Vol. 71, Issue 06

HARRY STYLES wEEK

OPINIONS

HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL STAFF

The United States is currently facing an epidemic of school shootings. While some have called for more gun control legislation to be passed, others believe that having a greater police presence on K-12 campuses will help reduce violence and eliminate shootings. Although police, in theory, should be the solution to safety concerns, their presence creates a hostile learning environment that will unfairly disadvantage students who come from underrepresented communities or are people of color. The police system has been largely criticized in previous years for their use of force against the Black community and others for profiling them. With calls to defund and reform the police system, they should not be allowed to create fear and terrorize the next generation.

Supporters of having more police in school claim that they will decrease bullying, violence and drug use, as well as being able to respond if there is a major emergency. Citing police presence in K-12 schools will help

deter or be able to assist in the case of a school shooting, however, is a weak argument. In the Uvalde shooting last year, police failed to respond in a reasonable amount of time and even prioritized their own children’s safety over the general school population. Having more guns on school campuses does not limit gun violence, it only creates more risk of one of these guns being misused. Saying that guns are the problem and then introducing more guns is counterintuitive. Without proper training for police to handle student altercations or mass shootings, their presence will do more harm than good.

Students today, especially in lower income areas, already face substantial security measures when attending school. Many have to go through security checks, metal detectors and wear lanyards while the school is surrounded by large fencing. The students are the ones who are supposed to be protected, yet they are also being treated as criminals. Having police added to this mix will

FEATURES

Scarefest

BRENDA JOVEL Radar Editor

Scarefest 2022, hosted by ASPB, transformed HUB lawn into a spooky event with the screening of the teenslasher, “Scream” haunting the night. Though festive, the little amount of activities available made the event feel underwhelming at first. Regardless, the event did garner a relatively large crowd after doors opened at 6 P.M.

Several students showcased their Halloween spirit with fun costumes such as a pair of French maids, wizards, Cookie Monster and Stitch onesies and several angel and devil duos. Seeing so many college students dressing up showed how excited they were to be surrounded by friends to celebrate a holiday that is often geared towards children. In reality, Halloween is meant for everyone, and Scarefest allowed us to celebrate our inner kids.

Though the Halloween vibes seemed to surround students as the day turned into night, its attractions left little to the imagination. For those waiting in line for the pumpkin patch, the small activity needed more pumpkins than hay.

Underwhelming at the least, the pumpkin patch was the second photobooth that invited a cameo from the “Scream” killer himself. Large groups of friends posed with the iconic character who jumped from one booth to another, bringing the film to real life. It was a fun touch for the event as an ASPB member dressed in the role for pictures’ sake, but it still wasn’t enough to cover up the lack of decor for said pumpkin patch.

With lines forming at every stop, the busiest was the promo items and concession stands. From a selection of Scarefest posters, baseball t-shirts and enamel pins, students were sure to get their favorite item to remember the night. The addition of free drinks and the aroma of popcorn transformed HUB lawn into a sea of excited students who anxiously waited for the iconic opening of “Scream” to appear. With the film being the main activity of the event, it came of no surprise to see students relaxing on their blankets across the screen.

Before the screening of the film began, a student stated their anticipation for the

Increasing police presence on K-12 campuses will not solve school shootings

that revived the

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The fourth ASUCR meeting saw multiple reports by the Executive Cabinet and Constitutional Amendments

POSITIONS WERE

AND

FUNDING ALLOCATIONS WERE MADE.

The Associated Students of UCR’s fourth meeting was called to order on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022 in the ASUCR Senate Chamber at 6:33 P.M. All senators were present, excluding senator Aalani Richardson, senator Andrew Bui, and senator Chloe Au. In addition to the senators, the Executive Cabinet was present as well, except President Assaf and VP of Internal Affairs Jeanine Nassar. Motions to approve the current meeting’s agenda were called for by CNAS senator Shukan Shah. Motions to open and approve the previous week’s meeting minutes took place as well.

A public forum then began with an introduction of Alexandra Arias, chief justice of ASUCR’s Judicial Branch. Arias announced that applications for the position of Elections Director had reopened until Oct. 30th.

Executive Vice President Myra Usmani announced that two Senator positions for CHASS and CNAS are open and was posted online on Oct. 26. She explained that anyone who feels fit for the criterias is welcomed to apply and detailed the formal elections procedure that involves personalized speech, followed by time for questioning.

Following this, motions to open the approval of the Oct. 9 ECAB Meeting Minutes were called by CHASS senator Alaa Mido and seconded by SOE senator Leyan Elkatat. A motion to approve the meeting minutes was called on by CNAS senator Abby Choy and seconded by CNAS senator Brenden Cano.

The motion passed 13-0-0.

Ex-officio reports were then given by the Executive Cabinet. During these reports, the executive cabinet detailed their many actions and accomplishments throughout the past couple weeks. Executive Secretary Tara Wu was present to report on President Assaf’s behalf. She detailed how Assaf created 2 new committees this year: Student Life and Community Service Committee as well as continuing the Alumni Relations Committee from the previous year. In addition, a collaboration will likely occur between ASPB and ASUCR for the upcoming Winter SOULstice event.

Executive Vice President Myra Usmani delivered her report next. Her cabinet is almost full with the exception of one position open Ethnic and Gender Liaison. An ASUCR Opening House was held and facilitated by Marketing and Promotions Director Phanxico with all of the ASUCR Senators present, allowing the student body to know who their college representatives are. Two new positions were added in the EVP Office: An Events Director who will work directly with Senators and a Senate Internship Director who will serve as a liaison between the senators and senate interns. Effective next week, EVP Usmani will begin performing Senator check-ins in order to ensure Senators are following the by-laws. Lastly she is working on establishing committees for Student Health Services

An innovative way to preserve California’s Grass

California’s state grass Stipa Pulchra, more commonly known as purple needlegrass, has been slowly disappearing. Purple needlegrass can live for 100 years or more and used to cover numerous parts of California, but has now been destroyed by non-native grasses. Purple needlegrass is drought resistant and promotes the health of native wildflowers by attracting helpful fungi. For this reason, it has become the target of various different restoration outplantings. Now, it appears UCR ecologist Loralee Larios may have identified a successful long-term management strategy to help preserve the purple needlegrass.

Larios recently published a research article detailing how she and University of Oregon plant ecologist Lauren Hallett went to the East Bay Regional Park District in Northern California. They tracked nearly 5,000 individual needlegrass clumps over the course of six years, including a historic drought and an El Niño rain year. The researchers paired the clumps into grazed plots with sheep and cattle and ungrazed plots with no grazing animals.

What they found was that the grazed needlegrass populations maintained a positive average population growth rate while ungrazed populations declined. Larios and Hallett also observed that grazing had a larger positive effect during wet years compared to drought. This was because grazed needlegrass populations tended to have a larger proportion of

mature growth at the end of the drought compared to ungrazed populations.

The use of grazing for preservation, however, is controversial. The survival of needlegrass during the drought years seem precarious as sheep and cattle rely on it for sustenance, according to some grassland conservationists. But the researchers believe that grazing helped the needlegrass by tramping on debris which gave space for new needlegrass to grow. This helped bolster the researcher’s belief that conservation efforts should focus more on the promotion of adult growth of the needlegrass for overall population success. The sheep and cattle also ate the non-native grasses that threatened to edge out the purple needlegrass, another benefit.

