohibits the university from discussing any particular student’s case in detail. In a notice emailed to the campus on Jan. 7, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications James Grant wrote that it is the university’s practice to “begin student conduct proceedings immediately in cases like this.” According to the Student Conduct and Academic Integrity Programs website, potential disciplinary actions can range from a warning to dismissal from the campus. Cough syrup contains the opiate codeine, which can produce mild feelings of euphoria. The pharmacy was closed for the remainder of the day to check two of the pharmacists for minor injuries. The pharmacy reopened Jan. 7. “We are grateful for the police response that was so quick, and that it ended with arrests,” said Director of MeH dia Relations Kris Lovekin. ■
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NEWS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
5
► BUDGET FROM PAGE 1
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Governor Jerry Brown’s proposed 2015-16 state budget includes a 4 percent increase to UC funding.
With the budgetary process still in its initial stages, UC President Janet Napolitano expressed disappointment over the lack of “sufficient revenue” from the state needed to expand systemwide enrollment by 5,000 students over the next five years. Napolitano says that the UC received $460 million less than it did in 2007-08, despite enrolling more than 7,000 students who do not rely on state funds. “We understand that this is not a one-way street, nor should it be.” Napolitano said about state funding for the UC. “Public universities require public support.” UC Student Association, a group consisting of UC student government representatives, released the following statement by President Jefferson Kuoch-Seng: “While students have advocated for a direct role in these negotiations from the start, this is now an opportune time for the student voice to not only be heard, but listened to, and we call on Governor Brown and UC President Napolitano to give students a truly participatory seat at the table.” ■H
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NEWS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
Spider expert says that bites do not cause bacterial infection
TIM BACA / HIGHLANDER
A tarantula, called Theraphosidae. UCR has one of the countr y’s largest entomological specimen collections.
AMY ZAHN Senior Staff Writer
A study led by a former UCR entomologist suggests that, contrary to popular belief, spider bites do not lead to bacterial infections in humans. Headed by spider expert and retired UCR staff research associate Richard S. Vetter, the study could contradict thousands of spider bite diagnoses doled out by the medical community in cases where skin infections are assumed to be caused by spiders. Vetter began the research in the summer of 2013, and the findings were published in the January 2015 edition of Toxicon, a journal dedicated to the study of toxins in plants,
animals and microorganisms. The study combed spider bite data spanning from 1935 to 2014 to show that it is likely not possible for spiders to vector human pathogens. The problem is that medical providers often treat patients with skin lesions or other infections that have “no obvious cause,” and speculate that they are the result of a spider bite, according to the study. Vetter attributes this common misdiagnosis — the motivation behind the study — to several factors, including the medical community’s lack of knowledge about spiders. “They’re shooting from an area where they have no knowledge … so they just try to fill the void with some statement
that sounds tenable,” he said. The study indicates a very low likelihood that spiders are “capable of vectoring human pathogens,” referring to a process by which one organism transmits infection to another. “The mere presence of bacteria on spider fangs or mouthparts does not predicate spiders as vectors,” the report says. It lists several cases in which bacterial infections were thought to have been caused by spider bites, including an instance in Australia where a type of bacteria was thought to have contributed to necrotic arachnidism, the tissue death caused by a bite. This was shown to be highly improbable due to the bacteria’s inability to stay
RICHARD LIN / HIGHLANDER After a month of being offline in the wake of a cyber attack, ASUCR’s website was moved to another server to continue operations.
alive on spider fangs, as well as the bacteria not being easily transmitted through simulated bites. The study also cites the lack of skin infections that occur with verified bites, indicating that infections associated with hastily diagnosed bites are unlikely to have come from spiders. If spider bites did cause infection, “it should be obvious, common, and a routinely reported manifestation of envenomation,” the study says. Vetter added that many types of spider bites “have never been associated with skin lesions in the centuries of dealing with them throughout the world.” A 2002 study was cited which reported an infection rate of 0.9
percent in 750 verified bites, “although the infections were non-confirmed and based on nonspecific findings of redness, swelling and pain.” Vetter further stated that most diagnoses of brown recluse bites, for example, occur in places where there is no brown recluse population, further decreasing the likelihood that the diagnoses are accurate. However, Vetter was careful to note that this study does not actually prove that spider bites do not cause infection, but rather presents a strong argument for why it is likely not possible. “I’m not showing definitive proof,” he said. “I’m hanging a question mark on their comments.” ■H
► CYBER ATTACK FROM PAGE 1
19 meeting last year. According to Sonawala, the senate meeting minutes were no longer being updated on the website. “I’m not even sure what anybody’s doing (at ASUCR). I should know because I’m a student,” Sonawala stated. ASUCR President Nafi Karim responded that the attack on the original website made it hazardous for the student body and general public to access. “So currently, we’re working diligently to have another website up, which is safer for the whole student body,” Karim said at the time. “We apologize for not having the senate meetings up. We’ll try to get it up as soon as possible.” Though there are still changes being made, the current ASUCR website is secure and now includes an updated list of ■H senate meeting minutes.
