Vol. 71, Issue 11

T he h ighlander

OPINIONS

California’s

HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL STAFF

The first two weeks of the new year have brought strong winter rain storms to California. The bomb cyclone, that caused mass destruction across the state during the first week of January, has only been followed by more storms and record breaking rain. These large periods of rain are a positive sign for California’s drought problem that is currently the worst in recorded history, but a lack of updated infrastructure and improper planning has left two unhoused people in Sacramento dead. The storms have affected most in California, whether it has been from flooding, power outages or overall inaccessibility. However, the unhoused have and continue to be at the forefront of those affected.

The two unhoused persons in California’s capitol who lost their lives due to this slew of storms were both killed by falling trees. One of the victims was a 61 year old male, while the other was a 40 year old woman who left behind five children. Insufficient planning for the unhoused population across the state has exposed them to these ever changing extreme weather conditions. Last year eight unhoused people in Sacramento lost their lives after freezing to death, a dark reality that is becoming too familiar. Summers in California have also only gotten worse with high temperatures and now, after not having any large rain storms in the past few years, those living in the Golden State are unfamiliar with how

The

CHLOE FARQUHAR Contributing Writer

On Monday, Jan. 2, Puerto Rican rap star Bad Bunny released a tweet regarding a controversial interaction he had with a fan during his time in the Dominican Republic. In the viral video, a fan is seen approaching the artist. Without greeting him or asking for consent, the fan attempts to take a selfie with him. Bad Bunny then proceeds to take the fan’s phone, throws it into what appears to be a body of water and continues on with his night.

Since the video was posted, Bad Bunny has been criticized for his reaction and has gotten varying responses for it. Though some fans and celebrities empathize with the star and feel he is justified in his actions, many fans are left feeling disappointed and upset by the way their idol behaved. As shown in many Twitter threads on the topic, some people feel that Bad Bunny shouldn’t be

defended and he should expect that — with such a huge following — people are going to want to take pictures with him everywhere he goes. However, these fans fail to recognize the point of why the artist responded the way he did; his personal space was being invaded and he was not being given respect.

This isn’t the first time celebrities have displayed frustration with their fans. Last October, the alternative r&b musician Steve Lacy was shamed for smashing a fan’s camera at a show after another fan threw an unknown object. Singer Billie Eilish has explicitly told fans that she doesn’t want objects thrown on stage while she is performing. Although this isn’t the same exact thing as chucking a fan’s phone, it’s clear that celebrities are increasingly expressing their need for respect and space. This leaves you

unhoused population should not be left to die in the ongoing winter storms

case against the obsessive fan

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UAW Workers Strike at the University of California reaches a resolution

ABHIJIT REGE AND HARU CHANG News Editor and Assistant News Editor

The largest strike of the year and the largest in the history of higher education has reached a resolution as 36,000 academic workers at the University of California have reached a final agreement on new contracts after multiple rounds of negotiation. The agreements make historic gains in compensation, childcare subsidies and paid leaves, and provides new protections against bullying and discrimination. Under the tentative agreement mediated between the University of California and the United Auto Workers, the UC aims to resolve all unfair labor practice charges upon ratification.

Graduate student researchers and academic student workers at the University of California voted to approve new contracts, ending their six-week strike on Dec. 23, 2022. UC and the United Auto Workers (UAW), on December 16, 2022, announced tentative agreements on a new contract for UC Academic Student Employees and Graduate Student Researchers. On November 29, 2022, UC and the United Auto Workers (UAW) had previously announced tentative agreements on a new five-year contract for UC Postdoctoral Scholars and Academic Researchers. The new contracts go into effect immediately and will be in place through May 31, 2025.

In response to the union’s proposals, the UC has restructured its support packages for academic workers to better reflect the important role that these student employees and graduate students have on their respective campuses. Teaching Assistants are expected to see increases in their minimum pay from $23,250 to about $34,000 by October 2024. The minimum salary rate for UC Berkeley, UCSF, and UCLA Ts will be $36,500. By Oct. 2024, Associate Instructors and Teaching Fellows will receive a 16.7 percent salary increase.

Some other highlights of the tentative agreement include an increase in wages and childcare funds as well as improved essential benefits such as eight weeks of medical leave, transit benefits, and labor protections. Notably, Childcare reimbursements for Academic Student Employees now amount to $1,350/quarter or $2,025/semester while Paid Leave has been expanded to eight paid weeks per year for serious health conditions, family care, baby bonding, pregnancy or

childbirth-related needs. Short term paid leave is available as well for 2 or 3 days for the quarter and semester system respectively.

Participation in transit and parking-related services, as well as the UC-sponsored student health plan will be on the same basis for academic workers as other employees. New contract provisions will address abusive conduct, provide a dispute resolution process, and confirm reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities and access needs. The UC will also recognize Juneteenth as a holiday.

“The dramatic improvements to our salaries and working conditions are the result of tens of thousands of workers striking together in unity,” explained Rafael Jaime, President of UAW 2865. “These agreements redefine what is possible in terms of how universities support their workers, who are the backbone of their research and education enterprise.”

Two bargaining units of United Auto Workers approved the tentative agreement in separate votes. 68.4% of SRU-UAW’s 17,000 graduate student researchers voted in favor of the agreement. 61.6% of UAW 2865’s 19,000 teaching assistants, tutors and other student academic workers voted in approval of the agreement.

Letitia Silas, executive director of systemwide labor relations at the UC Office of the President, commented on the resolution, “the parties were ultimately able to reach tentative agreements on the contracts as a whole in just a few days following months of negotiations. The University of California has negotiated several fair labor agreements over the last year with our represented employees.”

While these wins are historic, some argue that they still do not meet the original demands that UC academic workers had initially called for prior to the strike. Others also voice concerns that the resolution still fails to satisfy the needs of graduate student workers and a better offer could have been negotiated. But these agreements have ultimately set a new standard for institutions of higher education across the U.S. and demonstrates that historic progress can be made on UC campuses through proper action.

A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT SEES GAINS FOR WORKERS THAT ARE HISTORIC

GRACE

UCR researchers identify potential alternative for plastic waste

RESEARCH DETAILING A METHOD CONVERTING PLASTIC WASTE INTO CHAR MAY CURB PLASTIC POLLUTION

ABHIJIT REGE News Editor

Researchers at UC Riverside are making significant developments in sustainability research. In a recent study, Kandis Leslie Abdul-Aziz, a UCR assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering, and her colleagues detailed a method to convert plastic waste into a highly porous form of charcoal or char. It may be the key to reducing and reusing the hundreds of millions of tons of plastic waste produced every year that pollutes our waterways and oceans.

The details of this are described in a new Journal of the American Chemical Society paper, “Synergistic and Antagonistic Effects of the Co-Pyrolysis of Plastics and Corn Stover to Produce Char and Activated Carbon,” published in the journal ACS Omega. The lead author is Mark Gale, a former UCR doctoral student who now serves as a lecturer at Harvey Mudd College. UCR undergraduate student Peter Nguyen is a coauthor and Abdul-Aziz is the corresponding author.

The plastic-to-char process was developed at UC Riverside’s Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering. A mixture was formed using one of two common plastics and corn waste or corn stover, which includes leftover stalks, leaves, husks and cobs. The plastic material used was polystyrene, the plastic used for Styrofoam packaging, and polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, a material commonly used to make bottles for water and soda. This mixture was then cooked with highly compressed hot water in a process known as hydrothermal carbonization and the result was a highly porous char whose surface area was rather large with a surface area of about 400 square meters per gram of mass.