While purple needlegrass has a multitude of benefits, it doesn’t mean that the conservation efforts are easy. Several park districts just like the one used for this study have been researching ways to preserve the needlegrass. But the solution the researchers have put forth is one that does not contain any massive logistical hurdles to implement and is cost effective compared to many alternatives out there. Whether or not California’s grassland conservationists can embrace it remains to be seen.

PEROSHAT SAEIDI / THE HIGHLANDER

SETTY Contributing Writer HOW A NON-TECH SOLUTION MIGHT BE THE WAY TO SAVE CALIFORNIA’S STATE GRASS.

Coronavirus virus formation modeled for the first time

NEW MODELS OF CORONAVIRUS STRUCTURE MAY AID IN DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE DRUGS AND VACCINES.

ANN TAI Contributing Writer

Roya Zandi, a professor at University of California, Riverside, and her former graduate student, Siyu Li, have successfully modeled the formation of the virus that spreads CO VID-19 for the first time. On September 20 of this year, Dr. Zandi, a professor of the physics and astronomy department, and Li, a postdoc toral researcher at Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory in China, published a paper in Viruses. It is a peer-reviewed journal of virol ogy detailing the formation and assembly of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The simulations in the study reveals new information about the viral life and could aid in future drug development.

The sheer number of viruses in the corona virus family means that a massive effort is needed for scientists around the world to better understand them. SARS-CoV-2 is “a large positive-stranded RNA genome” made of about 30,000 nucleotides and 10,000 amino acids within N proteins and is “further encap sulated by an envelope” which protects its genetic material. During the maturation stage known as “budding,” the virus acquires the envelope from the host cell. During budding, the virus curves and completes its forma tion. The M protein “provides a scaffold” for the budding and works with the E protein to produce virions. The S protein surrounds the coronavirus like a crown and facilitates the virus’s entrance to the cellular membrane of the host cell. Their models investigate the self assembly of the four structural proteins, Envelope (E), Membrane (M), Nucleocapsid (N), and Spike (S).

Most of the formation and assembly processes of coronaviruses are elusive as they occur over nanoseconds and cannot be holistically analyzed by all-atom molecular dynamics simulations that examine molecules at the atomic level. To combat these difficulties, they designed coarsegrained (CG) models for the proteins, RNA, and phospholipid membrane. A CG model is used to simplify complicated systems while “keeping the main chemical/physical peculiarities” and to “ex tend time and length scales” of the systems. In the model, a protein is considered a “large entity” which is represented by a “bead.”

Previous vaccines targeted the S protein to prevent the virus from attaching and entering the host cell, however, a mutation in the S protein can easily decrease the effectiveness of the vac cine. Using simulations, they found that the N protein plays a crucial role in the packaging and condensing of the viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) in its genome. Coronavirus has “the largest genome … among all RNA viruses,” which means that the oligomerization of the N protein is espe cially important in viral assembly. They found that without oligomerization – a process that stabilizes the protein and “allows it to form large structures”– the viral RNA will not be able to be packaged. The study also revealed that the “in trinsic curvature of the M protein” is integral to viral budding and that “under no circumstances were [they] able to observe the… budding [with] the absence of the M protein.”

They noted that even though the M protein is the most prevalent in the virus, yet limited by “resolution in electron microscopy imaging,” knowledge on all structural proteins “[remain] ru dimentary.” Li explains that, “The experi

Everything considered, Zandi believes this study has the potential to “inform the design of effective antiviral drugs” to halt viral replication via dismantling factors in the viral assembly stage. It could also be of interest for future scientists looking to apply “physics-based methods” to study viral formation.

“Understanding viral assembly has always been a key step leading to ther apeutic strategies,” Zandi said. She explains that “simulations of viruses… have had a remarkable impact on elucidating their assembly and provid ing means to combat them.” She admits that “even the simplest questions regarding the formation of SARS-CoV-2 remain unanswered.”

More information can be found in Li and Zandi’s paper.

School of Public Policy Former Foreign Service Officer Jesse Coronado Seminar

DIVYA BHARADWAJ Contributing Writer

The School of Public Policy hosted a seminar with former Foreign Service Officer Jesse Coronado on October 24. This seminar was a part of The Generations Dialogue Project, which aims to increase the number of underrepresented youth who pursue a career in American foreign policy. They connect young Americans with trailblazers in American foreign policy anhd international affairs. The program creates a support network for careers in international affairs, and establishes a pipeline of under-represented groups finding a career in American foreign policy.

The seminar started with a video about The Generations Dialogue Project. The video was followed by an interactive activity which asked the audience about the anxieties, fears, and concerns they have about being successful in an international career as well as whether they have ever had to be inauthentic for a role.

After the activity, the seminar transitioned to a Q&A with Coronado. The conversation that took place between Coronado and Leonard Cisneros, a graduate student from the University of George Washington, focused on Coronado’s experiences, challenges, and advice from his experience in international public service.

Coronado traveled to nine countries as a Foreign Service Officer. He served as interim Deputy Chief of Mission while in Belize, Honduras, and Portugal, led real estate acquisitions of consulate general properties in Sao Paulo and Tijuana, and received two Superior Group Awards, a Meritori ous Step Increase, and five Meritorious Honor Awards.

Coronado graduated from UCLA with a BA in Latin American Studies and an MBA in Finance and International Management and did not plan on applying for international jobs. He decided to apply after realizing his career stagnated as the Vice President at Citibank. He told the audience that he wasn’t necessarily the perfect fit for the Department of State at the time, since most em ployees graduated from Ivy League schools.

“If somebody said you fear being, you’re going to get rejected and fail anyways - we all do,” Coronado said about applying to different jobs. “I got eight job offers, but got rejected by 42 companies.”

Once the interview portion of the seminar came to an end, the audience was able to ask Coronado questions in an informal Q&A and then partici pated in a mixer with all special guests.

COURTESY OF PEXELS

LEARNING MORE ABOUT A CAREER IN FOREIGN SERVICE.

Increasing police presence on K-12 campuses will not solve school shootings

The United States is currently facing an epidemic of school shootings. While some have called for more gun control legislation to be passed, others believe that having a greater police presence on K-12 campuses will help reduce violence and eliminate shootings. Although police, in theory, should be the solution to safety concerns, their presence creates a hostile learning environment that will unfairly disadvantage students who come from underrepresented communities or are people of color. The police system has been largely criticized in previous years for their use of force against the Black community and others for profi ling them. With calls to defund and reform the police system, they should not be allowed to create fear and terrorize the next generation.

Supporters of having more police in school claim that they will decrease bullying, violence and drug use, as well as being able to respond if there is a major emergency. Citing police presence in K-12 schools will help deter or be able to assist in the case of a school shooting, however, is a weak argument. In the Uvalde shooting last year, police failed to respond in a reasonable amount of time and even prioritized their own children’s safety over the general school population. Having more guns on school campuses does not limit gun violence, it only creates more risk of one of these guns being misused. Saying that guns are the problem and then introducing more guns is counterintuitive. Without proper training for police to handle student altercations or mass shootings, their presence will do more harm than good.

Students today, especially in lower income areas, already face substantial security measures when attending school. Many have to go through security checks, metal detectors and wear lanyards while the school is surrounded by large fencing. The students are the ones who are supposed to be protected, yet they are also being

treated as criminals. Having police added to this mix will create an environment where students feel uneasy and are distracted from their learning. Having regular security already on most campuses should suffice instead of needing to contract local police agencies to “solve” these problems. Police have been known to use excessive force and lack training for diverse groups like those who are neurodivergent, part of the LBGTQ+ community and people of color. The dangers that may arise by giving police control over minors is overall unknown but should be taken into account.