and furthered that press releases will be posted online to keep the student body updated on the senate. Recent announcements are also being redirected to ASUCR’s various social media websites such as Facebook, which has been updated throughout the academic year. A post was made on the ASUCR Facebook page and a campuswide email was also sent to the campus on Sept. 16, 2014 — nearly two weeks before the start of the academic year — about the technical difficulties associated with the original website. No further updates have been provided. Student concerns about the recent ASUCR website became apparent when third-year biochemistry major, Kushal Sonawala, spoke during a Nov.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
7
Opinions HIGHLANDER HIGHLANDEREDITORIAL EDITORIAL HIGHLANDER STAFF
THREE-YEAR PROGRAMS WON’T WORK WHEN FOUR YEARS DOESN’T
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O
ne week into winter quarter and the looming threat of tuition increase still hangs over the heads of current and prospective UC students. Four years of tuition, currently clocking in at $14,800 annually (for students attending UCR), weighs heavily on the mind every time FAFSA applications and private loan renewals come back up. It is to this point that Johns Hopkins Professor Paul Weinstein has proposed a shift to a three-year standard for many Bachelor of Arts degrees, citing this as a potential salve to the myriad woes resulting from the high costs of tuition. He states that this change, though initially coming as a financial loss to colleges, would come to increase revenue in the long run as the number of students brought through the system would increase. Furthermore, this would also serve to relieve the fiscal burden of many students at four-year universities. On the surface, Weinstein’s proposal seems to be the all-too-obvious solution to a system of higher education that appears in constant need of greater influxes of money. One year less of tuition fees and various living expenses would ameliorate the extreme levels of potential debt faced by students upon their graduation. It is upon close inspection that these idealized series of three-year bachelor’s degrees become problematic where practical application is concerned. The initial issue facing what is, on the surface, a valid solution to many collegiates’ financial worries, is the continual inability for students to graduate in the already standardized four-year system. Currently only 32 percent of students graduate in four years in the public university environment, often continuing on to fifth and even sixth years in an effort to achieve their degrees. At this juncture, the problem is no
JASPERY GOH / HIGHLANDER
longer how to make a viable system for a three-year Bachelor of Arts, but how to fix the four-year system that is already in place. One of many reasons the graduation rate at four-year universities is so low may be the numerous general education requirements held by universities, necessary for completion to earn a degree. However, the information in these classes is necessary to ensure that college graduates are well-rounded people when they enter the job market. This very same argument applies to students of the sciences’ participation in classes concerning gender and ethnic studies as well. In addition to the need for graduates to be Renaissance men and women, the four-year program already feels the effect of impacted classes and a rush to register every time necessary classes open up to the student populace. With the continual struggle to get into classes that students need in the short allotted time they have, compressing the four-year program for certain majors would only serve to exacerbate the situation, leaving those students with later registry dates to be left behind. This plan would also worsen the consequences toward any students who may falter in a three-year program. Should classes be available only during certain quarters as they currently are at UCR, then a student’s failure in just one of these courses could mean that they are forced to stay and pay further tuition, just to fulfill a single requirement. Though coming as a result of a student’s failure to meet their intended requirements for that class, the inability to rectify such a misstep in a timely manner would fall at the feet of the university’s lack of professors and offered courses. Even deeper problems for the transition occur at an early level in higher education,
concerning those students who are able to graduate early (if not simply on time) due to their ability to take AP classes and AP tests. For those students whose financial situation in high school necessitates working as an alternative to taking on classes with an accelerated curriculum and additional workload, the chance to move ahead in college might have suffered as a result, whether they entered into a program designed for four years or less. Discounting the issues with the system already at hand, there are still problems with the proposed three-year plan. An estimated 75 percent of undergraduate students change their majors at least once before they graduate. It should come as no surprise if this decision is often predicated on experimentation with classes made possible by the four-year college experience — whereas if this new system were in place, the ability for students to pursue varied interests is greatly limited if not all but eliminated. Ultimately, while Weinstein’s threeyear graduation plan has the right goals and the right motivation, it fails to address the issues that already perforate intended four-year degrees. In lieu of implementing these new programs to quicken the pace at which students can earn a bachelor of the arts, institutions of higher education must first work on alleviating the problems that already exist. If the impacted classes, understaffing and preparation issues are taken care of, then this idea is far from the worst proposed solution to revisit in an attempt to assist struggling students; before then, however, current issues must H be prioritized over hypothetical ones. ■ Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.
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OPINIONS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
Opinion Poll What was your favorite thing about 2014?
Lionel Mayorga Psychology Second-year
Victoria Sevald Economics & Business Third-year
Rafael Amezcua Environmental Engineering Fifth-year
“My favorite thing about 2014 was getting a job at Amazon.”
“For me the best thing I experienced was the firstyear mentoring program. It was really, really helpful and they helped me with many things I didn’t know.”
“My favorite thing about 2014 was that I got a good GPA.”
C ompiled
Mekdelawit Tsehay Political Science Third-year “The Mike Brown verdict. I say this not because I am personally pleased with the verdict, but because it incited passion and action from the youth that was long overdue.”
Paul Nepomuceno Political Science Fifth-year “The highlight of my 2014 year is that I got my first car, which definitely made life less stressful and definitely more fun.”
by
R ichard L in
Holly Young Business Fourth-year “Turning 21!”
► See more at Youtube.com/UCRChannelH
DANIEL GARCIA / HIGHLANDER
Why is the bullet train in Fresno?
RICKY ST. CLAIRE Contributing Writer
A
fter numerous delays and continuing opposition, work on California’s first highspeed rail finally began on Jan. 6. Actually, construction began back in June, according to the Orange County Register, but the fanfare was delayed until after Gov. Brown was re-elected. Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony was focused on the Fresno station, where the first portion of the track is being laid to cover the 29 miles between Fresno and Madera. Conceptually, I am totally behind the idea of a bullet train in California. It would be great to be able to jump on a train in the morning, go see the Golden Gate Bridge and get home in time for dinner. I’d love to be able to travel to Sacramento, Hollywood, Disneyland or Knott’s Berry Farm
without having to fight traffic and be stuck on the freeway for hours and hours on end. The bullet train could potentially increase tourism in this state by simply making it easier to get from one attraction to another. That in turn can increase jobs. In making the commute easier, the bullet train can increase accessibility to jobs as various cities still struggle with high unemployment rates and their citizens look elsewhere for a living. However, I cannot get behind the way the construction is actually being handled. As much as I want this project to be a completed reality, I can’t help but feel that the decisions made to get the project finally up and running may potentially cause the whole thing to be left unfinished. First of all, there is the funding issue. The project is expected to cost $68 billion, though the Los Angeles Times points out that pricetag is likely to grow, as many government projects tend
to do. Even worse, California has obtained potential funding for only half of that amount. The expected completion date is currently set 14 entire years from now. Gov. Brown will be long gone by then. In fact, California will have held three gubernatorial elections by 2028, and there is no guarantee that a future governor will continue funding the construction. As long as current funding comes woefully short of projected costs, the future of the bullet train is uncertain. Second, according to the Los Angeles Times, California doesn’t have the land it needs yet. Even the first 29 miles between Fresno and Madera are fraught with difficulty due to parcel ownership: The state needs to acquire 526 parcels of land upon which to build the track, and thus far only have 101 of those. Yahoo reports Central Valley farmers are suing to keep track construction out of their fields. Even as construction is proceeding, the
lack of land may cause full stops if not rectified quickly. Third is the location of the section they’ve decided to start with. Why Fresno and Madera? What exactly is so important up there that they were selected for construction? How does connecting those two cities inspire confidence for investors? With the land issues, it’s not even a viable project yet, but it’s happening anyway. If Gov. Brown really wants the bullet train to be successful, and really wants to get funding, why not start by connecting Anaheim and Los Angeles? The Metrolink track is already there; plans are to simply upgrade it in 2029. Why not take advantage of it? You have two major cities, plus Disneyland on one end, Hollywood on the other — two household names. Add to that the history of the monorail in Disneyland being the first of its kind in America, and the campaign almost writes
itself. The proposed bullet train could make the trip astoundingly fast, using existing infrastructure, landmarks and businesses to introduce Californians to highspeed rail, allowing voters and investors to experience the benefits and potentially increasing the project’s popularity. Operation on this route could potentially start far sooner than 2022, thus bringing in ticket sales and advertising revenue to help fund construction for the rest of the routes. The very existence of a running bullet train would further induce support to get that bullet train running elsewhere. I’m sure there are a number of political and legal reasons why the bullet train project was started this way, and it’s already been delayed a long time. While it’s good to see it finally get off the ground, the circumstances create deep concerns about its completion. Here’s hoping I’m wrong. ■H
OPINIONS
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
Students in a UCR research lab mix chemicals underneath a fume hood.
ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
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The fearsome T-Rex roams around the forests of Jurassic Park.