The charcoal can be repurposed for other uses such as to fertilize soil as it naturally breaks down. It could potentially be added to soil to improve soil water retention and aeration of farmlands due to how the char absorbs and retains carbon. Abdul-Aziz, however, cautioned that more research needs to be conducted before the utility of such char in agriculture can be substantiated.

The ability to make highly porous charcoal by combining plastic and plant biomass waste is an important discovery. “It could be a very useful biochar because it is a very high surface area material,” Abdul-Aziz said. “So, if we just stop at the char and not make it turn into activated carbon, I think there are a lot of useful ways that we can utilize it.”

The study followed an earlier successful effort to make an activated charcoal made out of corn stover alone to filter pollutants from drinking water. In the follow-up study, Abdul-Aziz and her colleagues pondered if activated charcoal made from a combination of corn stover and plastic also could be an effective water treatment medium but it proved ineffective for water cleanups. She theorized that this was due to the presence of, “Residual plastic on the surface of the materials, which is preventing absorption.”

But the results of the study have been slated to have significant potential in improving sustainability. Plastic has notoriously accumulated in droves across landfills and oceans across the globe where it pollutes environments and harms the wildlife inhabitants. Plastics also break down into micro particles that can get into our bodies and damage cells or induce inflammatory and immune reactions. But alas, it costs more to recycle used plastic than it costs to make new plastic from petroleum.

Abdul-Aziz’s laboratory has a unique approach to recycling. It is devoted to converting waste products such as plastic back into the economy by upcycling them into valuable commodities.

“I feel like we have more of an agnostic approach to plastic recycling when you can throw it in and use the char to better the soil,” she said. “That’s what we’re thinking.”■ H

The first ASUCR senate meeting of the Winter Quarter was

ABHIJIT REGE News Editor

PASSING GREENS GRANTS #15 AND #17 BRINGS HELPFUL UPDATES TO THE CAMPUS.

The Associated Students of UCR’s seventh meeting was called to order by Executive Vice President Myra Usmani on Wednesday, Jan. 11th, 2023 in the ASUCR Senate Chamber at 7:00 P.M. All senators were present, excluding CHASS senator Andrew Bui, CHASS senator Alex Lu, CHASS senator Ahman Greene, and BCOE senator Chloe Au. In addition to the senators, the Executive Cabinet was present as well. Motion to add Green Grant #15 and #17 to the agenda by CNAS senator Shukan Shah. Motions to approve the current meeting’s agenda were called for by CNAS senator Brenden Cano. Motions to open and approve the previous week’s meeting minutes took place and passed with a vote count of 14-0-0.

A public forum then began with an introduction from Orlando Cabalo who serves as the Communications Manager at the Student Debt Crisis Center. He discussed a new position that is open for hire with the center which provides a stipend of $1000 for 10 hours of work per week. Cabalo explained that this is a great opportunity to learn more about student advocacy and civic justice.

Ex-officio reports then took place and saw Vice President of Campus Internal Affairs Jeanine Nassar taking the stand. She notified the panel and galley of an upcoming event hosted by Internal Affairs called a Brain Fuel Event. It will take place on Tuesday, Jan 17th from 1-2 P.M. at HUB 379. Jamba Juice will be passed out at the event. Another event is also planned with the CARE Office to plant seeds.

Vice President of Finance Christian Martinez also took the stand and briefly announced that Finance meetings will be held openly every week on Tuesdays from 11-12 P.M. In addition, Martinez is working on setting up Financial Literacy workshops for the campus later in the quarter.

Following Martinez, Chief Justice of the Judicial Council, Alexandria Arias approached the stand to deliver a number of announcements. This included discussing an anonymous form filled out by senators which required more substantial and thorough feedback for what they look for in an elections director. She also mentioned that she was notified of a clerical error regarding a piece of legislation which was not uploaded despite its passage by the Legislative Review Committee and its presence in the meeting minutes.

EVP Usmani confirmed with Arias that the clerical error she discussed was done by last year’s senate. She ensured that the issue will be addressed and was supported in this notion by President Mufida Assaf.

President Assaf followed the Chief Justice and briefly talked regarding the project she is working on with her Chief of Staff. She also encouraged the senate and student body to work with each other.

Committee reports then took place and saw the approval of two Green Grants. Green Grant #15 discusses Rose Hack, a sustainability program that functions as a hackathon. It involves workshops to teach students on how they can be more sustainable. This legislation requests for $4000 in funding to go towards food for the event, which will primarily veg and vegan options. Green Grant #17 is a large-scale initiative that aims to add Bike Pumps in the HUB area in order to promote sustainable modes of transportation. The addition has been approved already and the grant asks for $6000 in the funding for the project. Both grants were approved with a vote count of 14-0-0.

One senate bill was discussed as part of Legislative Review Committee reports. President Pro-Tempore Aalani Richardson discussed SB-W23-001 First Year Fellowship Program Updates which is a bill that amends the first year fellowship program and establishes a clearer difference between it and the senate internship program. Primary author and Executive Fellow, Leila Haidar discussed the bill further by taking the stand and explained how it would allow for fellows to have a greater role in ASUCR, as it currently depends on the position of executive officer. The bill was approved 13-0-1.

To conclude the meeting, SPP senator Sean Nguyen announced a Financial Wellness workshop event that will allow students to know what they owe in student loans. Furthermore, BCOE senator Alexander Hunt announced an event with GCAP that will be a Movie Night taking place at the Bell Tower on Jan. 17. The meeting was then adjourned at 7:21 P.M.

short, but informative

OpiniOns

THE HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

California’s unhoused population should not be left to die in the ongoing winter storms

The first two weeks of the new year have brought strong winter rain storms to California. The bomb cyclone, that caused mass destruction across the state during the first week of January, has only been followed by more storms and record breaking rain. These large periods of rain are a positive sign for California’s drought problem that is currently the worst in recorded history, but a lack of updated infrastructure and improper planning has left two unhoused people in Sacramento dead. The storms have affected most in California, whether it has been from flooding, power outages or overall inaccessibility. However, the unhoused have and continue to be at the forefront of those affected.

The two unhoused persons in California’s capitol who lost their lives due to this slew of storms were both killed by falling trees. One of the victims was a 61 year old male, while the other was a 40 year old woman who left behind five children. Insufficient planning for the unhoused population across the state has exposed them to these ever changing extreme weather conditions. Last year eight unhoused people in Sacramento lost their lives after freezing to death, a dark reality that is becoming too familiar. Summers in California have also only gotten worse with high temperatures and now, after not having any large rain storms in the past few years, those living in the Golden State are unfamiliar with how to navigate the problems caused by it.

The unhoused crisis has continued to increase in recent years due to overcrowding, lack of government aid and the rising costs of rent and goods. In Sacramento, the number of unhoused people has risen 70% since 2019. It is wrong that while California is one of the richest states in the US, it has one of the highest rates of unhoused people and there are not enough resources to help. In Sacramento and other cities, during this storm period, unhoused encampments have continued to be targeted and subsequently moved or destroyed.