Additionally, the police system is known for being historically racist. They were created as an organization that would capture and return run away slaves and reinforce Jim Crow laws. Knowing this historical context, along with the several cases of police brutality against people of color in recent years, should be alarming. Parents shouldn’t have to worry about their child getting racially profi led and attacked by a police officer while they are at school trying to learn. There is already a school to prison pipeline in this country that will increase if students are made to feel like they are the problem. Even adults who have done nothing wrong tense up when they see a police officer driving next to them on the road. Adding this stressor will cause more students to drop out and fall through the cracks of the educational system.

One solution to this problem is that instead of using school spending to pay for police, the money should go towards programs that will provide more counseling services and mental health aid to students who are struggling. Students who engage in violence and drug use often have problems going on in their home lives and should not be punished by having a police officer scold them at school. Instead they should be given access to support systems so that they can overcome these problems and continue with their

education. Other students who are the fi rst in their family to attend college also face struggles with navigating the application process. By having councilors that want to uplift and aid students through it, they will be more likely to receive an education instead of falling behind or joining a gang.

In Los Angeles, where they are seeing an increase in police on K-12 campuses, the Students Deserve, United Teachers Los Angeles, the ACLU of Southern California, the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, the Collective for Liberatory Lawyering and Reclaim Our Schools L.A. have all sent a joint letter to the school board opposing increased policing. With the wide support for a decrease in policing in schools, the school board and supporters of police should listen to those being affected the most; the students. Gun violence is an institutional problem that cannot be solved by placing an officer at the front of a school. Instead legislation and gun control is needed to solve this epidemic that only the U.S. seems to face.

e Highlander editorials re ect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. ey do not necessarily re ect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

Only one of California’s two sports betting propositions will benefit the state’s communities effectively

KIANOOSH NOOSHI Contributing Writer

This election cycle, Props. 26 and 27, which focus on the legalization of sports gambling, are being backed by record-breaking funding. Despite this, polling shows that neither measure looks likely to pass. The campaigns for these propositions both promised that their tax revenue will be spent on services benefiting the community; however, Prop. 27 will adversely affect younger Californians while also hurting the Native communities reliant on gambling as a means of income.

While they seem to target similar matters, the propositions have each been backed by completely different groups of lobbyists. The key difference between the measures is that Prop. 26 would only legalize sports gambling in-state while Prop. 27 would legalize sports gambling online. This immediately put the propositions at odds with one another because the businesses benefitting from either proposition would be in direct competition with those in the other. The key backers for Prop. 26 are Native communities that own and operate casinos on their lands. There are over 75 tribal casinos throughout California which account for nine billion dollars in revenue for the tribes that operate them. That’s an incredible amount of income for tribes that rely on in-person traffic at their casinos to make money. California is a huge market for sports gambling and that revenue could have great impacts on Native Tribes who could use the money to improve social services within their communities.

Prop. 27, on the other hand, is backed by large gambling corporations such as DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM. These corporations would stand to gain billions from sports betting in the most populous state in the nation and have spent millions trying to get this measure passed. Their advertisements often focus on the portion of tax revenue that would go to homeless and mental health services as a way to win support. The problem is that 90% of revenue from online sports betting would go out of state as opposed to staying in California like it would with Prop. 26. The majority of Native Tribes oppose Prop. 27 for this very reason, stating it would create competition for their casinos and hurt revenue which is detrimental to their respective tribes.

Falling student proficiency rates are the fault of lowered university expectations

Another possible side effect to the passing of Prop. 27 would be the negative impact on underage gambling rates in the state. In states that have legalized online sports betting, the rates of highschoolers with gambling addictions has increased. Around 5% of young people nationwide aged 11 to 17 meet criteria for a gambling problem. While that rate is slightly low, it is bound to increase with easier access to online gambling should Prop. 27 pass. Policing who has access to gambling sites can be incredibly difficult and not a good enough deterrent to dissuade those underage to gamble. Regulating underage betting is much more feasible through Prop. 26 as casinos can actively check government IDs to allow entry on their premises.

Presently, U.S. based companies are not able to operate online sports betting within California which has pushed overseas corporations, such as Bovada which is based in Costa Rica, to fill that void as regulating their business within California is near impossible. Their popularity is nowhere near that of FanDuel and as such, they have not been able to gain a big foothold within younger communities.

With both measures on the ballot this November, Californians should focus on Prop. 26 as it will help both the state, Native communities and allow the state to better regulate an activity which would negatively affect younger people.

COURTESY OF PEXELSSENNA OMAR Assistant Features Editor

New York University professor, Maitland Jones Jr., was recently fired due to student unhappiness with the way his organic chemistry classes were held. Eightytwo of his 350 students signed a petition blaming the professor for their falling test scores and class grades. Dr. Jones, however, tells a different story; one of students ditching classes, not turning in assignments, and showing up to exams unprepared while lacking knowledge of the information. The former professor has claimed that in this post-pandemic university environment, not only were students not studying, but it seems they didn’t know how to study at all.

After two years of online classes and lowered expectations, professors and students are forced to adapt to ever-changing environments. However, these lowered expectations have lowered overall student engagement and their ability to learn and retain information. During Zoom schooling, many students may have felt as if they were on a break from school. Rather than adapting to online learning, universities and K-12 schools made major allowances for students. Class rigor was exponentially decreased, assignments were excused, and those that were not, ended up being completed with the help of the internet. On top of all this, professors and universities alike were extremely accommodating during transition periods, often filming all lectures and posting them for students to view, offering hybrid classes, not mandating attendance and more.

Many students are still coping with the effects of the pandemic on their mental and physical health, which is why it’s important for professors to continue to offer these accommodations to their students. On the other hand, when attending university, students are training to become professionals and work with real people in the real world, so it is important that universities maintain a certain degree of rigor. Dr. Jones was an organic chemistry professor teaching potential medical students, many of whose discontent with their exam scores stemmed from the fact that they were too low to allow them even to apply to medical school.

With the era of Zoom academia concluding, classes are returning to pre-pandemic rigor levels forcing students to wake up and smell the coffee. Education is a changing and evolving field, and in order to continue to create positive change, students must be able to communicate their needs to professors and their respective universities openly.

PROPOSITIONS 26 AND 27 LOOK TO BRING SPORTS GAMBLING TO CALIFORNIA WITH THE PROMISE OF HELPING THE COMMUNITY, BUT ONLY ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY WILL.

OVERWHELMING STUDENT UNHAPPINESS FORCES UNIVERSITIES TO REEVALUATE POST-PANDEMIC TEACHING METHODS.

For the Broken Hearts

YSABEL NAKASONE Assistant Opinions Editor

ARIES

(March 21 - April 19): Queen of Cups

The Queen of Cups tells you it’s time to invest in self-love. Whether you’ve just started the single journey or not, you haven’t been taking the time to lift yourself up. You’ve been letting other voices in your head guide you and make your decisions for you. Shut that out, your life is all about you.

Taurus

(April 20 - May 20): e Empress

Post-broken heart, you’ve been met with an incredible support system. Although you feel like you’re just going through the motions at times, your friends have rmly planted themself on your side. Allow the validation of your feelings to wash over you. Have high expectations of your friends and yourself.