Why Jurassic Park is closer than you think QUINN MINTEN Contributing Writer
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new startup company, Cambrian Genomics, has enabled the average citizen to modify or create DNA, literally inventing new life forms. Cambrian, the brainchild of Austin Heinz, has found funding from a variety of venture capitalists, raising $10 million to expand the business. Currently, most of Cambrian’s orders come from pharmaceutical companies, but anyone with the money — not an enormous expense, only five to six cents per DNA letter — can design and print whatever their imagination wishes. Heinz views the technology as more than just the science fiction it would seem to be; he believes it will one day be possible to design and print modified humans — basically, to make designer babies. Of course, the power to design new life raises important ethical issues, and has not just a few people alarmed. As it stands, there are several major
problems with the future which Heinz has envisioned. First, there is currently no real regulation on the technology Cambrian uses. Though the government, in the form of the Food and Drug Administration, plays a certain role in regulating genetic modification, there is not at present a set of definite rules for the modifications enabled by Cambrian. Namely, because it is not the company itself that is modifying organisms, but rather, the third-party who orders them, current laws will not cover Cambrian’s business. This allows anyone with a little money to create absolutely anything, regardless of whether it is actually safe or not; a design for, say, a real-life werewolf might be interesting, but probably not a good thing to let run around. Unless Cambrian itself takes part in regulating the creation of what people want to invent, an unlikely possibility given Heinz’s beliefs about trying to “democratize creation,” then there is no one out there — yet — to prevent what is imagined from literally running wild.
Another issue is that with the expansion of Cambrian, it will become more difficult to screen the DNA that is ordered for suspicious designs. While Cambrian is presently a small enough enterprise that every order is analyzed, ensuring that a design is not for some volatile new pathogen, increased demand makes it possible that there will not be sufficient resources to adequately examine DNA prints, if they are examined at all. Thus, it may be possible that someone of malicious intent (a terrorist, extortionist or other villain) could very easily get their hands on a dangerous new virus of their own design all because there are not enough people on the job to police the volume of orders coming in (which Heinz himself acknowledges). There are, however, certain benefits in being able to design custom organisms. For example, consistent with Cambrian’s primary business, it is possible for pharmaceutical companies to design an organism with a specific medical function — a
cure for disease perhaps. There are also relatively benign applications of the technology, such as creating novelty glowin-the-dark plants — or maybe animals — at little expense. The more concerning use of the technology is that, if the company moves in the direction Heinz hopes it will, someday (again, not yet) they will be able to produce people’s idealized children. Heinz claims that this will prevent children from being born with significant genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, which would cause a lifetime of suffering. Furthermore, if any traits at all are deemed “wrong,” even if they are terrible genetic diseases, it takes no stretch of the imagination to picture even average intelligence, height and strength being eventually written off as “wrong.” The emphasis on idealizing traits encouraged by Cambrian in general and Heinz in particular amounts to eugenics, or controlled breeding with the purpose of improving humanity. This is inherently dangerous because it can
easily lead to discrimination against those lacking those traits in spades, namely the existing generation. Now, how far such a scenario may go, or whether it will even happen, is beyond what I can say, but it would be foolish to discount the possibility. Many fans of science fiction will be able to think of examples of genetic modifications gone wrong — “Jurassic Park” and “Resident Evil” are two series that come to mind — involving disasters that came about when someone with strong motives (curiosity, greed or something else) starts playing with DNA. Indeed, it does not take much material to build a virus, for making zombies or otherwise, and given a little time, the technology will probably advance to the point where dinosaurs may again walk the earth. Yes, these are both from science fiction, but then again, so is Cambrian’s technology — except now it is science fact, so perhaps the warnings of science fiction are more applicable than they may seem at first glance. ■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.
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WHAT ARE UCR’S FAVORITE THINGS?
Go to instant.ly/s/xwqVk and tell us from January 12 - February 1. You could win an iPad mini or one of five $25 gift cards to local businesses. Consumer Disclosure: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Winners will be determined February 20, 2014. Odds of winning iPad mini or (1) of (5) gift cards depend on the number of entries received. Winners and gift cards are randomly selected. Only currently enrolled UCR students are eligible to win. One raffle entry per person. Name on raffle entry must match name on UCR student ID card. A copy of official rules is available at 101 Highlander Union Building, University of California, Riverside, CA 92507.
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
We asked you to share your #HighlanderVoice. Here’s some of what you said:
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By spending my life savings on lottery tickets and scratchers. Eventually I have to win something? I hope. ”
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Start taking out loans :(.”
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2 jobs and parent contributions (if I’m lucky).”
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@mishellllebelle
By allocating the time I could spend with my loved ones to a job.”
LAYYOU FOR SCHOOL?
FEATURE
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
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@robinohh
I can’t. Period.”
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By being thankful that my family earns less than 80K a year... (first time I can say that). ”
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Bruh, I don’t fuckin’ know!”
@enchilad33
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Dream bigger.”
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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
Features
Detox: A Refreshed, Renewed You
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las, 2015 has arrived. What do we have in store for this year? Perhaps a new gym regimen or healthy diet kick? If you’re anything like me, you might end up giving up before the end of the month (or maybe even the week). So before we get ahead of ourselves, why not try something refreshing and different like a juice or tea detox?
Ashley Chung, Contributing Writer / Tiffany Liaw, Senior Staff Writer Turns out, plenty afford to squeeze out $60 to $80 damaging toxins that build up of UCR’s High- per day on that? within our body fat. It is said that landers have “I’m pretty much a broke col- plant-based foods such as fruits been doing lege kid, so I save money by press- and vegetables contain the proper so already. I ing my own juices from the fresh antioxidants and nutrients that are conducted a produce that my dad gets,” cur- superior in detoxification. That’s poll on Face- rent UCR student Catherine Hang where juice and tea detox probook, which says. She recommends everyone grams can come in handy if you shows that create their own juice cleanses as don’t already have a strong fruit about one in an affordable and easy way to get and vegetable intake and would six of UC started. Catherine uses organic like to begin. R i v e r s i d e ’s fruits and vegetables to follow a One might typically want to students who simple three-day cleansing juice start a detox regimen when he or p a r t i c i p a t e d recipe from Dr. Oz, which con- she is feeling extremely groggy, have tried or are sists of drinking a juice five times bloated, sluggish or even (and currently taking a day followed by one meal with usually) a combination of all detox cleanses. only fruits and vegetables. Detox three. It’s safe to say that we have Detox cleanses are plans can range from three to five, all felt similar to that at some generally used after a and even 10 days, if daily detox point, so cleanses help reset your period of unhealthy diet is too extreme. But what are the body system and allow you to that may cause you to feel benefits of detoxing anyway? feel more refreshed by eliminatbloated or simply just uncom“I don’t detox for weight loss, ing those uncomfortable feelings. fortable. Methods range from I believe it serves a better purpose A few people who have tried a increased water intake to only by just eliminating toxins from cleanse before have noted that drinking juice or tea, all accom- my system,” business economics detoxing is unnecessary, as our panied by healthy meal options, student Albert Luu states. De- bodies are already equipped with which may help your body natu- tox diets only help to lose water detoxifiers. For others, detoxing rally rid toxins due to the en- weight, so for many students, a may be considered a bit extreme hanced vitamins and nutrients. detox plan is a major step in in- as the benefits are the equivaPopular detox brands include tegrating healthier eating and lent of those from maintaining BluePrint Cleanse, Skinny Fox getting rid of previous, harmful a healthy diet. For those who Detox and Cooler Cleanse, which habits, not for the sole purpose have experienced a dramatic diet are cleansing teas and juices that of weight loss. Both juice and tea change, they may endure strong advertise a healthier, purified cleanses supposedly aid the body feelings of hunger. Student Sabody and lifestyle, but who can by neutralizing and disposing of brina Phung notes, “It was about
Photo by Matthew Hong time to have another juice every time I seemed to get hungry.” Cleanses allow one’s body to feel restored after he or she has become too reliant on caffeine and junk food and have seen a negative change in complexion or mood. Many students have reported that their entire bodies feel better both internally and externally as a result of steering themselves away from habits like coffee, alcohol and fatty foods. Struggling in classes? Don’t fret: Students could notice a dramatic difference in their focus and energy and potentially be more prepared for their morning classes while cleansing. Detoxing is definitely an option to foster healthier habits for both your body and mind. For those of you who would like to give your digestive system a much-needed break from working so hard to process all those large meals from the holidays, consider detox juices or simply adjusting poor eating habits if following a detox plan doesn’t interest you. Regardless, do what works for your body and keep in mind that the aftermath of an entire day of eating greasy food ■H might not be worth it!