In most of California, the unhoused are treated as a problem that can be shoved away and should be out of sight. The ever growing trend of anti homelessness architecture across the state is just one indicator of how targeted this population is to those in government. Additionally, cities that offer warming centers or shelters are underfunded, and these are usually run by local groups that do not have enough beds to give aid to everyone. According to the Sacramento Bee, in Sacramento County there are only 1,000 spaces available in warming centers and 2,300 shelter beds. In other California cities, like Ontario, the unhoused were warned and evacuated from high risk areas or given a hotel voucher to get off of the streets. This should be standard practice, but hotels are usually

opposed to offering their rooms to paying guests of this nature.

The solution to the unhoused problem is to make rent more affordable and to provide more government aid to those that need it, though said solution is heavily opposed. The cycle of homelessness is vicious and one that typically continues to get worse overtime. Without an address it is impossible to apply for a job or receive mail, limiting opportunities. Having a house is an important part of being a functioning member of society and the moment someone loses that, they, in most cases, lose their connection to participate with others in this society.

It is unclear how this continuing problem of unhoused deaths will be resolved without proper government intervention. These California storms are still on-going and the state is not out of the clear yet. The rising extremity of weather conditions, caused by climate change, will only get worse and create a larger gap between those who have proper resources and those who do not.

■ H

The Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TWO UNHOUSED PERSONS THAT DIED IN SACRAMENTO DURING THESE RAIN STORMS FALLS ON THE GOVERNMENTS’ INSUFFICIENT PLANNING.

The Cons of Therapy

RAMITA SETTY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Telling someone to, “just go to therapy” seems to be a common refrain these days. After all, therapy no longer has the extreme social stigma it used to for many communities, and more people are now accepting it as a helpful tool to better one’s mental health. There is a tendency to treat therapy as a cure-all for one’s personal problems. This perspective, however, ignores key issues with therapy: it’s inaccessible to most and it can’t help individuals affected by larger systemic problems.

For one, there’s no denying that therapy is costly. While the Affordable Care Act does require that insurance plans provide coverage for mental health care, it is important to note that not all therapists accept insurance. While 89% of other medical professionals accept insurance, only around 55% of psychiatrists do. Even when insurance does cover therapy, a co-pay is often charged for every visit, which can make it hard for someone to visit as often as they need to. This often forces people to conduct cost-effective analyses on therapy instead of being able to get the help they need.

It should also be acknowledged that not every problem can be solved by therapy. There is no denying the psychological impact caused by larger structural forces, such as poverty and racism, but the mental health issues caused by these problems are not something that can be resolved simply by going to therapy.

Mental health treatment is only a part of the equation in helping people. Therapy cannot solve systemic issues. That is one of the problems with the constant “go to therapy” refrain. Therapy rarely acknowledges the societal causes of one’s trauma.

There is also growing support for the idea that therapy can help stop abusers, however, this is a long and difficult process that does not always happen. This comes from data that shows people who were abused often grow up to be abusers themselves. Therapy, then, could help break the cycle of abuse. This can involve confronting several things about oneself that they’d rather be in denial about. As a result, if people don’t come to therapy willing to change, it’s not going to benefit them very much. For most abusers one of the most common causes of domestic violence is control, power and dominance over another person through violence. Most abusers, no matter how much rehabilitation and therapy they go through, don’t want to give up that control and are unsuccessful in this journey.

There is no denying that therapy is a helpful tool and it is good that more people are comfortable with the idea of going to therapy. But therapy continues to be inaccessible to a vast majority of people due to the costs and cultural stigmas. It is also treated as a band-aid for society’s larger problems and is an ineffective tool for abuser rehabilitation. For these reasons, therapy should not be celebrated as something that can fix all of the problems plaguing people in society today.

R’ Perspective: COVID-19 continues to be an ongoing problem that is forgotten

With recent spikes in COVID-19, we need to continue to be flexible and patient as we move forward with this phase in the pandemic.

CECILE DIROLL CONTRIBUTING WRITER

As I watched shoppers browse clothing racks at my local mall this holiday season, I noticed that only a few people wore masks. It was a stark contrast from the past few years, defined by blue hospital masks, six-foot social distancing and constant hand sanitation. Observing peoples’ abandonment of masks during one of the busiest times of the year left me wondering whether we are finally coming out of the pandemic era in 2023.

Approximately three years since the pandemic began, there have been promising signs indicating the pandemic may be over. Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced that California’s COVID-19 state of emergency would end on February 28, 2023. In his statement, he indicated that California has “all the tools needed to continue fighting COVID-19”, citing the dramatic reduction in hospitalizations and deaths due to California’s vaccination and public health efforts, like vaccines, boosters, testing, indoor ventilation and masking as reasoning. With 74% of California’s population vaccinated and more readily available treatment, the pandemic’s conditions have improved since 2020.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also acknowledged that the U.S. is “in a much better place with regard to the fulminant stage of the pandemic” and is entering a “new phase” where serious illness is low, and the death toll is consistent. In addition, the idea of the pandemic being over has openly become accepted by the public, with people returning to “normal” life activities such as holiday parties, traveling and concerts that were canceled during the pandemic.

If public health officials, including the UC, decide to return to masking mandates or required testing, it will be because it is necessary, and we must remember that. Listening to scientists and public health officials will move us forward to our “normal” lives—even if that means following COVID-19 mandates we thought we were in the past. The more flexible and patient we are in this process, the sooner we can move further into our post-pandemic era.

But with the recent surge of COVID-19, the flu, RSV and an uptick in hospitalization in Los Angeles County, residents were faced with the possibility of renewed indoor mask mandates last month. Although the new mask mandate was not imposed, LA County residents argued against indoor masking orders as “unnecessary” and “tyrannical.” Similarly, the Riverside Board of Supervisors released their county’s public health officer, Dr. Cameron Kaiser, in 2021 after residents blasted him for requiring stricter masking orders than the state’s pandemic mandates at the time despite Riverside County constantly having the highest number of cases in California.

Given all we’ve been through, it’s no surprise that the stress, anxiety and isolation of the pandemic took its toll on people, especially Gen Z. A recent American Psychological Association study found that Gen Z students felt the stresses of the pandemic more acutely than any other age group. The pandemic was a traumatic event unlike any other we’ve lived through, so it’s understandable that we all want COVID-19 protocols to be over in 2023. Reinstating mask mandates can be perceived as a step backward, not forward, from the improvement and full reopening of society.

I would like to say this pandemic is finally over too. Going back to the beginning of 2020 isn’t something I would want either. However, it’s essential to be flexible and patient in this phase of the pandemic. While reinstating strict COVID-19 protocols is still unclear, we will never fully return to life before 2020, no matter how much we want to, because the pandemic has left its mark and is not going anywhere soon.

IN RECENT YEARS, THERAPY HAS BECOME MORE WIDELY CHAMPIONED, BUT THERE ARE STILL A FEW GLARING PROBLEMS.

The expectation that men should pay on the first date makes the act meaningless

YSABEL NAKASONE Assistant Opinions Editor

The traditional expectation of first dates for heterosexual couples is something that appears to be shifting in a way that makes getting the check at the end of dinner more awkward and uncomfortable. While men are often expected to foot the bill, the belief this is an unfair expectation is increasing. Overall, a 2019 survey found that approximately 63% of men and 46% of women thought that men should be the one paying on the first date. If a guy wants to pay on the first date, that’s perfectly valid, but it’s an empty gesture if they are only doing it because it’s expected of them.