Gemini

(May 21 - June 20): Two of Cups

Rebounding is the way to go this time around. Putting yourself out there is a brave move and you may even be hesitant after the gut wrenching heartbreak you’ve experienced. You’re the type to hold on to things and not the type to forget. This heartbreak may be fresh or from your past, but it has deeply affected how you see yourself. Letting someone in, whether it be a deep or superficial relationship, may be just the pick you up you need.

Cancer

(June 21 - July 22): Five of Wands

This heartbreak has been a long time coming and you’ve felt the tension building up to it. In part, the fact that the fighting and conflict was over is a bit of a relief. Overall, it still hurts but you’re still in the game. It’s in you to keep on fighting because this one doesn’t get to break your spirit.

IF YOU’RE IN A HAPPY RELATIONSHIP, THIS ISN’T FOR YOU.

Sagittarius

(November 22 - December 21): Five of Pentacles

You feel overwhelmed with worry and regret as you feel the person breaking your heart has isolated you. Don’t let them throw you from the things that are important to you. Go out with friends and tell your side of the story. Let what you’re feeling be heard and understood.

(July 23 - August 22): ree of Wands

The Three of Wands indicates far away opportunities, a chance to get away from this heartbreak. This doesn’t mean to run away from your problems and bottle up your feelings. But it’s okay to take space to deal with your emotions and focus on other goals.

(December 22 - January 19): ree of Swords

This card is about pain and hurt and grief, Capricorn. You don’t have to immediately pick yourself up and pull yourself together. It’s valid to be a mess and grieve the relationship that’s been lost. Acknowledge the pain, but don’t let it consume you. Even though heartbreak changes you, don’t let it overwhelm who you are

(August 23 - September 22): e Chariot

The Chariot tells you to pick a direction and stick to it. The Chariot often aligns with the Lovers card, indicating that actively pursuing your love life will allow it to bloom. It requires focus and dedication. Relationships don’t just happen and this is a sign that you should be encouraged to pursue romance. You’re hesitant to respond to interest, but no risk, no reward.

Virgo Libra

(September 23 - October 22): e Hierophant

Libra, now is the time to put romance on the back burner. Focus on your own values and create your own support system. Look to someone who understands what you’re going through for advice.

This person is someone you need to move on from. Do not look back and scrutinize. Look to a friend to push you forward and keep you from spiraling backwards.

(January 20 - February 18): Six of Swords

Release all your baggage. This heartbreak has taken enough out of you and it’s time to let it stop draining you. Focus on this period of transformation and change. Let your life shift away from this person who has hurt you and towards new people and things. Let them become a figure of the past and let them fall to the back of your mind where they belong.

(October 23 - November 21): Knight of Pentacles

Find comfort in the familiar. Go about your normal life and routines. Don’t let this heartbreak and the heartbreaker make waves in the life you’ve worked very hard to structure. Eventually this will fade as you make new decisions and new choices and find new people who will matter more. They don’t get to throw a cannonball in your life so show they don’t.

(February 19 - March 20): Eight of Pentacles

You’re in a time of growth. Despite this heartbreak, you need to focus on your studies. Seeing tangible results of your hard work and skill will be rewarding for you and help to see your own value. Although you are worthy of love, right now you feel that you need proof of it. Give yourself a chance to prove your worth to yourself. Your opinion is the only one that matters.

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Scarefest 2022: a mellow event that revived the Halloween spirit

BRENDA JOVEL Radar Editor

Scarefest 2022, hosted by ASPB, transformed HUB lawn into a spooky event with the screening of the teen-slasher, “Scream” haunting the night. Though festive, the little amount of activities available made the event feel underwhelming at fi rst. Regardless, the event did garner a relatively large crowd after doors opened at 6 P.M.

Several students showcased their Halloween spirit with fun costumes such as a pair of French maids, wizards, Cookie Monster and Stitch onesies and several angel and devil duos. Seeing so many college students dressing up showed how excited they were to be surrounded by friends to celebrate a holiday that is often geared towards children. In reality, Halloween is meant for everyone, and Scarefest allowed us to celebrate our inner kids.

Though the Halloween vibes seemed to surround students as the day turned into night, its attractions left little to the imagination. For those waiting in line for the pumpkin patch, the small activity needed more pumpkins than hay. Underwhelming at the least, the pumpkin patch was the second photobooth that invited a cameo from the “Scream” killer himself. Large groups of friends posed with the iconic character who jumped from one booth to another, bringing the fi lm to real life. It was a fun touch for the event as an ASPB member dressed in the role for pictures’ sake, but it still wasn’t enough to cover up the lack of decor for said pumpkin patch.

With lines forming at every stop, the busiest was the promo items and concession stands. From a selection of Scarefest posters, baseball t-shirts and enamel pins, students were sure to get their favorite item to remember the night. The addition of free drinks and the aroma of

Club Spotlight: HighlanderCon: Undercity - a smashingly successful event

EMILY LAM Contributing Writer

According to Highlander Gaming Club Vice President, Ethan Vuong, “Community, Sportsmanship, and Social Inclusion” characterize UCR’s Highlander Gaming Club’s goals and priorities.

Formed in 2012, Highlander Gaming rapidly expanded their community, amassing to over 3,800 members and 1,000 daily active members in their discord. Given the recent pandemic, Highlander Gaming had grown slightly inactive in the past few years. Being a relatively new organization, HLG’s funding is considered to be lacking, even now. Despite these odds, Highlander Gaming has proven to accomplish plenty and uphold an accepting and friendly community of gamers with hopes to reach even further, evident in one of their largest events, HighlanderCon.

Last year’s HighlanderCon, a large cross-campus LAN party, was the fi rst since 2019. The convention attracted a crowd of roughly 1300 and participants were welcomed with numerous tournaments, a professional panel, and activities ranging from a 150+ man bracket “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” tournament to an “osu!” room.

This year, “HighlanderCon: Undercity” took place on October 29 and featured tournaments for “Rocket League”, “Overwatch 2”, “League of Legends”, and “Valorant”. HighlanderCon: Undercity also had a Professional Career Building Panel with panelists Yugina Yun from Gen.G, Christine Fan from MSI, and Arvel Reeves from Razer. Head of Media Wendy Han, a second year Business Major, hopes this provides attendees with opportunities to gain insight on the gaming industry and help them jumpstart their careers.

For those wanting to test out a new game, HighlanderCon

popcorn transformed HUB lawn into a sea of excited students who anxiously waited for the iconic opening of “Scream” to appear. With the fi lm being the main activity of the event, it came of no surprise to see students relaxing on their blankets across the screen.

Before the screening of the fi lm began, a student stated their anticipation for the event. “I’m sure it’ll be fun and it’s cool seeing so many people.” Another student added, “It’s nice to know that people are interested in these school events.” With classes being in-person this year, it comes of no surprise to see so many students, fi rst through fourth years, joining together to create memorable memories at events like this.

Students began to huddle together during the chilly night as ASPB members welcomed everyone for the fi lm’s screening. The second Drew Barrymore appeared on screen, silence overcame the sea of students who waited anxiously to see what would happen to the actress’ notorious character. Every sound of the fi lm from telephone rings to heavy beats from the soundtrack vibrated against the grass and echoed into the dark night as the fi lm’s ending neared. The cold didn’t stop students from clapping and shouting for characters who survived until the end. As the end credits rolled by, ASPB members thanked students for their participation in Scarefest 2022.

also provided a Free Play Room. Obadiah Cole, a fi rst year Graphic Design Major, stated “I was able to meet new people and gain insight on PC Gaming. I tried Eternal Return and Valorant for the fi rst time which were learning curves but overall, I had a great experience. The people here provided a very welcoming and friendly environment.”