BEATING THE COLD EDWARD DAVE Contributing Writer
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he winter seems to have rewarding effects on those who are fortunate enough to experience it in all of its splendor. But instead of snuggling tight with that favorite cover and matching pillow of yours while sipping on an awesome brew of coffee, it may be more beneficial for you to actually venture out into the cold. That may sound contrary to the typical person, since chilly weather becomes too much after awhile. Cold weather is a rarity in sunny California. So why don’t people embrace the cold and actually find activities that take advantage of the intense weather? There are numerous activities one can do when casually exploring the cold. It can be a solitary or group activity that takes into account friends for an amazing combined energy that will most likely keep you more interested in the activity as opposed to how cold you are. Ice skating (for instance, one option is Ice Town in Riverside) is an awesome way to incorporate a large group of friends into the mix and make use of the atmosphere by majestically — or ungracefully — gliding across the ring as the blood courses through your veins. This way you’re having all types of laughs and actually being active in the cold rather than dreading it. Coercing your parents and family members to take a nice resort trip in the heart of the cold isn’t a bad idea either. Resort trips are always fun but when there’s snow or cold it just makes the feeling much more intimate. For large groups, the Mission Inn and the Marriott can provide a wonderful experience (and deceptively cheap) for families and friends looking to emulate that homestyle feeling while away. You may find yourself tightly snuggled up with your family to avoid an early demise to the chilly weather. Roommates and even close friends should be considered on your journey since the
main goal is to surround yourself with people you truly care about. Those worried about prices can rest assured that these places become very affordable when you split the cost in groups five and upward. From buffets and jacuzzis to gambling, there are a plethora of fun activities you can do that will undoubtedly become a bonding experience with your family and break the monotony of the typical movie shut-in day. Make use of everything in your home. Being home for some is a rare treat that many of us take for granted. While escaping the cold make sure you allocate your time wisely by putting that anxiety to use and spending time with your family members inside your house or heading out into the common area of your dorm building to gather up friends for a great time. It’s convenient because everyone is usually all in one place. Fire up that game of Connect Four or Spades and catch up with others while bonding over your hatred of cold temperatures. Creating homemade recipes to tackle the cold is another way of having fun interacting with your family. Bonding over baking or at least attempting to do so creates a positive environment that will warm the heart even if the body is ice cold. The most important part of all these events is to make sure you aren’t plunging yourself into excessive cold, thinking about your own misfortune when others are going through similar ordeals. The cold sometimes brings out the reclusive side of people, and as enticing as it sounds to lock ourselves up and be alone, the truth of the matter is we just want to feel warm and fuzzy inside with all the stress that school brings. Don’t make surviving the cold into some menial chore — turn it into an unforgettable experience with friends and always remember that games don’t always have to shy away from education. Group outings can promote study sessions and can prove to be a great source of morale for the impending quarter ahead. ■H
JASPERY GOH / HIGHLANDER
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
FEATURES
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
restaurant review:
Bucketlist Burgers Nelson Luu, Staff writer photos by Jaspery Goh
Customers can customize their burgers by filling out a list of exactly what they want. Pictured here is a regular burger on a brioche bun with a side of french fries.
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he trend for build-yourown meals has boomed in Southern California. Build-your-own pizza joints like Pieology, mixand-match nitrogen ice cream parlors like A la Minute, and dare I say, a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar? All across Los Angeles and Orange County, we see these kinds of establishments popping up and quickly becoming popular with locals. Bucket List Burgers is one such restaurant. After a long morning of photographing a client, I decided to stop by and grab a well-deserved lunch. Located at the Canyon Crest Towne Centre next to Starbucks, it was a quick drive from Lot 30. The atmosphere was fun and casual, with lots of travel posters dotting the walls, quotes from adventurers printed on booths and lots of bucket-themed decor, as the interior designers really went all out with the bucket-list theme. On a stand near the register, a small pile of menus and notepads lay for customers to use. While there are some burgers already on the menu for customers to choose from, the real fun of visiting is creating your own burger from the bun up. The notepads provide selections for every aspect of your burger, from the buns, patties, condiments, cheeses and add-ons. There are some really interesting options, like brioche buns, oat-topped wheat buns, garlic aioli, softripened brie, goat cheese, sauerkraut and fried eggs. Many of the add-ons come with the order but additional toppings ($0.50) and cheese ($1 per type) will cost you extra. For those of you who are 21 and over, they also offer a selection of beers and wine to choose from — it’s not a terribly exhaustive selection and some of the wines come in prepackaged cups so I skipped over ordering one. I opted for the brioche one-third pound beef burger with Swiss cheese, chipotle aioli, grilled onions and mushrooms with a side of sweet potato fries and a soda. The meal was pretty pricy and came out to just about under $15. While I’m a bit spoiled by the low prices of burger joints like McDonald’s, I had high hopes that this burger would be better than what I’m used to.
I decided to opt for the indoor dining area since the weather was a bit chilly. Continuing the bucket list trend, the walls were littered with photos of travel destinations around the world. Sitting in the room made me feel like I was transported to someone’s well-worn travel diary. I was surprised when my order came out and the fries were actually placed in a tin bucket, although I shouldn’t have been too surprised since the bucket theme ran throughout the restaurant — I thought it was a nice touch. My burger was wrapped tightly in paper with another sheet wrapped around the middle for me to hold on to. My first bite into the bun left me quite shocked. The bun itself was slightly sweet, soft and somewhat chewy. After breaking through the bun, I was hit with the aromatic flavors of the chipotle aioli, grilled onions and mushrooms. The chipotle aioli wasn’t as spicy as I had hoped it would be, but it had a really nice sweet, smoky flavor with just a slight hint of spice that graced my taste buds. The onions and mushrooms enhanced the savory flavor of the burger and were nicely cooked, and the patty itself was extremely flavorful and juicy. I ordered mine in the standard medium rare, but others can opt for more fully cooked options when they order their meals. The sweet potato fries were next in my order. Hot out of the fryer, they were thick-cut, crispy and the perfect blend of sweet and savory. I am hard-pressed to find any restaurants around this area that offer sweet potato fries, so I was very happy to find them on the menu. The burger was quite possibly one of the best burgers I have had around this area. The originality of the flavors gains extra points from me and makes me want to go back and try out the other options they have on the menu. The pesto aioli and goat cheese is calling out to me. I also really enjoyed the decor in the restaurant. It was a good time to look at all of the pictures and quotes that littered the room while I waited for my order. I had a very enjoyable lunch at Bucket List Burgers and would highly recommend those with some extra lunch money to try out this new joint at the Canyon Crest ■H Towne Centre.