The expectation that men should pay on the first date is in part based on the expectation that women are affected by the gender pay gap and are often penalized for unique factors, like motherhood, in the workplace. While that is a genuine concern, it’s also something that can easily be accommodated by mutual planning prior to any date and setting up a date that is affordable for both parties. It’s another matter entirely if someone insists on a date that is out of the other’s spending range, at which point they should be expected to take on the costs.

For women who reported being grateful for their date paid on the first date take it to be a meaningful gesture and it is a generous one. However, it’s the expectation that dismantles the meaning, making it forced. There’s nothing wrong with a guy wanting to pay on the first date, just like there’s nothing wrong with them wanting to split the bill or for each person to be responsible for their own individual costs. There is something wrong with considering whether or not a guy wants to fully pay as an implicit or explicit signal of their feelings for their date. Paying or not paying on the first date should be seen as a sign of nothing other than financial concern.

Ideas of financial independence in long term relationships and marriages are shifting similarly to those of low-commitment and new relationships. Historically, women lost any financial independence upon their marriage even going as far to give up occupations and therefore their source of income. Even now, men still bear a greater expectation of financial contribution. As of 2008, a survey concluded that 84% of men and 58% of women claimed that men still ended up paying for more 6 months after the start of their

relationship.

There are now more avenues for women to remain financially independent and remain working after their marriage, protecting themselves in the event of a separation or divorce. Some couples choose to have separate personal bank accounts and a joint account to cover living expenses and joint purchases that they discuss together. Altogether, financial transparency between partners could help maintain a strong relationship. This is likely also true of newer couples who should start out having the same principles: be honest and communicative, even about the little things.

Whether a relationship is just starting out or in the long-term, it’s important to be up front. The first date is the start and being intentionally obtuse about payment for something as benign dinner likely isn’t a good signal of how much a couple will engage in financial secrecy. When it comes to romantic relationships, people need to make decisions with the other person in mind about how to split the bill and everything else. ■ H

TALKING ABOUT HOW TO SPLIT THE BILL CAN SET THE GROUNDWORK FOR FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY IN A RELATIONSHIP.

AYLIN MORENO / THE HIGHLANDER

ChatGPT could be a potential threat to academia

ISABELLA DAY Contributing Writer

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

ChatGPT is a relatively new AI software from OpenAI originally developed as a language software designed to engage in conversations and has the capabilities to answer followup questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises and reject inappropriate questions. By recognizing and understanding human conversation patterns, ChatGPT is able to respond to questions posed by humans in a realistic way that doesn’t look much different from a response you might get from a colleague. This system bridges the gap between human and computer communication and allows people to obtain and relay information in a less systematic manner with the potential to eliminate the need for Google. While ChatGPT seems innocuous, it poses a real threat to students who pay copious amounts of money to attend schools and write academic papers to fulfill their educational requirements.

In an everyday sense, ChatGPT can be incredibly practical and has often been compared to Alexa or Siri in its ability to make lists and complete certain tasks like any virtual assistant might. People have even used ChatGPT for comedic purposes, using it to create poetry or write songs. However, while the primary use of ChatGPT has been to ask the system questions you might otherwise search on Google, people have the ability to insert essay prompts and ask ChatGPT to write entire essays on any given topic. This doesn’t seem like an inherently negative thing, however, it can most definitely have negative implications on academia. Not only does this affect students in higher education, it is incredibly worrisome for students in elementary, middle and high school who are missing out on harboring important skills that come with thinking critically and writing thoughtful papers.

There is a fine line between an AI system that can answer questions in the blink of an eye and one that can conjure up entire dissertations. One must not overlook the value

of the hard work students do to explain philosophical concepts in the essays that they write. In New York, schools have already acknowledged the dangers of ChatGPT and have taken steps to restrict access to it. It does not benefit students in the long run and it puts a higher burden on educators to review the content, carefully analyzing every sentence to see if it was written by a human or by a computer.

New AI like ChatGPT takes the hard work out of writing an academic paper and there have also been instances where the program gives a seemingly convincing and intelligent answer, yet fails to display accurate facts or data to support it. The OpenAI CEO Sam Altman made a statement on Twitter saying, “ChatGPT is incredibly limited, but good enough at some things to create a misleading impression of greatness.” ChatGPT’s deceivingly intelligent answers means that fact checking and greater attentiveness to the claims made by ChatGPT is essential. It also further contributes to another pressing issue: the spread of misinformation. Since ChatGPT pulls from a variety of sources, the possibility remains that it could incorporate information from an untrustworthy site in its responses and unless the information is fact checked, it is easy for anyone to take the information from ChatGPT at face value. It is easier than ever before to spread misinformation and ChatGPT is not helping to eliminate this problem.

Even if AI such as ChatGPT isn’t necessarily accurate enough to compete with actual writers, it remains an impressive and improving tool. The world of academia will soon have to conceptualize how to combat this new technology as it becomes more advanced and protect academic integrity. ■ H

AS

SYSTEMS BECOME MORE ADVANCED, ACADEMICS NEED TO START GRAPPLING WITH THIS NEW THREAT TO HONEST WORK.

Horoscopes

January: Good Luck or Bad?

YSABEL NAKASONE Assistant Opinions Editor

ARIES

(March 21 - April 19): e Star

This month will be a test of faith for you, Aries. This will be hard for you as your traits lean more towards a hot and cold approach to things. Don’t be reactive or jump to conclusions. Try to consider your emotions as they come and go instead of letting them wash you away.

Taurus

(April 20 - May 20): Seven of Wands

January will play to your strengths. As someone who resists change, you’re entirely willing to continue proving yourself to maintain your position. Currently, you’re in a position of leadership or superiority which creates tense competition between you and your peers. is matters little to you because you thrive in this environment.

THIS MONTH MAY SET THE TONE FOR THE YEAR TO COME...

(July 23 - August 22): e High Priestess

Leo, you have always had a strong instinct to stand out. This month, you’ll need to put that aside and embrace the concept of collaboration and team effort. There are times when you are one person and seen as that. Then there are times when you are one of many. This is one of those times.

Sagittarius

(November 22 - December 21): Page of Cups

You’re going to have to engage in creative and emotional growth, Sagittarius. You may be in touch with your emotion, but you do not delve into it further. Despite being emotion driven, you don’t harness that energy productively. As odd as it sounds, try to take a logical look at emotion.

(December 22 -

Virgo

(August 23 - September 22): Eight of Wands

January is going to be frustrating as you face a lot of delays in terms of academic and romantic goals. Virgo, you always want to be useful and have a purpose in your actions, so this month will constitute a build up of energy. Patience will help, but redirecting your energy towards something or someone you might not have focused on could be exponentially positive.

(May 21 - June 20): Nine of Pentacles

Pleasure will be a distinctive feature of the next couple weeks for you, Gemini. This refers to any aspect of your life. Throughout the month, you’ll have more time to do things just because. You’re the type of person who doesn’t do well with purposelessness though, so try to find clarity and direction in enjoyment.

Gemini Cancer

(June 21 - July 22): Knight of Wands

Everything feels like it’s moving fast and your head is forcing thoughts through without much clarity. In an effort to organize and fix everything, you are acting impulsively. You keep saying and doing things you immediately know you’ll regret. You take on the problems of others, Cancer, and that won’t change in a month.