Additionally, this HighlanderCon featured small business vendors who sold art, posters, pins, etc. in an artist alley to help them gain traction. Artist Naomi Ventura of the store “Moonshine Charms” considers this artist alley to be a great opportunity for small and big artists alike to showcase their work while also connecting with new people and putting their name out, further growing their business.

In collaboration with their partnerships with MSI, ZOTAC, Sceptre, and Gamdias, HighlanderCon gave away numerous keyboards, monitors, mouse pads, mics, desks, and other gaming equipment throughout the day. “This HighlanderCon defi nitely has a larger giveaway pool because of their sponsors. It’s also nice to have information panels to learn about those sponsors and connect to the companies directly,” stated fifth year Music Composition Major Reagan Benham.

Winners of the “Overwatch 2” tournament Daniel Lee and Ali Shaubzada from UCSD describe this HighlanderCon to have a more personal, social, and passionate environment compared to other large LAN parties they have attended.

Although Highlander Gaming hosted a successful event, there’s still work to be done. HLG continues to expand even

further, with hopes to branch out and connect with gaming communities at other UCs, Cal States and community colleges within California. Highlander Gaming plans to collaborate further with Corsair, MSI, Razer, Gen.G, Red Bull and Gamdias. They also intend to gain more recognition and support from UCR so that they can build an e-sports arena for UCR students to engage and play games on an even more accessible level.

The organization maintains weekly Round One socials, movie nights, board game nights, and inhouses events to allow a bridge between their e-sports teams and relaxed members, strengthening the HLG community. Workshops and career panels are also consistently hosted to guide members into career opportunities in the gaming industry.

For VP Ethan Vuong and MSI ambassador Wendy Han, the big picture is to continue broadening HLG’s network of gamers, fi nancially support and amplify members aspiring to have a career in the gaming industry, and serve as a voice for those who want to do more in gaming. They want HLG to be a place for everyone, regardless of your ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, etc., to meet new friends and embrace the gamer side of yourself.

To stay updated on future Highlander Gaming events, be sure to join their Discord and follow their instagram @ hlg_ucr.

ASPB HOSTED THE YEAR’S FIRST HALLOWEEN EVENT WITH MILDLY DECORATED PHOTO BOOTHS AND A SCREENING OF ‘SCREAM.’

SEBASTIAN CEJA / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

MAXEN OLVERA Contributing Writer

“Black Adam” is the latest entry within the DC Extended Universe. The film stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the titular Black Adam, Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate and Aldis Hodge as Hawkman. “Black Adam” has been a passion project for The Rock for over a decade. It’s been his dream role ever since his WWE days, but the film has been trapped in development hell this whole time. After countless directors dropped off the project due to creative differences with The Rock, Warner Brothers finally settled on Jaume Collet-Serra. Serra has collaborated with The Rock beforehand for the Disney blockbuster “Jungle Cruise.” The duo is the first to bring “Black Adam” to the silver screen.

The plot of the film is built around the powerful demigod Black Adam. Adam uses his ancient power to help protect the people of his home, Kahndaq. He uses his god-like power to take justice into his own hands. However, the sun starts to set on Adam’s escapades as his morals are challenged by the Justice Society.

The marketing of the film would make you believe that it’s the villainous Black Adam against this bootleg Justice League. In reality, Adam focuses on helping a mother and son of Kahndaq keep an ancient relic out of the wrong hands. The caregiver element that is passed to Adam closes him off from his true potential as a villain. Adam does slaughter people with his powers. However, all his victims are faceless henchmen that

you feel no remorse for. The Rock is trying to portray Black Adam as a bad motherf***** that could tear any superhero to shreds. In reality, Adam never pushes the envelope or does anything that could shock the audience.

The Justice Society serves as one of the obstacles that try to impede Adam’s journey. The film rushes through the backstory of the heroes that make up the team, which causes the audience to feel somewhat disconnected from the characters. It’s hard for an audience to care about a set of characters they’re not familiar with. The director should’ve given more screen time to fully flesh out the background and motives of these characters.

Nonetheless, seasoned actor Pierce Brosnan and his portrayal of Dr. Fate is a standout. He serves as Adam’s moral compass. The relationship between Adam and Fate is like father and son. Fate believes that Adam has a good heart and is capable of being the savior of the universe. Hawkman (team leader) sees Adam as a threat to the free world. The clash between the two power players is one of the few highlights of the film.

Another highlight is the acting chops of Johnson as he proves why he was meant to play this role. He’s having a blast playing the anti-hero and emulates that through his performance. Johnson uses his charisma to try and seduce audiences into loving the movie. Unfortunately, Johnson’s charm isn’t strong enough to save the state of this DC film.

Black Adam has its faults within the heart of the story. Serra puts all his time and effort into a messy cluster of CGI effects. It makes the movie look like a “Fast & Furious” film with the bonus of superpowers. It’s hard to tell the difference between this project and any other of the Rock’s various pictures. The movie takes no creative risks and sees the Rock play his cards close to his chest. The last half hour fumbles and rushes the introduction of the main villain. Serra seemed to forget that Black Adam still fought with a big bad CGI monster. The battle is extremely predictable and provides nothing stimulating. The final battle of the movie is stuck in a 2000s movie. It seems that Johnson wanted to play his cards safe. In the end, the Rock produces a superhero movie that provides nothing groundbreaking to the industry.

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VERDICT:

The emotional weight of “Decision to Leave” creeps up on you. It is a subtle film and fully embraces this, creating an individualistic romantic detective procedural. Compared to his Vengeance Trilogy and “The Handmaiden,” director Park Chan-Wook exchanges brutal vio lence and passionate romance for subtle mysterious and romantic elements that work on an undertone.

Park, who won best director at the 2022 Cannes Festival, is in complete control over his craft. Like other great directors, Park has an impeccable eye for detail and style. “Decision to Leave,” released on Oct. 14, features a large array of stylistic choices, but never comes off as flaunting. Park adds a modern touch to the romance-mystery genre that became popular through noirs decades ago. A character, although physically separated, may be seen as a projection in the same room as another. Other times, the audi ence is transported inside a phone when a character is texting, switching points of view. Translation apps are even used during conversations. Choices like this illustrate the perpetual feelings of yearn ing to be together despite a disconnect and how characters are often aware of each other’s presence, all while estab lishing the sense of something unmistak ably contemporary.

Almost as quickly as it dives into the murder, “Decision to Leave” is swift to show the attraction between murder suspect Seo-rae (Tang Wei) and detec tive Hae-jun (Park Hae-il). Feelings

bounce off the screen the moment we are introduced to Seo-rae and Hae-jun, but Park and screenwriter Chung Seokyung never explicitly state the obvious. Tang Wei and Park Hae-il are perfectly cast, exchanging fleeting glances, quick smiles and hesitant gazes. This uncon ventionally reserved choice is so effec tive because it conveys more realistic emotions in a way that verbal exchanges would fall short of attempting.

Despite being a film that works in a lowkey methodology, “Decision to Leave’’ is one of the most sensual films in recent history. From tea slowly drip ping, smoke clouding the air, handcuffed hands touching each other; “Decision to Leave” plays with the senses scarily well. With its noir inspirations — Seorae and Hae-jun share archetypes with the classic female fatale and alienated detective, respectively — and sensu ousness, “Decision to Leave” is sure to draw parallels to films such as “Basic Instinct” and “In The Mood For Love.”