RATING ★★★★☆ LOCATION 5225 CANYON CREST DRIVE, RIVERSIDE, CA 92507 PRICE $$ HOURS SUN.-THURS. 11 A.M. - 9 P.M., FRI.-SAT. 11 A.M. - 10 P.M. CATEGORY BURGERS, BUILD-YOUR-OWN CREDIT YES WEBSITE WWW.BUCKETLISTBURGERS.COM
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
No one is out of your league HONEIAH KARIMI Senior Staff Writer
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
There are numerous renditions of the axiom, “You need to love yourself before anyone else can.” There may be a temptation to shrug and immediately write it off as untrue — perhaps because for such a complex concept, it’s difficult to accept an adage that paints it as simple. When we are insecure, it can be hard to accept that we’re worthy of love, so if someone comes along who cares deeply for us, we are in disbelief. That is, the person in question is supposedly more attractive, intelligent, popular and/or wealthy. We proclaim, “They’re out of my league!” The more we say it, the more we believe it. We are our own worst critics. We see ourselves in a more negative light than others do. Essentially, just as you may see someone as “out of your league,” another person may see you that way. We are all guilty of thinking someone is out of our league at some point. Usually this happens when we like the idea of a person rather than the person themselves. We place the object of our affection on a pedestal and render ourselves unlovable as a consequence. The reality is, our love interests have problems, flaws and insecurities all the same. Peel back the layers and it’ll become obvious that this person is not perfection
personified. This person can’t fix or complete you because that’s your own responsibility. In a way, these negative thoughts are a protection mechanism to prevent us from getting our hearts broken, but unhealthy behavior only breeds unhealthy results. No one is too good for anybody. There are no leagues, and having the person of your dreams love you isn’t going to erase your insecurities, for how you view yourself directly affects your relationships with other people. Instead of grouping people into leagues and rating one another’s attractiveness, why not focus on something more worthwhile — say self-love? Oh, right, because it’s such an arduous task. It’s easier to reject ourselves first before anyone else can. Thoughts of “they’re too smart for me” or “they’re too attractive for me” are all too common, but it’s important to remember dating someone who is as smart or as attractive as you does not guarantee a divine connection. Compatibility relies on more than simply being attracted to one another. Leagues are social constructs. There are no rules in nature or scientific stratums that define who can date who. There is nothing wrong with having standards as long as one keeps in mind that standards are subjective. What and who we find attractive differs from person to person. Everyone has
their own predilections, therefore, there cannot be a fixed league system or else we would all be attracted to the same people. Does the media affect what society views as attractive? Yes, but not everyone adheres to these standards when in pursuit of their significant other. To presuppose that someone is in fact “out of your league,” then you must have already decided which league you consider yourself a part of, which begs the question: Who are you comparing yourself to? Comparing yourself to others, in terms of attractiveness, intelligence or sense of humor is debilitating to your self-esteem. When you do this, you gauge your worth based on others, and to what end? Ascertaining which league you belong to by comparing yourself to others is a losing battle. Accordingly, viewing yourself as superior and out of someone else’s league is no different because once again, you are a slave to comparison. So next time someone is interested in you, don’t insult their judgement by questioning them. Look at all the wonderful qualities you have. On the other hand, if you feel someone is not a good match for you, staying away from any sort of “league” terminology is best. If the connection isn’t there, then it isn’t, but it doesn’t make you out of their league. Ultimately, leagues don’t exist because this isn’t a game. People are people and like who they like. ■H
ONLINE: “BROOKLYN NINE-NINE” REVIEW
R adar ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT TUESDAY, JANUARY 13. 2015
EVENTS THIS WEEK 1/15
Movie Night and Potluck @ Blood Orange Infoshop, 7 p.m.
1/16
Blood Orange Infoshop Open House @ Blood Orange Infoshop, 6 p.m.
1/17
Mark Twain Tonight @ Fox Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
1/19
Family Life Show @ Blood Orange Infoshop, 7 p.m.
COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY FOX
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
MOVIE REVIEWS
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT COMING OUT SOON: THE WEDDING RINGER
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org PADDINGTON BLACK HAT
STILL ALICE AMERICAN SNIPER
UNBROKEN // RATING: ★★★☆☆ KELLY DUARTE Contributing Writer
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oing into the theater with limited knowledge on the subject of the film, you might expect the typical World War II movie here, full of camaraderie between soldiers and intense dogfights fought overseas. If those are the types of war films you enjoy, don’t expect that from “Unbroken.” Instead, “Unbroken” is a film that highlights the struggles of Louis Zamperini (Jack O’Connell), a former Olympic runner, and goes through his journey as a soldier, plane wreck survivor and prisoner of war. Grim and
even overly cruel and harsh, those elements are what actually make the movie potentially refreshing to see, since it’s departing from the “war buddy” genre. However, the potential of an amazing story to see on the screen is diminished by some of the stylistic choices, particularly the pacing and editing. The movie starts off with Zamperini as a bombardier over Nauru in the Pacific, but it is so slow-paced and uneventful that at times, you forget there’s a war going on and instead you’re just witnessing a bumpy plane ride. After that, the first act is mostly exposition told through flashbacks, which are randomly placed and at times even jarring, but there’s nothing really attention-catching until the beginning of the second act, which is around the hour mark. Or at least it felt like an hour — the pacing of the first part is so slow, it feels like the set-up of Zamperini’s story is drug out. The fact that he was a troubled kid-turned-Olympic runner is a cool little tidbit, but it’s not vital information. That slow pacing works for the rest of the film as it really drags out Zamperini’s hardships as he goes through gut-wrenching scenarios and makes the audience empathetic to his struggle. However, seeing one man suffer isn’t enough to carry an entire film, although there are some truly heart-breaking moments as he is psychologically and physically tortured in several labor camps. Most films that try to tell an inspirational tale have a payoff that feels satisfying, but in “Unbroken” it feels very forced and disingenuous. There was plenty of material to make the climax and resolution great, but it just falls flat. That’s the main issue with the film. The plot is fantastic. It really is a great story of one man overcoming many ordeals in his life and ending on a triumphant note, but although the material for a great story is there, it doesn’t mean it’s told in a great way. Although director Angelina Jolie (I know, pretty unexpected, right?) does her best to set “Unbroken” apart from most movies, to the average moviegoer it would look the same. The visuals and cinematography add a unique style and flair, which works well in “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Argo,” and is even the same style as “American Sniper.” The film lacks identity and there’s nothing, besides content, that would really set it apart. “Unbroken” is a film mostly setting up Zamperini’s struggle and not giving much of a payoff, which is disappointing. Zamperini suffers and faces hardship after hardship, but the moment of triumph doesn’t feel great and the resolution is told at the end credits rather than shown, so it creates a disheartening ending. “Unbroken” had so much potential, but its average execution results in it being another forgettable movie. ■H
You might expect the typical World War II movie here, full of camaraderie between soldiers and intense dogfights fought overseas.