Libra

(September 23 - October 22): Eight of Swords

Something will hang over your head this month, Libra. Something life-changing will happen that you’re not ready to face because it will lead to a fight you never wanted to have. You generally avoid conflict, but this time it’s coming with or without your permission.

Scorpio

(October 23 - November 21): Ace of Pentacles

This month is going to be an opportunity for you, Scorpio. It may be a professional offer or monetary again or a new relationship advance. You’re a very discerning person, so use that to your advantage by considering what’s on the table and working through your choices logically and personally.

January 19):

Ten of Wands

A house of cards has come tumbling down and you feel responsible for it. Some long-standing conflict has come to light and you’re not sure where you stand now. Know that whatever side you fall on, that choice needs to be made out of honesty and not duty. Sometimes you don’t have to be responsible and just make the decision you believe is truthful.

Capricorn Aquarius

(January 20 - February 18): Knight

of Cups

You’re letting your imagination get the better of you, Aquarius. Emotions like jealousy are having a strong effect on you and it’s self-destructive. Try to work on your trust issues instead of indulging in paranoid fantasies about people who are on your side and only want the best for you.

Pisces

(February 19 - March 20): e Moon

You’re feeling confused this month, Pisces. Everything feels jumbled and unclear even as you do your best to wade through and push on. Try not to nd sense in the senseless. Not everything is a sign and some things are just not going to make sense. is is a good time to practice accepting the things you cannot change.

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Realistic NewYear’s Resolutions CAMPUS COPE

EMILY LAM CONRibuting Writer

Tips to Make and Maintain Achievable Resolutions

Identify Your Reasons

Your New Year’s resolutions should be achievements you want. Ask yourself if you’re making this resolution for yourself or someone else because if it’s the latter, it’s unlikely you will follow through. Don’t create certain resolutions just because others are making them. Be sure that your resolutions support your interests and aspirations, not others.

Be Specific

When creating your New Year’s resolutions, make sure to avoid having goals that are too vague. For instance, instead of writing “learn a new language,” try “practice speaking Korean for 15 minutes a day.” Or instead of “cook more often,” write “cook at least 5 meals a week.” Adding details to your resolutions that are measurable allows you to track your progress effectively.

Create A Plan

Create a list of goals or steps that work and progress towards your resolutions. Spread them out throughout the year instead of stacking them all in January to avoid burnout. Determine activities that waste your time and replace them with time to work on your resolutions. You can use a notebook or spreadsheet to track your progress. It also helps to form deadlines for them so that you have a means of holding yourself accountable. Additionally, creating a plan helps distinguish your resolutions that are realistic and achievable.h

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

BRANDYN GUERRA Staff Writer

A Quick And Easy Soup For Cold Nights

My favorite thing to cook during winter is soup.

Get Involved

Put your resolutions into your daily schedule by joining organizations and clubs that have to do with them. If one of your resolutions involves being more physically active, try getting involved in school organizations concerning working out or playing sports. These groups and communities can provide you resources and serve as a means to continually maintain your goals. Since you’ll meet people who are working towards similar goals, they can help you stay driven and disciplined.

Celebrate And Forgive

It’s important to celebrate and acknowledge how far you have come in achieving your New Year’s resolutions. Treating yourself as you progress past checkpoints keeps your motivation up and can encourage you to continue working towards the end goal. Forgiving yourself when you fail to meet your goals is just as important. As you reflect on your progress each week and month, give yourself grace on failures and remind yourself that you can learn from the mistakes you’ve made.

There is nothing better than a hot, delicious bowl of soup on a cold night. However, I don’t always have the time to stand by the stove all day to cook. So this is my favorite to make when I am in a time crunch. My Chicken Tortilla soup is super easy to make, can be made in under 30 minutes and is also budget friendly.

• Two cups of chicken broth

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Whole Chicken, shredded (I like to pick up the pre-cooked, rotisserie chickens from Stater Bros)

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Intructions:

Start by shredding your chicken and setting it to the side. Then drain and rinse your canned black beans and corn. Add the veggies and chicken to a large pot with the chicken broth and the enchilada sauce and slowly bring to a simmer on medium heat.

While the soup is heating up, take a frying pan with a bit of neutral oil (like canola or vegetable oil) and warm it up on the stove on a medium setting. Take a couple corn tortillas and cut them into strips. Fry the strips in the pan until they’re golden brown and crispy. Remove from the pan and let them cool down. Once your soup is hot and bubbling just a bit, remove from heat and serve.

The case against the obsessive fan

CHLOE FARQUHAR Contributing Writer

On Monday, Jan. 2, Puerto Rican rap star Bad Bunny released a tweet regarding a controversial interaction he had with a fan during his time in the Dominican Republic. In the viral video, a fan is seen approaching the artist. Without greeting him or asking for consent, the fan attempts to take a selfie with him. Bad Bunny then proceeds to take the fan’s phone, throws it into what appears to be a body of water and continues on with his night.

Since the video was posted, Bad Bunny has been criticized for his reaction and has gotten mixed responses for it. Though some fans and celebrities empathize with the star and feel he is justified in his actions, many fans are left feeling disappointed and upset by the way their idol behaved. As shown in many Twitter threads on the topic, some people feel that Bad Bunny shouldn’t be defended and he should expect that — with such a huge following — people are going to want to take pictures with him everywhere he goes. However, these fans fail to recognize the point of why the artist responded the way he did; his personal space was being invaded and he was not being given respect.

This isn’t the first time celebrities have displayed frustration with their fans. Last October, the alternative R&B musician Steve Lacy was shamed for smashing a fan’s camera at a show after another fan threw an unknown object. Singer Billie Eilish has explicitly told fans that she doesn’t want objects thrown on stage while she is performing. Although this isn’t the exact thing as chucking a fan’s phone, it’s clear that celebrities are increasingly expressing their need for respect and space. This leaves you to wonder if maybe it’s the fans, not the artists, who are in the wrong here. These people fans claim to admire are telling us what they need, yet their needs are disregarded.

The obsession with our favorite artists has also created illusions about who they really are and what their relationship is to fans. Fans create all these ideas and expectations about how they should behave, as well as who they think celebrities should be. Meanwhile, it

IT’S TIME TO STOP PUTTING ARTISTS ON PEDESTALS AND START TREATING THEM LIKE HUMAN BEINGS.

is completely forgotten that the public doesn’t really know these people at all. Yes, fans can appreciate their work and admire their talents — but they have no idea what an idol’s personality is like when they’re off camera and stage.

It seems as if fans are upset with these artists for not being the perfect human that the public wants them to be, but humans aren’t perfect at all. Impossible expectations are created for these people, which inevitably leads to many being let down when they find out they don’t live up to the expectations. In real life, people make mistakes. Maybe it’s not always right, but people can be rude and rash, especially when they feel they’re not being treated as they should be — these celebrities are no exception.

In regards to Bad Bunny, he reacted in a way that many other people would have reacted. Humans tend to get caught in the heat of the moment and let our emotions take control of our actions. When someone disrespects our space and our boundaries, we react. Though Bad Bunny could’ve handled the situation differently, he’s being overly criticized for what he did. Yes, he could’ve politely asked the fan to leave him alone, but it’s also easier said than done to always do the best thing in every situation. None of us do this. Bad Bunny, or any famous person, isn’t obligated to be nice to everyone he meets, especially when they treat him like an object that’s there for their pleasure. These people that are idolized don’t owe anyone anything. Whether fans like it or not, they’re imperfect human beings; their imperfections are just blown out of proportion because people all over the world are judging them and watching their every move.