The first half of the film is a well crafted, mostly straightforward about a murder investigation, but knowing Park, this linearity can only last so long. During the second half of the film, the detective aspect takes the backseat. The relation ship between Hae-Jun and Seo Rae is at the forefront while the detective story is utilized as a means to further romance. Park is a master at intensifying emo tions. Feelings of attraction burn slowly, patiently swelling up, but from the start, the audience knows that the love the

two characters feel for each other isn’t meant to be. “Decision to Leave” dances around these feelings of melancholia and longing becoming a situation of impos sible love. The romantic components are the most subtle, but they ultimately resonate the strongest.

Although the romance in “Decision to Leave” is its sharpest facet, the proce dural elements shine at numerous mo ments. The editing for these sequences is meticulous. Clever time lapses and jumps help the story build in the past and present. As the mystery progresses, the past and present slowly bleed into each other. Like Park’s other films, “Decision to Leave” has a plethora of eye-catching camera angles and move ments that never feel out of place. The sequences in the interrogation room were memorable due to impressive camerawork. The ability to seemingly split the room up using glass walls and monitors allows the audience to become more engaged in the narrative. Jarring closeups are designed to elicit strong reactions and draw attention to visual cues.

“Decision to Leave,” at its core, is a cat-and-mouse game working on two levels: chasing crime and chasing love. The themes are universal, but Park and the talents behind the film build upon the mold creating something so refined and nuanced. “Decision to Leave” is a perfect example of using what the medium has to offer to transcend a story into something unforgettable.

The Rock paints the DC Universe black with basic superhero flick

‘BLACK ADAM’ IS A MINDLESS SUPERHERO BLOCKBUSTER THAT PROVIDES NOTHING NEW.

COURTESY OF

VERDICT: “BLACK ADAM” IS A HEAVILY FLAWED MOVIE THAT DOESN’T PROVIDE ANYTHING NEW FOR AUDIENCES. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A CLASSIC SUPERHERO MOVIE WITH MIND-NUMBING ACTION, “BLACK ADAM” IS THE PICTURE FOR YOU.

‘Decision to Leave’ : a romantic detective procedural that is subtle in all the right ways

LUKE LIAO Contributing Writer PARK CHAN-WOOK’S SENSUAL STORY OF VANISHING LOVE AND MURDER IS A TECHNICAL MARVEL THAT WORKS ON MANY LEVELS.

PARK CHAN-WOOK, TANG WEI AND PARK HAE-IL ARE AT TOP FORM, CREATING AN ANOMALOUS ROMANTIC MYSTERY THAT INTRICATELY PLAYS WITH THE SENSES AND HEARTSTRINGS.

Top 5 Harry Styles songs ranked

MADISON RHEINS Editor-in-Chief

Harry Styles’ Love on Tour has just kicked off in LA on Oct. 23 at the Kia Forum and the vibes were electric. Months before, fans flocked to Ticketmaster and waited in long queues just for a chance to see their favorite British man. With all of the excitement for new fans and old fans alike, I thought it was only appropriate to write an ode to some of his most iconic songs and rank the ones that are worth a listen or two. Of course, with so many hits it’s quite a challenge to narrow the choices down to only five, but I did the impossible. Without further ado, please enjoy my breakdown of Harry’s best five songs – plus an honorable mention.

5. “Late Night Talking”

The amount of Spotify streams on this song doesn’t lie – this track is an instant classic. I remember being one of the first few people to listen to this song when he revealed it at Coachella 2022. The upbeat melody and danceable beat instantly elevated my mood and I was awestruck – it was as if I was going to faint from pure excitement. The song is centered around Styles missing his lover after some time of separation. He misses their late night conversations which is something so relatable and intimate. Many fans can understand these lyrics and resonate with them when they’re reminiscing about that special someone.

4. “Woman”

We’ve all been the “jealous ex” before, and “Woman” perfectly captures what this feeling is like. We feel selfish and envious and we would rather die than see the person we once loved share intimate moments with someone else. In this track, Harry sings about never wanting to see his ex-lover with her current beau. It’s too hard to bear and it’s too hard to let go. Each powerful piano chord is like a shot to the heart when listening to this song – but in the most satisfying way.

3. “Sign of the Times”

Third place goes all the way back to the beginning of 2017. The soft piano melody and Harry’s soothing voice makes me feel like I’m floating through the sky. His falsetto pierces my soul and as the song crescendos toward the end, fans are left breathless with this absolute masterpiece of a track. “Sign of the Times” centers around the point of view of a dying mother who only has five minutes to tell her child to “go forth and conquer” as Harry revealed in his lyrical breakdown of the song. This extra layer makes the song much more meaningful because while the subject is a bit dark, it reveals how fleeting life is and how you must live every moment as if it was your last.

2. “She”

PITCHFORKOVER –MADDY’S LIST ISFOR THE STANS.

Once the beat drops in this song, it’s over. The hazy and slow-paced track “She” has earned the top spot at number two for a plethora of reasons. Not only is this one of the longer songs on his second album “Fine Line,” but it also showcases Styles’ storytelling ability. The track is in a third person point of view of a man fantasizing about a woman who he doesn’t even know. This sultry song dives deep into the concept of desire and escaping reality. Harry reveals the inner workings of the character’s mind as he battles with the thought of the mystery woman in his dreams. Additionally, the long instrumental sound toward the end of the song makes me feel like I am astral-projecting through a sky full of stars and I am constantly left wondering what the outcome will be for the character of the song. Does he ever find this mystery woman?

1. “Golden”

Finally, coming in at number one is “Golden.” This track is synonymous with love, vulnerability and freedom. Much like the music video, this song makes me want to frolic around a beautiful city or field in loose clothing. This song is perfect to drive down PCH to and it deserves the number one spot not only for its melody but also for its subject matter. “Golden” is essentially about moving on from heartbreak or a low point in your life and learning how to be open and vulnerable again. This scary yet freeing feeling of embracing yourself and letting people in is perfectly captured in this track and will make it a lasting hit for years to come.

Honorable Mention: “Girl Crush”

After singing this for my high school show choir’s spring concert – I may be biased – but Harry’s cover of “Girl Crush,” originally performed by Little Big Town, deserves to be an honorable mention. This heartbreaking track is about wanting to change yourself into the person your lover is choosing to leave you for. How – in the end – there’s nothing you can really change about yourself to regain your lover’s previous attention. Harry’s beautiful voice is accompanied by a single guitar and yet that is all you need to truly experience the raw emotion behind this track.

All in all, it was very difficult to pick and choose which Harry song made my list, and if you don’t see your favorite on it, just know that I probably had to battle it over in my head for a long time. However, in order to prepare for this year’s Love on Tour, try listening to these recommendations before playing “Watermelon Sugar.” ■ H

Welcome Home! Harry’s back in LA with his Love On Tour!

THE FIRST NIGHT OF STYLES’ RETURN TO LA BEGINS THE LEGACY OF HIS HEARTFELT PERFORMANCES WITH FANS.

Harry Styles made his return to the Kia Forum, with fans filling up nearly every seat of the seventeen thousand available to see his first show last Sunday. The Forum had been transformed into Harry’s Love on Tour with colorful lights, specialty drinks and fans dressed in pink feather boas, creating a unique environment that left me brimming with excitement.