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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
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TAKEN 3 // RATING: ☆☆☆☆☆ ROBERT LEES Staff Writer
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or those worried about Ebola or military action by ISIS, I have good news. The actual threat to American lives is Irish actor Liam Neeson, who rampages his way through Los Angeles in “Taken 3,” a film that must have been made as the result of a bet to see if director Olivier Megaton could make the worst film of the new millennium. Luckily for Megaton, he easily won the bet and deserves whatever prize was agreed upon. Unluckily for the film-going public, we witnessed a film that sets a new benchmark for apocalyptic abhorrence. In what can laughably be called the “plot,” former CIA operative Bryan Mills (Neeson) and his inexplicable Irish accent must evade the LAPD after his ex-wife is murdered and he is framed. He is chased by cop Franck Dotzler (Forest Whitaker), who spends the film aimlessly meandering through traffic and eating food he finds at active crime scenes, occasionally delivering a few lines of wooden dialogue or spouting exposition to advance the plot. The scenes waver back and forth between mindless, unengaging action schlock and odd, “emotional” scenes where Neeson stands around looking cross, which are seemingly only there to pad out the film. This wouldn’t be a “Taken” movie if Neeson didn’t gun down any immigrants with foreign accents. However, the
film breaks new ground in having Neeson murder Americans for a change. There’s also a pointless scene near the end where the villains try to kidnap Neeson’s daughter for some unexplained reason. I assume this is only in the film to justify the title. Why are random criminals always trying to kidnap Neeson’s daughter? Are her organs made of gold or something? Neeson shows his fatherly love by taking several steps to protect her, like drugging her against her will and taking her to the site of a major gunfight. Neeson gets away scot-free at the end — despite the fact that he killed several innocent people and caused millions of dollars in damages. The characters in the film are all underdeveloped and every actor delivers their lines as if they’re reading off of a teleprompter. Rather than showing us a character’s traits through their actions and how they interact with the world around them, a character will say something like, “Watch out for random Russian villain ‘x,’ he’s a psychopath who doesn’t play by the rules,” and it’s never brought up again or actually conveyed in any meaningful way. There’s also some subplot about Neeson’s daughter being pregnant, but it’s only mentioned twice and doesn’t serve any purpose in the story, and I was left baffled as to why the filmmakers left it in. I would go on to list the other glaring plot holes or major lapses in common sense done by the major characters, but since this consists of every action in the film, I’m afraid
I simply don’t have enough time. “Taken 3” tries to have its action-movie violence cake and eat it too. There are several points in the film where villains suffer major gunshot wounds to the head and chest, and one scene where a woman is shown to have her neck slashed open, but there is nary a drop of blood to be seen. This was done in an attempt to avoid an “R” rating and potentially lose revenue from dumb teenagers who enjoy films like this. Also, in a universe where a single punch or smack on the back of the head can kill or incapacitate literally anyone, Neeson suffers a gunshot wound to the chest and shrugs it off as if he had merely stubbed his toe on a coffee table. There’s the standard action movie fare of cars exploding into massive fireballs after minor collisions, guns having seemingly unlimited amounts of ammo and car chases taking place in major cities without any sign of traffic. In an attempt to distract myself from the film’s awfulness, I played a game of “spot the product placement” with my girlfriend throughout the film. You’ll be happy to know that the film is rich in the capitalist spirit, and I now know that I can safely drive to my next action sequence in my Audi after eating a delicious Krusteaz donut — after I’ve made a deposit at Bank of America, of course. The film also endorses the CIA’s use of torture on captives in a particularly distasteful scene where Neeson waterboards a man in his
COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY FOX
search for information. What a great way to keep your torture scenes relevant to current events, filmmakers. The film’s most glaring issue is its cinematography. Megaton must believe that you can build suspense in a film by shaking the camera a lot during fight scenes and doing extreme close-ups of the actors’ sweaty faces. The camera work is so jarring that watching the action scenes for any length of time made me feel physically ill, and the only suspense was wondering if I could watch the screen without vomiting. There is also this strange camera angle used where it appears that characters are attacking the camera itself, which was probably included in some token attempt to build our immersion by making it feel like we are
being punched by Neeson and the generic cast of Eastern European villains. If you’re some sort of hateful masochist and have a desire to see this film, please do so in the theatre and not on your computer or Blu-Ray player. I say this because I fear that putting this film on such a device would cause it to become sentient, and after realizing that humanity had created something as terrible as “Taken 3,” it would deem us worthy of extinction. I mean no hyperbole when I say it is one of the worst things I have ever had the misfortune of seeing. If you want to accurately recreate the experience, slam your head on a desk for 30 minutes until you are angry, pained and nauseous. You’ll save the money you would have spent on a ticket. ■H
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
CAMERON YONG / HIGHLANDER
Swift Musings:
‘Let’s Plays’ are the new arcades, and that’s a good thing
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Nathan Swift, Senior Staff Writer
e’ve come a long way from playing “Pong” in the family room to keep busy until “Planet of the Apes” showed on channel four. Video games have caught up with technology’s unrelenting, Forrest Gump-like pace. Gone are the days when that simple, electronic table tennis contraption sat in the corner of your mother’s house waiting to be used (it’s still sitting there, collecting dust); now you can play a shiny shoot-’em-up piece of entertainment so realistic that it puts your great-uncle’s ‘Nam stories to shame. If the ‘80s are to be called anything (other than crazy), it’d be the decade of the arcade. With the introduction of now-classic gems like “Pac-Man,” “Tetris,” “Space Invaders” and “Galaga” you could play these awesome games at the price of a few quarters. Or you could watch a friend or two play the same game that you just died on seconds ago. If you ever wanted more proof that humans are meant to be social creatures, the arcade is good evidence in and of itself. There’s something magical about being with friends, with fellow nerds who cared about typing their initials next to their high scores, that creates a great amount of joy and passion for what you’re doing at that very moment. Fast-forward about 30 years, and the magic of old-fashioned arcades have been successfully replaced with YouTube and Let’s Plays. A Let’s Play (or an LP), in its most basic sense, is when a person records themselves playing a videogame, with one camera angled at the gamer’s face and another usually at the computer or TV screen itself with the game of choice being played. PewDiePie, the most famous gaming YouTuber right now, makes a living off of LPs that he posts on a daily basis. LPs have gained a lot of prominence and atten-