One response to Bad Bunny’s phone-throwing incident that particularly struck me was a tweet under @PopCrave’s post of the video.

The tweet came from the user @NTLTGENESIS and says “he (sic) owes it to his fans to give up his personal space, they made him. that’s (sic) what you

have to take on when u (sic) become a public figure.”

Responses like these show how many people view artists simply as playthings to be used by others. These kinds of responses strip artists of their personhood and their right to live their lives as they please. Words like “made” sound possessive, implying that the artist belongs to their fans and must be a puppet whose strings are pulled by them. Though you may choose to support an artist by attending their concerts, buying their merchandise and listening to their music, you didn’t create them. Support from fans definitely helps artists become more popular and successful, but these artists are also successful because of their own talents and capabilities that are independent of the influence of their fans. Saying that artists owe it to fans to be a certain way proves that they want to control the people they say they love. But, if fans forced artists to become the idea of them that they created, then the artist would no longer be the person that initially grabbed their attention and admiration.

Situations like these in which celebrities let fans down proves there’s a problem with the value placed on these people. It’s definitely an amazing thing when people create art that they enjoy and when it’s enjoyed by others; however, remember these artists are just that — people. Though they can do great things, they can also do really bad things.

Whether or not you defend Bad Bunny, the publiccreated issue lies in expecting famous people to be perfect. It is true that people should just be decent to each other, but, unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. Bring these people down from the pedestals we place them on and let them come back down with the rest of us. Until it is recognized that celebrities are just humans who, despite their faults and fame, deserve the same rights to privacy and respect as everyone, fans will always be let down when they inevitably slip up.

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‘Gudetama: An Eggcellent Adventure’ is a must watch show for Sanrio fans

AMARAY ALVAREZ Opinions Editor

Gudetama, the lazy Japanese egg yolk character who was added to the Sanrio universe in 2013, has received the television honor of having his own Netflix show. “Gudetama: An Eggcellent Adventure” features 10 short episodes as Gudetama and his chicken “sibling” Shakipiyo complete their quest to find their mother.

While Gudetama is a newer addition to the Sanrio characters, his lazy persona has drawn a large fan base leading to the creation of this show. He is an egg that simply cannot be bothered with everyday tasks and would rather be sleeping, producing a character that captures the spirit and hearts of those who feel the same way in our fast-paced world.

Throughout the show, we can see the juxtaposition of Gudetama’s lazy attitude with Shakipiyo’s excitement and eagerness to find their mother after awakening inside a Japanese restaurant kitchen. Gudetama goes along with Shakipiyo’s plan, wanting to avoid being eaten so soon after “being born.” He also grapples with the tough choice of deciding which egg dish he should be made into once he is ready for his final step in life.

On their journey, the two meet a mix of characters, both human and egg-like, that aid them in their quest. The episodes consist of separate, but hilarious, predicaments that the two get themselves into as they try to make it to the chicken farm listed on the egg cartoon that they came from. One of these weirder predicaments involves Gudetama becoming the new Prime Minister of Japan for a few hours after accidentally ending up in his office. He is successful in campaigning and overthrowing the old prime minister who is largely unfavored for lying to the public. Gudetama’s “meh” attitude sways voters who believe he will go with the flow and tell them how it is.

The second half of the series brings a darker tone as Gudetama realizes that he is beginning to rot and that his time may be up. Fearing that the two won’t make it to their mother in time, they resort to fraternizing with bad gangster eggs who have a substance that will prevent the rotting process. These episodes reveal an egg underground scene consisting of different egg dishes all mingling at an egg club and engaging in illegal “drug-like” activities, with their choice of drug being soy sauce.

Besides the gangster eggs possibly being inappropriate, the show consists of simple humor that is understandable and appropriate for all ages. Gudetama is thrown into these weird situations just by being himself and letting the world dictate his life instead of making these decisions himself.

Those wanting to see if Gudetama and Shakipiyo make it to their mother and what dish Gudetama is made into will have to watch the show to find out.■ H

GUDETAMA, THE LAZY EGG, VENTURES ON A 10 EPISODE QUEST TO FIND HIS MOTHER IN THIS FUNFILLED ADVENTURE.

VERDICT:

THE NETFLIX GUDETAMA SHOW IS A CUTE AND FUNNY SHOW THAT ALL AGES WILL ENJOY. IT HAS A BALANCED MIX OF CONTENT FOR THOSE WHO LIKE CUTE, FUNNY SHOWS AND THOSE WHO LIKE ADVENTURE, KEEPING WATCHERS ENTERTAINED.

Despite all its visual beauty, you can skip ‘The Pale Blue Eye’ NETFLIX’S NEW FILM IS A TEDIOUS SLOG SET AGAINST A GORGEOUS BACKDROP.

RAMITA SETTY Contributing Writer

An eerie gothic ambiance permeates “The Pale Blue Eye,” with crisp shots of the bleak, desolate landscape and the haunting figure of the Military Academy where much of the story takes place. The accurate 1830s costuming is gorgeous and stands out within the film. Most of the actors do a fine job with what the material gives them, but with a paper-thin plot and dull characters, the movie never does much with this atmosphere; instead, it becomes a mediocre slog.

The film starts off with former constable Landor (Christian Bale) being summoned to the military academy to investigate the murder of a cadet. The audience is treated to some hacky exposition to let us know that Landor not only has a fridged wife, but also a fridged daughter. This is the sum of all the characterization Landor receives. His investigation begins, and we meet some more of the cast. From Edgar Allen Poe (Harry Melling) as a young cadet who is more of a romantic than a soldier to the mysterious Marquis family, who are hiding a satanic secret or two.

VERDICT:

Yet never once does anything happening on screen feel interesting. Characters meet and solve clues and move from one location to another in a tedious effort to move the plot along.

The film also relies on worn out tropes of sexual violence happening to female characters in order to provide the male character with motivation. You would think that Hollywood was past this by now, but it still falls back on the same tired narrative devices to make their broody, tragic leading men. It’s not until the last forty minutes that things start to become interesting, but by then it is too little too late. The final twist reveal will not have you gasping in shock or desperately trying to recontextualize the past two hours of the film, but simply sigh in relief that it is over.

COURTESY OF NETFLIX

DESPITE A HAUNTING GOTHIC ATMOSPHERE, “THE PALE BLUE EYE” FAILS TO DO ANYTHING INTERESTING WITH ITS PREMISE. THOUGH IT HAD NOTABLE ACTORS, THE FILM STILL LACKED TO BECOME MEMORABLE IN NETFLIX’S COLLECTION OF FILMS.

In Retrospect:

LUKE LIAO Contributing Writer

Kogonada invites us to find solace through his gently moving story about architecture, friendship and belonging in his film, “Columbus.” Released in 2017, the video essayist turned director’s debut feature captures a junction between Casey (Haley Lu Richardson) and Jin (John Cho) in Columbus, Indiana, a conglomerate of modern architectural wonder.

Casey is a curious architecture enthusiast who works at the library and resides in Columbus with her mother. Jin is a translator who arrives in Columbus after his architect father falls ill. The intersection between these two individuals, both in the midst of a tumultuous period, is depicted with care and maturity by Kogonada.