While performing, Harry was quick to dance and frequently interacted with his fans. He would layer hats and clothing that fans threw on stage, as well as always aiming his mic towards the stands so the crowd could sing along. Harry found a perfect balance of fan interac tion while putting on a fantastic and unique show.

While I noticed he seemed a bit nervous at first, this faded as Harry took over the stage with his danc ing. He moved around the entire stage throughout his performance, waving and smiling at fans between lyrics. Between songs, Harry would frequently check in with the crowd, talking with fans and making sure everyone was enjoying themselves. Around halfway through the set, Harry asked everyone to bring out their signs so he could see, telling jokes and giving warm replies to the audience. Harry eventually noticed one fan hold ing a small sign that said “help me come out.” Quickly taking the initiative, Harry, utilizing a pink feather boa a fan gave him, told the fan that they would officially “come out” once he put the boa up over his head. Mov ing the boa up and down while fans created a drumroll, Harry eventually threw the boa into the air as the crowd erupted into a cheer, creating a heartfelt memory and

DORIAN DABBS Business Manager

letting that particular fan come out in the most special way possible.

All of Harry’s songs inspire movement, forming a smile and demanding dance from every listener. Although, no song got the crowd quite as loud and ener gized as “What Makes You Beautiful.” As One Direc tion’s most famous song, the crowd immediately burst into a frenzy with many fans crying and even sobbing as Harry sang. One of the more interesting parts of Harry’s performances were his transitions between songs. Harry’s audio team did an amazing job at mixing in his upbeat and slower tracks, creating smooth and unique transitions that always made us wonder what he was go ing to play next without losing his rhythm.

Before attending this event, I personally was not a huge Harry Styles fan. I enjoyed his latest album “Harry’s House,” but only really listened to a few of his songs beyond that. After watching him put on an amaz ing show that truly connected with his audience, I began to appreciate his work so much more. While nearly all of his concerts entail large venues packed with people, Harry creates a connection between his audience only seen at much smaller venues. Harry Styles’ concert at the Kia Forum proved that he is a natural-born per former.■ H

DORIAN DABBS / THE HIGHLANDER

DORIAN DABBS / THE HIGHLANDER

‘Camping Culture’ needs to end and Harry Styles fans are at partial fault

Harry Styles, pop star from across the pond, is making a pit stop for ten days in Los Angeles, which has made the Kia Forum a central hub for fans. The consecutive nights of this tour have gathered a crowd excited to get the opportunity to see Styles with front-row seats. Yet, the view comes with a cost.

With every leg of Styles’ tour, camping in hopes of a spot at the barricade has become more popular than ever. Camping for a concert is not a new concept for music fans. Multiple music festivals have adopted campsites for easy access to the festival grounds, as well as the ability to create a community within the festival site. However, this style of camping is dif ferent from single-night shows.

want a great spot for general admission.

Aside from ticket-buyers unfairness, it is also questionable to have crowds voluntarily sleep on concrete when Los Angeles county is facing a homelessness crisis. The Los Angeles County government has been actively trying to end homeless encampments, especially during huge events for Inglewood. The Forum and SoFi Stadium have decided homeless com munities cannot have their encampments across the street, yet privileged teenagers can call the venues home for days on end. While other cities in the U.S. have different ap proaches to this situation, it is very telling of the values of Los Angeles music venue owners and the government. The parallels are unsettling.

HARRY STYLES wEEK

From Billie Eilish to BTS, camping overnight at a venue for multiple days has become a prominent practice and proves how dedicated you are as a fan. A recent trend on TikTok has normalized this idea of overnight stays, showcasing a clip of the artist alongside how long they waited. One TikTok user states a wait of four and a half days to see Harry Styles.

Camping comes with concerns. It is immensely unsanitary and unhealthy to participate in this practice. While music festival campgrounds provide showers and bathrooms, ven ues like the Forum do not provide such resources. Campers are not maintaining hygiene and sanitary practices, as attend ing a high-volume show is a privilege in itself and campers tend to have the capability to care for such needs at home — not Harry’s house.

With the unofficial lines wrapping around the Forum, campers ruin the experience for those who cannot join this extensive arrangement. From work to school, responsibilities prevent concert-goers from getting a chance to see their fa vorite artist up close. This unspoken rule is extremely unfair to those who have to tend to their personal needs, but still

To find a common ground between the obsessed fan and its opposition, the best solution is for venues to simply ban loitering, or at the very least limit these lengthy lines. Open ing an informal line on the morning of the concert may be the best solution to please campers. This gives eager fans to show their dedication at a reasonable time while being respectful of the communities within Inglewood.

While concert camping may be a fun activity and makes a good storytime, it is time for Harry Styles fans to question if it is worth it to participate in this trend. Campers ruin the experience and create a competitive environment for concert attendees. My message for Harry Styles fans this next week is — you’re better off having a sleepover with other “Har ries.”

Harry Styles - unique fashion icon or queerbaiter?

RAMITA SETTY Contributing Writer

Harry Styles caused a sensation in 2020 when he appeared on the cover of Vogue wearing a Gucci lace-trimmed white dress. The magazine was filled with plenty of other pictures of Styles wearing vari ous kinds of dresses and skirts. It immediately led to a flood of controversy, with some people complaining that men were becoming less masculine while others congratulated Styles on breaking gender norms.

Despite what the initial wave of outrage and pearlclutching at Styles’ cover may have led you to believe, it is not the first time a male singer has dressed in drag. It’s a practice that extends back to the 70s, from Queen to Kurt Cobain. It is not new, which leads to the question of why, even now, the same tired reactions play out anew. The answer is that despite what popular culture shows, America is still a deeply conservative society that leaves little room for anything even slightly out of the norm.

Yet it wasn’t just conservatives who had issues with Styles. Several objected to the fact that the first cover of Vogue featuring a man in a dress was an apparent heterosexual, especially considering that cross-dress ing queer men have historically been harassed and threatened over the way they dressed. Styles received a fair number of people accusing him of queerbaiting as a result. But queerbaiting is a lot more compli cated than a straight person “acting gay.” The official definition of queerbaiting is “a marketing technique for fiction where creators hint at but never depict a same-sex romance.”

It should be noted that the way you dress doesn’t define your sexuality. In fact, it was only in the past several decades that crossdressing even gained queer undertones. In the days before women were allowed to participate on stage, female impersonators were

common without them being considered “unmas culine.” But by the 1920s, they were beginning to become less common as ideas about sexuality and dress were changing. Simply put, cross-dressing was suddenly considered “gay.”

The purpose of this is to show that our ideas about sexuality being linked to our appearance are a shift ing social construct. Styles wearing a dress does not make him queer, nor is it fair to accuse him of queerbaiting solely because he wears a dress. Clothes do not define your sexuality.

How can a real person queerbait? After all, there are real social barriers that might prevent someone from coming out, and expressing themselves in limited ways. Not to mention the idea that someone is required to broadcast their sexuality to the world is more than a little messed up.

But Styles did receive more backlash for lock ing lips with Nick Kroll at the premiere of the film “Don’t Worry Darling” at the Venice Film Festival. Straight-presenting famous figures have long been criticized for publicly kissing members of the same sex, with many viewing it as a cheap ploy to generate clicks and controversy. Among the people who have received criticism for it are Britney Spears and Ma donna, John Krasinski and Pete Davidson and more, and Styles has joined that list.