tion over the past few years, up to the point where in 2015 you won’t find a self-proclaimed gamer who can’t name their favorite YouTube gamer. Arguing the merits of each and every big YouTube star is practically the new console-versus-PC debate that’s plagued the gaming community for the longest time. There are a lot of important reasons why LPs are (rightly) popular at this moment, and why they’re important for video games as a whole. For one thing, it’s a pretty good business venture for the huge companies that actually make the content YouTubers do their LPs on. Just think about it: The age group for PewDiePie’s fanbase is relatively young. There were plenty of advertisements for games and arcades back in the good ol’ ‘80s, and of course companies still produce ads for their latest games up to today. But people like PewDiePie who sit and record their own experiences are, for lack of a better word, giving out free advertisement for those companies. This is different from traditional ads or reviews because LPs combine the magic of watching actual gameplay experience with quick, real-time reactions of a YouTuber. It feels fresh and legitimate, unlike the harsh words of a one-star Yelp review. As long as companies and their lawyers don’t suddenly strike YouTube with the power of a billion takedown notices over potential copyright infringement, then gaming companies will continue to benefit from what is for the most part a positive PR campaign that they don’t spend a dime on. It’ll help them create even better games in the future. This takes the business term “you have to play the game to beat it” to a pretty literal level. (Get it? Like levels in a game? I’ll quit my job now.) But more importantly, what LPs are doing on YouTube is recreating the magic of what arcades did back in the ‘80s. We’re social creatures. From shooting self-indulgent selfies before social media existed
to catching up on the news with the evening paper back when newspapers existed, arcades represented the ideal escapist location for geeky friendships to develop and grow. Sadly, arcades declined in the ‘90s as the home console took off, and fellow nerds everywhere left their budding friendships back at the “Pac-Man” machine to check out far more advanced games they could play all by their angsty selves. Then the Internet became a thing, and YouTube was created. It didn’t take long for someone to put two and two together and realize, “Hey, I could share my gaming experience with friends and other passionate gamers on them fancy new interwebs by video!” And that’s important, because that is, or at least should be, what gaming is all about: another chance to make friends and connect with others. It should also be noted that the YouTubers who post LPs are pretty great people themselves. Pewdiepie, or known by his full name Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, holds a unique position in the gaming and YouTube world. As a Swede who’s fluent in English, his fanbase is spread out through much of Europe and North America, and since English is the second-most spoken language, his fanbase can only grow exponentially larger. He’s respected and adored by millions, and with his fans he’s donated hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity from the money he makes creating his videos. Many YouTube commentators follow in his footsteps (such as Markiplier, my personal favorite). So people who post weird videos of themselves making noises and faces only God would recognize aren’t just doing it for the giggles and subscriptions. They really do want to make the world a better place, all with the yearning of human connection through video games. Now excuse me as I put my fedora on and watch some weird middle-aged guy scream over creepers in Minecraft. ■H
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
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INHERENT VICE // RATING: ★★★★☆ JAKE RICH Senior Staff Writer
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t’s a simple story. Doc Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) is visited by ex-girlfriend Shasta (Katherine Waterston), who is being coerced by her real estate mogul lover Mickey Wolfman’s (Eric Roberts) wife (Serena Scott Thomas) and her “spiritual coach” to commit her husband to an insane asylum and get his money, and wants him to help her stop them. A member of a Black Panther-esque group comes to Doc to tell him that someone from the Aryan Brotherhood — who Wolfman, even though he is technically Jewish, is involved with — owes him money. Doc goes to investigate, and suddenly finds out that the real estate place where he thought he could find the guy who owes the money is actually a brothel (which is actually being used to launder money), and he is promptly knocked out cold before waking up next to a dead guy, an enormous line of LAPD officers and detective Christian “Bigfoot” Bjornsen (Josh Brolin). Oh, and Shasta and Mickey are now both missing. You follow? Grand in scale, utterly complicated, artfully shot and wonderfully acted, writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson’s adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s 2009 novel, “Inherent Vice,” brings to life the utter madness, confusion and culture clashes of Southern California in the year 1970.
As the above paragraph indicates, the plot, while following a fairly linear progression, is extremely dense and filled with twists, turns and connections that make you wonder how they possibly came together in the first place. The gist of the film, however, is Doc’s quest to save Wolfman and Shasta from an apparent kidnapping by the secretive drug-smuggling group, the Golden Fang, along with the various side cases Doc is tasked with solving that all end up intertwining. Though Doc is the main character whose story we follow, and his characterization indeed does have some heart to it, the most important character in the film is truly the setting in 1970 Southern California, and its showcase of all the madcap mania set amidst the turbulent time. No less, then, is the film’s almost literal air of mystery, as a constant haze accompanied by a burnt-out color scheme permeates nearly every scene. Almost no matter where we go in the film, the “dirty hippies” and their pot (along with other drugs) are there. Ergo, there is almost always some sort of smoke clouding our view. Even when it’s fairly clear there aren’t drugs, the camera oftentimes seems just ever so slightly out of focus, as if we have to really concentrate to understand what’s truly going on. The oranges, browns and yellows throughout the film — though now thought of as a retro Instagram filter — is really the look that many pho-
COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES
tos from that time period have. All of this ties together to add an even greater shroud of mystery to the case, as we are in a literal and figurative haze trying to figure everything out. Along with these added visual effects, the story is presented so we learn about things at the same time Doc does, and are therefore left in a constant state of thinking as the story marches ahead whether we fully understand it or not — just like it is for Doc. Those used to Anderson’s signature long shots may initially be disappointed, but closer inspection reveals sub-
tle but extremely nimble work by Anderson and cinematographer Robert Elswit, whose perfectly framed shots often slyly move in toward the characters by what looks like centimeters at a time. The effect is often not noticeable, until suddenly a conversation you were a couple feet away from ends up in the forefront of the screen, not allowing you to look away. The acting, and especially the comedic timing from Phoenix, Brolin and everyone else in the film, also truly bring out the essence of the bewildered nature of the time for people
of all types. In bringing “Inherent Vice” to the silver screen, Anderson nearly effortlessly combines his and Pynchon’s styles to create a film that has heart underneath its unforgiving setting and character situations. Doc really just wants the best for everyone in the end, and doesn’t want anyone to be upset. In one scene, in which Bigfoot is having a bit of a meltdown, Doc asks, “Are you ok, brother?” Bigfoot responds, “Don’t call me that, I’m not your brother.” “No,” Doc says. “But you sure could use a keeper.” ■H
SPORTS
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
Junior Jaylen Bland (No. 1) joins the Highlander team after transferring from College of the Canyons. Bland’s skills proved useful after Thursday’s win against Cal State Fullerton.