Casey and Jin spark a friendship threaded by a connection to architecture, but they come to realize that each harbors a strained relationship to a parent. Jin and his father are distant while Casey feels divided between her passion and responsibility to her mother, a recovering drug addict. As the two traverse Columbus, they help one another establish closure with their past, present and, ultimately, future.

Throughout the film, Kogonada never forgets about the architecture’s importance but as the narrative

THE AUTUMNAL FILM PATIENTLY BUILDS A RAPPORT, ALL WHILE MAINTAINING A THROUGHLINE.

develops breadth what emerges is a melancholic construal of individuals searching for intimacy and belonging. This is a lean script that never overstays its welcome, gradually cultivating an emotional resonance. Another reason why “Columbus” feels like a natural and humanist story is the acting. Cho and Richardson both deliver empathetic performances — there is no affectation here. The two are incredibly candid on screen, opening old wounds and coming to closure with their parental strife. Their conversations are initially a mix of charming awkwardness and consist of extended periods of ruminative silence, but it’s these moments that make us believe in the friendship and emphasize their conflict.

This delicate touch is not reserved to the script, but for the camerawork too. As soon as “Columbus” begins, Kogonada establishes an incredible discipline over visual composition and dimensioning. The framing and blocking: fastidious. Cuts: minimal. Camera movement: practically absent. Although “Columbus’” technical regimen is meticulously calculated, it feels strange to label it as such since this attention to detail actually evokes a contrary feeling, compared to what one might expect. Like Ozu’s filmography — the fingerprint of which is prevalent throughout Kogonada’s work — this

astuteness allows the film to be elegantly constructed and photographed settings to play an active role in the story. The architecture is not aggrandized or sidelined to eye candy. Kogonada invites us to slow down and simply take in the architecture, like Jin and Casey who appreciate and truly live in their surroundings. In addition to warm, verdant earth tones, an ambient score by Hammock and an assured script, “Columbus” remains an inviting body of work.

With its aesthetic visuals and sinewy script, “Columbus” can resemble a mood piece, but I would argue that its story consistently conveys and justifies the meditative connection Jin and Casey share with their environment. Although there is nothing wrong with mood-centric films, “Columbus” avoids the common genre pitfalls, taking the time to showcase its quietly poignant storytelling capabilities and beautifully photographed surroundings. The two complement each other well, rather than one aspect dominating the spotlight. It’s this precarious balancing game “Columbus” plays that successfully forges a universal feeling of being lost in translation while simultaneously offering a welcoming embrace. ■ H

Artist Spotlight: Enrique Escobedo’s blue rose blooms in Riverside

MAXEN OLVERA Contributing Writer

Enrique Escobedo is the proud owner of an art gallery in downtown Riverside. I had the privilege of interviewing Escobedo at his gallery. He calls the gallery, A Blve Rose. The odd spelling of the word blue resembles an ancient hieroglyph. He wanted the gallery’s namesake to look like an iconic symbol that encompasses the magic of artistic expression. The gallery serves as an open house that exhibits art pieces by modern artists. Escobedo happens to be an artist himself.

Art has been in Escobedo’s bloodstream his entire life. He could draw cartoon characters like Gumby and Popeye before he could speak. He grew up in a family that had a passion for the arts. His father was a talented musician that practiced his craft daily. Escobedo’s father tried to practice his art even when he worked full-time. This motivation showed Escobedo that if artistic expression is essential, you’ll make time for it. After the artist graduated high school, he wanted to attend the Laguna College of Art & Design. Unfortunately, Escobedo could never afford the hefty tuition to enroll.

Escobedo pursued a career in the United States military, hoping to attend his dream school after service. He went on four combat tours where he performed many tasks for the United States military. Escobedo served in the military for eight years and returned to Southern California and the military aided Escobedo in attending his dream art school in Laguna Beach. To ease back into practicing art, he started to paint based on photographs he’s taken. However, the last time he sketched a figure was in high school.

Escobedo painted beautiful portraits of his loved ones and locations he’s occupied throughout his life. He fell in love with painting as he would dream about powerful, colorful combinations that would be striking on a canvas. Escobedo knew he had to be a force within the art world.

He turned his eyes right back to Riverside. Luckily, a newly opened building was right across the street from Pixels Bar & Eatery. Escobedo took the time to renovate the

THE ARTIST CREATES AN ART SANCTUARY IN THE HEART OF RIVERSIDE.

space to his liking and transformed the space into an expansive art gallery.

A Blve Rose gallery opened this past year in the center of Riverside. Every month Escobedo has featured renowned Southern California artists that have inspired him. In January 2023, he featured the work of Zara Monet in an exhibit called “Luna.” Monet is an artist who originates from Los Angeles. Her paintings have been featured in The Huffington Post and LA Weekly. Monet’s paintings in her “Luna ‘’ collection give spectators a look into the process of an artist. Monet experimented with various visual narratives that produced many different forms of paintings. Some pieces are finished, and some are in the middle of the artistic process. Her art portrays stunning jewelry with dull colors and iconography derived from pop culture. Monet’s experimentations with painting norms subvert art by opening spectators’ minds.

Escobedo always wanted his gallery to call Riverside home because of its unique location. Riverside is the center point of Southern California with its proximity to Los Angeles and Orange County,as an art movement has jolted between the counties. Riverside is on the cusp of an art revolution with the opening of The Cheech, the city’s beautification projects, and the monthly art walks that take over Downtown. Escobedo hopes to play a central role in the rise of art within Riverside.

The space an artist uses to produce work has always been a point of fascination to Escobedo. He has always wanted to make a sanctum for artists to call home. Every month Escobedo will use his gallery to spotlight a different Southern California The gallery is the marque of Escobedo’s legacy, as he hopes individuals will feel compelled to delve deeper into the art world.

Escobedo’s gallery work can be viewed online at https:// www.ablverose.com/.

‘Columbus’ reflects upon Kogonada’s delicate ode to architecture and those who long for more.

COURTESY OF CURTIS CLIFTON

The stars are finally aligning for the Buffalo Bills to win the Super Bowl

KIA NOOSHI Assistant Sports Editor

The months of January and February are peak NFL season, as the other major North American sports leagues are either in their offseasons or trudging along with relatively inconsequential regular season games. The NFL on the other hand is entering the playoff season where 14 playoff hopefuls (seven from each conference) are vying for two possible slots in the Super Bowl in February. Each team has different strengths and weaknesses which can affect the outcome of the match given the right opponent and the single game elimination format of the NFL playoffs make for much more intense and exciting games.

The NFL is a league which thrives on having amazing storylines and narratives for its teams and players. These storylines come to a head in the playoffs as teams use the adversities of the regular season to fuel them in the playoffs. Two great examples of these team narratives coming to fruition would be during last year’s Super Bowl between the LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Rams had just traded for quarterback Matthew Stafford who had spent his entire career in Detroit, never making it past the first game of the playoffs in twelve years there. The trade had additional significance given that it was practically Super Bowl or bust for the Rams as they had traded their entire future for Stafford. Their opponents, the Bengals, were among the worst teams in the NFL the previous season after losing their young quarterback to a torn ACL and MCL. The Bengals were heavy underdogs coming into the game and while they didn’t come out on top, the narrative surrounding their miracle season gave them a great deal of motivation in making a deep run in the playoffs.