He also received backlash for his comments on gay sex in film. While promoting his newest film “My Policeman,” Styles told the Rolling Stone, “So much of gay sex in film is two guys going at it, and it kind of removes the tenderness from it.” Many debunked Styles’ claim that cinema includes a plethora of “two guys going at it,” pointing out that very few main

stream queer films show the explicit sex Styles seems to be criticizing. While his remarks did seem illinformed, more people were upset at Styles speaking with any sort of authority on the queer community, arguing he could not refuse to claim the community and at the same time publicize his opinions on it for the world to see.

So to answer the question this article poses — is Harry Styles a unique fashion icon or a queerbaiter? Styles, it would appear, is not really either: he is not particularly unique or novel with his fashion, and you cannot label a real-life person a queerbaiter even if his actions appear to walk a fine line to some.

WHILE CAMPING OUT FOR YOUR FAVORITE ARTIST MAY BE A PERSONAL PREFERENCE, IT IS ULTIMATELY UNNECESSARY AND UNSAFE.

THE SINGER HAS GAINED A LOT OF PRAISE FOR HIS INTERESTING STYLE. BUT HE’S GAINED A LOT OF FLACK FOR IT TOO.

COURTESY OF ERINTHEREDMC VIA WIKIMEDIACOMMONS

Fall 2022 Women’s Soccer Senior Day

SEBASTIAN BUSTAMANTE CEJA Contributing Writer

UC Riverside’s Women’s Soccer played their last game of the season at home coming from a four game losing streak. Although a lot of enthusiasm was seen due to the celebration of Senior Day the game resulted in a tough loss of 2 - 4 against CSUN.

The Highlanders showed high pressure and played offensively the first thirty minutes of the first half but were caught off guard in a couple counterattacks that resulted in conceded goals. Las Matadoras found their first opportunity at the fifth minute mark that led to a goal by opposing Cindy Arteaga. This first goal did not change the playstyle of the Highlanders who continued to attempt making plays through the wings but were caught offside by the referee. Possession was high for the Highlanders however in another lost opportunity to score, Las Matadoras found a similar play as their first goal that led to opposing Alyssa Edwards scoring at the 16th minute mark. Highlanders Mckensie Moore and Kameron Henry continued to attempt connecting with their teammates but CSUN’s defense and goalkeeper held their net scoreless. After a heavy offensive play style, Las Matarodas began to control the pace of the game and found their third goal at 43rd minute by Cailey Jackson. Highlanders went to half-time with a difficult 0 - 3 against them.

The start of the second unfortunately started for the Highlanders as the first half with possession of the ball but were dealt a fourth goal against at the 49th minute by Cindy Arteaga’s second goal of the night. With a lead of 0 - 4 Las Matadoras managed the game comfortably and were able to stop any attempt by the Highlanders. At the 51st minute Highlanders

received a foul that led to a free kick but caused no danger towards the opposing defense. Las Matadoras continued to concede fouls which led to the referee granting free kicks for the Highlanders yet still were unable to make any offensive play that would give them an opportunity at goal. Tension began to rise among both teams with fouls becoming more aggressive. At the 68th minute mark Highlander Alexandra Hargrave nets a goal with a shot towards the low right corner of the box. Celebrations ran short with a confrontation among Highlanders and Las Matadoras deriving from a foul and aggression by opposing defense. Both teams are dealt a red card due to unsportsmanship behavior and the game continues with both teams a player down at the 69th minute mark. Highlander Hargrave began to exploit the opposing defense who struggled to readjust after the loss of a player. At the 75th minute mark Highlanders continued to keep the high pressure as the opposing team began to park the bus and defend the lead. A shot is missed by Highlander Hargrave but continues to find gaps in the defense. At the 87th minute mark Matadora goalkeeper blocked Highlanders Hargrave’s most dangerous attempt at goal with a shot from close range. At the last seconds of the game Highlander Spenser Gonzales nets a goal from a cross by Jordan Weiss. The final score Highlanders 2 - 4 CSUN.

The Highlanders Women’s Soccer team received a tough loss at home but the game did not shadow the heartwarming night. Fans and families cheered and praised the team for their efforts all season. Congratulations to the graduating seniors!

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UC Riverside men’s basketball win home opener against CSU Dominguez Hills 94 - 79

KIA NOOSHI Contributing Writer

UC Riverside’s men’s basketball team made easy work of CSU Dominguez Hills in their home opener at the SRC Arena. The Highlanders came into the season having made it to the quarter finals of the Big West tournament the season before. UCR came out early and built a sizable lead going into halftime and were able to maintain control throughout the second half leading to a morale boosting 15 point win.

The Highlanders started the first half controlling the tempo with lots of offensive rebounds and points off of fast breaks. Senior guards Flynn Cameron and Zyon Pullin helped the Highlanders build a sizable lead by moving the ball around and slowing the game down by drawing fouls and going to the free throw line. Center Jaylon Martinez and forward Kyle Ownes got easy shots down low and cleaned up the offensive glass to help the Highlanders get an impressive 15 second chance points throughout the game.

As the Highlanders got more comfortable into the game, so did the lead thanks to newcomer Vladimer Salaridze, who played immense defense off the bench leading the Highlanders with 22 bench minutes. Head Coach Mike Magpayo maintained a well rounded rota tion, utilizing 13 players throughout the game and evi dently pinpointing defense as a key point of focus for his players. The highlanders had 10 steals while creating 15 turnovers from the opponents. Stifling defense coupled with amazing efficiency from three got the Highlanders a 13 point lead going into halftime.

The Highlanders started the second half sluggishly

and the Dominguez Hills cut the lead down to within just seven points early on in the half. Flynn Cameron helped the Highlanders rebuild their lead with a pair of threes building the lead back up to 12. Senior Jamal Hartwell II, who made his Highlander debut in this game, came off the bench and had six of his eight points via a pair of threes of his own.

As the lead grew again, the Highlanders played at a slower pace, having Pullin bring the ball up the floor slowly before attempting to drive for easy buckets in the paint and dishing out to the wings if the lane was clogged by the opponent’s big men. Pullin had the highlight of the game, driving to the hoop and finishing with an incredible layup, switching hands to avoid two defenders.

Another key component of the game was the High landers lack of turnovers, only six throughout the entire ty of the game as well as only two between the entirety of the starting lineup. Efficiency was the name of the game during this matchup as whenever Dominguez Hills would attempt to start a run, the Highlanders would strike back from deep with the team shooting over 40% from beyond the arc this game. That would prove too much for Dominguez Hills to overcome and the High landers were able to comfortably finish the game with a 15 point win, 94-79.

Cameron led all scorers with 21 points on great effi ciency. Transfer guard Kyle Owens also added 17 while also grabbing nine boards. Pullin added 11 points and led the team with five assists with no turnovers. Transfer

Vladimer Salaridze capped off his debut with an impres sive four steals to go along with his four assists.

The Highlanders will now look to their next game with a tough matchup against PAC-12 opponent Colo rado away in Boulder on November 7th as they look to start the season off with a winning run going into the Vegas Championships. ■ H

TOUGH LOSS AT LAST HOME GAME DOES NOT HINDER THE HEARTWARMING SENIOR DAY FOR THE WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM.

SEBASTIAN CEJA / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

THE HIGHLANDERS SECURED A COMFORTABLE VICTORY IN THEIR HOME OPENER WITH IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCES FROM CAMERON, OWENS, AND PULLIN.