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CAMERON YONG / HIGHLANDER
J ay l e n B l a n d A welcome addition to ucr
JASON AHN Contributing Writer
Basketball guard Jaylen Bland, a new member of the UC Riverside men’s basketball team, has excelled in his first season with the Highlanders. Bland currently leads the Big West in three-pointers made, with 44. He also is first in the team in steals with 20 and first in minutes played with 33.6 minutes per game. He’s second only to Taylor Johns in points per game and in field goals made. While doing well in conference is a tough task, transfer-
“The practices are much more intense … I think this D-I level, a lot of junior colleges can’t compare to.” - Jaylen Bland ring from a community college can be just as difficult. Adjusting to tough classes, making friends and living away from home are just a few of the struggles transfer students face. Bland, who transferred from College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif., not only survived his first quarter at UCR, but is doing exceedingly well in Division I basketball. “The competition level is much higher,” Bland said. “The practices are much more intense … I think this D-I lev-
el, a lot of junior colleges can’t compare to.” When asked about UCR’s 7-7 record in non-conference play, Bland recalled the mountain training, including hikes up to the “C,” that the team went through during summer practices. “It was way bigger than a hill, it was actually like a mountain,” he said. “They made us go up there a few times and it was timed, so we
had to sprint up there. It was one of the hardest workouts in my life.” In terms of teammates that push him to get better, Steven Jones is atop the list. “Steven Jones is always intense,” Bland said. “He’s always turnt up and yelling and being active in practice.” The pair set the tone during practice, which relies on high levels of energy throughout. It’s the perfection of
practice that results in wins during games, and the Highlanders seem to have found their rhythm, splitting their first pair of conference games against Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine. As a team, the hard work seemed to pay off as their record is the best since the 20082009 team, which marked the Highlanders’ first winning Division I season. With the Big West Championship looming
in the future, Bland feels confident in his team’s ability. “The conference is up for grabs in my eyes,” Bland said. “Any team that’s locked can take it.” Once Bland graduates from UCR, he hopes to play in the NBA. If all else fails, he plans to play overseas doing what he enjoys. At least for a couple more years, Bland will be doing what he loves on the campus of UCR. ■H
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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
Sports
CAMERON YONG / HIGHLANDER
Senior Austin Quick (No. 35) drives through the defense to make a layup.
UCR wins conference opener in overtime
ALEXANDER MANZO Contributing Writer
JAN 8, 2015
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Highlanders 84 - Titans 78
After what seemed like a comfortable victory with an 18-point lead in the first half, the men’s basketball team had to battle a pesky Titans team in overtime for an 84-78 victory. With a crowd of over 700 people on hand at the Student Recreation Center Arena, Cal State Fullerton was first to get on board with a layup by Alex Harris, but after trading the lead six times within the first five minutes, the Highlanders took hold with help from a Taylor Johns three-pointer, his eighth point of the night. With 3:07 left in the first half, UCR
had a game-high lead, 44-26. However, the Titans stepped up by scoring seven more points before the end of the half, and only allowing the Highlanders to score two more points for a 46-33 score at intermission. The Highlanders shot 57 percent from beyond the arc and shot 51 percent overall in the first 20 minutes of play. The point production of the Highlanders’ offense started off slowly in the second half with only a free throw by Steven Thornton and a layup by Steven Jones to give them three points. Fullerton got a second wind and scored 12 consecutive points to make it a 49-46 game. The Titans were led mainly by Lanerryl Johnson, who scored 16 points in the period, including
four three-pointers. The Highlanders managed to lead by seven points after the Titan flurry, but the newly inspired team led by three points with over a minute remaining in regulation, 67-64. Johns was fouled and split the pair of free throws, 67-65. A missed free throw by the Titans gave the Highlanders a small chance, and Nick Gruninger, who was benched for most of the period, successfully knocked down a pair at the charity stripe to send the game into overtime, 67-67. In overtime the Highlanders took the lead with three minutes remaining and never looked back. A Johns dunk in the open court brought the packed SRC Arena to its feet as UC Riverside won the contest, 84-78.
Johns finished the game with 29 points, followed by Thornton with 17 and Gruninger with 14. JAN 10, 2015
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Anteaters 69 - Highlanders 55
The Highlanders were unable to get the second win they were hoping for in the Big West Conference and fell to UC Irvine 69-55. By the time the Anteaters had scored their first 10 points, the Highlanders barely got on board with a shot from Nick Gruninger. UCR tried to pick up their defense but was never able to recover from the early deficits. At the half, the score was 29-17 and no player for UCR had double-digit points, with
Jaylen Bland leading with six points. UCI started the second half by holding down the Highlanders’ offense and scoring 10 points before UCR could score with a free throw from Johns, his first of the night, 39-18. Irvine would answer quickly with a threepointer from Travis Souza to make it a 42-18 game and a game-high lead of 24 points. UC Irvine continued to dominate, shooting over 70 percent from the three-point line, en route to a 69-55 win. Johns and Bland were the only two UCR players to have double-digit points with 12 each. The Highlanders return home for a game on Thursday, Jan. 15 against UC Davis. ■H
Women’s basketball dispatches UC Irvine MELISSA FUENTES Contributing Writer
JAN 8, 2015
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Titans 58 - Highlander 49
With a game against the Anteaters on the horizon, the UC Riverside women’s basketball team opened its conference portion of the schedule on the road against the Cal State Fullerton Titans. Playing without Simone DeCoud and Annelise Ito, the Highlanders struggled to produce offense, falling 58-49. UC Riverside fell behind early in the game as the Titans led by 13 points with only eight minutes played in the half. Fullerton held Brittany Crain to two field goals in the period and charged ahead in the contest, leading 32-19 at
intermission. Cal State Fullerton extended their lead to as many as 21 points in the second half before UC Riverside began to make a late charge. Akilah Martin scored a burst of seven points in the waning minutes of the game to bring UCR to within nine, 50-41, but the Titans shut the door on a comeback, securing the victory 58-49. JAN 10, 2015
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Highlanders 71 - Anteaters 58
On a cold and gloomy Saturday night, women’s basketball thrived over UC Irvine, 71-58, backed by a 31-point performance by Brittany Crain. With only 280 fans on hand at the UCR campus, the Anteaters
took the lead right off the bat with a layup by Mokun Fajemisin. UCR seemed to be a step slow to start the contest, but with 9:28 remaining, they finally led in the scoreboard, 15-14. With layups and three-pointers by leading scorers Crain and Dynese Adams, the team continued to tally up points and by the end of the first half they held on to the lead with a score of 33-27. Going into the locker room at intermission, more seats began to fill up the arena. With a couple of entertainment acts, such as a dance performance by kid cheerleaders from Moreno Valley, the crowd remained engaged and active despite the rainy weather surrounding the arena. As the whistle blew and the
second half began, the intensity grew. As much as UC Irvine tried to accumulate points with steals and occasional three-pointers, UCR was able to respond almost immediately. The teams tied twice but the Highlanders remained in control. Though UCR was nine points ahead with 4:56 remaining, UCI started to mount a comeback. The last four minutes of the game had the crowd clenching their teeth as the scores moved from 60-51 to 60-54, which meant the game was now within two possessions for the visiting team. However, the Highlanders fought through the last couple of seconds and Brittany Crain scored the last point of the game, 71-58. The buzzer rang and applause
from the crowd roared through the court as the UCR women’s basketball team collected their victory. “I thought we did better than how we opened up conference,” Crain shared. “I thought there was a lot of key things (in winning the game) like boxing out on the defensive end and on the offensive end I think we needed to be more aggressive and I think that’s what we did tonight.” Crain led all scorers with 31 points and eight rebounds. Akilah Martin (14), Adams (13) and Jaelyn Wilson (12) joined Crain in double figures. The UC Riverside women’s basketball team next travels to Davis, Calif. to face off against the H UC Davis Aggies on Jan. 15. ■