With that said, there would be no better storyline for a Super Bowl champion this season than the Buffalo Bills. The Bills come into the playoffs 13-3 record which is good for second in the AFC. The Bills are strong all over the field on offense and defense with the exceptions of their running back group which is by far their weakest position. The Bills are also getting key starters back at the perfect time with starting safety and team captain Micah Hyde returning from injury to lead the team’s defense in the playoffs. The Bills have also faced the most unique

WITH THE NFL PLAYOFFS STARTING, 14 TEAMS ARE ALL VYING FOR THE SUPER BOWL, BUT THE BUFFALO BILLS HAVE THE PIECES AND THE STORYLINE TO MAKE IT THEIR YEAR.

adversity of any team this season in the NFL. The first thing being forced to play a home game in Detroit due to a massive winter storm which hit the city of Buffalo and tragically caused death and destruction. The second and most recent adversity being the collapse and cardiac arrest of Bills player and safety Damar Hamlin during a week 17 game versus the Bengals. Hamlin has thankfully been discharged but his injury led to the abandonment of the game and possibly the loss of the number one seed in the AFC which comes with an all important bye week and a home field advantage during the playoffs.

Hamlin’s injury and the hardships of the people of Buffalo will provide great motivation to the team’s staff and players who are beloved in their city and have one of the best fanbases in the NFL. This motivation plus the Bill’s incredible roster and coaching will propel them deep into the playoffs with the biggest roadblock on their road to the Super Bowl being the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills and Chiefs have been the two goliaths in the AFC in recent years and their matchups have always been close. The Bills beat the Chiefs earlier in the regular season and it looks to be their year to beat them again in the playoffs having improved in some much needed areas such as the cornerback group, pass rush, and their offensive line in the past offseason.

The Bills already had what it takes to be Super Bowl champions, but the narrative surrounding them throughout the season will impact them positively in the postseason and give them a boost. While the other teams are fighting for their organization to come out on top, the Bills are also fighting for the city of Buffalo and their teammate Damar Hamlin after all the big adversity they faced throughout the season which is why they are my pick to win the Super Bowl.

COURTESY OF MICHAEL REAVES VIA GETTY IMAGES

UC Riverside men’s basketball team goes undefeated in a two-game road trip against UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara

HANSEL CHU Sports Editor

The UC Riverside men’s basketball team defeated UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara this week in a series of thrilling finishes. Against UC San Diego, the Highlanders were able to come back and win after being down by 18 points. A couple of nights later, UCR went into the Thunderdome and secured their first-ever win in Santa Barbara, all without their best player, Zyon Pullin, who leads the conference in scoring.

On the Wednesday night matchup with the Tritons, transfer guard Jamal Hartwell II dropped a career-high 30 points to lead UC Riverside to a come-from-behind victory. Hartwell II scored nine early points to give the Highlanders an early 12-6 lead. Both teams traded baskets within the first ten minutes of the game and UCR kept a close lead throughout that time. However, UCSD went on a huge run after the halfway mark of the first half to shift the momentum of the game. A 20-4 run from the Tritons gave them a 10-point lead, 22-32, with 3:33 left until halftime. A quick 5-0 run from UC Riverside closed the margin for a short amount of time, but shots kept going in for UC San Diego as they sank two three-pointers and a mid range jump shot to the score to 27-40 at the half.

The second half continued to favor the Tritons as the Highlanders struggled to close the deficit. After a missed three-pointer from UCR, UCSD came down the court and finished the fastbreak with an emphatic dunk from redshirt junior guard Jace Roquemore to extend their lead to 13 points, 29-42. A couple of minutes later, a jumper and a pair of made free throws pushed the lead to 16 for UC San Diego, 38-54, with 13:22 left in the game. After a steal from Roquemore, sophomore forward Francis Nwaokorie punched in a powerful dunk to give the Tritons their biggest lead of the game, 41-59, with 11:27 left to play.

The Highlanders seemed to find comfort in being down by double-digits as they were faced with an 18-point deficit with only 11 minutes left to play. A threepointer from sophomore forward Luke Turner and

a pair of made free throws from Hartwell II quickly closed the deficit to 13 points, 46-59, in under a minute. A couple of minutes later, back-to-back three-pointers from freshman forward Lachlan Olbrich and Turner cut the lead to eight points. Roquemore would proceed to connect on a pair of free throws before Olbrich would finish a layup and Hartwell II a three-pointer to close the deficit to five points, 59-64. In the next possession, graduate student Kyle Owens would finish a layup to make it a one-possession game with 3:24 left in the game. With under a minute left, the Highlanders found themselves down by just one point before Hartwell II knocked down a three-pointer from the left wing to give UC Riverside a 68-66 lead. UCSD was unable to convert on a corner three-pointer on the other end and Hartwell II sank two more free throws to give the Highlanders a 74-68 win, their fourth comeback win of the season.

UC Riverside traveled up north Saturday evening with a tougher match against UC Santa Barbara, in which the Highlanders have not won a road game in the Thunderdome in program history. UCR found themselves down early in the game as the Gauchos jumped out to an early 8-1 lead. A jump shot from sophomore guard Ajay Mitchell gave UCSB an 8-16 lead around the halfway point of the first half. However, UCR slowly chipped away at their deficit and soon found themselves only down by two points after a made three-pointer from Owens. The Gauchos would answer with a 7-0 run to push the lead back up 14-23 with 5:46 left until halftime. However, Turner sank back-to-back three-pointers to respond right back. Hartwell II and Owens scored buckets of their own to give the Highlanders their first lead of the game, 24-23, and a three-pointer from Hartwell II pushed the lead to four before Mitchell came right back with a layup of his own to close the first half with a score of 27-25.

UC Riverside carried its momentum into the second half as a three-pointer from Olbrich extended the UCR lead to seven points, 34-27. Soon after, Olbrich connected on a jumper plus the foul to give the Highlanders a nine-point lead, 40-31. However, UC Santa Barbara responded quickly with a couple of jump shots of their own to cut the lead to two, 40-38 with 14:02 left in the game. Both teams continued to go back and forth, neither team giving up an inch. UC Riverside started to find its groove after the halfway point of the second half as a dunk from freshman guard Nate Pickens pushed the lead back up to nine. A three-pointer from Hartwell II gave the Highlanders a double-digit lead, 58-47, and Owens would go one for two at the charity stripe to give UCR its biggest lead of the night, 61-48 with 3:09 left to play.

The Gauchos quickly rallied, however, and brought themselves back into the ball game as they turned up the defensive intensity and hit shots on the offensive end. After a turnover from Hartwell II, senior forward Miles Norris connected a three-pointer to cut the UCR lead to just four points with 1:20 left in the game. However, graduate student Flynn Cameron finished a left-handed layup with 48 seconds left to play to give the Highlanders a comfortable six-point lead. UC Riverside also hit their free throws down the stretch and ultimately got the win 65-64. Owens led the way for UCR with an impressive 19 points and 15 rebounds. Hartwell II continued his hot performance with 16 points.

UC Riverside improves its record to 12-6 (5-1) and will face Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Monday night, Jan. 16, in the SRC Arena at 5:00 P.M. ■ H

THE HIGHLANDERS JUMP TO SECOND IN THE BIG WEST CONFERENCE STANDINGS WITH A RECORD OF 5-1.

COURTESY OF DERRICK TUSKAN / UC SAN DIEGO

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